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Chapter 356: What Level of Card Maker is Lanchi?
Chapter 356: What Level of Card Maker is Lanchi?
In the gentle afternoon sun, as time flowed, Lanchi and Xide, cradling a cat, strolled along an ancient cobblestone path, arriving at the Viscount's mansion in Qinsten City.
As they approached the building, a mansion surrounded by a red brick wall came into view, intricate geometric patterns intertwining with lush green vines, as if bearing the traces of time. Looming before them were two large oak doors, adorned with the crest of the Qinsten family—a soaring kingfisher.
Lord Levin Qinsten, who had already returned home, opened the doors and invited the two guests in.
On the second floor of the mansion, next to the study, there was a workshop for crafting magical artifacts.
Soon, Viscount Qinsten led the pair to the workshop's entrance.
"Later, when the work at the prison is done, Shia will send over the prisoner's documents here," the Viscount said.
The governor had instructed them that he needed all the prisoner's documents, as well as any removable magic cards found on the prisoner.
"Okay, thanks for your help," Lanchi replied, standing by the door.
With Shia taking over the educational work of the Great Poet, he could now focus on card crafting without worries.
Gently pushing open the door to the workshop, even before crossing the weathered threshold, a mysterious, ethereal magic barrier began to weave a mist of light above the doorway.
Influenced by this subtle power, the ancient emblem engraved on the long-silent metal door began to emit a deep blue glow, signaling the activation of the protective barrier for card makers.
What lay beyond was a room starkly different in style from the rest of the mansion—
The neat counters seemed to bear witness to the passage of time, devoid of excessive ornamentation or complexity, yet the rustic atmosphere exuded an aura of orderly sequences.
He turned to Xide, "Xide, the time it takes for me to make cards is unpredictable. It might get boring later?"
Back in his hometown of South Vantina, Talia would sometimes wait for him while he crafted cards, and it could take half a day or more.
Of course, for a demon who had lived for hundreds of years, the perception of time might be different. An afternoon for Talia might feel like the blink of an eye, hence her lack of awareness of time's preciousness, and her marriageable age had passed quietly.
Sigrid was different; she was a popular and normal woman. Her unmarried status at her age was likely due to her exceptional qualities rather than circumstances similar to Talia's.
"...I don't know if it will be boring, but I have a feeling that before dinner, you might want to eat a punch from me first." Xide stared at Lanchi, feeling that he was becoming more and more outrageous, his thoughts almost transparent to her.
Fortunately, none of the people he knew could read minds; otherwise, this kid would end up in the hospital sooner or later, or perhaps even skip that step altogether.
"How could that be?" Lanchi sighed softly, meeting Xide's gaze sincerely, and raised his palm to gesture for her to enter the room.
The spacious card-making workshop was equipped with a complete set of high-end card-making facilities. Although Xide didn't understand the work of magic craftsmen, she could tell that having such equipment in a remote city-state was already quite impressive.
Before long, the steward of the mansion prepared and delivered the items on Lanchi's list, as instructed by Viscount Qinsten.
In addition to the usual materials such as blank cards, energy crystals, imprinting magic stones, and demon core fluid, there was also a pile of demon-related materials. Interestingly, it was easier to obtain the props needed for making demon magic text cards in the Protoss Empire than in the Hutton Kingdom.
"You can leave at any time during the process; it won't affect me. I'm quite relaxed when I'm making cards," Lanchi said as he moved an armchair to the far side of the room, away from the workbench, leaving ample space, indicating that it was for Xide.
"Okay," Xide nodded and sat down in the chair, leaning back lazily, her chin propped up by one hand as she tilted her head slightly, resembling a queen watching a play.
Her gaze rested indifferently on the scene before her, seemingly intrigued by what lay ahead.
After all, she would only be watching Lanchi make cards to pass the time.
"Don't you also have a Card Maker's Association on the Southern Continent?" Xide asked, her thoughts racing.
If she recalled correctly, there were seven levels in total: Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and the highest, Master.
Aside from the Master level, which was mostly an honorary title, the conditions for advancing through the first six levels were clearly defined and strictly enforced, allowing her, as someone from the Northern Continent, to have a general understanding of what each level represented in terms of skill and expertise.
While the Northern Continent lacked the massive, cross-country united guilds found in the South, in the Protoss Empire, card makers were considered a specialized branch of Artificers and were required to obtain certification.
Artificers of a high enough level, regardless of their specific branch, were highly valued and well-compensated in the Empire.
In Xide's opinion, an Artificer skilled enough to obtain a license from the Southern Continent was no longer an apprentice. Iron-level card makers were likely considered proficient and capable of working independently in the Protoss Empire, Copper-level artisans were considered elite, and Silver-level artisans were truly exceptional, capable of effortlessly crafting purple-rarity magical artifacts. Gold-level artisans were of such caliber that they could even become Royal Artificers, with the ability to create artifacts of pink sacred-tier quality.
As for the Platinum-level artisans, be they Scroll Masters, Artificers, Card Makers, or Engineers, there were only a handful in the entire Protoss Empire, and they were all considered key assets of the Empire, protected at all costs. Even the dominant theocratic nation would not be allowed to interfere with them.
Within the Church of Dominance, most of the followers revered Sigrid's strength above all else, and as such, there was a scarcity of Artificers, researchers, or scholars among their ranks. The few skilled Artificers she had were personally hired talents, a rare commodity within her command.
As for the Saint Son, Sigrid had previously been aware that he, too, possessed the abilities of a Magic Craftsman. However, as she needed him to manage the entire Church of Dominance, she had not considered tasking him with any research responsibilities.
It was only today, upon confirming that he was from the Southern Continent and witnessing the absurdity of his [Fake Tablet – Wind], that she suddenly realized she knew very little about his card-making abilities.
Card making was the most popular branch of Artificer on the Southern Continent, and this young man might very well be an exceptional talent even in the Protoss Empire.
Xide pondered this as she listened to Lanchi's response.
"Yes, the Association has its benefits. It provides a lot of conveniences, but with those privileges come corresponding responsibilities."
Under the warm, amber glow of the lamps, the card-making workshop was secluded from the outside world. Light danced across the magical measuring instruments and partitioned containers as Lanchi stood at the workbench, immersed in his own world, a painter preparing his palette by measuring out the materials.
He wondered if he would be able to pass the final Platinum-level evaluation when he returned to the Southern Continent. If he succeeded, he would also need to serve as an examiner for the Platinum-level card maker exam, one of the highest-level evaluations in the South.
Since arriving on the Northern Continent, most of his time had been consumed by work, official duties, and travel, and now, as he reflected, he realized that opportunities to indulge in his craft were few and far between.
"..."
Seeing that Lanchi had begun to focus intently on his work, Xide chose not to disturb him further.
"How are the magic cards he makes?"
Xide bent down and whispered to the little black cat, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"I'm not sure..." The cat boss lifted its head, confusion clouding its eyes as it hesitantly replied. "But I think they're supposed to be really good."
At first, it had assumed that this guy was a fraud, pretending to be a professional card maker while failing miserably at crafting cards.
But then it had seen the [Nuclear Fusion Wolf], and it had realized that this person was capable of creating Epic cards.
However, it dared not reveal to Sigrid that Lanchi might be a Platinum-level card maker.
There were only a handful of card makers at the Platinum level or above on the entire Southern Continent, and they could easily be identified through a simple inquiry.
If Sigrid were to find out Lanchi's true identity, the thought of a Cardinal of the Resurrection Church paying a visit to its restaurant was enough to send shivers down its spine!
The very idea of its home being mistaken for a heretical lair was terrifying beyond words!
(End of Chapter)
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