"But why am I dreaming about the Primordial Dragon King? And so often?" Noah asked, confused.
Leon thought for a moment. "When did you start having this dream?"
He had a good guess but wanted to confirm.
"After we returned from the Far North," Noah replied without hesitation.
The two exchanged a glance, and as they put all the pieces together, the answer began to take shape.
Noah's recent unusual symptoms seemed to be linked to the Primordial Dragon King's ruins they had explored beneath the ice in the Far North.
Right after they returned, Leon and Rosswessi had brought in the best healers in the clan to give Noah a full check-up. Physically, she appeared fine, aside from a mild injury to her right hand.
But considering the nature of the ancient dragon ruins, a clean bill of health didn't guarantee everything was truly normal.
Leon took it seriously.
If something were really wrong with his precious daughter, he'd take down Constantine first, then wreck the ruins for good measure. Leon wasn't the kind to waste time with "I-told-you-so" talks; he was more of the "action-first, lecture-later" type.
But right now, the focus was on solving Noah's problem.
"When you interrupted Constantine's power absorption, it caused an explosion as your magic collided with the Primordial Power. This blast let you stop him, correct?"
Noah nodded.
Leon thought for a moment, then suggested, "You might have accidentally absorbed some of the Primordial Power yourself. And because you can't control it, certain… let's say 'substances' embedded in that power might be causing your dreams."
Noah blinked, curious. "Substances embedded in the power?"
"Yes, it's difficult to define exactly. Some scholars believe they're the souls of those who've passed, while others think they're fragments of the deceased's memories," Leon explained. "But it's widely accepted that the magic we wield—"
He raised his hand, and blue sparks crackled in his palm, "—does carry certain traces. If a person's physical form perishes, but their power and the 'substances' within it are preserved, it can sometimes be revived through certain types of magic."
Though resurrection was taboo across most species and a complex theory, Leon simplified it for Noah.
He'd only ever read about it before seeing it with his own eyes—until the Empire shamelessly revived Constantine not once but twice.
Constantine had initially been little more than a head, with only a tiny shred of power left in it. And now, here he was, practically bursting with life. And this ancient power left in the ruins? It was immense in comparison.
Noah tried to follow his train of thought.
"So you mean… there's a piece of the Primordial Power in my body, but because I can't use it, it's just stuck there, and a part of the Primordial Dragon King's… 'substance' within it is affecting my dreams?"
Leon nodded. "Theoretically, if you can release that residual Primordial Power from your body, you shouldn't experience those dreams anymore, and your physical symptoms should gradually improve."
Noah paused, a bit exasperated. "But Dad, I have no idea how to use Primordial Power. I've never learned it."
This was one thing her talent couldn't help with.
Leon, however, seemed unfazed.
"True, but someone does know how to use it."
"Huh?"
…
"Why are you two smiling so suspiciously?" Rosswessi asked, glancing sideways at Leon and Noah from her seat on the throne in the hall.
Leon held Noah in his arms, smiling ingratiatingly at her.
"Honey~"
"Mom~"
"Out with it. I'm busy here."
As her daughter grew older, she'd taken after her father in many ways. Her combat style, magic preference, and principles of action—they were all gradually becoming Leon-like.
And now, she was even adopting his mischievous grin.
Rosswessi sighed inwardly. Of all the things to imitate, why did she have to pick up this cheeky behavior?
Not that she didn't appreciate the change. As she recalled, when Leon accidentally traveled twenty years into the future, the Noah of that era had grown gloomy and withdrawn in his absence.
Rosswessi never wanted to see her daughter become that way.
So watching Noah's bright and lively demeanor now, Rosswessi felt a bit of relief.
Back to business.
She knew they wouldn't disturb her without a good reason.
Leon briefly explained Noah's situation and their recent insights.
Rosswessi immediately understood the gravity of it.
"Teaching Noah to channel Primordial Power… Sure, I can do that. Noah, when do you want to start?"
"Whenever you're ready, Mom."
Rosswessi set down her pen and stood up. "Mom's ready right now."
Leon & Princess Noah: "Huh?"
"But you just said you were busy," Noah protested.
"The world can wait. My daughter's needs come first. Now, to the training grounds."
The workaholic was defeated by the daughter-obsessed mother.
Ten minutes later, the family arrived at the training grounds behind the sanctuary.
"So as long as Noah releases the Primordial Power she absorbed by accident, her dreams will stop, and her health should improve, right?" Rosswessi confirmed.
Leon nodded. "How long do you think it would take to teach her the basics?"
He remembered how much time and effort Rosswessi had invested when she first trained to control Primordial Power. Even if Noah was gifted, he figured it would take at least a couple of weeks to get the basics down.
After a moment's thought, Rosswessi replied, "If she were to learn it traditionally, it would take quite a bit of time. But given that her health is already affected, we shouldn't delay. I believe… I could simply guide the Primordial Power out of her. That should yield the same results."
