"Mommy~"
Muwen stood next to two snowballs, one big and one small, waving her little arms toward Rossweise.
Rossweise waved back, then glanced at Leon and Noah. Judging by the damaged practice dummy next to the father-daughter duo, they were probably teaching some offensive magic.
"When using magic, be careful not to hurt yourself, Noah."
Rossweise had no intention of interfering with Leon's teaching of their eldest daughter; he had a knack for teaching children and didn't need her to worry too much.
"Okay, Mommy."
After Noah responded, she focused on gathering lightning-element magic in her hands.
Leon looked up at the silver-haired beauty, snowflakes falling on her head and shoulders as she stood straighter than a meticulously crafted porcelain doll, even more beautiful.
Rossweise returned his gaze, but the couple didn't say anything, just exchanged a quick glance. Rossweise then withdrew her gaze and stepped over to Muwen.
"Daddy teaches the big one, Mommy teaches the small one, fair division of labor."
"Muwen, making a snowman?" Rossweise approached.
"Mhmm, Muwen rolled out the body and head of the snowman, but… but Muwen is too short to put them together." Muwen lifted her head, her big, shimmering eyes seeking help from her mother.
Rossweise smiled. "Mommy will help you, okay?"
"Okay~"
Rossweise nodded and bent down to lift the snowman's head, but because her nearly four-month baby bump was starting to show, she had a bit of difficulty straightening up.
Seeing this, the little dragon girl hurriedly ran to the side, lifting her arms high to help Mom support the other side of the snowball, even tiptoeing, her tail seemed to be exerting effort too.
In the end, with the cooperation of the mother and daughter, the snowman's head was perfectly stacked onto its body.
"Mommy is amazing!" Muwen ran over, shaking Rossweise's wrist.
Rossweise rubbed her head. "Muwen is amazing too. The snowman's face is bare now, let's make its eyes, mouth, and so on."
"Okay!"
Rossweise had experienced over two hundred winters and had never built a snowman with anyone. Even in her own childhood, she had no interest in such games. When Ishabella called her out to build snowmen or have snowball fights, she remained indifferent. She didn't understand what sense of accomplishment there could be in rolling a pile of snow into a big ball and shaping it into a person.
For the Rossweise of that time, it was better to spend time reading more books and practicing magic than to waste time on such things. Even in the first winter her two daughters experienced, she only stood aside and watched them play, never joining in.
But after spending so much time with Leon, she gradually dropped the "haughtiness" that a mother shouldn't have. From initially having the sisters change "Mother Superior" to "Mommy," to later taking family photos, attending school sports events, and helping Noah with her "Parental Love" essay, to now building a snowman with Muwen.
She really changed a lot.
In the past, she would never have wholeheartedly engaged in these activities. She didn't want to admit that it was Leon who changed her, but all the subtle changes began after he woke up.
Well, despite all the changes, only matters related to her daughters are influenced by Leon. As for her attitude toward prisoners of war, this queen won't budge an inch.
Putting aside her wandering thoughts, suitable substitutes were found for the snowman's eyes, mouth, and arms. Only a nose was missing.
Standing before the almost completed snowman, the little dragon girl scratched her snowflake-covered hair and said, "Muwen can't find a suitable twig for the nose."
Rossweise was about to say something when footsteps approached from behind. Turning around, it was Leon.
"Hey, that was quick to build." Leon said as he looked at the snowman, his eyes falling on the snowman's nose. "But how is it still missing a nose?"
"The twigs are too thin, they wouldn't make a nice nose," Muwen explained.
Leon squatted down, pinching Muwen's soft little nose. "Then why not make a nose just like Muwen's?"
"But Mommy said if we do that, the snowman won't have any character," Muwen replied.
Leon lifted Muwen and walked over to Rossweise. "How wouldn't it have character? A small nose is cute."
"Cute is Muwen, it has nothing to do with the nose," Rossweise said lightly.
She had gradually forgotten what she had told Leon about "Cute being a pejorative term for dragons." There was no way around it; Rossweise couldn't find a suitable adjective to describe her daughters, so she simply went along with Leon.
"The snowman should have a longer nose," Rossweise insisted.
Leon raised an eyebrow. "I think it should have a small nose."
"A long nose."
"Small nose."
"Long nose!"
"OK, OK, long nose," Leon didn't argue with a pregnant woman. He glanced around. "But it seems like you haven't found anything to use as a long nose."
"Hmph, no need to look, I brought it with me before I came," Rossweise said. "I was just about to take it out when you walked over."
Leon blinked, thinking Rossweise was implying that he hadn't been teaching Noah seriously and had come over here to join in the fun. He quickly explained, "Noah was practicing over there just fine, so I came over here to see you guys."
Rossweise shrugged. "That's not what I meant. I meant you came at the right time."
"The right time? What do you mean?"
With a smirk, the queen lowered her head and pulled out from the inside pocket of her cloak—a carrot. In the icy surroundings, this orange, stick-like devil was glaringly exposed in Leon's line of sight. He instinctively took a half step back. "This is what you call a suitable nose?"
