Melina chuckled nervously. Alistair looked less than pleased as he looked at the carnage going on in the kitchen. He had witnessed Melina grinding her skills in the past, so he was well aware what it entailed and how taxing it could be.
"Melina…" he narrowed his eyes. "Please, tell me you are not grinding your skills."
"Well… You see, I got this new skill called <Arcane Panacea>, which can heal status ailments, but at lower ranks, it can only neutralize weak condit...
2025-09-05 06:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Melina never thought that she would be relieved not to see Alistair first thing in the morning. Master Gilbert was eyeing her suspiciously the whole morning. He didn't know what grinding was or how it worked, but the look in his eyes told Melina that he wouldn't rest until he found out.
"Where is Alistair this morning?" Melina asked, thinking about his patrol schedule. He should have had an afternoon patrol just like the day before.
"He and Guildmaster are planning another mission...
2025-09-04 06:00:06 +0000 UTC
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You idiot! Get out of here!
But Liora wasn't about to leave without her prize. She searched frantically among the papers scattered on the floor for the pass. There was an audible sound of running footsteps in the hallway.
Come on, come on! I need it!
[Your skill <Treasure Sense> has reached [Novice] level.]
[Treasure Sense – At [Novice] level, you can sense the treasures, artifacts, or valuables in the near vic...
2025-09-03 06:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Alistair felt nervous. His patrol was over this late evening, and he should feel relieved. But increased monster activity after the festival, as well as the drow assassin, made him a bit jumpy. Even if logically everything was still well within the norm they could handle, he couldn't help but worry that one day it might be too much.
But the monsters weren't the only reason why he was nervous. He was standing in the bakery's backyard, staring up at the window. Light was coming from it, a...
2025-09-02 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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This suuuuckks!
Do poor people have to go through this each time they want to enter a city? It's utterly dreadful.
"Please tell me that we have moved closer," Kiva complained.
"Nope!" Kalen said.
"I'm sure there's a good reason for this," Serena said, although her voice lacked conviction.
As it turned out, getting to Cyene even at the slow pace of humans wasn't so bad. The worst was the gate check. They joined the line som...
2025-09-01 06:00:10 +0000 UTC
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Melina stopped walking at Elowen's cold words. Did he really just suggest to… kill the other Archmage candidates? She couldn't quite believe her ears.
"No… If you're going to go about this the worst way possible, I won't tell you anything," Melina said in a low growl.
"The whole world is at stake here," Elowen snarled, not daring to raise his voice in a public place.
Melina resumed working so as not to attract the attention of others. Elowen followed after her, wal...
2025-08-31 06:00:09 +0000 UTC
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"Sister, please calm down!" Kalen called in a vain attempt to calm Serena.
"She's gone! Oh, no! What if a monster got her? You should have watched her more closely, Kalen!" Serena wailed.
"Will you calm down? It's just a bird. I bet it just flew away when the sun rose," Kiva said.
"She's right. You can't expect a bird to remain chained to you," Kalen agreed.
Liora flew up to the scene and, for a second, wondered whether she wanted to insert herself into the mayhem. Ser...
2025-08-31 06:00:09 +0000 UTC
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Unfortunately for Liora, as the night took hold, the three adventurers headed to sleep. Two of them did, at least. The boy, Kalen, remained awake to keep watch for any monsters. Liora had no choice but to pretend to be sleeping too, even though she wasn't sleepy in the slightest.
She considered leaving and continuing the journey on her own. But the succulent boar had been stashed in Serena's Inventory. How long had it been since she had the chance to eat meat? Actual, cooked meat.
2025-08-30 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Elowen groaned as bright sunlight filtered through the curtains of his room. Once again, he woke up with an unpleasant headache as more and more of his old memories returned. It was this way ever since Melina admitted the truth about her past and what she had done. As if her words had unlocked his memories.
He'd be happy about it if they weren't so overwhelming. Twenty years' worth of memories suddenly flooding in one's head wasn't a pleasant experience. Doubly so, because the memories ...
2025-08-29 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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The morning began much like any other for Melina. She woke up at the first rays of the sun, when most people were still soundly sleeping in their beds. Looking out of the window, the vegetables and fruits in the garden were growing nicely. It was a perfectly peaceful sight.
But Melina's heart was anything but peaceful. So many things were going through her mind, some good, some not so good. First, there was her relationship with Alistair. Never in her wildest dreams did she dare to hope...
2025-08-28 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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(The image above roughly portrays Liora's new evolution)
This is amazing!
