What was contained in her tears?
I felt touched, happy, and reluctant to see the little black dragon leave.
But the sad mood only lasted for a short while, and Licaro returned to normal. She felt that the time was about right, and she was now very satisfied.
So Eloline landed on the ground. When Guoguo saw this, he ran over to help Licaro untie the rope.
"Hoohoo, I'm so happy~~" After Likalo got off Eloline's back, she walked in front of Eloline and said, "Little Black Dragon is really great, give me another kiss as a reward~"
"No, no, no!"
Eloline turned her head away shyly. In her opinion, being kissed by Licaro was actually taking advantage of her.
After all, she is a dragon on the surface, but she still has memories of her past life as a human in her mind.
She was really shy anyway.
PS: Has anyone ever ridden a dragon? Tell us what it feels like.
Chapter 0 - That Winter Day 023 Birthday
Wilfen started planning a birthday party for his daughter very early, but he was not sure what his daughter liked. He was embarrassed to ask directly. His daughter was not at home on weekdays, and he had no way of getting any information from the people around her.
In fact, if Wilfin had spent more time with his daughter when she was young, there would not be such an invisible gap between him and his daughter now. Wilfin understood this truth, but he shouldered the responsibilities of a Duke.
Compared with other girls, Licaro has been a little more rebellious since she was a child. Wilfin often thinks of his own childhood, when he also had a rebellious personality. His daughter is really like him in this respect.
He is over fifty years old now, and he will reminisce about his youth when he is too old to walk.
Licaro had already put on an elegant and gorgeous dress. Although this kind of dress affected her movements, today was a birthday party and all banquets held at aristocratic standards had to follow etiquette.
So although Licaro was somewhat reluctant, she would not express her incomprehension.
Many of my father's friends came to the birthday party today, and those friends also brought their family children. In Licaro's opinion, she didn't want to talk to those little brats who always maintained aristocratic airs.
In the past, her mother was always present at birthday parties, so Licaro could still feel a little happy. But now that her mother is not back, Licaro thinks today's party might be the most boring birthday party she has ever experienced.
Seeing her father busy entertaining guests, Licaro also wanted to accompany her father, but she would not go on her own initiative if her father did not ask her to.
In the past, Licaro once told her father something that she found very interesting, but her father's facial expression did not change after listening to her, which made Licaro feel very bored, so she never shared anything interesting with her father again.
A long time later, when Licaro wanted to share her new discovery again, it was when she saw the little black dragon being born in the forest.
However, her father's reaction was still one of disbelief, and he didn't even pretend to believe it to comfort her.
Many times, Licaro thought that if her father would only laugh like her mother did, she would definitely share more interesting things with her father.
But my father really has no sense of humor.
Licaro didn't want to talk to her father, nor did she want to communicate with those noble children, so she walked alone to the quiet courtyard and waited for the banquet to begin.
The birthday party started in the afternoon and lasted until the evening. Today was also the day when Little Black Dragon said goodbye to Likalo, so she decided to wait until her father and the others got drunk in the evening, then sneak out and wear this beautiful dress to see Little Black Dragon off.
Licaro had placed two red photo crystals in the backpack in her bedroom in advance. She had used this kind of crystal on the little black dragon last time. It was a photo crystal with the function of recording images. Moreover, this color of crystal was an advanced version. It could also glow when recording or playing images, so it was very suitable for use at night.
Licaro decided to use two crystals to record the image, and then she and the little black dragon would each take one as a souvenir. Considering that the little black dragon had no place to store the crystal, Licaro also specially used a rope to make it into a pendant-like ornament, which she could then tie to the little black dragon's horn.
The playback of the photo crystal can be done using water. When the time comes, the little black dragon only needs to soak the horn with the photo crystal in the water, and the magic power in the photo crystal will display the picture on the water surface.
Licaro has been preparing these things in her room since this morning. When the time is right tonight, she will go back to her room, put on her backpack and go to the forest.
"Daughter, the party is about to begin."
Wilfin was also wearing aristocratic dress at this time. He knew that his daughter would be in the courtyard, so he came here directly.
Before heading to the banquet table, Wilfin decided to have a good talk with his daughter in this quiet courtyard.
"Father, shall we go?"
