Taking pictures of them really tested the photographer's skills.
Fortunately, Selena was professional enough. Even faced with three utterly expressionless faces, she still managed to produce several decent enrollment photos through lighting, angles, and carefully captured details.
"Alright, I should have the photos developed and ready for you in about six hours. In the meantime, you can look around Sky City and have some fun."
"Alright, thank you, Ms. Selena."
Losweiser let out a relieved breath and turned toward Mu En, intending to take her younger daughter along.
But when she looked over, the little Dragon girl was sitting obediently there, gazing at them with envy.
Losweiser's heart trembled.
Just as she was about to ask Mu En to join them for a photo, Leon spoke first.
"Mu En, do you want to take a picture with Mom and Dad too?"
Mu En's eyes lit up. "Yes!"
Losweiser glanced sideways at Leon, as if she wanted to say something, but ultimately looked away.
Mu En stood between the couple. This time, it was neither a family portrait nor an enrollment photo, so all three of them were much more relaxed.
Leon even picked Mu En up, and she eagerly stretched out her little tail, imitating what her mother had done earlier and making a heart with Leon.
Naturally, Leon did not refuse.
Soon after, Noa also came over and took several warm group photos.
With no rules restraining them, they posed however they liked.
"Big Sis, do you want to make a heart with Dad? It's really fun~"
Noa froze for a moment, then immediately shook her head. "No."
"Tch~ Big Sis, honestly. Then I'll make a heart with Big Sis instead~"
Only then did Noa agree. "Mm, okay."
The two little Dragon girls also took plenty of photos together.
Selena's work afterward became much easier.
While the two little ones were taking pictures, Leon and Losweiser sat off to the side.
They did not chat, merely silently watching their daughters take photos.
Leon did not want to say much to this Dragon Queen anyway.
After all, whenever they talked about anything unrelated to their daughters, they would inevitably start bickering.
Losweiser seemed to feel the same way. She crossed her legs, propped her cheek up with one hand, and watched her two daughters in silence, a faint, gratified smile on her face.
Thus, a rather strange scene appeared in the photo studio.
On the side where photos were being taken, everything was joyous and lively. The two Dragon girls kept changing poses, and Selena was having a great time taking pictures.
Meanwhile, in the lounge area, the "loving" couple who had just made hearts with their tails and hands did not exchange a single word.
They looked less like they had come for photos and more like they had come to file for divorce.
Perhaps realizing that this atmosphere was not conducive to family "harmony," Losweiser stared ahead and said leisurely,
"Aren't you going to start a conversation to pass the time? Noa and Mu En look like they'll be taking pictures for quite a while."
"What could you and I possibly talk about? How about we go outside and fight? By the time we're done, they'll be finished too."
Sure enough, whenever they tried to make small talk, they would start arguing within three sentences.
"Sky City's security regulations are very strict. Public brawling carries a minimum sentence of six months."
"Are you explaining the law to me? I'm human. Your Dragon Race laws can't touch me."
"Then what punishment do humans get for fighting in public?"
"If you win, you go to jail. If you lose, you go to the hospital."
"Then humans and dragons aren't that different."
"Mm... huh? Don't try to get chummy with me, Dragon Queen."
The couple bickered for roughly half an hour before Noa and Mu En finally had enough pictures.
"Well, with this many photos, I probably won't have them developed until tonight. Would you like to spend more time in Sky City, or come back tomorrow?"
"We'll come pick them up tonight. Thank you for your hard work, Ms. Selena."
"It's nothing. Then I hope Your Majesty, Prince, and the two little princesses have a wonderful time in Sky City."
After thanking her, the family of four left the photo studio.
Selena watched their receding backs until they disappeared around the street corner, only then withdrawing her gaze.
She lowered her head and looked at a photo she had just captured on her camera.
It was not a family portrait of the four of them, nor was it a sisters' picture of the two little Dragon girls.
It was...
The silver-haired beauty and the young man sat close beside each other. Though their bodies faced different directions, their gazes remained connected.
Bright sunlight streamed through the studio window and scattered across their shoulders. Tiny motes of dust danced in the light like little spirits, lingering around them.
Their eyes met, emotions shifting within their gazes. There was none of that tender ambiguity, nor any deeper intimacy, yet the beautiful, innocent affection in their eyes was like water in a cup, on the verge of overflowing.
"They really do look like a married couple."
Selena commented.
After leaving Selena's photo studio, the family of four found a quiet little restaurant.
The moment they entered, large lizards with all sorts of tails walked back and forth in front of Leon.
