Although the letter was a simple invitation that didn't mention Noah's result, the couple had confidence in their daughter's ability and the creative theme she had chosen.
However, they couldn't feel completely happy about it.
The word "ceremony" always brought back embarrassing memories of their experiences at St. Heath Academy.
Whether it was the previous enrollment ceremony or the school sports day, under the orchestration of Vice Principal Wilson, that old schemer, they always ended up in extremely awkward situations in front of the entire dragon community as the "model family."
It was possible Wilson genuinely took pride in having such an outstanding family at his academy. And in the eyes of other dragon families, the Melkvey family was indeed a model of academic success.
But!
Didn't they know what this family was really like?!
The couple didn't feel guilty about the "model family" title; they just felt it would be better bestowed upon someone else, rather than shared with their arch-nemesis.
"So, tomorrow we'll probably be subjected to the judgmental stares of those dragons again," Leon said, "and Wilson will be the one presiding."
After a moment's thought, he looked at Rossweise. "How about we sneak into the academy tonight and quietly take care of that old schemer…"
As he spoke, Leon made a slicing motion across his own neck.
Beheading someone to cure a headache isn't a standard treatment. However, if the person causing the headache is the one being beheaded, the therapeutic effect might be surprisingly good.
Rossweise knew he was joking, so she shook her head. "Let's just attend it properly. The letter says it's a small ceremony held only within Noah's class. Even if the Vice Principal shows up, it won't be a big deal."
In other words, they had survived the previous large-scale ordeals. This one would be easy.
Leon scratched his head and sighed in relief. "Alright. We leave tomorrow morning?"
"Yeah."
Leon waved his hand and left Rossweise's room.
Rossweise sat alone on the couch. Despite her usual calm, she felt a bit of PTSD regarding St. Heath Academy's ceremonies.
She could only hope Headmaster Wilson would tone it down tomorrow and not let her and Leon embarrass themselves too much.
As the night deepened and drowsiness set in, Rossweise got up, took a shower, quickly tidied up, and went to bed.
.
.
.
The next morning, the couple set off for St. Heath Academy.
Upon arrival, they made their way to the teaching building for the young dragons.
The corridors were bustling with the parents of little dragons. Some were frantically searching for their children's classrooms, while others took the chance to socialize.
Leon and Rossweise headed straight for Noah's classroom.
The homeroom teacher was at the door, welcoming each family.
She had just finished with one family when she spotted Leon and Rossweise approaching.
She quickly walked over, shaking their hands enthusiastically. Following the Vice Principal's instructions, she had to show ten times—no, nine times—the enthusiasm when dealing with the model family!
"Welcome to the composition award ceremony. You've come a long way."
"Not at all, Teacher. Teaching so many children regularly is much more demanding," Rossweise politely replied.
The homeroom teacher felt a bit flustered by the praise, covering her mouth with a soft chuckle.
"It's alright, it's just my job. Please, come in. Noah is sitting in the middle of the first row."
Since Noah was younger and shorter than the other young dragons, it made sense for the teacher to seat her in the front.
"Alright."
Just as the couple was about to step inside, they seemed to remember something and stopped.
Rossweise pursed her lips, hesitating for a moment before asking, "Teacher, may I ask if Vice Principal Wilson will be attending today?"
The homeroom teacher shook her head. "The Vice Principal is in a meeting with the Headmaster at the main campus today. He won't be at this small ceremony."
Immediately, the couple felt a wave of relief, as if granted a pardon.
Wilson, the "master of social execution," wasn't here. So, even if there was any mention of the model family, it should pass quickly.
Leon and Rossweise no longer had to worry about wanting the ground to swallow them whole, as they had in the previous two ceremonies.
They walked into the classroom side by side and spotted Noah in the first row.
"Mommy! Daddy! Over here!" Noah stood up at her seat, waving to them.
They walked over and sat down on either side of her.
The classroom was spacious. To ensure every family could sit with their child comfortably during the ceremony, the academy had set up parent seats next to each young dragon's desk.
After sitting down, Leon asked, "The academy's letter didn't mention the competition results. Have they not been announced yet?"
Noah nodded. "The teacher will announce the top three essay rankings later. Then, it's up to the students if they want to read their essays out loud."
She paused, blinked her beautiful eyes, and looked seriously at Leon. "Daddy."
Leon was surprised by his daughter's sudden seriousness. "Hmm? What is it?"
"If I make the top three… I want to read my essay. Can I?" Noah asked.
Leon was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Noah to choose to read her essay aloud, even with the option to decline.
Although she was very competitive, she didn't usually enjoy excessive attention or showing off. But Noah always had her own thoughts, and Leon had always respected her choices.
So he nodded. "Of course. If you get the chance to read it, Mommy and Daddy will listen very carefully."
"Yeah!" Noah nodded eagerly.
Then she turned to look at Rossweise.
Since their daughter wanted to read, Rossweise naturally had no objections. But the couple noticed a small detail that was different from usual.
This time, Noah had asked Leon first, and only after his response did she seek Rossweise's opinion. Normally, she would have asked her mother first.
Did she mix up the order by accident? Or was there another reason?
Well, it was just a minor detail. Leon and Rossweise often competed for their daughter's favor, but there was no need to argue over "who got asked first."
With less than twenty minutes until the small ceremony began, the parents gradually arrived.
The family of three was whispering when a familiar name came from the classroom door.
"Lal, are you confident about this competition?"
"Yes, Dad."
"Good. Even though I haven't read your essay, I believe in you."
"You'll definitely get a good grade. When the time comes, you must read it aloud in front of your classmates, understand?"
"Yes, Dad. The teacher read my essay before and said I wrote about a father's love very sincerely."
"Haha, that's my boy. I'll treat you to a big meal when we get back."
As they spoke, Lal and his father strode into the classroom.
Since Leon's family was in the front row, they saw Lal and his father as soon as they entered.
The moment Lal's father recognized Leon, his steps faltered. For some reason, his knees began to ache faintly as he met the gaze of the man who refused to show his tail…
He pursed his lips, snorted coldly, and led Lal to some seats in the back.
Leon glanced at him and then asked, "Did that unlucky kid write a good essay?"
Noah nodded. "Although he's not good at fighting, his regular academic performance is pretty good."
"It doesn't matter. My daughter will definitely be better than him." Leon gently patted Noah's head.
Noah smiled and quietly waited for the small ceremony to begin.
[Author's Note: Noah the Ice Princess has finally melted! Guys.]