In the blink of an eye, the day had arrived for the young ones to begin the new school year.
This was Noah's final and most crucial semester in the Young Dragon Division, so Leon and Rossweise made sure to bring the children to St. Heath Academy promptly. The scene upon arrival was much like the annual enrollment ceremony, with the academy grounds bustling with parents and young dragons, all abuzz with conversation and excitement.
This time, however, they were spared the enthusiastic, matchmaking antics of old Vice-Principal Wilson. His absence allowed Leon and Rossweise to relax considerably, no longer needing to fend off his well-intentioned but overwhelming attempts to "ship" every couple in sight.
Leon carried a drowsy Muen in his arms, her head lolling against his shoulder. Rossweise held Little Light's hand, the youngest daughter's large pink eyes wide with excitement as she took in the new environment. Noah walked a few steps ahead, her gaze scanning the crowd. The family of five made a striking picture, drawing admiring and curious glances from those around them.
"I don't recall seeing Rossweise and Leon bring their children all together before. A few years back, it was just a family of four... and now they're five!"
"They certainly don't waste any time. And they seem so deeply in love—just building their family as they please."
"Wait, those two aren't ordinary citizens. That's the Silver Dragon Queen herself. She's renowned as a young and formidable leader in her clan, and her husband recently represented the entire dragon race in the peace negotiations with humanity."
"Ah, yes, I heard the Silver Dragon Prince was instrumental in ending the war. I didn't realize he also served as our ambassador."
"Indeed, he successfully reclaimed several territories for us. Rumor even has it he exposed several Dragon Kings who were secretly colluding with the humans and dealt with them decisively."
"Having a prince of such caliber is truly a blessing for our dragon clans!"
Just as in years past, the sight of their family sparked conversation. But now, the whispers carried a new tone of respect and awe, reflecting Leon's elevated status as a peacemaker and a power in his own right.
The couple, however, paid the murmurs little mind. Muen dozed peacefully, Little Light vibrated with happy anticipation, and Noah continued her visual search of the courtyard.
Rossweise noticed her eldest daughter's wandering attention and understood immediately. "The Sea Dragon Clan resides farther from the academy. Helena will likely arrive a bit later."
Noah nodded thoughtfully. "Understood, Mother."
As the words left her lips, a faint, crystalline sound of flowing water echoed in the depths of Noah's consciousness.
"You seem quite concerned about your friend," a voice remarked.
The Ancestor, the Primordial Dragon King Noah, appeared in her customary human form—flowing white hair, an imposingly elegant posture, one hand resting on her hip.
"Of course I am. She's my friend," Noah replied matter-of-factly. She paused, then added, "Now that you mention it, you've never spoken of having any friends from your time."
"I had none, nor did I require such trivialities," the Ancestor stated, her voice cool and detached. "The sovereign who stands at the pinnacle is destined for solitude. Emotions and bonds are nothing but vulnerabilities for those who seek true power."
Noah blinked slowly, processing this.
After a moment, she thought she understood.
Ah. The old lady is having one of her 'edgy' moments.
She remained remarkably unfazed by this lofty declaration.
"I see. That's... nice."
With that, she began to turn away, preparing to exit her mental space.
The Ancestor watched the small figure retreat, her previously composed expression cracking slightly.
"Wait... what kind of response is that?"
"Do you not find my perspective compelling?"
Noah nodded, her demeanor still neutral. "Yes, it makes sense."
"Then why this indifference? Should this not be a moment of profound revelation? Are you not hearing the wisdom of ages?"
In her prime, dragons would have fought for a chance to hear a single lecture from the Primordial Dragon King. It was more than a lesson; it was a near-religious experience.
And here was this six-year-old child, treating millennia of accumulated wisdom as mundane background noise.
It was intolerable! Absolutely intolerable!
Noah looked back, her expression thoughtful. "Not really feeling that revelation."
Ancestor: 😑
"Perhaps it's because your 'edgy phase' isn't as pronounced as my father's."
"What is an 'edgy phase'?" the Ancestor asked, genuinely puzzled.
"It's difficult to explain. I'll point it out to you the next time my father acts that way." After a brief pause, Noah added earnestly, "He does it quite often, so you likely won't have to wait long."
