Shut Up, Malevolent Dragon! I Don’t Want to Have Any More Children With You

After signing autographs for the kids, Konstantin finally exhaled in relief.  
“Well? Doesn’t it feel satisfying?” Leon asked with a sly grin.  

Konstantin shot him a glare, letting out a cold snort. “Pointless.”  
“Hey, how can it be pointless? You’ve gone from being the old dragon hero in the kids’ eyes to the ultimate badass champion of the Dragon Clan. Instant image upgrade!”  
Leon continued smugly, “By giving you credit and letting you make a triumphant return to the public eye, I’ve essentially performed high-level crisis management. That’s what we call PR in the Empire. Ever heard of it?”  

Konstantin didn’t bother arguing. He shook out his coat and prepared to leave.  
But just as he sent off the kids, a group of academy examiners approached, bombarding him with gratitude.  
Unlike his patience with the children, Konstantin was far less accommodating with adults. After a few sentences, he cut them off with an icy remark, “Don’t waste my time. I’ve got a grudge to settle back home.”  

The teachers wisely backed off, though one hesitantly asked, “Would you like us to arrange for Leviathan to escort you home?”  
Konstantin: “?”  
**Do I look like I need a ride? I have my own transport, and it’s leagues better than your passenger dragon.**  

Before departing, Konstantin turned to Leon, his voice low and sincere. “Thanks.”  
Leon raised an eyebrow, pretending not to hear. “What was that? Didn’t catch it.”  
Konstantin closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, reminding himself to stay calm. *He’s only thirty-something. I’ve lived for centuries. No need to stoop to his level.*  

“I said, ‘Thank you.’ Now, give me Adam’s intel.”
Leon, ever the opportunist, grinned. “Oh, it was nothing. Just lending a hand. Happy to help.”  
“Immature,” Konstantin muttered, shaking his head. Then, in a more serious tone, he added, “If you ever need anything, come to me. I owe you one.”  

Leon knew Konstantin’s principles well—he always repaid his debts, whether in vengeance or gratitude. If not for Leon’s intervention, Konstantin might still be waiting for the right moment to strike at Adam.  
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Leon replied with a smile.  
Without another word, Konstantin turned and left. The group watched as he disappeared into the depths of the forest. Moments later, a massive turquoise dragon shot into the sky, vanishing into the clouds.  

---
As the commotion settled, one of the examiners approached Leon.  
“Mr. Leon, with such an unexpected incident, I’m afraid the exam can’t continue as planned. We’ll arrange for Leviathan to take the children back to the academy. Would you like to return to the Silver Dragon Sanctuary with us?”
Leon paused for a moment before nodding. “Sure. But give me ten minutes. I’ll be right back.”  

“Of course, Mr. Leon.”  
Handing Noa to the examiner, Leon instructed, “Take care of her for me.”  
“Don’t worry, we will.”  

With that, Leon turned and dashed into the forest.  
---
After weaving through a few thickets, he arrived at a hidden spot where Nacho, Rebecca, and Martin were waiting.  

“All settled?” Martin asked.  
Leon nodded. “It’s done. Konstantin took Adam away.”  
“And your daughter? Is she okay?” Nacho asked, concern evident in his voice.  

“She’s fine. Just overexerted herself. She’ll be back to normal after some rest.”  
“Good to hear.”  
Nacho then shifted the conversation to the matter at hand. “What’s our next move for the investigation?”  

Leon understood what Nacho was really asking: *Did you get anything out of Adam before he was taken away?*  
Leon took a moment before answering.  
“Dangerous beasts,” he said.  

“Dangerous beasts? What do you mean?” Nacho asked, puzzled.  
“On our way here, we found a dead rockbeak raven. Based on its injuries, it was killed by Adam.”  
Leon continued, “And in the Demonic Moon Forest, we found many more dead dangerous creatures with similar wounds. I don’t think Adam was randomly killing. He was likely fulfilling a specific task.”  

Leon outlined his plan. “Bring back some of the smaller, more transportable creatures for examination. Study them carefully. We might find useful clues.  
“Moving forward, our focus should be on tracking large-scale dangerous beasts. If Adam was using them to further some secret agenda, he’d need more than just the ones in this forest.  
“So, if he keeps ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ hunting dangerous creatures, following that trail could lead us straight to the Shadow’s plans.”  

Nacho nodded in realization. “Got it. That makes sense.”  
After a moment of silence, Leon spoke again. “Also… I need to apologize.”  
The others looked at him in confusion.  

“Apologize for what?” Rebecca asked.  
Leon frowned, his tone heavy. “Before Adam died, he tried to strike a deal with me. He promised to reveal intel on the Shadow if I let him go.  
“I refused.  

“I’m sorry. My decision might have made this entire operation a waste of time.”  
Rebecca immediately nudged him in the shoulder. “What nonsense are you talking about? I saw the situation. That bastard was ready to take Noa with him as leverage. If I were you, I wouldn’t have taken the deal either.”  
“Exactly,” Martin agreed. “Even if he had intel, how could we trust it? Someone like Adam would only give us enough to save his own skin. No more.”  

Nacho, who often provided strategic insight, also voiced his support.  
“Family comes first. Anyone else in your position would’ve made the same choice. Don’t beat yourself up, Leon.”  
Their understanding lifted a weight off Leon’s shoulders.  

“Thanks, everyone. But… there’s something else I need to tell you.”  
He hesitated, then added, “I’ll need to go home for a while.”  
“Oh.”  
“Alright.”  
“Sure, Captain.”  

Leon blinked. “What kind of reaction is that? You act like you already knew I was going home. Aren’t you curious why?”  
Rebecca patted his shoulder, her expression serious.  
“Of course we know. Your wife is expecting again, right? With things here wrapped up, you’re in a rush to get back and take care of her.”  

Leon’s face stiffened. “Don’t exaggerate. I just want to be there to witness the birth, that’s all.”  
“Uh-huh. And you’re not taking care of her?”  
“…I am.”  

“Ha! Stubborn married man,” Rebecca teased with a grin.  
 
 

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TL NOTE: Please don't skimp on the stars and likes for the translation - I'd really like to see how far Leon goes and how far we can increase the number of chapters. Thanks~!