After the war victory, many people stepped forward to follow Leah.

“We’ve really reflected on our behavior. We thought you were just unlucky, but those nobles were completely wrong, weren’t they?”

The mages looked up to Leah admiringly.

“We inexperienced ones weren’t any help at all. If it weren’t for you, Lady, who knows how we would have been treated…”

“Of course you lacked experience. From the beginning, I just wanted strength in numbers for the power struggle. Don’t worry about it. Experience is something you’ll gain over time,” Leah reassured them.

“That’s exactly it! We want to gain that experience under your leadership!”

“Um… what?”

Many of the Empire’s civilian magic users also expressed their desire to leave the Empire and follow Leah. They shuddered at the memory of being controlled after losing their homes and families to the Crown Prince’s mass poisoning.

“We don’t even want to spit in the direction of the Oken Empire!” one declared passionately.

“We want to serve Lady Leah, who treats mages like human beings!” another added.

Surprisingly, even some Snake Knights wanted to follow her.

“After the human experiments in our childhood, we’ve known nothing but obedience to the Crown Prince. We’re experienced… we hope the Dragonlord will take us in and put our skills to use.”

Karai seemed to burn with competitive spirit. “I’m the first to pledge loyalty to my master.”

Leah narrowed her eyes. “Karai, I told you not to call me ‘master.'”

“But calling you ‘Lady’ doesn’t seem right anymore, does it?”

He had a point. Leah’s status had grown too large to remain merely as the daughter of a ducal family. Helix made a suggestion.

“Leah, what about rebuilding the Magic Tower?”

“The Magic Tower?”

She perked up at the idea. With more mages than the magic school could accommodate, reviving the Tower seemed like a good solution.

“If we build a Magic Tower, we’ll need a Tower Master too. Will you do it, Helix?”

Helix laughed, dismissing the idea as absurd.

“I’m a guardian. You should be the Tower Master, Leah.”

Leah blinked in surprise. “But I’m already the Dragonlord.”

“I know.”

“And you want me to be Tower Master too?”

“Having the Dragonlord and Tower Master be the same person would make my guardian duties much easier.”

“Oh?” She pursed her lips and blinked rapidly. “Come to think of it, that’s true. Then you could always stay close to me using work as an excuse?”

“Were you planning to be apart?”

His firm hand gripped Leah tightly, refusing to let go. The reassuring feeling made her grin broadly.

“You can’t escape now. Since I’m both Tower Master and Dragonlord, Helix has to see me whether he likes it or not.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever dislike it,” Helix replied seriously. “My heart aches with love every time I see you.”

Impulsively, Leah grabbed his collar and pulled him down. Smooch. She kissed his cheek, her lips brushing against his smooth skin and unexpected slight roughness.

‘Whoa.’

She surprised even herself with her boldness.

That sensation when Helix froze and held his breath. The tension of a man focusing on a woman within his reach, determined not to let her go. She felt it herself despite her fearless approach.

She became intensely self-conscious and wanted to flee at the same time. As her senses returned, heat rushed to her face.

‘I’m crazy, absolutely crazy!’

She quickly pulled away from Helix, who had turned statue-still.

Just as she tried to escape from embarrassment, her retreating body was swiftly turned halfway and pulled back. Helix had firmly grabbed her hand, refusing to let go.

“Let me go.”

“No.”

Helix spoke firmly and gently interlaced their fingers. He never missed an opportunity once it presented itself. Thump. Mana flowed in, tickling her hand—much hotter than usual.

Startled, Leah turned to look at him. Helix met her eyes, briefly loosened their interlaced fingers, then slowly took her hand again. His long fingers brushed against hers, intertwining them once more.

“This way your hands won’t be cold.”

“…I’m a fire mage, you know. A hot woman.”

She responded by interlacing her fingers with his. Despite her confident words, her ears turned bright red. Helix chuckled softly and whispered, “Have I ever told you how cute your ears are?”

“No, you haven’t. I’m naturally cute.”

“When you speak like that, even your neck becomes cute.”

“…That won’t do. I’m the Tower Master now. I need to be dignified.”

He laughed deeply at her small complaint, the sound rumbling in his throat.

***

Leah and Helix were responsible for handling magical matters in the post-war arrangements. They discussed future plans, considering those who wished to follow Leah.

“The mages can be assigned to the Magic Tower, but what about the hatchlings? It doesn’t seem right for them to stay at the Magic Tower too.”

Helix apparently had something in mind. “The land beyond the northern Hel Mountains.”

“Yes, the contaminated land?”

“What about creating a dragon sanctuary there?”

“Hmm?”

Leah was puzzled by the unexpected suggestion. “Why there specifically?”

“Having dragons live too closely with humans could become threatening. You’ll have enough trouble juggling your roles as both Tower Master and Dragonlord.”

“Well, the contaminated land would certainly be free of people. But what if the environment is harmful to the little ones?”

