The scenery of Flowing Cloud Valley was enchanting, with every corner a perfect photo opportunity. From the moment Rossweise led the two children out, Leon had been snapping pictures nonstop, taking at least twenty shots. His plan was simple: the more photos he took, the harder it would be to accidentally stumble upon those last few incriminating bunny girl pictures.
But Leon wasn't just shooting randomly. If he were, Rossweise would have likely taken the camera back. So, despite the quantity, each candid shot was taken with a level of skill that made one think, "Oh, not bad at all."
In truth, Leon felt the skills for candid photography were quite similar to those he used as a Dragon Slayer on the battlefield: steady, precise, and ruthless. The hand holding the camera—or the sword—had to be steady; the focus—or the dragon's neck—had to be aimed precisely; and the shutter press—or the strike—had to be executed ruthlessly.
"That's about it," Leon mused to himself. "Dragon Slayer truly is a noble profession that encompasses all walks of life."
From inside the castle to the grounds, they arrived under an ancient tree. The two little dragon girls sat on the massive trunk. Just as Leon was about to take their picture, a spotted deer appeared and licked Muen's cheek with its tongue.
Muen giggled and patted its head. "Daddy, take a picture with this little deer too!"
"Sure, but you have to make sure it behaves."
"Mm-hmm!"
All the animals in Flowing Cloud Valley were trained not to fear people, harm them, or beg for food. The little spotted deer stood quietly beside Muen, obediently facing the camera.
After a few shots, Leon glanced at Rossweise beside him. "Let me take a few of just you."
Rossweise raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"
"Of course. Beautiful scenery deserves a beautiful woman."
"Hmph, since when do you talk so sweetly? What's your angle?"
Whether he had an angle was uncertain, but once she saw the explosive bunny girl photos in the camera, one of them was definitely going to have a revelation, Leon thought darkly.
He pointed to the spot where Muen and Noah had just been. "Over there. The lighting and angle are perfect."
"Mm."
Rossweise walked over and sat down gracefully, crossing her slender legs to one side. Her left hand rested lightly on her knee, her right hand supporting her weight. The little spotted deer approached again.
Rossweise turned her head and slowly raised her hand, intending to pat the deer. Instead, it sniffed her smooth hand, then closed its eyes and nuzzled against her fingers.
It was clear that when posing with Muen and Noah earlier, the little deer had merely been doing its "job." But with Rossweise, it seemed genuinely subdued by the queen's presence. Leon seized the moment and pressed the shutter.
Under the towering ancient tree, sunlight filtered through the mist and leaves, spilling gracefully over Rossweise's form. She reached out, accepting the homage and affection of the living beings around her. The queen's dignity and feminine beauty were fully embodied in her. Even the two little dragon girls couldn't help but exclaim, "Mommy is so beautiful!"
For a moment, even Leon found himself unable to look away from the viewfinder.
After the shoot, Rossweise approached. "How did they turn out? Oh, they're really good! Let me see the ones you took earlier."
With that, she reached for the camera.
Leon snapped back to reality and held it protectively. "Uh, well… let's take a few more first, then we can look at them together."
Rossweise didn't insist. "Alright."
"How about we check out the pedestrian street over there? We can take some photos in a different style," Leon suggested.
"Great! To the pedestrian street!" Muen cheered, grabbing Noah's hand and running toward the street entrance. Rossweise called after them to be careful not to fall as she followed.
"There should be a photo studio or something on the pedestrian street…" Leon muttered, quickening his pace.
The pedestrian street in Flowing Cloud Valley retained a quaint, elegant design, with nearly every corner and shop serving as a perfect photo spot.
Rossweise led the girls ahead, scouting locations, while Leon trailed behind, scanning the area for a photo studio.
Just then, a couple approached. Leon stepped forward and asked, "Excuse me, is there a photo studio nearby?"
The couple stopped and pointed. Leon nodded his thanks.
But Rossweise happened to turn and see the exchange.
When Leon caught up, she asked, "What did they say to you?"
"Oh, nothing much. They just recommended a good spot for photos up ahead. Let's check it out," Leon said casually.
Rossweise nodded. "Alright."
The couple, each holding one daughter's hand, continued down the street. Leon kept an eye out for the studio.
Finally, he spotted one in the distance. But he needed an excuse to slip away alone.
Scanning the area, he noticed a candy shop not far from the studio. An idea struck him. "Noah, Muen, do you want some candy?"
Noah remained silent, but Muen bounced excitedly. "Yes, yes, yes!"
"Alright, then you two wait here with Mommy. Daddy will go buy some."
"Okay~"
With that, Leon quickly crossed the street and jogged toward the candy shop.
"Oh, Mommy, Muen wants lemon soda too!" Muen added.
Rossweise nodded. "Okay, I'll go tell Daddy."
"Don't forget Sister's share," Muen reminded.
"I won't. Noah, watch Muen and don't wander off," Rossweise instructed.
"Yes, Mommy."
Rossweise stood and walked toward the candy shop where Leon had gone.
The two little dragon girls sat on street-side chairs, their tails and short legs dangling, swaying gently. Noah kept her eyes on Rossweise's figure until the fog obscured her view, then she looked away.
