The Magus and His Alpha

Tangkob

Roseller's retrospective scrying was halted when a moth with azure-colored wings appeared out of nowhere as if it was teleported instantaneously to his living room.

As the moth, with a size of only 18 centimeters in height, emitted glowing pollen that would have made Roseller allergic, it slowly flew its way to Roseller's shoulder.

The spectacular-looking moth attempted to touch Roseller's as if wanting to place a kiss. However, Roseller just stared at it indifferently.

Knowing it would not receive further recognition, it flew to the corner near the mirror wall.

Without making any undesirable waves that would provoke Roseller, the moth gradually emitted azure light. The light expanded to that space at the corner of the living room.

Roseller witnessed a mild swirl of azure light with indifference, as if something as fantastical as the transformation of a moth from a beautiful insect to a swirling light was nothing of his concern.

In just a few seconds of the seeming transformation of a moth, an incorporeal body of a child radiating azure light appeared in the space where the moth used to be.

After a few ticks of seconds, the incorporeal light body transformed into an adorable child that looked to be around seven or eight years old. The body was still glowing with azure light but his stance was respectful as he was facing Roseller.

Roseller, after witnessing the spirit moth that turned into a child, conveyed a broad smile, which the child found gratifying as well as puzzling.

After a few seconds, in which the child regarded Roseller's smile as a gesture of recognition, he then made a bow towards the only adult in the room.

"Greetings Master!"

Azure light continued to glow from the body of the child, donning a white tunic as he stood a few paces before his master inside a well-designed living room. Despite his adorable stature, the child stood stiff as he awaited any response from his master.

The child's patience almost ran out as he was awaiting any sort of reply. A simple gesture would suffice, but he still received none.

'Did the Master smile at me after I bowed or was that an illusion?' The child was silently recalling the time of his appearance.

After a few minutes of silence between the two occupants of the room, the child could not wait anymore. He approached his master to where he was seated and eventually performed a kneeling position very close to the adult.

The proximity of the child surprised Roseller. He proceeded to tap the child's head while saying: "Tangkob, please rise."

"Thank you, Master!"

Tangkob, the child's name, did not know if the Master was mad at him. But he surmised that his master was not in a good mood as he was eyeing the tall young man with a muscular build in his pajamas.

He tried to appease his master by taking a set of cups with a teapot from his space and placing the set atop the coffee table fronting the loveseat.

Despite his child's stature, he was adept at preparing tea for his master.

As Roseller was observing Tangkob preparing the tea for him, he could not help but recall the time when this child emerged from a big cocoon. He could not imagine why a child with an angelic appearance came out of a big silky golden cocoon.

That cocoon used to be occupied by a moth with azure wings. That transformation occurred barely two years ago, much to his astonishment.

Before reaching his current metamorphosis, Tangkob was a caterpillar that Roseller found when he was strolling in the flower farm in Dalaguete after his graduation. That was over three years ago.

"Here you go, Master! Your favorite spiritual jasmine tea."

Tangkob put a teacup atop the coffee table near where Roseller was seated.

"It still amazed me how you managed to transmute jasmine tea leaves and imbue them with considerable spiritual energy," Roseller remarked, which respectfully aroused Tangkob, noting how he managed to impress his Master with his abilities.

"I think I informed you about my spiritual space where the area is similar to this living room–not too spacious but not too cramped. Storing things in my space can increase the spiritual nature of food, tea leaves, and even plants," Tangkob continued, "just enough space for me in the event I might undergo another metamorphosis stage."

Roseller had mentally taken note of the capabilities of Tangkob's dimension.

"I am thinking of putting a car inside my space, but it would not be appropriate considering my size right now. Heheheh…" Tangkob added, amusing Roseller more.

Roseller really found Tangkob as if he was raising a son. But the child had the intelligence of a 30-year-old human. He could be childish but at the same time very clever for his stature.

"When I was looking at you preparing the tea, it invoked certain moments of reminiscence when you turned into a moth after being in a cocoon for months."

"So you missed me, Master?"

"Of course!" Roseller instantly replied, then he added. "You have been away for a few days but you are bound to me spiritually, so there is no way I would not miss you and your being a child."

"Thanks, Master!" Tangkob cutely smiled, showing off his adorable appearance, sending Roseller with a complex feeling.

"You came out of your cocoon hours after I managed to reach the Core-forming stage. At that time, you were a beautiful moth and you still are. However, what concerned me at that time was your lifespan." Roseller briefly lamented, but his mood suddenly changed.

"But when you turned into a child after your metamorphosis, that really surprised me."

"It's been several times that you mentioned that to me, Master. Many times I have also told you that I spent longer as a caterpillar for years. At that time, I did not recall having a farm in that area when I got out of the egg. Heck, I did not know I came from the egg until you mentioned it to me one time." Tangkob laughed, continuing to light up Roseller's mood.

"So you are older than me?" The young man smirked.

"I don't know. My priority at that time was to eat and eat as much as I could," Tangkob then added, "I didn't have a sense of time when I was at that stage."

"Perhaps, once you continue advancing, you might recall the events of your time as a caterpillar."

"Perhaps, Master…"

"So how is Justin?"

Roseller suddenly shifted the subject.