Chapter 43. Dekan's Amazement (1/2)

I looked at Teresia helplessly, with a hint of asking for help.

This was the first time I had met a royal of this country.

Every word I said next could affect my peaceful life.

"Your Highness Iris, I'll just have a word with Dekan."

Teresia quickly said this and pulled me away.

She whispered to me, "Iris is actually a good person, just a bit willful and loves to show off. Just play along and make her happy."

I nodded slightly and looked at Iris.

"Your Highness Iris, our team happens to need a Rank 4 group purification spell card. Could we commission you to make one for us?"

I couldn't make Rank 4 magic cards yet, and I usually just bought essential spell cards like 【Group Purify】.

One of my purposes for coming to the Card Makers' Association this time was to buy this card.

A second-year student from the Alchemy Academy should be able to make a Rank 4 spell card, right?

"Hehe, you have good taste. My card-making skills will surely amaze you! Let's not delay then, watch carefully as I make this card!"

Seeing my attitude, Iris' cheerful mood was instantly written on her face, her tone overflowing with delight.

She seemed eager to make me, this little demon king, admire her even more.

A high-level deacon waiting on the side immediately understood.

He quickly walked up to the three of them, gave a respectful bow, and bent slightly, "Your Highness Iris, and your friends, please follow me."

Under the deacon's guidance, they bypassed half of the association's grounds and took a floating staircase directly to the fourth floor of the association.

The third floor of the association was the venue for the certification exams for card makers of Rank 5 and below. It was clear that the floors above were not accessible to ordinary visitors.

The corridor on the fourth floor looked as if it had a history of hundreds of years, but in order to preserve certain historical relics, it had not been excessively renovated.

At the end of the corridor, a room with a white sign on the door came into view. The deacon opened the door for them, then stepped aside, gesturing for the three of them to enter.

I could tell at a glance that this spacious room, which looked like an ancient workshop, was a master card-making room.

It was countless times more high-end than the workshop I had modified in my dormitory.

All kinds of tools were available inside, and all were top-of-the-line equipment.

Soon, more staff members began to deliver materials.

They had already heard that the princess wanted to make 【Group Purify】 and had brought over all the materials that might be used.

In addition to regular materials like blank cards, mana crystals, and mana core fluid, there were also several scrolls.

The main materials required for making the three types of magic cards were different.

Making equipment cards required an equipment prototype and items for enchanting, sealing, etc.

Making summon cards required materials like monster cores or soul crystals.

And making spell cards required magic scrolls as materials, which needed to be processed and rewritten.

For example, my 【Hydrogen Explosion】 included scrolls for Fireball, Water Ball, and Electric Shock in its materials.

The production steps for the three types of cards differed greatly, and this difference became more apparent with higher-rank cards.

Therefore, after reaching a high rank, card makers would often choose a specialized direction.

......

While waiting for the staff to deliver all the materials, Iris chatted with me and Teresia for a while.

The deacon locked the door, and then Iris opened the storage cabinet.

As expected, the cabinet was also filled with all kinds of materials.

Iris counted carefully, took out a compartment tray, and took some of each required material from the storage cabinet.

She placed them one by one into the compartments of the tray.

She seemed to have been to this room many times and was very familiar with the storage locations of the materials.

I unconsciously frowned slightly as I watched her material selection.

Why was she taking so many materials?

However, while I was puzzled, Iris had already finished her preparations.

"Watch carefully, Dekan! The opportunity to witness a card maker creating a magic card is rare."

Iris rolled up her sleeves, her brilliant smile looking as if she was already anticipating my admiring expression.

“......Mm.”

I decided to watch and learn properly.

I might even need to take notes where necessary.

After all, apart from Shijiang, I had never heard of any other "super amazing magic card maker."

It would be incredible if she made a Rank 4 epic purification magic card.

Iris' expression turned serious.

She began to mix the already ground holy attribute magic crystal powder with the mana core fluid to prepare the ink, feeling the magical fluctuations during the mixing process.