She waved a hand dismissively. "Besides, if you want to walk far on the path of strength, you should probably avoid too many emotional attachments."
For a fleeting moment, Noah felt a faint stir of something—not agreement, but rather a difficulty in comprehending such a lonely worldview. Deciding it was merely a gap in their experiences, she chose not to argue further.
"I understand."
With that, Noah fully returned to her senses, just as her family reached the main plaza of the academy. The area was a lively chaos of students and parents.
Rossweise found an empty bench, sat down, and settled Little Light on her lap. They chatted softly until Noah's sharp eyes caught a familiar flash of blue in the crowd.
"Helena!"
Hearing her name, the young Sea Dragon turned immediately, her own face lighting up as she spotted Noah.
"Noah-chan~!"
"Mother, Father, I'm going to see Helena! I will meet you at the classroom!"
"Very well. Go ahead, but be careful and do not be late," Rossweise reminded her.
"Mm-hmm!"
Noah waved and hurried toward her friend. Helena, equally excited, ran to meet her halfway.
The shout of "Helena!" jolted Muen awake from her nap in Leon's arms. She sprang to life, her hair sticking up like tiny antennae, all drowsiness forgotten.
"Where? Where's Helena?!"
"Over there, Second Sister," Little Light piped up, pointing.
"Alright, let's go, Little Light!"
Rossweise chuckled. "And just where do you two think you're going?"
Before Leon could react, Muen squirmed out of his grasp, and hand-in-hand with Aurora, the two younger sisters dashed off to join Noah and Helena.
Watching their daughters disappear into the crowd, Leon and Rossweise were left sitting alone on the bench, a mixture of amusement and bewilderment on their faces.
"It seems Muen and Little Light are just as fond of Helena..."
"I told you you can be oblivious," Rossweise teased gently.
"How so?"
"Is it not obvious?"
"Then enlighten me. Why would Muen and Little Light be so eager to find Helena?"
The Queen let out a soft, knowing scoff and declared with utter conviction, "Helena is there with her senior classmates. They undoubtedly wish to discuss the upcoming curriculum and academic expectations with their upperclassman."
The couple shared a look, a silent, understanding smile passing between them. It was the kind of unspoken agreement that exists only between two people who share a life and a bed, content to believe their own comfortable explanations.
With the girls off socializing, Leon and Rossweise settled in to wait for the academy staff to begin directing parents. After a short while, Leon's keen eyesight picked out a familiar figure in the shifting crowd.
"Hey, doesn't that one look familiar?" he said, pointing discreetly.
Rossweise followed his gaze to a red-haired young man speaking animatedly with a staff member, his back to them.
After a moment's recollection, she said, "Ah, that's the father of Lar, the young Crimson Flame dragon. The one whose kneecaps you shattered. His son once tried to bully Noah, and she broke his arm in return."
Leon remembered the incident. "I thought all the young Crimson Flame dragons had withdrawn from the academy after Constantine's... situation?"
The "situation" he referred to was Constantine's very public defeat and humiliation at Leon's hands, which had left the Crimson Flame Clan leaderless and thrown into internal turmoil, disrupting even the education of their youth.
"Perhaps Constantine's return has stabilized the clan's internal affairs, allowing the young ones to re-enroll," Rossweise speculated.
Leon nodded slowly. "That would track."
"Furthermore, Alres recently recalled the troops he had stationed around Constantine's territory. The other Dragon Kings followed his lead."
"Alres has likely concluded that Constantine is no longer an immediate threat, especially since he's improbable to recklessly unleash his primordial power again."
Rossweise let out a soft sigh. "Let us hope the Crimson Flame Clan does not stir up any further trouble."
"I doubt they will."
"Oh? Why is that?"
Leon's expression grew serious as he pointed in a different direction, toward the main gates.
"Because, as volatile as he may be, even old Constantine wouldn't be foolish enough to cause a scene here at St. Heath Academy... right?"
Rossweise turned to look. The crowd near the entrance seemed to ripple, instinctively parting as if making way for someone—or something—they very much wished to avoid.
And the figure at the center of that parting crowd was none other than the fiery, imposing form of the Crimson Flame Dragon King himself, Constantine. The air around him seemed to visibly warp from the heat of his presence.