"Mhmm," Rossweise said proudly, turning around and sticking the carrot under the snowman's eyes.
Surprisingly, it did look quite fitting.
"Very good, perfect," Rossweise was very satisfied.
"Hmph," Leon grunted discontentedly.
Rossweise turned to look at him. "What? You're not satisfied? If you're not, I have a carrot substitute here."
"What is it?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Rossweise pulled out an eggplant from her inner pocket.
Leon: "…I shouldn't have asked."
"Great~ Snowman's done~"
Muwen excitedly wagged her little tail, her tuft of hair on top of her head swaying from side to side.
Leon put her back on the ground and let her admire her snowman friend.
The couple stepped aside to speak quietly.
Leon glanced at Rossweise's swollen belly. "What if you… in this icy and snowy wilderness, you trip and fall?"
"Dragons hardly ever fall." Rossweise swayed her tail behind her. "Besides representing status and age, it also helps us maintain balance more effectively."
Leon narrowed his eyes, assessing the silver long tail, silent for a moment, then nodded. "Hmm, it does have quite a few functions."
"Hiss—idiot."
Rossweise instantly understood his meaning and muttered before immediately dropping her tail.
Leon chuckled lightly, crossed his arms, and asked, "Didn't Anna and the others notice you sneaking out?"
Even if Rossweise didn't say anything, Anna and the others could tell that Her Majesty was pregnant.
Coupled with the cold winter season, as Leon said, in such icy and snowy conditions, it's easy to slip and fall. So Anna and the other maids have been keeping a close eye on their queen these days, only allowing her to move around within the temple.
As for going out?
Ha, forget about it.
"Restricting the queen's personal freedom" sounds like a pretty rebellious and overstepping act, and it might even cost someone their head.
But Rossweise is not some incompetent tyrant. Her diligent servants genuinely have her well-being at heart, which is why they won't let her roam freely. And if she were to turn around and scold them for it, wouldn't that hurt their feelings too? So, for the past week, Rossweise has been engaged in a battle of wits with her maid squad.
The queen may seem aloof and indifferent, but she's actually quite rebellious. The moment her maids let their guard down even slightly, she slips out in a flash, and they can't catch her. And as the queen's husband, Leon naturally becomes an "accomplice" in this.
Of course, his "accomplice" status is involuntary because Rossweise threatened him. If he dared to report her to Anna, she'd make Leon return to the days of doing homework every day. So, gritting his teeth for the sake of the magic he's painstakingly saved up, Leon endures it.
Actually, as her confidant, he understands Rossweise's physical condition better than Anna. She really doesn't need to stay holed up in the house every day; going out for a stroll is perfectly fine. But alas, Anna, as the head maid, is specifically concerned with the queen's well-being and can't afford even the slightest lapse.
"No, I slipped out through the side door; they didn't see me," Rossweise paused, then added, "Even if they did, so what? I'm the queen; I don't believe my head maid would dare lead a bunch of people to try to force me back."
Leon opened his mouth to say something, but his gaze passed over Rossweise's shoulder, as if he saw something. However, he didn't show any reaction and continued, "It sounds like you're not afraid of your head maid at all."
"What's there to be afraid of? Even if she catches me and takes me back, I'll still find a way to escape," Rossweise shrugged.
"Wow wow wow, so eager for the outside world, huh?" Leon teased.
"Oh, come on, I'm only four months pregnant, not about to give birth," Rossweise retorted. She knew her own body best, and she wasn't wrong; it's just that in the eyes of her dutiful maids, any potential risks to Her Majesty had to be eliminated.
Watching Rossweise's confident demeanor, Leon clapped slowly. "Truly the Silver Dragon Queen. So now that you've managed to sneak out without being caught, what do you plan to do next?"
Rossweise pondered for a moment. "Hmm… maybe teach Muwen some fire magic, or build another snowman? Snowball fights could be fun too."
"If Anna finds out you're planning to have this much fun, she'll immediately drag you back," Leon remarked.
Rossweise waved her hand nonchalantly. "Well, she's not here, so I—"
"Your Majesty," a familiar voice suddenly sounded behind them.
Rossweise's hair stood on end. "…"
"Fire magic, building snowmen, snowball fights… which of these do you think a pregnant woman can do?" The head maid's tone was full of resignation.
At this moment, Rossweise had her back to Anna and faced Leon. She glared at the infuriating dragon slayer, gritting her teeth. "You dare twist my words!"
"I was just asking, not reporting you; it's none of my business," Leon quickly distanced himself from Rossweise.
"You!"
"Your Majesty, please listen to me and come back with me. If you fall, it will be my negligence," Anna said.
She had served His Majesty for decades and knew that he responded better to gentle persuasion rather than forceful demands.
Rossweise glared fiercely at Leon again. From the emotions reflected in her dragon eyes, if Anna and Muwen weren't here, she might have directly pressed Leon into the snow.
Leon, on the other hand, looked innocent.
Come on, I really didn't report you!
"Cosmodeous, well done. If you have the guts, don't come to bed tonight!"