Vol. 3 Ch. 61

A few days later, the drama competition for the young dragon students at St. Heith Academy finally began in the student auditorium.

Noa’s group had decent luck; they were scheduled to perform near the end.

This was advantageous since performing later often left a stronger impression on the faculty and judges, which could positively impact the scores.

The first two groups performed exceptionally well. Their scripts were solid, with well-structured plots, and each time the story reached a climactic moment, the audience responded with enthusiastic applause.

Noa felt a growing pressure.

To be fair, this drama competition was an area completely foreign to her. In her usual realm of book knowledge and practical competition, her natural talents and her status as a top student always kept her well ahead of others.

But drama was different.

Beyond being unfamiliar with this type of competition, another aspect made her uneasy: achieving a good score here would take more than just her own efforts.

Her anxiety wasn’t because she doubted her fellow actors in their group would falter but stemmed from the fear that despite everyone’s hard work, they might not achieve the desired outcome.

Noa was never afraid of failure—she had always handled her own setbacks, growing stronger with each one.

However, this time, as the director, the entire group had rehearsed under her guidance, and their final performance would reflect directly on her.

If they didn’t do well, wouldn’t it mean that Dad, Mom, her sisters, Helena, and Aunt Claudia had wasted their time and effort?

In the days leading up to the performance, these thoughts weighed heavily on Noa’s mind.

This was the first time she felt the pressure of being a “leader.”

Noa hadn’t shared her worries with Helena, knowing that doing so would only spread the anxiety within the group and wouldn’t lead to any positive effect.

As the third group neared the end of their performance, Noa’s group was about to go on.

Noa, standing backstage, watched the lively performance on stage, her little face etched with a serious expression.

“They’re really good…” Noa murmured quietly.

“Noa.”

A familiar voice sounded behind her.

She quickly composed herself, turning to greet him with a smile. “Dad.”

Leon was already dressed for his role in the first scene: battered armor, a wig stained with fake blood, and a broken holy sword.

The battle-worn makeup on his face was surprisingly convincing.

“Dad, you were born to play the captured hero,” Aurora had remarked with admiration.

Leon knelt beside Noa so they could see eye to eye.

“Watching the others perform?” Leon asked.

“Yeah. You taught me to observe the opponent before a fight. Know yourself and your enemy, and you’ll be invincible,” Noa replied earnestly.

Leon chuckled and patted her head. “Drama isn’t quite a battlefield, Noa. Try to relax.”

“Yes, Dad.”

Despite her agreement, her tone remained serious and focused.

Leon glanced down and noticed her hands tightly clutching her skirt, her little tail drooping limply behind her.

So... she’s still nervous, Leon thought. “Don’t worry, once we’re on stage, your mom, your sisters, and I will give our best performance. We won’t let you down, Director Noa.”

He assumed Noa’s nervousness stemmed from her fear that they might not perform as well as they had in rehearsals, possibly costing them a good score.

But Noa’s response seemed to deny Leon’s assumption.

“It’s okay, Dad. Just do your best,” she said softly.

Leon froze.

Wait… sweetie, wasn’t I supposed to be comforting you?

How did it turn into you telling *me* “it’s okay, just do your best”?

Leon opened his mouth, prepared to continue comforting her, but then paused. His perceptive, high-achieving daughter wasn’t like other kids.

She had been in countless competitions and battles—even ambushed Dragon King-level opponents twice—and no small drama performance could shake her to this extent.

Leon had also seen how determined Noa looked when she aimed for a championship or first place; she was always brimming with energy and confidence.

This demeanor now was completely different.

So… it wasn’t because she was worried about the others’ performance?

Leon’s thoughts shifted, trying to understand his daughter’s mind.

Meanwhile, the current group on stage earned applause from the audience and judges.

Hearing this, Noa turned to look at the stage, her grip on her skirt tightening even more.

On the opposite side of the stage, behind the curtain, stood the young director of the other group.

Watching his cast receive rounds of applause, the young director was overjoyed.

