"Dad! Dad!"
The little ones had returned from their exam and immediately ran toward their parents.
Aurora grabbed onto Leon's leg, tilting her small head up as she pointed back at Constantine. She laughed, "Look, Dad, even Uncle Constantine, who's always so serious and stern, was trying to make jokes! But his jokes were so abstract and awkward. You have to stop teaching him these weird things!"
Hearing this, Claudia chuckled and placed a hand over her chest. "Sweetheart, your dad's abstractness is already part of his essence. If you stay with him long enough, you'll inevitably pick it up too."
After a brief pause, she sighed and murmured to herself, "If that's really the case, I'm starting to get worried about the future of dragonkind..."
Leon smirked, ruffling Aurora's hair. "Alright, alright. From now on, Dad will make sure Constantine sticks to more serious topics."
"Okay!"
Aurora nodded energetically. Her eyes then darted to the long, narrow wooden box slung over Leon's back. Curiosity sparked in her gaze. "Dad, what's that?"
Leon smiled mysteriously. "It's... a precious gift from your grandpa."
Noah had met Leon's master, Tiger, once before and had told her younger sisters all about him when she returned. Ever since then, Aurora and her siblings had been fascinated by this mysterious "grandpa" figure.
"Is it the grandpa that Big Sis told us about?" Aurora's eyes widened with excitement.
Leon nodded. "Yes, and if we get the chance, I'll take you all to meet him properly. He really wants to see you."
"Yay!"
As they were chatting, the children on the playground started moving toward the school building—a clear sign that the next period was about to begin.
"Well, I'm off to class now. Bye, Dad, Mom, Aunt Claudia, and..." Aurora turned to glance at Constantine, who was silently standing nearby with his usual stoic expression. She hesitated for a moment before adding, "And Uncle Constantine, goodbye."
After all, he was the only Dragon King who had officially visited her on the day she was born.
Meanwhile, Muse and Hefei were seated in the spacious examination hall.
Two invigilators chatted quietly at the front before the exam officially began.
"This year, there are far more young dragons taking the entrance test than in previous years."
"And most of them are live-born dragons, conceived through union rather than charm incubation. That's never happened on such a scale before."
"It's said to be influenced by the Silver Dragon Queen and her husband. Their... public displays of affection and their strong family are so well-known that it's inspired a noticeable trend of romance and marriage among the younger dragons."
The older invigilator added, "Plus, their children are not only charming but also incredibly bright. This has given their particular lineage a clear advantage in terms of intelligence and learning ability, making other dragons eager to follow suit."
"The first reason is understandable. Even though dragons are naturally combative and proud, many still yearn for beauty in life, such as deep familial bonds or a partnership as... vibrant as theirs."
"The second reason, however, is pure, practical dragon logic," the younger invigilator said with a wry chuckle.
The exam began with a roll call.
"Vynn Ross?"
"Here!"
"Hefei Constantine?"
"Here!"
"Muse Melkvey?"
"Here!"
The invigilator paused for a moment, his eyebrows raising slightly at the sight of such prominent names on the roster. He offered a faint, knowing smile before continuing down the list.
A hush fell over the examination hall as the young dragons received their test papers and began to write.
Hefei's eyes lit up as she looked over the questions. These were all topics her father had rigorously drilled into her—magic theory, dragon history, and a few general knowledge questions about the continent.
Leaning slightly to the side, she glanced past the young dragon sitting between them and whispered, "Muse! Muse!"
Hearing the hushed call, Muse turned her head. "What is it, Hefei?"
"These questions—can you answer them all?"
Muse scanned her paper again before nodding. "I think so, yes."
"If there's something you don't know, I can tell you the answer!" Hefei whispered back, her voice tinged with excited helpfulness.
"What? But isn't that cheating?" Muse asked, her eyes widening in alarm.
"Cheating? What's that?" Hefei whispered back, genuinely confused.
Before Muse could explain, a cold, clear voice cut through their whispers.
"Teacher, they're planning to cheat."
It was Sherry, the young dragon sitting between them. Her tone was icy, her face a mask of neutrality, but her words carried a sharp, accusing weight that instantly silenced both Muse and Hefei.
Sherry's voice hadn't been quiet, and one of the invigilators quickly approached their row. The room grew tense as all the other young dragons momentarily stopped their work to look at the commotion.
"What seems to be the issue here?" the invigilator asked gently, leaning down to Sherry's level. "Young lady, are you reporting someone for attempting to cheat?"
"Yes, teacher," Sherry said firmly, without looking at the others. "Muse and Hefei were whispering. They were about to share answers."
"Hefei," the invigilator turned to her, his expression stern but not unkind. "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Hefei immediately shot her hand up. "Teacher! I have no idea what 'cheating' even means!"
"..."
The invigilator sighed softly and explained with infinite patience, "Cheating, young one, means using dishonest methods to gain an advantage or achieve a result that isn't rightfully yours. It means you didn't earn your score through your own knowledge and effort."
Hefei blinked, a look of dawning comprehension on her face. "Ohhh! So that's what it means! I understand now!"
"Exactly," the invigilator said. "So, whatever you were planning to do, from now on, I want you to focus solely on your own test paper, understood? And the same goes for you, Muse and Sherry. Let's maintain a fair environment for everyone."
The invigilator couldn't formally accuse them of cheating without concrete evidence, but the warning was clear.
Sherry glanced sideways at Hefei, then at Muse, muttering under her breath just loud enough for them to hear, "Annoying brats."
With the matter settled, the invigilators returned to the front and announced the official start of the exam period.
Now that she understood what cheating was, Hefei bent her head over her paper, focusing intently. Muse, too, found the questions largely familiar, thanks to the extensive and often playful tutoring her father and older sisters had provided over the past three months.
However, as Muse began to write her answers, her mind drifted back to the promise her father had made before they left home:
"As long as your final score is higher than Uncle Constantine's daughter's, even by just one point, I'll buy you that new instrument you've been wanting."
Determination solidified in her small heart. She clenched her fist under the desk.
"I'm sorry, Hefei," she thought, a flicker of competitive spirit in her eyes. "But for the sake of that new suona, I'm going to give this test everything I've got!"