"Dad... Dad."

"What is it?"

"Cold... cold."

"Tch, you're so fussy."

Baiyi lifted Lian Ye from beside him—she’d been tugging his clothes—and settled her on his lap, telling her not to fidget.

"You. What’s your name?"

Baiyi watched the white-haired girl sitting awake on the bed before him.

He studied every tiny movement she made under his gaze.

"..."

The girl wearing a half-mask of white roses stayed silent, her seductive crimson eyes shifting slowly.

In those transparent crimson pupils, Baiyi’s reflection appeared: green military uniform, holding Lian Ye.

So while I size her up, she’s sizing me up too.

But why such fierce hatred in her stare?

Did her parents die conscripted by the state?

And was that war one I led?

At the thought, Baiyi’s brows furrowed slightly; his mouth twitched downward.

He was clearly troubled.

"Why assassinate me? Or is your goal more than just killing me?"

Seeing no answer to his first question, Baiyi pressed on.

Her cold, indifferent eyes suggested she’d stay silent unless he used force.

"..."

Sure enough, the girl kept her lips tightly shut.

But in her visible crimson pupil, Baiyi saw emotions deeper than hatred.

He really had done something terrible long ago.

War... death was inevitable. Baiyi never slaughtered every enemy.

He killed leaders or commanders. Spared those who surrendered.

"Mmm..."

"Dad... Dad!"

Curled like a small ball in Baiyi’s arms, Lian Ye saw him and the girl locking eyes.

He wasn’t paying her attention. She grew displeased.

A trace of dislike flashed in her gaze toward the girl.

"What now?"

"Hold... hold me!"

Lian Ye patted Baiyi’s shoulders with her little fair hands, demanding his focus.

"Ugh, hold what? You’re so fussy."

"Hmph..."

When Baiyi hugged her tiny body close, Lian Ye lifted her head proudly.

She shot a triumphant look at the girl on the bed.

As if to say: Dad is mine. He won’t look at you.

"..."

Seeing the Platinum Dragon so close to her target, confusion flickered in the girl’s eyes.

Why would a Dragon Clan being bond with a human?

During a past assassination, she’d found a book on true dragon lore in the Sanctum Leader’s room.

Common belief called dragons mysterious, terrifying beings.

Only the Divine Church held detailed records from Wilted Leaves Continent.

That land belonged to the Demon Kin. Everyone on Dreamland Continent despised them.

Books about Wilted Leaves were banned, locked away from the public.

The book was tattered, its text blurred.

But she remembered: Dragon Clan were proud, arrogant.

They believed themselves the strongest beings.

Never bowed or showed weakness—not even to lovers.

They fought other dragons to claim territory.

Unless... it was their parents, dragons never revealed vulnerability.

Yet parents abandoned young dragons after age three.

By then, the young could survive alone.

At three, a dragon’s mind matured. They saw their caretaker as a lover.

So parents left. Dragons were strange.

But ancient books had gaps. Truth wasn’t guaranteed.

"Hey! Will you speak? Why stare like that?"

Baiyi noticed the girl’s unfocused eyes—lost in thought, ignoring him.

"Keep silent, and I won’t be nice... I’ll cut you."

"..."

Her cold expression didn’t waver at his weak threat.

But Baiyi sensed disdain in her gaze.

She saw him as a vile villain.

"Hmph..."

Lian Ye, in his arms, saw that disdain and grew furious.

You... can’t.

Look... at Dad!

Dad... best!

"Bad... person!"

Pouting, Lian Ye pulled a tiny glass marble from her pocket.

"Shoot... shoot!"

She threw it at the girl.

No dragon strength—just a child’s force.

Enough to vent her anger.

But her aim was off.

Pop!

The marble hit the girl’s chest squarely.

Under mysterious physics, it bounced back—smacking Lian Ye’s head.

A red bump bloomed instantly.

"Mmm... mmm."

"Wah!"

Ouch... ouch...

"Dad... Dad!"