Noa’s gaze lingered on him, unable to look away.

Leon noticed this subtle gesture.

He blinked and immediately understood what Noa’s true concern was.

“Being a director comes with a lot of pressure, doesn’t it?” Leon asked.

Noa’s small figure gave a slight shiver but didn’t turn around. “Ah... it’s... it’s okay.”

“If I remember correctly, this is the first time you’ve directed so many people to accomplish a single goal, right?”

Noa pressed her lips together, hesitating briefly before nodding. “Yes.”

Leon pondered for a moment, choosing his words carefully before speaking.

“Would you like to hear a story from when Dad used to lead troops into battle?”

Noa raised an eyebrow, her heavy thoughts pulled back by his story. “Sure.”

“At that time, my tribe hadn’t disbanded yet, and I was one of the top frontline commanders.”

Blending the backstory Rosvisser had crafted for him with his real experience, Leon animatedly recounted, “I remember when I led my first mission. Although everyone was skilled, it was my first time taking charge as the team leader.”

“Every decision for the entire squad fell to me. To be honest, it was a heavy burden. I worried that one wrong decision could cause injuries or even…” Leon paused, his voice lowering, “...cost someone their life.”

“So I played it safe, avoiding risks. I didn’t have any confidence in my own skills as a leader.”

“I thought that if I kept being cautious, we’d make it to the end of the mission. But unfortunately…”

At this point, Leon paused.

Noa’s interest was piqued; she always enjoyed hearing stories about his past.

“Unfortunately?” Noa tilted her head slightly.

Leon chuckled, rubbing his nose. “Unfortunately, we were backed into a corner by the enemy right at the mission’s end.”

“The reason we ended up in that situation was because I was too cautious with my decisions. The enemy picked up on this and trapped us as a result.”

Noa’s eyes widened slightly, saying, “But Dad, you still managed to survive in the end, didn’t you?”

“Yep.”

“How did you do it?”

“There was a girl in our team—a sharpshooter… well, a master of ranged magic—who, seeing my guilt after my mistake led us into a trap, slapped me right across the face.”

Leon laughed, recalling the moment, which he rarely looked back on. He wouldn’t be sharing this story if not to help his daughter through this hurdle.

“She told me, ‘You weren’t made the leader just because someone ordered it. We all trust you. We believe in your skills, so much that we’re willing to put our lives in your hands.’”

“‘But all day, you’ve acted like a timid old lady, scared to do anything. Even if you played chess in the park, the old men would call you a coward.’”

“I asked her if she regretted me being the leader.”

“She said no. But if I didn’t get back up and lead them, I’d be getting a second slap from her.”

“That was when I finally understood. When you become a leader, your team becomes an extension of yourself, like your own limbs. You have to guide them just as you would move your own body.”

“When your team believes in you, they’re ready to face whatever consequences come with your decisions.”

Leon gently placed a hand on Noa’s head as he stood up.

“Just like your mom—she wasn’t crowned Queen of the Silver Dragons first and then gained everyone’s respect. She earned everyone’s respect and then became their queen.”

“Your mom and I both walked this path, Noa, so I understand how you’re feeling now.”

“I’m not asking you to overcome it all at once, but remember one thing—”

As he rose to his feet, a few figures stepped up behind him.

Noa looked over, recognizing them. “Mom… everyone…”

“We believe in you, Noa. No matter the outcome, you won’t have to face it alone.”

As he finished speaking, the host’s voice echoed from the stage.

“Next up, *Where Love Sinks*, directed by Noa K. Melkvey. Please welcome them!”

Though Noa herself may not have realized it, her name in the young dragons’ division was almost synonymous with “invincible,” and nearly everyone in the audience knew of her.

The audience responded with even more enthusiastic applause upon hearing her name.

Rosvisser led Moon toward the stage.

Leon followed right behind.

As he passed his eldest daughter, he patted her shoulder.

“Did you hear that applause, Noa? It’s all for you.”