Noah was fortunate to have a father who could understand her subtle nuances.
Her father was fortunate, too. Even though Noah hadn't accepted him at first, his love for her was never less than his love for Muwen. That persistent love had finally melted the ice between them.
As they locked eyes, no more words were needed. Everything had been said in her composition.
A single glance was enough to understand each other's hearts.
Rossweise watched the scene with a quiet sense of relief.
Although she and Leon often had their strange competitions over their daughter's affection, she had witnessed this entire journey. From the initial "Don't touch me without permission," to the first "Do your best, Daddy!" at the sports festival, and now to "I have the world's best dad"—she had seen it all unfold.
She was the witness to Leon and Noah finally understanding each other. No one understood the emotion in Leon's heart better than she did at this moment.
She had originally thought about teasing her daughter later, asking why she gave her father so much praise. A tiny part of her felt a little jealous.
But after a moment's reflection, she let it go. Her daughter having a complete and happy childhood was far more important.
The Vice Principal stood beside the homeroom teacher, applauding while quietly asking, "See? It's not just favoritism, is it? Noah's composition was genuinely excellent, wasn't it?"
The homeroom teacher nodded repeatedly, her praise sincere and not mere flattery. "The emotion was more heartfelt, and the writing was smoother. No wonder Principal Olette wants to read more from her. Even I want to see more."
The Vice Principal joked, "Then you should arrange more composition competitions, shouldn't you?"
The homeroom teacher replied, "That's actually a good idea."
Sitting in the front row, Leon and Rossweise faintly overheard their conversation amidst the applause.
Arrange more competitions?
Please, no!
One date was already pushing our limits!
If there are more, I can't promise I won't hang you, old dragon, from the Sky City as the final stop on our next "date."
The composition award ceremony concluded. After the class was dismissed, some dragon parents who knew each other started chatting. Others approached the homeroom teacher to ask about their child's recent progress.
The Vice Principal, however, asked Leon's family to stay behind.
Leon knew it. If the old dragon didn't get his fill of playing the "model family" advocate today, he wouldn't let them go easily.
"Mr. Leon, Miss Rossweise, Noah's composition is the most sincere piece of writing I've seen in my hundreds of years at this academy. I even want to frame it on my office wall, replacing Principal Olette's portrait."
The couple quickly waved their hands. "No, no, Vice Principal. We're grateful you appreciate Noah's writing, but we mustn't disrespect Principal Olette. Right, Noah?"
Noah nodded vigorously.
She knew her parents were powerless against the Vice Principal's enthusiasm. The best strategy was for the family to present a united front.
"Ah, what a rare treasure. To make a copy of such a piece would be an insult! It should remain one of a kind in this world!"
The three of them grinned awkwardly, their mouths twitching in perfect, synchronized harmony.
"Oh, and one more thing. Since Noah's essay wasn't included in the class ranking, Principal Olette wanted to make up for this small regret. She asked me to give Noah her own personal pen."
With that, the Vice Principal took a pen from his pocket and bent down slightly to present it to Noah.
Noah received it with both hands, examining it carefully.
The pen had a unique metallic luster, its black and silver colors gleaming like stars in the night sky.
It had a satisfying weight to it, feeling like a solid piece of tranquil history in her hand.
Leon knew that in human society, respected, accomplished scholars were sometimes given pens by their peers upon retirement as a symbol of respect and recognition.
He figured that while the symbolism might differ slightly in dragon culture, it ultimately still represented acknowledgment.
"Principal Olette rarely holds a student in such high esteem. Noah, your talent and hard work have earned her recognition. Keep it up," the Vice Principal said, patting her shoulder.
"Thank you, Vice Principal. And please thank Principal Olette for me," Noah replied politely.
The Vice Principal straightened up and looked at the couple. "And thank you both for raising such an outstanding child for our academy. The academy will certainly live up to your expectations and nurture Noah well."
Rossweise nodded with a smile, exchanging pleasantries.
Leon also wanted to say something polite. But when he thought about the academy's purpose—to groom elites to fight Dragon Slayers…
He was at a loss for words.
Well, I can only silently hope my daughter takes her time graduating and, preferably, doesn't skip any grades. Otherwise, Dad's little cotton-padded jacket might just turn into a thorny vest.
After a brief chat, the Vice Principal, having other duties, soon left.
Today was Friday, and the award ceremony had taken up the last period. That meant Noah could go home with Leon and Rossweise for the weekend.
The family of three left the classroom and headed for the academy's main gate.
Noah looked down at the pen in her hand. Although it was a gift from Principal Olette, she knew writing that essay wasn't her achievement alone. She glanced at her dad, then at her mom, feeling a little conflicted.
"What's wrong, Noah?" Rossweise noticed her daughter's pensive look and asked.
"Um… I think, since you both helped me so much to get Principal Olette's recognition, this pen should really go to you. But there's only one…" Noah said, "I don't know who to give it to."
The child was honest, admitting her dilemma.
The couple exchanged a glance. Rossweise spoke first. "Give it to your dad. He laid the foundation for your studies before you even enrolled. He helped you a lot."
Oh, Mother Dragon? Since when did you become so broad-minded? I thought you'd fight me over this too. It seems I was the narrow-minded one.
Leon thought for a moment. No, if your perspective is broad, then mine must be broader.
"Give it to your mom," Leon said. "Dad doesn't use a pen much, but Mom can use it for her work."
He wasn't making it up. Last time he was in Rossweise's study getting the library key, he'd seen her using a pen to handle paper reports.
Using a pen gifted by their daughter would surely make her work even harder, right, Mother Dragon?
Rossweise raised an eyebrow. Dragon Slayer, being so generous? Trying to build a noble image in front of our daughter? Hmph, I won't let you have your way so easily.
"Give it to your dad," she insisted.
"To Mom."
"To Dad."
"To Mom."
"To Dad~"
"To Mom!"
Noah felt dizzy.
But before she actually fainted, she shoved the pen into Rossweise's hand.
"I'll listen to Dad. The pen is for Mom."
What a smooth move! Good girl, you've learned quite a bit of social savvy at the academy!
[Truly her father's daughter.]