Seeing the Captain and Rossweise flustered, Rebecca's curiosity ignited instantly.
"Sis-in-law! Sis-in-law! What is it? What are they two preparing for back home?"
Shaking Rossweise's wrist with an eager expression, Rebecca demanded an answer to satisfy her burning curiosity.
Rossweise scratched her temple awkwardly and replied, "Well... it's a kind of family tradition. It started as something just for your Captain, but over time... I got pulled into it too."
Even the dignified Silver Dragon Queen found it difficult to maintain her composure when remembering the "summoning ritual" their daughters prepared. While the whole process of changing outfits was fun, it was always predictably chaotic. Every time they returned, Leon and Rossweise had to mentally prepare for the "spectacular" and "professional" scene awaiting them.
Rebecca blinked her large, beautiful eyes, still not fully understanding. "Can I see it too?"
"Next time," Rossweise said gently. "After the Sky City battle, there's still much to handle among the dragon clans. Once everything is settled, I will personally invite you to the Silver Dragon Sanctuary, alright?"
"Yay! Sis-in-law, you're the best!" Rebecca cheered, jumping up to throw her arms around Rossweise's shoulders, clearly aiming for a kiss on the cheek.
Just as Rebecca was about to succeed, a hand grabbed her collar from behind and lifted her off the ground. Leon, with one hand on his hip and the other holding Rebecca like a misbehaving kitten, looked utterly unimpressed.
Rebecca turned to glare at him. "Captain, what are you doing? Why can't I kiss sis-in-law? You get to kiss her every day, so why can't I have just one?"
"Who says I kiss her every day?" Leon retorted.
"Oh?" Rebecca quickly turned her head and, before Leon could react, planted a lightning-fast kiss on Rossweise's cheek. Then she turned back, grinning smugly at Leon. "I could kiss her every day if I wanted to."
"You're impossible... There are people watching!" Rossweise's cheeks flushed red as she averted her gaze and lightly smacked Leon's chest.
Rebecca: "?"
"Martin!" Leon called out.
"On it, handling the situation," Martin responded promptly.
Nacho sighed dramatically. "I think we shouldn't have come here. No, I think Shadow should have finished us off entirely."
"I hate you! I hate you!" Rebecca shouted playfully. "I'm going to craft a sniper rifle that can shoot from the empire all the way to your dragon bedroom! The next time you kiss sis-in-law, I'll blow your lips off!"
"Crazy girl, those are terrifying threats," Leon said, chuckling.
With that, he tossed Rebecca toward Martin, who was already prepared to catch her. Rebecca's petite frame, perfect for ambushing enemies, also made her an ideal "projectile" for Leon and Martin to casually toss around.
Rebecca flew gracefully through the air, tracing a neat arc before landing securely in Martin's arms. Martin held her in a princess carry while Rebecca stuck her tongue out at Leon in playful defiance.
Nacho clapped his hands together. "Alright, it's getting late. Leon, we'll trouble you and the Silver Dragon Queen to escort us back to the empire."
Leon nodded but then hesitated. "The problem is, I don't think we have enough hands. Originally, Mevis was supposed to help with the escort, but since she and Noah went back early, it's just me and the Silver Dragon Queen now. That's not enough to transport everyone."
"Yeah, are we going to have to split into groups for the return?" Martin wondered aloud.
"If only there were another Dragon King to help us out..." Nacho mused.
"Father! Father, why aren't we going home yet?" a young voice piped up.
"Hefei, the Crimson Flame Dragon territory was destroyed by the bad guys. We can't go back right now."
"Does that mean we're homeless?"
"Don't worry, Hefei. You can stay at the Silver Dragon Sanctuary for now—" Rossweise began, but then noticed Leon's peculiar expression. "Leon, why are you looking at me like that?"
In a nearby corner, the Crimson Flame Dragon King and his obedient daughter were discussing their future arrangements, their homeland having been obliterated by Shadow. Hearing the conversation about "needing another Dragon King," Constantine noticed Leon approaching with a peculiar expression.
Leon rubbed his head theatrically and said, "Ah, my memory is so poor. Constantine, can you remind me how my Lionheart Guild ended up here from the empire in the first place?"
Constantine's face went blank. 😑
Leon's subtle yet pointed tone clearly suggested he had a plan in mind—though Constantine likely wasn't thrilled about where it was heading. Constantine never expected that his first task after finally returning home from the Dragon Fleet would be to act as a transportation service for Leon and a group of humans. Was this karma for using Fael as a mount for so many years? Still, it didn't matter. After all, these humans had saved his life.
Carrying Hefei in his arms, Constantine walked up to Leon and said, "I can help take your friends back to the empire, but I have one condition."
"What is it?" Leon asked.
"My Crimson Dragon Sanctuary was destroyed by Shadow. Until it's rebuilt, I want Hefei to stay with your family."
