A week later, the Melkevi family gathered at Isa's Red Dragon Sanctuary again.

This time, it was truly the most people they'd ever had in one room—all except for Roswitha and Isa's parents, who had never been seen.

Leon held Muen in his arms and looked around the room full of dragons, thinking to himself: back when he was still with the Dragon Slayer Army, reporting these "high-value targets" would have brought him immense wealth.

Ah, but times had changed. Now he had sired three little "commendable contributions" with one of those very targets.

Times had changed, General Leon.

"Grandma, how long do you plan to stay this time?"

At the dining table, Roswitha raised the question.

"I'll probably be here for a while," Veronica replied. "There have been some unexpected developments with the exploration project in the Far North. I assume Headmaster Orette has already spoken to you about this, hasn't she?"

Roswitha nodded.

The "unexpected developments" her grandmother mentioned referred to the recent theft of some of their findings by the Iron Wing Dragon King.

Leon and Roswitha exchanged a glance, both fully aware of where those "findings" had ended up—in the hands of the Empire.

However, they had no idea what exactly the stolen artifacts were. Both Grandmother Veronica and Headmaster Orette maintained an air of mystery about it, leaving them with no leads.

They decided they would just have to wait until their next encounter with Leon's master and Rebecca to see if they could uncover any useful information.

One thing, however, was certain: whatever had compelled the Empire to go to such lengths to acquire was unquestionably of monumental importance.

It might even shed some light on the reasons behind the Empire's alliance with some Dragon Clans.

Leon needed to get to the bottom of it.

"After the incident, we suspended the exploration project. As for when it will resume, that's still undecided," Veronica said.

"At the very least, we need to figure out who’s behind the theft of our findings and what their motives are."

On the first point, Leon already had an answer.

And as for the second, he was eager to uncover that truth himself.

Yet, due to his human identity, Leon couldn’t come clean—even though his goals aligned perfectly with Grandmother Veronica's.

In that bleak future he once lived through, Roswitha had revealed to her daughters and grandmother that Leon was a human. At that time, everyone had accepted and understood it.

But that outcome had only been possible under extraordinary circumstances.

If Leon were to reveal his true identity now, with so many crucial steps missing, there was no telling whether the outcome would mirror that of the future he once endured.

He couldn’t gamble the happiness of the present on an uncertain future. Doing so would hurt his daughters—and would hurt Roswitha.

So... all he could do was wait and watch. At least, for now, their goals remained aligned.

"Well, in the meantime, Grandma, you’ll have more opportunity to spend time with Muen and the others," Roswitha said with a smile.

Veronica smiled as well. She reached over and took Aurora from Isa’s arms, giving the little one’s soft, chubby cheeks a gentle pinch.

"It’s been a while, and look how much Aurora has grown," she murmured.

The little pink-haired girl squinted her eyes in delight, clinging to her great-grandmother affectionately. In no time at all, a near-unbreakable bond had formed between them.

From elder dragons who were hundreds of years old to the family’s youngest members around two or three years of age—the silver dragon princess, Aurora, clearly knew how to endear herself to everyone.

"By the way, Grandma, since you’re not in any rush to leave this time, why don’t we all go to Sky City tomorrow to take a family portrait?" Isa suggested.

Veronica had no objections. "That sounds good. It’s a rare occasion to have everyone together like this."

At the mention of the word "family," Isa blinked, setting down the fork and knife in her hands. After a moment, she pursed her lips and hesitantly asked,

"Grandma, even though you’ve always been reluctant to talk to me and Little Roswitha about our parents... after all these years, could you at least tell us if they’re still alive?"

Judging by the timeline, the events Isa was referring to had likely occurred during the Dragon Clan’s internal conflicts over two hundred years ago.

Allies one day, foes the next—it was commonplace for Dragon Kings to fall amidst the strife.

Isa had long suspected that the reason why their grandmother rarely spoke of their parents was that they had likely perished during one of these conflicts.

Hearing the question, Roswitha also looked up at her grandmother. She, too, had been waiting years for an answer.

Faced with her granddaughters’ inquiries, Veronica sighed softly.

"Well, now that the two of you are accomplished queens, it’s about time you learned about your parents."

"Isa, you just asked if they’re still alive. I can tell you with absolute certainty—they are."

Upon hearing those definitive words, the sisters grew visibly excited.

Isa opened her mouth to press further, but Veronica raised a hand to stop her.

"I know what else you’re about to ask, Isa, but I can’t provide details about where they are now or what they’re doing. The only thing I can tell you is that your parents are working on something extraordinary—far greater than anything we’ve undertaken in the Far North."

