After lunch, Leon and Rossweise began their afternoon date activities.
Their first stop was an indoor zoo, where they got up close to feed some adorable little animals. Just like humans, in the eyes of the dragon race, any creature that wasn't too ugly could be categorized as "cute."
But Rossweise refused to use that word.
Because in a dragon's worldview, "cute" was a derogatory term.
Throughout the entire zoo visit, Leon kept trying to trick her into saying it.
Rossweise grew increasingly annoyed, until finally, flustered, she retorted, "Cosmodeous, you are so cute."
After the zoo, they went to a handmade clay sculpture studio.
Rossweise made a caricature version of Leon.
Leon, in turn, sculpted Rossweise in her majestic giant dragon form.
After the couple finished, they looked at each other's work with smiles, their eyes seemingly filled with affection—
The shop owner was just about to praise their skillful craftsmanship.
But the words died in his throat when they simultaneously snapped the necks of the clay sculptures they had just made.
Their marital relationship… isn't very harmonious, the shop owner thought with a sigh. He then said aloud, "Even if you break them, you still have to pay the full price, you know."
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In the evening, they left the Sky City and headed to the final stop of their date: The seaside.
It wasn't far. After descending from the floating city, they arrived in less than twenty minutes.
The area near the Sky City was peaceful—no wars, no conflicts, and no racial disputes. Most of the visitors were elderly dragons who had grown tired of fighting and sought a laid-back life.
As the last stop for their date, it was perfect.
The couple sat on a bench by the beach, their various shopping bags placed beside them. They gazed out at the shore, where the setting sun cast a golden hue over the sand, making it look like a floor of gold.
Several young dragons were building sandcastles barefoot, while adults strolled and chatted nearby.
Occasionally, seagulls flew over Leon and Rossweise's heads. The slightly salty, cool sea breeze felt refreshing and comfortable.
Leon sighed leisurely, relaxing his posture and leaning back on the bench.
Noah's requirements had emphasized a relaxed and natural atmosphere, and this moment was probably the most genuinely relaxed they had been all day.
"Let's talk about something. We can't just sit here until nightfall," Rossweise said.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"Let's talk about…" Rossweise smoothed a strand of hair from her temple, "that female classmate you talked about in your dream."
Leon gave her a look of pure speechlessness. "I declare that the only female being I have any relationship with is you!"
"Tch!"
"Wait a minute, I think I understand…"
Leon sat up straight, as if realizing something.
Rossweise glanced at him. "What is it?"
Leon squinted at her, looking her up and down, and said softly, "Oh? Someone seems a little too concerned. Could it be… you're jealous—mmph!"
Rossweise covered his mouth with her hand.
"Actually, you said even more sensational things that night. Do you want to hear them?" she teased.
"Mmph?!"
Rossweise chuckled, withdrew her hand, and stood up. "Guess."
She was in no rush to reveal everything. She put her hands in the pockets of their couple's shirt and walked towards the beach. Her silver high ponytail swayed behind her, looking lively and energetic.
Leon wanted to catch up and get a straight answer.
He looked left and right but didn't see the two directors or their assistant, Anna. But he was sure they were watching from somewhere nearby.
Deciding the bags would be safe for a moment, he stood up and jogged to catch up to Rossweise.
He reached her side and was about to speak. "What else did I say in the dream—"
"Shh~" Rossweise put her index finger to her lips, her interest in the topic gone.
She watched the other couples walking on the beach, all holding hands or linking arms.
Following her gaze, Leon quickly understood what she was thinking.
"A story's perfection lies in its ending," Rossweise said leisurely, lifting her eyes to meet Leon's.
"So, dear Leon, do you dare to hold the hand of your most incompatible Scorpio?" she asked, her tone half-joking.
Leon snorted lightly. "There's nothing I'm afraid of."
He reached out and took Rossweise's hand. This time, it wasn't with interlocked fingers. His palm met hers, his hand gently wrapping around hers.
Taking the initiative to hold hands was proactive enough. Interlocking fingers might send the wrong message to this dragoness. Yeah, just holding hands like this was fine.
The couple walked hand in hand, taking slow steps along the beach.
Behind them, they left two lines of footprints and a single tail print.
The grains of sand rubbing against the tip of her tail felt ticklish; the feel of her larger, slightly cool hand firmly held in his felt completely safe.
The fortune-teller Sibyl had been right—Rossweise was someone who lacked a sense of security.
This had nothing to do with astrology.
It was just part of her nature.
But what she never expected was that, at this moment, she could be walking hand in hand on a beach with the dragon slayer least likely to provide her with any security.
This world was truly a crazy place.
Whoosh—
A wave washed up to their feet.
"Oh, wait a moment."
Rossweise let go of Leon's hand, bent down, and took off her short boots. She then rolled up her pants, revealing her slender, well-shaped ankles.
"Phew, all set. Now I won't worry about getting my shoes wet."
She held her boots in one hand. "Do you want to take yours off too?"
Leon paused. "Oh, sure."
He took off his own shoes, rolled up his pants, and held them in his free hand.
"Alright, let's go, let's stroll a bit more."
With that, Rossweise naturally took hold of Leon's hand again with her free one.
Another wave surged, washing over the couple's ankles. The water was refreshingly cool.
The sunset clung to the horizon where the sea met the sky. This was the second time they had watched the sunset together today.
The first time was in the theater, but it had felt artificial. The atmosphere and environment couldn't compare to now.
Yet, even such a perfect moment had to end. Despite the relief of completing Noah's task, Leon felt a faint, inexplicable sense of loss.
The sound of the waves and the cries of seagulls surrounded them. Leon turned to look at Rossweise. The sea breeze lifted her beautiful silver hair, revealing her delicate forehead.
They say bangs can enhance a person's appearance, that your true face is revealed without them. But that saying didn't seem to apply to Rossweise.
With or without bangs, she was always stunning. The sunlight on her profile made her features even more exquisite, especially her perfectly straight nose.
"Why are you staring at me?" Rossweise asked, still looking ahead.
Leon withdrew his gaze. "Just looking at the sun."
The couple walked hand in hand, holding their shoes, stepping through the sand and waves, strolling into the sunset.
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Not far away, in a parked carriage, two little dragon girls peeked out.
"Darn it, I should have looked harder for the camera this morning," Noah said, frustrated.
It was such a pity to merely describe this scene in words; a photo would have truly captured the moment.
"Huh? Sister, you couldn't find the camera this morning?" Muen asked.
Noah shook her head. "I searched the storage room at Mom's house several times but couldn't find it. Ah, what a shame. We can't preserve this scene forever."
"It's actually not a shame at all."
Anna walked up behind the two young dragon girls.
Noah and Muen turned around. "Why do you say that?"
Anna stood behind them, gazing at the couple in the distance. "Her Majesty always says to me that a dragon's life is too long. Every beautiful thing has an expiration date, the day it's no longer loved. So, for her, the fleeting beauty is what makes it most worth remembering."
Noah and Muen nodded vaguely. They didn't fully understand the meaning, but it must be a good thing because Mom said it.
The two little ones turned their gaze back to the beach.
Mom and Dad had already waded into the shallows and started a water fight.
As they played, Mom lost her balance, teetering on the brink of falling into the water. But Dad promptly reached out and caught her by the waist.
They locked eyes, and then—
Anna gently covered their eyes.
"This part is not suitable for children."
The head maid chuckled softly, watching the last rays of the sun disappear behind Her Majesty's silhouette.