The soft glow of morning light seeped through the wooden creaks of the window, casting a golden hue across Ryfel's room.
As the first ray of sun touched his face, his eyes flickered open instantly—no grogginess, no hesitation.
With a slight motion of his hand, the light bent slightly upward, redirecting away from his face.
Ryfel (thought):
"Too early for that, Sun. Let me wake up properly first."
He inhaled deeply, filling his small but stronger lungs with the crisp morning air. His body—though still that of a five-year-old, felt significantly more developed than a normal child's.
Five years of consistent training had shaped his form.
But more importantly, no one suspected a thing.
The Morning Routine of a Hidden Prodigy
Without hesitation, Ryfel rolled off his bed, using earth magic to soften the landing.
His feet touched the floor, but with a tap of his toe, he reinforced it back to solid clay, as if he had never moved anything at all.
Ryfel:
"First: warm-up."
He transitioned seamlessly into slow Tai Chi movements, his small frame shifting fluidly as he circulated the air and earth around him.
Ryfel:
"Flexibility, balance, breath control—keep it natural, keep it subtle."
His fingers curled slightly, feeling the faint energy of mana flowing beneath his skin.
Ryfel (pondering):
"My feel and flow of mana are much better than before… but I still have to be careful."
After a few more movements, he pushed small bursts of air from his feet, propelling himself lightly forward, circling his room in mini laps.
It was training.
But to anyone watching, it was just a child playing.
With his body warmed up, Ryfel waved his hand, drawing water from his drinking container with practiced ease.
He let it hover just for a second—then pulled it into his mouth for a drink while simultaneously guiding a small stream to cleanse his face.
Satisfied, he walked toward the bookshelf, tapping his foot against the floor. A tiny pulse of earth magic lifted him up just enough to reach the shelf effortlessly.
His fingers danced over the spines of the books, quickly finding his place from last night's study session.
The 12th book from the left.
He descended smoothly, the soft earth beneath his feet cushioning his landing as he moved toward the desk.
A snap of his fingers—a small controlled spark—lit the lamp beside him, illuminating the pages.
Ryfel:
"Time to review."
For the next thirty minutes, he silently read, absorbing the knowledge as fast as his body would allow.
Language, history, noble structures, magic theory—anything that could be useful for the future.
He turned a page, mentally mapping out the connections between different noble houses.
Ryfel (reading):
"House Redimir is respected, but not feared. We control agriculture, yet we aren't politically aggressive. The other noble families probably see us as 'useful but not a threat.'"
His lips twitched slightly.
Ryfel:
"That… is completely horrible but it might be a good thing. For now."
As he continued, soft footsteps echoed from the master bedroom.
His family was waking up.
Ryfel:
"Time's up."
He shut the book, swiftly placing it back on the shelf before leaping back onto his crib, shifting the earth back to normal.
With expert precision, he pulled his blanket over himself, shutting his eyes.
And just as the door creaked open…
Ryfel let out a small, adorably sleepy yawn.
A Five-Year-Old's Charm
Elda peeked into the room, sunlight spilling over her as she gently pushed open the door.
Elda:
"Good morning, my little Ry!"
Ryfel, already awake but pretending otherwise, let out a slow groggy sigh, stretching his arms dramatically before blinking up at her.
Ryfel:
"Mmmh… five more minutes…"
Elda gasped, clutching her chest.
Elda:
"Kyaaa! Look at my baby boy growing up so quickly! So cute!"
Ryfel internally sighed but allowed himself to be scooped up effortlessly into her arms.
Ryfel (thinking):
"At this rate, I'm going to suffocate in motherly affection before I turn ten."
She swayed him slightly as they walked toward the master bedroom, where Ryker was sprawled out face-down, still half-asleep.
Elda:
"Good morning, my dear husband! Our little Ry is awake! Say hi to your papa!"
Ryfel yawned exaggeratedly, leaning toward Ryker with a tired voice.
Ryfel:
"Morning, Papa… You look like you lost a battle against the bed."
Ryker grunted into his pillow before rolling over, his hair a mess, eyes still heavy with sleep.
Ryker:
"Mmm… morning, Little Ry…"
Another yawn.
Ryker:
"Y'know… I always prepared myself for sleepless nights before we had a kid… but by the gods, you're the easiest child ever."
Ryfel smirked slightly but hid it well as he reached toward Ryker, putting on his best innocent face.
Ryfel:
"Papa, do you want me to carry you this morning?"
Elda snorted, covering her mouth, while Ryker cracked open one eye.
