11 Dad
“Hey, Dad, look! Mom is totally mesmerized!”
The next morning, Roswiser, with her maids in tow, donned the dragon race’s formal attire, which she rarely wore.
Silver crown, long dress, earrings, necklace, and bracelet.
Even her makeup took the maids two hours to perfect.
You see, dragon kings take their meetings very seriously.
First off, every dragon king has his own territory to guard. If they just waltz around, information leaks out, and then bam! The neighboring tribes get an all-access pass to invade.
Second, dragon lifespans are longer than most soap operas—thousands of years! They have countless chances to meet, unlike humans who feel like they must visit relatives every other week.
Roswiser hadn’t seen her sister Isar in ages. The last time was over a year ago, on Moon’s birthday.
Honestly, she didn’t want Isar to meet Leon and Moon.
Her sister is sharp as a tack. You can hide something for a moment, but not forever.
Too much interaction will lead to the truth slipping out, and she wasn’t keen on the idea of folks knowing she’d hooked up with a human and had a daughter!
If that news broke, it would be as scandalous as announcing a royal family was wrestling with alligators.
Dragons love gossip as much as humans do.
“Phew…”
Roswiser shut her eyes to banish the chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind.
She stood before a full-length mirror, critiquing her reflection.
Okay, she looked sharper than usual.
Roswiser wasn’t exactly sensitive to “beauty,” especially her own.
That’s why she rarely complimented anyone’s looks.
She’d only praised Isar for her beauty, while the other dragons? She wouldn’t even glance at them.
Suddenly, a thought lessened the weight of her worries: “He was a ruggedly handsome man, and those scars? Perfect accents on that face.”
That was her first line to Leon after she defeated him two years ago.
He was hanging on by a thread, and she thought he was totally done for.
Next thing you know… bam! Baby entered the world.
Looking back, for someone like Roswiser, who isn’t picky about beauty, complimenting an arch-nemesis on their looks is quite absurd.
“Ha!”
She scoffed at herself in her head. “Just victor’s taunting of the vanquished.”
“All set, Your Majesty. You can now head to the Holy Temple to await Her Majesty Isar,” said the Head Maid, Anna.
“Okay, I’ll check on Moon first.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Roswiser strolled toward Leon and Moon’s room.
This time, she actually knocked!
Soon enough, little footfalls hurried to the door.
That was definitely Moon!
Moon tiptoed, reaching for the doorknob, and with a gentle twist, the lock clicked.
“Good morning, Mother!”
“Good morning, Moon.”
“Mother, you look so beautiful today! Dad, come see! Mom is super pretty!”
Leon sprawled out in bed like a starfish, unphased by Moon’s call for him to come admire her stunning mother.
Please. What does he care about fancy looks?
A mere Mother Dragon looking pretty is as relevant as a paper hat in a tornado.
Only the life of a Dragon Slayer is real!
The familiar clack of high heels sounded, and Roswiser, holding Moon’s hand, entered the bedroom.
“I specially got ready today; you really won’t even take a peek at me, Leon?”
Mother Dragon, mind your tone and attitude.
When Moon is not around, you can’t stand the sight of me, but when it’s pity-party time, you think that’ll win me over?
Childish!
Rolling her eyes inwardly, Leon reluctantly propped himself up.
After all, Moon was present—innocent little darling that she was, he had to play along with Roswiser in maintaining this “family” vibe.
Sitting up, he looked at the silvery-haired beauty before him.
His previously dull eyes suddenly lit up with sparkles.
Roswiser had swapped her usual comfy home wear for an elegant long dress.
The layers were exquisite, jewelry varied yet tasteful.
Her silver hair was swept up, exposing her swan-like neck and delicate collarbone.
The dress flaunted her figure, looking tailor-made just for her.
With curves in all the right places, wrapped snugly in fine fabric.
No gaudy statements, yet nothing too flat either.
“Dad.”
“Dad?”
“Dad, look! Mom is absolutely entranced!”
Moon’s shout jolted Leon back to reality.
He shook his head, ready to scoff and say, “Yeah, it’s alright.”
But, honestly, Roswiser at that moment was truly a top-tier beauty.
“Um… pretty,” he finally admitted, offering his verdict.
Short and sweet, just like all those generic compliments he had heard before: “Pretty,” “Gorgeous,” “Stunning Beauty,” blah blah blah.
Roswiser let out a faint smile, subconsciously lumping Leon in with all those previous flatterers.
“Mm.”
She replied, turning to leave.
“Hey, wait a second.”
Leon abruptly stopped her.
Roswiser half-turned, “What’s up?”
He jumped off the bed and walked over to her, grabbing her arm and leading her to the mirror.
Still taken aback, she watched as Leon deftly tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.
After adjusting her silver crown a bit, he tilted it to just the right angle.
“When walking, don’t just twist your head. Try to pivot at the waist. Otherwise, the crown might get a bit crooked,” Leon instructed.
Roswiser’s eyes widened; a rush of complex feelings surged within her.
Those past sycophants had never picked out her flaws with such thoroughness like Leon did.
And here she was, lumping him in with them…
“The neckline’s a tad low, I can…”
Leon hesitated, hand hovering awkwardly around her chest but not daring to adjust it directly.
“Yeah, I got it,” Roswiser replied, lifting the neckline herself. “Is this alright?”
Leon nodded, “Good to go.”
Roswiser chuckled lightly, teasing, “Didn’t expect you to be so attentive. How many women have you helped dress up?”
“I once helped my Master shoe a donkey back on the farm as a kid. Got pretty good at it.”
“……”
“Dad, what’s a donkey?” Moon tugged at Leon’s sleeve with her big innocent eyes.
Leon glanced down, “A donkey is kind of like a dragon, with two ears and a tail. When it’s unhappy, it just makes a noise.”
“Really?”
“Really—”
“Alright, Leon, just have fun with Moon and remember what I told you yesterday.”
Roswiser couldn’t listen to any more of Leon’s nonsense and headed towards the door.
“Goodbye, Mother! I’ll be a good girl and listen to Dad!”
“Mm.”
Roswiser left the room.
Moon, all excited, tugged Leon back to the bedroom, plopping herself on the bed and climbing on his lap.
Leon wanted to pick her up but typically, you cradle a child by their back or waist.
But Moon had a tail sprouting from her lower back, throwing him off his game.
So, all he could do was gently support her back.
“Dad, Dad, what exactly is a donkey?”
“Emmmm, it’s a pretty stubborn creature.”
“Stubborn… what does that mean?”
“Like your mom.”
“Oh~~~ Mom is a stubborn donkey!”
The little dragon was on the ball! Leon beamed, “That’s right! Mom is a stubborn donkey! Say it again, little Moon!”
“Mom is a stubborn donkey!”
“Yes, yes, yes, perfect.”
“Dad is also a stubborn donkey! Moon is a little stubborn donkey!”
“……Good daughter! You sure know how to make connections.”
