Vol. 3 Ch. 58

The day’s rehearsal went smoothly.

Whenever a scene called for emotional development between the main characters, Leon and Rosvisser effortlessly delivered with their seasoned “acting skills.” They flawlessly portrayed scenes like, *“Though we say we don’t love each other, we’d still risk our lives for one another,”* and *“Today, whether you want to or not, you’re going to express your feelings.”*

Helena was curious about how this couple could act with such impeccable chemistry. According to Noa, Aunt Rosvisser was a workaholic who dedicated most of her time to clan matters, leaving little chance to explore acting techniques. Uncle Leon, on the other hand, was a top-tier warrior-dad skilled in combat and magic, but acting was certainly not part of his skill set.

Yet here they were, perfectly capturing the awkward yet affectionate dynamic between the play’s protagonists.

How could this be? A young dragon from a sheltered family pondered with deep curiosity.

Of course, the rehearsal wasn’t without its quirks. One part of the script proved… problematic.

This was the scene between Leon and Claudia.

According to the story, Claudia was Leon’s “Mother Empress.” Upon discovering that her only son had fallen for the enemy princess, this stern mother imposed strict opposition, becoming one of the primary obstacles in the couple’s romance.

In the end, though, the Mother Empress relents, allowing her son to pursue love, leading to the classic happy ending.

It sounded fine… on paper.

But actually performing it was… a bit awkward.

“Mr. Cosmod, you clearly have strong line delivery skills, so why can’t you say this one line—‘Mother Empress’?” Claudia asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Uncle Leon, it’s ‘Mother Empress,’ not ‘Mom,’” Helena corrected him firmly.

“No, no, Dad, you need to show reverence! Not like you’re visiting an old friend,” Director Noa, as meticulous as ever, pointed out.

“Husband, rebellious son pursuing love doesn’t quite suit you. You’re better off as a captive,” Rosvisser added, nailing him with her wit.

“Big Sis, maybe you should play the knight, and Moon can be the princess you awaken with a kiss,” chimed in Moon, sneaking in some sisterly favoritism.

What about Aurora, you ask?

She was just on the sidelines, enjoying the show. Things were lively enough without her adding fuel to the fire.

General Leon had never imagined he’d one day have to call a dragon “Mom.”

Leon had a strict “Three Don’ts” policy when it came to addressing someone as “Mom”:

1. **His Biological Mother:** He had never met her, as he was raised in an orphanage.

2. **Anyone Ordinary:** Leon was sure that the woman who could give birth to someone as handsome as himself had to be an unparalleled beauty.

3. **A Fire-Breathing, Long-Lived Dragon:** One dragon wife was enough; he certainly didn’t want a dragon mother.

In most cases, dragons were the ones who’d scream “Mom” when they saw him.

For example:

“Mother of mercy! It’s the Black Armor! Run, boys!”

Or, alternatively:

“Damn it, Leon, ease up! Are you starving for a fight?”

(But only Rosvisser would ever say something like that in certain… contexts.)

Yet, the thought of addressing Claudia as “Mother Empress” was profoundly uncomfortable for Leon.

“It’s fine; it’s only our first rehearsal. Maybe Leon just needs a bit of time to get used to it,” Claudia said, gracefully diffusing the situation. “We still have a month to practice, right?”

Helena nodded, “Everything went smoothly except for the scenes between you and Uncle Leon. Let’s focus on this part in tomorrow’s rehearsal.”

“Alright.”

Leon glanced out the window and, noticing the setting sun, suggested, “How about we stop for today? We can pick this up tomorrow, ‘Mother Empress.’”

“No need to go back home tonight, Dad. You and Mom can stay here at the academy. Going back and forth takes too much time, and we don’t want to waste any of it.”

Since rehearsals would take place every weekend for the next month, Noa’s suggestion for her parents to stay overnight at the academy was practical. With the academy’s thorough preparation, they had even arranged lodging for parents to stay over the weekend to support their children’s involvement in the play.

“Does the academy have enough rooms? I wouldn’t want to inconvenience the staff,” Leon asked.

Noa shook her head, “No trouble at all. The academy made special arrangements for families to stay over weekends for this competition.”

Leon and Rosvisser exchanged a glance and nodded subtly.

Staying at the academy wasn’t a problem, especially since it was just one night. Back home, Anna could handle any clan matters on Rosvisser’s behalf.

Claudia glanced at the wall clock. It was already past four in the afternoon. She mentally calculated the time, muttering to herself, “Almost feeding time…”

“What was that, Mom?” Helena asked, looking at her mother.

Claudia shook her head with a soft smile, “Nothing. Helena, I won’t be staying here tonight.”

