Rebecca scratched her head, "Can't really say we've fully infiltrated, the Imperial City and Upper District are extremely strict. Aside from Martin, we don't have particularly strong insiders there. But in the Central District and the lower districts, we're still confident."
After a pause, Rebecca said, "So if Captain wants to go out for a walk, we can arrange it too. Don't worry, absolutely safe."
Who would have thought that during this period, Master and Rebecca had already developed the Lionheart Society to such a scale.
No wonder that a few days ago, when Leon told Master that he would formally declare war against the Empire, the old guy didn't offer the slightest dissuasion. Turns out, that old man also had firm confidence in this revolutionary organization that opposed the Empire.
Then… should he go out for a walk?
Leon looked at Rossweise, and an untimely thought sprouted in his heart.
He opened his mouth, but when the words reached his throat, he swallowed them down again.
'Forget it… serious matters come first, better—'
"Sis-in-law, you've never strolled around human streets, have you?", Rebecca suddenly asked.
Rossweise was slightly dazed just now, "Ah… ah, no I haven't."
"There are still three days before the Lantern Festival, so why don't you two go on a simple date before the festival!"
"Rid-ridiculous, a great battle is imminent, who has time to go on a date?", Leon said.
Rebecca narrowed her eyes slightly and examined the captain.
Though her mind worked a bit slow, she could still read the room on a basic level.
Not to mention, the captain was practically writing "saying one thing, meaning another" all over his face.
And that beautiful sister-in-law next to him, as soon as Rebecca mentioned that even Leon could go out and stroll around at certain times, Rossweise started zoning out.
And what she was thinking inside, naturally didn't need to be said.
But given how stiff-mouthed these two were, Rebecca didn't think direct persuasion would help.
So the only choice was...
"Captain, aren't we supposed to collect enough memory stones? Just relying on the Lionheart Society members here isn't quite enough, so you and sister-in-law also have to go on a field mission. No problem, right?"
"Ah, this…"
"Nacho, allocate some dating expenses for the two of them. Ah, I mean, procurement funds. Don't come back until you've spent it all," Rebecca placed her hands on her hips, giving on-the-spot orders.
Nacho spread his hands, then helped Rebecca add, "Actually, the two of you going out won't interfere with our Lantern Festival operation. Just come back before midnight tomorrow."
"Also Leon, you haven't returned to the Empire in many years. Putting aside the corrupt rulers, this was once your hometown. So before saving your homeland, wouldn't it be nice to take a good look at what it looks like now?"
With both reason and sentiment laid out, the two backbone members of the Lionheart Society were proposing the couple go for a walk, showing it truly wouldn't affect the operation three days later.
If they continued to refuse, it'd just make everyone unhappy.
The couple looked at each other.
Finally, Leon said, "Then tomorrow we'll head out and collect some memory stones."
Rebecca nodded her little head, "Mhm, that's more like it. Take sister-in-law out and show her around."
'Weird… it feel kind of like a rural cousin visiting the big city for the first time.'
———
Though the Empire's Central District and below all had Lionheart Society insiders, just as Rebecca said, if Leon and his wife really wanted to go for a stroll, they still needed to be disguised to some extent.
And it had to be at a specific time.
Thus, in a private room of the Lionheart Society, Leon and Rossweise began their field mission disguise prep under the help of several ladies.
Leon's disguise was relatively simple, just needed sunglasses and a change of clothes;
But Rossweise's side had trouble progressing.
First of all, the queen's hair color was simply too distinctive. Though the Empire did have a few silver-haired individuals, they were still rare cases. Walking out with a head of dazzling silver hair would inevitably draw too much attention;
Secondly, the ladies doing the makeup found that this time's client was unlike any before, because Rossweise's face was like a work of art, whether light makeup, heavy makeup, or various styles, it couldn't conceal her inherent breathtaking beauty.
Lastly, when they learned they were to put makeup on a dragon queen, the ladies were frightened.
Oh heavens… usually they just helped undercover members of the Lionheart Society with disguises, like dressing Nacho up as a beggar or such.
But doing makeup for a dragon queen… no human had probably ever attempted that.
Rossweise naturally noticed the ladies' hesitation and didn't make it hard for them.
"I'll do it myself, thank you for your trouble."
With that, Rossweise picked up a comb and began redoing her hair.
