Ethereal Ascendance: A Journey of Transformation

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.

This looked familiar... Right, the gaming hall near the Adventurers' Guild had these card ads outside, not just angels but many types.

I didn't understand their purpose, but the prices were shocking - hundreds of silvers each, based on rarity.

They resembled collectible cards kids liked on Earth, but more fancy, probably with magic effects. Still childish to me.

"It's called a magic card," Nicola finally spoke, answering me.

"Oh right, that's the name on the ads." I recalled now.

"Why did you buy this?" Her attachment seemed odd for someone past that collecting phase.

"Want to know?" She smiled mysteriously, piquing my curiosity.

"Uh-huh!" I nodded eagerly.

"Then watch closely!"

Nicola placed the card on the floor and channeled a bit of light element into it...

Abruptly, the entire room was blanketed by a strange glow, too bright for me to stare at the card.

"What's happening?" I yelped, fearing an explosion.

"It's fine!" Nicola was prepared, facing away already.

"Look..." As the light faded, an identical six-winged angel from the card appeared before me. I gaped, stunned and speechless.

"It's... a life-size balloon doll?" The angel looked utterly realistic and startled me at first. But scrutiny revealed its stillness - no expression, no motion, not even warmth when touched.

"Not that simple." Nicola stepped back slyly. I then saw the angel move - fluidly but expressionlessly like a robot.

"You're controlling it?" I guessed immediately.

Nicola nodded. "The summoner controls all actions - expressions, speech."

"Feliciana is stupid," the angel suddenly spoke in Nicola's voice, then smiled mechanically. The effect was somewhat unnatural to me.

"Isn't that super buggy?" I imagined the exploits - impersonations, bodyguard duties. Chaotic potential.

Yet real-world usage seemed nonexistent.

"It's not so easy," Nicola explained. "Only one action at a time - expressions, motions. So you see the limits."

Ah, single-threaded. Not even a proper robot.

"Try attacking her." At Nicola's command, the angel threw a punch. Caught off guard, I didn't block in time but felt no pain from the blow. Weaker than a balloon doll! I touched my face, baffled, as it continued attacking. The moves looked cool but I lightly slapped it back.

It exploded into mist and reverted to a card.

"It's just a magic balloon doll!" I exclaimed, hopping and pointing. "No, worse than a balloon doll! Those don't pop so easily!"

"What more do you want?" Nicola picked up the card, smiling wryly. "Substitute fighting? Bodyguard? Impossible on that tiny bit of power. This is already advanced."

"True," I conceded. "What about more light element? Wouldn't that make it stronger?"

"No way. The card can only hold so much. Exceeding would rupture it."

Nicola handed me the card. My eagerness to try was evident.

The back listed controls - limbs, expressions, speech. Following her process, I placed the card down and channeled light element. The six-winged angel reappeared.

I sensed overflow, the card absorbing only part of my power. The rest dissipated wastefully.

"Nicola you are dumb," I immediately retaliated via the angel.

"You learn quickly." Nicola sat on the bed, resigned to my fast mastery.

"Obviously! Look who I am!" I strutted arrogantly around the illusion.

"It looks very realistic but useless beyond that. Mediocre," I concluded.

"No practical value. Controlling requires concentration, can't multitask."

"Who said no practical value?" Nicola objected to my verdict, rising up.

"Like this, for instance." She groped the angel's chest.

"Or this." Lifting its skirt.

"Even this." Lying down and sticking her head under the skirt!

I spat out my tea, shocked by the escalating audacity.

"You got it just to do this? Why not yourself? You're an angel minus one pair of wings anyway." I deadpanned.

"Different," she leered knowingly. "Solo and assisted pleasure varies greatly."

"True." Though somewhat perverted.

What a waste of her pretty face.

"Wait, can you even compare? Do you have the equipment?"

I fumed realizing the flaw.

"Besides, solo is way better than assisted!"