He stood at the entrance in a daze. Looking at the Dragon Race diners filling the restaurant, Leon's legs began trembling uncontrollably again.
"First-class merits... first-class merits... so many first-class merits!" Leon muttered like a madman.
Losweiser rolled her eyes at him. "What are you so excited about? Don't forget, you're the legendary man who had two little first-class merits with a first-class merit."
"No, no, your level is no longer first-class merit."
"Then what is it?"
"Special Merit. The kind where the King personally crowns and decorates me."
Losweiser snorted and stopped paying attention to him.
They went to a table by the window and ordered a few simple dishes.
The restaurant was quiet, with everyone speaking in hushed voices.
Leon and Losweiser tacitly agreed not to strike up another conversation.
The two little ones were even more well-behaved. Once the dishes arrived, they quietly began eating.
After lunch, there were still about four or five hours before their photos would be ready.
Fortunately, Sky City had plenty of entertainment venues to pass the time.
Of course, the important thing was that the girls had fun. Leon and Losweiser did not care where they went.
Though they clashed at every turn in their daily lives, one could hardly expect a pair of sworn enemies to greet each other with smiles every day.
But when it came to raising children, this unfortunate couple was surprisingly in sync.
As they wandered around, they arrived at Young Dragon Paradise. The two little Dragon girls ran ahead hand in hand, while Leon and Losweiser followed a short distance behind them.
There were quite a few parents with children in Young Dragon Paradise.
But most of them were taking care of their children alone. Couples like Leon and Losweiser were exceedingly rare.
It seemed the Dragon Race truly was fond of asexual reproduction.
After the girls played on a few simple attractions, Mu En spotted a balloon-shooting stall with many teddy bear prizes on display.
She excitedly tugged her sister over at a jog.
Since her little sister wanted a teddy bear, Noa naturally had to go into battle for her.
Seeing Noa stand on a small stool and raise the toy gun, Leon was slightly surprised.
"You dragons play with guns too?"
"Mm, but only in Sky City. This is a highly inclusive city, and it often discovers interesting things or cultural practices from other races' societies."
Losweiser said, "As for the Dragon Races outside, most are too prideful to learn from or accept things from other races."
"Oh... I see."
Leon raised his arms and rested his hands behind his head. After a pause, he said casually, "Then I guess you're pretty good at taking advice."
Losweiser glanced at him. "How so?"
"Do you remember when I suggested that the girls stop calling you Mother and call you Mom instead? Did you tell them that very night?"
Losweiser did not avoid the subject and admitted it openly.
"Yes. I have to admit, you humans really do have more refined ideas about raising children than the Dragon Race."
"See? If you had raised them by yourself, the consequences might have been pretty disastrous." Leon grinned smugly.
"Hmph. Childish."
"You're the childish one."
"You are."
"You, Dragon Queen."
"Shut up."
Bang—bang—bang—
Three gunshots rang out from the balloon-shooting stall.
From where Leon and the others stood, they could not see how many balloons had been popped.
But judging by Noa's expression, the outcome was probably not ideal.
Leon and Losweiser exchanged a look, then walked toward the stall in unspoken agreement.
While they were making their way over, Noa fired a few more shots, but her serious little face still showed no smile.
When they got closer, they saw it clearly.
Well, no wonder—every smile had gone to the stall owner.
"It's alright, little one. Try a few more times and you'll definitely hit one." The owner held a money pouch stuffed full of Dragon race currency.
It seemed business had been quite good for him that morning.
Noa raised the gun and fired two more shots in succession.
Only then did Leon notice that the Dragon Race's toy guns fired bullets condensed from magical energy. No wonder Mu En had not tried it. Compared to her sister's advanced development, she was still too young to use magic.
Yet Noa's shots missed again.
Clack—
She unhappily set the gun back on the table, biting her lip, her eyes full of unwillingness.
"Mom, Mu En, let's go play somewhere else." Noa adjusted her mood, though she still looked a little sulky.
Though she was usually mature and sensible, she was still a child at heart.
Whenever something made her particularly unhappy, her emotions were written all over her face.
Leon did not encourage her to try again.
Because it was obvious that the stall owner had tampered with the toy gun. Otherwise, with Noa's abilities, there was no way she would miss every shot.
Leon had figured out this sort of "trade secret" when he was young. He never expected Sky City of the Dragon Race to be making so much money off children the same way.
He stepped forward and lifted Noa down from the chair.
The family of four was about to leave.
Before you continue