Inside the Silver Dragon Sanctuary, Leon finished explaining everything he had learned from the Twilight Tower Master. Rossweise listened intently, then gracefully descended the steps to stand beside him. Her eyes fell upon the Primordial Crystal glowing softly in his palm.
"As expected," she murmured, her voice low. "The crystal is pulsing with a steady light."
Judging by the consistent rhythm and brightness of the glow, if the crystal was functioning correctly, then the implication was staggering: a fragment of Noah's soul was not just nearby—it was very nearby.
Leon shifted his stance, glancing back toward the distant horizon where the Leviathan, having delivered his daughters, was now a speck in the distance. He compared the growing distance with the unchanging glow of the crystal in his hand. Even as the great dragon flew farther away, the light never wavered or dimmed.
"It's not related to Leviathan or anyone on it..." Leon reasoned aloud, the conclusion settling with a heavy weight. "That means Noah's soul must be right here, within the Silver Dragon Sanctuary itself!"
It was a simple deduction, but its implications were so profound that even Leon found it difficult to accept.
Rossweise was equally stunned. Her delicate eyebrows drew together as she stared fixedly at the luminous crystal. "When did it start glowing?" she asked, her tone sharp with focus.
Leon thought back. "The crystal emits faint magical warmth when it's active. I first felt a heat in my pocket earlier, when I was holding Muse. After the girls went inside, I finally had a moment to take it out and look."
"Then I suspect it activated when the Leviathan hovered directly over our courtyard," Rossweise deduced, her mind working quickly.
"To confirm..." Leon began, but then he fell silent.
He and Rossweise exchanged a long glance. In that moment, without a single word, they arrived at the same terrifying realization.
After a breath of shared silence, they spoke in unison:
"The crystal began glowing when our daughters landed."
In the privacy of their chambers, Leon paced with restless energy, his expression dark with a mix of confusion and paternal anxiety.
"How is this possible?" he demanded, the words bursting from him. "The soul of the Primordial Dragon King, your ancestor Noah, is attached to one of our daughters?"
Rossweise stood silently, her arms crossed, a deep frown etched on her face. Though Noah was revered as the most sacred figure in all of dragon history, the thought of that ancient, immense soul being bound to one of their children was deeply unsettling. Their first and foremost concern was not legend or destiny, but the safety and well-being of their girls.
Even Leon, whose first instinct was often direct action, felt a wave of protective fury. A part of him wanted to line all four daughters up immediately and find a way to pry the soul loose.
After a tense silence, Leon forced himself to stop pacing. He took a steadying breath, his expression shifting from frantic to resolved as he turned to his wife.
"First," he stated, his voice calmer now, "we need to confirm which one of them carries the soul."
Rossweise pressed her lips together and gave a firm nod. "Yes. But we must be careful. We can't question them all at once, or separate them abruptly. It will make them suspicious."
Her logic was sound, and Leon agreed. "Who should we start with?"
He thought for a moment. "We begin with the eldest. She's the only one who has actually been to the ruins beneath the Far North. If the Primordial Dragon King's soul latched onto anyone, Noah is the most likely candidate."
Rossweise nodded slowly. "All right. Then let's not waste any more time. We go and find Noah now."
"Agreed."
With their course of action set, the two left their room. As they descended the staircase, the melodic, slightly hesitant sound of a flute drifted from Rossweise's music room. They exchanged a look and, without a word, changed their direction toward the sound.
Peering inside, they found Muse and Muen. Noah and Aurora were absent.
Muse sat perched on a chair, a flute in her small hands, her brow furrowed in concentration as she played. Muen sat obediently beside her, swaying gently to the rhythm, the tuft of hair on her head bobbing in time. It was a picture of serene sisterhood.
Leon quietly pulled the crystal from his pocket. "Since we've found Muen and Muse first, let's test them while we're here."
Rossweise glanced at the object in his hand. The pulse of light was visible, but its frequency and intensity had noticeably diminished compared to before. It was clearly not reacting strongly to either of the two younger girls.
Leon managed a wry smile. "This might not be the best time for jokes, but..."
"What is it?"
"I'm suddenly very glad we didn't have more children. The process of elimination would be a lot more work."
Rossweise let out a soft, breathy laugh and nudged him playfully with her elbow. "Enough of that. Let's find Noah and Aurora. They should be in the courtyard."
Leon nodded, his brief moment of levity fading. "Let's go."
The couple left the music room and made their way to the large practice field in the backyard. Just as Rossweise predicted, Noah and Aurora were there.
Aurora sat on the ground under the shade of the old locust tree, a book on advanced archery techniques open in her lap, her focus absolute.
Noah was a short distance away, her movements sharp and precise as she drilled a newly learned combat technique, her practice sword cutting through the air.
Leon and Rossweise decided to start with Aurora, who was closer. The order didn't truly matter; as Leon had said, they only had four daughters to check.
They moved quietly, sneaking behind a stone bench near where Aurora was reading. Leon gestured for silence, and Rossweise nodded in understanding. Slowly, carefully, Leon retrieved the crystal from his pocket.
The glow was slightly stronger than it had been in the music room, but it was still not as intense as it had been when all four daughters were together initially. This wasn't the source.
Leon tucked the crystal away and gave Rossweise a slight shrug. They slipped away from the bench and began moving toward Noah.
If his earlier deduction was correct, she was the most likely candidate. She was the only one who had entered the ancient ruins, and now she was the last one to be tested.
Leon's brow was furrowed with concentration as he called out to his eldest daughter. "Noah, can you come over for a moment?"
Noah paused her practice, lowering her practice sword and turning toward him. "What is it, Dad?"
Leon leaned close to Rossweise, his voice a whisper. "You distract her with conversation. I'll check the crystal."
Rossweise gave a subtle nod. "Understood."
The couple walked toward Noah, who was now using a towel to wipe the sweat from her brow. But before they could put their plan into action, a cry sliced through the courtyard air.
"Dad! Mom! My stomach hurts! Waaaah~!"
It was Aurora.
Hearing their daughter's distressed wail, all other plans were instantly abandoned. The couple spun around and rushed to her side, Noah following close behind with a look of deep concern on her face.
Leon scooped Aurora up into his arms while Rossweise knelt, her hands gently rubbing the girl's stomach.
"Are you okay, Aurora? What's wrong? Did you eat something bad?" Leon asked, his voice thick with worry.
Noah stood just behind them, her eyes fixed on her sister with equal anxiety.
But as Leon held her, Aurora peeked over his shoulder. Her eyes, clear and completely free of pain, met Noah's. In that fleeting moment, she silently formed a single, urgent word with her lips:
"Run!"