She glanced at her sister, Muen, who was happily waiting for her candy and lemon soda while hugging her own tail.
Noah's thoughts stirred. She pursed her lips and suddenly said, "You know, sometimes I envy you, Muen."
Muen looked up, confused. "Envy me? Why?"
Noah lowered her head, swinging her small feet. "I envy how you can talk to Mommy and Daddy about anything without worrying."
Muen still didn't quite understand. "But, Sister, you can do that too, right?"
"But I'm already a big kid. Big kids can't just say whatever they want," Noah replied, though it sounded more like she was talking to herself.
All along, Noah had been trying her hardest to play the role of a "grown-up," or at least a "big kid." But she and Muen were twins, born only twenty minutes apart. The pressure she put on herself to mature early wasn't without reason.
A long time ago, when Noah first became aware of her own thoughts, she began exploring the world around her. Everything seemed so fascinating—her sister, her mother, and the man who should have been called "Father," who lay perpetually asleep in bed.
Under her mother's careful guidance, she and her sister slowly grew up and learned about the world. Back then, her mother seemed capable of anything.
Until one day, when Noah went to visit Leon and found her mother already there. She was about to call out when she noticed her mother's low spirits. She sat on the edge of Leon's bed, head bowed, silent, her expression troubled—completely different from her usual elegant, stern yet gentle self.
That day, Noah didn't ask her mother what was wrong. But a seed had been planted in her young heart: a desire to mature quickly and take care of her family. That desire had sprouted and grown, lasting until today.
When she said she envied her sister, she meant it from the bottom of her heart. After all, no matter how you looked at it, she was just a little dragon girl barely over a year old. But when she said she couldn't express her needs like her little sister, that was also true.
That gloomy afternoon, her mother sitting silently by her father's bed with that sorrowful expression—it was etched into Noah's memory. So she pushed herself to grow up fast, to mature quickly, so she could take care of her mother and never see that expression again.
"Muen might not fully understand, but Muen envies Sister too," Muen's voice interrupted Noah's thoughts.
Noah tilted her head. "What does Muen envy about me?"
"Sister is smart and capable, always taking care of Muen like a grown-up. Muen wants to be like Sister in the future!"
The sudden praise made Noah blush. She felt flustered for a moment. After thinking, she replied, "But how do you know what I'll become in the future?"
Muen blinked her beautiful eyes. "Then what will Sister become in the future?"
Noah thought seriously for a moment before answering,
"Someone worthy of being their daughter."
.
.
.
Meanwhile, the excellent old father Noah admired was currently figuring out how to print the incriminating bunny girl photos from the camera.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we can only print photos taken with our studio's cameras here. Your model isn't compatible," the staff at the photo studio explained.
"…Seriously?" Could they be any more exclusive? When the Dragon Slayer army came through, this photo studio would be the first to go!
"Are there any other photo studios nearby?" Leon asked.
The staff shook their head. "Ours is the only one in all of Flowing Cloud Valley, sir."
Oh. Damn monopoly.
It seemed no matter how high-end or sacred a tourist attraction was, it all came down to money in the end.
"Sir, would you like to take some photos here to commemorate your visit?" the staff offered.
"No need. My wife and I might… find other ways to leave a souvenir," Leon replied.
The staff: ?
Leon sighed, took a few candies from his bag, handed them to the staff, and left.
Standing outside the studio, he pondered his next move.
Just then, Rossweise happened to walk out of the nearby candy shop.
"Why are you here?" Rossweise asked.
Leon jumped. "I… I was buying candy." He shook the bag of candies in his hand. He'd bought them earlier, just in case.
"Oh… I see."
Leon asked, "Why did you come up? Where are Muen and Noah?"
"Muen said she still wanted lemonade, so I came to buy some."
"Alright."
The couple walked a bit farther until they found a drink shop. After buying four cups of lemonade, they noticed a claw machine at the entrance.
The prizes inside were diverse: rabbits, foxes, spiders, bears—everything imaginable.
"Hey, wait for me," Rossweise said, handing her lemonade to Leon before approaching the machine. She swiped her room key and began maneuvering the claw.
Leon walked over too. Inside were fluffy plush toys. He pointed to the cutest spider at the back. "Grab that one. It's cute."
Rossweise shot him an annoyed look and ignored him, focusing entirely on her task. Her target was a small bear, but after several tries, she still hadn't managed to grab it.
"Maybe let it go," Leon suggested.
"No way. I'm getting that bear today," Rossweise insisted, starting another attempt. She rarely acted so stubbornly, and Leon couldn't figure out why she was being so persistent now. He could only wait quietly.
After a few more tries, Rossweise finally succeeded. The little bear dropped from the chute. She picked it up and handed it to Leon.
Leon blinked. "What's this for?"
"To return the favor. Remember the one you gave me in Sky City?" Rossweise said.
Leon chuckled. "The one I gave you was the Bear King. This is just a little bear cub at best."
"If you don't want it, I'll keep it," Rossweise said, pinching the bear's arm and walking away without looking back.
"Hey, I didn't say I didn't want it. My hands are full," Leon said, carrying the candies and holding four cups of lemonade as he hurried after her.