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Chapter 109: Lanchi's Registered Card Maker Assessment
Chapter 109: Lanchi's Registered Card Maker Assessment
The sun rose higher on the horizon, its rays streaming through the gaps in the wooden balcony railing and casting long shadows of Lanchi, who stood bathed in the morning light.
On the balcony, a comfortable wicker chair sat beside a glass table bearing a half-read book, as a gentle breeze, heavy with the scent of flowers, brushed against Lanchi's cheeks, as if trying to chase away his drowsiness.
"Lanchi, it's time for your card maker assessment. Stop fretting over your animal friends."
Great Love Poet, watering can in hand, glanced at the clock inside the living room and then at Lanchi, who was still crouched on the ground, leisurely feeding the birds. With a nudge, she kicked him gently in the back.
"Alright, alright, we're not late. I know," Lanchi mumbled drowsily, rubbing his eyes.
Despite their growing familiarity, fostered by the frequent visits he allowed her, her attitude towards him had become increasingly casual. At times, he couldn't help but forget that she was a girl, given her rather masculine demeanor.
"Off you go, Lanchi! It's time to show the people of the Royal Capital your sealing technique. After all, you're the one who represents the art, not that gloomy Askecsun!" Great Love Poet exclaimed, her face lit by the morning sun.
"Indeed," Lanchi replied with a smile of realization. "The art of sealing should be warm and inviting, not shrouded in darkness like the magic of Askecsun." With a newfound sense of purpose, he stretched lazily, his body reaching towards the sky.
Soon after, Great Love Poet voluntarily released herself from her summoned state, and Lanchi prepared to set off.
Stepping out into the early morning mist that hung over the entrance of the Sage Academy dormitory, Lanchi's face wore a gentle smile as he strolled leisurely along the campus roads. The peaceful expression on his face, illuminated by the soft golden light of the rising sun, only added to his sunny disposition.
Today was the day of the registered card maker examination, and fortunately, it fell on a weekend, leaving him free from both classes and student council activities.
A month had passed in a flash, filled with uneventful daily routines.
Aside from his visits to the student council to help mediate the occasional campus dispute, Lanchi spent most of his time with Talia or in his dormitory, refining his card-making skills.
Although he still lacked complete confidence in passing the exam, the intensive training in demon-race teaching methods under Talia's guidance, coupled with his discovery of the magic type that best suited him and his subsequent diligent practice, had left him feeling much more prepared than when he had only excelled in spiritual magic cards.
This morning, he had risen early to make his way to the Card Maker Association's branch in the Royal Capital of Ikelite to take the registration exam.
The higher the level of registered card maker one attained, the greater the discounts they would enjoy when purchasing various standard and rare materials from the Card Maker Association.
One could even have materials transported from other nations on the Southern Continent.
Additionally, the fees for selling cards and accepting commissioned work would be significantly reduced.
The Card Maker Association was also an excellent place to procure rare and exotic materials.
Previously, as a merchant, Lanchi had only been able to sell certain high-level materials to the association without the ability to purchase them.
The association was vigilant in its efforts to crack down on profiteers and their lackeys.
Not long after leaving the Sage Academy dormitory, Lanchi spotted Huperrian waiting for him on a circular wooden bench beneath a large tree.
"Good morning, Huperrian!" Lanchi called out with a wave.
Huperrian soon noticed him and turned her head.
"Morning," she replied briefly.
The two met as planned and set off towards the Card Maker Association.
Huperrian had arranged to accompany Lanchi to the association earlier, as she was one of the few in school who knew of his card-making pursuits, and she had long wanted to observe his card-making process.
As they left the school grounds, they strolled along the quiet morning streets, walking alongside the cobblestone road that ran beside the Ikelite Grand Theater. They crossed the canal via a stone bridge, the morning sun reflecting off the waters of the Yalah moat in a dazzling display of golden ripples.
"Lanchi, did you know that you've become something of a minor celebrity in the Royal Capital lately?" Huperrian asked as they walked, continuing their usual casual conversation.
