Shut up, malevolent dragon! I don’t want to have any more children with you V2C26

Chapter 26: I Have a Bold Idea

Immortality…?

Leon pondered over this word carefully.

In his view, immortality was somewhat contradictory.

Throughout many people’s lives, they might never mention or seriously contemplate what “immortality” really is, how to achieve it, and what the cost of immortality entails.

Yet, when their lives come to an end, many people lament why they couldn’t live longer, even if it means sacrificing wealth, health, or something else, just to extend their lives a little further.

“Immortality” rarely appears as a serious topic in the lives of most people. However, after everyone completes their ordinary or remarkable lives, they always seek more life from this definition that they have never seriously considered.

Take Leon himself, for example. Before he and Rosvitha formed this false family, he never considered anything related to “immortality” or lifespan.

That’s because Leon received proper education about death when he was a child. The nun teachers and insightful masters in the orphanage taught him how to face death properly.

After this false family was established, Leon did indeed ponder over the question of humans and dragons having different lifespans.

But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with a reason.

The dragon race may have a longer lifespan than humans, but ultimately, they too will be buried in this land.

So Leon felt that no one could escape death.

What people call “immortality” is nothing more than leaving a trace of themselves in this strange and colorful world.

Just like the bold speculation Master just made, the previous king might not have actually died but instead stepped back, becoming the true ruler manipulating the country from behind the scenes.

So, thirty years have passed, and the traces of the previous king’s rule still linger throughout the empire.

Leon withdrew his thoughts and asked, “If the previous king really faked his death, how did he manage to prolong his own lifespan?”

Master also had some speculation of his own about this. “Immortality or longevity has been a subject of study for royal alchemists for hundreds of years, so… perhaps there has been progress in their research?”

“But if it really is the work of royal alchemists, then the king wouldn’t need to fake his death to conceal this experimental achievement, right?” Leon said.

“A longer lifespan means he can accumulate more power and his rule would be more entrenched. It would also allow him to display human magic prowess externally, showcasing strength. However, faking death would only force him to retreat behind the scenes. Although he still holds real power, it’s still inconvenient in many ways, isn’t it?”

This point raised by Leon was something Teg hadn’t considered before. The old man stroked his chin, frowned in thought, and mused, “Indeed… then what do these doubts and clues represent?”

With new speculation came new questions. Leon’s mind was active, and he immediately pointed out, “Perhaps the so-called immortality, its methods, and the price behind it must never be disclosed to the world.”

Pausing for a moment, Leon added, “Of course, groundbreaking research like immortality or prolonging lifespan might be kept secret for reasons of security or concealing power. But…”

“I’m more inclined to think that the ‘price of immortality’ researched by the empire is something they don’t want revealed. And… it might also be related to the enduring human-dragon war.”

Teg couldn’t quite follow his apprentice’s train of thought. “What do you mean by that?”

“You know, Master, the war between humans and dragons has lasted for thousands of years, and there are too many things involved in it. Every step taken and every decision made by both sides may be related to each other,” Leon explained. “So I feel that the previous king’s immortality or lifespan extension is inseparable from the dragons and even the entire war.”

Teg remained silent, pondering over Leon’s thoughts.

At that moment, Rebecca, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, her tone quite serious. “I think what the captain said makes sense.”

Both Teg and Leon couldn’t help but look at her. “Oh? How does it make sense? Share your thoughts too,” Teg said, thinking that perhaps young people’s minds work faster, and there’s no generation gap, so communication with Rebecca should be easy, and she might understand Leon’s ideas better than he does.

Rebecca looked serious, saying, “Because the captain talks a lot, so following his ideas must be right!”

Teg: “…”

Leon: “…”

Rosvitha: Trying hard not to laugh. “No, can’t laugh, I’m the queen, I need to be serious.”

Leon slapped Rebecca’s face lightly, pushing her aside. “Go play somewhere else. Adults are talking, kids shouldn’t interrupt.”

Rebecca took a few steps aside, then made a face at Leon, sticking out her tongue. “You’re only a year older than me, idiot straight guy!”

Leon couldn’t be bothered to deal with the child, turning back to continue discussing the next plan with his master. Seeing the two of them engrossed in conversation, Rebecca felt left out and suddenly had the idea to strike out on her own.

“The elderly, weak, sick, and disabled combination isn’t worthy of decorating me!”

A loli girl chewed on her bubblegum, hands stuffed in her pockets, head lowered, lazily kicking the stones on the ground. Suddenly, one stone rolled uncontrollably.

Rebecca was about to lift her foot to chase after it, but she realized that the stone, annoyingly enough, was rolling towards Rosvitha.

Thunk—

The stone lightly tapped Rosvitha’s high-heeled shoe. She slowly opened her silver eyes, glanced down at the stone, then looked up at the person who kicked it.

In the instant Rebecca met Rosvitha’s inverted dragon pupils, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. She didn’t have the courage like the captain to boldly face the Dragon Queen, let alone marry her and have kids. She was just a 22-year-old female gunner, a bit crazy, but also aware that the one calmly staring back at her wasn’t some aloof beauty, but a bona fide Dragon Queen.

In Rebecca’s mind, dragons were still synonymous with brutality. This Dragon Queen was the captain’s wife, not hers. Who knew what she might do to her?

However—

The Dragon Queen shouldn’t be petty… it’s just a little stone, not worth getting angry over, right?

