PAID

The day’s rehearsal went smoothly.

Whenever a scene called for emotional development between the main characters, Leon and Rosvisser effortlessly delivered with their seasoned “acting skills.” They flawlessly portrayed scenes like, *“Though we say we don’t love each other, we’d still risk our lives for one another,”* and *“Today, whether you want to or not, you’re going to express your feelings.”*

Helena was curious about how this couple could act with such impeccable chemistry. According to Noa, Aunt Rosvisser was a workaholic who dedicated most of her time to clan matters, leaving little chance to explore acting techniques. Uncle Leon, on the other hand, was a top-tier warrior-dad skilled in combat and magic, but acting was certainly not part of his skill set.

Yet here they were, perfectly capturing the awkward yet affectionate dynamic between the play’s protagonists.

How could this be? A young dragon from a sheltered family pondered with deep curiosity.

Of course, the rehearsal wasn’t without its quirks. One part of the script proved… problematic.

This was the scene between Leon and Claudia.

According to the story, Claudia was Leon’s “Mother Empress.” Upon discovering that her only son had fallen for the enemy princess, this stern mother imposed strict opposition, becoming one of the primary obstacles in the couple’s romance.@@novelbin@@

In the end, though, the Mother Empress relents, allowing her son to pursue love, leading to the classic happy ending.

It sounded fine… on paper.

But actually performing it was… a bit awkward.

“Mr. Cosmod, you clearly have strong line delivery skills, so why can’t you say this one line—‘Mother Empress’?” Claudia asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Uncle Leon, it’s ‘Mother Empress,’ not ‘Mom,’” Helena corrected him firmly.

“No, no, Dad, you need to show reverence! Not like you’re visiting an old friend,” Director Noa, as meticulous as ever, pointed out.