At six in the morning, the puppy-shaped alarm clock on the bedside table rang precisely on time.
"Beep—Woof! Time to wake up, Mommy Dragon! Time to wake up, Mommy Dragon!"
After a moment, a slender, delicate arm emerged from beneath the silken blankets, fumbling across the nightstand until it found and silenced the clock. A moment later, a magnificent silver tail slowly stretched out from under the covers, lazily draping itself over the edge of the bed like a relaxed, contented serpent.
Five minutes later...
"Time to wake up, Mommy Dragon! Time to wake up, Mommy Dragon!"
"Ugh... so annoying..."
A muffled, slightly aggrieved murmur came from beneath the covers. Moments later, an exquisitely beautiful face, still touched by the soft haze of drowsiness, peeked out.
Silver eyes, the color of moonlit mercury, opened slowly. Reaching for the puppy alarm clock again, she pressed a different button with a hint of fond irritation.
"You're disturbing me, Mommy Dragon~ You're disturbing me, Mommy Dragon~ Get up quickly~"
This peculiar puppy alarm clock had been a gift from Leon two months ago. Its design wasn't particularly impressive—just a rather crudely crafted, ceramic puppy with a lolling tongue. But what had caught Leon's interest was its recording feature. By inserting a small memory crystal and setting a time, the clock would play a custom message every day at the same hour.
He had recorded several, in fact:
"Time for breakfast~ Time for breakfast~"
"Don't stay up late~ Don't stay up late~"
"Miss me yet~ Miss me yet~"
And the one Rossweise found both the most unforgettable and the most exasperating, the one she couldn't seem to go a day without hearing (even as she pretended to despise it):
"Show off your dragon mark for me! Please and thank you!"
For a being like Rossweise, an alarm clock was completely unnecessary and even a little beneath her. For the past ninety years, she had maintained an impeccable, self-regulated daily routine without needing any external reminders.
But ever since Leon had given her this silly clock, she had used it every single day without fail.
The reason became clear as she gently pressed the playback button once more.
"Miss me yet~ Miss me yet~"
Her long, silver hair was slightly disheveled from sleep. Leaning against the carved headboard, she listened as Leon's voice, warm and teasing, filled the quiet room. "Miss me yet?"
After pressing the button a few more times, letting his voice repeat, a soft, private smile finally touched Rossweise's lips.
"Alright, alright," she murmured to the empty room. "Time to get up."
She set the alarm clock down carefully, threw off the blankets, and sprang out of bed with renewed energy and purpose.
She slipped out of her satin nightgown and comfortable dragon-patterned slippers, replacing them with an elegant, formal queenly dress and matching heels. After a quick, efficient wash and brushing her long hair until it shone, she braided a small, delicate section of hair by her temple—a simple but regal touch.
Without needing excessive adornment, Rossweise's natural, poised beauty made her the most radiant presence in the entire Silver Dragon Sanctuary.
Once she was fully ready, she opened her bedroom door.
"Good morning, Mom!"
"Morning, Mommy!"
"Good morning, Mama!"
"Mommy, hug me!"
Four eager voices greeted her in a chorus.
"Good morning, my darlings," Rossweise replied, her voice warm.
She bent down, scooping her youngest daughter, Muse, into her arms and nuzzling her adorable little face. Then she asked, "So, how was your first night sleeping all together with your sisters?"
Muse raised her tiny arms enthusiastically. "It was great!"
"Big Sis is cool and snuggly!"
"Second Sis is soft and snuggly!"
"Third Sis smells nice and snuggly!"
The queen chuckled, a rich, gentle sound, and touched noses with her youngest. "Sounds like you were very busy last night, making the rounds for cuddles."
"Yes, Mommy! Muse wants to sleep with Big Sisters again tonight!"
"Alright," Rossweise agreed, setting her down. "But you have to promise to listen to your sisters and not stay up late chatting."
"Got it, Mommy."
"Come on, then," Rossweise said, smoothing her dress. "Let's have breakfast."
"Okay!"
