Book 4: Chapter 30 |
Leon had thought Odin’s idea of negotiating with the Empire was still just a concept.
So the “recommended negotiator” might only have been a symbolic gesture—praising Leon a little—without actually sending him.
But then, a few days later, while General Leon was still at the Silver Dragon Temple taking care of the kids, he suddenly received a message delivered by the Twilight Tower Master.
The contents of the letter were simple—yet absolutely explosive.
In short: after deep deliberation by the Dragon Kings, they had decided to put an end to this long, world-shaking human–dragon war. The dragon clans would send one representative to negotiate.
And that representative, without question, should be the hero who saved dragonkind during the spatial rift crisis, the Silver Dragon Prince Consort who battled Constantine in the Far North, and the young strategist who had repeatedly offered key decisions at Dragon King summits—
Leon Casmod.
Did you people really deliberate deeply?!
Deep where? Deliberate how?!
“Xiaoguang, that expression has a professional name. It’s called wanting to cry but having no tears.”
“Oh~~ got it.”
“Alright. Go play with your sisters. Your dad and I have something to talk about.”
“Yes, Mom!”
Xiaoguang hopped down from Rosvithar’s leg, wagging her little tail as she trotted toward her two sisters on the practice grounds.
Once Xiaoguang had gone far enough away, Rosvithar leaned back slightly, resting against the bench. She crossed her long legs comfortably, looking ahead with a faint smile at the corner of her lips.
“Odin supports sending you as the dragons’ negotiator. So—what do you say? Are you going?”
Leon set the “appointment letter” aside, sighed softly, and said,
“Honestly, the moment I saw the news, I was pretty resistant.”
Rosvithar nodded in understanding.
“Letting you—a human—represent dragonkind would definitely be something to resist.”
“Exactly. But if I think it through carefully… it does seem like I’m the most suitable person to negotiate.”
“Oh?”
“Both humans and dragons have suffered through over a century of war. Now all the conspiracies have been crushed. A ceasefire clearly benefits both our races.”
Leon continued slowly,
“But after fighting for so long, it’s not something you can just stop because you said so.”
“So negotiation is a crucial step. If another Dragon King served as the representative, I’m afraid… something could go wrong.”
Rosvithar’s thoughts shifted, and she immediately understood what he meant.
“So to ensure the negotiation outcome benefits both sides, your special… ‘existence’ becomes the key, right?”
Leon smiled helplessly, then leaned back as well, lifting his gaze to the bright, clear sky as he spoke in an easy tone.
“I never thought overthrowing the Empire would mean everything was over.”
“But things are developing into this… I truly didn’t see it coming.”
Then he lowered his gaze and looked at the silver-haired beauty beside him.
“Tell me—having me, a human, represent the dragons… and then go negotiate with humans…”
“Isn’t that kind of absurd?”
Rosvithar covered her mouth and laughed softly.
“It’d be absurd for anyone else.”
“But for you? I can only say it’s standard procedure.”
Leon clicked his tongue and lightly bumped her shoulder, then stood and started walking toward their daughters on the practice grounds.
“What are you doing?” Rosvithar asked.
“Negotiation doesn’t stop me from playing dragon rider with my precious daughters.”
Halfway through, Leon paused—then corrected himself.
“Oh, right. If the war really stops, then we can’t play Dragon Rider anymore.”
“That wouldn’t be good for unity between the two races.”
“Leon.”
“Hm?”
The queen rose slowly, too. Leon heard the fabric of her dress brush against her skin.
And her tone suddenly became serious and earnest.
Staring at Leon’s back, Rosvithar said slowly,
“If this war really ends in a few days… then the name ‘Leon Casmod’ will be written into the histories of both humans and dragons.”
“Your life might undergo earth-shaking changes.”
As her words fell, a breeze lifted the hem of the queen’s skirt.
After a moment of silence, the man ahead of her slowly turned his head halfway, revealing a profile that was firm yet gentle.
He narrowed his eyes and smiled, answering softly,
“Compared to becoming history… I prefer the life I have now with you, Rosvitha.”
……
Half a month later, at the border between human and dragon territories—at a certain cliff.
On one side of the cliff stood a vast formation of Lionheart Society members and the former Imperial Guard.
At the very front stood Nacho, Martin, and Rebecca.
Half a month earlier, they had received the dragons’ ceasefire letter, arranging to negotiate here.
At first, they thought it was some trap or scheme—but Leon’s letter arrived right after, saying they could come, and that this would be an open, aboveboard negotiation with no hidden plots.
Only then did they feel safe enough to head here.
“Negotiations… looks like word of the Empire’s regime change spread fast,” Rebecca said.
“Not just the regime change,” Nacho said, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the dark mass of dragon troops approaching from the other side of the cliff.
“More importantly, the conspiracy—between the Empire and certain Dragon Kings—has also spread.”
“That’s the key reason this ceasefire negotiation is happening.”
“Of course,” he added, “your captain probably helped a lot too.”
“Hah. So after the war, the captain didn’t just crawl into bed with his wife and kids and stop there.”
“He still did some proper work.”
Nacho blinked, scratched the tip of his nose, and said,
“No, no. I think for all these years, no matter how much he did…”
“His final goal was still the wife-and-kids-and-warm-bed thing.”
Rebecca’s eyes lit up in realization.
“Oh~~~ I see. As expected—don’t underestimate the Family-Man Hero.”⁶
After a few lines of banter, Martin suddenly asked,
“By the way… what kind of Dragon King are they going to send to negotiate with us?”
Rebecca raised her hand to answer first.
“Obviously someone super strong, super badass—an all-famous, hero-level figure in dragon society!”
Nacho shot the crazy girl a look.
“Have you ever fought a Dragon King like that?”
“No.”
Rebecca dropped her teasing grin and answered seriously,
“Because most Dragon Kings like that were basically killed off by the captain already.”
“……”
“Then if all the high-status Dragon Kings were killed by the captain, wouldn’t that mean the dragons can’t send any negotiator at all?” Martin latched onto the real problem.
“Huh? Then what are we negotiating for—bring my fire-element cannon!”
“Today we’re going to open those big lizards’ eyes!”
Martin hurriedly pressed down on Rebecca’s wrist.
“No, no, no—don’t, don’t, it’s not that serious!”
Rebecca giggled and bumped her shoulder into Martin’s chest.
“I’m kidding. Look how scared you are.”
Nearby, Nacho exhaled slowly as he watched the dragon troops draw closer and closer.
“So… without a pillar holding things up, who are they actually going to send—”
……
“Motherf— why is it you?!”
“Captain, so you were turned into part of the dragon clans by your sister-in-law’s weird magic, right?!”
“You know me, Captain—I’ve always worshipped you, but why the hell can a human represent the dragons in negotiations?!”
Leon: “……”
“Listen to me—don’t rush yet.”
“I’m more anxious than any of you.”
…