Vol. 6 Ch. 25

"I didn’t know either. They just told me that coming here would allow me to defeat Yingjing without using force, and that Hefei could surpass the noble daughters of the great families. So, here I am."

"Hmm? Oh, I’ve never played it before."

"It seems to be some kind of live-action interactive escape room game. I’ve never paid much attention to these things before."

"Yeah, I like it quite a bit."

"The people here aren’t just pleasant to talk to—they’re all incredibly talented dragons."

"I really love this place."

"Alright, everyone, that concludes the Red Flame Dragon King Constantine’s remarks on the reconstruction efforts of the Red Flame Dragon Clan."

"If you’d like to know more about the reconstruction process or fun stories about little Hefei, stay tuned to the Cloud Island Evening News!"

The reporter finished her coverage, tapping Constantine’s shoulder lightly before stepping away.

Constantine let out a relieved sigh.

Being a figure of focus meant every word and action was scrutinized and speculated upon.

Although his "redemption" work was mostly complete, Constantine’s actions were still met with varying degrees of criticism within the dragon community.

Earlier, upon landing on Cloud Island, Constantine had been immediately swarmed by reporters asking countless questions.

To maintain the image crafted by the Tower Lord and the academy and to ensure Hefei’s future in dragon society, Constantine had to endure the relentless questioning with patience.

However, as he dealt with the last reporter, he suddenly spotted Hefei standing near the entrance to Cloud Island.

She held her father’s hand while shielding her eyes from the light with her other hand, trying to see further into the distance.

"Didn’t we agree to meet at the entrance to Cloud Island?" Constantine muttered, scanning the surroundings for Leon’s family.

"Why isn’t the door open yet?"

Hefei pointed toward the gate, still shielding her eyes.

Cloud Island was surrounded by dense mist, giving it the appearance of a celestial realm. While breathtakingly beautiful, the fog obscured nearby landmarks.

This unique characteristic gave the island its name—not because it floated like Sky City, but because the thick mist resembled clouds, making it "The Island in the Clouds."

As father and daughter waited, a familiar voice called out from the side.

"Uncle Constantine, Hefei, hello! Long time no see!"

They turned to see a young girl dressed in a sea-blue dress, paired with white over-the-knee socks and school-style loafers. She carried a bag slung over one shoulder and held the straps with both hands, looking demure and composed.

"Helena!"

The name was well-known within their group of friends. Helena often played with the Melkvey sisters, so Hefei naturally recognized her.

The little red dragon let go of her father’s hand, wagging her tail as she ran toward Helena.

Now a member of the young dragon division, Helena was much taller than Hefei. She had to bend down slightly to scoop the little dragon into her arms.

As Hefei breathed in the cool, fresh sea-breeze scent clinging to Helena, she looked up and asked,

"Helena, are you here to play the escape room game too?"

"Yes," Helena replied with a gentle smile. "Noa invited me and my mom to join, but my mom has been too busy lately, so I came alone."

She glanced at Constantine, her smile still warm, and added,

"You must be Uncle Constantine, right? My father mentioned you were bringing Hefei along too."

"Yes," Constantine confirmed. "This is the first time I’ve taken her out for some fun since the clan’s reconstruction. She hasn’t seen Helena in a long time and missed her dearly!"

Helena laughed softly, squinting her eyes as she ruffled Hefei’s small head.

"We’ll see them soon."

"Okay~!" Hefei chirped, beaming.

Constantine didn’t have a particularly strong impression of this young girl from the Sea Dragon Clan.

However, he noticed she didn’t treat him the way other dragons did—either idolizing him as a hero or avoiding him as a villain.

When Helena greeted him earlier, it was a casual, ordinary greeting, as if she didn’t care about his controversial reputation.

"It seems Claudia raised her child well," Constantine thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Constantine’s feet trembled slightly, breaking his train of thought.

He turned to see a massive silver dragon flapping its wings, dispersing the surrounding mist. With a flash of magical light, the Melkvey family appeared, walking in a grand procession.

"Hahaha~" came the cheerful sound of their arrival, full of energy and vigor.

In most dragon families, having one child was normal, two was a sign of love, and three was enough to make history in their clan’s records.

But for Leon and Rosvisser, who had four children, it was simply a testament to their boundless energy and leisure.

"Hefei!"

"Muse!"

The two complementary-colored dragon girls spotted each other and immediately rushed forward, unable to contain their excitement.

After a warm embrace, they even entwined their little tails as a gesture of closeness.

Noa approached more calmly, suppressing her excitement at reuniting with her close friend.

"Hi, Helena," she greeted.

Still towering a head above Noa, Helena crossed her arms and smirked mischievously as she looked her friend up and down.

"I can tell you’re dying to hug me, just like Hefei did. Go ahead, no one’s going to laugh at you."

Noa hesitated, her expression freezing for a moment before she looked away, rubbing her temples awkwardly."I... I don’t want to that badly."

"Then I’ll hug you instead," Helena said without hesitation.

"Eh—wait, what?!"

Before Noa could react, she found herself enveloped by the refreshing sea-breeze scent that clung to Helena.

The Melkvey family’s dragon daughters had always been known for their fondness for physical affection, a trait that persisted across generations. Even with Noa’s reserved demeanor, this tendency to indulge in hugs remained.

A small, shy smile spread across Noa’s face as her little tail lifted slightly in embarrassment.

Her cheeks flushed as she hesitantly reached up and lightly grabbed the fabric of Helena’s dress, a timid yet clear response to the embrace.

Watching this scene unfold, Rosvisser lazily remarked, "Second Sister, isn’t this the moment you’re supposed to charge in?"

"Second Sister?"

"Hello? Are you even listening to me—"

"Helena! Helena! Reina is here!"

"Oh, don’t worry, Reina isn’t here to break you all up."

"Reina’s here to join you!"

Aurora: "…"

Sigh. Second Sister, you’ll be stuck as a clingy sibling your whole life.

The children chatted and played, their laughter filling the air. Meanwhile, the three adults exchanged greetings.

After some polite small talk, Leon asked, "How’s the progress on your clan’s reconstruction?"

"It’s nearly complete. I really have to thank you for helping relocate the survivors. Thanks to that, they’ve been able to return to the clan so quickly," Constantine replied.

Leon waved a hand dismissively. "It was nothing. But honestly, when I sent you the invitation to this escape room game, I didn’t think you’d be interested in this kind of family activity. I’m surprised you actually came. Was it Hefei’s strong insistence?"

Constantine nodded but quickly added, "Not entirely."

"Oh? Then what else?"

With an unusually serious expression, Constantine stared directly into Leon’s eyes and explained,"I’m here to defeat you in this game."

"…"

Constantine’s obsession with defeating Leon had now extended to a simple team-building game.

"Alright, good. I like your energy."

The group continued their conversation until a staff member in a uniform approached.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Leon?"

Leon nodded. "That’s me."

The staff member bowed slightly and gestured for them to follow."Welcome to our live-action escape room interactive game. Please, come this way."

Rosvisser led the children after the staff member, while the two men lagged behind, their competitive spirit palpable.

"I can’t wait to see how you plan to beat me, Constantine," Leon teased.

"Thoroughly. I will crush you," Constantine replied with absolute determination.

"Same to you, word for word."

Meanwhile, the queen walking ahead had a silent thought:

This is just a game, you two childish fools! Do you really have to take it this seriously?!