She also adjusted her own mana to synchronize with it, which would make it easier to infuse mana when drawing the magic circles later.

After mixing the magic ink, Iris filled the magic pen with it, then began to unroll the scroll, excerpting, intercepting, and inscribing the magic onto the blank card.

Next would be the most crucial step.

That is, the card maker's rewriting and shaping of the magic structure and circuits.

This process required the card maker to be fully focused, concentrating all their mental energy on it.

As the magic pen in Iris' hand moved, she evenly integrated her own mana into every magic circuit.

The magic structure of a card was not something any mage could draw just by thinking about it. It was a process that combined understanding, creation, and casting.

Without extraordinary talent and thorough understanding, even if one could draw the form, one could not bestow it with the power it deserved.

Iris held her breath, seeming to have entered the most challenging moment.

The biggest trouble with inscribing was the circle of fine runic text to be carved on the card.

These things, which twisted like ants crawling around, were something that non-academics could not understand at all, let alone write them out.

She frowned and slowly inscribed.

She looked like a great painter creating a magnificent scroll, every brushstroke so delicate, every line filled with power.

She exuded a sacred and noble aura, making one wonder what realm she had reached.

After several tens of minutes.

The magic card began to emit a faint halo.

It seemed to be a success, and Iris also breathed a sigh of relief.

Next was the third step.

The best carriers for magic were mithril and adamantite. After carefully drawing the magic circle on the blank card base, a little Sunstone powder, used to activate holy attribute magic, was hot-stamped onto the card's surface.

This formed a framework to lock the energy within the magic card.

Iris began the debugging process, connecting several magic inscriptions simultaneously to form a mana energy cycle, so that the magic card could be recharged and reused after its mana was depleted.

Although it was close to a great success in card making, this second-to-last step was still quite complicated. Each magic circle had to partially overlap with others.

It had to ensure the correct operation of every magic structure upon activation, without conflicting with other structures.

If it failed in the slightest, the card would directly break apart, and some improper operations could even cause it to explode.

Iris' technique was very skillful, and she completed this process smoothly.

At this point, the production was basically complete, with only the final sealing of the magic card remaining!

She boiled various alchemical materials into a paste and coated the surface of the magic card with it.

After quickly solidifying it with magic equipment, a transparent film would be formed.

Iris frowned, her expression extremely focused, like an artisan completing the final step of a masterpiece.

Finally, a Rank 4 spell card 【Group Purify】 was successfully produced with a puff of mist!

Iris revealed a gratified smile, staring at the card's surface.

She seemed very satisfied with the quality of this card. Even as a card maker, she couldn't help but admire it for a moment longer.

She glanced at me, the corners of her mouth curving into a perfect arc, as if she had already foreseen my upcoming amazed expression.

This made me swallow my saliva.

Was it a purple rare?

Looking at Iris, could it even be an epic?

"Hehe."

Iris chuckled lightly, handed the spell card to me, and then took out a handkerchief to gently wipe the sweat from her forehead.

I took the card.

A bright blue light emanated from the card.

This really made me show a surprised expression.

Iris was very satisfied with my expression and said proudly, "Dekan, do you see clearly? This is how a masterpiece is born. Isn't it amazing!"

I: “......”

I was silent for a good while, seemingly calming my inner emotions.

To spend so much effort to create a Rank 4 blue spell card.

PART 2

This is a "super amazing magic card maker"?

How dare you!

Me: "Wow! That's so cool!" (deadpan)

After confirming my reaction, Iris put her hands on her hips and laughed cheerfully.

"Hohoho, I'm glad you like it!"

The thought that next time I was on a rampage in the Shadow World, she could brag to others, "Dekan and his team used a card I made, you know," made it even harder for Iris to control the corners of her mouth.

She even got lost in her fantasy for a moment.

......

The three of us arrived at the appraisal room on the fourth floor.

After appraisal and testing, the quality of this card was very good and completely met my needs.

Iris was still immersed in the pleasure of having gained my admiration.

