"Captain, it looks like the Crimson Flame Clan."

Rebecca and Martin climbed the watchtower, mounting their rifles and cannons on the wall to observe the enemy outside.

"We’ve fought with Crimson Flame detachments before. Haven’t seen their dragon cavalry, but one thing’s certain—the Crimson Flame Clan is stronger than other dragon branches. We’ve got no real advantage."

Martin studied the massive army beyond the castle, his expression grave.

"So what are they here for this time? To rescue someone?"

Leon furrowed his brow, thought carefully, then said:

"Our intel never mentioned an alliance between Crimson Flame and Silver Dragon. So it shouldn’t be a rescue. Whatever their purpose is..."

He lifted his hand, signaling the dragon-subordinate squads to ready for battle.

"...we have no choice but to face this head-on."

Rebecca bit her lip, looked back at the tired troops, then turned toward Leon.

"Captain, we just fought the Crimson Dragon campaign barely a day ago. The men are exhausted, they haven’t recovered. If we fight now, they’re no match for Crimson Flame. Captain, can’t we look for a way around?"

At that moment, the deputy commander of the Imperial Dragon Corps stepped forward to advise:

"Captain, Rebecca’s right. Our main task on this expedition was to subjugate the Silver Dragons. To secure yesterday’s victory, we’d already been locked in a months-long standoff with the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan. The army is worn to the bone. We thought we’d won, and could return quickly to the Empire to rest and reorganize. Who would have thought a stronger foe like Crimson Flame would cut us off halfway back? If we fight in this state, we might be wiped out."

"Captain, these are the Empire’s finest dragon-subordinate elites. If we lose them here, future campaigns into dragon territory will be nearly impossible."

The squad captains who could speak all stepped up with their thoughts. Without exception, everyone supported avoiding battle.

It was, in fact, the best solution under the circumstances.

Against a full-force Crimson Flame army, the exhausted dragon-subordinate troops stood no chance.

As Leon weighed their advice, a voice floated out from the prison cart nearby. Rosvisser’s voice.

"Exactly, hero. Right now, evading them is the wise choice."

Leon stiffened, turned his head toward her.

"A surrendered prisoner thinks she gets a say?"

"And why can’t a prisoner get a say?"

"Actually, a prisoner’s words can mean more than just words."

Rosvisser rolled her eyes, then spoke with leisurely calm.

"Really, hero, trust me. I can’t say I know the Crimson Flame King well, but he’s certainly stronger than you humans think. That one’s a hardened {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} veteran of countless battles~

If your soldiers fight in this condition, the outcome will be nothing but tragic.

You can’t possibly..."

Leon raised a brow. Strangely, he actually wanted to hear what else this she-dragon had to say.

And indeed, her voice was one he wanted to listen to. Odd, wasn’t it?

"Can’t possibly what?" Leon asked lowly.

Seeing that her bait had hooked him, Rosvisser’s lips curled as she pressed further:

"Can’t possibly think you alone can take down the Crimson Flame King and his whole army, can you?"

At that, Leon’s brow dropped again, and he ground the words out from between his teeth:

"You think... I wouldn’t dare?"

...

"What’s the point of provoking Dad at a time like this? I don’t get it," Aurora muttered, clutching fox Xiaoxue tight before the scrying stone. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Though she looked like their mother now, in this timeline she was free to act however she pleased.

And interfering in this dreamlike timeline made no real difference anyway. For the real world, all of this was just playing out inside Leon and Rosvisser’s consciousness.

So she could do as she pleased.

But Aurora and the other girls, watching as spectators, couldn’t always understand Rosvisser’s every move.

Like now—why did she keep goading Leon, pushing him to go solo against Uncle Constantine?

It wasn’t like there’d be real harm. But for Rosvisser—already defeated, already a prisoner—it brought no benefit either.

"Maybe Auntie’s thinking of making a break for it in the chaos?" Xiaoxue suggested.

"But Mom surrendered to Dad willingly. If she chose it, why would she run?" Moon said.

Muse stared at the images in the scrying stone and murmured:

"Could it be Wife has some higher plan?"

The girls burst into noisy debate.

In the end, all eyes turned to Noa.

"Sis, what do you think Mom’s trying to do?"

Noa placed her hands on her chest, thought for a moment, then looked at Aurora.

"I think it’s not as complicated as you all are making it. Mom’s reason is simple."

Aurora’s big eyes blinked eagerly. "What? What is it?"

Noa reached out and rested her hand gently atop Aurora’s head.

"It’s just to make up for the regret of not seeing Dad single-handedly kill Uncle Constantine that day."

"Oh, I get it."

"That’s why, on the day you were born, I was the only dragon king present."

A grim little joke from a parallel world.

Though in truth, as Leon’s wife, what Rosvisser was thinking wasn’t exactly that simple. Not completely, anyway.

...

...

"Rebecca, Martin. Notify all squads—fall back five kilometers. Circle around behind the ridge. Without my orders, no one returns."

As Leon gave this command, his eyes stayed locked on Rosvisser’s.

Like a sulking child, stubborn and unwilling to yield.

Then he broke the gaze, turned away, and strode with grim resolve toward the approaching Crimson Flame army.

"Captain Leon! What are you doing?!"

Rebecca rushed to grab him.

"You’re not seriously planning to face the entire Crimson Flame army and their king alone, are you? Don’t listen to the Silver Queen, she’s trying to trick you!"

"That’s right, don’t let me trick you~" the queen added from her cart, watching the drama gleefully, adding fuel to the fire.

She knew this version of Leon all too well.

At heart, he was the sort who, knowing the mountain held a tiger, would still march up it.

He feared no trap, no scheme. Even if he knew it was a trap, he’d jump in headfirst.

To him, Rosvisser’s obvious provocations weren’t snares at all—they were challenges.

And young General Leon loved nothing more than a challenge.

Of course, it was all thanks to his peerless strength.

"I know, Rebecca. But if no one holds the line, the Crimson Flame will soon catch up. In terms of marching speed, our troops can’t compare with dragons. Then they’d be forced into battle anyway."

Leon explained:

"So I’ll hold them off, buy you time to retreat around."

His reasoning was thorough.

Rosvisser listened to his brief explanation and realized—he wasn’t completely reckless.

He had the power to match, but he still weighed his men’s condition, made sound decisions.

Bravery and wisdom both—that was worthy of the title ‘Greatest Dragon-Slayer.’

"But Captain..."

"No buts. The enemy is here. Go lead the troops in retreat. And keep a close watch on my prisoner—don’t let her run."

Rebecca had no choice.

She told Martin to stay safe, then together they led the army to pull back.

Leon, meanwhile, strode in the opposite direction, alone, straight toward the overwhelming Crimson Flame force.

From inside the prison cart, Rosvisser watched him through the bars.

The battlefield wind whipped her hair, and in her silver eyes, Leon’s figure was reflected.

Alone, resolute, facing ten thousand without hesitation.

Noa had only half-guessed right. She’d said Mom wanted to make up for missing Dad’s solo fight against Uncle Constantine.

It was about making up for regret—but not Constantine.

It was because on the day Aurora was born, Rosvisser’s feelings for Leon had begun to change.

That day, while she labored in childbirth, she hadn’t seen it: the prisoner who should have been her mortal enemy setting aside all hatred, all divisions, to protect her and their child.

That... was when Rosvisser began to fall in love with Leon.

And now, the regret of what she had missed back then—would finally be mended in this timeline.

Constantine: SO?...