Book 4: Chapter 41 |
Rosvitha tapped her own head, clicked her tongue softly, and said with some annoyance,
“How did we forget about that guy? Compared to the other Dragon Kings who have their own territories and people, Adam the loner is far harder to punish.”
Leon nodded.
“A string of victories and several unexpected turns really did make us overlook the most troublesome Dragon King.”
The dragon clans’ way of life—really, their social structure—revolves around the Dragon King–clan system.
Each Dragon King rules a specific clan. Under normal circumstances, they do not infringe on one another, and only occasionally establish diplomatic relations.
Put simply: everyone minds their own business.
But among all Dragon Kings, Warhammer Dragon King Adam is the sole exception.
He has no territory.
No people.
As Rosvitha put it, he is a true loner—
One dragon, one clan.
That is why Adam does not care in the slightest about the punishments imposed on traitorous Dragon Kings at the conclave.
What meaning do reparations or territorial concessions have to him?
I’ve got nothing, nobody, and one life. If you’ve got the guts, come kill me.
A classic case of someone with nothing to lose fearing nothing.
“But he never showed himself at all. After the Empire fell, he probably just went back to his old mercenary business, right?” Rosvitha said.
By “mercenary,” she meant Adam’s former line of work.
With empty sleeves and no ties, he had no worries or weaknesses. Even with countless enemies, he never feared retaliation.
That was precisely why—as long as the employer paid enough—Adam was willing to do anything.
Mostly dirty, under-the-table work: assassinations, arson, infiltration, espionage.
Leon pondered briefly, then shook his head slightly.
“Do you remember the ‘Lord Shadow’ I told you about after the negotiation with Nacho and the others?”
“Mm.”
Rosvitha followed his train of thought immediately. “You think Adam might be connected to this ‘Shadow’?”
“Exactly. Nacho’s people still haven’t found Queen Elizabeth, who escaped back then. I suspect that woman fled to this so-called ‘Shadow.’”
Leon continued,
“Someone who could make a fallen empire’s queen throw herself at him in utter desperation—his strength and methods must far surpass a puppet king like Kant.”
“So we have reason to suspect that the one truly orchestrating the Empire’s collusion with the Dragon Kings, manipulating the human–dragon war, wasn’t Kant at all—but this Shadow.”
“And now that the war is over, Shadow will still be operating in the dark to achieve some other objective. As for Adam, who never once showed his face before…”
“He’s very likely Shadow’s trump card.”
Rosvitha had once told Leon that as a lone Dragon King, Adam’s strength was unfathomable.
And anyone who survived long-term as a mercenary without being hunted down and hacked to pieces clearly had real ability.
So if Shadow truly used the human–dragon war as a tool to pursue some deeper, hidden goal, then after the Empire’s collapse and Kant’s death, he would have no choice but to play his remaining cards.
And that card… was very likely the long-absent Warhammer Dragon King Adam.
Leon folded the paper listing the Dragon Kings’ names and put it away.
“When we negotiated, Nacho and I agreed that humans and dragons would investigate Shadow separately. Now that we finally have a lead, we can’t waste time.”
“So urgent?” Rosvitha asked.
Leon smiled, pulled her into his arms, and inhaled the faint, clean scent of her hair as he spoke,
“Do you know what kind of enemy is the most terrifying?”
The queen remained silent. She knew this was not a question directed at her. All she had to do was listen.
“The most terrifying enemy isn’t one with a clear goal.”
“It’s the kind you have no idea what they want—but you’re absolutely certain that whatever they’re planning is nothing good.”
Leon’s fingertips gently traced Rosvitha’s soft cheek, then threaded through her hair as he continued,
“To deal with that kind of enemy, we can’t afford to stay passive like before.”
Rosvitha savored his words.
She understood Leon. And she understood his urgency to uncover the truth behind “Shadow.”
In past confrontations with the Empire—both overt and covert—there were many times when being too reactive had put her and the children in danger.