After Likalo stood up, she found that her father still hadn't moved. Then her father suddenly took her hand and asked her to sit down first.
"My dear daughter, I know you feel lost because your mother is not around."
Wilfin's tone was so gentle as if he had been possessed by another spirit. Licaro looked at him in surprise, and discovered that this Grand Duke of the Empire, a man with countless battles and great reputation, was actually crying.
"Father, what's wrong with you?"
Licaro swore that this was the first time she saw her father cry. Although her father did not cry out loud, these silent tears also made Licaro worried.
"Today is your ninth birthday. My daughter is one year older." Wilfin stroked Licaro's head with his hand. The latter did not resist, but looked at him in confusion.
Wilfin actually wanted to break the barriers between himself and his daughter. He loved his daughter very much and wanted to share his worries with her. However, having joined the army as a teenager and having spent his entire life in military service, he was not really good at expressing himself.
On the surface, the relationship between father and daughter is harmonious, but Wilfin has never entered his daughter's heart and never knows what his daughter's real needs are.
Recently he noticed that his daughter was in a bad mood and guessed that it might be because she missed her mother. He blamed himself for not being able to comfort her and he didn't want to see his daughter's mood getting worse.
So today, taking advantage of this opportunity at the banquet, Wilfin decided to tell his daughter his true thoughts as a father.
Wilfen explained awkwardly, and although his narration was confusing, in the end, Licaro still laughed.
She was very happy. She could feel her father's love for her. She also knew that her father was just not good at expressing it. It was just that she didn't like to take the initiative to cater to her father's personality.
And now that her father was willing to say that he would change for her, how could Licaro not be moved?
She admitted that she was indeed very naughty when she was younger and caused a lot of trouble for her father, but now she is nine years old and her precocious mind already understands many things.
"Father, I can feel your love, but you don't need to change for me." Lika Luo said these words to her father very seriously, then stood on tiptoe and wiped her father's tears with her little hands, then smiled and said in a very lively tone: "Father, let's go to the party! Today is my birthday, be happy!"
Licaro's extremely lively attitude now is different from before. Now she is completely free from constraints and no longer has the imperceptible sense of distance in front of her father.
Wilfin was delighted to see Licaro's reaction.
It seems that my daughter has really grown up...
PS: Tomorrow is Friday!
Prologue 0 - That Winter Day 024 Snowfall
Licaro became the focus of the banquet, with countless eyes looking at her, but she was no longer surprised by all this. In order not to embarrass her father, she was trying hard to maintain the elegant persona of a noble lady.
Many of Wilfin's friends have come to discuss engagement with him. Although Licaro will only be nine years old after this year, for the children of noble families, some are engaged as soon as they can walk, so nine years old is not too early.
Don't expect that the engagement between the two families is because of the "love" between the heirs. After all, it is all for their own interests. Wilfin is different from them. He politely rejected all engagement requests and explained that his daughter is too young now, and it will be up to her to decide when she grows up.
Wilfin knew in his heart that his daughter would never look down on those playboys from aristocratic families, and he also hoped that his daughter would control her own destiny.
When the nobles began to discuss the marriage of their two sons, Wilfin suddenly became interested. Although his two sons were in the army and could not come back to attend the banquet, this did not prevent Wilfin from finding suitable wives for them.
Although his two sons are adults, they have no interest in love. If they continue like this, they will probably have to stay in the military for the rest of their lives.
In fact, it was the same with Wilfin in the past. If the emperor had not granted him a fief, he would probably still be a general of the empire.
According to imperial law, generals in the army were prohibited from holding titles and fiefs, or in other words, their status as generals itself was a special title.
Wilfin was promoted from the position of Imperial General to Duke of Edfallon. Fortunately, his two sons were very promising. They became Imperial Generals at a young age and commanded their own legions.
The imperial law also stipulates that the sons of nobles can serve as generals in the army, but unless they voluntarily give up the position of general, they have no right to inherit the family title.
Therefore, if neither of Wilfen's two sons wants to inherit the title, the next head of the family will be his daughter, Licaro.
Years of combat life had made Wilfin develop a habit of drinking. Now that he was the Duke of the Empire and there was no ongoing war in the Empire, he no longer needed to relieve stress through alcohol.
