'Sylvia's stone! Did it break?' Arthur thought as he nervously stared at the egg. The egg cracked some more until you could see a glowing eyeball I'm a hole that appeared from the shell. 'Sylvia's stone...was an...egg?!' Arthur thought shocked before it broke some more and some horns and a tail began to show from the egg. A small baby dragon stood in front of the broken egg shell as it yawned. Art walked towards the baby dragon as he gently life him up a story sat by the side of the bed.

He hold the dragon up as he tilted his head to the right, the baby dragon copied his movement. He then moved his head to the left and the dragon followed. "Kyu?" The dragon said confused as Art squinted his eyes. "You're a dragon...right?" Arthur asked slowly thinking the dragon understood him. "Kyu!" They responded excited as Arthur melted and smiled back. "Hehe... Kyu-ute..." Arthur said before the baby dragon jumped and bit his arm. "Ouch!" Arthur exclaimed when he felt the dragon bit him. The dragon left go and fell down to the ground as Arthur clutched his arm which steam was coming out of.

"Kyu! (Mama!)" The dragon said as Arthur stopped clutching his arm. "What the..." he said as he looked around the room trying to figure out who spoke to him. "Kyu! (Mama!)" The dragon exclaimed again as he shifted his gaze to the dragon who crawled on him. "Kyu! (Mama!)" The dragon said as she paw was on his stomach. "Who?" he asked again still confused as he held his head. "Kyuu~ (Mama!) Kyuu~" the dragon said as she copied Arthur's action. "Haha... She can talk inside my mind..." Arthur said hunched over the bed as the dragon tried to get up onto the bed. "And you. I'm a boy, so at least call me "papa". If you want to call someone Mama, I can tell you who." Arthur told the dragon who laid on her back.

"Kyu? (Papa?)" The dragon asked confused before Arthur began to pet her head. "I think I'll call you 'Sylvie' after your mother." Arthur told Sylvie with a smile. "Kyu! (Syeevy!)" Sylvie exclaimed loving the name she received. "You like that, huh?" He asked her with a closed eyed smile before his eyes widened in surprise. "...Wait you really do like it! I can feel it!" Arthur said in shock as he stared at Sylvie that laid on his arm. 'Seems like this mark isn't as simple as it looks. It feels like this thing is actually connecting me to the little dragon. Heh... Eight years old and I have a tattoo. And I'm a father. I really a rebel' Arthur said as he let sleep consume him.

~Later that evening~

Rose entered Arthur's room because she was bored and she missed him. He was in there all day, so she silently opened the door. "Art?" she called out walking further inside. It was dark as it was nighttime. She made her way to the end when she saw a small dark figure move on the bed. As she neared the end she saw a baby dragon staring at her with curious eyes. Rosalia went closer and gently picked up the baby dragon before her eyes sparkled. "Kyahhhhhh!!!" she shouted totally forgetting Arthur was sleeping as she hugged the dragon. Arthur hearing her scream pitched up.

"Huh? What? Who's there?" Arthur said as he looked around sleeping before his gaze landed on a blushing Rose. "Rose?" Arthur called out as she locked up at him. "Who is this, Art? She's so cute!" she squealed as she rubbed Sylvie's head. "Sylvie. This is your Mama." Arthur told the baby dragon in Rosalia's hand as she froze. "H-Huh?!" she exclaimed as he smiled before he fell backwards on the bed. "Come back, my beautiful sleep..." Arthur said as Rose pulled Sylvie close before laying down besides Arthur.

~in the morning~

Rose was snuggled up against Arthur as his hands were wrapped around her waist. Sylvie slept on Arthur's head as Tess entered the room. "Art? Have you seen Rose-" Tess said as she entered the room only to see her sister and Art cuddled up together. Tess felt irritated as she made her way to the bed. "Y-You freaking pervert!!!!" Tessia shouted as she punched Arthur's stomach causing him to wake up. Sylvie who was on his head flew forward on Rose's lap as she woke up. "Huh? Tess? What's wrong?" she asked her sister as she rubbed her eyes. "What did I do?" Art asked as he held his stomach. Tess did not answer as she grabbed her sister and left. "Hurry up and change." she told him before she closed the door.