Liora gushed as she marveled at the strength of her new wings. It wasn't to say that her magpie wings were weak—she had been able to perform quite amazing aerial manoeuvres. But she got tired easily when flying long distances. Not to mention that any stronger breeze threatened to throw her small body like a rag doll.
But with these new wings, she felt like she could fly the whole day. She fe...
2025-08-27 06:00:06 +0000 UTC
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"Good day, Lord Sinclair," Melina said, getting up from her seat. She hurriedly hid Sienna from Alistair's brother's sight. The wyrm got the hint, crawling underneath her dress, while Melina performed a curtsy as a greeting.
Richard scoffed. "They even teach monkeys manners these days, I see."
"As you say, Lord Sinclair," Melina replied mechanically. She knew that talking back here would accomplish nothing. Her interactions with Richard in the past life were severely limited, but ...
2025-08-26 06:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Liora took a shaky breath and reached out for Renir, intending to put him in her Inventory.
"No, leave me outside," he said.
"Why? Somebody might find you while I go through evolution," Liora asked.
She didn't like the idea of leaving Renir exposed while she slept in her evolution coma. What if somebody stole him? Or if some of those creepy mages just happened to be somewhere nearby?
"Because evolution is a fragile process. Who knows what might happen? We might b...
2025-08-25 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Melina couldn't quite believe her ears. In her mind, there couldn't be anyone else who could tear the realms apart like she had. This wasn't some simple magic one could just learn on a whim. It wasn't a basic fireball or healing spell anyone could do.
"We're talking about splitting realms here," Melina said in disbelief.
Elowen's frown deepened. "Tell me, how did you acquire as much power as you did last time? My memory is still patchy."
Melina thought about it. If she were ...
2025-08-24 06:00:09 +0000 UTC
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Liora learned that satyrs were surprisingly nimble and resilient creatures. Despite being hit by a fully powered Air Dive, the satyr survived. It looked like Liora had just lightly Pecked it, rather than launched a fully powered murder strike. The satyr looked pissed, bleating at her while scratching the ground with its hoof.
Why is it fine? It's like I haven't done anything at all.
Satyrs are resilient against physical attacks, oddly enough. If you want to de...
2025-08-24 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Despite Liora's conviction that she would make it to the Satyr Lake the same night, after everything that happened, she felt mentally exhausted. She flew along the river for some time to put distance between herself and Sunvale. The further away she got, the livelier the place seemed to get. Plants regained their vigor, more animals bustled about, even at night, and the air got much easier to breathe.
Eventually, Liora settled herself into a big oak near the river. Its thick canopy prov...
2025-08-23 06:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Melina had a very long night after the day's events. There was a lot of information to digest, and she wasn't even sure where to begin. Outside the bakery, she heard the distant chatter and cheer coming from the festival. Apparently, once the Quake Mammoth was gone, the Duke himself went and reassured people that everything was safe.
Since nobody would dare object to the Duke, the festivities were resumed, and outside the bakery, it felt like nothing bad had happened. Part of her ...
2025-08-22 06:00:13 +0000 UTC
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You stupid, thieving, little piece of—
Renir cursed Liora out while she concentrated on flying away as fast as possible. She didn't dare to look behind herself, instead letting the gravity pull her down. The winds threw her to and fro, but she didn't resist them– instead flying along with the powerful breeze and only steadying herself enough not to crash into the cliffside.
Liora had made it halfway down the mountain when she realized that she wasn't ...
2025-08-22 06:00:09 +0000 UTC
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"You want my help?" Liora asked in disbelief, looking at the astounding beast in front of her. It was standing in the toxic miasma without so much as flinching. It was huge, muscles bulging underneath the fur, while the snake tail flicked in and out of sight. Surely, this creature didn't need Liora's help.
"Yes. You can use holy magic, can't you?" The chimera questioned in its deep, rumbling voice. "You purified this blight, didn't you?"
"In a way…" she replied cautiously as she...
2025-08-21 06:00:06 +0000 UTC
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Alistair stared in disbelief at the monstrosity in front of him. He had thought that the cragjaw drake was huge. It had been five times the size of Sienna. When he heard the tremors shaking the town, he had expected to see another drake like that. An angry sibling or parent coming to avenge the cragjaw drake that they killed.
But that hadn't been the case. Instead, he was face to face with a giant… he didn't even know what to call it. The creature was twice the size of cragjaw drake, ...