But Wilfin had long been accustomed to the taste of alcohol, and he would often have a few drinks with his former comrades and subordinates when his official duties were not so busy.
Today is his daughter's important birthday party, his wife is not at home, and many friends are invited, so he can drink to his heart's content.
In the past, his daughter would always advise him to drink less, but today was a little different. Wilfin felt that his daughter seemed to be looking forward to him getting drunk.
Today was a very happy day. The relationship between him and his daughter was no longer as alienated as before, which was worth celebrating. So he started drinking with the invited nobles, who were also his old friends.
Licaro sat calmly in her seat, eating the food on her plate absentmindedly. Some noble heirs of her age did not dare to approach her for a conversation, as some of them had learned their lesson at last year's birthday party.
The banquet started in the afternoon, and by the time Licaro had finished her meal, the sun was about to set.
Just then, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.
The banquet venue was located in Wilfen's manor and was open-air, but this level of snowfall was actually not a big deal, and the banquet still went on.
Licaro couldn't help but look up at the sky. She liked snow very much. Snowing was a beautiful thing, but the noisy noise at the banquet made her feel a little harsh.
She still likes quiet places, like the forest where she lives with the little black dragon, which is peaceful and tranquil.
A snowflake fell into Licaro's eyes, causing her to blink involuntarily.
Let’s wait until these people are drunk, then take the opportunity to slip away.
----------------------------------------
"Leaving tonight?"
Xia was sitting on a flat stone, holding Guoguo, also known as Surana, in her arms.
"Yeah." Eloline looked in the direction where Likalo usually came from: "Today is the agreed farewell day."
"It's Licaro's birthday too, right?"
"How do you know this..."
Elorin has always had a question. Xia seems to know Licaro very well, but Licaro seems to not know Xia at all.
"Don't you know that witches are very mysterious?"
"If you don't want to say it, forget it."
"Hum~"
Xia stroked Guoguo's head with a smile on her face. Eloline looked at her seriously again. Judging from her appearance, Xia looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old. However, since Xia herself admitted that she was a witch, it would be impossible to judge her age from her appearance.
To be honest, Eloline was a little surprised. She didn't expect that the witch lady would come to see her off in advance.
However, Xia was unwilling to meet Licaro, and no one knew why.
"Then we really have to say goodbye. We'll meet again in the future." Xia hugged Guoguo and said goodbye to Eloline, and then said to Guoguo: "Sulana, say goodbye to your little black dragon friend."
"Ouch~~"
Guoguo's eyes also showed some reluctance. At this point, Eloline understood that Guoguo really had intelligence. In other words, Guoguo, like her, had higher-level emotions and thinking abilities.
"Thank you."
Ai Luolin sincerely thanked Guoguo for his company during this period. In this remote forest, this man, one wolf and one dragon created beautiful memories together.
"Well, bye~"
"Wait." Eloline suddenly called out to Xia, and then asked a little embarrassedly: "Can you do me a favor?"
"Huh? What's the deal?"
"Can you please teach me how to say this word in human language?"
Hearing Eloline's words, Xia suddenly laughed: "I see, you want to learn the word 'Happy Birthday'?"
"Um……"
Eloline didn't expect Xiaya to guess it directly, and she felt a little embarrassed.
"You two have a really good relationship. I will definitely help you with this. Remember to tell her in person~"
Xia taught Eloline how to pronounce "Happy Birthday" in human language.
"Are you okay? So we really say goodbye now?"
"um. Thank you."
"Little things, little things~"
As Xia finished her last words, Eloline just blinked, and Xia disappeared from her sight.
This witch lady is really mysterious.
The forest fell into silence again, the sun was about to set, and snowflakes were still floating in the sky. Eloline couldn't help feeling a little worried.
She came to an open place and looked into the distance, waiting for the figure of the little blonde girl to appear in her eyes.
It was dark for a long time, and suddenly a bright white light flashed in the distance. Eloline stood up, and then she was sure that the person she had been waiting for had come.
Prologue Chapter 0—That Winter Day 025 Farewell (End of Volume)
The banquet was coming to an end. Although many people at the banquet were drunk, there were still many loyal servants guarding the Duke's mansion.
Licaro came to her drunken father and said she was tired and wanted to go back to her room to rest.
