In the "worldline where Leon didn't exist," she had stood alone for six months. She was the loneliest queen on the throne and the saddest, most heartbroken wife.
Until the moment before her coma, was she also believing… that Leon would return to save everything?
In these months, Leon had come here almost every night, spending a long time alone with Rossweise.
He said nothing, did nothing, and simply sat quietly watching his wife sleep.
But…
Every time he entered this room, Leon needed a lot of mental preparation.
He was afraid and anxious, and sometimes his legs even trembled.
In the beginning, Leon's mindset was still somewhat stable.
But as time passed, especially in these last few days, he had become increasingly hesitant to approach Rossweise, to look at her, or to express his feelings.
He was, in fact, a person with delicate and sensitive thoughts, but he wasn't good at regulating his negative emotions.
It was like the time long ago when the deputy Dragon King from the Crimson Flame Dragon Clan, Duke, had told him, "The Dragon Clan will take everything from you." That time, Leon had fallen into deep self-reflection and self-doubt.
Back then, he had managed to overcome it.
And the one who helped him get through it was Rossweise.
Although she wasn't good at expressing emotions, she understood Leon and knew how to enter his heart's darkness and pull him out of it.
Many times, many times, she had been a "spiritual guide" for Leon.
After all, the Queen had lived more than 200 years. Her life experience was far greater than Leon's.
But now, with worry and longing consuming me, what is Leon supposed to do?
Without Rossweise, my heartfelt twisted like a tangled rope.
Impossible to untie, all over the place.
He pulled back his downcast thoughts, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.
Then, Leon reached out his hand and gently pressed it against the crystal.
The crystal was cold, just like the heavy reality.
"I really… miss you."
If everything went smoothly, in just twenty-four hours, he would see her again.
But… who could guarantee that everything would go smoothly?
Leon rarely lacked confidence in anything.
Because he never feared failure.
If he failed, he could try again. Fail once, try again. Fail countless times, and he would keep trying. He was the little cockroach that couldn't be killed.
But.
This time was different.
If he failed this time, he might never be able to embrace his lover again.
The weight of the pressure felt like a mountain on his chest, nearly suffocating him.
This wasn't just a race against time; it was a love that had to be saved across space and time.
Could I do it?
"It's already very late. You should rest for a while," Noah's voice came from behind him. "Little Light said the reversal magic will be ready in a few hours. You need to conserve your strength."
"No need, I feel fine," Leon replied without turning around, still staring at Rossweise. His tone was calm, but Noah could hear the faint tremor in his voice.
Noah hesitated for a moment, then walked over to Leon.
Leon caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye; she was holding a small wooden box, finely crafted.
Though exquisite, it looked like it had been around for some years.
"What's this…?"
Noah opened the box, revealing various unrelated items inside.
A black shard, a rubik's cube, a piece of paper, an essay, and a family portrait.
"These are things that are very important to me," Noah said.
Leon looked at the objects. He remembered the rubik's cube was something he had made for Muwen, and also made one for Noah at the time. Back then, Noah had been a little proud and didn't pay much attention to him.
The piece of paper had "Noah C. Melkvey" written on it, probably when he was teaching Muwen to write and had written Noah's name.
The essay recorded the entire process of him and Rossweise going on a date in Sky City, and also Noah's love for them.
The family portrait was self-explanatory.
"I originally wanted to collect many more things to fill this little box," Noah said.
"But in the twenty years since you disappeared, nothing new has been added to it. Each item has its meaning, but when tragedy struck, those meanings became torment. So…"
Noah gathered dragon flame in her hands and set fire to the box she had kept for twenty years.
Along with it, the rubik's cube, the paper, the essay, the photograph.
Only the black shard remained, glowing in the flames.
Leon was startled and immediately tried to extinguish the fire.
But Noah threw the box to the ground, letting it burn.
She grabbed his hand, tears in her eyes, her voice choked with emotion.
"Whether you succeed or not, I no longer need these."
"If you manage to change the past and restore the original worldline, the box will return to me, and everything I cared about will come back."
"But if you fail… you and your daughters will be all I have left."
"So, go ahead, Leon Casmodeus."
"No matter the result, you will never be alone."
A few months ago, when he had a heart-to-heart with his daughter, the future version of her and the past version began to overlap;
At this moment, however, Leon saw in Noah the shadow of Rossweise.
The one who always pulled him out of the abyss in his moments of confusion and helplessness seemed never to have left.
A few hours later, in the crystal room, Aurora was ready to activate the reversal magic.
The Dragon heart protecting scales floated quietly in the magic array, providing energy for the entire spell.
Complex and intricate runes began to glow, and the air swirled around the room as the magic array activated.
Aurora straightened her hair, blown by the airflow, and turned to Leon.
"Stand here."
Leon stepped into the center of the array.
"If everything goes well, the reversal magic will be completed in ten minutes. That means… in ten minutes, you'll be able to see our mother."
"Okay, I understand."
The air howled, and Aurora stood before Leon, her head slightly lowered. "Dad."
"What's wrong?"
"I… did I help?"
Leon was taken aback, not understanding why Little Light would ask this question in the last few minutes.
"Twenty years ago, Little Light didn't get your approval before you disappeared,"
Noah explained from behind.
"So now… can you praise your little daughter?"
Leon understood.
So that was it.
He looked at Aurora, reached out, and ruffled her pink hair.
"You did great, Little Light. You're the most proud daughter of mine."
"Really—"
"Cough, cough." Noah cleared her throat, then wrapped her arm around Muwen's shoulder.
Leon quickly patched it up. "The most proud daughter… one of them."
Little Light smiled, wiped her eyes, and put her glasses back on.
"After we go back, remind me not to stay up late reading, I don't want to wear glasses again."
"Got it, I'll remind you."
Muwen quietly walked to Little Light's side, looking at her father bathed in light. The normally talkative Muwen was at a loss for words at this moment.
Is this a farewell… or the beginning of a reunion?
Muwen didn't understand.
But she knew—
"Dad, you… will save the world, right?"
To her, her dad was a hero, an invincible hero.
He had been that way twenty years ago, and he would be the same now.
"I will. I promise, Muwen."
"Well, then you have to make more grilled steak for me when you get back… I love your steak the most."
"Okay, I'll make it for you with mom."
"Yay!"
The little moon's chatter had begun, too many things to say. But she knew the remaining time should be left for her sister.
Muwen and Little Light both turned to let Leon and Noah look at each other.
Noah crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.
She looked into those black eyes and then smiled gently.
"I'll be waiting for you in the past, Dad."