2025-08-21 06:00:05 +0000 UTC
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Flying up the mountain felt longer than usual this time. Perhaps it was because the peak was rather high. Perhaps it was because the winds were particularly strong that night. But Liora suspected it was because she knew that this was the last time she'd be flying up here.
This place does suck.
Here I thought you were having some nostalgic feelings since you were so silent.
No, I'm honestly glad I won't have to return to this mountain. I...
2025-08-20 06:00:08 +0000 UTC
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Renir's question had caught Liora off guard. She did mention that she was a human before, but it was more like an offhand remark. She hadn't expected him to actually believe her.
You believed that?
Were you lying?
No.
Then I believe you. Sort of. It sounds completely unbelievable, but your thought process is not something I'd expect from a bird. Not to mention that you actually can read System messages. When I app...
2025-08-20 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Brother, what is that?" Charlotte asked fearfully.
"It'll be alright, don't worry," Alistair said, but he couldn't quite mask the frown on his face. He then stood up straight and addressed the people in the cafeteria. "Everyone, remain calm. I suggest you remain in the inn. However, if you wish to head home, then please do not push. Exit in a slow, orderly manner."
"Those who wish to leave, please follow my directions." Barrett made his way to the door and slowly coordinated the c...
2025-08-19 06:00:07 +0000 UTC
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Liora didn't hesitate. She didn't falter. Not at first. The crying of children, the blood dripping down their faces, and the people desperately grovelling on the ground. These mages deserved to die. It would be an appropriate punishment.
But as she dropped down like a grim reaper in bird form, a little voice spoke in her mind. Remnants of her past life whispered that if she did this, then she would be a murderer. It didn't matter if these people deserved it or not. If she killed these m...
2025-08-18 06:07:01 +0000 UTC
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Morning came far too soon for Liora's liking. She kept wondering what kind of torture the freaks would enact against a bird. Every scenario she came up with ended with her in a world of pain or giving up Renir. She wondered how far she was ready to go for him. Was being tortured and possibly mangled worth it just so she could keep her shiny treasure?
Yes, it was worth it. Renir wasn't just any shiny treasure. He was the best magical treasure in the world. Encyclopedia of magical k...
2025-08-18 06:06:01 +0000 UTC
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"CAW! CAW!" Liora protested, trying to peck herself free of the net. "Let me go!"
"Silence, you stupid bird! You have no idea how much trouble you caused us," Walter snarled and shook the net violently, disorienting Liora.
She hurriedly tucked in her wings. Another such violent shake might just break her fragile wing bones, and then it would be over for her.
"Don't kill it, otherwise we might never get the gem," Arvid said in a hushed voice.
"Didn't you say th...
2025-08-18 06:05:01 +0000 UTC
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"CHAK-CHAK-CHAK!" Liora screeched. "It's the wyrm!"
Fade! Fly! Get away! If it eats you, then I'll get eaten with you!
In her panic, Liora fluttered around for a bit before activating Fade and disappearing. This confused the wyrm for about half a second. Then it jumped straight after Liora, trying to catch her in its jaws.
How can it see me while I'm Faded?!
She just barely flew out of the way, performing an aerial somersault...
2025-08-18 06:04:01 +0000 UTC
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Before tackling the mountain again, Liora decided to wait for nighttime. The watchtower wasn't a safe spot anymore, so instead she hid away in a seemingly abandoned shed near Dr. Reius' house. She wasn't completely comfortable with her hiding spot, but she figured it might do for the day.
She often roused from her sleep when she heard voices outside the shed. Nobody came, but in the end, it made her sleep fragmented and not fully restful. Liora suddenly missed the pigeons. As noisy as t...
2025-08-18 06:03:00 +0000 UTC
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Alright, this is my last chance to get it right. I have only a sliver of mana left. Just enough to handle backlash from one failure.
"I never thought teaching a basic chant like this would be so difficult," Renir complained.
"I'm not a human!" Liora protested. She couldn't actually speak as humans could. Sure, she could form sentences and pseudo-talk thanks to her Mimicry skill, but it was always through words she picked up from Renir.
The ungrateful rock should...
2025-08-18 06:01:02 +0000 UTC
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Spending glimmerstones on skills? NO. WAY.
Stop being so stubborn, Liora. You want to get more blightstones, right?
Yes.
To do that, you must defeat corrupted monsters, right?
Yes.
And to do that, you need holy magic, right?
We don't know that. Maybe I had just worn down that corrupted panther. The mage woman was just lucky to finish it off.
...
2025-08-18 06:00:11 +0000 UTC
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