The first attack on the Silver Dragon Sanctuary by Old Kant.
The battle at the spatial rift.
And in the end, even Leon’s master had been gravely injured—if not for Lady Charlotte sacrificing her own heart-protecting dragon scale, his master might have…
So yes, Rosvitha understood him. Deeply.
“The Empire’s collusion with certain Dragon Kings to deliberately prolong the war for profit does fit the motives of greedy rulers—on the surface,” she said.
“But… I’ve always felt there was something murky about it.”
“Even after we defeated the Primordial Nightmare, overthrew the Empire, and punished the traitorous Dragon Kings, I still never felt that sense of true clarity. Do you know what I mean?”
“I do. Of course I do.”
Leon felt the same.
They had indeed won the final victory against the Empire.
He had lived up to his master’s expectations, to the Lionheart Society, and to the people of the Empire.
And yet, deep down, he still felt that a dangerous undercurrent had slipped away beneath the tide of triumph.
Now it was clear—what caused that unease was Shadow.
“So since you’ve decided to act,” Rosvitha said gently, pulling free from his embrace and sitting upright, tucking loose hair behind her ear with a warm smile,
“Then go ahead and do it—without hesitation.”
“No matter what you do, I’ll go with you.”
This was what captivated Leon the most about her.
Before major decisions, others might say, ‘I trust you,’ or ‘Do whatever you think is best.’
But the Silver Dragon Queen never did.
She would look him straight in the eye and say, with unwavering resolve:
“I’ll go with you.”
Just like the promise they had once made—to protect this…
family.
So how could she be content letting Leon protect her every time?
She wanted to stand beside him.
Always.
Everywhere.
Leon paused for a moment, then smiled with quiet relief.
“I knew you’d always be with me, Rosvitha.”
She shrugged. Emotional speeches weren’t really her strength—
after all, she didn’t want the dog-man to think she was hopelessly in love with him
(even though she was—just don’t let him realize it too clearly).
So after a brief moment of sincerity, she quickly steered the conversation back on track.
“So, what are you planning to do next?”
Leon thought for a moment.
“I’ll visit Constantine first. The list came from his former second-in-command, so he might still have information we don’t.”
“Alright. Then—”
“I’ll go alone.”
The queen frowned. “So everything I just said went in one ear and out the other?”
“Not at all. This time I’m just going to chat with Old Kant—no fighting involved. No need for the Silver Dragon Queen herself to step in.”
Leon hesitated, then added with a hint of worry,
“And besides… if both of us leave for several days, I’m afraid we’ll come back only to find we’ve been eaten by our own offerings again.”
Rosvitha burst out laughing and lightly punched his shoulder.
“So that’s what you’re worried about. Fine—then I’ll stay home and, while I’m at it—”
Leon raised an eyebrow. “While you’re at it?”
“I’ll prepare your grand, glorious funeral together with the girls!”
“You’ve really had enough, haven’t you, female dragon!”
…
Footnotes:
- dúxíng zhě
- Pinyin:dúxíng zhě
- Meaning:“Loner” or “solo operator”; someone with no affiliations, family, or responsibilities.
- guāngjiǎo de bù pà chuān xié de
- Pinyin:guāngjiǎo de bù pà chuān xié de
- Meaning:An idiom meaning “those with nothing fear nothing”; someone with no assets or leverage cannot be threatened.
- yǐng dàrén
- Pinyin:yǐng dàrén
- Meaning:Literally “Lord Shadow”; a title implying a powerful, hidden manipulator operating behind the scenes.
- ànliú
- Pinyin:ànliú
- Meaning:An “undercurrent”; metaphor for hidden danger or unresolved threat beneath apparent calm or success.
- pèihé
- Pinyin:pèihé
- Meaning:To cooperate or work in coordination; often used when matching someone’s resolve or actions.
- péi nǐ yìqǐ
- Pinyin:péi nǐ yìqǐ
- Meaning:“I’ll go with you”; implies shared responsibility, solidarity, and willingness to face danger together.