Rosswessi made a good point.
Only a couple of weeks in, and Noah was already showing clear signs of discomfort. If she had to learn new techniques while struggling with fatigue, it would only worsen her condition.
Her suggestion was the most efficient option.
"Then let's do it your way," Leon agreed.
"Alright. Noah, sit down here."
Noah nodded, sitting obediently.
"Hold out your hand and place it in Mom's."
"Yes, Mom."
Noah placed her small hand in Rosswessi's soft palm.
Rosswessi held her daughter's hand gently. "Don't worry, Noah. Just relax."
"Okay."
"Now, close your eyes and start channeling your natural magic."
Noah did as instructed, and soon, blue sparks crackled around her.
"Good. Now, try to sense any foreign energy mixed in with your power."
Noah frowned slightly. "Foreign energy?"
"Yes. Your natural energy should feel pure to you, but the Primordial Power is different. Think of it as a drop of ink in water. It will spread through your magical circuits. If you focus, you'll feel it," Rosswessi explained.
Having practiced with the Primordial Power for so long, Rosswessi had already developed a few effective techniques.
"Alright, I'll give it a try."
Following her mother's guidance, Noah quieted her mind, searching for the Primordial Power within her.
During this process, Rosswessi used her own Primordial Power to guide Noah. Once Noah located the foreign energy, Rosswessi would help extract it.
After a few moments, Noah's expression changed slightly.
"I think… I feel it, Mom."
"Good. Leave the rest to me."
With that, Rosswessi immediately "caught" the Primordial Power that Noah had identified, carefully drawing it out of her magical circuits.
This step required precision and caution. If she rushed, it could cause Noah harm.
As Rosswessi was about to fully withdraw the power, she suddenly sensed an invisible force resisting her.
"What… is this?" she muttered.
Leon, who had been standing guard, noticed her hesitation and approached quickly. "Is something wrong?"
"It feels like something is trying to stop me from drawing out the Primordial Power."
"Need a hand?"
Rosswessi shook her head. "No, it's weak and faint. I can handle it."
"Alright. If anything goes wrong, I'll sever your connection with it immediately," Leon assured her.
"Understood."
Rosswessi focused on pulling out the foreign power.
As she'd said, the resisting force was weak, not nearly enough to overpower her.
Moments later, she succeeded in guiding all of the Primordial Power out of Noah.
Both mother and daughter let out a sigh of relief.
---
Noah flopped backward onto the soft grass, feeling significantly lighter. The slight headache that had plagued her eased as well.
Rosswessi examined the orb of white energy in her hand. "So this is the Primordial Power that seeped into Noah at the ruins…"
Leon crouched beside her, "Compared to Constantine's, this looks pretty small."
Rosswessi nudged him with her elbow. "Can you compare it to something reasonable?"
Leon laughed, then walked over and lifted Noah into his arms. "Feeling better?"
Noah nodded, smiling. "Much better."
She turned to Rosswessi, "Thank you, Mom!"
Rosswessi stood and pinched her daughter's cheek. "As long as you're okay. Let's ask the maids to make some extra snacks tonight to help you regain your strength."
"Good idea."
---
That night
In the sisters' bedroom, Muwen finished cuddling Aurora and turned over to snuggle up to Noah.
This time, she successfully latched onto her sister.
As she slept, a content smile spread across her face, and she nuzzled her cheek against Noah's neck.
Noah, however, lay wide awake, staring straight at the ceiling.
She raised a hand and gently pushed Muwen away.
A second later, Muwen rolled back and clung to her again.
She pushed her away.
Muwen rolled back.
She pushed once more.
And Muwen snuggled back yet again.
Noah gave up.
"This annoying little brat. As the daughter of a Dragon King, how can you have such a terrible sleeping posture? You're disgracing my legacy."
"Though… I suppose you are pretty cute. Could it be that all the dragons' potential got funneled into their looks?"
The ancient dragon spirit stared at the ceiling, pondering how the dragon clan she saved thousands of years ago could have ended up like this.
Not that it was entirely bad.
Just… unexpected.
"Ah, it seems I can't secretly use this kid's body to reaccumulate my Primordial Power. That silver dragon, Rosswessi, is too sharp—already mastering my power at her age."
"And her husband… Leon Cosmodeous. He's a tricky one, too. If I hurt this kid's body, he definitely wouldn't forgive me."
"If I still had my old body and power, I wouldn't be afraid of those two."
"But unfortunately… Ah."
With a soft sigh, the ancient dragon pondered ways to quietly restore her former self.
But as she racked her brain, the little dragon beside her finally rolled over, curling up against the pink-haired sister instead.
At last, the ancient dragon spirit exhaled in relief.
She slipped out from under the covers and padded quietly to the bathroom.
Looking at the young dragon's face in the mirror, she sighed, hesitating for a moment before finally deciding.
"It seems… it's time to come clean with you, little one."