Three days have passed since the incident in the square, but the talk about Sol has not subsided at all. In fact, more and more people come to our village just to see the "golden lizard that can turn stone".
I sat on the porch of our simple house, watching Sol who was busy playing with the small crystals he created yesterday. The tiny familiar seemed to really enjoy his new life, occasionally emitting thin golden smoke from his nose when he was happy.
"Nova, have you had breakfast?" Mother's voice called me from inside the house.
"Yes, Mother," I answered while stroking Sol's head gently. He purred softly - a strange sound for a lizard, but somehow it sounded soothing.
Since the ritual three days ago, my relationship with Sol had grown stronger. Our telepathic communication had also become smoother, although it was still limited to simple words and feelings.
"Today feels different," Sol said in my mind, his eyes staring at the village road.
"Different how?" I asked while following his gaze.
"Something's coming. Something... strong."
I frowned. Since yesterday, Sol had indeed shown the ability to sense the presence of magical energy from a distance. But this time, his senses seemed more intense.
The sound of horse hooves could be heard from the end of the village road. I straightened up, trying to see who was coming. In a small village like ours, it was rare for someone to come by horse, especially in the morning.
What I saw next made me almost disbelieve it.
A luxurious dark blue carriage with gold ornaments all around it moved slowly into the village.
The carriage was pulled by two black horses that looked different from ordinary horses even from a distance - their eyes flashed with a bluish light, and each step they took left a trail of small flames that quickly extinguished.
"Familiar horses," I whispered in amazement. "They must be important people."
Sol jumped onto my shoulder, her body tensing up in alert. "They're looking for us," she said in my mind.
"Looking for us? Why?"
Before Sol could answer, the luxurious carriage stopped right in front of our house. The carriage door opened, and out came a middle-aged woman in luxurious dark blue clothes that matched the carriage. Her gray hair was neatly tied up, and on her chest was a badge in the shape of a golden eagle's eye.
The Royal Academy Badge.
My heart was beating fast. The Royal Academy was the highest institution of familiar education in the kingdom, where the finest familiar masters were trained. Why would a representative of the academy come to a small village like ours?
"Good morning," the woman greeted in a firm yet friendly voice. "I am Magistra Elena of the Royal Academy. I am looking for a child named Nova."
I stood up hastily, nearly knocking Sol off my shoulder. "I... I am Nova, ma'am."
Magistra Elena smiled, her eyes immediately falling on Sol on my shoulder. "Ah, and this must be the familiar that has been the talk of the capital."
"The talk of the capital?" I asked in a voice that was barely a whisper.
"Of course," Magistra Elena replied, stepping closer. "Word of a familiar capable of emitting golden flames and converting matter into mana crystals has spread all the way to the palace. The king himself is curious about this little familiar."
Sol on my shoulder grew even tighter. I could feel her unease through our bond.
"Excuse me, Magistra," Father's voice suddenly came from behind. He came out of the house with hurried steps, his face pale. "What on earth is wrong? Did Nova do something wrong?"
"Mistake?" Magistra Elena laughed softly. "Quite the opposite, sir. Your son has done something extraordinary. The familiar he has is the greatest discovery in the world of familiars in the last hundred years."
Mother also came out of the house, her hands still wet from washing the dishes. Her face was full of worry seeing the luxurious carriage and the woman in formal clothes in front of their house.
"May I see your familiar up close?" Magistra Elena asked, looking at Sol with sparkling eyes.
Sol sent an uneasy feeling through me. "He wants to test my strength. But there's something I don't like about his intentions."
I hesitated for a moment, but eventually reached out so I could get a better look at Sol. "His name is Sol," I said quietly.
Magistra Elena approached slowly, her eyes studying every detail of Sol's body intently.
"Incredible," she murmured. "Golden scales, pure gold eyes, almost transparent wings... and a very powerful fire aura despite his small size."
Sol exhaled a thin golden smoke from his nose, as if warning Magistra Elena not to get too close.
"He doesn't like to be checked," I said, patting Sol's head soothingly.
"That's normal for a powerful familiar," Magistra Elena said, backing away slightly. "They have great pride."
She reached into her robe pocket and pulled out a letter in a dark blue envelope that matched her carriage. On the front of the envelope was a gold wax seal with an eagle's eye symbol.