"Really?" Lanchi was genuinely surprised, having no idea that his exploits had spread beyond the walls of Ikelite Academy.
He had been so focused on refining his card-making skills during this period that he had spent most of his time within the school grounds, only venturing out to the east to visit Talia at the Cat Boss Restaurant.
"Even though we haven't made our Demon Shadow World footage public, the more it's passed on, the more exaggerated it becomes..." Huperrian sighed.
She felt that it would be better if there was footage.
It was precisely because there was no footage that people's imaginations ran wild, and with each retelling, the story morphed into something new. By the time it reached the next person, the narrative had likely transformed into an abstract version of the truth.
"Tell me, what are people saying?" Lanchi asked curiously.
"The most outrageous version I've heard so far is that even while bearing the weight of the Abyss, you, Principal Lan, single-handedly support the Corridor College, ready to battle the Vampire Prince. And yet, you remain undefeated," Huperrian replied.
Lanchi was so shocked that he nearly choked on his saliva. He coughed a few times, "Surely no one actually believes that, right?"
Huperrian shook her head, "Well, many residents of the Royal Capital seem to be enjoying the tale. Some young parents even use this story to scare disobedient children, telling them that if they don't behave, Principal Lan will take them away to the Demon College to be reformed."
"I..." Lanchi was at a loss for words.
In this Shadow World, all he had preached was about love, peace, and the positive energy of moral order.
How had it transformed into a dark fairy tale?
The game of telephone was indeed a frightening thing.
"Oh, don't worry about it. Everyone knows that these stories are mostly jokes," Huperrian said with a helpless smile.
Even though she knew the stories were mostly fiction, she could see how bewildered Lanchi was by all of this.
Lanchi nodded deeply, then said firmly, "You're right. If I work harder next time, I'll definitely be able to convey the positive energy that I promote."
"..." Huperrian hesitated, feeling that perhaps she shouldn't have said that.
...
About half an hour later, the two arrived at the South Continent Card Maker Association, located near Erica's Magic Tower and Hutton Pedestrian Square in the eastern part of the Royal Capital, Ikelite.
Unlike the rustic-style Card Maker Association branch that Lanchi had seen in the South Van Tina border territory, this Royal Capital branch featured a grand postmodernist architectural style. Built a decade ago, the project was executed by the Ikelite municipal government, and the building stood in stark contrast to the nearby neo-classical South Continent Shadow World Management Association building, separated by Hutton Pedestrian Square and aligned along the same axis.
The glass curtain wall of the Royal Capital Card Maker Association branch incorporated the urban grid of Ikelite, reflecting the scenery of Hutton Pedestrian Square.
As they walked through the automatically opening waterfall illusionary entrance, they were greeted by the building's streamlined passages and forest gallery. Just from the design style, one could discern the integration of Ikelite's cultural, geological, historical, paleontological, magical engineering, and sociological elements.
"What time does your exam start?" Huperrian asked as they walked along the clear signposts inside the building.
"Nine o'clock. We still have plenty of time, let's take a look around," Lanchi guessed it was just past eight o'clock. "Now that we've both ascended, we can also see if there are any new cards we can buy before our next Shadow World visit."
"Okay," Huperrian nodded.
She knew that Lanchi's faulty healing series magic cards were all purchased from the Card Maker Association.
Such useless cards, which ordinary people wouldn't bother with, could be acquired without spending a fortune.
It was worth browsing from time to time, as one might stumble upon an error-healing spell card with even better effects.
However, recently, the prices of the faulty healing series magic cards had started to rise slightly across the Hutton Kingdom.
People had begun to realize that carrying one or two of these formerly discarded cards could be useful for messing with opponents' minds.
Although it had no substantial effect, it could definitely play with their psychology.
Huperrian knew that the teachers at the Sage Academy must have figured out this trick and, following Lanchi's example, started to play with these cards themselves, gradually setting a new trend.
Due to Dean Loren's prohibition, they couldn't speak of it outside the academy, but the teachers were aware that the value of these cards would continue to rise, so the smarter ones were already stockpiling them.
(End of Chapter)
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