One week later.

  Yang stood in his small bathroom, adjusting his new suit and combing his hair while looking in the small mirror he usually used for shaving. After putting on the suit, shoes, and haircut, Yang had to admit that Lucien looked rather dashing.

  When he'd first arrived in this body, despite being handsome, Lucien had been gaunt and not at his best due to depression and malnourishment. But now, after more than a year of Yang inhabiting this body, with regular meals and better care, the appearance was at the best it had ever been.

  The suit fit well after the tailor's adjustments. The dark gray wool was simple but well-tailored. The white shirt, black vest and shoes completed a respectable ensemble.

  After acquiring the clothes, Yang had gone to find transportation to the Ardeth estate. It had taken him a while, but he'd eventually found someone willing to rent vehicles. The fully covered carriages were extremely expensive. Hiring one for the whole evening would have cost a small fortune.

  It had to be mentioned that while Yang had been earning well from card sales, he was hardly in possession of great wealth. His main target was the energy bar rather than accumulating money. All this time, he'd been selling a variety of basic cards to the same shop, and always the most common types to avoid drawing attention.

  He'd only sold cards whose designs were in the public domain. Since low-level Cardwrights flooded the market with those types, his sales didn't stand out. He'd kept his altered cards and original designs well hidden. Even for his Grade Two exam, he'd used a barrier card with only minor altered properties instead of something more complicated like his shield design.

  So he didn't have abundant funds. He'd been living a rather frugal lifestyle where most of his expenses could be counted on one hand: rent, food, card supplies, and occasionally whatever other needs came up.

  Taking out so much for a horse carriage transport would hit his budget hard.

  Thankfully, the rental employee had offered another option. A small buggy drawn by a single horse. Unlike the fully covered coaches, this one was open with only a shade over the passenger side. The buggy was much more in his budget, and he'd booked it for the specific date.

  It still cost a pretty penny, but Yang was willing to spend the amount rather than depend on Lord Ardeth's offered transportation.

  Yang made himself look as presentable as possible, checked his appearance one final time, then left his flat after locking it. He climbed down the stairs, left the building, and made his way to where the small buggy waited along with its driver.

  The man greeted Yang by name. "Mr. Valemore, good afternoon."

  Yang greeted him back and thanked him for waiting.

  The driver urged the horse, and they made their way toward the estate. The ride would be long. More than two hours to reach the destination. Yang lived in the middle of the city, while the estate was outside the city limits.

  Yang had brought along a book and a light card, though he didn't need the card yet. It was still afternoon, with plenty of natural light.

  Yang relaxed with his book as the buggy made its way through the city streets and eventually beyond the city limits. As they left main Markech behind, Yang lost concentration on his reading and started looking at the scenery around him.

  He hadn't traveled this far from the city since arriving in this world, too concentrated on his card making. But looking at the countryside and breathing the cleaner air, Yang marveled at the difference from the main city.

  This was the first time since coming here that Yang found himself genuinely admiring something. While not comparable to the natural beauty of White Cloud Sect's mountain peaks, it was at least similar to pleasant countrysides from his original world.

  Fields stretched out in patchwork patterns. Trees lined the road. The sky was actually visible, blue rather than gray with smoke. Birds can actually be seen flying overhead without the constant smoke obscuring them.

  Yang breathed deeply, savoring air that didn't taste of coal.

  It took a little over two hours to reach the estate. Thankfully, Yang arrived on time. He could see other guests also entering as his buggy approached.

  The estate had extensive, well-manicured gardens. Yang could see a pond or small lake in the distance, its surface reflecting the late afternoon sun. Various coaches moved along the drive after dropping people at the main entrance, then circling away to waiting areas.

  The estate itself was huge. A central section with two wings extending on either side. All constructed of white stone with a gray-blue domed roof and large windows covering all sides. The building was decorated with statues and carved details. Classical architecture on a grand scale.

  Yang got off the buggy and was immediately greeted by one of the estate's employees, a man in formal livery.

