After the love tutoring class came to an end, the emotional progress of the Silver Dragon Clan could be described with just one word:

Thriving!

Thriving in a way that was full of vitality.

Everyone had started to realize just how liberating and joyous it could be to discard some of the old and ossified traditions, to follow their own hearts, and to take that brave first step forward.

At the current rate, it seemed likely that within a few years the Silver Dragon Clan could foster a new generation of young dragons without compromising much of their combat strength.

Meanwhile, the covert collusion between the Human Empire and certain factions of dragon clans signified that this protracted and unprecedented war had moved into its next phase.

Who to trust as allies, and who to guard against as enemies—these questions remained far from clear.

Thus, before the next crisis arrived, Roswitha knew she had to do everything possible to strengthen her clan.

To preserve the honor and legacy of the Silver Dragons in this chaotic age, and to ensure the survival of her family.

As the Silver Dragon Clan found its way back on track, Roswitha became exceptionally busy.

Leon, knowing his place, wisely refrained from disturbing her and spent his days keeping their daughters company.

He tutored Noa in magic, cuddled with Muen, and occasionally engaged in a "loving" exchange of jabs and uppercuts with Aurora.

One day, Leon wandered into Roswitha's private library, where he found Aurora engrossed in her reading as usual.

When Aurora was reading, her focus was absolute, so much so that she didn't even notice Leon’s quiet approach.

Standing behind her silently, Leon saw her bury her face into the book once again after reading for a while.

The doting father sighed inwardly, then gently tapped Aurora on the shoulder. "Sit upright, lift your head—don’t read so close to the pages. It’s bad for your eyes, Aurora."

Her small body flinched slightly at the touch, and Aurora immediately straightened up in her chair. Holding the book by its edges, Aurora swung her little legs beneath the seat and muttered disapprovingly, "Dragon Clans don’t get nearsighted… You’re underestimating me, Dad."

"......"

For a moment, Leon was at a loss for words.

It was true that pureblooded Dragon Clans didn’t suffer from nearsightedness; their superior lineage guaranteed that. There was no arguing with genetics.

But sweetie, you’re half-human. If you don't cultivate good reading habits, you could still end up nearsighted just like a regular human.

The future Aurora had sported a pair of black-rimmed glasses.

Not that it looked bad on her—on the contrary, the glasses had amplified her scholarly charm.

But back when the time-reversal spell was activated, the future Aurora had specifically told Leon to make sure her younger self developed better reading habits—she didn’t want to deal with poor eyesight again.

So ever since Leon had returned, monitoring Aurora’s reading posture became one of his paternal duties.

Most of the time, Aurora obediently listened to him, though she occasionally reverted to her habit of leaning in too close to the pages.

"What are you reading?" Leon decided to change the topic.

"‘The Cradle of Warriors: Saint Hiss Academy,’" Aurora answered. "It has lots of short biographies about outstanding graduates, plus a history of the academy itself. It’s pretty interesting."

Leon’s curiosity was ignited. "Aurora, are you thinking about going to school?"

She was only a bit over a year old—young by any measure—but then again, when Noa had started attending school, she hadn’t been much older than this.

Despite having different aptitudes, both sisters belonged firmly to the "talented children" category.

Considering Aurora’s current learning capacity and cognitive level, formal schooling likely wouldn’t pose any challenges for her.

"Mm… Not exactly," Aurora replied. "For now, I’m just exploring the idea."

Leon nodded.

That sounded just like Aurora’s typical approach to learning. No matter the subject, she would always investigate thoroughly beforehand to decide how best to engage with it.

My youngest daughter is truly so steady.

"Speaking of which," Aurora said, putting the book aside and turning to face her dad, "the academy break is ending soon. Big Sister will be going back to school."

"That’s right," Leon affirmed. "Do you want to come along when we see her off?"

"Yes! Reading about the academy is fine and all, but it’s still too one-dimensional. I want to see it in person."

"Alright then," Leon chuckled. "How about we bring Muen along too? The three of us can go together."

Aurora nodded enthusiastically and then leaned forward to wrap her arms around her dad’s neck, planting a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Daddy, you’re the best~"

Overjoyed by his daughter’s sweetness, Leon hugged Aurora tight. "Come on, let’s head outside to get some sunshine. Staying cooped up in the library all day isn’t good for you."

"Daddy, you *are* my sunshine~"

"That little mouth of yours is something else, huh?" Leon teased, rubbing his cheek affectionately against Aurora’s soft and tender face. "If your mom’s words were even half as sweet as yours, my happiness level would probably triple."

