It turned out that Leon's assumption was entirely wrong. There seemed to be no limit to a living being's capacity for sensation. The experience brought by the third dragon mark far surpassed that of two.
On this wild and indulgent night, Leon and Rossweise ascended to the pinnacle of passion over and over again. They lost all sense of time, completely immersed in the intoxicating euphoria, unable to extricate themselves from the endless spiral of desire.
Rossweise found herself utterly overwhelmed, unable to discern where one session began and another ended. The man above her seemed like an unstoppable beast, tireless and relentless. There was no reprieve; all he did was take, push, and conquer her, stripping away her dignity and pride in a way that she found disturbingly satisfying. Her reason shattered under the onslaught of desire, dissolving into nothingness.
Because of the overwhelming physiological stimulation, Rossweise began to exhibit unusual signs of dragonification that night. The silver dragon scales on either side of her temples vanished at the height of ecstasy. Meanwhile, faint ice-blue dragon pupils appeared at the corners of her eyes, shrinking tightly. Had Leon not been entirely out of control himself, the budding dragon horns emerging from Rossweise's forehead might have become another toy for their games.
By dawn, the first rays of sunlight crept over the horizon, spilling into their bedroom. Clothes lay scattered across the floor, the room a complete mess, evidence of their nightlong revelry. The two of them sat on the edge of the bed, backs leaning against the couch. Exhausted beyond measure, they couldn't even fall asleep despite their fatigue.
Rossweise wrapped herself in a white bedsheet, looking up at the man whose silver eyes were half-lidded and staring at the floor. She sniffed, leaned against his shoulder, and spoke softly: "Last night... was I too out of control?"
Leon rested his cheek gently on her head and replied: "Mm, you were a bit too—"
"Squeak—"
"Shut up! It's the dragon marks' fault."
Leon chuckled softly, closing his eyes. "Yes, yes, of course."
Rossweise's face turned crimson as she shrank into the bedsheet, pulling it tighter around herself. She bit her lower lip, clearly wrestling with some internal dilemma. After a long pause, she finally spoke: "Leon, do you think... our relationship is too... shallow?"
"Shallow? In what way?"
"I can't explain it well."
Having broached a more serious topic, both of them straightened up. Rossweise glanced at the battlefield they had created over the course of the night and continued: "It's just... I sometimes wonder, if we rely on this as a way to maintain our relationship, what would happen if we lost it?"
She hesitated, biting her lip again before mustering the courage to voice her thoughts: "If we lost the physical aspect, would our love eventually fade away?"
"Don't misunderstand me, Leon. It's not that I don't want to be intimate with you. It's just... sometimes my thoughts run wild. I wasn't like this before. I wouldn't let go of my pride or seek out physical pleasure. But now... look at me. Not only am I lost in it, but I'm also the one constantly initiating—"
"And I'm afraid you'll think my love and intimacy are cheap, that you'll stop cherishing me, that your feelings for me will gradually fade away..."
Her voice grew quieter and quieter until she curled into a small ball, wrapping her arms around her knees and burying her face in her arms like a wet kitten.
For once, Leon fell into an unusual silence in response to Rossweise's worries. Of course, his silence didn't mean agreement. He would never consider Rossweise's feelings or their intimacy as cheap, nor would he think that physical connection was the only bond holding them together. But even so, her concerns were heavy and complex, not something he could resolve with a simple answer.
Leon took his time, searching for a response that would perfectly address her insecurities. Rossweise didn't rush him for an answer. She knew he was taking her seriously and was willing to wait patiently.
After a moment of silence, Leon finally spoke: "When you think about it, we rarely talk about 'intimacy' as a topic, don't we?"
Rossweise peeked out from behind her knees, her head tilting slightly as she nodded.
"Was it last night, under the stimulation of the third dragon mark, that we lost control and gave rise to these doubts and concerns?"
Rossweise paused for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Yes..."
Leon had always been able to see things from her perspective when addressing their relationship, and that was what comforted Rossweise the most.
"Hmm, about that..." He exhaled, relaxing his slightly tense body, then lifted his arm naturally, wrapping it around Rossweise's shoulder to pull her, curled into a ball, back into his embrace.
Leon continued: "I think this is simply biological instinct—in essence, it's a natural way for living beings to express their importance to one another. You don't need to worry. Even something as basic as this, an instinct that's hard to articulate, is crucial. Because if we lose even the most fundamental desire for each other, how could we possibly have a deeper kind of 'love'?"
His straightforward words struck a chord, gently erasing the subconscious shame Rossweise felt after their passionate night. She nodded slightly, choosing not to interrupt, waiting for him to continue.
"So, to be honest, there's nothing wrong with wanting to do those things with me. In fact, it shows... that you love me."
"I—!" Rossweise, realizing she was about to retort, tried to lift her head but was promptly pushed back down by Leon. She obediently rested her head against his knees, pouting and muttering in a small voice: "Mm... I, I do love you. And then?"
"If there's any fault in this, then it's mine."
Rossweise raised an eyebrow. "Yours?"
"Because I've been too passive," Leon said, gently ruffling her messy hair with a warm smile. "My passivity forces you to be more active, which in turn caused you to have these doubts. So... it's my fault."
The queen narrowed her eyes and glanced sideways at him, teasing: "Then why don't you take the initiative more often? After all these years of marriage, are you not interested in me anymore?" She almost laughed at her own joke, though deep down, she was genuinely curious about how Leon would respond.
"Let me be clear," Leon replied firmly, "dragon marks can be placed recklessly, but words cannot. How could I possibly not be interested in you? This ties into your second concern—whether I see your love and intimacy as cheap, right?"
"Mm." She kept her nose and mouth hidden behind her arms, exposing only her beautiful silver eyes, which gazed expectantly at Leon.
"The answer to that," Leon said softly, "is something we both already know in our hearts. But I understand—you want to hear me say more, don't you?"
"Who wants to hear you say more? Hmph. If you don't want to say it, then don't. I don't care."
Leon chuckled knowingly and took a step back, saying: "Alright, alright. It's me who wants to say more. Please, my dear wife, have the patience to listen, will you?"
Rossweise let out a smug little hum. "Fine, I'll listen, but only because I'm feeling generous."
Leon's expression turned serious as he continued: "Of course, I don't think what you offer me is cheap. The significance you hold in my heart is indescribable. Everything you give me cannot be measured by simple words. And my love and intimacy for you are the same. They are neither shallow nor reliant solely on physical connection. Every moment spent with you, every day we share, every word spoken, and every action taken—I see it all as... a blessing. If there are gods, then I would thank them for allowing us to love each other so deeply, even after everything we've been through."
As he spoke, Leon gently tilted his head and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Feeling the lingering warmth of the kiss, Rossweise's eyes wavered as she looked up at him. For her, everything Leon had just said was already more than enough.
"So, is this where the promise comes in?" she whispered, wrapping her arms around Leon lightly, speaking of commitment.
But sometimes... Rossweise wished to hear something else—something simpler, more direct, and free of embellishments.
And Leon's answer, as always, was: "I love you. Melkvey, I will always love you, forever and ever!"