72 I’m the Eighth Gate
What about you?
Leon was struggling to digest what his Daughters were saying.
Although there were still parts he didn’t quite grasp, one thing was for sure: given the chance to change everything, Leon would go all out to make it happen.
Twenty whole years without being by his daughters’ sides—no doubt that was a kn*fe to the heart for someone like him, who had a strong sense of responsibility.
The absence of a father figure could definitely alter someone’s life.
And such changes were often for the worse.
Besides, Leon was an excellent father, a fact even the once-petty Noia had to admit when their relationship wasn’t all cotton candy and rainbows.
And, apart from the Daughters…
Leon looked up, his gaze landing on that crystal.
Inside the crystal, the silver-haired beauty lay quietly; her features were delicately relaxed, eyelashes distinct, the whole package unusually serene and lovely.
But she shouldn’t be like this.
She was the Queen of the Silver Dragon, the mother of his Daughters.
And—as if the universe was playing tricks on him—she was his wife.
This cunning and tsundere silly dragon deserved a brighter future.
Noticing her old man’s gaze, Aurora raised an eyebrow.
Ugh, as a kid, hiding in her parents’ embrace while watching them gaze at each other was already mushy enough.
How come now, just a one-sided stare from Dad at Mom made it feel like they were about to turn into syrup?
Just how much suppressed admiration for Mom was hiding inside that old coot’s heart!?
Nope.
Aurora realized that if she stayed any longer, they’d all be crushed by the invisible food of love.
She nudged her big sister with her elbow.
Noia glanced over at her.
Aurora shot Noia a look.
Noia paused, then glanced at Leon and immediately understood.
“Well… we’re short on time. Serious business awaits; I’m going back to study the reversal magic. You two chat it up.”
With that, Aurora executed a light-speed exit.
“I’ll stay and chat with Dad! I have so much to say!” Moon piped up, super pumped.
The little chatterbox who used to tail Leon around shouting “Dad! Dad! Dad!” all day had bottled up twenty years of conversation. Of course, she had a whole mountain of things to blab about to her old man.
However.
Noia grabbed her little sister by the back of her shirt and dragged her toward the door. “Come with me to cook. We’ll talk at dinner.”
“No way! I want to be with Dad! Waaah~”
“He’s only a year older than you. Calling him Dad like that is going to cause someone some social embarrassment.”
Moon’s legs and tail left three shallow marks on the ground as she was dragged out by her big sister, her noodle-like eyes shimmering in protest.
Once the trio had vacated, Leon chuckled and shook his head.
He could tell his Daughters had wrapped up the important stuff, leaving the time free for him and Roswiser.
As for Noia’s earlier “he’s only a year older than you”… that one did hit him right in the feels.
Leon had been twenty-three when he fell into the spatial rift, while Noia and Moon were just two years old.
And now, twenty years later, the eldest and the second were both twenty-two.
He wanted to sigh, “Twenty-two is truly the prime of life,”
But then thought, “Isn’t it a bit too ‘prime’ given that I’m only a year older than my own daughters?”
Leon shook his head, dismissing those tangled thoughts.
He dragged a chair over to the crystal, getting up close and personal with the beauty trapped within.
She still looked as stunning as ever.
In truth, Leon hadn’t really seen Roswiser sleeping; they always went to bed together during their cohabitation years.
Sometimes they’d get so tired after a long day that they’d just crash in a heap and sleep through the night, with no energy left to admire their bedmate’s sleeping face.
However, he sometimes noticed Roswiser napping on the table in the Holy Temple after lunch.
Like the time in Dragon Slayer Academy when his classmates would sneak in a snooze during morning study sessions.
She had a bit of chub in her cheeks, and when her face was pressed into her arms, those cheeks would squish out adorably.
Still, those brief naps didn’t allow Roswiser to fully relax; her brows would be slightly furrowed, clearly not sleeping peacefully.
Several times, Leon’s clandestine monitoring of Roswiser’s napping had been caught.
Roswiser declared him a peeping Tom.
He retorted that she drooled while sleeping.
Roswiser never lost her cool like that, so she’d sh**t back with “And what about that drool, huh? Did you wipe it away?”
Leon would laugh, “I drank it.”
Queen: Yuck!!
Sometimes their playful banter turned a bit ‘gross.’
