https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-10-Is-There-a-Problem-with-the-Magic-Cards-Lance-Made-/12582088/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-12-Talia-Never-Thought-She-Would-Take-on-an-Apprentice/12582093/
Chapter 11: Lanchi's New Scheme
Chapter 11: Lanchi's New Scheme
Talia tore her gaze away from the card that was emanating a purple glow, her eyes revealing a hint of helplessness as she let out an imperceptible sigh.
It had been a long time since she had crafted a card, and she had almost forgotten the glow that accompanied the flow of magic within them.
Especially when the colors during their creation and activation could be so vivid.
This glow was a significant indicator of the card's strength, value, and rarity.
The lowest grade, [White Common], was easily found and was the most circulated type of magic card on the market.
Most of them were laced with simple life spells, with little to no additional effects, equipment, or summonables.
[Blue Rare] magic cards, on the other hand, boasted complete and practical effects, and were flawless in their craftsmanship. They required a stable and highly skilled artisan to create.
If a novice card maker could produce cards of this quality, they were often deemed to have exceptional talent.
As for the higher-grade [Purple Rare] magic cards, their value and strength underwent a qualitative change, making them unaffordable for the average person.
For the financially powerful nobles and most formidable warriors, purple-grade magic cards were key components in their combat profession, perfectly suited to their systems.
Even if these cards had low numerical values, their practical additional effects could sometimes yield unexpected results.
The average person wouldn't have any knowledge about the grades above this.
After all, [Pink Divine] magic cards were more like a distant symbol to most humans.
In a border town of the kingdom like this one, it was unlikely that traces of Divine card owners would ever be seen.
Their rarity was not just due to their innate scarcity but also because one had to carefully consider binding their soul to the card.
Normally, magic cards weren't permanently bound to their users after a single use.
However, the higher the grade, the greater the cost to unbind the soul.
But once a [Pink Divine] magic card was bound, it couldn't be casually unbound and rebound outside of combat like the previous three grades. It required a cumbersome re-encapsulation process and would inflict long-term damage on the binder.
As for [Orange Epic], they were the highest-grade cards that existed in the world, according to the knowledge of its creatures.
Each Epic card was unique, anchored to the world, and spanned history.
Once bound to a soul, it was difficult to unbind, even at a cost.
Forcibly breaking the contract would irreversibly damage both the user and the card.
So, while White, Blue, and Purple cards offered high mobility, allowing for flexible combinations based on tactics, Pink and Orange cards, despite their greater power, required careful consideration of whether they aligned with one's system, even if one had the opportunity to bind them.
In ancient demon world legends, there was a grade above Epic, but it hadn't been seen for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. As the demon race fell, the clues to this type of card also became increasingly elusive...
To the well-traveled Talia, the noble Purple Rare grade wasn't anything special.
She had crafted countless cards of this caliber herself.
However, what surprised Talia more than the grade of the card Lanchi had crafted was its peculiar effect.
Usually, a card maker's early works reflected their card-making style for their entire career.
With Lanchi, Talia couldn't help but wonder what other outrageous creations he would come up with in the future.
Lost in her thoughts, Talia caused the card-making workshop to fall silent once more.
"..."
Seeing that she wasn't going to say anything, Lanchi left her be.
The tranquil afternoon sun quietly shone through the clouds, casting shadows of the window frames on the brown floor, flickering with the light.
(End of Chapter)After two weeks of tireless work, Lanchi finally saw the fruits of his labor and allowed himself to relax, leaning back in his chair and feeling the rare pull of sleep during his usual afternoon nap time.
Time seemed to stand still in the card-making workshop, filled with an eerie calm. The engraving pens, alchemy pots, ink bottles, and other tools on the workbench seemed to be imbued with souls, whispering sleepy poems in this fantastical realm.
However, just as Lanchi was about to drift off to sleep, Talia's question, like a string instrument in the wind, once again stirred his heart.
"How old are you?"
Her voice remained as indifferent as ever, devoid of any emotion.
"I'll be turning 17 next year," Lanchi replied, lifting his head to meet Talia's gaze.
He chose his words carefully, unsure if stating his true age of 16 would be deemed a lie by Talia. After all, his physical age might be 16, but his soul was older, having lived his previous life before being transported to this world.
"So, you're not too late to start learning card crafting," Talia remarked as she reassessed the young man before her.
Having witnessed Lanchi's progress over the past few days, from complete clumsiness to a semblance of proficiency, she was confident that he had little prior experience in card crafting.
Based on her extensive travels across the continent, from the northernmost reaches to the southern human kingdoms, Talia concluded that aside from his late start, Lanchi, a low-ranking human card maker, could be considered a natural-born magic artisan.
"Tata, what do you think of the magic cards I've made? Are they any good?" Lanchi asked, his face lit up with a natural smile.
There was no hint of boasting in his words; he merely seemed confident that Talia, with her vast experiences, could offer a valuable assessment.
"If mass-produced... once it enters the market, it could become a new type of common card," Talia replied after a brief silence.
The reason for its potential commonality was simple—everyone would want to buy it.
Once this card became widespread, the very nature of battles might change.
Forcing an enemy to kneel might become more important than victory or defeat.
Additionally, in a fair contest, it could serve as a deterrent: "If you dare make me kneel, I'll make you kneel, too." It might not be used all the time, but it was a necessary option to have.
Despite Talia's annoyance at the thought of having to guard against this Sword Tomb spell from now on, she acknowledged that if human battles became chaotic and unpredictable, it would ultimately benefit her quest to restore her nation.
Thus, she wouldn't actively stop Lanchi from using this card to corrupt the human card system and environment.
"I see," Lanchi said, picking up the card, Basic Etiquette, and examining it. A friendly smile played on his lips as he turned to Talia. "I can't give this one to you, but I'm willing to sell the next one to you. Based on my success rate, it might take a few more days, and I'm busy preparing for the exam, so I can only make it for you after the exam."
"How much?" Talia asked without hesitation, though she was slightly taken aback. Her tone lacked any hint of inquiry, and even her questions tended to become declarative sentences.
She knew that before this card became commonplace, its scarcity would make it extremely valuable.
Moreover, as the first edition, it held a unique value—the "formula" that others could replicate.
If Lanchi was willing to trade the second card to her, the price would undoubtedly be high.
"End of Chapter"
Chapter end
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