After Arthur changed, he explained to the twins who Sylvie was and how she came to appeared. "So you can communicate with her in your mind? So cool!" Rose exclaimed as she rubbed Sylvie's head who purred into her hand. "You're so lucky... Maybe if I could communicate with her, she'd like me too..." Tess said as Arthur looked at her. "She'd like you if you stop looking at her like you were some sort of predator. And if you stop hitting me for something I didn't do." Art told Tessia who glared at him. "You touched my sister in her sleep!" Tessia told Arthur who narrowed his eyes.

"I was asleep. I didn't even know I did!" Arthur said as Rose sweat dropped at the two on either side of her. "Gramps! Come see Arthur's pet!" Rose exclaimed noticing her grandfather as they neared him. He turned in their direction and narrowed his eyes at the pet on Arthur's head. He shifted his eyes to the tail and wings before he looked back at Arthur. "B-Brat... You...!!! That's a---!" He exclaimed shocked unable to form words at the sight of the dragon. "I'm going to die early if I keep getting shocked like this..." Elder Virion said as he turned away from them leaning on the wall clutching his heart.

'After explaining to Virion what had happened and where Sylvie had come from, I learned that 'beings' like Sylvie would usually only hatch in the presence of their kin. We tried to think of why she might have hatched in front of me, but the only reason we could think of was the fact that I had fully activated Sylvia's will yesterday.' Arthur thought as he meditate while Rose was fighting Virion. She ended up losing as her sister went after her. She lost as well but she was very tired. She laid on the ground with her sister besides her as Virion and Arthur talked. "Do you think I'll have to hide her once I go back? Most people won't know that she is a very powerful being." Arthur asked Elder Virion.

Tessia stretched her hand out towards Sylvie who sat in Rose's lap. Rose giggled as Sylvie hissed at her older twin. "So you should be okay just feigning it off as a rare mana beast." Virion told Arthur as the youngest male turned his attention to Rose with a soft smile. Virion noticed and smirked but decided not to say anything. "But you have other things to worry about. We've held back strengthening your mana core during the assimilation, but now that you've fully awoken, we should get you to training both your core and new dragon will." Elder Virion told Arthur resting his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"What do I need to do?" Arthur asked noticing the smirk appearing on the man's face. "Well, I found that the best way to access first stage of of your beast will, on top of strengthening your mana core, is to constantly engage in combat." Elder Virion told Arthur tossing the practice sword away. "Make sense to me." Arthur replied stretching his arms a bit releasing some tension. "Good. Then it'll make sense that fighting a fellow beast tamer as he uses these "stages" against you will help you even more." He told Arthur as he stopped what he was doing and looked at Virion.

"Huh?" Arthur asked confused before his eyes widened as he looked at Virion. He was covered by shadows that formed the head of a panther. The wind was so strong that Rose and Tess covered their head as they kneeled on the ground. Rose protecting Sylvie as Arthur raised his arms to block the wind from blowing in his eyes. "Now... Let's fight, brat." Elder Virion said as his body was covered from head to toe in black.

'Beast tamers. Mages capable of harnessing the unique ability inherited from a mana beast. The first stage, known as the Acquire Phase, is when the beast tamer is able to borrow their beast inherited strengths. But it's only at the second stage, the Integrate Phase, when the mage can truly utilize their beast's unique ability and characteristics. And for Virion, who had only unlocked his second stage after decades of studying his beast will, he was now able to utilize the deadly prowess of the Shadow Panther.' Arthur thought to himself seeing this teacher in his second stage. "Now, Arthur. Pay attention while I sneak up behind you." Elder Virion warned Arthur who prepared himself.

'Tch, is he saying he can sneak up on me even after warning me?' Arthur asked himself as he played close attention to the man in front of him. Suddenly Virion vanished as Arthur stared in the spot he was previously in. He felt a hand tap his shoulder causing him to stiffen. 'Fast.' He thought when he felt the hand on his shoulder. He turned around quickly not seeing anyone behind him. Suddenly Virion appeared behind him again as Arthur gulped before raised his two hands. "I surrender. I can't even react to your speed at this level and frankly, that form is trauma inducing." Arthur said not turning around to face his teacher. "So I've been told." Virion said as his second stage form disappeared. "It's not without its flaw, though. Using the Integrate Phase still takes a bit out of me." Virion told Arthur walking towards the wooden sword.

