The next morning arrived bright and clear.
Rudy sat at the dining table with his parents, humming cheerfully as he stabbed his fork into a piece of toast. It had been a long time since he'd woken up this early without someone dragging him out of bed.
His excitement was impossible to hide, today, his personal tutor was coming.
His first real teacher.
He imagined it vividly: a towering man with a square jaw and muscles so thick his shirt could barely contain them. Someone who could split boulders with his bare hands or summon raging flames with a flick of his wrist.
"Oh man," Rudy muttered under his breath, grinning. "He's probably one of those cool, mysterious master types. Maybe he'll give me a secret training method to unlock hidden power!"
His mother chuckled softly. "You seem in a good mood today."
Rudy puffed out his chest. "Of course! My training starts now. I'm going to be strong enough to shock everyone."
Rose smiled, shaking her head. "Just promise me you won't do anything reckless."
Before Rudy could answer, a maid entered the dining hall and bowed. "Lord Malik, Madam Rose, the tutor has arrived."
Rudy nearly jumped out of his chair. "He's here?! Finally!"
Without waiting for permission, he dashed from the table and sprinted toward the gate, his heart pounding in anticipation.
The morning air was cool and crisp as Rudy flung open the massive iron gates.
And froze.
Standing there was not a towering warrior. Not even a grown-up.
It was… a little girl.
She looked around six or seven years old, with long blue hair that shimmered like liquid sapphire in the sunlight. Her calm, crystal-blue eyes met his, unblinking. Perched neatly on her head was a tiny white cat, flicking its tail lazily as it yawned.
For a moment, Rudy could only stare, completely dumbfounded.
What… is this?
He blinked, rubbed his eyes, then blinked again. Nope. Still a little girl.
"You… uh…" he started, his voice cracking. "Are you lost?"
Before she could answer, his parents appeared behind him, smiling politely.
"Miss Ynivera," Malik greeted warmly, giving a respectful nod. "Good morning."
Rose followed with a courteous bow. "It's an honor to meet you again, Miss Ynivera."
Rudy's jaw dropped. Wait...what?! Again?
He glanced between his parents and the little girl. "Hold up, Miss Ynivera? You mean… this kid?"
Before the words even fully left his mouth, Rose gave him a light smack on the back of the head. "Rudy! Mind your manners!"
"Ow!" Rudy rubbed his head, pouting. "But she's like, half my size!"
"I'm terribly sorry, Miss Ynivera," Rose said quickly, bowing again. "Please forgive my son's rudeness."
The girl, Miss Ynivera, simply shook her head, her expression serene. "It's quite all right."
Her voice was soft, melodic, yet oddly mature like someone who'd lived far longer than her appearance suggested.
Rudy blinked again. The way she carried herself, calm and poised, made his confusion even worse.
Malik turned to him. "Rudy, this is your tutor. Her name is Miya Ynivera. From today onward, she'll be responsible for your training."
Rudy blinked several times, certain he'd misheard. "Wait… what? Her?"
"Yes," Malik said firmly. "Show some respect. Miss Ynivera is one of the strongest Tamers in the entire Flame Kingdom."
Rudy's mouth fell open. "You're kidding."
"I am not," Malik said. "She's a Silver-ranked Manarist, the only one in the kingdom."
Rudy turned back to Miya, trying to process what he was hearing.
A Silver-ranked Tamer? This tiny girl? She didn't even look old enough to hold a sword!
Miya met his gaze and smiled faintly, the corners of her lips curving just enough to give her an air of quiet confidence. "You seem surprised."
"I...I mean, a little…" Rudy stammered. "You're just… not what I expected."
She tilted her head slightly, the cat on her head mimicking her movement. "And what did you expect, young master?"
"Uh… someone taller?" he admitted before quickly realizing how bad that sounded. "I mean! Older! I mean...uh...stronger-looking! Not that you don't look strong..."
Miya's soft laugh interrupted his panic. It wasn't mocking, just… amused.
"I assure you," she said lightly, "looks can be deceiving."
Rudy's cheeks burned as his parents chuckled behind him.
So she is a lolli, Rudy thought.
They all walked back toward the mansion's main hall, where Malik and Rose sat across from Miya while Rudy stood awkwardly beside them.
Malik spoke first. "This is my son, Rudy. As I mentioned, he's five years from enrollment age for Flame Academy. Until then, I want you to help him grasp the fundamentals, mana control, discipline, and physical conditioning."
Miya gave a small nod. "Understood."
Her expression remained calm, but Rudy couldn't shake the feeling that her eyes, those cold eyes, were examining every inch of him, like she was looking straight into his soul.
After a moment, she said quietly, "His mana feels… peculiar."
Rudy blinked. "Peculiar?"
She didn't elaborate, simply lowering her gaze. "I'll begin his assessment tomorrow morning. Make sure he's prepared."
Malik nodded. "Of course."
When their meeting ended, Miya rose from her seat, the cat still perched on her head, and bowed politely before turning to leave.
Rudy followed her out of the room, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Hey, Miss...uh, Miya?"
She stopped and looked back, expression unreadable.
"Do you… really think you can make me strong?" he asked.
Her lips twitched slightly. "That depends on you, young master."
Rudy frowned. "Depends on me?"
"Yes." Her tone softened, but there was something powerful in it. "A weak heart cannot command power, no matter how great the potential."
With that, she turned and began walking away, her cat glancing back at Rudy before letting out a small meow.
Rudy stood frozen for a moment, watching her small frame disappear down the corridor.
He let out a long sigh. "Man… she's weird."
Then he grinned. "But she's kinda cool, too."
He looked up at the ceiling, fists clenched with renewed determination.