The old man, Dr. Zai, had his servant prepare the carriage. He and Corbus rode inside toward the Trade Depot.
From inside, the view was much different, Corbus thought, much safer too.
"Dr. Zai," Corbus said.
"Yes? What is it?" the old man replied.
"This carriage floats above the ground, but some sort of material keeps it afloat as far as I can tell. I wonder, is this a special material natural to the world, or is it manufactured?"
"What a marvelous question!" the old man said, clearly impressed. "Not only are you curious, but you ask questions one might expect from someone much older."
Dr. Zai's response might seem unusual to someone unfamiliar with this world. Intelligent children similar to Corbus were not unheard of. What made Corbus stand out was his background; born into a completely impoverished, ignorant, and illiterate family. In Dr. Zai's eyes, however, Corbus was by far the most intelligent child he had ever met. The lack of background and resources made the child's accomplishments even more impressive.
Dr. Zai looked into Corbus's eyes. "Well, this is actually something created by humans—a special kind of technology. Only the Craftsmen know the secret."
"Craftsmen? Do you mean like people who build wood houses, artisans, painters, masons, and so forth?"
"Oh no, far more advanced than that. The Craftsmen belong to a very secretive guild. But if you're accepted into one of the crafting guilds, you can learn how to take the ordinary materials of this world and transform them into something truly marvelous."
"Just like these floating plates under the carriage?" Corbus asked.
"Exactly so," Dr. Zai said with a smile. "A smart little boy, indeed."
Not long after, they arrived at the Trading Depot. Corbus looked around, wondering where his brother was. He thought for sure he would be looking everywhere for him.
Dr. Zai got out, carrying Corbus, and Corbus led him to his oldest brother.
"Aoo?" Dr. Zai approached the young man that Corbus led him to. "Hello. You must be Corbus's big brother. My name is Dr. Zai."
His brother looked shocked. "What happened? Where did you go? Are you okay?" he asked Corbus, then turned to the old man. "Excuse me, sir, for my manners. It's just—we've been so worried about our brother."
"Don't worry, young man. I found this boy quite to my liking. He's very intelligent. I'm a doctor here in the city and have a fairly good reputation. This boy has struck my fancy. I'm interested in recruiting him as my last apprentice. But first, I'd like to meet with his parents. Do you live nearby?"
The brother, Aoo, was surprised that such a gentlemanly-looking man would be interested in taking Corbus as an apprentice. This was beyond anything in his experience. After all, he was just a servant from a family of servants. That his little brother, at the age of two, had gained the attention of such an important man was shocking.
"Sir, our parents live in the Koko District of the Southern Servants' Quarter outside the city. If you'd like, I can show you the way. We'll be done here very soon."
Dr. Zai looked at the animals pulling their wagons, then at Aoo.
"How long will it take, Aoo?"
Ayu could tell the doctor was impatient. "No more than three months, sir."
"Only three months?" Dr. Zai exclaimed. "I can be there in three weeks, easily. Just tell me your parents' names and where they live, I'll find them myself."
"Our father's name is Mo, and our mother's name is Jah."
"Mo and Jah? Very well. I shall find them. Thank you very much, young man. Here, for your trouble."
Dr. Zai handed Aoo and his brothers a gold coin each. A single gold coin was enough to live for three years. Two coins—that was six years. With four between them, they had twelve years of easy living ahead. Of course, they wouldn't stop working, but this was a chance to build a better life for their family.
"All right, then. We'll be seeing you," Dr. Zai said as he and Corbus waved goodbye.
Corbus's four brothers waved back, still stunned—not only by the gold coins but also by the fact that their baby brother might become a gentleman. What a strange world, they thought.
Dr. Zai approached the driver, Mr. Yao, and explained their destination. Mr. Yao nodded, waited for his master to enter the carriage, and pulled away.
Dr. Zai's floating carriage was pulled by two Brexis steeds and moved as fast as a car!
Even though the journey would take three days, the carriage was equipped with many amenities. In a city this large, people were used to long, sudden travels. Every carriage was ready for such a journey at a moment's notice.
Even the driver's cabin was protected from the elements and had a sealed cabin. Corbus noticed something interesting about the windows: whenever a bug splattered or something dirty touched the glass, it would glow briefly, then clean itself.
Dr. Zai noticed Corbus's fascination.
"That's called fireglass," he explained. "It's a marvelous invention by the Craftsmen. Whenever anything impure touches it, it heats up and cleans itself."
