https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-616-Cardinal-Lanchi-s-Summer-Chat-with-Talia/12584951/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-618-Lanchi-s-Love-Life-in-the-Sky/12584953/
Chapter 617: Lanchi and Talia's Card-Making Plan
Chapter 617: Lanchi and Talia's Card-Making Plan
The morning light streamed through the glass skylight, bathing the wooden beams and bookshelves in a warm glow. Lanchi sat on a stool across from Talia's recliner, engaged in conversation with her.
"So, your visit today has something to do with the Shadow World," Talia stated, without a hint of question in her voice.
"Take a look at this material," Lanchi said as he pulled out a pale blue, gradient-colored gemstone from his pocket and revealed it in the palm of his hand.
The multifaceted jewel, known as the [Kaliyla's Shadow Weave Record], instantly sparkled in the morning light, its colors gradually deepening from the center to the edges, like the shallow waters of an ocean, shimmering with every wave.
"..." Talia glanced at Lanchi, setting down the little fox she had been holding, and gently took the artifact from his hand.
Closing her eyes, she held the cool, multifaceted gemstone, sensing its magic rather than merely looking at it.
"This is... the magic of Kaliyla, the Great Demon?" Talia murmured, puzzled.
Back when the Demon Kingdom still existed, there was a trial known as the Falling Gentle Hometown, a challenge set by a great demon named Kaliyla. Talia had once attempted this trial herself.
Now, as she truly felt Kaliyla's magic, she found it strikingly familiar, even endearing, as if it resonated with her own being. The last time she had felt this way was when she had obtained the Wilford family heirloom, the [Elegy Paragraph].
"Yes, during my recent journey into the Shadow World with Hyperian, I encountered the ancient Kaliyla from the era of the Demon World," Lanchi explained, recounting his experience in the Shadow World and how he had forged a connection with Kaliyla, ultimately receiving one of her treasures as a reward.
"Do you have the [Falling Mark]?" Lanchi asked finally.
"I don't," Talia replied with a slight shake of her head. "But back before the destruction of the Demon Kingdom, the Falling Gentle Hometown trial wasn't particularly difficult for me. It was just very time-consuming, so I chose a different heart-testing trial."
"Oh!" Lanchi understood. To complete the Falling Gentle Hometown trial, one had to refrain from eating until they had taken one hundred and thirty-one steps. For Talia, who loved her food, such a challenge would have been sheer torture, explaining why she had opted for a different path.
"What kind of torture is that?" Talia's sudden question snapped Lanchi back to the present.
He shuddered slightly and quickly composed himself. "Anyway, just don't try the Falling Gentle Hometown trial. Hyperian initially thought she could get through that magical barrier, but in the end, she couldn't break free."
"I suppose that's true," Talia nodded.
She could easily imagine the kind of dream Hyperian had experienced and understood how difficult it must have been for her to leave such a dream behind.
However, Talia often felt that her current life was like living in the Falling Gentle Hometown spell. A year ago, she had been a vagrant, sleeping under the stars and going hungry more often than not, eating worse than stray cats.
Now, with ample money, citizenship in the Kingdom of Hutton, and a comfortable home, she lived a life of ease. Her niece had been brought to live with her, she had made friends in this city, and even her century-old friend had been brought over from the Northern Continent.
All these absurd twists of fate had occurred within the span of a single year.
Sometimes, she questioned if she was under the influence of the Falling Gentle Hometown spell. If Lanchi granted her wish a couple more times, she might truly become immune to its effects, for there would be no distinction between reality and fantasy, and she would have no reason to be addicted to it.
With that thought, she felt she owed Lanchi a few words of gratitude, but she didn't know how to express them.
"So, you want me to help you make a card?" Talia asked as she handed the jewel back to Lanchi.
When Lanchi approached her with this enigmatic high-level material, she had a pretty good idea of what he wanted. The situation was similar to their first encounter in the South Vantyna borderlands, where they had crafted the [Elegy Paragraph] together.
"Yes, that's right," Lanchi confirmed.
"I agree," Talia said simply, her head lowered as she watched the fox kit rolling on the floor. Just like before, she readily agreed to his request.
Moreover, she knew that Lanchi intended to go to the Krex Empire, and before that journey, he needed a more reliable source of power.