  "Welcome to Ardeth Estate. Your name, sir?"

  "Lucien Valemore, Grade Two Cardwright."

  The man checked a list, found Yang's name, and smiled. "Welcome, Mr. Valemore. Please, follow me."

  Yang followed the servant into the estate. The inside was just as magnificent as the exterior promised. The ostentatiousness of the place made the room he'd met Lord Ardeth in at the Cardwright Association look like a pauper's quarters by comparison.

  They passed through corridors with marble floors and walls decorated with paintings and tapestries. Past many rooms with open doors showing parlors, libraries, sitting rooms. The wealth on display was staggering.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Finally, they reached large double wooden doors. The servant opened them, revealing the main gathering room.

  The space was filled with people. Dozens of Cardwrights in formal attire, clustered in conversation groups. Waiters moved through the crowd with trays of drinks and hors d'oeuvres. The noise of conversation created a constant buzz.

  Yang made his way in and took a flute of champagne from a passing waiter, giving himself something to do with his hands. He would be happy if no one noticed him and he could make his way out as soon as it became socially acceptable.

  But luck was not on his side. Yang had barely spent one minute walking around, trying to look like he fit in, when he was found.

  "Mr. Valemore! Glad you could make it!"

  Vadal appeared beside him, putting an arm around Yang's shoulder with easy familiarity. His smile was warm and genuine-seeming.

  Yang greeted him back politely. "Mr. Ardeth. Good evening.Didn't have much of an option about attending Mr. Ardeth. Lord Ardeth was rather insistent. I dare not refuse him."

  Vadal let out a friendly laugh. "Grandfather has always been rather committed to helping talented individuals. He was really impressed by your card alterations." Vadal's tone was admiring. "While not the most flashy modifications, they showed considerable skill and your awareness of theory. Not to mention you managing to do so within such a short time after gaining your Grade One certification."

  He shook his head ruefully. "It took me three years to reach Grade Two Cardwright certification, and that was with direct mentorship from my grandfather. You're far more talented than me, Mr. Valemore."

  Yang just smiled and waved off the compliment. "No, no. I was just lucky. Stumbled onto some insights through trial and error."

  Vadal seemed genuinely humble and friendly. Yang was surprised by how easy-going he appeared. It wasn't normal for someone of his status to treat someone of Lucien's background like this, especially in these times with their rigid class structures.

  But Yang couldn't detect any deception in Vadal's demeanor, so he allowed himself to relax slightly and go along with the friendly interaction.

  "My grandfather is a bit busy with his older friends right now," Vadal said, gesturing toward a corner where Lord Ardeth held court. "I'll take you to him in a bit. First, let me show you around and introduce you to some of the younger Cardwrights. People closer to our age."

  Vadal led Yang around the room, introducing him to various Cardwrights. Most were Grade Two like Yang and Vadal. A handful of Grade One and Grade Three as well. There were also older members in the room who Yang imagined were higher grades, but Vadal didn't lead him to those groups yet.

  About two-thirds of the gathering was men, one-third women. All dressed in formal attire that spoke of wealth and status.

  Vadal introduced Yang to others as "a talented upcoming Grade Two Cardwright" with genuine enthusiasm. Yang found himself enjoying meeting new practitioners of the craft despite his initial wariness.

  Eventually, Vadal left Yang among a group of five Cardwrights around his age, introducing them as his close friends.

  "This is Grant Ward," Vadal said, indicating a young man with sandy hair.

  "Rosaline Klien," a woman with gentle eyes and elegant bearing.

  "Arnam Wildor," a quiet man who nodded politely.

  "Gina Glint" a lively woman who smiled warmly. And Coulson Brookes," the last member, a serious-looking young man. All of them were 2nd grade cardwrights and a few years older than Yang.

  They greeted Yang warmly, and he found himself drawn into easy conversation. They discussed theory, shared stories of experiments gone wrong, debated the merits of different inscription approaches.

