Miracle Card Shop: All My Cards Can Be Actualize

"Mmmmmm!!!" Leviathan screamed, frantically searching for an escape. Fortunately, he only needed to scramble back and leap out; the duct exit was just a few feet behind him.

*Clank!*

Leviathan sprang out of the duct grate, but instead of landing on the floor, he found himself suspended mid-air, perfectly caught in the grip of Tian Xingyun, who was waiting for him at the exit. Her other hand rested on a nearby control panel, which managed the duct's shredder, as well as other functions like flushing and intensive cleaning.

"You naughty little one, did you really think you could escape me?" Tian Xingyun said with a cold smile.

At that moment, the workshop door opened, and Daniel stepped out to see what the commotion was about. He noticed Tian Xingyun holding Leviathan.

The moment Leviathan saw Daniel, it was like spotting a savior. He immediately turned on the puppy eyes, curling up to appear as small and innocent as possible—like a harmless alligator infant rather than a dreadful Hell Lord.

"Err… What are you trying to do with him?" Daniel asked, pointing at the small alligator in Tian Xingyun's grip.

"Oh! Lord husband, I was planning to make stir-fried alligator. A priest delivered him to us, claiming it was a surprise for little Sylvana. I thought she might enjoy it," Tian Xingyun replied with a mischievous smile.

Daniel made a wry face. "Err… yeah, he *is* a surprise, but not for dinner—he's meant to be a pet for little Sylvana. She wanted something to keep her company when she swims."

As though hearing a divine decree of salvation, Leviathan eagerly nodded at Daniel's words. He didn't care if he had to become a pet—anything to avoid becoming a stir-fry dish!

"Oh… I see…" Tian Xingyun went silent, embarrassed by the misunderstanding and concerned Daniel might be disappointed. She quickly cut the rope binding Leviathan's mouth and let him go.

As soon as Leviathan was freed, he leapt onto Daniel like a lost puppy. *"Master~~! Waaaahhh~~~!"*

*!?* Daniel's instincts kicked in as he caught Leviathan mid-air, his other hand drawing a trusty large-caliber handgun and pointing it squarely at Leviathan's head.

Once he processed the situation, Daniel calmed down, holstered his gun, and loosened his grip on Leviathan's neck. "Don't jump on me like that," he warned. "I'm not familiar with you yet."

Still shaken, Leviathan was handed over to Envy.

"Hi, we meet again," Envy greeted him with a knowing smile.

"En… Envy…" Leviathan stammered, wishing he could burrow into the ground and hide for centuries. He had let Envy, the supposed witch who had once harnessed his own powers, and the supposed enemy of his, witness his utterly undignified state. The shame leviathan felt is the same as when your subordinate saw you make a fool out of yourself.

Soon after, little Sylvana arrived home, much to the delight of Daniel, Envy, and Tian Xingyun. The little one ran and skipped toward Daniel.

"Mama Envy, Mama Xingyun! Hello!" she greeted them as she jumped into Daniel's arms, letting him carry her over to the two women.

"Huh? What's that?" Sylvana asked, noticing Leviathan nestled in Envy's hands.

"This is your new pet, just as promised," Daniel explained. "You wanted someone to keep you company when you swim, right?"

"Yay! Thank you, Papa!" Sylvana squealed, leaping down from Daniel's arms and approaching the little alligator, who was now doing his best to look adorable.

"Is he... like Princess Aura? A talking lizard?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, he can talk! So, he'll even be able to help you learn to swim," Daniel replied.

"Yay! He can talk!" Little Sylvana then look at the little Alligator in her hand "Then I'm naming you Prince Edward! You'll live happily ever after with Princess Aura!" the little one excitedly lifting the small alligator and placing him on her head, where he obediently settled.

Hearing Sylvana's words, Envy's mouth twitched as she fought to suppress a smile, doing her best not to laugh.

[Princess Aura? Who's that?] Leviathan wondered, picturing a blonde girl in a pink princess dress smiling and calling him "Prince." Aaahhh, I wonder if she's a hottie, he thought with a sly grin creeping across his face.

Finally, the long-awaited family lunch arrived. Little Sylvana was surprisingly delighted by the traditional Han cuisine, as this was her first time enjoying an authentic meal of this style. The local restaurants serving Han food had never quite lived up to Tian Xingyun's standards.