"Nova," she said, handing me the letter. "This is an official invitation from the Royal Academy. The King wishes to meet you and your familiar in person."
My hands shook as I accepted the letter. A letter from the King? To a country bumpkin like me?
"But... but why?" I asked in a trembling voice.
"Because your familiar, Nova, may be the key to solving a mystery that has troubled the kingdom for centuries," Magistra Elena answered seriously. "The golden flames that Sol unleashed were no ordinary ability. They were the flames of a legendary dragon, and dragons are creatures that have been extinct since the Great War five hundred years ago."
My father and mother looked at each other with worried faces. I knew they were worried about letting their only child go so far from home.
"You mean... Sol is a dragon?" I asked, even though Grandpa Surya had already mentioned the same thing.
"Most likely, yes," Magistra Elena answered. "But to be sure, we need a more in-depth examination at the academy. And if our suspicions are correct..." she paused for a moment, her eyes looking at me seriously. "If Sol is truly a dragon descendant, then he is the most precious creature in the entire kingdom."
Sol suddenly sent a message that surprised me: "Don't trust her completely. There is something she is hiding."
I tried to keep my facial expression from showing that Sol had just communicated with me.
"When should we leave?" Father asked in a deep voice.
"As soon as possible," Magistra Elena replied. "The king is waiting. But don't worry, Nova will get the best treatment at the academy. He will live in a special dormitory for talented students, get the best familiar education, and..."
"I don't want to go," I interrupted suddenly.
Everyone fell silent. Magistra Elena looked at me in surprise.
"Don't want to go? But this is a golden opportunity, Nova. Many children dream of entering the Royal Academy."
"Sol and I are happy here," I replied while patting the little familiar's head. "We don't need an academy or a palace."
Magistra Elena's face turned serious. "Nova, I don't think you understand the situation. This isn't a request. This is a direct order from the King. A familiar like Sol is too valuable to be left alone in a remote village."
Her tone changed, no longer as friendly as before. There was an implied threat behind her words.
Sol sent a feeling of anger through me. "They want to use my power. I don't like it."
"But if we refuse?" Father asked carefully.
Magistra Elena smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Of course you won't refuse. Because refusing the King's orders is the same as treason against the kingdom."
A clear threat.
I looked down at the letter in my hand, then looked up at Sol who was still perched on my shoulder. Her golden eyes stared at me with complete trust, as if to say she would follow whatever decision I made.
"Very well," I finally said with a heavy heart. "We will go."
Magistra Elena smiled again, this time sincerely. "A wise decision. You will leave tomorrow morning. I will send a carriage to pick you up."
She turned to her carriage, then stopped and looked back.
"Oh yes, Nova. Don't bring too much stuff. At the academy, everything you need is provided. And..." she gave Sol a strange look. "Take good care of your familiar. he is very... precious."
After Magistra Elena's carriage disappeared around the bend in the road, our family was silent for a few moments.
"Nova," Father's voice finally broke the silence. "Are you sure about this decision?"
"There is no other choice, Father," I replied, looking down at the letter in my hand. "But I have a bad feeling about this."
Sol jumped off my shoulder and perched on the wooden table on the veranda. he let out a long breath, and the golden smoke that came out of it was thicker than usual.
"They are afraid," he said in my mind. "Not just because they are curious or want to use my power. They are afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid of what I might remember as my power grows."
I frowned. "Remember what?"
Sol stared at me with his deep golden eyes. "Remember why dragons went extinct. Remember who killed our race."
A bad feeling suddenly settled in my heart. If Sol was right, then we weren't just going to the academy to study. We might be going straight into the enemy's lair.
But it was too late to back out now. The decision had been made, and tomorrow morning we would be leaving this village for who knows how long.
I stared out at the deserted village road, imagining the carriage that would pick us up tomorrow. For some reason, I felt like this might be the last time I would see this humble house for a very long time.
"The real adventure is about to begin," I whispered to Sol.
He nodded slightly, his golden eyes gleaming with determination. "And we will face it together."
That night, I lay in bed staring at the still-sealed invitation letter. I hadn't opened it yet, but for some reason I felt like its contents would change my life forever.
Sol curled up next to me, his body radiating a soft warmth that made me feel a little more at ease. But in that calm, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were heading for something far bigger and more dangerous than I could have imagined. Tomorrow, our true adventure would begin.