  Yang, surprising himself, found he was actually enjoying this. He'd been isolated for so long. The chance to discuss card creation and theory with peers his own age was genuinely pleasant.

  They became immersed in discussion as Grant Ward described a rather hilarious failure with one of his experiments, a heat card that had somehow produced ice instead.

  "I still don't know what I did wrong," Grant laughed. "The inscription looked perfect. But when I activated it, frost formed all over my desk. Ruined three books and my morning tea."

  The others laughed, sharing their own stories of unexpected results and learning experiences.

  Yang was about to contribute his own tale when Vadal returned.

  "Lucien," Vadal called, and Yang noticed the shift from "Mr. Valemore" to his first name.

  Yang responded, "Mr. Ardeth," but Vadal waved him off.

  "We're friends now, surely. Call me Vadal." He smiled disarmingly. "Come, let me take you to meet Grandfather properly."

  Yang had to admire Vadal's social skills and how expertly he was maneuvering. Vadal was skilled at taking the hand when offered a finger, gradually building familiarity and obligation. He surely wasn't as simple as his friendly demeanor suggested.

  But Yang followed him to a corner of the large room where Lord Ardeth held court with other older Cardwrights.

  Lord Ardeth was nodding thoughtfully as Madame Victorine said something Yang couldn't hear. Mr. Zina sat alongside them, silent as always. There were five other older Cardwrights in the group, all dressed impeccably.

  "Grandfather," Vadal said as they approached. "Mr. Valemore has arrived."

  Lord Ardeth turned, and his face lit up with apparent pleasure. "Mr. Valemore! Welcome, welcome. I'm so glad you could join us."

  Yang bowed slightly to the group, "Lord Ardeth. Thank you for having me."

  Lord Ardeth began introductions. "Mr. Valemore, let me introduce you to some distinguished colleagues."

  He gestured to each in turn. "Lord Pembroke, a Grade Four Cardwright specializing in industrial applications. Lady Ashwill, Grade Four, known for her medical card designs. Master Lin, Grade Three, who works primarily with agricultural innovations. Sir Whitehall, Grade Four, an expert in defensive inscriptions. And Master Green, Grade Three, who focuses on mostly energy based cards and their applcations."

  Each acknowledged Yang with varying degrees of warmth. Some seemed genuinely interested. Others were politely indifferent.

  "Please, sit," Lord Ardeth said, gesturing to empty chairs. "Both of you. Join our discussion."

  At Lord Ardeth's insistence, Yang and Vadal sat among the older Cardwrights. The conversation resumed, flowing naturally between technical discussions and theoretical debates.

  Yang didn't have much to offer compared to these experienced practitioners, but he found himself soaking up all the knowledge being casually discussed. Little insights about energy flow optimization. Tricks for preventing inscription degradation. Observations about how different crystal qualities affected long-term card stability.

  Mr. Zina remained mostly quiet, as Yang had come to expect. He only spoke when directly asked a question, offering brief but insightful responses when he did contribute.

  Madame Victorine was animated and engaging, asking Yang gentle questions about his background and work that drew him into the conversation without making him feel interrogated.

  Lord Ardeth orchestrated the discussion like a conductor, ensuring everyone had opportunities to contribute while maintaining a natural flow, yang can see Vadal takes after his grandfather.

  Yang found himself relaxing despite his initial wariness. This was genuinely interesting and educational. .

  But even as he engaged with the conversation, part of Yang's mind remained alert well aware that these are the same people that have made sure to prevent people without connections like Lucien from entering their ranks, going so far as to selling books to hopeful cardwrights that were useless to a beginner, knowing they have no way of achieving anything with the texts they were passing along.

  He couldn’t help but wonder what Lord Ardeth's true intentions were. Why all this effort to welcome a poor, self-taught Cardwright into this elite circle.

  Nothing came without a price. Yang had learned that lesson well in three lifetimes.

  So he participated, learned, and waited to see what would be asked of him in return.

  ? The Archmage is Baking Now! ?

  by R.C. Joshua