Morning light slipped through the curtains, painting pale golden streaks across the wooden floor.
Elior opened his eyes. The warm, comforting aroma of pastries and ginger tea drifted through the air, so gentle it made him feel as though he were still dreaming. From the kitchen below came the steady tap of a spoon against a bowl, mingling with the cheerful chirping of birds outside the porch.
Rubbing his eyes, he slipped from the blanket and tiptoed down the stairs. The wooden steps creaked softly beneath his feet, like the house itself was exhaling.
Lyria was already seated at the breakfast table. Sunlight glinted off her neatly tied hair, catching like strands of silver. Her familiar white glasses sat perfectly on her face, and her calm, measured movements gave Elior the fleeting thought that perhaps nothing in the world could rattle her.
"You're awake?" she asked without looking up.
"Yes…" Elior mumbled, still groggy.
"Sit down," she said. "Today, I'm going to teach you the most important lesson for surviving in this realm: how to spend money."
Elior froze.
"Spend… money?"
"Exactly."
Lyria poured more tea, her voice smooth and even, like a professor delivering a lecture. "Even in the Celestial Realm, energy must be exchanged. A soul cannot survive on goodwill and morning light alone."
She pulled a small leather pouch from her robe. The faint scent of old leather mixed with incense wafted from it. When she opened it, a soft, sparkling light spilled out, like hundreds of tiny fireflies.
"This is the currency of the Celestial Realm," she explained. "Each coin contains a certain measure of soul energy."
She lifted a gold coin, engraved with a blazing sun.
"This is a Kim Diễm, the largest denomination. One coin could buy a small apartment in the central cloud tier."
Next, she revealed a brighter silver coin:
"This is a Ngân Quang, worth ten Thiểm Bạc—the smallest coin, enough to buy a cup of tea or a few soul candies. Think of it as 'snacks' in the human world."
Elior's eyes lit up. "It's… beautiful. Like glowing money."
Lyria's lips curved into a faint, mischievous smile.
"Lord Remiel sent you… a thousand Kim Diễm."
Elior nearly dropped his tea. "A… thousand?!"
"Yes. I was just as surprised. He said, 'so the boy won't need to borrow while he adjusts.' With that, you could buy half a cloud tier."
Elior flushed. "I… only need enough to eat…"
"Take it," she said. "Here, money flies faster than the wind."
She stood and adjusted her robe. "Now let's go. I must take you to the Angel Administration Bureau to register."
"Bureau…?" Elior asked, puzzled. "Sounds like the Ministry of Magic."
"Yes, only it governs both law and destiny."
Outside, a white stone path stretched along an emerald-green lake, the water reflecting layers of drifting clouds. At the end of the path rose the Bureau, majestic yet quiet.
It didn't float in the sky, as Elior had imagined, but stood firm at the water's edge. Sunlight bounced off its crystal walls like mirrors. On the roof, a symbol of wings embracing a white flame glimmered softly.
They passed through the massive gate and walked down a wide corridor of blue jade. The air was still, punctuated only by the footsteps of a few angels, echoing clearly through the hall.
Elior whispered in surprise. "You said this place is usually busy?"
"Yes, normally," Lyria said, scanning the hall. "But it seems quiet today."
In the main hall, a lone angel clerk sat behind a single reception desk. His translucent gray wings were delicate as mist, his silver hair slightly tousled, and his gentle eyes half-lidded with sleep.
Noticing them, he lifted his head and beamed.
"Oh, new visitors! No one's come all morning. You're here to register, right?"
"Yes, this boy," Lyria replied calmly.
"Ah, let me guess—reincarnated soul? Apprentice angel? Age? Do you like peppermint tea? Oh, and…"
He rattled on, flipping through a ledger while asking questions so quickly that Elior could only nod, shake his head, then nod again.
"What's your name?"
"Elior."
"Beautiful. Gender… male. Current form: ten years old. Skills? Telekinesis, right? Oh, I knew an angel with that ability—wonderful! And your guardian?"
"Lord Remiel."
The words hung in the air.
The clerk's smile faded. His gentle eyes deepened, taking on a serious weight.
"Remiel… really?"
"Yes."
A tense silence followed. Then he cleared his throat, voice firm.
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
Without further questions, he placed a hand on a luminous desk. Silver light spiraled, and from the glow, a crystal card slid out—clear and icy to the touch.
He handed it to Elior:
Registration Complete.
The card read:
Name: Elior
Gender: Male
Rank: Novice – Class I
Occupation: Student
Skill: Telekinesis
Guardian: Remiel
Light reflected off the card onto Elior's face, cool as flowing water. A heavy sensation pressed in his chest, as if his soul had been marked by an invisible thread.
Lyria watched silently, her gaze gentle yet distant.
"Keep this card safe," the clerk said softly. "From now on, you belong to the Celestial Realm. And… if you have money, deposit it at the Angel Bank near the lake square. Don't carry too much—it's impossible to predict when the wind will change."
Elior bowed. As they left, the clerk remained seated, eyes following them. Light from the lake played across his face—half bright, half shadowed—like a memory Remiel had awakened that he wished to forget but could not.
In Elior's hand, the card glowed faintly—light as crystal, yet heavy with a beginning that could never be undone.