Master

Even before the sun rises Lyra is already awake as usual, but this time she's taking her time to finish her morning routine. Lyra's reluctance is shown in her slow pace in packing her things. She packs her stuff and slowly looks around her room. She bites her lips, and she thinks how it feels so familiar this parting it. Then it hits her it's the same feeling she felt when she left her uncle's place.

"Is there no place I can stay forever, a place I can really call my home? why is it that home seems to be so fleeting?" Lyra mutters to herself.

She finishes what she had to do and walks out of her room, but before she closes her room's door she gave a last look and promises herself to come back. Her thoughts as she walks towards the garage were how she was so reluctant to call this house home at first, afraid that if she did she'll forget her home where she and her uncle stayed. Lyra now thinks how foolish she was back then, this house not only provided her shelter but also the warmth of being a part of a big family.

Madam Cherry meets her in the garage. They then get into the car. Madam Cherry then proceeds to drive Lyra to her master's place. All through the drive Lyra looks out the car's window and sees familiar places flash by as they drive. From the familiar streets, they then pass by unfamiliar places and Lyra takes note of it. Finally, they reach a grand mansion with a fabulous and well maintained front garden.

Madam Cherry then stops in front of it where a valet and a butler await. Madam Cherry then gets out of the car and motions Lyra to do the same. Lyra gets out and gets her luggage. Even with all her combat experience she still feels a bit nervous meeting her master for the first time. The valet then gets into Madam Cherry's car and parks it into the garage while the butler politely guides both Lyra and Madam inside the mansion. The butler leads them to a parlor where a tall slim and sharp-looking woman sits exuding a dominating aura. The woman has dark blue short hair and deep blue eyes. As soon as Madam and Lyra enter the woman gracefully stands up and greets them.

Lyra unconsciously stands a bit straighter while the woman started greeting them. The woman's presence is a bit overwhelming.

"Hello, Cherry is the girl you want me to take as a disciple?" The woman asks after exchanging pleasantries with Madam. The woman's sharp gaze focuses on Lyra as she asks.

"Yes. Her name is Lyra" Madam Cherry then gestures to Lyra to introduce herself.

"Good morning Mam, My name is Lyra." Lyra with all the confidence she can muster bows and introduces herself.

"Good morning to you too, Lyra. My name is Melika Verone and I will be your combat master," Melika then turns her attention back to Madam Cherry after giving Lyra a quick look assessing Lyra at the same time.

"Hmm. Well as far as I can see, her posture is all right. But I'll be frank I already have a disciple and my first disciple shows a lot of promise." Melika declares with an a-matter-fact voice.

"I see. As long as your willing to train Lyra I have nothing to complain. Although Lyra's aptitude when it comes to combat is great. I assure you won't regret taking her in." Madam Cherry replies with a hint of annoyance in her voice. Fortunately, Melika doesn't interact with Madam Cherry that much so she didn't really notice anything with Madam Cherry's reply.

"If the famous vermilion witch says so, then I believe it must be so," Melika answers with a smile that doesn't really reach her eyes. Madam Cherry only smiles back.

After the formalities were done, Madam bids Lyra and Melika goodbye. Madam Cherry looks back before she was about to exit and notices Lyra's slightly stiff posture and sees the hidden anxiousness in Lyra's eyes. Madam asks Melika for a bit of privacy as she bid Lyra goodbye, Melika nods and exits the parlor. Madam Cherry then hugs Lyra. Lyra was surprised but quickly hugs Madam back.

"Madam I..."

"Don't worry, you could always come back home whenever you want to." Madam pats Lyra's back.

Lyra, on the other hand, blinks rapidly to ensure the tears won't fall. Madam wipes the tears on the side of Lyra's eyes and pats her head. She then leaves without looking back.

Lyra watches closely as Madam exits out of the parlor.

Melika seeing Madam Cherry exits out the parlor walks back in only to see Lyra's intense gaze towards the open door. She frowns and instructs a maid to lead Lyra to her room and assist Lyra from now on. The maid nods acknowledging Melika's order. The maid who seems so timid is actually a combat expert.

