Lanchi's Pleasant Day

The two of them continued walking up the stairs, and before they knew it, they had already gone around layer after layer of winding steps.

After hearing Hughberlian out, Lanchi fell into thought.

He had gone into debt for the Poet of Great Love.

That said, the card was worth it to him no matter how much it cost.

But Lanchi had not forgotten that his original purpose in coming to the capital was to make a fortune as soon as possible.

If he could become a little stronger and build up some connections, then no matter who the potential enemies threatening his Wilford Merchant Guild were, Lanchi would not be too afraid.

The judge would use invincible laws to pass judgment on everything.

And to earn the favor of major powers and the strong, becoming a renowned Card Maker was one path. Achieving outstanding results in Shadow World challenges was another.

For now, if he wanted to make money quickly in a short period, he feared that merely relying on card making would work him to death in the Card Making Workshop.

As for selling paintings... Lanchi was not sure whether selling his works on a large scale before he became powerful enough would bring him some unpredictable trouble.

If his paintings were too valuable while he himself lacked power and influence, that might instead become something terrifying. He could end up attracting the attention of unsavory people.

Therefore, unless he was desperately short of money, he would not consider selling paintings casually for the time being. Even if he did sell them, he would not use his real name.

Looking at it this way,

the long-term way to make a fortune was to study card making while improving his tier as much as possible and becoming a high-tier Card Maker.

Although high-intensity card-making practice could slowly train his mental power and thereby push him toward a breakthrough, it was indeed too slow.

The fastest way to raise his tier was also to challenge Shadow Worlds—

After successfully clearing a true Shadow World, he could obtain a corresponding tier enhancement effect!

That was why quite a few Card Makers chose to become "Battlefield Card Makers" and muddle through Shadow Worlds to raise their tiers.

This was an auxiliary combat profession transformed from a crafting profession.

Because challengers obtained entirely new identities and circumstances inside Shadow Worlds, they could not bring any items, potions, or other objects in or out. They could only carry Magic Cards that were soul-bound and stored in their Soul Space.

A Battlefield Card Maker would bring a Portable Card Making Tool kit in the form of an Equipment Card into the Shadow World. They could then create targeted Magic Cards for their teammates in real time according to the situation!

With such an assistant in the team, they could even bring back materials that ordinarily could not be taken out of a Shadow World by "turning them into Magic Cards and then soul-binding them," thereby increasing the team's clearing rewards.

Therefore, in many cases, even if a Battlefield Card Maker was indeed just dead weight in combat, many powerful teams were still willing to bring along such a tool who could increase the entire team's rewards.

Lanchi naturally possessed some potential for the Battlefield Card Maker profession as well.

But with his currently unstable card-making skills, he was still far from qualified to serve as a Battlefield Card Maker.

All one could say was that having more skills never hurt.

While Lanchi was sunk in silence, Hughberlian spoke up again from the side:

"If a student achieves especially outstanding results in the Entrance Examination each year, they may be exempted from the Registered Challenger Qualification Exam. If nothing unexpected happens, you should receive a notice after school starts. Once you complete the procedures, you'll be able to challenge a true Shadow World."

The structure of the Entrance Examination itself was similar to that of the official registration exam.

If a student passed with an exceptionally high score, Ikelite Magic Academy, as an accredited partner of the Association, would also apply to the Association for an exam exemption on the student's behalf.

Other freshmen would have to spend quite a bit of time taking the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association's Registered Challenger Qualification Exam before they could challenge a true Shadow World for the first time.

Hughberlian was certain that, with Lanchi's performance, there was no reason he would fail to obtain an exemption.

As for teammates... Lanchi did not need to worry about that either. Quite a few upperclassmen from various departments and teams would probably approach him on their own.

"Oh, oh, I understand. Thank you, Hughberlian."

Lanchi quickly thanked her.

As expected of a great noble from the capital.

She even understood clearly many details about enrollment that were not written down anywhere.

"It's nothing."

Hughberlian merely looked toward the stairs ahead and nodded slightly.

Hughberlian's reminder had put Lanchi in a much better mood.

Since he might not have to go to the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association to take the registration exam, if everything went smoothly, he could become an Iron Tier Registered Challenger directly after completing the procedures.

From what Lanchi had previously heard in his hometown, the South Wantina Border Territory, the challengers recognized by the Southern Continent Association were divided into seven tiers. After each successful clear, the Association would record their contributions or promote them accordingly. The higher their tier, the greater their benefits, authority, and status.