While Rebecca was internally going through this whirlwind, Rosvitha remained quite calm. She withdrew her gaze from Rebecca and then extended her tail, discreetly sweeping the small stone back to where it came from.

Then she closed her eyes again to rest.

The little stone rolled back to Rebecca’s feet, and she breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Looks like the captain married a very gentle dragon wife. The little interaction between the crazy girl and the queen went unnoticed by the master and apprentice.

After exchanging information and confirming the next course of action, Leon asked his master’s wife, “Is my master’s wife still at her parents’ place?”

Teg pursed his lips, seeming a bit hesitant, but eventually replied, “Yes, she’s still there, very safe.”

Scratching his head, Leon continued, “Master, why don’t you tell me where my master’s wife’s parents live? I have some free time, so I can go see her. It’s been a while since I’ve seen my master’s wife.”

It’s been a while since he’s seen a donkey too.

“This… Her parents’ place is quite remote, hard to describe in words,” the master was a bit vague, “Let’s wait until we’re done with the empire’s affairs, then I’ll take you there.”

Why does the old fart seem reluctant to let him go see his master’s wife?

Leon felt suspicious, but he didn’t say anything, just nodded in agreement, “Okay, let’s talk about it later then.”

“Sure.”

After a pause, Leon seemed to suddenly remember something. He reached into his pocket and took out a photo, handing it to Teg.

Teg took it, and in the photo was a baby with pink hair and tail, eyes closed, clutching tiny fists, looking adorable.

“What’s this…”

“Aurora, the third daughter of me and Rosvitha, I mentioned to her when I returned to the empire. Her nickname is Little Light.”

Although the master was a dragon slayer, judging by the fact that he kept the family photo that Rosvitha gave him so well, he shouldn’t mind that Leon’s daughter is a human-dragon hybrid.

So, before this visit, Leon deliberately took a photo of Little Light, wanting to show it to the old man. Teg looked at the photo of his granddaughter, a relieved smile appearing on his weathered face.

Rebecca also curiously approached. When she saw the little pink dragon in the photo, stars twinkled in the loli girl’s eyes. “So cute!~~”

Leon waved his hand, modestly boasting, “Of course, just look whose genes she has.”

“Indeed, without the genes of your wife, the beauty, your little daughter wouldn’t be this cute,” Rebecca chimed in.

“Ouch—asking for a beating!”

Rebecca giggled mischievously and darted behind Teg.

After admiring his granddaughter for a moment, Teg carefully put away the photo. “If there’s nothing else, Rosvitha and I will head back first, Master.”

“Wait, there is one thing.”

As he spoke, Teg took out an old book from his pocket. “When you said you couldn’t condense mana back in the empire, I remembered this book. It contains something you might find useful.”

Leon took the ancient book from his master’s hand. Its title was “The Gates of Nine Hells.”

“The name sounds… dark,” Leon commented. “Does it contain any methods to restore mana?”

Teg shook his head. “It’s unrelated to mana. It records a very powerful martial art. Since you can’t use mana in the short term, you’ll need some means of defense. Relying solely on the Dragon Slayer Corps’ teachings probably won’t be enough. So, I took the risk of having someone find this ancient book for you. Practice it well when you return. You look like you’ve lost your vigor.”

“…”

“Master, it’s not my fault if I lack vigor. Your disciple hasn’t been the same innocent boy from before!”

“Alright, I’ll practice diligently. Thank you, Master.”

Teg nodded just now. “Okay, go back, and be careful on the way.”

“Yeah, you too, Master.”

Leon put away the ancient book, turned, and called Rosvitha to leave together. Rosvitha slowly got up and followed Leon to the cave’s exit.

As they left, she half-turned her head and looked at Rebecca. Rebecca became nervous once again. The silver eyes calmly observed her, and finally, the elegant lips parted.

“Human girl, quite cute.”

With that said, she withdrew her gaze, spread her dragon wings, parted the waterfall’s curtain of water, and left with Leon. After the couple left, Teg walked up to the dazed Rebecca, patting her head.

“They’re gone, what are you still staring at?”

Rebecca snapped out of her trance just now. She shook her head and murmured softly, “Dad, you mentioned so many bold speculations just now, and now I suddenly have an even bolder speculation.”

Teg raised a skeptical eyebrow. “What is it?”

The loli girl lifted her head, her tone serious. “I think the captain and his wife might have more children.”

“…Your intentions are good, but hold your horses.”

The apprentice was sent to gather intelligence from the Dragon Clan, not to increase their population. Otherwise, instead of gathering intelligence, they might end up raising a football team.

“What’s wrong with that! The three little girls they’ve had are all so cute, what’s wrong with having a few more! Besides, the Dragon Queen can live for over a thousand years. Even if they have one every ten years, they could have a hundred!”

“Have you considered what happens when your captain is gone in a few decades? How will they have children then? Reincarnate as undead?”

“Oh, speaking of that, won’t the captain’s wife be a widow in the future? Oh, the thought of such a beautiful woman being widowed makes me feel heartbroken. Leon Casmode, he has no heart! Hey, hey, hey, Dad, what are you doing!”

Teg bent down, hoisting Rebecca onto his shoulder, then picked up his greatsword and fastened it to his waist.

“That’s not something we should be concerned about. They have their own ways. Let’s go back to the empire, and deal with that dog of an emperor.”