Colt rode on the back of an actual Phoenix as he and Neun returned to the City. The Phoenix was acting proudly as a fat Chick rode atop its head. It was happy and satisfied that after Millenia of separation.
Beta stopped its movement and then reverted to its Mini Form when they were only 500 meters away from the City.
When it transformed into a tiny being, Beta showed signs of being depressed… it didn't want to stop flying with its King.
Neun brought out the space Beta lived in and was about to ask it to go inside when it suddenly slapped it away, "Neun, you bastard, do you really think I'm going to enter that place when the King is in my presence. That would be disrespectful, a Delegate cannot show sign of tiredness before the King, and I shall not dishonor my Race!"
Neun crouched down as his brows met in the middle, "Look here, Beta. I don't know what this Delegate thing is all about, so can you not shout about it? At least explain so I can understand."
Neun was exhausted mentally. This had not happened before, and with him in the dark of things, it got even more complicated and tiring.
Beta stood tall and was just about to explain things when all of a sudden, the Chick hit it on the back of its head, "Don't say anything unnecessary; you already blabbered about being a Delegate. You're too loose-lipped. Go back in your space and reflect on your actions for three days."
"…Okay, my King." With drooping wings, Beta returned to her space without so much as a commotion. Neun saw rolling tears as it went back… this confused the aged Butler even more.
He and Beta had been together for so long, yet this Phoenix had never acted in this manner before. Colt was looking at his teacher with pity, for he too knew how much of a headache all this was.
Colt and Neun entered the City as quietly as they could. They soon reached the Mansion, and just as they entered, snow began falling. Colt looked out and sighed in relief.
"Teacher, where are you going?" Colt asked Neun, who left the main entrance.
"I'm going to meet with Ferald. I have something to talk with him. You're going to need something if you want to improve your strength." Neun disappeared and left for Ferald's Forge that was located in the East of the City.
Opening the door, Fluff suddenly woke up, and with the Chick, they escaped from Colt.
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Muffled voices reached the ears of tired Colt. And before this, Rank-9 Warrior could react, "BUuuuuu!" Filla and Lyra already crashed on his stomach headfirst!
The wind on their feet was swirling about… the pressure from the wind began was growing stronger by the second, and soon, Colt was dragged outside by the two girls… they flew up with uncontrollable speed.
"What's happening?" Colt asked as he looked down at saw his youngest sister and youngest daughter hugging him with vice grips.
"Pa-papa, help Filla, please, help Filla! Kyaaaaaaaaaa!" Filla was in tears.
As for Lyra, she simply screamed her heart out, and unlike Filla, who was on the verge of crying, she was laughing from excitement, "FUN! This is FUN!" for energetic Lyra, this was fun, and for Filla, this was scary.
It was weird as Colt thought if anything, Filla would be enjoying this kind of thing, 'Wait, this is not the time for this.' Colt thought to himself.
It was then that he heard Hylda's voice echoing from below, "Papa, they can't control their mana and is having trouble maneuvering in the air!"
Colt looked down and saw Hylda with Faerith looking up. He shouted back, "What should I do!?"
"…just pray for now! Their wind should end soon." Hylda responded.
When Colt heard his eldest say such words. She was no help at all. As for Faerith, she seemed angered about something. The Grandmother said nothing that could help with the situation.
Colt looked at the two children, and when he saw Filla crying so much that she failed to even utter another word, a sigh escaped him, "Welp, let's end this… sleep, for now, you two."
The black smoke in his left hand began to swirl, and in a manner of moments, the two's mana was sucked by Colt. It happened too fast for anyone to say anything.
Lyra's laughed ended as she suddenly fell asleep. The wind around the three dispersed, and Colt held onto the two and then landed on the ground.
Zzzzzzzzzz….
The two young mages fell asleep, and the maids who just arrived after Hylda and Faerith took them from Colt's arms.
"Bring them to their Shared Room. They have no mana right now and are too tired from playing."
Colt reminded the maids, who lowered their heads and took the two inside.
With this, the mysterious event ended, and Colt turned to his mother for information, "So, what happened here? I didn't think I'd see those two flying about like some arrow."
"Those two tried to use a spell without my permission. They're both at the Second-Circle, and they somehow managed to deconstruct a Third-Circle Spell and create an unstable spell [Air Burst] spell as a makeshift [Fly] Spell." Faerith complained.
Faerith was one of the three Mage Teachers the two girls had. She was the one in charge of explaining the theory of Spells and Magic to them.
Everything was going swimmingly when the two children began thinking that they could actually use Spells outside their levels.
"So, it's a problem that they're too much of a prodigy?" Colt asked, and Faerith nodded her head.
"With Vyra nearing her 12th month, and Mina on her 9th, the two teachers can't really teach now… this is hard." Faerith complained, but an expecting smile appeared on her face… she couldn't wait to get another grandchild.
Colt looked at Hylda, who already got a hold of Fluff and the Chick, "Mama's looking for you, by the way. She's worried about you staying out all night in the woods with the Head Butler."
Hylda said as the two of them entered the room.
Colt sighed, "Well, I couldn't help it, the thing was a matter of life and death… and Fluff forgot that we could come home, if anything, the cat's the one in the wrong."
"NYA!" Fluff complained.
"Yeah, yeah, you saved my life, thanks for that… hey, I can't help it, okay? It's so easy to blame you for everything just so you know I'm going to do this even if it has nothing to do with you." Colt said proudly, and the cat slapped him for his words.
PAH! The slap echoed all over the house.
"HISSSSSSSSSSSS! NYA, MEOW NYA!" It was angered as it claimed that only it could use Colt for baseless claims and not the other way around.
Fluff stood on top of Hylda's head to headbutt Colt.
BANG!
Colt also headbutt the nuisance.
The two met eye-to-eye.
"MEOW!"
"Fine, let's take this outside, you're not the only one tired of this. I'll show you who's the Boss in this Partnership." Colt roared, "Hylda, sweety, go tell Mina I'll come right away once I finish killing a cat!"
Fluff snorted and jumped off Hylda's head, "Nya, nya, mew, mewo!!!!! (Hylda, my Niece, prepare me Prime Steak and Premium Milk for my victory celebration. I'm going to burry this man in a litterbox!"
Another battle for Leadership was about to begin!
Hylda watched her Father prepare himself to fight a cat.
The Chick observed Fluff, one of the most revered beings, went and settle petty disputes.
The Chick looked at Hylda, "Do you want some food?"
"Yes please… I've been wanting to try cooking some sweets for Filla, Lyra, and the other children in the City. Why don't you help me make some?"
"Ooohh, I'll take you up on your offer. Please put some raising in mine."
"Sure, sure, oh yeah, I thought of a good name for you."
"What is it, young lass?"
"Cyra Reis: Cyra means Sun and that you are brighter than anything and anyone —Reis in the Ancient Words of the Dwarves means King… Sun King, do you like it?" Hylda offered a name.
The Chick's face brightened, "YES! That's perfect! From now on, I shall be called Cyra Reis. You may call me Reis."
"Okay…" Hylda said with a smile as she left to first inform Mina about Colt before cooking with Reis.
As for the other two who exited the Mansion and left for the training grounds, Colt drew out Ocean's Black Heart, and Fluff summoned some of its Primal Powers that Colt had yet to gain.
…The Duel between Colt and Fluff ended in a draw.
And in the Regulus Kingdom Capital City, half of the Magic Tower crumbled as Lucille left most of the Mages half dead before heading South.
In the East of the Continent, there was also something else going on as twenty Warships landed on the shores near the territory of the Phantasmagoria Family.