Leon's proposal could be considered a relatively reasonable compromise.

It allowed them to maintain the appearance of a harmonious family in front of others without forcing her to attach an awkward tail to herself against her will.

Roswitha, though somewhat exasperated by it, had to admit that under the current circumstances, Leon's suggestion really was the best option.

She slowly raised her tail, curving the tip into the outline of a half-heart, then moved it between the two of them.

Leon extended his hand as well, slightly bending four fingers and aligning them with his thumb to form the other half of the heart.

The heart gestures—one with a hand and the other with a tail—were actually executed quite well, though both of them hesitated awkwardly, seemingly reluctant to make any sort of physical contact.

Oh, come to think of it, that made sense.

Neither of them had any experience in romance.

Setting aside everything else, the extent of their relationship was merely a single accidental hand-holding incident.

So innocent.

"Your Majesty, is it done yet?" Selina urged.

"Ah, it's ready, just a moment."

Roswitha responded while glaring at Leon. She lowered her voice, "Take this seriously and stop moving around."

"I'm not the one moving—your tail is out of control."

"My tail is perfectly agile; unlike you, I don't act all hesitant and sheepish."

Leon was immediately displeased upon hearing this.

Without another word, he used his other hand to grab the tip of Roswitha's tail, deliberately aligning it with his hand's heart shape. Only then could the pose be considered complete.

Roswitha sneaked a pinch to the outside of Leon's thigh and growled through gritted teeth,

"Don't. Touch. My. Tail!"

Whenever this jerk grabbed her tail, it always triggered unpleasant memories of *that* night for Roswitha.

"Alright, alright, just like that. Stay still—don't move!"

Selina raised the camera, aiming it at the family of four. "The couple, give me a smile—a smile, please. Okay, yes~ Little princesses, strike a pose that you like. Perfect~"

Click—click—

The flashes flickered several times in succession.

Selina took several photos to ensure the most suitable one could be selected later.

"Alright, thank you for cooperating, everyone. Next, it's time to take Princess Noa's enrollment photo."

Muen was very considerate. As soon as she heard they were taking her sister's enrollment photo, she jumped off the seat and quietly waited to the side.

Selina guided Noa to change into a more formal little draconic evening dress.

For the family portrait, warmth could be conveyed through casual outfits, but an enrollment photo required a stricter, more serious presentation.

Once dressed, Noa stood between Leon and Roswitha, ready for her picture.

The Saint Hiss Academy upheld rigorous standards for familial evaluations, requiring the presence of both parents alongside the enrolled child in the photograph.

Standing straight as pins with impeccable posture, the "doomed" couple and the stoic young dragoness lined up for their shot. Even their breathing seemed restrained, their three pairs of eyes fixed unblinking on the camera—with an almost expressionless demeanor.

Looking through the lens at these three deadpan faces, Selina couldn't shake off the strangeness.

Serious? Yes, indeed they appeared serious.

But perhaps they overdid it.

The scene felt less like taking a school photo and more like editing their faces into somber black-and-white tones to be displayed at a memorial service a century later.

"Alright, you can be serious, but loosen up a little. Otherwise, it comes across as too unnatural," Selina suggested.

"Understood, ma'am."

Poor Selina, burdened with such an oddball family.

The husband and wife were archenemies. The elder daughter was a naturally stoic, unsmiling child.

Photographing them was a true test of her skills as a camerawoman.

Fortunately, Selina’s professionalism knew no bounds. Even in the face of such stolid expressions, she could capture a few satisfactory enrollment photos through skillful lighting, lensing, and detail-oriented candid shots.

"Alright, I'll have the photos developed and ready for you in about six hours. In the meantime, feel free to explore Sky City and enjoy yourselves."

"Thank you so much, Teacher Selina," Roswitha exhaled with a relieved sigh.

She turned to spot Muen sitting quietly nearby and was about to call her youngest daughter over when Leon unexpectedly spoke first.

"Muen, would you like to take a picture with Mom and Dad, too?"

