With Mevis joining in, the so-called "summoning ceremonies" of the past seemed like child's play compared to the impeccably professional process they had now.
The earlier, more amateurish attempts had been tolerable, especially since Noah had always given everyone fair warning. But for Constantine, it was a completely different story.
Accustomed to the solemnity and rigid traditions of the Crimson Flame Dragon clan, he had never witnessed such a bizarre domestic spectacle. Staring blankly at the chaotic scene in the backyard, he could only sigh once more in profound disbelief.
"Marriage is terrifying."
"Aurora! Noah! Muen! Muse!" Rossweise's voice carried across the courtyard.
Hefei, curious and full of energy, wagged her little tail as she sprinted over. The little crimson dragon dashed to Muen's side, her eyes shining with excitement. "Muen, what game are you all playing?"
For once, Muen looked unusually serious. In a rare, solemn tone, she explained, "This isn't a game, Hefei."
"Then what is it?"
"It's a mystical~~ summoning~~ ritual!"
"Summoning ritual?!" Hefei's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Yes, that's right. Whenever Mom and Dad are away for a long time, my sister leads us in performing this summoning ritual. And guess what? It always works!"
"Wow! That's amazing, Muen! Teach me how to do it! If Father takes too long to visit me, I'll summon him back with this!"
"No problem."
Muen closed her eyes, raised a finger, and began instructing her with the air of a seasoned expert.
"First, you need a picture of Uncle Constantine—preferably a black-and-white one."
"Okay, got it!"
"Next, you need a bonfire and some food. Once we have that, we'll start offering them in prayer."
"Got it!"
"And finally, you must prepare to cry your heart out."
"Got it! Is there anything else, Muen?"
"There's more, but these three things are enough to kick off the summoning ritual. That's how my sister and I summoned Dad when he disappeared for two days."
Muen spoke with the precision of a seasoned teacher lecturing at an academy. Hefei, in turn, diligently committed every word to memory.
"A black-and-white photo, a bonfire, food, and—" Hefei paused, scratching her head. "But I didn't see you cry, Muen."
"Patience. Watch and learn."
Muen cleared her throat, plopped down onto the ground, spread her legs out, and began wailing with dramatic flair.
"Wow! Muen, you're amazing! You can cry on command!"
The little dragon girl stood watching in awe—one daring to cry, the other simply observing. Behind them, a fire-breathing dragon uncle stood frozen, a look of utter exasperation on his face.
"A black-and-white photo, a bonfire... offerings..." Constantine muttered under his breath, his sarcastic grin revealing gritted teeth. "Leon, is this how you usually teach your daughters?"
Leon clapped him on the shoulder with a knowing expression. "Just get used to it. Kids always come up with ideas we adults can't comprehend."
"So, your family's 'creative ideas' involve turning a funeral into a summoning ritual?"
Leon spread his hands innocently. "You can't blame me for that. Blame it on the time Noah and Muen first tried this. Rossweise was there, and she didn't stop them."
Rossweise: ?
Smack!
A silvery tail quietly struck the dog-man's rear.
Leon yelped, "Ow!" and, rubbing his behind, turned to ask, "What was that for? Did I say something wrong? Weren't you there?"
Rossweise's face flushed faintly red, her voice a mixture of shame and irritation as she explained, "I... I passed out back then, okay?"
"Passed out?" Leon blinked, the gears in his head turning. "Oh~~ Right, that was because of the blood—mmph?!"
Rossweise promptly covered the idiot's mouth. Even if Constantine had no idea what "blood" might imply, she wasn't about to let such a mortifying detail slip out, not even with a one percent chance of exposure!
Dinner was a pleasant affair. Despite the presence of Constantine and Mevis, the evening meal was both lively and extravagant. However, the maids serving the dishes showed a noticeable wariness toward Constantine.
Although everyone understood that Leon and Constantine had reconciled over the incident from years ago, thanks to Rossweise's efforts, the Silver Dragon maids had never personally seen Constantine visiting the sanctuary. Adding to that, the losses caused by the Crimson Flame Dragon clan on the day of the third princess's birth were still fresh in their minds. Even though Constantine had paid a hefty price for his actions, the maids' lingering hostility wasn't surprising.
Sitting opposite, Leon noticed Constantine's discomfort and the tension in the air. After a brief moment of thought, he spoke up. "Milan, leave the rest of the dishes on the cart by the door. We'll serve ourselves from there."
Milan nodded slightly. "Understood, Your Highness."
As Milan led the maids out of the dining hall and closed the door, the previously tense atmosphere began to ease. The remaining dishes were placed on a cart by the door, just as Leon had instructed, leaving the group with a more relaxed dining environment.
Constantine understood Leon's intention. He glanced across the table at him and smiled faintly, raising his glass in a silent toast. Leon, utterly undeterred, raised his own glass and drained it in one gulp.
Rossweise leaned slightly toward Leon and whispered, "Your alcohol tolerance is terrible. Drink less."
Leaning closer to her, Leon whispered back with a mischievous grin, "Don't worry. I swapped it out for juice. Watch me drink that fire-breathing dragon under the table tonight."
Getting Constantine drunk might have been a goal of the past, but tonight's target was clear: finishing a bottle of Constantine's prized floral wine.
"By the way, Teacher Mevis, what did you do after resigning from your position?" Aurora asked between bites.
"Yes, we missed you so much," Muen chimed in.
Mevis, who had discussed her answer with Noah on the way back, responded smoothly, "I didn't go anywhere special, just wandered around a bit. After teaching at Saint Heath Academy for so many years, I decided it was time to see the outside world, so I resigned."
"Will you ever return to Saint Heath Academy, Teacher Mevis?" Muen asked, her voice tinged with hope.
Mevis shook her head with a soft smile. "No, I won't, Muen."
"Ah... why not?" Muen's disappointment was evident.
Mevis didn't answer right away. Her gaze swept over Noah beside her, then at Leon and Rossweise seated at the head of the table. Finally, she reached out to ruffle Muen's hair gently and said warmly, "Because my journey is over, Muen."
Muen tilted her head up to look at Mevis, her expression earnest. "Over?"
"Now I shall return to him peacefully."
Muen sniffled but persisted, "You're leaving? Muen will miss Teacher Mevis."
Mevis hesitated, caught off guard by Muen's sparkling, sapphire-blue eyes. Her gaze swept over Aurora and Muse, who were also waiting expectantly for her answer. After a moment of thought, Mevis extended her hand and hooked her pinky finger.
"Your grandpa and I will always watch over you from the stars. Let's make a pinky promise, okay?"
.
.
.
Later that evening, as expected, Constantine was thoroughly drunk and had to be carried to the guest room by the silver dragon guards. Hefei was settled in the room next door, and soon all the children were sound asleep.
As Leon stood on the balcony, enjoying the quiet night air, a small figure approached him. Aurora, her pink hair shimmering in the moonlight, looked up at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Dad," she called out softly.
"Yes, Aurora?"
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she opened her arms wide. "Hug?"
Leon smiled and bent down to sweep his clever, mischievous daughter into a warm embrace. As he held her, feeling the familiar comfort of having his family close and safe after everything they'd been through, he failed to notice the glint in Aurora's eyes.
Suddenly, her right hand rose, a faint blue glow illuminating her palm as she delivered her iconic move with perfect precision.
"Uppercut."