After several days of observation, Noa had somewhat gotten to know this little one who shared her name.

She was a diligent and hardworking child, with a calm demeanor that rarely betrayed her emotions. She never bragged or exaggerated her abilities.

However, every time her father, the man named Leon Casmode, was brought up, this child would always beam with pride, steadfast in her belief that her father could achieve anything.

Noa couldn't quite understand whether this was simply the admiration of a child for her father, or if that man was truly remarkable enough to command universal awe and reverence.

Once again, Noa slowly lowered herself, resting her dragon head on her front claws in a lazy posture that mimicked lying down in human form.

"You really believe in your father that much?"

"Of course."

"But if I showed you what 'Ultimate Fear' truly is, perhaps you wouldn't think so anymore."

Noa frowned slightly. "I've already told you, no matter how powerful your 'Ultimate Fear' might be, my father—"

"Alright, alright, let's just assume you're right."

The two locked eyes. Outwardly, they appeared calm, but their inner thoughts were far from tranquil.

**The queen's inner thoughts:** This little kid has no concept of what 'Ultimate Fear' means. No need to stoop to her level.

**The child's inner thoughts:** This old hag has no idea who my dad Leon is. No need to stoop to her level.

After a brief moment of silent confrontation, the elder dragon shifted the topic back to their earlier discussion.

"Regardless, I need to borrow your body to gather Primordial Power. This is beneficial for you as well."

Noa raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly is that beneficial for me?"

"Based on my observations these past few days, you seem to be a very typical descendant of the Dragon Clan—or rather, you are beyond typical. Your desire to grow stronger surpasses most young dragons, and even adult dragons, doesn't it?"

Noa said nothing, an unspoken agreement.

"And gathering Primordial Power isn't purely for my benefit. You will also gain access to another form of energy—stronger, more ancient. Why not seize the opportunity?"

"And the cost is for me to ultimately become your puppet, correct?"

The elder dragon shook her head. "If everything goes smoothly, I hope to use your assistance to resolve the final crisis, rather than handling it myself."

Noa blinked and asked, "Why? Wouldn't this be a perfect opportunity to restore your reputation as the Primordial Dragon Queen? You could once again become the hero of the Dragon Clan, rather than lingering as a figure of myth and legend."

"As you said, little one, I was celebrated as a hero of the Dragon Clan tens of thousands of years ago. But this era belongs to you. Its beauty is for you to enjoy, and its crises are for you to resolve. At most, I will do as I am now, using your body to push some critical..."

After some deliberation, the elder dragon slowly added, "tides of history forward."

This time, Noa did not respond immediately.

She lowered her gaze, staring at the water beneath her feet.

In a fleeting moment, the previously still surface of the water began to ripple without warning.

The ripples spread outward rapidly, even forming waves.

The white dragon in front of her noticed this as well.

"You wavered, little one. Think carefully about what I’ve said. We still have plenty of time."

Noa lifted her head and looked into the dragon's eyes. After a long pause, she said, "I want to leave here."

Now that her intentions had been seen through, Noa found no reason to continue their conversation.

She needed time to process and consider everything the elder dragon had said.

So it was best to get away from this place and go somewhere quieter to brainstorm.

"No."

That single word was spoken with firmness and authority, leaving no room for negotiation.

Noa froze. "Why not?"

"Because I haven't had the chance to stretch my legs in days."

"And so?"

"So, I'm borrowing your body for a walk outside."

"..."

"Relax, at most I can only control your body for two hours."

After softening her stance slightly and seeing that Noa was still hesitating, the elder dragon prepared her next move—emotional manipulation.

"As the dignified Silver Dragon Princess, surely you understand the importance of respecting your elders? Poor old me, sealed away for tens of thousands of years, can’t even take a breath of fresh air or go for a stroll? Ah, kids these days, I swear—"

A large "💢" appeared on Noa's forehead.

She really couldn't take this old hag anymore.

Had she known it would come to this, she would’ve let Constantine take her away back at the ruins. Then it would be Uncle Constantine who’d be dealing with this torment now.

"Prin~cess~ I've been trapped and lonely these past days, utterly devastated, ah-hum~"

"Fine, fine, just for two hours, not a single minute more."

"Alright, no problem. I’m very punctual. When I vowed to resolve a civil war in three days, I didn’t even delay by a second."

"Don’t get too excited. If you want to use my body to go for a stroll, you have to follow my rules. If you disagree, we’re done here."

"Alright, let’s listen to them."

Noa held up a finger. "First, no gathering Primordial Power. Last time you secretly used my body at night to do this, I was exhausted every morning."

Then another finger went up. "Second, do not leave Silver Dragon Castle. There’s a barrier outside the sanctuary. The moment you touch it, my parents will rush over within thirty seconds to drag me back, and you’ll be exposed."

Finally, a third finger. "Last, when you get up, move gently. Don’t wake up Muen and Aurora."

"Can you do that?"

The elder dragon puffed out her chest and patted it with her claws. "With such simple conditions, of course!"

"Good. Timer starts now—two hours."

The moment Noa agreed to lend her body, the consciousness space shook violently.

Then, the surrounding scenery began to change. The dark golden walls faded into darkness, and the water beneath her feet rapidly receded as if flowing away into some unseen place.

What had replaced this space was a magnificent white palace. Looking around, it was luxurious and dignified, exuding a sacred aura from every corner.

Ahead, there was a grand staircase.

At the top of the staircase was a regal throne.

"This is…"

"Welcome to my consciousness space, little one. Speechless, aren't you?"

Noa retracted her gaze and snorted. "It’s just so-so."

"Just so-so? My grandiose and majestic consciousness space doesn’t surpass the damp sewer you call yours?"

"Who are you calling a sewer?"

"You, little one!"

"I’m not letting you borrow my body anymore!"

"My bad, my bad, it’s my sewer. Happy, Princess?"

"......"

No wonder she chose to reside within a Melkevi family hatchling; her ability to change faces at the speed of light was perfectly similar to this family.

The shifting of consciousness control naturally caused the space they occupied to change as well. That much, Noa could understand.

"In order to keep you entertained during the next two hours, I shall be magnanimous and reluctantly share my senses with you."

"Wow, thanks a lot. Using my eyes, ears, and nose, and calling it 'reluctantly sharing.'"

Just as she'd finished speaking, a magical projection appeared before Noa.

In the projection was a dimly lit room. Moonlight poured in from the window, and beside her were her two younger sisters soundly asleep.

"Don’t forget what I said just now. Don’t wake them up," Noa reminded.

"Got it, got it."

For the first time in ages, the elder dragon felt the sensation of having a fully functioning body.

Amazing!

She gently lifted the blanket, quietly got out of bed, walked to the entrance, slipped on her shoes, opened the door, and stepped outside.

The corridor was empty, allowing her to walk freely and boldly.

But as she passed the neighboring room, she suddenly heard familiar voices from inside.

"Where’s the rope? Why can’t I find it?"

"How should I know? Do you really need that rope?"

"Without that rope, how can you call it 'prisoner play'?"

"...Childish!"

The unexpected sound startled Noa, and she quickly shrank into the shadows of the wall.

Fortunately, no more voices came from inside after that.

False alarm.

"Your parents are up late doing some kind of prisoner… some kind of play? What is that supposed to mean?"

Coming from an ancient being that had lived thousands of years ago, the elder dragon clearly didn’t understand modern flirtation.

But her host was still a five-year-old, an age so innocent that she used to believe kissing would lead to pregnancy.

"I don’t know either, but we need to leave quickly before they catch us," Noa muttered.

"Alright."

The small figure swiftly navigated through the corridor, heading toward the fresh, freeing air outside.