"Yes, master." Kyrian said abruptly.
"Of course, if you weren't convinced with my power, that was just one percent of my total strength." Horace continued, "If you saw my lands then maybe that could also cha-"
"What?" It didn't register immediately in Horace's head that the suspicious boy suddenly changed his mind.
"I've accepted to become your disciple, Master Horace." The boy spoke seriously.
While they were talking, the wyvern's corpse was sucked inside the ring of Horace, widening Kyrian's golden eyes.
"You can take a little bit of rest for now, we'll reach the Zemof House in a few hours. We'll do the master-apprentice ceremony after dinner." Horace's countenance removed the previous playfulness as if it was never there.
Kyrian observed the clouds as he noticed that they were flying faster as the clouds disappeared into a blur. The steel carriage almost jumped in space as he couldn't determine where they were at the moment.
He took his master's advice and closed his eyes. The previous melancholy and self-doubt were gone.
His only focus was to get stronger.
----
Kyrian felt the gravity weighing down on his body as he sensed the gradual drop of the carriage towards the ground.
He saw in his windows the wondrous structures of houses and buildings spread across the land. The overview of such a city was a new sensation he had never felt before.
He was in tune with nature, grew up with it, for he had lived near the rivers and forests. Seeing a different place where nature had been overrun by humanity's invention and innovation was novel.
The biggest city where structures of similar size he had gone into was nowhere near the populous lands of Zemof.
"What do you think, Kyrian? Ain't this master of yours amazing? I govern every land your eyes can see." Horace bragged to Kyrian.
"It is indeed amazing, master."
Horace scratched his shiny head, feeling the glorious smoothness of it, surprised by the sudden change of his apprentice's tone. He had expected that the boy would be more rebellious at his age.
Horace's head lit up like a light bulb as if he had an idea.
"Let's get down. On my count! 3…" Horace didn't finish the count when the carriage suddenly disappeared.
"Ahhhhhh! Egghead, you crazy old man!" Kyrian shouted, his previous cordiality towards his master disappeared.
"Ha! HAHA! That's more like it, Kyrian! I don't like it when you go formal and meek in front of me."
"But you slap the back of my head when I call you egghead!" Kyrian was frustrated that he couldn't understand what's going on in that shiny bald head of his master.
The master and apprentice fell down the sky and it went on for about a minute and a half of freefall before metal in liquid form surrounded them and gently led them to the ground.
Kyrian's hair was a mess. It looked like it was licked by four cows in different directions. His tattered clothes had more holes in them, and his shoes, or rather shoe, as the other went missing during their freefall was falling apart. The gourd and the scale hid safely in his mana core, undetected by prying eyes.
"Master egghead, look what you did to me!"
"Oh no, my glorious disciple shouldn't look like that when I present you to my family."
Horace willed into existence metals of different forms. Glowing rocks, metals emitting coldness, and some with properties Kyrian had never seen before appeared before him.
In the blink of an eye, these metals congregated into full body armor that exuded heroic authority. The armor shimmered with an otherworldly glow, each piece fitting together seamlessly.
The chest plate was adorned with intricate designs that seemed to pulse with energy, while the pauldrons and gauntlets radiated a cold, icy mist.
On its back, the armor was shrouded by a red cape that exuded regal authority.
The helmet, crowned with glowing runes, gave off an aura of ancient power.
Kyrian watched in awe as the transformation completed, the armor standing before him as a testament to Horace's mastery over metals. The sheer presence of the armor was enough to inspire confidence and awe, its very existence a symbol of strength and valor.
"This armor will adjust according to your body shape, don't worry about outgrowing it."
"Am I going to wear this armor to dinner? Isn't it over-the-top?"
"Stop whining. This is punishment for calling me Egghead again."
"I thought you hate it when I talk to you formally?"
"Hmm… When did I say that?"