And Teresia, having long since seen through my thoughts, couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

Iris actually had the skills of a normal Rank 4 card maker.

It was just that she had indeed boasted a bit too much.

After all, a rising star like me, famous in the Royal Capital recently, was a particularly meaningful person for Iris to brag to.

Teresia could understand that she had lost control for a moment.

But.

She really couldn't boast anymore.

My dear princess.

The one in front of you is a bona fide card-making genius!

"Thank you, Your Highness."

I put the card away and counted out 20 gold coins for Iris.

The market price of this card was about 25 gold coins. Iris had only promised to charge me 20, which was a very friendly price.

Considering the cost of materials, she basically made no profit.

It was purely to show off in front of me.

"Then I'll take it."

Iris didn't make things difficult for me and crisply accepted the gold coins I handed her.

After all, if she didn't take my money at this time, it would make me feel like I owed her a big favor.

For most people, owing a favor to a royal was not a good thing.

"Let's go back to school together. My carriage is outside."

Iris seemed to feel that she got along well with me and wanted to boast to me more on the way.

She really enjoyed this feeling of showing off in front of others.

At this moment, she noticed that both my and Teresia's expressions were a bit troubled, as if exchanging glances.

"Do you have other plans?"

Iris asked.

I sighed and said truthfully, "Actually, I'm here to take the 3rd-rank card maker exam."

After all, everyone would know about this sooner or later.

There was nothing to hide.

"So you can make cards too, Dekan?"

Iris asked in surprise.

"A little."

"Hoho, then you're really lucky to have met me. The 3rd-rank card maker certification is not that simple. Let me tell you about the key points of the exam......"

Iris smiled even more happily.

She knew that there were very few people in the Knight Academy who could make cards.

Repairing equipment was a good skill for a warrior.

However, these card makers from the Knight Academy basically only knew how to make equipment cards.

It was still very difficult for them to pass the professional card maker exam.

Iris felt that she had found more topics to brag about in front of me.

"Mm, mm-hmm."

One dared to teach, and the other dared to learn.

Iris taught me everything she knew, as if trying to impart her life's knowledge to me in just a few tens of minutes.

I also listened patiently.

From time to time, I would look at Iris with an expression of thirst for knowledge.

......

"It just so happens that I'm free this morning too. Later, let me and Teresia watch your performance together!"

Iris patted my shoulder and said with a smile.

It felt very much like a teacher sending a student to the exam hall.

The three of them had already arrived at the exam hall on the third floor of the Card Makers' Association.

I was about to enter the exam hall to take the certification exam.

And there were also viewing seats in the hall, which was open to the public for the entire duration.

"Mm, okay."

I acted very humbly.

"Dekan, if you need any guidance on making magic cards, feel free to come find me at the Alchemy Academy anytime. Although I'm also a student, I should still be able to teach you a thing or two!"

"Pfft!"

I finally couldn't help but be amused by Iris.

This brought a genuine smile to my face.

"Then thank you very much, Your Highness Iris."

"Hoho, I'm not boasting, you know. Not long ago, I made a Rank 2 purple card! This is not something an ordinary card maker can make. Aren't you impressed?"

Iris seemed to be getting more and more carried away, not noticing Teresia's strange expression at all.

"So amazing! If heaven had not given birth to Iris, Norton would be trapped in eternal night."

I now felt like I had found my fun.

Just flatter her, praise her, and it's all good.

This princess must look very pretty when she cries.

"What?! Say that last sentence again?"

However, my last sentence seemed to have shocked Iris greatly, and she looked at me with wide eyes.

“......Who stands at the peak at the end of the card-making path? At the sight of the princess, the path becomes void.”

I tried another line.

"!!!"

Iris forgot to close her mouth for a moment.

"You, you let me write down those two sentences!"

Iris' voice was filled with excitement.

Teresia had completely averted her gaze, looking into the distance.

Your Highness, I beg you, please stop talking.

If you keep talking, you really won't be able to save face later!

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