Chapter 256

After much deliberation, Leon decided to remain silent for the time being.

As he had previously anticipated, anything could happen in twenty years. (Noon)

Until the full situation is understood, silence is the best option.

As Leon had predicted, Aurorla carried him slowly into the mountain stream, finally stopping in front of that familiar waterfall.

Aurorla flapped her wings, scattering the waterfall's flow—the exact same movement as when Losweiser had brought him here before; it was hard not to suspect that the Dragon Queen had personally taught her daughter this little trick. ⑦

This further confirms Leon's suspicion that his daughters already know their Dad's human identity. ⑧

Why didn't Aurorla expose it?

Leon couldn't understand it. Ling

Upon entering the cave, Aurorla transformed into human form and called out towards the depths of the cave, "Sister."

Although his tone remained that of a cold scientist, Leon could also detect a hint of familial intimacy in it.

It was this single word, "sister," that made Leon tense up.

As a father, he had naturally imagined countless times what his daughters would be like when they grew up.

The little light beside him wasn't too different from the future he envisioned.

If I had to say something, it would be that even at twenty years old, he still remembers to give his father an uppercut the moment they meet.

It's a kind of filial piety ingrained in their genes.

What will Noa become after she transformed from that adorable, childlike girl who tried so hard to live like an adult?

Leon felt both excited and nervous.

He gazed into the depths of the cave, and after a short while, a tall figure emerged from the darkness.

Low-heeled boots tapped gently on the cold stones, their footsteps echoing rhythmically through the cave.

The girl who emerged from the shadows wore a fitted black dress, with tight pants that outlined her perfect leg contours. Although her waist was slender, it was full of power.

She had short hair, thick and black with some silver highlights.

That exquisite, work-of-art face was completely expressionless—the women of the Melkwy family were all adept at keeping a straight face.

She had grown taller, and her steps were heavier and more steady. Her sharp, piercing eyes were like those of a seasoned female general, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe her as heroic and valiant.

"Noa..."

Leon had a feeling he couldn't quite describe.

Although in his vision of the future, Noa should indeed be this cool and aloof, because she is a born warrior and destined to have an extraordinary life;

But when he actually saw his daughter, whom he once held in his arms, turn into this, he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

From a little girl pretending to be an adult to a cold-faced warrior, just how much suffering did she endure?

When Leon came to his senses, Noa was already standing in front of him.

My daughter has grown up and is very beautiful, just like her Mom.

But there is a faint scar on this beautiful face.

Even though it's very faint and you wouldn't notice it unless you looked closely, our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents, and even the smallest wound would be noticed by Leon.

Just as he thought, Noa must have suffered a lot over the years.

Moreover, given her personality, she is bound to be the one who suffers the most among the three sisters.

Leon looked into his daughter's eyes, and Noa returned the gaze.

Her eyebrows and eyes also resembled her Mom's. At first glance, she seemed indifferent to everything, exuding a coldness and aloofness.

But once you break through the surface layer of ice, you can feel the intense emotions within them.

Noa's pupils trembled slightly, and a hint of emotion appeared on her icy face.

Unlike Aurorla, she couldn't suppress her emotions with absolute calmness. She was mature, but she was also more dependent on her father.

For Noa, it had been twenty years since she had seen her father.

Now, her beloved family member stands before her, and countless memories flood her mind, washing over her tear ducts.

Seeing that his daughter's emotions were fluctuating, Leon slowly raised his hand and brought it close to Noa's eyes, wanting to wipe away the tears that were about to fall.

However--

Snap—

Noa suddenly grabbed Leon's wrist.

The old father was startled and blinked. "What's wrong, Noa —Ugh!!"

Before he could finish speaking, a jab landed squarely on Leon's stomach.

The old father's knees buckled instantly, and his head spun.

But in his last moments of lucidity, he poked Noa's nose, "You... you Melkwy family's Dragon Queen are not only good at changing faces, but also very good at... parricide..."

After saying this, General Leon's vision went black, he fell backward, and fainted.

A flicker of panic crossed Aurorla's face, but it vanished in an instant.

She slowly walked to her sister's side, then looked at her unconscious father.

"Dad just came from the crack and hasn't recovered yet. Your punch was really too heavy-handed."

Aurorla said this after knocking her father unconscious with an uppercut just a few hours earlier.

Noa wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and composed herself. "This is just the first punch; there are still three more to come."

