NOVEL WEB vol. 5 chapter 46 - Having You Is Enough
The summoning chant ended, the musicians finished their performance, and most of the steak on the table had already been devoured.
Noa, hearing the approaching footsteps from behind, slowly turned around.
Before she even saw who it was, she spoke up in advance,
"Welcome home, Dad."
The footsteps halted. Leon and Rosvisser stood before their daughters, momentarily at a loss for how to respond.
Every homecoming was so elaborate. This time, they’d even arranged for musicians.
Leon couldn’t help but wonder: if he and Rosvisser had more children, could they perhaps start an imperial funeral services band?
A family business—trustworthy!
"It’s been a while, Noa. You... seem to have grown taller again."
This wasn’t just small talk. As a girl with half-dragon blood, Noa’s physical growth far surpassed that of her human peers.
At her current age, her rapid development was especially noticeable after two months apart.
Moon was also growing quickly, though, as twins, Moon’s progress was slightly slower than her sister’s.
This might be due to Noa’s intense training regimen, which demanded more nutrition.
"Dad, you look a bit... weathered."
Spending two months in Flaming Valley had left its mark on Leon. The fact that he hadn’t turned into a completely blackened dragon was already fortunate.
Couple that with the desert winds, and it was no wonder he looked worn out. He hadn’t even had time to bathe properly before being summoned back.
Leon, fully aware of his disheveled state, refrained from hugging his daughters immediately.
"And why aren’t you hugging us yet?"
Noa’s voice was calm as always, though there seemed to be a trace of hidden reproach.
"Ah, Dad’s been on the road for a long time. I haven’t had the chance to shower yet, so—"
"Daddy, hug me!"
Muse, holding her beloved suona, didn’t wait for her father to finish his excuse. She dashed forward with arms wide open.
Seeing this, Leon couldn’t hesitate any longer. He bent down, opened his arms, and scooped up his youngest daughter.
Only then did Noa nod in satisfaction, the faintest smile tugging at her lips.
"Muse, did you miss Daddy?"
"Yes! Super missed you! Did Daddy miss Muse too?"
"Of course I did. I missed you, and your big sister, and your second sister, and your third sister."
"Then why didn’t you hug big sister first, Dad?"
Aurora, her pink hair bouncing, raised her hand as if asking a question in class.
Leon looked at her, unsure of how to respond. It wasn’t as if his daughters cared about the order of hugs. They weren’t the type to bicker over such things.
"But!" Aurora continued, deliberately dragging out the word. "It’s fun watching Dad squirm!"
Leon sighed inwardly, "Ah, my sweet little troublemakers."
After thinking hard for a moment, he finally came up with a response.
"Well... if not in order of birth, how about reverse order?"
Hearing this, Rosvisser, who had been watching the scene unfold, couldn’t help but laugh. She covered her mouth with one hand, turning slightly away in an attempt to stifle her laughter.
Leon shot her a glance but decided to save his comeback for later.
Placing Muse back down, he turned to Aurora.
"Alright, reverse order it is. Your turn, Aurora."
"Coming, Dad! Hug!"
Aurora bit her lip to hide her grin as she ran over and gave her father a tight hug. She even nuzzled her cheek against his.
Though she had been teasing him earlier, she’d missed him terribly over the past two months.
Next was Moon.
"Dad—!"
Moon took a few running steps and leapt into her father’s arms. She never held back her feelings, always expressing them openly and enthusiastically.
Leon used to tease his little "moonbeam" for her chubby cheeks, but as her body matured, some of the baby fat had faded, revealing the contours of a young lady.
After setting Moon down, Leon turned to Noa.
Father and daughter stood face to face, one tall and composed, the other slightly hunched from exhaustion. Noa made no move.
Leon smiled indulgently and opened his arms.
"You’re not going to say no, are you?"
"I’m a big girl now. Big girls don’t need hugs," Noa replied.
Still, she stepped forward and raised her fist for a bump.
Leon immediately responded in kind, gently tapping his fist against hers.
Noa finally allowed herself a radiant smile.
"I missed you, Dad."
"I missed you too, Noa."
As father and daughter shared a quiet moment, Rosvisser knelt beside Muse, pointing at the suona in her hands.
"Muse, when did you learn to play this?"
The little girl blinked her wide eyes, thinking for a moment before replying,
"About a month ago!"
A month ago, Leon hadn’t been home, so it clearly wasn’t him who had ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ taught her.
Rosvisser didn’t press further. Instead, she gently picked Muse up and asked with a smile,
"Do you think you could stop learning this instrument, sweetie?"
"Hmm... no way!"
Rosvisser chuckled helplessly, pinching her daughter’s cheek.
"Alright, sweetie. If you want to keep learning, Mom will support you no matter what."
"Mommy’s the best! Muuua~!"
Although Rosvisser found the suona a bit... unconventional, she worried that Muse might take after her eccentric father. Still, she wouldn’t stop her daughter from pursuing something she truly loved.
As the maids dispersed, the family gathered on the backyard lawn.
Noa held up a black-and-white photo of Leon, her usual stern demeanor softening slightly.
Aurora and Moon competed to share what they’d learned at the academy over the past two months.
Muse occasionally interrupted the chatter with a tune from her suona, keeping the atmosphere lively.
Leon and Rosvisser sat side by side. His palm rested lightly on the back of her hand. They exchanged a glance—brief but filled with understanding.
"Just a few animals short of your idyllic farm life," Rosvisser teased.
"Raising daughters is plenty for me," Leon replied with a soft chuckle.
Looking at his wife’s cool hand, at his daughters laughing and playing, Leon smiled and said,
"Having you all is enough, Rosvisser."