She wanted a more low-key hairstyle.
Maybe tying up all her hair would be best?
The ladies exchanged looks.
After some eye contact and inner struggle, the leading lady stepped forward, "I… we have a few different styles of wigs, would you like to take a look?"
This question had no honorifics at the beginning or end, which technically was impolite.
But it wasn't the lady's fault, she genuinely didn't know how to address a dragon queen.
Rossweise raised her elegant brows, "A wig? Hmm, sure."
"Okay. Midi, go get the wigs."
"Yes."
Before long, a variety of wigs were brought over.
Rossweise slowly browsed through them.
Eventually, her gaze fell on a long, straight, black wig.
"This one."
"Mhm, black is the most low-key."
'Low-key indeed.'
But the reason Rossweise chose black hair… was more because...
She liked black.
Just like a certain someone's hair color.
"Let us help you put it on."
"Alright, thank you."
Though the ladies were still somewhat intimidated by this humanoid dragon queen, she didn't seem as wild as the legends described...
In fact, quite the opposite, this silver-haired beauty was proper and composed in every word and action. Though a bit distant, she didn't make others uncomfortable.
After a while, the wig was in place.
Rossweise stood in front of the mirror and looked.
Her first feeling was that it felt unfamiliar.
She had looked at her silver hair for over two hundred years, and suddenly switching to black was naturally hard to get used to.
As for whether she looked good in the wig... Rossweise wasn't sure herself.
"Are you ready? We can head out now."
At that moment, Leon pushed open the door.
As soon as he entered, his gaze was drawn to the waterfall-like black hair on Rossweise's head.
Like her, Leon's first thought was unfamiliarity.
But when Rossweise turned around, Leon could only think of two words to describe his wife:
Stunning.
The black hair made her milk-white delicate skin look even fairer, and the extreme contrast brought her already dazzling face to a whole new level of beauty.
Soft lighting spilled across her profile, making her look like a perfect creation walking out of a painting.
"Is it pretty?", Rossweise asked softly.
Leon snapped out of it. This time, he didn't play coy and answered honestly, "Pretty."
"Oh? You actually said what you were really thinking? I thought you'd circle around a dozen times before saying 'pretty'," Rossweise teased with a smile.
Seeing this dragon lady looking proud, Leon quickly backtracked, "Actually, I feel it's just average."
"Then why did you say 'pretty' just now?", Rossweise tilted her head slightly, black strands falling down, making her look playful and cute.
Leon blushed, "Whether it's pretty or not is up to me to decide."
"Hmph!"
"The disguise work is done. You two can head out anytime, we'll be going first."
The ladies nodded slightly toward Leon, then left the room.
Rossweise twirled her black strands with her index finger as she walked toward Leon, "So do you think I look better with black hair or silver hair?"
Leon thought a moment and replied, "Silver hair."
After all, that had been General Leon's XP since childhood.
"Oho~ So you mean I don't look good now?"
"…You look good now too."
"Then which looks better, silver or black?"
"I'll shave your head. What do you think?"
Rossweise smiled and didn't tease him further. Instead, she looked at the piece of parchment in his hand.
"What's that?"
Leon laid the parchment on the table and spread it out, it was a map, with red lines and circles marking roads and various locations.
"Rebecca marked out safe routes and places we can freely enter and exit. As long as we stay within these areas, we don't have to worry about being discovered."
Rossweise nodded, "Very thorough."
"Mhm… I didn't expect that in just a few years, the Lionheart Society would develop so completely. All thanks to Master and Rebecca."
Leon folded up the map, tucked it in his chest, then weighed the pouch on his belt.
"This is our procurement budget for this mission."
Rossweise blinked and asked knowingly, "Isn't it dating funds?"
Upon hearing that, General Leon instantly turned solemn and declared righteously, "W-what dating! We're just going out to procure memory stones!"
"Alright, let's go."
Rossweise rarely showed such enthusiasm for something, it piqued Leon's interest.
But he didn't ask more. He simply led Rossweise out the back door of the Lionheart Society.
They were currently in the Empire's slums, where travel was unimpeded and there was no need to worry about patrols.
Of course, such a desolate slum also had little meaning for strolling.
Leon planned to follow the map and take Rossweise for a walk through the Lower and Central Districts.
And as Nacho said, also to revisit this hometown he hadn't seen in many years.
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