"Your movements are one thing, but even when you were behind me, I couldn't feel your presence." Arthur told Elder Virion as he rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. "Hmm. Shadow Panthers are able to instinctually manipulate wind and sound to achieve this effect. I think I've bullied you enough. What say we actually start training?" Elder Virion asked Arthur as he picked up the wooden sword handing it to him. Rose stood up and made her way to Arthur giving him a hug nuzzling in his neck.

'Days quickly passed for me, completely immersed in training. Through Virion's guidance and my own insights, I was able to access the first stage of my dragon will. He had also taught me to conceal the presence of my beast will in front of other mages. If I wasn't strengthening my mana core or studying Sylvia's dragon will, I was sparring against Virion.' Arthur thought as he battled Virion with the twins cheering him on. 'Luckily, the assimilation process allowed my body to keep up with the constant training and conditioning. And on my downtime, I spent as much time "embracing the joys and innocence of childhood" like Sylvia wished for me.' Arthur thought as Rose dragged him around with a smile on her face.

'... Until the final day of departure finally came...' Arthur thought as the twins stared at him with teary eyes. 'Spending everyday together these last few years made breaking the news of my approaching departure that much harder on the twins especially Rose. It made my heart seeing that sad expression on her face. Even Sylvie became teary eyed at the news as Rose practically became his mother.' Arthur thought as he sat in be hugging Rose who covered herself in the sheet. "Like I thought. Grandma Sylvia's feather works well at hiding the presence of Sylvie's mark." Arthur said wrapping the feather around the mark.

"It's time to go, Arthur. Your carriage is waiting for you. Hold onto this. It's adorned with the Eralith house crest and it'll help you navigate the forest." Elder Virion told Arthur as he held his hand out containing an item. "Thanks, Gramps." Arthur told Virion taking the item out of his hand. "Or, you can always just find another princess to lead you back." Virion said to Arthur knowing full well that Rose could hear him as she stood behind him. "Grandpa!" she shouted as she grabbed his beard and pinched his chest. "Ouch! It was a joke, little one! Just a joke!" he told her shouting in pain. "I'll see you soon, Tess." Art told the older twin as he walked towards her.

"I'll miss you, Art. When I see you again, you better be dating my sister." Tess told him as she pulled him into a hug. He blushed hearing her words while returning the hug. He went over to Rose who looked down at the ground. "We'll see each other soon. With Gramps teaching you and your sister, I expect you to be stronger than me the next time we meet." Arthur told her as she nodded tears slowly falling down her face. "I'm going to miss you, Rose. Stay safe for me, alright?" He told her as she nodded once again more tears falling out if her eyes. "When I see you again, I will tell you something. Okay?" He said as she pulled him closer to her.

"I'm going to miss you too, Art!" Rose told him as she nuzzled into his neck. He made his way to the carriage as he looked back waving at the family. Rose snuggled into her sister who held her tightly as she continued to cry. He turned around to enter the carriage as he was met with two males and one female. "Well, look who it is! If it isn't Arthur, the human brat!" Feyrith exclaimed as Arthur stood on the step. "... Who are you?" Arthur asked the boy confused not remembering who he was.

"I'm the noble that you beat unfairly by defying the customs of the duel! Everybody but a foolish bumpkin like you knows a true duel is meant to be a demonstration of magic, and the challenger always strikes first." Feyrith shouted pointing towards Arthur who continued to look confused as the other people sitting in carriage laughed. "Ah! Ivysaur, right?" Arthur asked completely saying his name wrong. "I am Feyrith Ivsaar the III, heir to the noble Ivsaar family! I may have been defeated underhandedly while I was a naive child, but if we were to fight right now--" Feyrith shouted as Arthur climbed inside the carriage and grabbed his hand.

"Nice to see you again. Sorry for bullying you back then." Arthur said as he sat down in the seat. Feyrith bashful nodded looking away from Arthur. "You can just call him FeyFey, like we all do." The girl with gray hair that almost looks purple said to him. "D-D-Don't tell him that!!" Feyrith screeched embarrassed by what the girl said. Arthur looked at them with a fond smile as they argued. "We have arrived." The chaperone said as Arthur looked out the window. 'We're finally here! This is where Mom and Dad are! The floating city if Xyrus!' Arthur thought excitedly.