Chapter 17: A Little Dragon with Two Faces

'Your dragon clan has way too many ridiculous rules', Leon thought, suppressing a sigh.

As he searched for the right words to praise his precious daughter, a knock sounded at the door.

Holding Luna, he opened it to find Head Maid Anna standing there.

"It's time for lunch, Your Grace. Please allow me to take the princess."

"Alright."

Leon passed Luna over to Anna, who gave him a brief bow.

Luna reached her arms out toward Leon, reluctant to let go. "Daddy, will you still play with me this afternoon?"

Leon nodded with a smile. "Of course."

"Good! It's a promise!"

"Yes, a promise."

Anna took Luna, and as she walked off with her, Leon exhaled a long sigh of relief and turned back inside, heading toward the balcony.

Looking down at the courtyard below, he saw Rossweise engaged in a conversation with a dragon guard. After exchanging a few words, the guard gave a slight bow and vanished.

Noticing Leon's gaze from above, Rossweise glanced up, her silver eyes meeting his.

The once-feared dragonslayer and the regal, cold-hearted Silver Dragon Queen locked eyes, one standing tall on the balcony, the other rooted firmly on the ground.

The gentle wind rustled through the trees, and the midday sunlight bathed the scene in a warmth that felt almost tender.

If it weren't for her idea of "revenge," Rossweise would rarely initiate a conversation with him.

And of course, Leon wasn't in any hurry to chat with her, either.

To outsiders, they might appear like a harmonious couple—busy with responsibilities yet still enjoying a peaceful marriage. But only they knew the hidden currents beneath the surface.

Leon and Rossweise watched each other for a long moment, each silent.

Eventually, Rossweise turned away, evidently uninterested in prolonging the encounter.

"Hey!"

Leon's voice broke the quiet from above.

She paused and looked back up, her expression neutral.

"I'd like to go out for a walk."

Leon said, "It's stifling being cooped up in here all the time."

Barely a second later, Rossweise was suddenly hovering just outside the balcony, her silver wings beating lightly as she floated mid-air, her long tail trailing downward for balance.

Leon froze, taken aback, thinking he'd somehow struck a nerve.

"You may leave the room only when playing games with Luna," she said coldly.

"But… won't Luna find that strange?"

"What's strange about it?"

"She'd wonder why her dad can't leave the room except to play with her. Won't that seem odd?"

"Tell her that her father isn't well and can't go out too often. That will suffice."

"…You've really thought this through, haven't you?"

"Just focus on playing your role as her father. Don't worry about anything else, and certainly don't attempt anything else. Understood?"

Leon shrugged, not bothering to answer.

If simply going out for a walk was too much to ask, then what was there left to discuss?

With a dismissive wave, he turned back toward the bedroom.

Rossweise watched his lonely, retreating figure, her expression unchanging, but her gaze flickered momentarily with something unreadable.

"Leon," she called out, stopping him.

He turned his head halfway. "What?"

"Luna will be coming to you this afternoon. You're to teach her how to write her name."

Leon raised a brow. "And?"

"I'll check her progress tonight. If she's learned it well, I'll let you join me for a one-hour walk in the garden tomorrow."

Leon blinked, catching on a specific word. "Join you… for a walk?"

Rossweise's expression faltered briefly, but she quickly regained her composure. "Don't misunderstand. I'll only be keeping an eye on you. You're slippery, and I won't risk anyone else letting you escape."

Leon gave a short laugh. "It's just teaching a kid how to write her name; how hard can it be?"

"I didn't say she'd only be writing her own name."

Rossweise continued, "She needs to learn the names of everyone in the family."

"Including mine?"

"Of course. Aren't you her father?"

"…Fine, we have a deal. No backing out."

Rossweise scoffed. "I don't need to make promises to you, Leon."

"Dragoness, you're impossible."

Ignoring him, she turned and flew back down to the ground.

Leon watched her go, then returned to his room, closing the balcony doors.

But after taking a few steps, he realized something important. He rushed back out to the balcony, calling down,

"Hey, dragoness! You never told me your last name."

"Leon Casmodeous…"

"Rossweise Melkvei—"

"Pfft… what a mouthful."

He muttered as he scrawled their names on a piece of paper, adding "Luna Melkvei" underneath.

At first, he considered teaching Luna that she bore his last name instead, but knowing Rossweise, she'd undoubtedly check and catch him. Best not to tempt fate.

So his afternoon's task was set: teach his little girl to write all three names.

Generally, human children started learning basic literacy around three years old. But since Luna was a half-dragon, she ought to be a bit smarter than average.

He chuckled at his timing. Waking up now was truly perfect. Any earlier, and he'd be dealing with a daughter who couldn't even walk yet. Any later, and Rossweise would have likely assigned someone else to teach Luna these things, and he wouldn't have this chance.

Sometimes, he couldn't help but wonder if that dragoness had calculated exactly when to "rescue" him so he'd wake up precisely when she needed.

Leon shook his head, returning to the paper where the three names were written.

"Melkvei… Melkvei…"

As he read it over, something clicked.

"'Melkvei'—Oh, it's just an old word for 'Milky Way.'"

'Guess even dragons have a poetic side when it comes to names.'

He smiled wryly, but a sound from the doorway caught his attention. Setting down the paper, he walked over and opened the door.

"Oh, Luna, you're back from lunch already?"

Luna looked up at him, her tiny, serious face showing no expression.

"Luna…" she murmured her name quietly.

"Come on in. Daddy will teach you something new this afternoon."

Smiling, Leon bent down to lift her into his arms, but as he did, Luna's gaze flickered to his hands around her waist.

"Who gave you permission to touch me?"

Leon blinked, taken aback.

'Wait. Why does her tone and manner seem so much like Rossweise's?'

He had just explained "duality" to her that morning, and now she was applying it already?

Not wanting to push her, Leon let her down.

Luna straightened her dress and looked up at him with a serious expression.

"From now on, you're not allowed to touch or carry me without my permission. Do you understand?"

Leon drew a sharp breath.

If that earlier "Who gave you permission?" was eerie, this "Do you understand?" was Rossweise incarnate.

Stern, commanding, allowing no room for negotiation.

"Luna… what's gotten into you?"

"Hmph, idiot."

"…What?"

She gave him an icy glare, spun around, and marched out the door, her little footsteps echoing in the hall, leaving Leon standing at the entrance, thoroughly confused.

Still dazed, he moved to follow her, trying to figure out what had just happened.

But as he took a step, the door suddenly burst open from the other side, knocking him back a few paces.

"Daddy, I'm back!"

"Oh, for heaven's—"

Dragon strength must have been in her blood because one little push had practically launched her father across the room.

"Daddy, are you alright?"

Luna rushed over, her small hands gripping his shoulders as she looked up at him, her wide eyes full of concern.

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