Starting from the lowest Iron Tier, the tiers were Bronze Tier, Silver Tier, Gold Tier, Platinum Tier, Magic Crystal Tier, and Hero Tier.

Leaving aside the beginner Iron and Bronze Tiers, anyone who reached the third tier, Silver Tier, was already a highly experienced veteran of Shadow Worlds and a central pillar in this world's efforts to conquer them.

If someone reached the fourth tier, Gold Tier, they would possess a prominent social status no matter where they went!

Starting from Platinum Tier, even if they traveled to other continents, they would be recognized by the corresponding associations there despite the differences between systems. They were super-strong experts with true worldwide renown.

After these two practical experiences in the Entrance Examination, Lanchi discovered that he seemed to possess a little talent as a Shadow World challenger.

He could hardly wait to begin his challenger career.

"Do you know what tier the students at this school can reach?"

Lanchi asked curiously.

"If a student at Iketerite Academy can reach Gold Tier, they're already extremely impressive. As for Platinum Tier... there are only people in Fourth Year and the Part-time System who have reached it."

Hughberlian thought for a moment before replying, somewhat unable to let the matter go:

"People like that actually have no need to remain at the academy anymore. They can leave at any time."

If she could reach that tier as well, then even without her father's protection or the status of the Duke's Family, she would no longer fear those who wanted to harm her.

Unfortunately, she did not think her talent would allow her to reach that point like the few monsters standing at the top of the academy.

"Part-time System?"

Lanchi turned his head in confusion to look at Hughberlian.

He understood Fourth Year, but he had not known that the academy also had "Part-time System" students.

"Generally speaking, students can apply to graduate in their third year. They're also awarded quite a few challenger points or recommended for employment at various associations."

"Every year, a few exceptionally outstanding students choose to follow a senior professor they admire at the academy for additional years of study. They may remain at the academy for several years without leaving. Such students are collectively called 'Fourth Year Students.'"

"'Part-time System' refers to a small number of challengers who already have extensive Shadow World experience and study part-time at our school. We're essentially 'full-time' students."

Hughberlian patiently explained everything to Lanchi.

Before they knew it, their conversation had carried them to the final level of the long staircase.

"So that's how it is. Thank you for answering all my questions!"

Lanchi smiled and thanked Hughberlian, who had answered everything he asked.

They only had to walk a few more steps.

A huge hollow glass curtain wall came into view, offering an unobstructed view of the entire campus. Flowering trees, buildings, and lawns—all of it was beautiful.

There were also diverging paths on the suspended landing ahead.

"See you when school starts, then. I'm going over there to find a friend of mine."

Lanchi stopped, pointed toward the terrace, and bid Hughberlian farewell.

He was going to the terrace area connected to the floor below to find his demon master, Talia, who was waiting for him.

Compared to Talia, who never said more than ten words in a sentence, chatting normally with Hughberlian made Lanchi feel far more comfortable. As expected, women who remained unmarried even after several hundred years probably had some problems of their own.

"Goodbye."

Hughberlian nodded in response.

With that, her shadow passed by Lanchi's, and the two walked off in different directions.

Three days later, early in the morning.

The Krui Di Empire, south of the Hutton Kingdom.

Because a continuous mountain range separated the two countries, even if one wanted to transport a large amount of cargo from the southern border of the Hutton Kingdom to the northern border of the Krui Di Empire, it was more convenient to detour east and travel by sea on merchant ships.

Many northern cities of the Krui Di Empire had been built in mountainous regions. Lofty buildings and rolling terrain intertwined with one another, and one could even see classical architecture surrounded by blue skies and white clouds.

Granvilleverly City was the main city of a northern border territory of the Krui Di Empire, as well as one of the most prosperous cities in the north. Mountains that reached into the clouds stood to its north, while the sea lay to its east. Its harbor was busy all year round.

The upper echelons of northern border Granvilleverly City had been built suspended between several intersecting peaks. Most of the buildings were classical in style, in dark gray or beige. The climate was warm and bright, the air filled with the fragrance of flowers and profound music, and the streets were spacious and clean. Merchants, knights, and priests in fine clothing could be seen everywhere.