"Also, mid-month, I plan to visit the Kingdom of Posen to select some materials. But for higher-level materials, I may need your help with identification and selection."
"I plan to bring you along," Lanchi continued.
"With me?" Talia asked.
"Yes, it's an official dispatch, and the South Continent Card Maker's Association will cover the expenses for my assistant's travel and accommodations. You will also hold the title of Exam Assistant, granting you exceptional privileges when shopping or touring the South Continent Card Maker's Association branch in the Kingdom of Posen." Lanchi nodded, adding, "And Professor Polaau has reminded me that the Southern Continent has been rather restless lately, so it would be best to find a stronger bodyguard."
"I see," Talia murmured. She had heard of the unique cuisine of the Kingdom of Posen, but the journey there was quite distant compared to traveling within the country. She also had to protect Hyperian, and had not planned on traveling anytime soon.
"Will you be bringing Planai and the others?" Talia inquired.
"I was thinking of asking them to stay and guard the house," Lanchi replied.
The Wilford family had recently moved to Ikelite, and their newly purchased mansion was located not far from the Ikelite Academy. After the Southern Vantyna raid, Lanchi had asked Planai and the others to keep an eye on the Wilford family's safety from time to time. The vampire clan had likely also learned of the connection between Hyperian and the Wilfords.
Initially, Lanchi had intended to bring Planai and the others along while leaving Talia to watch over the house, as she had already become quite familiar with the Wilford family.
However, now that he needed to bring Talia with him, he could only leave Planai and the group to safeguard the house.
It seemed that the safest place for Hyperian was still the Ikelite headquarters, and he couldn't afford to take her on overseas adventures casually.
"I understand," Talia said, comprehending Lanchi's concerns. If it was just the two of them going on a quick trip, it was less likely to attract the attention of the Resurrection Church or the vampires, and their safety would be more than sufficient, as the Resurrection Church's hatred was primarily directed towards Hyperian.
"How much is the card-making commission this time?" Lanchi asked after a moment's thought.
The last time, it had been a ten-year mortgage of 75,000 pounds, and he had only just finished paying off the interest, still owing Talia over 70,000 pounds.
However, the previous job had been for a first-tier card, and this time Lanchi hoped to create a sixth-tier card, so the price would undoubtedly increase exponentially.
He braced himself for Talia's expectedly high asking price.
"Help me bring my sister back, and that will be your payment," Talia replied calmly.
"Er, but I already planned to help Hyperian find Miss Ifatia," Lanchi said, surprised by Talia's simple request.
He didn't want to take advantage of Talia, and a clear contract between them made him feel more at ease.
"I know, but this is my only wish. As long as you can help me bring my sister back, and help you make this card, I'll continue to help you make cards in the future," Talia explained.
She was now quite certain of Asina's assessment of Lanchi's "civil service capabilities," believing that he could complete any missing person's request, no matter how outrageous.
"Er..." Lanchi was left speechless.
He hadn't expected this unyielding demon princess to become so considerate.
The fake Affection game always prompted him about the rewards for each stage, but when he actually asked, the person often hadn't thought about what the reward should be.
In contrast, with the real Affection game, whenever he brought gifts, she never hinted at whether her Affection had increased, but it seemed that it genuinely did increase a little each time, from initially being indifferent towards him, to agreeing to have meals with him, then allowing him to stay at her home, and now even consenting to help him make cards.
"Don't get too excited too soon," Talia cautioned, her tone level. "Collaborative card-making is not that easy. Last time, we worked on completely separate processes, doing our own thing. If you want me to cooperate with you like Great Love Poet to create a high-tier card, we'll need a lot more practice."
Their paces were inherently quite mismatched, and every time Talia watched Lanchi make cards, she felt that he was just playing around.
The only saving grace was that Lanchi was her apprentice, so compared to a stranger, they at least understood each other's card-making habits well.
"No problem," Lanchi said with a smile as he stood up, ready to return to Ikelite Academy. "I'll come find you for practice once I've taken care of a few things in the next couple of days."
He still needed to consult with Professor Polaau, help the president solve problems, and assist Dean Lauren with his date.
Once everything at Ikelite Academy was settled, he could devote himself entirely to card-making!
(End of Chapter)
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