Chapter 50: The stars dimmed in comparison
Leon brought the future scientist to Rosvitha’s library.
Once the tension with the mother dragon had eased, she had given Leon keys to most of the rooms in the Silver Dragon Temple, including her private library.
Pushing open the door to the library, rows of neatly arranged bookshelves came into view, their elegant and simple decor adding a literary atmosphere to the place.
Upon entering, Little Light widened her eyes in astonishment, gripping her small fists in excitement. Even her tail curled slightly, her pink pupils flickering with anticipation and longing for books and knowledge.
It was her first time in Rosvitha’s library, so her excitement was expected. Leon patted Little Light’s head.
“How’s it here?”
“It’s amazing!”
Leon smiled. “Noia used to study here for a while, and it’s also where Muen began her magical education. If you want to learn more, the books here can fulfill your needs.”
Rosvitha’s library had enough resources to satisfy even a master like Noia, let alone Little Light, who was just getting started. Leon patted Little Light’s back.
“Go ahead, pick out a few books that interest you. I’ll be waiting for you at the desk by the bay window.”
“Okay~”
Little Light eagerly ran into the rows of bookshelves, selecting books she liked. Leon went to the spot where he used to accompany Noia and Muen for studies, waiting silently.
After about a dozen minutes, Little Light walked over, carrying a stack of books taller than her head, swaying unsteadily. Her tail swung behind her, trying hard to maintain balance. Leon shook his head with a smile, then approached to take the books from Little Light’s arms.
“You brought so many, can you finish reading them all?”
“Dad, you don’t understand. Books are the ladder for children to progress.”
Leon was taken aback. He had heard that famous saying before, but wasn’t it “Books are the ladder of human progress”?
Hmm… Could it be that his daughter, with half of his human blood, was beginning to awaken something? No wonder, compared to other young dragons, Little Light was quieter and showed a stronger interest in books. Was this the reason?
Well done, my clever little girl! You’re making Daddy proud!
However, before Leon could fully revel in his pride, he realized that things might not be as he had imagined. Little Light took each book from Leon’s hands, then placed them one by one on the chair next to the desk, stacking them layer by layer. Finally, she climbed up and sat on the “small mountain of books,” just high enough to lean over the desk to read.
“Look, Dad, the ladder of progress!”
Little Light said proudly, patting the books beneath her bottom.
So, “Books are the ladder for children to progress” meant this. Adults certainly didn’t need to stack books under their bottoms when reading at a desk.
While Leon marveled at his daughter’s cleverness, the flame of hope that had just ignited in his heart was extinguished by a bucket of cold water.
Human genes, wake up! Do something, human genes!
The old father walked over and sat opposite his little daughter. “Sweetheart, this isn’t a ladder of progress, it’s a progress cushion.”
“‘Ladder’ sounds more literary,” Little Light replied earnestly, her face serious.
Leon chuckled, his gaze falling on the books that Little Light hadn’t used as a cushion. “What books did you pick?”
“‘A Brief History of Dragons,’ ‘The Origin Hypothesis of Magic,’ ‘From Void to Starry Sky,’ and…”
As she spoke, Little Light held up the book in her hand. When Leon saw the title on the book cover, he paused for a moment and involuntarily read it aloud, ” ‘Human Art History’?”
Little Light nodded obediently. “Mmm-hmm!”
The flame of hope had extinguished prematurely.
This time, human genes triumphed!
However, amidst his joy, another question emerged: Why were there human books in Rosvitha’s library? When he studied here with Noia and Muen before, there wasn’t a single book about humans. Were they added later? Was it the decision of the mother dragon? He couldn’t guess. But regardless, his daughter’s interest in human culture was a good thing.
How to put it? The prenatal education plan was a complete success!
It wasn’t in vain for this old father to recite poems and sing songs to your mother’s belly all those years ago. The effects of prenatal education have finally come to fruition!
Leon suppressed a smile and refocused his thoughts. “Alright, take your time reading. If you have any questions, just ask Daddy.”
“Okay~”
Little Light opened the book “Human Art History” and began reading attentively. Meanwhile, Leon, feeling a bit idle, casually flipped through “A Brief History of Dragons” lying on the table. In the table of contents, the author had categorized various dragon tribes, using separate chapters to narrate the development history of each tribe.
Leon skimmed through a couple of chapters and found that the author had some skills. Although the history was told in a fragmented manner, each “fragment” contained key points that interconnected with other “fragments.”
Moreover, the order in which the dragon tribes appeared in the book was carefully arranged, emphasizing a sense of continuity and coherence.
Leon found the section on the Silver Dragon Tribe. The appearance of the Silver Dragon Tribe was a bit later in the book, towards the middle and later parts. So, Rosvitha’s race was also a relatively new tribe emerging in the last millennium?
“Relying on their unique geographical advantages, once the Silver Dragon Tribe emerged, they confirmed their place among the dragon tribes.”
“Easy defense and difficult offense are prominent features of the Silver Dragon territory. Consequently, the successive Silver Dragon Kings, compared to the kings of other tribes, tend to avoid war and never initiate conflicts with any other race.”
The saying “the environment shapes the people” makes sense. Occupying such a naturally advantageous and resource-rich place, the Silver Dragon Tribe indeed didn’t need to expand their territory aggressively like the Constantines did.
Leon continued reading until he reached the part where the main female protagonist made her appearance.
“The fourth generation Silver Dragon King, Rosvitha Melkvi, ascended to the throne in the year 1680 of the Creation Era. During her forty-year reign (the book was written in the year 1720 of the Creation Era), the Silver Dragon tribe prospered in trade, economy, and other systems, revitalizing the tribe once again.”
“Before ascending to the throne, Melkvi had undergone nearly a hundred years of learning and training. She ultimately completed the academic tests of the third generation Silver Dragon King flawlessly, and directly defeated the third generation King, gaining the support of all Silver Dragon subjects.”
“The current principal of Saint Hys School, the absolute authority and just five-star elder, ‘Angelina Olette,’ once evaluated her student in this way:”
“Among all the children who love learning, Melkvi is the one that impresses me the most.”
“She is focused and agile, always shining the brightest in the crowd, making even the stars dim in her presence. Her dedication to academia and power has made her the most outstanding Silver Dragon King in a thousand years.”
“Rosvitha Melkvi, the pride of our Saint Hys School, the pride of the dragon race!”
Leon’s eye twitched slightly.
Wow, that’s quite the praise…
Vice-Principal Wilson, that old dragon, is a shipper of Rosvitha and Melkvi; then you, Principal, are Melkvi’s solo fan, right?
So, Saint Hys School isn’t really a school, is it? You’re just a large fan club!
And your most outstanding student, Melkvi, is already the pride of the school, so why does she, as an ‘honorary alumna,’ still have to participate in some melodramatic test when enrolling her daughter?
Can’t she just use the backdoor?
The previous academy related to the Dragon Clan was called Cassell. The son of an honored alum not only got in through the back door, but also got an S rank… (not bushi).
After silently criticizing for a moment, Leon looked up at the little light across from him. His obedient daughter was there, earnestly watching, lightly biting her lower lip, with a slight furrow in her brow, the look of focused contemplation.
Leon didn’t disturb her, instead lowering his head to continue watching the various praises for Rosvitha’s solo performance.
Even though it was awkward, Leon was starting to enjoy this kind of awkwardness.
Praise well, love well, praise abundantly.
Because she’s my wife.
Now this is new, Leon being openly proud about the praises Rosvitha is receiving.