The Grand Sorcerer 6 - (Sofia the First, Cedric!SI)

Sofia was... miffed!

And excited!

While part of her wanted to be huffy and puffy about Cedric's constant avoidance of her presence, the fact that he was actually cooler than a normal wizard kept on making her giddy to learn under him as an apprentice. That fight with that scary monster that was able to suppress the powerful Amulet of Avalon further incentivized her interest to get taught by the man but... his words stuck to her: "It is best you don't mention the monster to your parents."

A strange thing to ask, to lie to her family, but Sofia had a feeling from the super-serious tone of the Royal Sorcerer that he may have a good reason to ask this much of her. Plus, the punishment she got from 'merely talking with a mermaid' was lenient enough to be back to play and study without a worry. Sofia also convinced King Roland to make an effort to help her new friend's kingdom, with Cedric's own explanation mellowing the monarch to provide some interest on the matter.

This was... good.

It wasn't the best news, but it was the best they could get at that moment. And with that good mood, Sofia tried to get into Cedric's workshop despite the ways he handled his security. Despite her best efforts, the place was impossible to breach while he was using it, so she tried to get into it while he wasn't around.

After three half-successful but still failing attempts, Sofia had thought that it was best to lay low and wait for a better opportunity when... a fourth attempt succeeded. This wasn't even a determined effort, it was a half-baked one meant to check if she was going to be caught once more but...

She actually slipped through the half-open door without being teleported out and with the door closing on her. Her delight soared as she made a few 'safe steps' forward, then she was happily skipping through the familiar corridor and she reached the central chamber of his workshop.

Cedric was not there, just as Sofia had expected, but she was surprised to find out that it wasn't devoid of people. The noises of giggles had reached her ears far before she got to the source of it, and the scene she saw baffled the young princess.

A little girl, way younger than she was, was currently playing with a pretty-looking cat.

The girl had that 'hint' of familiarity that was within her shoulder-length hair, with the frontal bangs contrasting her mostly black hair with a white shade of pure locks. Her red dress stood out as simple and cute, but it all paled before the reason the little child was giggling: the cat.

She is so adorable~!

Holding back an ecstatic squeak, Sofia peeked from the corner as she studied the feline with her round eyes. The purely white fur stood out in that gloomy place, with the soft-tonality also adding to the pleasant appearance of the kitty. Her upper fur seemed shaped like the cat had also white hair, but it was the cute hat resting on top of her head that truly finalized such an adorable and unique pet.

"Nyah~?" The kitty quietly 'inquired' as her beautiful blue and cyan eyes were soon aimed at Sofia, causing the princess to freeze up when the fellow girl turned her gaze to look at her.

Tensing up, the familiar child squeaked in surprise. "Who'we you?!"

Loud, nervous, and yet curious and excited.

"S-Sofia. I am Sofia," She replied curtly, surprised and almost caught off-guard by the sudden detection. "I am one of the princesses that live here."

The younger girl nodded slowly, but didn't seem any calmer. "I know. Unca Cedwic told me of you!"

Oh?

The child tilted her head to the side. "Why do you bowe him so much?"

Sofia felt her jaw hit the floor at that blunt question. She... She didn't bore him at all! Why would he say a lie that big?!

Before she could rebuke that, Sofia's attention was stole away by the meowling of a certain cat.

"Nyah~!"

The child half-jumped as the pet walked up towards the brunette, almost unfazed by the new face as she just walked up to her and... nuzzled against her skirt. The loud purring made Sofia's heart melt as she crouched to pet the adorable cat.

"So cute~!"

There was silence for a moment as the younger girl stared at the interaction with a silent gaze, while Sofia felt her unease washed away by the presence of such a pleasant pet around. And as her mind calmed, she started to think of who the little girl could be. While she was above guessing someone on the spot, she did remember that Cedric mentioned his niece's name a while back, and that the girl had called Cedric 'Unca' so...

"Are you Calista?"

The question renewed the tension going through the child, but instead of confusion, the girl appeared surprised.

"Y-You know me, pwincess?"

Sofia nodded and offered a soothing smile. "Yes. I heard of you from Cedric."

"Unca told you?" Calista perked up, more curious and less tense.

"Yup."

"Then... nice to meet you, pwincess."

"Likewise, Calista and... who is this cat?"

"Unca's familiaw," Calista bluntly answered. "Fuwina."

Which translated within a proper wording, it meant that...

"Hello, Furina."

The cat meowled happily at hearing her name, clearly pleased by the introduction. But where Sofia would have used this chance to learn more about the situation that saw little Calista here in the castle and not with Cedric's parents, her chances were dashed away when she felt a hand rest atop her head from behind.

She tilted her eyes over her shoulder and... offered a small smile.

"M-Mr. Cedric."

"Sofia, young lady, I thought you had homework at this hour."

Sofia flinched, that being another reason why she had been trying to get Cedric to teach her and... overrule the homework.

"I do."

"Then, let me not stop you from getting back to the fine education. I wouldn't dare to listen to a rant from Baileywick over letting you distract from your duties."

"But-"

With a snap of fingers, Sofia's attempt was curbed as she found herself sitting by her bed's end and... with her homework already parched beside her. The pout she mustered was legendary, and it made her upset that she came so close to get taught by her favorite magician but... At least she learned something new.

Such as the fact that Mr. Cedric's niece was now possibly living in the castle and that his familiar was a pretty cat called Furina.

What Sofia didn't understand was that this was far more information than Cedric would have wanted anyone to glean from his personal life.

AN

So, I am going to say something very interesting: the cat, Furina, is not an Expy. Buuuuuuuut, her theme is not 'All the World's A Stage'. I will not explain any further, as this will be expanded by the next two chapters.