The summoning chant concluded, the makeshift musicians finished their performance, and most of the steak laid out as an 'offering' had already found its way into Muen's stomach.
Noah, hearing the familiar, heavy footsteps approaching from behind, slowly turned around. Before she even saw who it was, she spoke up in her characteristically preemptive manner, "Welcome home, Dad."
The footsteps halted. Leon and Rossweise stood before their daughters, momentarily speechless. Every one of Leon's homecomings was an event, but this was the first time it involved a full musical arrangement.
Leon couldn't help but muse: if he and Rossweise had a few more children, they could probably start a full-fledged funeral services band. A family business—now that was a reliable venture!
"It's been a while, Noah. You... seem to have grown taller again," Leon remarked, his voice warm with paternal pride.
This wasn't just idle small talk. As a girl with half-dragon blood, Noah's physical development far surpassed that of her purely human peers. At her current stage, her rapid growth was especially noticeable after a two-month absence. Muen was also shooting up, though as the slightly younger twin, her progress seemed a hair slower than her sister's, likely due to the immense physical demands of Noah's intense training regimen.
"Dad, you look a bit... weathered," Noah observed, her silver eyes taking in his appearance.
Two months in the Flaming Valley had indeed left their mark. The fact that he hadn't returned as a completely charred dragon was a testament to his resilience. Couple that with the relentless desert winds, and it was no wonder he looked travel-worn. He hadn't even had a chance to properly bathe before being 'summoned' back by this elaborate performance.
Fully aware of his disheveled state, Leon refrained from immediately sweeping his daughters into a hug.
"And why aren't you hugging us yet?" Noah's voice was as calm as ever, but a keen listener might detect a sliver of hidden reproach.
"Ah, Dad's been on the road for a long time. I haven't had the chance to clean up yet, so I'm a bit—"
"Daddy, hug me!"
Muse, still clutching her beloved suona, didn't wait for her father to finish his excuse. She dashed forward, her small arms flung wide open.
Seeing this, Leon's reservations melted away. He bent down, opened his arms, and scooped his youngest daughter into a firm embrace.
Only then did Noah give a slight, satisfied nod, the faintest hint of a smile touching her lips.
"Muse, did you miss Daddy?" Leon asked, his voice softening.
"Yes! Super missed you! Did Daddy miss Muse too?" she chirped, her tiny hands patting his dusty shoulders.
"Of course I did. I missed you, and your big sister, and your second sister, and your third sister," he listed, his heart feeling full.
"Then why didn't you hug big sister first, Dad?" Aurora, her vibrant pink hair bouncing, raised her hand as if posing a question in a classroom.
Leon looked at her, momentarily stumped. His daughters weren't the type to squabble over the order of affection. They were past that.
"But!" Aurora continued, deliberately drawing out the word for dramatic effect. "It's fun watching Dad squirm!"
Leon sighed inwardly, a fond thought crossing his mind: Ah, my clever little troublemakers.
After a moment's hard thought, he finally conjured a response. "Well... if not in order of birth, how about we do it in reverse order?"
Hearing this, Rossweise, who had been observing the entire scene with amusement, couldn't hold back a soft laugh. She covered her mouth with one hand, turning her head slightly away in a futile attempt to conceal her mirth.
Leon shot her a mock-stern glance but decided to save his retort for a more private moment.
Placing Muse gently back on her feet, he turned to Aurora. "Alright, reverse order it is. Your turn, Aurora."
"Coming, Dad! Hug!" Aurora bit her lip to suppress a giggle as she ran over and wrapped her arms tightly around her father. She even nuzzled her cheek against his dusty tunic. Despite her teasing, the two months without him had felt like an eternity.
Next was Muen.
"Dad—!" Muen took a few running steps and launched herself into her father's waiting arms. She never held back her emotions, always expressing them with an open and enthusiastic heart. Leon used to affectionately tease his little "Moonbeam" for her round, chubby cheeks, but as her body matured into adolescence, some of that baby fat had faded, revealing the graceful contours of a young lady.
After setting Muen down, Leon finally turned to Noah.
Father and daughter stood facing each other, one tall and weary, the other poised and composed. Noah made no move.
Leon smiled, a deep, indulgent smile that reached his eyes, and opened his arms wide. "You're not going to say no, are you?"
"I'm a big girl now. Big girls don't need hugs," Noah stated, her tone even.
Yet, she stepped forward and raised her fist.
Understanding immediately, Leon mirrored the gesture, gently bumping his dust-covered knuckles against her pristine ones.
It was then that Noah allowed a true, radiant smile to break through her serious demeanor. "I missed you, Dad."
"I missed you too, Noah," he replied, his voice thick with emotion.
As father and daughter shared their quiet, fist-bump moment, Rossweise knelt beside Muse, her eyes falling on the suona still clutched in the little girl's hands.
"Muse, sweetie," Rossweise began, her voice gentle. "When did you learn to play this... instrument?"
The little girl blinked her wide, ruby eyes, thinking for a moment before replying, "About a month ago!"
A month ago, Leon had still been away. It was clear he hadn't been the teacher.
Rossweise didn't press the issue. Instead, she gently scooped Muse into her arms and asked with a soft smile, "Do you think you might want to stop learning this particular instrument, my love?"
"Hmm..." Muse pondered seriously, then shook her head decisively. "No way!"
Rossweise chuckled helplessly, giving her daughter's soft cheek an affectionate pinch. "Alright, sweetie. If it's what you truly enjoy, then Mom will support you, no matter what."
"Mommy's the best! Muuua~!" Muse exclaimed, planting a wet kiss on Rossweise's cheek.
Though Rossweise found the suona's... distinctive sound a bit challenging, and worried Muse might be inheriting her father's eccentric tastes, she would never stand in the way of her daughter's genuine passions.
As the maids finally dispersed, chattering amongst themselves, the family settled together on the sun-drenched backyard lawn.
Noah held up the framed black-and-white photograph of Leon, her usual stern expression softened by a fond gleam in her eye.
Aurora and Muen competed enthusiastically, tripping over each other's words to share everything they'd learned at the academy over the past two months.
Muse, not to be left out, occasionally punctuated the lively chatter with a triumphant, if slightly off-key, toot from her suona.
Leon and Rossweise sat side by side on a stone bench. His larger, calloused hand came to rest lightly over the back of her cool, slender one. They exchanged a single glance—brief, but filled with a universe of shared understanding and quiet joy.
"Just a few farm animals short of your idyllic pastoral fantasy," Rossweise teased softly, recalling an old conversation.
Leon let out a soft, contented chuckle. "Raising our four brilliant, chaotic daughters is more than enough 'livestock' for any man."
His gaze swept over the scene—his wife's elegant profile, his daughters laughing and jostling one another under the clear sky. A profound sense of peace settled over him. He squeezed Rossweise's hand gently and said, his voice barely above a whisper, "Having you all is enough, Rossweise. It's everything."
A final, cheerful toot from Muse's suona seemed to seal the sentiment, a bizarre yet perfect fanfare for their reunited family.