"Don't dilly dally child, Hurry and follow the maid to your room," Melika states nonchalantly.

Lyra mentally sighs and turns toward the maid and follows the maid to her room. Lyra keeps thinking about doing her best so she'll be able to visit Madam Cherry, Nina, and the twins soon, as she follows the maid. Unknowingly she would be very occupied training and doing missions for five years unable to go back to Madam Cherry's house.

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Five intense years pass by. Five years seems so long yet short.

On a battlefield somewhere chaos echoes throughout the place. Amidst the chaos, a young man with short fiery red hair and brilliant amber eyes fights bravely and fiercely to get an injured man out of the battle zone. Enemies surround the young man and the injured man. With a gun in one hand, the young man traded gunshots with his enemies. The young man with no other choice but to dodge the incoming attacks to avoid further injuring the man. He tries to shield the injured man as best as he could. As soon as the young man found a plausible place to stand their ground he immediately lowers the injured man to the ground. He then brings out his other handgun and lets out his intense suffocating killing intent and starts his massacre...

In an infirmary just out of the battle zone, a man who was severely injured just a few hours ago pushes himself to stand and tries to show his gratitude to a young man.

"I can never thank you enough for saving me! Thank you! Thank you Prince!" the injured man with tears welling up gives the young man his sincere thanks. The young man only smiles and pats the man on the shoulder and gestures him to rest.

"You should be aware Sir, that I only did my best to complete my mission. Your thanks are wasted on me."

"Even so, you saved my life! For that, I am forever thankful, Prince."

Edric who got used to being called 'Prince' could only wearily smile at the man and tries to make him rest. When the man finally settled down. Edric exits out and is greeted by one of his father's subordinate. He came to let Edric know that Solaire's head is asking him to come home to celebrate his coming of age.

Edric hearing that he's being summoned home could only quickly pack his things and head back home. This time he was able to finish a mission that required him to infiltrate a red zone. Edric confident with his own combat skills now heads home thinking of using his coming of age celebration as a way to get his father to host a combat competition. He can then choose talented individuals to be part of his team so he can finally go back and retrieve his savior.

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"Young master welcome home" the butler greeted Edric

"Glad to be back home Ted" Edric answers.

"The master request you to head straight towards his study room to discuss your coming of age celebration young master"

"Got it, I'll be heading to meet dad then" Edric heads towards his father's study room. He then enters it.

"Welcome home Edric" Edric's father aloofly greets Edric but deep inside Edric's father lets out a mental sigh and is grateful for his son's safe return home.

"Glad to be home dad" Edric with a smile greets.

"How was the mission?" Edric's father asks.

"It's more than I expected"

"Any trouble?"

"Hmm. A bit, but nothing I couldn't handle."

"That so,"

"Anyway, Ted said you wanted to talk about my birthday celebration?"

"Yes, anything you want for the occasion?"

"Mask competition"

"Mask Competition?"

"Yes. The mask in the competition will be a good way to disguise me as I personally test individuals I find interesting. Besides wearing a mask will help lure out the enemies."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup."

"Well, I will only invite the disciples of well known elite combat to minimize any threat,"

His father agrees but on the condition that only the disciples of only well-known combat elites will be invited for security purposes. He's afraid that his son's prowess in combat might attract some unwelcome attention so he always keeps in mind his son's safety. He wouldn't want to repeat that dreadful time in which he endangered his son's life because of his pride and foolishness.

"I understand" Edric hesitates but agrees.

"Hmm, well if that is the only request for your coming of age then I can't really deny it. Although why a competition?"

"I'll be able to fight in the competition. I want to personally choose the member of my team

the sooner I form my team the sooner I can retrieve my savior. Dad, you know it's been long overdue."

*Sigh* "I see." Edric's father couldn't help but silently envy Edric's savior. The savior who's the reason for his son's unending dedication to getting stronger.

"Thanks, Dad" Edric sincerely smiles at his father. His father could only wearily smile back.

"Your welcome."

And so the mask competition hosted by the Solaire family becomes the most talk about among the experts as well as the residents of Blood Cloaked City.