At that moment, on the fourth floor of a building called the "Wilford Merchant Guild," in a room whose door bore the plaque for the chairman's office,

a middle-aged man sat in a comfortable armchair behind a desk. He put on his glasses and began reading Hutton Times from two days earlier.

He was none other than the chairman of the Wilford Merchant Guild—and Lanchi's father—Noe Wilford.

Because the Wilford Merchant Guild operated an important trade route between the two countries, newspapers issued throughout the Hutton Kingdom were not difficult to purchase. They might simply arrive two or three days late, and if merchant-ship traffic was delayed, a delay of seven or eight days was nothing unusual.

"Let's see what news there is lately."

Noe contentedly browsed the Hutton Kingdom newspaper he had just received.

He did not read it every day. Occasionally, after finishing his work and finding a little free time, he would ask an employee for the latest Hutton newspaper and look through the news.

A young man from the Holy Teaching and Research Society was kicked out of his party by his companions. In a fit of anger, he transformed into the Saint of Love and won over all of their mothers. When his companions regretted their actions and prepared to line up and apologize, he instead sent their mothers to prison. His reason was that he was a minor.

A man in the South Wantina Border Territory developed a grudge against his boss because of overtime work. After learning that his boss was allergic to healing potions, he beat him with both hands coated in healing potions. In the end, he did not trigger his boss's allergy but did cause serious injuries. After a month in detention, the man sued the potion manufacturer upon his release, claiming that it had produced counterfeit and substandard healing potions. The man had currently received £650 in compensation from the manufacturer.

As Noe turned the pages, he pursed his lips, which were on the verge of twitching uncontrollably, and shook his head.

The Hutton Kingdom was a land that produced remarkable people.

Sometimes, its laws had to be amended frequently because no such statutes had existed before, and new ones had to be added according to bizarre new crimes.

In some cases, Hutton Times was even more entertaining than an ordinary book of jokes.

Thus, Noe flipped through the newspaper and enjoyed his rare leisure.

Fine oil paintings and embroidery hung on the walls of the chairman's office. Soft carpets covered the floor, and a magnificent sea of clouds could be seen outside the windows. All this made Noe, who was stealing a moment of leisure from his busy schedule, feel especially comfortable.

Soon, he came across a report concerning Royal Capital Ikelite—

During the annual Ikelite Magic Academy—Sage Institute Entrance Examination, a serious accident occurred...

Examiner Viscount Shawenson had been rescued and was no longer in life-threatening condition.

It was clear that Artificial Shadow Worlds still needed many safety improvements.

"I wonder what unlucky student managed to seriously injure an examiner. Whoever raised a thing like that must have committed some terrible sin."

Noe laughed gleefully and sighed.

There was also an advantage to Lanchi being mediocre. At least the boy could not cause an accident like this.

Communication Magic was expensive. International Communication Magic also required a license and multiple interconnected relay stations. Unless there was an emergency, Noe rarely contacted his home in the South Wantina Territory of the Hutton Kingdom.

There was no need for Noe to ask whether Lanchi had passed the exam.

Naturally, he had performed terribly in the Alchemy Institute's Entrance Examination and returned home.

Noe had already instructed the butler, Hans, that once Lanchi returned home in disgrace, he was to cut off the boy's financial support and let that good-for-nothing idiot suffer a little!

When Noe next returned to the South Wantina Territory, he would see whether Lanchi had grown even the tiniest bit.

Continuing downward, he saw that the report was not over yet.

During the examination, the Artificial Shadow World Activation Terminal had also malfunctioned once. The cause was suspected to be the candidate's abnormal operation. According to an interview with Professor Bora Ao of Ikelite Academy's Magic Engineering Institute, the repairs had already caused the Magic Engineering Institute a loss of at least 8,000 pounds in Southern Kingdom Allied Currency...

The image surrounded by the newspaper's text showed a handsome, old Magic Artisan gnashing his teeth.

Although he appeared to be suppressing his anger in front of the camera, the murderous look in his eyes could not be concealed.

...This was Lu Weixier reporting for you.

At last, the report ended there.

Noe shook his head and closed the newspaper.

"Heh, what a talent. He actually managed to break the exam terminal. If the Magic Engineering Institute demands compensation, his family will probably be ruined."

After reading today's Hutton jokes, Noe felt completely satisfied.

He hoped the next issue would have even more explosive news.

P.S. Today's two chapters were posted together. Lanchi's first true Shadow World challenge, which will shock the entire capital, is about to begin!