Leon squinted slightly, smiling as he agreed without hesitation. "That's it? Of course, no problem."
"Good." With that, Constantine transformed into his magnificent dragon form.
Hefei clapped her hands in delight. "Father is so cool!" It was the first time she had seen her father's dragon form since her awakening, and her excitement was palpable.
Leon turned to Rossweise. "Alright, let's get ready to leave."
"Mm-hmm." Rossweise spread her wings, and in the blink of an eye, a stunning silver dragon appeared before everyone.
"Wow! Sis-in-law, your dragon form is so beautiful!" Rebecca exclaimed.
Leon whistled, summoning the six-winged dragon hawk, which descended gracefully from the sky. Everyone mounted their respective dragons or the hawk, securing themselves as they prepared for the journey back to the human empire.
That evening, Leon and his group returned to the Silver Dragon Sanctuary.
As Constantine prepared to leave after saying goodbye to Hefei, Leon called out to him. "What is it?" Constantine asked.
"The battle for Sky City left everyone injured, and we haven't had time to fully recover," Leon explained. "Besides, it's been a while since you've seen Hefei. Why not stay here for a few days and spend some time with her?"
Hefei hesitated for a moment, holding onto Rossweise's hand, before finally speaking up. "Father, Hefei really missed you..."
Previously, Hefei had felt distant from Constantine, and no matter how difficult her situation, she would never consider staying on another Dragon King's territory. Though no one knew exactly what Hefei thought, Constantine, proud as he was, had always seen such dependency as beneath his dignity as a Crimson Flame Dragon King. But now, with his homeland destroyed, his people scattered, and his body and spirit worn from the recent battle, Constantine didn't know how to rebuild that connection with his daughter.
So this time, he decided to take Leon's advice. "I'll stay and rest for a while, then. Thank you, Leon, and you too, Silver Dragon Queen."
Rossweise nodded silently, picking up Hefei and heading toward the sanctuary's main hall. Discussions between men weren't something she needed to interfere with—whatever decision Leon made, she would support it unconditionally.
Leon and Constantine followed her inside. This wasn't Constantine's first visit to the Silver Dragon Sanctuary; the last time had been for the birth of the Silver Dragon's third princess. He expected to encounter resistance from the Silver Dragon guards, but to his surprise, the place seemed deserted.
"Why don't you have any maids or guards in your sanctuary?" Constantine asked, perplexed.
Leon stopped in his tracks, laughing lightly. "No maids, I understand. But where are the guards?" He turned to Rossweise, who was already ascending the steps.
The Queen shook her head, equally puzzled. "I have no idea."
Constantine's expression turned serious as he spoke gravely, "If someone were to launch a surprise attack right now, wouldn't the Silver Dragon Sanctuary fall instantly?"
His concern was valid. Normally, leaving a sanctuary unguarded was a critical mistake. But nothing in the Melkvey household ever adhered to normal logic.
"Ever since the battle with Star, no one dares to invade Silver Dragon territory," Leon said, patting Constantine on the shoulder.
"...It's not easy getting a meal at your place," Constantine muttered under his breath.
Just then, the sound of drumming echoed through the sanctuary. Leon blinked, listening carefully. "It's coming from the courtyard."
"My earlier bad feeling... it's getting stronger," Rossweise said.
The couple exchanged a glance and quickly made their way toward the courtyard. Constantine hesitated for a moment before muttering to himself, "What a strange couple. Marriage is such a terrifying concept." Still, his curiosity got the better of him, and he followed them.
When they reached the courtyard, Constantine saw Leon and Rossweise standing on the steps, frozen in place as if they'd been struck by lightning.
"Leon?" Constantine called out, but got no response. Perplexed, he approached and patted Leon on the shoulder. "Hey?" Still no reaction.
"What on earth are you—" Before he could finish, a loud female voice rang out from the courtyard below:
"They're not here yet? Keep playing the music! Keep dancing!"
"Shirley, your guard squad's drumming must not stop!"
"Maids, we've added a new section this time. Muse will lead you in playing the trumpets!"
"Muen, stop eating steak! See that big brass disk over there? It's called a gong. Take the mallet next to it and hit it hard!"
"Aurora, the memory stone can't just film from one angle. Move around! Get those dynamic shots! Yes, that's it!"
"How am I doing, Noah? Pretty professional, right?"
Noah took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and gave a silent thumbs-up. "Mevis, compared to you, we're absolute amateurs."
Out of the corner of her eye, Noah spotted the figures standing at the courtyard entrance. She gestured "OK" to a nearby maid, who immediately understood. Taking a sip of water to clear her throat, the maid began vocalizing a few notes, as if warming up. Finally, she gathered her breath and delivered a practiced summoning chant:
"Princesses, let the heavens be moved! Her Majesty and Her Highness have once again returned to life!"