Muen's eyes lit up. "Yes!"

Roswitha glanced sideways at Leon, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, she averted her gaze.

Muen trotted up to stand between the couple. Since this wasn’t an official family portrait or Noa's enrollment photo, they could be much more informal this time.

Leon even picked Muen up, and the little one enthusiastically extended her tail to form a heart with Leon, mimicking Roswitha’s earlier gesture.

Leon, naturally, obliged.

Soon, Noa joined in, and the family took a few genuinely heartwarming pictures together.

Freed from formalities, they posed however they liked.

"Big sister, don’t you want to do a heart gesture with Dad? It’s so fun~"

Noa paused and immediately shook her head. "No."

“Geez, big sister, you’re no fun. I suppose I’ll just do one with *you* instead, then!”

This time, Noa relented. "Alright."

The two little dragon girls soon had a photoshoot all to themselves, posing endlessly.

Selina's workload notably lightened from then on.

While the two children were having their fun in front of the camera, Leon and Roswitha sat quietly to the side.

Neither spoke—not even a word of small talk. They simply watched their daughters’ spirited photo session in silence.

Leon had no interest in chatting with this dragoness. After all, whenever their conversations veered away from their daughters, it always devolved into bickering.

Roswitha seemed to hold a similar mindset, propping her cheek against her hand as she lounged with her legs crossed. She stayed wordless, wearing a faint smile of gratification as she observed her two daughters.

Thus, an oddly contrasting dynamic emerged inside the studio:

At the photo area, joy and excitement overflowed. The two dragon girls beamed as they struck various poses, while Selina captured the lively moments with satisfaction.

Meanwhile, in the waiting area, the "loving" pair who had just touched tails and hands to make a heart shape sat motionless, void of any conversation.

They hardly resembled a couple there for a photo session; they looked more like they’d come to file divorce papers.

Perhaps realizing the chilly atmosphere wasn’t conducive to familial "harmony," Roswitha stared straight ahead and spoke in an aloof tone.

"Don’t you think you should strike up a topic to kill the time? It looks like Noa and Muen will still be at it for a while."

"What could I possibly talk about with you? How about we step outside and have a fight instead? By the time we’re done, they’ll probably be finished."

As expected, every conversation turned into a quarrel within three sentences, no exceptions.

"Sky City has strict safety regulations. Public brawling carries a minimum penalty of six months."

"Are you quoting laws at me now? I’m human; your Dragon Clan rules don’t apply to me."

"Then what are the consequences for public fighting among humans?"

"Win, you go to jail. Lose, you go to the hospital."

"Sounds about the same for humans and dragons, then."

"Hmm… Hmm? Don’t try to bond with me, dragoness."

The couple bickered back and forth. About half an hour later, Noa and Muen had finally taken enough photos.

"Well, with all these photos, it might take me until tonight to develop them. Do you want to stick around Sky City for a bit longer, or come back tomorrow?"

"We’ll pick them up tonight. Thank you for your efforts, Teacher Selina."

"It’s no trouble at all. I wish Your Majesty, Your Highness, and the two little princesses a wonderful time in Sky City."

The family of four expressed their thanks before leaving the studio.

Watching their retreating backs until they vanished around the corner of the street, Selina lowered her gaze to her camera, reviewing the captured images.

It wasn’t a family portrait, nor was it a siblings-only picture of the two little dragon girls.

Instead…

It showed a silver-haired beauty and a young man sitting side by side. Though their bodies faced opposite directions, their gazes connected them.

Warm sunlight poured through the studio’s windows, bathing their shoulders in a gentle glow. Dust particles floated in the light like ethereal dancing sprites, encircling the pair.

Their eyes met, neither tender nor flirtatious. There were no lingering gazes filled with affection. And yet, within their shared look was a kind of youthful, unspoken emotion—fragile, clumsy, and pure, as if the feelings were brimming, ready to overflow.

"They really do look like a married couple," Selina remarked softly.