Having said this, Veronica returned to her plate, leisurely cutting into her steak as if the conversation had never happened.

Seeing this, Roswitha and Isa exchanged a glance, silently agreeing to drop the subject.

It was enough for them to know that their parents were alive.

So long as they lived, there would always be a chance for reunion.

With the heavy topic behind them, the family shifted their conversation to lighter matters, focusing on the children.

After all, this was a rare family dinner—discussions of happiness naturally suited the occasion better.

After dinner, the maids came to clean the dining hall, and Leon's family retired to their guestrooms early.

It was the same familiar couple’s suite. The two of them had grown accustomed to it by now.

---

At midnight, on the rooftop of the Red Dragon Sanctuary, Isa leaned against the railing with a bottle of red wine in hand.

She skipped the glass entirely, drinking straight from the bottle.

Her striking visage was tinged pink from the alcohol, and the cool night breeze lifted her long hair, making her look like a flame dancing in the dark.

Before long, the rooftop door opened, and Veronica stepped outside.

"Grandma, still not asleep at this hour?" Isa greeted casually.

"And you’re secretly drinking again," Veronica replied, her tone laced with mild reprimand as she stepped over to Isa.

Isa gave a half-drunken grin and awkwardly set the wine bottle aside. "Alright, alright, no more drinking."

"You used to take Little Roswitha to the cellar to sneak my aged wines. Now, she’s picked up the same habit and wants a drink whenever she’s idle."

"Oh, come on, Grandma. For us queens, knowing how to drink is indispensable! It's one of the ways to win over our subjects," Isa argued, quick-witted despite the intoxication.

Veronica rolled her eyes, exhaling with exasperation before letting out a laugh. "You two are always making me worry."

Isa looped an arm around her grandmother's shoulders, leaning against her lovingly. "In front of others, we might seem like lofty queens. But in front of you, we’re just little girls who still know nothing~"

"Little girls? At over two hundred years old?"

"Pfft. As long as I don’t get married, I’ll always be a little girl."

"Well, your sister doesn’t have that claim anymore. She’s been married for three years."

Hearing this, Isa suddenly remembered something. "Oh, by the way, Grandma. The last time Little Roswitha visited, I saw her wearing a new necklace. She said it was your wedding gift to her."

"That’s true. What about it? Jealous?"

"Totally!"

"Then go get married yourself, and I’ll give you something just as nice."

Veronica’s words had barely landed before Isa grabbed her grandmother’s hand and started stomping her feet like a child. "I’m swearing off marriage, you know that! But please, Grandma, won’t you make an exception and just give it to me?"

It seemed the alcohol gave Isa the nerve she normally wouldn’t have had—even with her close relationship with her grandmother. She looked as though she might drop to the floor and roll around in protest if given the chance.

Veronica shook her head and chuckled. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a small, ornate gift box.

"Fine, here. It’s for you."

Isa froze instantly. Half her intoxication abruptly vanished. "What—Grandma, you’re serious?"

"Why don’t you open it?"

Isa eagerly nodded and lifted the lid to find a jade ring inside. The ring was inlaid with a milky-white crystal that shimmered with astonishing clarity.

While Isa could readily identify the jade, the crystal material itself seemed unfamiliar.

"Grandma, this crystal..."

"Primordial Crystal," Veronica answered without hesitation.

"Primordial... Crystal?"

Isa’s thoughts churned, and something clicked in her memory. "I remember when Constantine attacked my sanctuary last week, Little Ros used something called Primordial Power... Grandma, is this—"

"The necklace I gave her contains the same type of crystal," Veronica explained. "I just didn’t tell her about it."

Isa frowned. "Why’s that?"

Veronica turned toward her granddaughter, her gaze meeting Isa’s crimson eyes.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other before Isa suddenly understood.

"Because of her husband... right?"

Veronica smiled softly. "Always so sharp, Isa. Primordial Crystals make it easier for you to harness Primordial Power, which allows you to cast more powerful magic. However, these crystals are deeply tied to Dragon Clan history. I don’t want Little Ros’s husband to learn too much about them."

"Grandma, does that mean you also think there’s... something off about him?"

"I do."

Veronica turned back to face the night and rested her hands on the railing as she peered into the darkness.

"In just a few short years, Little Ros’s Silver Dragon Castle has faced multiple invasions from various Dragon Kings. It’s highly unusual."

"Even if the Silver Dragon territory is rich in resources, it shouldn’t be embroiled in conflicts this frequently."

"And all of this began shortly after Leon awakened."