Corbus looked in wonder. "What if I landed on the glass? Would I get evaporated too?"
The question tickled Dr. Zai, who laughed. "No, my lad. Fireglass only cleans off small impurities. Something as big as you? It somehow knows and doesn't even heat up."
"Well, that's good," Corbus said.
Dr. Zai looked at him, amused. "Exactly how are you planning to end up on the window?"
Corbus realized he had no idea. The carriage wasn't designed for someone to lie on the window anyway. He was just curious.
They spent the trip chatting, discussing the world. Corbus shared his experiences from the past two years growing up at home. He was quite depressed about it all. It was hard, being so smart while dealing with all the burdens of being a baby. Now a toddler, things hadn't improved much.
He was excited to start studying with Dr. Zai, though he was reluctant to part from his family. Dirty and poor as they were, they had a place in his heart. Who could truly disdain someone who had loved and cared for you?
The driver had a comfortable setup. He could sleep if tired, and if anything strange appeared on the road, he'd be buzzed awake. This happened a few times—once for a log, once for grazing animals crossing the road. But most of the time, Mr. Yao was awake. There wasn't much involved in guiding the horses and the carriage.
The horses didn't need much rest. They had incredible stamina and could run for days without sleeping. They also required very little food or water. Corbus was fascinated by them.
Eventually, after three days of travel, they reached the Service Area in the Koko Quarter. After asking for directions, Mr. Yao found Mo and Jah's house.
Jah was outside, cleaning laundry and putting it up to dry. She was also sewing, her basket resting beside her favorite rocking chair.
Some of Corbus's siblings were helping with chores. The younger ones were mostly playing, except for the former Number Thirteen, now named Moo, who had been very sick as a baby but thankfully survived. He was still weak, recovering from the illness.
There was also a new little one, currently Number Sixteen. In another year, that baby would get a name. Since Corbus never claimed his number-name, Number Sixteen would be named Ooo.
As the magical carriage pulled up, everyone in the quarter stopped to stare. Many followed it curiously, and when they saw it approach Mo and Jah's house, they kept a respectful distance, watching in awe.
Mr. Yao got out and opened the door. Dr. Zai stepped down, carrying Corbus.
Jah looked up and was shocked to see her second youngest being held by such a rich-looking man. She approached hesitantly.
"Master?" she said softly. "Little Corbus? Is something wrong with my Smart One?"
"Oh yes," Dr. Zai laughed. "You call him 'Smart One,' but he told me his name is Corbus. Isn't that good news? She can say your name now," he chuckled and looked at the baby in his arm.
Corbus wasn't impressed. He'd spent the past year teaching them to say his name correctly. They'd only just gotten it three months ago—and now he was leaving for good. What was all the effort for?
He looked at his mother. "Hello, Mother," he said with a smile. Dirt and grime aside, she was still his mother. He loved her most in the world.
He turned to Dr. Zai. "This is my beautiful mother, who has cared for me all these years. I hope you can help her, my father, and my family," he said sincerely.
Jah smiled widely, revealing her yellowing teeth, which made both Dr. Zai and Mr. Yao grimace a bit. Even Corbus noticed—had her teeth gotten worse?
"Lady Jah, my name is Dr. Zai. I have a very important matter I'd like to discuss with you and your husband. Is he available?"
Jah looked at Corbus, then at the man. "Is it about my little Corbus?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"He's not in trouble, is he?"
"Oh no. On the contrary, I represent a great opportunity for your child. But I must speak with you and your husband first."
Jah called her eldest daughter, Eoo, to fetch their father. She was quick—probably the fastest in the family, even quicker than the boys.
Soon, she returned with Mo and two of Corbus's brothers. Dr. Zai and Mr. Gal were welcomed into the house. Mo, amazed by the carriage, greeted them respectfully.
Dr. Zai stood to shake Mo's hand. "Good day, sir. My name is Dr. Zai. I have a very important matter to discuss with you and your wife."
"Of course, sir," Moe was overwhelmed by the old man's politeness. "Please, sit."
Dr. Zai tried not to notice the stench in the room. "Your son is one of the smartest children I've ever met. I'm an old man, soon to retire, maybe in a hundred years." He smiled faintly. "I wish to take one last disciple and teach him my medical skills. I've chosen Corbus."
He paused. "He will receive an education... and become a doctor, just like me."
The couple looked at each other, then at their son, in absolute shock.