In the sanctuary's spacious, sunlit dining hall, Rossweise and her daughters began their breakfast. However, as the meal progressed, the queen's sharp eyes noticed that each of her daughters seemed to be in a distinctly different, and slightly unusual, mood this morning.
Noah, usually the quiet and composed one, appeared even more serious and introspective than usual, pushing her food around her plate with a pensive air.
Muse, who was normally a enthusiastic eater, was barely touching her food. Instead, she was sneakily trying to use her fork to slide her perfectly cooked fried egg onto Aurora's plate without being noticed.
Aurora, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with contained excitement, a poorly suppressed smile playing on her lips as she watched her sisters' antics.
Rossweise narrowed her eyes slightly. Unlike Leon, who seemed to have an almost supernatural ability to tease out their secrets with a joke or a glance, she preferred a more direct approach.
"Noah," she said, her tone calm but inviting confidence.
"Yes, Mom?" Noah looked up, a little too quickly.
"Are you and your sisters planning to play a game today? Or perhaps practice some new magic?"
Noah hesitated for a moment, her silver eyes, so like her mother's, darting toward her sisters before returning. "Uh... we're playing a game. Yeah, just a game."
Rossweise noted the telltale signs. When Noah lied, she always included an extra "uh" at the beginning and had a tendency to repeat part of the question in her answer. However, sensing nothing overtly dangerous or concerning, Rossweise simply nodded. "Alright. Just be careful."
"Got it, Mom."
"Big Sis," Muse piped up, her gemstone-like crimson eyes sparkling, "are we going to play that super fun game you told me about yesterday?"
Noah's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. She avoided direct eye contact with Muse. "Uh, yeah. That one."
"Yay! I even practiced the special song you taught me for it!"
Rossweise raised a single, elegant eyebrow. "What kind of game requires practicing a new song?"
"Oh, um—breakfast is over!" Noah suddenly exclaimed, seizing the diversion. She jumped off her chair, scooped up a surprised Muse, and bolted toward the dining hall door.
As if on a pre-arranged signal, Aurora and Muen immediately followed suit.
"We're done too, Mommy! Thanks for the food!" they called out in unison before darting out of the room, leaving behind a chaotic clatter of half-finished plates and utensils.
"Seriously..." Rossweise muttered to the now-empty room, shaking her head in a mixture of amusement and exasperation. "Why can't they just explain things properly..."
After tidying up the remnants of the hurried breakfast, Rossweise began her day's official work. As she reached the sanctuary's main gates, Anna, the ever-efficient head maid, was waiting for her with a respectful bow.
"Good morning, Your Majesty."
"Good morning, Anna. Do I have any scheduled outings or external meetings today?"
"No, Your Majesty. The diplomatic matters you had planned for this month have all been successfully addressed. Your schedule is clear for the foreseeable future, allowing you to remain within the sanctuary."
"Good." Rossweise nodded, pleased. "And is there anything unusual to report within the sanctuary's grounds?"
"Last night, a lone, rather aggressive Cliff-Tusked Boar attempted to breach the rear mountain perimeter. However, the protective thunder array you and His Majesty installed intercepted it successfully. The guards have already disposed of the carcass."
"Understood. And the monthly clan status reports?"
"They've been compiled by the stewards and are ready for your review in the study."
As Anna handed over the stack of neatly bound reports, Rossweise's gaze drifted back toward the empty breakfast table, a faint, pensive frown on her face.
"Today feels... too peaceful," she mused aloud, more to herself than to Anna. "No urgent tasks, no pressing documents... It's almost unsettling."
Just then, Milan, another attendant, entered the hall carrying a single, crisp envelope.
"Pardon the interruption, Your Majesty. The morning's messenger dragon delivery included this for you." She presented the letter on a small silver tray.
Rossweise took the envelope, her name elegantly scripted on the front. She broke the seal and read the contents, her eyes widening a fraction as she absorbed the information within. A slow, knowing smile replaced her pensive expression.
"So," she said softly, folding the letter neatly. "That's what Noah and the others are secretly planning to do..."