"Holding hands is his lie. Embracing is the real goal."
Rossweise looked at his large palm and was about to extend her hand to respond.
But before she could, this damn man directly grabbed her wrist, pulling her into his arms.
The queen was already weak and exhausted, her footing unstable, and she almost fell straight into Leon's embrace.
The sudden hug caught Rossweise off guard. In Leon's embrace, she froze, her entire dragon form stunned.
Leon tightly wrapped his arms around Rossweise's slender waist, pulling her deeply into his chest.
That tender, protective gesture made it seem as though Rossweise would disappear the next second.
He said nothing, did nothing—just holding his wife in his arms, burying his face into her neck, feeling her body temperature and the gradually quickening rhythm of her heartbeat.
Rossweise snapped back to reality.
Her face turned bright red instantly.
What is this about?
"Ha, you, Leon Cosmodeous, are you seriously hugging me openly in front of everyone now?"
"It's broad daylight, with everyone here—your daughters and the maids—you dare to hug me?"
"Then… then… I can't even imagine what you'd do when we're alone!"
The silver dragon queen's mind was in chaos, but only her shy instincts remained, guiding her body.
Her tail uncontrollably started turning red, eventually standing up straight—like an antenna stuck to her tailbone.
Honestly, even when facing the combined attack of two great dragon kings earlier, Rossweise didn't feel as sweaty as she did now being hugged by Leon.
Muwen blinked, then quietly covered the eyes of Little Light in her arms, saying, "Kids shouldn't watch."
Noah walked up to her side, also covering Muwen's eyes, "Kids shouldn't watch."
Milan quietly circled behind and covered Noah's eyes, "Kids shouldn't watch."
Okay, okay, only your maid group gets to watch this juicy scene, huh?
Shirley supported Anna's arm, the maid leader was covered in injuries but still didn't forget to ship her CP.
"What a pity…" Anna said.
"What?" Shirley asked.
"I didn't bring my camera. Otherwise, I would have taken a whole photoshoot of His Majesty's shy moment."
Shirley glanced down at Anna's chest, "Maid leader, you're still bleeding… can we stop the bleeding first and then ship CP?"
"It's fine… a mere fatal wound, who cares if I'm pushing a CP and enjoying the sugar!"
"…Maid leader, you've been ruined by CP for your entire life."
At that moment, Rossweise was still in her "red hot" state.
She didn't respond to Leon's embrace.
Because she didn't know how to respond.
Moreover, Leon was hugging her by the arm, and she couldn't lift it, so she could only keep it tightly pressed against her leg, barely making a fist—like a penguin.
Her silver tail slowly drooped down, and her tense body relaxed a little.
"Are you just going to keep holding me without saying anything?"
"I missed you so much."
"..."
Wu~~~ wu~~~
Who's boiling water?
Oh~~~
It turns out the queen's steam was rising due to her shyness.
"Idiot… can't you say something else with so many people around…"
"No."
"Then let go of me, and we'll talk when we're alone."
"I won't."
Rossweise: "?"
"Then how can you let go of me?"
"If you say you missed me too, I'll let go of you."
"..."
The queen slowly turned her head to look at Anna and the others, who were clearly waiting to hear "I missed you too" more than "I'm willing to."
If these three weren't injured, they would have exploded with excitement by now.
Rossweise bit her lip.
She wasn't unwilling to say it.
She was just… really too embarrassed to say it!
Anna, Shirley, and Milan would definitely make this gossip last for eternity!
But, knowing this damn man's personality, if she didn't say it today, no one would be going anywhere.
Alright…
Say it then.
What's there to be afraid of?
I'm the Silver Dragon Queen!
"I missed you—"
"Ahhh! She said it! She said it! Your Majesty said it! Ow—Shirley, why are you hitting me?"
"Can't you wait until His Majesty finishes speaking before popping the champagne?"
"Ugh, I'm sorry~"
Leon slowly released Rossweise.
It was so warm.
It was the warmth left by someone after they got shy.
"Daddy~"
Seeing that her parents had temporarily finished being lovey-dovey, Muwen finally took the opportunity to get close to her father.
Leon turned around, bent down, and picked up Muwen, also holding Little Light in his arms.
"Daddy, Muwen missed you so much! Muwen thought you didn't want us anymore," the little dragon girl said, looking pitiful.
"How could I? Muwen, didn't I just come back?" Leon paused, then noticed that his little treasure seemed to have gained a little weight recently, so he asked, "Have you been eating too much lately?"
"Mm..."
"Second sister ate lots and lots of steaks in the first month after you disappeared, Dad," Little Light explained.
Leon was stunned, "Why?"
"Because! Because… whenever you left before, I'd eat steak at your funeral, and then you'd show up," Muwen said seriously.
"..."
I see.
Steak was Dad's summoning ritual.
He smiled and rubbed Muwen's soft cheek, "Next time, we need to diet. Otherwise, Daddy won't be able to carry you."
Dieting was also for the health of the children.
Muwen nodded vigorously, "Got it, Daddy."
Leon smiled and then turned his attention to Little Light.
They exchanged a few glances, and finally, Leon slowly said,
"Good job, Little Light."
The little pink-haired girl blinked in confusion, "I… what did I do? Why is Dad praising me?"
"Time isn't about how much you have, but how you use it," Leon said, "You really did it, Little Light."
Before the magic of reversal started, the future Noah had said that Little Light had never received Leon's approval before he vanished into the space rift.
And for the last 20 years, Little Light had always longed for her father's praise.
So even now, when the little pink-haired girl didn't understand the full story, Leon still couldn't wait to praise his precious daughter.
Saying that she, Aurora C. Melkvey, was the MVP of this temporal salvation was an understatement.
"Though I still don't understand… but Dad praised me, yay!"
"Then how do you plan to respond to Dad's praise?" Leon deliberately leaned in closer.
Generally, kids would understand that they should offer a kiss to their father in this situation, and the old man would be thrilled.
But Little Light wasn't just any kid.
"Alright, Daddy, catch this!"
She threw an uppercut punch!
Leon had expected this.
But he still pretended to be defeated, coaxing his daughter to make her happy.