Staring at the beauty in the crystal, Leon could never get enough of that exquisite face.
How on earth could she be so beautiful—
If this were the past, Leon would have secretly praised Mother Dragon’s looks and then throw a jab in the end.
Like, “She may be pretty, but she’s two-faced.”
Or, “What good is beauty if she’s ruthless when arguing?”
But now.
All he wanted to do was silently compliment his wife.
She was so beautiful, like a masterpiece crafted by an artist who dedicated their life to their work.
“Roswiser, actually… I’m not really good at chatting with someone who’s already asleep, but Noia and the others said that even though you’re in a coma, you can still hear the sounds from the outside.”
Leon bit his lip, lowering his head, nervously rubbing his palms together. “I have a lot to share with you… For you, these words should have been spoken twenty years ago. It’s just that back then… I had no chance.”
“Now that I finally have the chance to say them, it’s a bummer that I can’t hear your reply.”
At this point, Leon paused, then let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.
“Speaking of replies, the reason I didn’t mention those things back then was that I was also worried that your response would be… rejection.”
“I was pretty scared of you turning me down.”
“When leading troops into battle, I always tell my subordinates that it’s better to make mistakes than to do nothing.”
“But when it comes to feelings for you… I became someone who would rather do nothing than make a mistake.”
“Even now, being bold enough to share these feelings is… also because you’re still in a coma.”
Leon’s bitter smile turned into self-mockery, his palms turning red from rubbing.
“Seriously, Melkway, every time I face you, those words just freeze up at my lips.”
“I think this is all your fault.”
“Who told you to be so gorgeous? And your smile is even better!”
“It’s perfectly normal for a clueless straight guy like me to get flustered seeing a beauty like you, right?”
“However, as a Dragon Slayer, I shouldn’t have any ulterior thoughts about you even if you’re a knockout.”
“Maybe it’s just… you’re just too stunning.”
Every single word was a sincere compliment for his wife.
If Roswiser had been awake, he would never dare to spit those words out.
Just like he said earlier, it was only because she could not respond while in a coma that he dared to let it all out.
After showering his wife with compliments, Leon stood up and gave the crystal a pat.
“I’m off to find the Daughters. I’ll be back to see you soon.”
With that, Leon turned and left the dim room.
Once outside, he realized he wasn’t quite familiar with the layout of this underground space.
So he figured he might as well wander around aimlessly.
Eventually, he actually stumbled upon Little Light’s research room.
Although it was called a research room, the conditions were pretty basic.
Bookshelves lined both sides of the room, filled with all sorts of literature on space magic and reversal magic;
In the center was an ultra-long stone table cluttered with various magical components and Aurora’s handwritten notes.
Upon hearing the commotion at the door, Aurora looked up and adjusted her glasses. “Oh, Dad, what’s up?”
Leon shook his head. “Just browsing around.”
“Okay, but it’s a bit messy here, so feel free to poke around,” she said, returning to her studies.
“Sure.”
Leon scratched his chin and asked, “So… about that reversal magic… can I help in any way?”
“I’ve been at it for over ten years. Even if you’re smart, Dad, you can’t possibly catch up with my pace in such a short time.”
“Is that so… then what about Noia and the others? Aren’t they helping with your research?” Leon queried.
Aurora shook her head. “It’s just the three of us here. If the eldest and second sisters also put their efforts into reversal magic, they wouldn’t have time to study other magic.”
“In other words, the two sisters are there for fighting, while I, as a scientist, lacking their kind of strength, have to focus on logistics. That’s how we sorted it out from the beginning—everyone sticking to their roles.”
“Oh~ I see.”
But Leon knew Noia was great at fighting;
Could Moon really step out and ‘pull a shift’?
That little gal loathed all sorts of fighting and killing.
“So, Dad, no need to worry about me. Just focus on regaining your strength. That Nine Gates of Hell—practice makes perfect, it’s really powerful.”
Leon shrugged. “I can only open up to the fifth gate now.”
“I’m at the eighth gate.”
General Leon: Huh?
He really liked what Aurora K. Melkway said:
“I’m just a scientist, without their kind of strength.”
XX
Increased the volume of culinary cuteness~
End of the month, everyone clear the monthly tickets~ Arigato~
