NOVPUBIn the soft rays of the afternoon, along with the passage of time, Lanci and Sikder, who was carrying a cat, followed an ancient stone path to the mansion of Chinston City’s lord.
As they approached the building, what came into view was a house surrounded by a red brick wall, where intricate geometric patterns were intertwined with lush climbing plants. These seemed to bear the traces of time. Right before their eyes, large oak double doors loomed, engraved with the crest of the Quinston family—a soaring green bird.
Viscount Levin Chinston, who had already arrived home, opened the front door, inviting the two guests in.
Next to the study on the second floor of the lord’s mansion, there was a workshop that could be used to make magic tools.
Quickly, Viscount Levin Chinston led the pair to the workshop’s door.
"After the prison finishes its work, Shaar will bring the criminal’s documents over," said Viscount Chinston.
The governor had previously given orders for this. He needed all of the criminal’s documents, as well as all the Magic Cards that can be stripped off him.
"Mm, we’ll be troubling you with that."
Lanci, standing by the door, responded.
With Shaar taking over the Great Love Poet’s education, he could focus on making cards later.
The door to the workshop was slightly pushed open. Before crossing the historical threshold of this door, an inexplicable and melodious magical barrier energy gradually weaved a light fog above the gate.
Under the influence of this vague energy, the ancient emblems engraved on the silent metal door started radiating a deep blue glow. It was a sign that the barrier that protects the Cardmaker was on.
In front of him was a room completely different from the rest of the mansion—
The neat counter seemed to be a witness of time. It wasn’t overly carved or complex, but the quaint atmosphere allowed one to sense the rules and order.
Turning around, he looked at Sikder behind him: "Sikder, I can’t predict how long it will take me to make a card. You might get bored."
Just like back in the south Nanwantina, Talia used to wait for him to make cards, sometimes for half a day.
Of course, for the Demon Race who has lived hundreds of years, the flow of time is probably different. An afternoon in Talia’s eyes is probably just a blink of an eye, so she never realized how valuable time is. Her age for marriage quietly passed.
Sigrid was different. She was a desirable and perfectly normal woman. Her inability to get married at a late age was probably because she was too excellent rather than like Talia.
"...I don’t know if I’ll be bored, but I feel that you might want to eat my fist before dinner."
Sikder stared at Lanci’s eyes, feeling he was getting increasingly presumptuous, as if she could almost guess what he was thinking.
Thankfully, he didn’t know anyone who could mind-read. Otherwise, this kid would end up in the hospital sooner or later. He might even skip the step of going to the hospital.
"How could it be?"
Lanci sighed lightly, sincerely looking at Sikder in the eyes, and raised his hand to gesture her to enter the room.
The spacious cardmaking workshop was equipped with complete facilities for cardmaking, all of high-end quality. Although Sikder didn’t understand the work of Magic Artisans, she could tell that having these things in a remote city was already a great luxury.
Before long, the house manager, following Viscount Chinston’s instructions, had prepared and brought over the materials on Lanci’s list.
In addition to regular materials such as blank cards, Energy Crystals, replica stones, and Magic Core Liquid, a heap of demon materials was included. In the Protoss Empire, it was easier to score the related tools needed to make Demon Magic Text cards than in the Hutton Kingdom.
"Apart from waiting here, you can leave at any time. It won’t affect me. I’m very relaxed when making cards."
Lanci moved a reclining chair to a distant corner of the room, leaving a spacious area, indicating this was for Sikder.
"Ok."
Sikder nodded, sitting down on the chair in front of her. Leaning lazily back, she propped up her chin with one hand, head slightly tilted, like an empress watching a show.
She casually cast her gaze forward, seemingly interested in the things before her.
After all, she would pass the time by observing Lanci’s cardmaking process.
"It seems your Southern Continent has a Cardmaker’s Association, doesn’t it?"
Sikder pondered before asking.
If she recalled correctly, there were seven levels in total, from lowest to highest: Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Demon Crystal, and the highest, "Master".
Aside from the last level "Master", which is largely symbolic of honor, the conditions and delineations for the preceding six levels were rigorous and precise. Being from the Northern Continent, she had a rough understanding of what each of these levels meant in their terms.
The Northern Continent didn’t have the kind of massive, cross-national guild organizations that the Southern Continent did. In the Protoss Empire, a cardmaker’s certification was a branch of a magic tool master’s certification.
Regardless of which branch, high-level magic tool masters enjoyed high incomes within the Empire.
According to her judgement, magic tool masters who passed the Southern Continent’s registration exam were beyond apprentice level. Iron level would likely equate to a standalone magic tool master in the Protoss Empire. Copper level to an elite magic tool master. Silver level to a formidable magic tool master capable of generating grade Purple Rareness magic tools with ease. Gold level could even yield a royal magic tool master, capable of creating Pink Holy Level pieces.
As for Platinum level magic artisans, be they scroll masters, tool masters, card makers, or device masters, there were only a single-digit number of them in the entire Protoss Empire. They were all heavily protected by the Protoss Empire, and even the Bishop of Hegemony wouldn’t be permitted to approach them.
The majority of their Hegemony branch worshipped Sigrid’s martial strength, there weren’t many researchers or scholars among the magic tool masters. The few competent ones were directly recruited by Sikder herself.
As for the Saint Heir, previously Sikder only knew that he possessed the title of a Magic Artisan. Since she needed him to manage the entire Hegemony branch for her, she hadn’t considered letting him dabble in research.
It wasn’t until she confirmed today that he was a Southern Continent man, and saw that outrageous [Fake Stone Tablet-Wind], that she suddenly realized that she wasn’t clear about the Saint Heir’s cardmaking level.
The most popular branch of magic tool masters in the Southern Continent is cardmaking. Maybe this teenager would be quite capable in the Protoss Empire.
She thought to herself.
"Yes, the Association is quite good. It offers many conveniences. Of course, while enjoying certain privileges, there are corresponding duties to perform."
Beneath a warm, amber-tinged light, the Cardmaking Workshop was separated from the outside world of the manor. Light danced upon magic measurement instruments and apparatus on trays. Like a painter deeply engrossed in his own world Lanci stood in front of his work table, tallying up quantities for materials and preparing for his work at hand.
He wondered whether the final approval for the Platinum level would go smoothly once he was back in the Southern Continent. If it did, he’d have to serve as an examiner and oversee the Platinum Level Card Maker exam, one of the highest-level assessments in the Southern Continent.
Ever since his arrival on the Northern Continent, the majority of his time had been occupied by work, official duties, and travel. Now retrospecting, there were scarce opportunities to pick up these tools again.
"..."
Seeing Lanci fully absorbed in work, Sikder decided not to disturb him.
"How are the magic cards he makes?"
Sikder lowered her head and asked softly to the little black cat.
"I’m not quite sure... but it seems they’re highly advanced."
The Cat boss lifted his head, displaying a touch of puzzlement in his eyes, as he offered a cautionary response.
Originally, the little creature thought that Lanci was just a novice who had an everyday magic card explosion, pretending to be a professional cardmaker.
It wasn’t until it saw that [Nuclear Fusion Wolf] that it realized this tyro could actually create Epic cards.
However, it dared not tell Sikder that Lanci might be a Platinum Level Card Maker.
There are only a few dozen cardmakers above the Platinum level in the entire Southern Continent, which can easily be found with a search in the Southern Continent.
What if Sikder discovered Lanci’s real identity, it dreaded the day when a Cardinal Bishop from the Rebirth Church might personally visit its Boss Cat Restaurant! What if its home is deemed by the Great Priest as a hub for what they view as a cult! It certainly didn’t want anything of that sort to happen!!