The little sea dragon looked puzzled. “Why not, Mom?”

“Well… there’s something at home that I need to handle.”

“Can’t Aunt handle it?”

“No, dear, this one’s for me,” Claudia said, gently patting her daughter’s head. “Be good, Helena. I’ll be back tomorrow for the rehearsal.”

Her tone was gentle, but there was a hint of firmness that couldn’t be ignored.

Helena nodded obediently, “I understand, Mom. Be careful on your way home.”

“Of course. And be good to your classmates and Auntie and Uncle here.”

“Mm-hmm!”

Claudia slipped on her coat and bid each of the children farewell.

“Bye, little ones.”

“Goodbye, Auntie!” chimed the children in unison.

Claudia turned to Rosvisser, “It’s been a pleasure, Ms. Melkvey.”

She extended her hand.

Rosvisser instantly understood and extended her hand as well, their handshake firm yet restrained.

“The pleasure was mine, Ms. Claudia.”

Then Claudia turned to Leon, reaching out her hand.

Leon knew the proper decorum, so he shook her hand as well.

Claudia teased, “Let’s hope to hear a convincing ‘Mother Empress’ tomorrow.”

Leon chuckled awkwardly, “I’ll do my best.”

“See you both tomorrow,” Claudia said, bowing slightly before leaving the classroom with graceful strides.

Once the elegant woman was gone, Helena sighed with visible relief.

Noa looked at her friend with a smirk, “Really? Does Aunt Claudia put that much pressure on you?”

Relieved of her earlier tension, Helena slumped back into her chair, placed her script over her face, and sighed, “You don’t understand, Noa. My mom is incredibly gentle… until she’s not. When she’s strict, you don’t even have a chance to lift your head.”

Noa nodded solemnly, “My mom’s the same way.”

From behind them, Queen Rosvisser’s voice interjected, “Noa, Mommy can hear you.”

“Uh… but my mom’s gentle most of the time. Hehe.”

Helena waved her hand dismissively, “Enough about that. Let’s review today’s rehearsal.”

“Alright!”

“Moon’s joining too~”

The little dragon girls gathered together, diving into the script to make some final tweaks.

Leon and Rosvisser exchanged a glance before quietly leaving the classroom.

The evening sun bathed the academy grounds in a golden glow.

Leaning against the railings, the couple enjoyed the crisp evening breeze and the serene campus atmosphere.

“Claudia seems quite pleasant,” Leon said.

Rosvisser propped her chin in her hand, gazing out at the sunset. The red hues of the sky reflected in her eyes, making them shine with a vivid intensity. “It’s only our first meeting. Everyone’s on their best behavior. We’ll see how things develop.”

“True,” Leon agreed, feeling thoughtful. “But something about her personality, along with what Helena said, reminds me of someone.”

“Who?”

“My mentor’s wife,” Leon sighed. “She’s gentle most of the time, but the moment my mentor steps out of line, she’d lose it.”

Rosvisser looked at him with interest, “What would happen when she lost it?”

Leon shrugged, “If she was lenient, he’d be banned from the bed. If not, he’d have to turn over all his secret stashes.”

Rosvisser chuckled, “Sounds serious indeed.”

She paused, then added, “So, if Claudia reminds you of her, why is it so hard for you to call her ‘Mother Empress’?”

Leon rolled his eyes and shrugged, “That’s a completely different matter.”

“Hmph, silly.”

The couple continued their lighthearted chat until Leon stretched, deciding to ask Noa where they’d be staying for the night.

But as he lifted his arm, Rosvisser’s gaze caught a faint gray strand on the back of his hand.

“Wait, what’s this?”

“Hm? What is it?”

Rosvisser gently took the gray strand from his hand.

They leaned in close, examining it together…

“Is it… hair?” she asked.

Leon shook his head, “Not hair. It looks more like… animal fur.”

“You’ve been keeping pets?” she teased.

“Oh sure, we have four dragons at home: one big one, three little ones—ah, geez! Not the elbow

again!”

Rosvisser gave him a playful elbow jab along with a scornful look.

“We don’t have pets. Where would gray fur have come from?” Rosvisser wondered aloud.

Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, “Could it have stuck to you when you shook hands with Claudia?”

“Maybe… The sea dragon clan lives far from the hustle and bustle, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they kept pets for companionship.”

“What kind of pet has gray fur? A cat? Or maybe a dog?”

Taking the gray fur from Rosvisser, Leon examined it closely before concluding:

“Judging by the texture, length, and softness… it’s neither a cat nor a dog.”

Rosvisser’s curiosity deepened, “So… what is it?”

After a moment’s pause, Leon replied with a single word:

“A donkey.”