"That’s why I think... this mysterious man is hiding something."

"Indeed, he has rescued Little Ros and the children from peril numerous times, and some even call him 'the hero of the Dragon Clan.' But at the same time—"

"He also draws danger to them."

"Little Ros seems aware of this, but... she’s deeply in love with her enigmatic husband. Even if it means putting herself in harm’s way, I doubt she would ever leave Leon."

“So, I can only leave the Primal Crystal with her as a gift, hoping she can harness its immense power.”

“Of course, I’m leaving it with you as well, lest you, this little rascal, accuse your grandma of playing favorites.”

Isa smiled and carefully put away the jade ring embedded with the Primal Crystal.

“I understand, Grandma.”

“What do you think Leon’s true intentions might be?” Veronica asked.

Isa thought for a moment before answering, “My mysterious brother-in-law loves Little Ros, and she loves him too; there’s no doubt about that. But if we’re talking about his intentions… it’s probably waiting for the right opportunity?”

“Waiting for the right opportunity?”

“Yes, I think he’s waiting for a particular moment,” Isa explained. “Earlier, you said that my brother-in-law would bring dangers. I think that’s only half true. Little Ros would never entrust everything to a man who merely attracts danger.”

“The charm of that guy lies in the fact that he not only invites danger, but he resolves it and delivers a more devastating retaliation against said ‘danger.’”

“As for why I say he’s waiting for a right moment… that’s because I think that someday in the future, he’ll address all the crises and troubles before him. He might even… change the entire balance of the world.”

“Judging by the abilities he has shown so far, I believe he’s capable of it.”

Listening to her granddaughter’s analysis, Veronica nodded thoughtfully, “A mysterious and dangerous man… no wonder Little Ros is so deeply infatuated with him. Your mother was conquered by your father the same way back in the day.”

Isa raised an eyebrow. “Grandma, tell me more; I’d love to hear about it.”

Veronica chuckled. “Some other time. Right now, the focus is your mysterious brother-in-law. If we can’t determine his true intentions, let’s talk about his… origins instead.”

“Origins…”

“Mm, or say… his race.”

Isa paused in surprise. “Grandma, do you mean that my brother-in-law might not even be from the Dragon Clan?”

Veronica shrugged. “If it’s just a wild guess, why not make it a bold one?”

“Well, well, Grandma, you’re getting braver as you grow older.”

“So, do you have any ideas, my clever granddaughter?”

Isa stroked her chin and thought for a moment. Suddenly, a figurative light bulb lit up above her head. “I’ve got it! Grandma, wait here for a moment.”

With that, Isa spread her dragon wings and flew off the rooftop.

A few minutes later, she returned with paper and pen in hand.

“I actually do have some clues about what race my brother-in-law might belong to.”

As she spoke, Isa spread out the blank paper and began writing while explaining:

“Last time, during the confrontation with Constantine, I clearly heard him refer to one of his techniques as ‘Chidori.’”

“But judging from the effect of the move, it was clearly ‘Thunder Thrust.’”

“Afterward, I looked into the records and found that they’re essentially the same technique, but different races have different names for it.”

“And the races that call ‘Thunder Thrust’ by the name ‘Chidori’ are…”

Isa finished writing a few race names on the paper and handed it to Veronica.

“The Lupine Clan, the Garuda Clan, the Elf offshoot called ‘Lightning Elves,’ the Mamba Clan, and… Humans.”

Veronica studied the list, her gaze lingering on the word “Humans” for a moment before shifting to “Mamba Clan.”

“The Mamba Clan… aren’t they a subspecies of the Serpent Clan?”

“That’s right. This subspecies is also proficient in lightning magic.”

Veronica furrowed her brows slightly, then shook her head. “I think we can probably rule out that race.”

“Huh? Why?”

“Even though the Mamba Clan can take human form, most of the time their human forms feature predominantly black skin. Your brother-in-law, aside from his black eyes and hair, doesn’t have black skin. So he’s unlikely to be from the Mamba Clan.”

On the Samael Continent, almost all major races took on human-like forms when shapeshifting, though no one knew why this peculiar biological characteristic existed.

The more scientific theory was:

The human form is the most balanced and harmonious structure, embodying the beauty of simplicity better than any other life form.

Meanwhile, the more superstitious theory went:

The Creator likely took on a human form, which is why the ultimate shapeshift for all life on the Samael Continent trends toward the human figure.

Back to the matter at hand.

“Oh, I see… In that case, let’s rule them out.”

As she spoke, Isa casually crossed the Mamba Clan off the list with her pen.

“Mamba… out!”