No, Rossweise thought firmly, there's no way I'm letting my darling Noah inherit her father's penchant for abstract nonsense.
The queen shot a sharp look at Leon, who was still lying in bed.
Internal dialogue:
Rossweise: You've got ten seconds to fix this mess. Think of something—now!
Leon: Don't rush me! I'm thinking, I'm thinking!
Rossweise: If Noah ends up spiraling down this path of abstraction, Leon, I swear I'll hold you accountable!
Leon, still reeling from his earlier slip, had been thinking so quickly that "cousin's mother's brother" had been the best thing he could come up with on the spot. He hadn't anticipated his clever daughter taking his abstract nonsense a step further to coin "grand-uncle."
"Sweetheart, your brilliance is wasted on things like this!"
After a moment of calm, Leon quickly came up with a solution.
"Noah, actually, this gentleman here isn't your 'grand-uncle.' He's my... teacher."
Noah blinked her bright eyes. "Teacher?"
"That's right. Do you know why your dad is so skilled?"
The little princess shook her head.
"It's all thanks to—"
Leon threw the blanket aside and forced his still-fatigued body out of bed.
Both Rossweise and Isha watched with concern as he staggered a bit, worried he might collapse. Thankfully, Leon managed to steady himself and made his way over to his teacher and Charlotte.
"It's all thanks to the strong foundation my teacher built for me when I was a child! Not only were they like my parents who raised me."
"That much is true," Rossweise agreed, nodding. "Even with Leon's natural talent, his early training under Tiger was crucial to his success."
Tiger had laid a solid foundation for Leon, ensuring that no matter how high he built, he would remain steady.
Of course, this didn't include the time Tiger miscalculated during a demonstration and almost shattered Leon's ribs with a massive hammer.
Leon, still smiling, gestured grandly toward Charlotte. "And this is my teacher's wife and my mother, your grandmother! She's the one who made sure I grew up strong by feeding me delicious meals when I was a child!"
"Grandma's cooking made Dad survive a hammer blow√"
Although Noah wasn't particularly interested in food, she politely nodded at Charlotte, acknowledging her culinary skills with a touch of respect.
"So, Noah," Leon said with a grin, "if he's my teacher, and she's his wife, they're like my father and mother, what's their relationship?"
Noah tilted her head thoughtfully. "They're... a married couple?"
Despite already guessing the answer, she still hesitated due to their youthful appearances.
"That's right! They've been married for over thirty years!"
"Wow!"
For the young dragon princess, whose sense of time stretched over centuries, thirty years was an unimaginably long commitment.
Leon seized the opportunity to correct the earlier debacle. "And Noah, calling him 'grand-uncle' was a mistake. So you should call him—"
Leon deliberately dragged out the final word, hoping Noah would finish the thought.
"Grandpa!"
"Exactly!" Leon beamed, then patted Charlotte on the shoulder. "And this is—"
"Grandma!"
"Perfect! That's exactly right."
Leon nudged his Master and Mistress gently forward. The couple caught on quickly.
Charlotte knelt down and spread her arms with a warm smile. "Noah, come give Grandma a hug."
"Okay~"
Noah eagerly ran into Charlotte's embrace. Despite usually being reserved about physical contact, Noah could tell from her father's words how important these two were to him.
She also noticed how nervous they seemed, as if worried about how they'd be received. Wanting to ease their tension, Noah made an extra effort to be warm and welcoming.
After a moment, she turned her small face toward Tiger.
"Grandpa, your turn!"
Tiger's face lit up with joy. "Of course, Grandpa will hug you!"
Although Noah wasn't typically skilled at charming adults, her considerate nature often won them over. Now, using tricks she'd secretly learned from her younger siblings, she completely melted the hearts of her grandparents.
Leon, watching the harmonious interaction between his daughter and his teacher, breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew. Noah didn't ask anything suspicious. My flawless disguise saved the day!"
Years later, Noah would reflect on this moment with a smirk. "Dad, your 'flawless disguise' was about as sturdy as wet paper. I just didn't want to embarrass you in front of Grandpa and Grandma."
"Grandpa, Grandma, let's take little sister outside to play so Dad can rest," Noah suggested cheerfully.
Understanding that the crowded room might have been adding to their tension, Noah offered to lead them out.
Tiger and Charlotte happily agreed. Noah picked up Muse, waved goodbye to Leon, and said, "Get some rest, Dad. Tonight, let's eat at that restaurant we went to last time!"
"Sure. Have fun, and stay safe."
"Will do~"
The four of them left the room, leaving Leon and Rossweise to finally relax.
As soon as they were gone, Leon tried to follow, taking a couple of steps before nearly collapsing again.
Rossweise rushed to his side, steadying him. "Are you worried Noah will notice something off while they're together?"
"Yeah... I wanted to tell Master to be careful."
"Leave it to me."
"Isha's already volunteered," Rossweise said with a grin. "She loves high-stakes games like this."
Leon sighed. "This isn't a game, Sis."
"Don't worry," Isha said confidently. "I'll smooth things over if anything happens. You two just stay here and rest."
With a mischievous glint in her eye, Isha strode out of the room, ready to oversee the unfolding interaction between her niece and her human grandparents.
Claudia chuckled at the scene and said, "In that case, I won't stay any longer. You two enjoy some quality time together."
"Wait, Senior," Leon called. "There's something I want to ask you."
Claudia paused, arching an eyebrow. "Let me guess... you want to know more about 'ultra sense,' don't you?"
Leon nodded. "Yes. You once said it was just a specialized body technique, but... that's not the whole story, is it?"
Claudia smiled knowingly and sat back down, crossing her long legs. "It seems you've already begun to figure it out."
Rossweise helped Leon back to the bed and sat beside him, listening quietly.
"During my fight with Odin," Leon said, looking down at his hands, "I accidentally activated ultra sense. It felt... strange, as though I could perceive the flow of everything in existence. Every detail became clear to me. That doesn't feel like something a mere body technique could achieve."
"You're absolutely right," Claudia said. "ultra sense isn't just a body technique. It's actually the origin of all body techniques."
"The origin?" Leon's eyes widened.
"That's right. But before I explain further, let me ask you this: In today's world, with its vast and complex magical systems, what would you say is the foundational force beneath it all?"
Leon and Rossweise exchanged a glance before answering in unison. "Primordial Energy."
Claudia nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Primordial Energy—ancient, mysterious, and pure—is the root of all magic."
"And just as Primordial Energy represents the essence of magic, ultra sense represents the pinnacle of body techniques. It was created by the Dragon God Tiamat, just like Primordial Energy."
Claudia continued, "When you activated ultra sense, you glimpsed the truth Tiamat wanted all practitioners to understand: the intricate, interconnected flow of all things in the world. Only by comprehending these patterns can one act with perfect control."
"Of course, understanding is one thing. Achieving mastery is another."
"For centuries, even though the path to ultra sense has been more accessible than Primordial Energy, few have managed to grasp even a fragment of its power."
"Your generation of Dragon Kings knows little about ultra sense, but Odin's generation pursued it relentlessly. Yet, none of them succeeded."
Claudia's gaze softened, her admiration evident. "Who would've thought that in this era, a human would be the one to unlock its secrets? And in just a few months, no less."
Her praise was rare, but Leon's knack for defying expectations made it impossible not to acknowledge his achievements.
Claudia's expression turned warm as she looked at Leon and Rossweise. "Now, between the two of you, you've mastered both Primordial Energy and ultra sense—the pinnacles of magic and body techniques. No trial or danger can ever tear you apart."