Ethereal Ascendance: A Journey of Transformation(1-3VOL)

Magic Cards

Under the bright moonlight, I sat bored at the highest point of Norvale Kingdom - on top of an angel statue. Looking down, I could see the glittering lake waters encircling the brightly lit capital.

"It's about time to go back," I murmured to myself, glancing at the new pocket watch I bought recently.

I stretched my wings and glided down, riding the cool night breeze back to my rented house.

"Oh no, I forgot to buy groceries!" I suddenly remembered I had finished all the ingredients for dinner last night. I quickly changed direction and flew to the nearby market.

I landed quietly in a deserted alley, peeked out to check my surroundings, then casually walked out like a passerby headed to my usual food stall.

"I want 5 wind dance bird eggs, half a kilo of sunrise kale, half a kilo of mansani parsley, and 1 kilo of long-whiskered leopard meat." I rattled off my order before even reaching the stall.

Before even reaching her stall, I rattled off the ingredients I had already decided on.

The names were quite odd, but I was used to them by now. The taste was what mattered.

"You again?" The stall owner, a plump woman in her 50s selling both vegetables and meat, recognized me as a regular customer. "Why buy so much again today? Can you finish it all?"

"Of course! There's someone else at home too, so it definitely won't go to waste." I meant Nicola, who had left early for other tasks today and should be home by now.

"You mean that young girl who came with you last time? I've only seen her that one time."

"Haha, because she's often busy with work. I'm better at taking care of things at home anyway." I explained while taking the packaged ingredients from her.

"That'll be 20 silvers."

"Okay." I quickly fished out some coins from my wallet to pay her. Her prices were very affordable, one reason I frequented her stall.

"Please come again!" I waved and hurried back, really late now. Nicola would probably grumble nonstop if I let her go hungry.

Luckily home wasn't far. Just a few minutes' jog without flying. I soon arrived at the bookstore below our rented apartment.

"You're back?" The landlord glanced up from his book and greeted me briefly before becoming absorbed again.

I later realized this landlord was a novel fanatic. His bookstore mostly sold all kinds of weird fiction titles - adventure, romance, knight, very comprehensive like an Earth bookstore. I even spotted indecent books in a corner.

On my first visit, I'd hoped to find magic books downstairs to improve my skills. But after wandering in full of hope and leaving in despair, I realized his wares were all novels. He thought I was interested in fiction and enthusiastically told me about authors who were scammed by publishers and which books to avoid.

When did I have time to read novels? I was already exhausted from daily tasks, eating then crashing. No energy for leisure.

Glancing up, I saw the second-floor windows already lit. I hurried upstairs and unlocked the door.

"Nicola, sorry I'm late!" I immediately apologized, not daring to mention I was slacking off at the castle top forgetting time.

But she ignored me, not complaining as usual about the late dinner. She just sat staring at a card in her hand, engrossed.

"What's that?" I put down the groceries, curious, and walked over to peer over her shoulder.

It was an intricately designed card, with hollow patterns on the border glittering mysteriously. In the center was a six-winged angel.