Naya stared at Elise in stunned silence.

She watched Elise’s vivid red lips slowly pull back. In the end, there was nothing left on the chopsticks.

Elise endured the bitter taste, chewed up the cucumber, and swallowed it.

Then she gave Naya a strained little smile.

“It’s good. But can you not make this again next time?”

“Mhm...”

Whether Elise had suspected her or not, the fact that she was willing to eat something so sour for her was enough to prove her sincerity.

Would the proud Dragon Sovereign really force herself to eat vinegar for someone she didn’t love?

At that thought, Naya felt much more at ease.

She lowered her head, trying to hide the sweet smile curling up at the corner of her lips.

She pulled the plate of smashed cucumber in front of herself, picked some up, and slowly ate it.

This might be the last time she made it. From now on, she wouldn’t cook dishes Elise hated anymore.

But why was it that, the moment she thought of how sensually Elise had just bitten these chopsticks, even the cucumber seemed to taste different?

They’d clearly done things far more intimate than this, yet something as small as an indirect kiss still made her heart flutter.

Eliya silently watched her two mothers.

She completely couldn’t understand those two.

Was that dish really that delicious?

Seeing Mama and Mother both smiling so happily, she gnawed on the chicken drumstick in her hand in utter confusion.

After dinner, once Naya had finished bathing Elise, it was time for another brief moment alone between the two of them.

They soaked in the bath together, silent.

The only sound by their ears was the soft burbling of water.

“Elise, did you really finish all those dishes at noon?”

Naya wasn’t used to the silence between them. After racking her brain, she still ended up asking the thing she wanted to know most.

Rather than keep guessing, it was better to ask directly.

“Eliya and Flanna don’t like vinegar either. I just find it hard to believe you could eat all that.”

“I finished everything. Not a single bite left. Because you made it, I didn’t want to waste it. It was very bitter and very sour, but when I thought about how you developed it little by little, I felt like what I was swallowing wasn’t food, but your love. Naya, do you think that was love?”

Elise turned her head and leaned over against Naya’s shoulder.

“I... I...”

Naya lowered her head in embarrassment.

Compared to Elise’s heartfelt confession, her own suspicion seemed so petty.

Even before, Elise had never been this full of sweet talk.

Naya’s heart was pounding so hard it felt ready to burst out of her chest.

“Or were you doing it on purpose to mess with me?”

“I wasn’t. I didn’t know you all disliked vinegar. When Eliya and I were having lunch, Bella had already delivered the jiaozi. I only realized from Eliya’s reaction that none of you seemed able to handle vinegar. I was originally planning to check the insulated lunch box Bella brought back, to see what you’d left untouched and figure out what you didn’t like. But who knew you’d eat everything? It felt too unreal to me.”

“Then when you made those dishes, what were you feeling?”

“I was feeling... love...”

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. Elise couldn’t hear it clearly.

“What?”

Naya was like a girl in her first love, so shy she could barely stand her own honesty.

But soon, a glimmer of courage lit up her eyes.

What kind of Chosen Hero acted this awkward? Naya took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, Elise. I thought you did it on purpose. I thought you hadn’t finished the food, dumped it out, and had Bella bring the box back to pretend you loved me very much. Actually, I also wanted all my effort and care to be fully accepted by you. I wanted you to feel my love too. So when I thought those jiaozi and everything else had been thrown away by you, I felt like my feelings had been let down. It hurt. I wanted to confirm that guess, so I made that cucumber dish. I wasn’t trying to mess with you on purpose.”

After pouring out everything in her heart, Naya felt much lighter.

Elise wrapped her arms around Naya and brought her lips close to Naya’s ear.

“So, do you still think I was only pretending?”

“I don’t.”

“Then how are you going to compensate me for the damage to my sense of taste?”

“How do you want me to compensate you?”

“I want to eat something different to rinse my mouth.”

“No, Elise. I still have to tell Eliya a story later.”

Naya pushed away Elise’s wandering hands.

“Eliya really is annoying. She takes up so much of your time all day, and at night she still clings to you for bedtime stories.”

“How can you say that about your daughter?”