Daniel, too, was savoring the meal. He liked rice but had never managed to cook it like this. At best, he'd make an instant congee by adding hot water from the instant congee cup he bought from the convenience store. As for fried rice? That was beyond him.

Yes, Daniel could cook to a degree, but his expertise was limited to simpler dishes and some European cuisine, nowhere near the labor-intensive, meticulously prepared traditional Han dishes.

Seeing Daniel enjoy the meal so much stirred a hint of jealousy in Envy. She couldn't help but shoot a glare at Tian Xingyun, who was busy catering to him, pouring tea or scooping food onto his plate. Catching Envy's gaze, Tian Xingyun responded with a triumphant smirk. Which irks the Envy to a certain degree.

Old Yuan, standing nearby, had a gut feeling that his young lady and this "Lady of the House," Envy, might not have an easy time with each other. Their personalities were quite similar, and both were skilled in areas that gave them influence in the household. In this house, cooking seemed to carry considerable power.

Imagine, Old Yuan mused, if Lord Emberweave did something that displeased Lady Envy; she could easily withhold meals as a subtle form of punishment. But if Lady Tian Xingyun were in the mix, things would be more complicated. The one not angry with Lord Emberweave could still cook for him, leaving the other to protest and pout—unless, of course, he somehow managed to anger both of them at once. Or… unless they formed an alliance.

But Old Yuan knew his young lady's pride too well. The odds of her setting aside her pride to ally with Lady Envy were slim… very very unlikely in fact.

All he could do was hope the two might eventually get along.

— Night —

After a pleasant evening of family time and dinner, little Sylvana was jumping and skipping giddily in her room, closely watched by Sat, her loyal dog. Ever since that incident when someone had broken into her room, Sat had moved its sleeping spot from the first floor to Sylvana's bedside, staying ever-vigilant over its young master.

Little Sylvana was thrilled with her new pet, balancing the little alligator on her head. Since his own space hadn't been set up yet, she had a brilliant idea: he could stay with Princess Aura for now! That way, Prince Edward and Princess Aura could spend time together, fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after.

"Prince Edward! Your house isn't built yet, so you'll stay with Princess Aura for now," she announced happily, then carried Leviathan over to a small wooden house inside her room.

Princess Aura? Here? I hope she's not just a plushie or doll, Leviathan thought, a bit hopeful.

Sylvana set him down at the front door of the small house, and he caught a glimpse of a princess dress. Oh? Is Princess Aura a pixie? A pixie would be fine too, heh heh, he thought, excitedly entering the house.

But what he saw shattered all his expectations—a bored-looking, fat yellow iguana munching on a Chromatic Philosopher's Stone.

"Yo," Mammon greeted him with a bored look, seemingly not enjoying being in a frilly princess dress, clearly forced on by little Sylvana's eager hands.

"You… You… You're Princess Aura!?" Leviathan stammered, his voice trembling as his hopes crumbled.

"Yep, it's yours truly," Mammon said. "And keep your mind out of the gutter, pal. I'm not interested in men, I'm straight, and I don't exactly enjoy crossdressing either." He pointed to a scorched line on the wooden floor, clearly marked by intense heat. "Cross it, and I'll fry you to a crisp."

To emphasize his words, Mammon blew a small blue flame, showing he still had the full power of a dragon, even in this form.

Leviathan's mind was reeling, but he couldn't help noticing the object Mammon was munching on—the same relic he had seen with Daniel. The Chromatic Philosopher's Stone! This item could boost his strength!

"What's that?! Is that your food?" Leviathan asked, eyes wide.

"It's just pet food, nothing special. And since you're not a pet, stop staring. You're ruining my appetite," Mammon replied, taking another bite and casually munching on the stone.

"Oi! I'm a pet too! Give me some, you chubby lizard!" Leviathan protested, stepping toward Mammon.

"You're one to talk. Also… get the f*ck off my lawn!" Mammon roared, spewing a stream of blue flames that stopped Leviathan right at the line he'd drawn.

"Oh? Is Prince Edward courting Princess Aura already? How lovely!" Little Sylvana giddily muttered to herself before settling in with a fairytale about princes and princesses, cozy in her bedroom. Sat yawned, bored, and decided to sleep, bringing the day to a close.