Ryker (smirking):
"Oi yoi, I might be tired, but I'm still your father, kid."
He ruffled Ryfel's hair with one large hand, grinning.
Ryker:
"Ready for another exciting day of being adorable?"
Ryfel grinned back, playing along as usual, but inside, his mind remained sharp.
Morning in the Redimir household was always warm and full of life. The scent of fresh bread and roasted grains drifted in from the kitchen as Milal prepared breakfast, while the hum of early chatter filled the dining room.
Ryfel sat at the table reading, legs swinging slightly, playing the part of a cheerful five-year-old.
Inside his mind?
"It's time to move to the next phase."
For these five years, he had carefully hidden his intelligence, using simple words, avoiding advanced magic, and never drawing too much attention.
But today, he would begin showing just a fraction of his potential.
Something small. Something that would make them proud, not suspicious.
Ryfel:
"Time to make them notice."
Milal approached, setting a wooden cup filled with clear water in front of him.
Milal:
"Here you go, Young Master. Fresh water from the well this morning!"
Ryfel grinned, reaching for the cup—
And then, with calculated precision, he let it "slip."
The cup tilted mid-air, the water inside spilling out—
Except it didn't fall.
The liquid hovered perfectly between the cup and the table, as though time itself had paused around it.
Then, with a small, effortless motion, Ryfel guided the water smoothly back into the cup, without spilling a single drop.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then—
Elda's eyes widened in shock.
Milal's hands trembled, nearly dropping the serving tray.
Ryker… just stared.
Elda:
"Did… Did you just…??"
She turned to look at Ryker, then back at Ryfel, her voice shaking between disbelief and excitement.
Ryker:
"Son, did you just use water magic, be-because I have never seen you use it before?!"
Ryfel tilted his head, blinking innocently.
Ryfel:
"Huh? What do you mean, Father?"
Milal clutched her chest.
Milal:
"Young Master, yo-you just controlled water without learning it? And with—"
She paused, looking between the cup and Ryfel.
Milal:
"—perfect control."
That was when Ryker stood up so fast that his chair nearly toppled over.
Ryker:
"…No. No, that's not possible."
The air in the room felt different—heavy with disbelief, charged with excitement.
Ryfel sat quietly, keeping his face calm, but his mind was sharp, watching his parents' every reaction.
Elda and Ryker weren't just surprised.
They were stunned.
Ryker exhaled sharply, rubbing his chin as he paced. Then, without warning—
Ryker:
"This can't be right."
He grabbed the cup of water, setting it down on the table.
Ryker:
"Let's see for ourselves."
He hovered his hand over the cup, his brows furrowing in deep concentration.
The water trembled, responding to his mana—
It shifted slightly but moved in uneven waves, sloshing against the sides of the cup.
A single drop spilled over the rim.
Elda covered her mouth.
Even Ryker, a trained earth and practical magic user, couldn't control the water as precisely as his five-year-old son.
He stared at the cup, then at his hand, then back at Ryfel.
Ryker:
"This is insane."
His voice was almost breathless.
Then, his gaze snapped to Elda.
Ryker:
"Dear. Try it."
Elda hesitated for only a moment. Unlike Ryker, she had always been gifted in water magic rather than earth.
She rolled back her sleeves, her elegant fingers hovering over the cup.
A soft pulse of mana rippled from her hand, and instantly, the water obeyed.
It rose delicately in the air, forming a small, controlled spiral, spinning effortlessly before settling back into the cup without a single spill.
The difference was clear.
Ryker:
"Hah. I knew it."
He chuckled, shaking his head, looking at his wife in admiration.
Ryker:
"You always were better at this than I."
Elda gave him a knowing smirk, but her eyes never left Ryfel.
Then she gently took his small hands, her touch gentle but firm.
Elda:
"My love… do you even know how you did that?"
Ryfel blinked innocently, tilting his head as if he were thinking hard.
Ryfel:
"Uhm… I just didn't want to spill it?"
A long silence.
Then—
Ryker laughed, loud and full.
Ryker:
"AHAHAH! Elda, do you hear this?! He's so damn smart, he doesn't even realize it!"
Elda, however, was still watching Ryfel closely.
Her mother's intuition was kicking in.
She knew what natural talent looked like.
And this?
This was far beyond that.
She reached out again, brushing a strand of Ryfel's hair from his face.
Elda:
"You're special, my little Ry."
She looked at Ryker, her voice firm.
Elda:
"We start training tomorrow."
Ryker:
"Damn right we do."
And just like that—
The next phase of Ryfel's life had begun.