Some time had passed since Leon sent the Lionheart Society's sensory mages to track down the remaining individuals who had undergone Heart-Scale transplants. Their efforts were successful, uncovering a number of former Imperial loyalists—each one granted extended life by the illegally transplanted dragon scales.
Leon, having honed his interrogation skills under Rossweise's sharp tutelage, found little trouble extracting information from them. Piece by piece, the fragmented clues about the former king and the enigmatic Shadow Lord began to coalesce into a clear picture.
— A Shocking Confirmation —
At a Lionheart Society strategy meeting, Nacho reviewed the compiled intelligence. His expression was grave as he confronted the conclusion now staring them in the face.
"The former king is the Shadow Lord?"
He rubbed his temples, trying to process the confirmation. "I mean, we suspected it, but having it confirmed is still shocking."
As the instigator of the Longevity Plan, the former king had undoubtedly undergone a Heart-Scale transplant himself. After his supposed death, the kingdom had continued to operate under a shadowy influence that many now recognized as his. A letter found in Queen Elizabeth's chambers, signed by the Shadow Lord, had directly referenced both the late King Canter and Elizabeth, cementing the connection.
"It's clear now," Leon stated, his arms crossed over his chest. "The former king and the Shadow Lord are one and the same."
— The Mercenary Dragon King —
Nacho leaned forward on the table. "If we know who he is, does that mean tracking him down will be easier?"
Leon's brows furrowed in concentration. "Not quite. The former king—the Shadow Lord—still has significant resources. Among them is a Dragon King who continues to work with him."
Nacho raised an eyebrow in surprise. "A Dragon King? But why would any dragon ally with him now? The Empire is gone, and the war is over."
"This one is... unique," Leon explained. "The Warhammer Dragon King Adam operates essentially as a mercenary. He'll do anything as long as the price is right."
Leon continued, his voice low and serious. "Given the Shadow Lord's history of manipulation and vast hidden resources, convincing Adam to join his cause wouldn't have been difficult. Adam's strength is formidable—he's even given powerful dragons like Konstantin trouble in the past."
Rebecca, ever skeptical, frowned as she twirled her fork in a bowl of spaghetti. "He sounds like a big deal, but what if he's all talk? A flashy name doesn't mean much."
Martin handed her a napkin, keeping his tone pragmatic. "Any Dragon King is dangerous. If Adam is strong enough to thrive as a mercenary among dragons, he's not someone we can underestimate."
Leon nodded in firm agreement. "Rossweise personally warned me about Adam. He's far stronger than most Dragon Kings, and his complete lack of moral restraint makes him particularly dangerous. But no matter how strong he is, we cannot allow him—or anyone else—to disrupt the peace we've fought so hard to achieve."
The room fell into a heavy silence, impressed by Leon's unwavering resolve. "If we don't stop them now, it's only a matter of time before they shatter everything we've built."
— A Key Clue —
Leon leaned over the map spread across the table. "One of the Heart-Scale transplant recipients revealed something critical during interrogation. The Shadow Lord's last known appearance was near the southern border during the war. It's possible we'll find a lead there."
Rebecca stood up, planting her hands on her hips with renewed energy. "Then let's get moving, Captain! Once we take down the Shadow Lord and Adam, you can finally go home and hug your wife and kids."
Leon raised a single eyebrow, a faint smile touching his lips. "So you can tell Rossweise all my embarrassing secrets?"
Rebecca grinned mischievously. "I'm not that petty! I'll just compile a little notebook of your most blackmail-worthy moments and gift it to her."
Leon let out a long-suffering sigh. "What is it with women and writing everything down? Rossweise loves keeping journals too..."
For a moment, his thoughts drifted far away, and he muttered to himself, almost too softly to hear, "I've been thinking about her a lot lately..."
— The Silver Dragon Queen's Letter —
The Silver Dragon Palace
Beneath the soft moonlight, Rossweise sat at her elegant desk, her delicate features illuminated by the warm glow of a single lamp. Her slender fingers gripped a fountain pen as she carefully wrote the final line of her letter:
"Your wife, Rossweise Melkvey."
Satisfied, she rose gracefully, draping a silk robe over her shoulders and slipping on her favorite pair of dragon-wing slippers. Holding the sealed letter carefully, she stepped out onto the balcony.
She placed the letter into a small bamboo cylinder attached to a waiting messenger dragon and gently stroked its sleek head. "Go now, find him."
The intelligent creature nodded, understanding gleaming in its eyes, before flapping its powerful wings and disappearing into the starry night.
Rossweise watched its silhouette fade into the distance, her long silver hair shimmering like a cascade of starlight in the cool evening breeze. Her eyes lingered on the horizon, her thoughts entirely fixed on her husband, so far away in the human lands.
— The Contents of the Letter —
Rossweise could still recall every word she had written:
---
To my dearest Cosmodeous,
I was so happy to receive your last letter and to hear that you've captured another Imperial remnant. It feels like you're getting closer to the truth.
Things have been quiet here. Claudia came by recently with your precious stubborn donkey, as you'd asked me to let you know if it showed up. Well, it did—but you weren't home, so I had to send it back.
Muen and Little Light visited briefly. I told them you were on a secret mission with other Dragon Kings. Muen wants you to bring back smoked beef from another clan.
Noah stayed at school during her vacation to prepare for her promotion exams. The faculty says the exams will be held in the Southern Moonlit Forest this semester. It's dangerous, but at least it's not as bad as the frozen northern lands from last time, right?
Now, the most important news: I started experiencing morning sickness two weeks ago.
Yes, we're having another baby.
In a few months, our new little one will be here. I know you'll be home by then—won't you?
Also... have you been thinking about me a lot lately? My dragon mark has been glowing like a lantern, especially at night.
Oh, I bet you'll say, "I haven't been thinking about you at all, mother dragon. It's you who's been thinking about me!"
And you'd be right. I do miss you, Leon.
So hurry and come home when everything's settled, okay?
P.S. As per your request, I left a kiss mark on the envelope this time. It's embarrassing, but I also sprayed my favorite perfume. I hope you like it.
Yours always,
Rossweise Melkvey