Aurorla raised an eyebrow, did some mental calculations, and said, "Actually, it was two punches, one from Mom and one from my second sister."

"And yours?"

"I already called."

"Oh."

Noa looked at her father, who had fainted on the ground, and a hint of apology flashed across her cold face. "Well... I really did hit him too hard."

Leon slowly opened his eyes and saw an old wooden table in front of him.

And he was sitting in a chair.

On the wooden table sat a kerosene lamp, its flame flickering precariously, as if it might go out at any moment.

Across the table were two filial daughters.

"Dad, you're awake." Aurorla's pink eyes sparkled.

Leon grinned, enduring the pain in his abdomen, glanced at his youngest daughter, then looked at his eldest daughter, "Are you angry with me, Noa?"

He could probably guess why Noa punched him the moment they met.

He had promised her that the family would never be separated, but due to the spatial rift incident, he disappeared from their world for twenty years.

Logically speaking, Leon entered the spatial rift to save his family, so he didn't leave or disappear without a reason.

However, the loss of a father cannot be excused by reason alone; it is an emotion that cannot be overshadowed by reason.

It can only be analyzed from the perspective of "emotion".

Noa's punch wasn't a complaint against Leon; it was a simple way of telling her Daddy:

How have they survived all these years without him?

Her grievances, her longing, all her feelings for Leon, whether peaceful or extreme, were contained in this one punch.

Noa considered hugging, but a hug could only express one emotion.

She will indeed embrace Leon, but not at this moment of reunion.

"I don't know," Noa replied.

Leon paused for a moment, then lowered his eyes. "Alright... whether you're angry with me or not, I apologize."

"Okay, I accept your apology. Although I don't know if I'm angry with you or not."

Feelings are always a blurry and messy thing, and Noa really didn't know whether she should be angry with Leon.

But why not get an apology from Dad for free?

My Mom once said that there are no more than five people in the world who can make your stubborn father bow his head and apologize.

"Wow... such a quick acceptance. I thought it would take more time," Leon remarked.

"Pulling? How are you pulling?"

Noa leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, legs crossed—her posture was exactly the same as her mother's.

"Like you and your Mom back then, all that arguing and bickering, and in the end, not even a single confession?"

Leon pursed his lips. "Did your Mom tell you about us...?"

"Mm." Noa nodded.

"It's not just that he talked about it, it was that he covered every little detail, leaving out every single word. He could easily write a whole angsty romance novel about youth and heartbreak," Aurorla added.

Leon:...

So, are the Dragon Queen and I actually the male and female protagonists of a melodramatic youth romance novel?

Bull Demon King! Whose romance novel protagonists fall in love after having a baby first? That's going against the natural order of things!

"Of course, except for your love story—ah, let's just call that awkward feeling 'love' for now, what do you say, Xiao Guang?" Noa looked at her sister.

Aurorla.

Clearly, both sisters are fair to both parents in this relationship; their Dad is uncomfortable, and their Mom is uncomfortable too.

You can't have two kinds of people sleeping in the same bed.

"Besides your love story, Mom also told me how you got together."

Noa expressed herself in a rather subtle way.

But anyone who isn't stupid can understand what she means.

Leon's heart skipped a beat; it seemed they really did know.

He remained silent, his eyes lowered.

"So, our happy family we once knew was all a lie, wasn't it? A lie you and Mom wove together." (Sobbing)

After learning the truth, she didn't immediately dwell on her own bloodline; instead, she cared more about her family. (8)

"You keep saying you love Mom, you love us, but that's all—"

"It's all true, Noa."

Leon finally spoke. (Sobbing)

He stared at the table and said in a deep, forceful voice, ⑹

"Indeed, your Mom and I getting together was entirely accidental, and your birth was also an accident."

"It's even possible, as you said, that this family is a lie that your Mom and I made up, and that everything is fake."

"But."

"Noa, Xiaoguang, my love for you is real."

"I love you, Mu En, you are my daughters, the most important people in my world."

He pursed his dry lips, rubbed his cold palms, and continued speaking.

"You made me a father, and I am truly... grateful to you."

"Because of your birth, I have people I would risk my life to protect."

"Noa, you can accuse my Mom and me of hiding things from you in order to maintain the family, but don't say that my love for you was fake."

"I really... love you all so much..."

Sitting in front of them was the strongest man of the past, but now he bowed his head, lowered his voice, and said he loved them over and over again.