"But I think you already seem so happy, Dad," Aurora said with surprising earnestness.

Leon blinked. "Really? You can tell?"

"Of course," Aurora replied matter-of-factly. "Even though you’re always saying Mom doesn’t understand romance, or that she’s too stubborn, you sound really happy whenever you talk about her—whether you’re complaining or just teasing."

"Happy? I don’t think so..." Leon muttered dubiously.

It wasn’t as though thinking about the big silver dragon lady brought him joy. Certainly not… right?

Aurora batted her lovely eyes and clicked her tongue lightly. "Well… happy isn’t quite a right word. It’s more like… proud, or satisfied. It’s as if even Mom’s flaws don’t bother you that much—in fact, you seem to find them kind of amusing."

Judging by Aurora’s serious expression, Leon knew she wasn’t joking or making up stories.

Huh.

Could it really be that every time the name "Roswitha" crossed his lips, it was accompanied by an unconsciously smug smile?

Surely not...

What’s all this about "even her flaws don’t bother me"?

Come on, that dragon woman’s faults could fill an entire encyclopedia! He could rant about them for three days and nights if he wanted to.

Leon shook his head to clear his thoughts and gently pinched Aurora’s nose. "Little ones shouldn’t overthink adult matters."

"Daddy, you can say that to me, but if you tell Big Sis the same thing, she’ll definitely give you the silent treatment for three days."

Leon rolled his eyes, laughing softly as he shook his head.

These little dragon girls were just too clever for their own good.

Deciding to change the subject yet again, Leon led Aurora to the garden in the backyard of the shrine.

When they arrived, they found Muen already coaxing Noa into playing a game of blindfolded ghost tag with her.

"Dad," Aurora piped up.

"Yes?"

"Have you noticed that Second Sister’s been even clingier to Big Sis these past few days?"

Leon followed Aurora’s gaze toward the two sisters playing nearby. He mused over Muen’s recent behavior. "Hmm… you’re right. Though to be fair, she’s always been attached to Noa. She only became a little more independent after you were born, probably because she felt like being an older sister meant she had to act the part."

"But deep down, Second Sister still relies on Big Sis a lot," Aurora noted.

"True enough," Leon agreed.

During the two years when Leon had been unconscious, a significant portion of the burden of raising Muen had fallen to Noa.

As Muen grew older and developed a stronger sense of self, she naturally came to view Noa as one of her most vital emotional supports.

In simple terms—she was a sister-obsessed girl.

Leon found nothing wrong with this kind of sibling closeness. Besides, Noa had never shown impatience with Muen’s behaviors.

She knew how much her little sister depended on her, and so she resolved never to let Muen down.

That was simply Noa’s way—she was someone who strived to make everyone around her feel reassured and satisfied.

"Hey, Aurora, why is it you’ve never been that clingy with your sisters?" Leon suddenly asked on a whim.

"Because I’ve always been busy clinging to you, Dad."

"...Sorry."

Leon bent over and set Aurora down on the ground.

"Alright then, Dad—I’m off to play!" Aurora chirped.

"Go ahead. Just be careful."

With a wave, the little pink-haired girl turned and sprinted towards her two sisters.

As the three of them came together, the game burst into newfound energy and excitement.

From a distance, Leon stood with his hands tucked into his pockets, watching the harmonious and heartwarming scene unfold. A gentle smile spread across his face.

He recalled a certain dream he had once shared with Roswitha:

"To move to some far-off countryside and start a ranch."

"To marry a woman who’s neither beautiful nor unattractive."

"And to have just one adorable daughter."

"Then, I would wait quietly for time to wither me away. If I could, I think that would have been the life I wanted most."

The life he was living now—though there was no ranch, and his "fake wife" was dazzlingly beautiful to a degree that went far beyond his aspirations—at least his daughters were genuinely adorable.

Leon slowly lowered himself onto the lawn, eventually lying back with his hands tucked behind his head. He gazed up at the clear blue sky.

The gentle breeze brushed through his bangs, crisp and refreshing.

Before long, he heard approaching footsteps.

Without opening his eyes, he already knew who it was.

"Slacking off?" came her voice.

"Yup. Care to join me?" Leon gave out an invitation.

Roswitha said nothing, but she lowered herself to the ground beside him.

She rested her hands on her stomach, and their shoulders touched as they lay side by side.

Sunlight filtered through the treetops, scattering warmly over their bodies, soothing and tranquil.