Leon's physical condition wasn't as robust as before.
The echo of those words lingered, sharp and taunting.
"Ah!"—Leon let out a sharp gasp and sat bolt upright in bed, waking from his dream. He breathed heavily, his body covered in a cold sweat.
After sitting for a while to calm down, he slumped against the headboard. Faint moonlight spilled through the window, accompanied by the endless chirping of cicadas.
Leon swallowed, covered his still-pounding heart, and closed his eyes. The dream wasn't a nightmare, it was a vivid memory of his time with Rossweise in the treasury. After their encounter, as they sat on the ground, she had mentioned with a hint of doubt that his body wasn't as strong as before…
Hiss—Leon quickly opened his eyes and shook his head, trying to force the awkward scene from his mind.
He went to the bathroom, splashed cold water on his face, and dragged his tired body back to bed. Exhaustion swallowed him whole, and waves of drowsiness pulled him into a deep sleep.
Just before he completely lost consciousness, he mumbled in a daze, "Damn mother dragon… How dare she say that about me…"
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The next morning, a knock on the door woke Leon. He pulled on his clothes and opened the door, his mind still foggy with sleep.
He expected to see Muen, but Rossweise and Noah stood outside.
A stubborn donkey. And her stubborn donkey daughter, he thought.
"Good morning, Leon," Rossweise greeted him politely.
"Morning," Leon replied.
He then looked down at Noah. "Good morning to you too, Noah."
"Yeah, morning."
Leon didn't make a big deal of his eldest daughter's continued coolness. He looked at Rossweise. "Is there something you need?"
"Didn't Noah say a few days ago that she wanted to go to the Dragonling Department of St. Heath Academy? The entrance exams are very strict. I hope you can tutor Noah in her school subjects this month."
Leon's mind turned quickly. He didn't answer immediately but turned to Noah instead. "I would like to talk to Mom alone. Can you go inside and wait for me, Noah?"
Noah nodded and walked into the room.
"What is it?" Rossweise asked.
"I can teach Noah basic knowledge. But in return, I want something of equal value. Like the walk we had when Muen learned to write her name, or something else."
Rossweise raised an eyebrow. "Are you bargaining with me?"
"I certainly can."
"Well, let's hope—" The queen's eyes flickered down towards Leon's lower body for a split second, "—let's hope that after all… you know… So, for now, you can only prove your worth in other areas."
Leon blinked, a memory surfacing. He chuckled. "A deal? How come I remember someone saying a few days ago that she didn't need to promise me anything?"
Facing his teasing, Rossweise simply smiled. "I was just afraid that someone might suddenly have another 'episode,' seeking revenge for a moment of fun and then getting knocked out by my punch for three days."
"Alright, alright. It's a deal." Leon couldn't help but wince. Her words had stabbed directly into his most vulnerable spot.
Rossweise looked at him, satisfied with the helpless expression on his face. "So, study hard. I'm leaving." With that, she turned and walked down the corridor.
Leon was about to close the door when he heard Rossweise's final blow from a distance: "Oh, by the way, dear husband, don't overwork yourself~" She faked a concerned expression and waved goodbye.
Leon slammed the door shut.
"What's wrong? Did you have another argument with Mom?" Noah peeked out from the inner room.
"No, just casual conversation. Wait, what did you just call her?"
"Mom."
Leon's eyes lit up. He excitedly walked over and crouched in front of Noah. "Did she ask you to call her that?"
"Yeah, we talked about it this morning. She asked me to call her that."
Well, well. The matter he discussed with Rossweise yesterday was already in action this morning. The mother dragon was dishonest, but she worked efficiently.
Still pleased, he asked another question. "So, do you think the old way was better, or is the new way better?"
Noah thought about it seriously. "The new one."
A father knows his daughter! See, Mother Dragon? That's a father's instinct!
Noah looked at Leon's suddenly happy face, gave him a disdainful glance, and said, "When do we start studying?"
Leon immediately got up and opened the door. Anna was waiting outside and handed him several thick, heavy books. "These cover fundamental magical theory, a general history of dragon-kind, and some everyday knowledge. They are all subjects for the St. Heath Academy entrance exams," Anna explained.
"Okay, I understand."
"Well then, we won't disturb Prince Leon while you teach His Highness. We'll take our leave."
After a moment's hesitation, Leon said, "Hey, wait a minute, Anna."
"Is there anything else, Your Highness?"
"Later, can you bring me two books about medicinal herbs?"
Anna's eyes twitched slightly. She didn't understand why the prince would want such books, but she obeyed without question. "Alright, Your Highness. Someone will bring them to you shortly."
"Yes, thank you."
Anna gave a slight bow and left.
Holding the stack of books, Leon went back into the room. With a soft thud, he placed them on the table. He tapped the top book and looked at Noah. "Shall we begin?"
"Yes."
Since tutoring Noah wasn't pre-planned, Leon was unprepared. He could only start with the basics. However, after flipping through a book called "Basic Dragon Physiology" for a while, he still hadn't begun speaking.
Noah couldn't help but ask, "Why haven't you started yet?"
"If it's not working, I can learn on my own," she said.
Leon's gaze never left the books. "This stuff is too simple for you. You can look at it on your own later. There's no need for us to waste time on it."
Rossweise had mentioned Noah's intelligence yesterday. He knew she understood things quickly. The methods he used for Muen wouldn't work here.
When Noah heard this, her normally cold expression showed a rare hint of surprise. Did he recognize her ability? Did he not see her as just a child?
Noah bit her lip, lowered her head, and played with the tip of her tail. Her emotions were hard to describe.
Before coming, she hadn't had high expectations for Leon. A homely dad who seemed to only know how to take care of children—what knowledge could he teach her? But Leon had changed her impression. Perhaps… this tutoring session could help Noah understand the man in front of her a little better.
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After the lesson, Leon saw the books on medicinal herbs had been delivered. He spent the afternoon studying them carefully, his brow often furrowed in concentration. He wasn't just reading, he was taking notes on a separate piece of parchment.
That evening, after dinner, Leon didn't rest. He went to a quiet corner of the temple's garden and began a rigorous training routine. Push-ups, sit-ups, shadowboxing—he pushed his body, which was still aching, to its limit. Sweat dripped onto the stone path as he pushed through the fatigue, his movements fueled by a stubborn determination.
He had a point to prove, if not to her, then to himself.