Kyrian clenched his fist, thinking whether he should sneak attack his master to get back on him. He suddenly remembered how the majestic creature became a skewer in a few seconds and unclenched his fist.
The boy touched the helmet with his fingers, feeling its otherworldly features when the whole armor was abruptly absorbed by him and in a blink of an eye.
The armor fit him perfectly and he felt like he could conquer the world with its powers.
Horace looked at his creation with satisfaction and pride. He had been waiting for ages to make this armor for his apprentice, and finally he had found him.
Kyrian admired the armor and looked at himself in the mirror made of steel manifested by his master's magic. Everything looked good, except that he was so small. The cape also looked unnecessary.
No one would feel intimidated by his aura. They might even find him a cute boy dressed up to be a knight in shining armor.
Horace let out a snicker and Kyrian turned his head to him, but Horace changed his expression to a serious face before Kyrian saw him.
"Enough dallying around, we should be on time for dinner. My lovely wife and daughter must be waiting for me."
"In all seriousness, what should I really call you without triggering your craziness?"
"Call me 'Primordial Supreme Immortal Master Horace' for I am the strongest being in the entire world."
"Egghead it is."
*Smack*
----
"Mommy! Daddy's here!" a cute voice echoed in the hallways of a mansion.
Various workers of different occupations catered to the need of their masters were in strategic spots. There were imposing guards who radiated an intimidating aura, there were also housekeepers, and butlers who managed the operation of the mansion.
"Young miss Ace, please slow down. You might trip if you ran like that." An aged butler wearing a dark suit and a bowtie said.
"Yes, my dear. I heard your father landed in the pavilion outside. Why don't you go there with Mister Lars and welcome them. I'll be waiting for you in the dining hall." A middle-aged woman with a graceful charm appeared beside the butler and the little girl.
"Them? Who are we having as guest?" Ace asked.
"My guess is as good as yours, Ace."
The young miss ran across the corridors towards the pavilion outside the garden. The butler followed her carefully, a worried expression appeared on his face as the young miss might hurt herself.
As they got closer, they heard the bickering of Kyrian and Horace getting louder and louder. The two were arguing as if they were old friends.
Lars and Ace were confused as to whom was the patriarch arguing with.
It sounded like a little boy from the high-pitched voice he was producing, but the armor he was wearing was terrifying. It exuded an aura of valor and bravery with a hint of authority and savageness.
"Father, who is this esteemed dwarf you are with?" Ace asked.
"Dwarf? Pfft!" The earth shook as if the metals buried deeply in the earth vibrated in resonance with Horace's laughter.
Kyrian stopped paying attention to his master and his antics as he replied, "I'm not a dwarf. I'm Kyrian, a kid. Just like you. Your father accepted me as his disciple."
He removed his helmet and revealed his handsome features. A platinum-blonde hair that reached his shoulders, golden-eyes that radiated wisdom and mischief, and a face that would be admired by artisans and warriors alike. Give him a little bit more time to grow and all women and men alike would feel unworthy of his presence.
Ace was stunned and surprised at Kyrian's appearance. Her face reddened as she bashfully turned her head away.
Horace noticed their interaction and looked at Kyrian. The bald man with stylish beard leered into Kyrian and said, "If you try anything funny with my daughter, you will feel my wrath."
"I'm a four-year old kid. What do you think I'm going to do to your daughter?"
"I know that you're more mature than your age shows. Just in case, I'm warning you, my little disciple."
Kyrian raised his hands up in defeat and followed the butler as he led them towards the dining hall.
"Daddy, how did you find a handso-, a kid like him as your disciple?" Ace asked.
"I'm going to answer that question for master," Kyrian butted in. He wanted to tell the real story to prevent Horace from embellishing the narrative.
"Are you Ace's daddy? Why are you butting in. Shut up boy. Let me tell you the story of how we met during dinner so that Mommy can listen to it too." Horace was raging inside as he knew that this handsome disciple of his had already charmed his precious daughter.