Hiro stood up to welcome the newcomers went a speeding bullet with black hair ran at full speed. The butcher simply opened his arms as a small body collided with him like a truck. A loud impact slammed into him yet he didn't even move in the slightest. A cheerful voice then greeted him in joy.
"Daddy! I'm back!"
"Wow, you have gotten big! Come my pretty daughter, let daddy look at his princess!"
The man then placed his hands on Ryuuka's armpits and lifted her into the air. Due to a combination of leveling and stat increases the dragonkin now looked around 13 years of age. While she did look mature her demeanor still remained of a child.
Her limbs and frame quickly gained muscle and gave her a stronger physique. A far cry from the malnourished pitiful body, Ryuuka now had the body of an athlete. She still had black hair and a small face but her feminine beauty began to develop.
It began to invoke admiration from even married men. Most would be smitten with her that is until they saw her eyes that had vertical pupils. Luckily this trait, and the fact that one of the San-Baka always accompanied her warded off most undesirables.
"Wee!!! I missed you so much Daddy! I beat up all the bad guys like Tsugumi-Nee-chan told me to!"
"Really? You did! Amazing! My girl is so awesome!"
Laughing like a pair of idiots father and daughter laughed without restraint at their reunion. The happiness on the child's face could not be measured yet everyone knew she truly felt delighted at this moment. Hiro's women who were annoyed with him earlier all stood up to approach the princess of the family.
Raylene, who felt the collision through the tremors in the air face palmed in annoyance. "Ryuuka, I told you to slow down when you hug people. If it was anyone outside of our family they would die you know?"
Hiro who heard the stern warning dropped Ryuuka down. The child taking that as her cue ran at an even greater speed and similarly tackled the blue-haired empress. "But sword-mommy, I don't intend to hug anyone else, isn't that fine? I love hugging my family the most!"
The sweet sentiment combined with an innocent face made Raylene melt. She could not help snuggling with her adopted daughter and kissing her on her cheek. Which elicited giggling from the young dragonkin.
"Is...Is that so? Then I guess that is okay. Yes. We don't want our baby hugging anyone else."
Everyone present could see that Raylene was the typical doting parent. Trying to discipline but had little to no resistance to her child's charms.
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Vanessa approached the smiling dragonkin. She massaged the child's hair who snuggled with her sister like a cat begging for attention.
"Ryu-chan did you listen to your aunt while you were away? Did you remember to brush your teeth? I'm glad you are healthy. Can I also get a hug?"
The child then separated from Lene and similarly lunged for Vanessa. In a feat of extreme agility, the strider caught Ryuuka and redirected her momentum to avoid any impact. She then kissed the child's forehead in affection as they embraced.
"Yes bow-mommy, I followed everything like a good girl. I brushed my teeth, ate all my greens, guarded sword dynasty, and cleaned my weapon with oil every night before I went to bed."
The blonde empress then placed a finger on her child's nose before asking more. "And what about your armor?"
"I regularly wash them to remove the blood stains and pieces of flesh. I also washed my socks and gloves after every battle." The child beamed with pride at her report.
Smiling, Vanessa grew satisfied and continued. "Good, now what did I tell you about using [Butcher]?"
Ryuuka then made a smug face as if asking for more praise as she separated from her mother. "Eat and drink only what I need, do not try to intentionally get injured just so I can eat again. I didn't forget bow-mommy. I was a good girl."
The entire group adored the expressions of the young dragonkin. Ryuuka still a child wore her heart on her sleeve. Jade similarly patted Ryuuka's head in pride. She kneeled in front of her and asked in a small voice. "How did you do daughter?"
"I leveled up another 24 times wand-mommy, Ryuuka is now an [Adept]!" cheered the dragonkin.
Jei hugged her child as she praised her. "Well done! Daughter worked hard. Score for this week?"I think you should take a look at
"782 [Novices], 524 [Initiates], 15 [Adepts], uhm… my Onii-chans helped with the [Adept]s mommy. I almost lost to one. I'm sorry."
When the group heard her last statement four people unleashed a terrifying amount of pressure. The weight started to break the furniture and depressed the flooring.
Ryuuka, a pure dragon loved combat. Even getting her limbs dismembered was not enough to make her say she almost lost. The only time she would do so required that she almost died.
And the implications of her almost losing to an [Adept] made her four doting parents emit bloodlust on a whole another level. Tsugumi then sent Spirit towards everyone while Geo sent Mana.
"Relax, that person is already gone. Do you think my hubbies or I would allow such a thing to happen? I made sure he did not even have dust left to bury."
Due to fighting alongside each other nonstop for months everyone here already had an idea of how each other fought. Because they never slept, Hiro's people bonded till they grew sick of each other.
Thus when Tsugumi said she took care of it. None would question if the person suffered before dying.
Jade hugged her daughter tighter as she apologized. "I am sorry Ryuuka. Because of me. You needed to fight so much. I have no excuse."
The three empresses all decided early on to choose an area to teach their daughter.
Raylene, who they all believed to be righteous would handle morals and etiquette.
Vanessa, who had the most experience taught common sense and life skills.
Jade who had the most knowledge would handle combat training and her academic education.
Because of Raylene and Jade's avenues of focus, they normally had contrasting opinions on how to teach Ryuuka. But there was one thing they all agreed on. She needed to get stronger as soon as possible.
The more people would know of her nature. The more people would try to murder her for resources, glory, or sport. Thus even at her young age, she needed to learn how to fight. How to kill. And ultimately how to decide.
Jade told her sisters and husband. Serving as a blade or their term for bounty hunters would help Ryuuka develop quickly. The guilt crushed the princess of the Gracyeanor, this child in order to be able to grow up safely ironically must be tempered in battle.
Hearing that she almost died Jade wept bitterly. Yet small hands embraced her back as Ryuuka gave her a small peck on the cheeks.
"Don't worry staff-mommy. I know how much you love me. And I know you give me tasks because you do. I don't mind. Please don't cry. Ryuuka hates to see her family cry. I am okay."
Hearing her words Raylene, Vanessa, Jade, and Tsugumi all hugged the young child in a group hug. Their affection for Ryuuka overflowed from both their body language and actions. One by one they all appreciated their little princess.
"Daughter best daughter. No contest."
"Indeed. Ryu-chan is the most wonderful child even to be born!"
"We also love you dearly Ryuuka. No matter what happens."
"Ah, an angel! My niece is an angel! Are you sure you are a dragon?"
Drowning in the care and attention of her family Ryuuka Mitsurugi smiled in bliss. Different from all the lives she sees in her dreams, in this one, she had a family, a large one at that. True to her instincts of a dragon the desire to protect her treasured people burned in her heart.