“Though that land was transformed by disasters and dragon self-destructions, becoming overrun with monsters, it’s been significantly purified now. The dragons should not only survive well there but could further purify it.”

“Purification… I suppose it’s fitting for the descendants to clean up what the ancient dragons caused,” Leah nodded thoughtfully.

“Seeing Chirpy, early character education—or rather, dragon character education—seems important. Working on purification from a young age might teach them to ‘use dragon power responsibly.'”

“I’ll teach them that way. It would be good if you could nurture them occasionally.”

Helix’s words made her smile in agreement. “Then we should build the Magic Tower in the north?”

With Leah becoming Tower Master and Helix taking the dragons beyond the Hel Mountains, the northern Hel Mountains connecting their territories seemed the perfect location for the Tower.

“We don’t need to look for a new place,” Helix said. “We can build the Magic Tower where we first met.”

“Azura’s lair?”

After a brief surprise, she quickly understood and nodded. “It makes sense. It’s not like anyone can ask for it back now. There are many secret magical spaces and hidden artifacts, and most importantly, the magical library is in the deepest part—perfect.”

“Exactly. Building the Magic Tower above it would be ideal for both concealment and creating barriers.”

Leah clapped her hands excitedly. “And since the Piert villa is right below, we can use it as Tower administration and temporary lodging for visitors. We just need to build the Tower structure itself!”

Helix smiled and suggested, “Why don’t we go there now to start construction? We can sketch the Tower’s design while we’re at it.”

“Yes, yes. Let’s go.”

***

Leah and Helix visited the northern villa after a long time and looked around. She found it amusing.

“When I came here for recovery, I thought ‘I should leave before deep winter because it will be too cold.'”

“Instead, you left earlier and returned in the dead of winter.”

“True. And I’ve become healthier beyond imagination.”

Leah winked as she linked arms with Helix, suggesting it was all thanks to him.

“According to my expectations, you should become even healthier,” he remarked.

“…I’ll pass for now. I’ve been through too much and want to rest a bit.”

He laughed at her shuddering response. The two strolled playfully up the path leading from the villa to the Hel Mountains.

“It’s been so long since I walked this path. Helix, you always made me run here for training.”

“In my life, I’ve never met a woman who ran as poorly as you.”

“Was I really that bad?”

As Leah received this shocking revelation, Helix nudged her. “Leah, look over there.”

In the direction he pointed stood a maple tree with silver leaves, still lush among the snow-covered conifers, making it stand out distinctly. Leah was momentarily speechless, then chuckled at the sight of small snowmen built around it. The magic school students had apparently made them.

“Looking at it now, it’s obviously a magical secret entrance.”

“Shall we go in again?”

At Helix’s suggestion, she nodded. They held hands tightly and passed through the silver maple tree into Azura’s lair.

“…”

The artificial cave where she first met Helix, along with the sealing formation in its center, remained unchanged. Even the mana stone pillars that powered the barrier were still in place. After quietly observing them, Leah impulsively blurted out:

“Helix. Should we destroy that?”

Her finger pointed at the sealing formation. Helix gazed at her thoughtfully.

“…Are you still afraid I might go back in there?”

Leah shook her head. “It’s not that, but I realized we don’t need it anymore.”

She continued, “The contamination beyond the Hel Mountains has mostly subsided, and the monsters have calmed down since the hatchlings arrived. The barrier doesn’t seem necessary anymore… it’s just dangerous now.”

When Helix looked down at her silently, Leah tried to change the subject but eventually confessed, “And we’re going to build the Tower above this place. I don’t want to keep encountering something that caused my man so much suffering.”

Her concerned expression as she looked up at Helix after her blunt statement was endearing. He found himself asking, “…What thoughts come to mind when you see it?”

“What thoughts? I feel upset. I get so upset thinking about how long you must have suffered.”

She carefully studied Helix’s expression as she raised her hand to caress his face.

“I worry it might bring back painful memories for you.”

“…When you act like this, I worry too.”

His voice was dry and subdued. He removed her hand from his cheek and kissed her fingertips.

“What if I become like Archaik?”

Slowly biting her finger, Helix spoke in a low voice. “What if I want to devour you completely, from head to toe?”

It was strange. When Archaik had said similar things, she’d felt disgusted and terrified. But when Helix said it, her mouth went dry.

“…”

His gaze on her face felt ticklish and thrilling. She tugged at his arm.

“Then I’ll let you have a taste.”

Leah pressed her lips against his. Helix wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply, lost in sweet intoxication. She pulled away from him, shaking her head.

“…You haven’t answered me yet.”

Helix momentarily looked confused, wondering what she meant. Spotting the sealing formation, he pulled Leah back while firing a magic bullet with his free hand.

Boom!

He destroyed the sealing formation with one shot, then turned his attention back to Leah. She smiled and embraced him.