### Hugging Daughters
Roswiser’s mood had been pretty gloomy these past few days, but she was a master at keeping a straight face in front of her daughters.
At the dinner table, she patiently listened to Noia and Moon chatter away like there was no tomorrow.
Moon proudly proclaimed how she was a hide-and-seek champion today, finding all the hiding maids in under a minute. Noia chimed in about the new magic spell she learned today.
As for the little one? She was still in her “babble” phase and couldn’t quite join in the sisterly banter.
Leon, busy enjoying his dinner, kept a close watch on Roswiser’s emotions. Just earlier in the backyard, he had asked her if her bad mood was because of him.
Silence. Classic Roswiser.
When she didn’t answer Leon, it usually meant “yes,” but he just couldn’t figure out what he had done to ruffle the feathers of Her Majesty.
Could it be that evening during the banquet when he complimented the pretty artillery master in front of her? Had she been holding onto that grudge?
Leon pondered and quickly dismissed it. Roswiser wasn’t the jealous type, and she knew him well enough to recognize when he was joking.
And, let’s be honest, if it had upset her, she could’ve given him “the talk” that very night, informing him that no compliments about other women were allowed in her presence. No need to be all moody and broody like this.
Ah well. The mysteries of women.
“Dad,” Moon’s voice yanked Leon back to reality.
Shaking his head slightly, he turned to her, “What’s up, Moon?”
“We agreed that after Mom had the little sister, we’d go play at the beach! Remember?”
Leon chuckled, “Of course, but the little one’s still too tiny for a long trip. Once she grows up a bit more, we’ll hit the beach, okay?”
Moon nodded sagely, “Okay~”
Little dragon girl turned her attention to her even smaller sister, waving her tail teasingly to get the little one’s attention.
The tiny one sat in her chair, decked out in a bib that screamed “I’m messy!” Her big eyes were fixated on her sister’s tail, tiny hands flailing, trying to catch it but failing miserably.
On the opposite side of the table, Roswiser rested her chin on her hand, her gaze softening as she watched the scene unfold.
Leon stole a glance at her and was pleasantly surprised to see her smile—a rare, genuine smile that lit up her face.
“Little sister needs to grow up fast! Then our whole family can go to the beach together~”
Just as Leon felt a spark of hope that Roswiser’s frown might finally fade, Moon’s comment knocked the smile off her face like a kid accidentally breaking a window.
She paused, suddenly distant, her gaze shifting away from her daughters as she lowered her head, quietly continuing to pick at her food.
Leon caught that shift in mood like a hawk spotting its prey.
Why did mentioning “family” hit her so hard?
After all, this faux family was something he and Roswiser had worked hard to build, aimed at giving their daughters a complete childhood filled with love and warmth.
And now that Moon had such a strong concept of “family,” it showed they were doing well.
So, why was Roswiser not showing any joy and instead seemed… resistant?
She wasn’t like this before.
Women were truly a puzzle, and Leon sighed internally, even after being “partners” for so long, he still found Roswiser utterly baffling.
No point in dwelling on it, he thought. He could only wait for her to open up about what was on her mind.
After dinner, Noia and Moon headed to their room, while baby sister was left in the capable hands of Mom and Dad.
The couple stood side by side in the kitchen rinsing the dishes, no words exchanged yet their actions coordinated like a well-rehearsed dance.
After scraping the last plate clean, Leon handed it to Roswiser, who stood at the sink ready to wash.
But instead of taking the plate like usual, Roswiser hesitated, standing there lost in thought.
Leon awkwardly held the plate aloft, “Uh, what’s up?”
Roswiser shut her eyes, sighing deeply as if she’d just made a monumental decision.
“Leon, why don’t you… go play with the girls for a bit?”
Leon blinked. “What?”
“I said, go play with the girls for a while. Hide-and-seek, teach them magic, or… hug them.”
The more he heard, the more confused he got.
But he decided not to press further; maybe Roswiser just wanted some alone time and was using the girls as an excuse to send him away.
He placed the plate by the sink, removed his apron, dried his hands, and then walked out of the room.
As dusk approached, the sun set rapidly, and the kitchen grew dimmer, casting a lonely and desolate shadow of the silver-haired beauty.
“Drip—drip—drip—”
The rhythmic sound of water trickling from the faucet filled the silence.
Roswiser’s gaze drifted toward Leon’s now-removed apron.
A simple blue household apron with no frills.
Yet it had been worn for so long, the yellowed stains were living proof.
She looked down at her own—a pink version of the same apron.
When did she buy this?
She couldn’t remember…
How long had she been with Leon…?
More than a year now—just a blink of an eye for the long-lived dragon race.
But Roswiser felt as if that year had stretched infinitely, long enough for her to forget that it could one day come to an end.
After a prolonged silence, she slowly reached out, her fingers trembling, grabbing the plate Leon had set aside before turning on the faucet and quietly rinsing it.
The cold water flowed through her fingers, and she squeezed her hand, realizing she couldn’t hold onto it for long.
And what she couldn’t hold onto was more than just water…
…
Around nine, the door creaked as Leon returned.
Walking down the hallway, he entered the bedroom.
The little one was already fast asleep in bed, while Roswiser sat on the couch.
She wasn’t in her pajamas but dressed in a rather formal dress.
Leon stood at the bedroom door, ruffling his hair. “I just spent some time with the girls, taught Noia a little magic, and before leaving, I hugged each of them.”
Roswiser cast her eyes down at her shoes, nodding silently.
“So… what do we do now?” Leon asked.
Slowly, Roswiser met his gaze.
The couple’s eyes locked in a moment tinged with unspoken words and emotions.
Unfortunately, there seems to be no chance to say them.
After a long silence, Roswiser broke the ice.
“Leon, one year ago today, I met your Master…”