“Hmph. It’s about time I found a way to cancel her bedtime story session.”

Elise pulled Naya onto her lap.

Her cute dragon tail shot straight up and pressed across Naya’s chest.

She buried her head in the crook of Naya’s neck.

This time, Elise was truly jealous.

Maybe because she felt guilty for misunderstanding Elise, Naya tilted her head and bared her neck for Elise to rub against.

Inside, though, she was complaining.

Honestly, Elise was too much. She even got jealous of her own daughter.

An hour later.

Naya once again dragged her exhausted body out of the bathroom, with a refreshed and radiant Elise following behind her.

When they reached the second floor,

Naya headed for Eliya’s room, while Elise went straight back to their bedroom.

Elise opened her door, licked her lips with lingering satisfaction, and smiled at Naya.

“I’ll be waiting for you in the room.”

Naya gritted her teeth and shot Elise a glare, half shy and half indignant.

Then she turned and strode firmly toward Eliya’s room.

The night was still long, Elise. Just you wait!

Back in the bath, I was letting you have your way.

It was compensation for your damaged sense of taste! That’s the only reason I barely agreed to play pillow princess for once.

Once I finish telling Eliya her story, I’ll show you who’s really the head of this household.

When she pushed open Eliya’s door, Bella was the one keeping her company tonight. Naya quickly reined in her shy expression and spoke to Bella in her usual tone.

“Bella, you can go rest now.”

“Yes, Miss Naya.”

Bella nodded, but as she brushed past Naya, she still couldn’t help glancing at Naya’s neck.

Her Majesty the Queen was way too fierce.

Naya didn’t notice Bella’s look. She walked straight over and sat down beside Eliya. Eliya pointed curiously at Naya’s neck.

“Mama, what happened to your neck?”

“Ah?”

Naya raised a hand and touched her neck. Then she suddenly remembered what Elise had done in the bath, and steam practically started rising from her ears.

Eliya’s curiosity turned into worry.

She had never seen marks like that on Naya’s neck before.

“Mama... what happened? It looks scary...”

“I just got stung by a bee by accident. Your Mother already treated it, so it’s almost better. When I wake up tomorrow, these red spots will be gone. Alright, let’s start the story.”

Once she got Eliya to sleep, she was going back to the room and properly deal with Elise. She’d plant a hundred hickeys on Elise’s neck and see how Elise planned to face the other Dragonkin at court tomorrow morning.

“Okay~”

“Today, we’re telling the story of a little bee gathering honey.”

“What about the Chosen Hero story from yesterday?”

“Mm... I haven’t thought up the rest yet, Eliya. How about I tell you tomorrow once I’ve figured out what happens next? Tonight we’ll tell the story of the little bee gathering honey.”

“Okay...”

Though she wasn’t too willing, Eliya still obediently lay down and listened as her mother’s lovely voice slowly unfolded the fairy tale.

“Once upon a time, there was a little bee. In search of the sweetest nectar in the world, she flew over forests, over mountains, over endless plains. At last, she came to a woodland stream, bright under the moon through the pines, with clear water flowing over the stones.”

“Mhm...”

“In the middle of the stream was a little stone pool. In the pool, tiny lotus buds had just begun to peek above the water, and bees had already settled on them. The little bee bit at the lotus seeds, but the lotus tasted only faintly sweet, with a touch of bitterness. The little bee didn’t like that flavor, so she kept flying downstream.”

Tonight’s story was so boring.

As Eliya listened, she was already getting drowsy.

“...And finally, downstream, the little bee found the sweetest nectar in the world. She ate her fill, drank her fill, and flew away happily. Only then did the little bee understand that the most delicious flowers were the ones touched by tender longing and soft spring sorrow.”

“Haa... huu...”

By the time she reached that part, Eliya was already asleep.

Naya’s eyes curved slightly.

So your Mother is that annoying little bee.

Alright then.

Next comes the man-eating flower’s hunting time!

To complete the task issued by the System, she had to take the offensive at least once. Naya stood up, turned off the light, and left Eliya’s room.

Elise, get ready to raise that butt and receive my Dragon-Taming Ten Slaps!