"Ding-a-ling~ Ding-a-ling~"
With a pleasant ring, someone pushed open the shop's slightly worn door.
The general store had a classic style, but every corner showed signs of the owner's careful upkeep.
Its simple layout divided the shop into several areas. Aside from the counter, there were a few neat shelves.
The orange-red sunset, carried by the cool breeze unique to autumn evenings on the kingdom's border, streamed into the shop, casting a soft glow over the warm-toned wooden furnishings.
The newcomer was a young woman dressed in a silver-white uniform. Unlike the standard military uniform, hers looked more like a student's reserve-officer uniform.
The outfit did little to conceal her shapely figure. Long, dark-blue hair fell behind her shoulders, and she carried herself with elegance and nobility.
Behind the counter, Dekan lounged lazily in his chair.
His features were as exquisite as an elf's, though his eyes were somewhat cold.
He propped his chin on one hand and held a bright red apple in the other, staring at it absentmindedly.
The young woman walked straight up to the counter and knocked on it, trying to get Dekan's attention.
Dekan furrowed his brow and looked up.
His gaze quickly settled on the young woman's clear, jewel-bright eyes.
He couldn't help staring at her face a little longer.
Fine, I'll forgive you for interrupting my contemplation of life.
Dekan sat up straight and put on a customer-service smile.
"Can I help you find anything?"
Theresia hesitantly looked around the little shop a couple of times, then turned to Dekan.
"Are you the owner of this general store?"
"I'm just helping out."
"Then is this card for sale here?"
Theresia took out a Magic Card and placed it in front of Dekan.
It was a Tier 1 Goblin Summon Card.
As one of the easiest Summon Cards to make, it was usually very cheap.
With its extremely weak stats and effect, few people used Goblin-themed decks.
Yet Dekan recognized the Magic Card at a glance. He had indeed made it himself.
The Goblin on the card had a distinctive outfit.
It wore a black mask and held a strange weapon that looked a bit like a flintlock.
"Yes, we sell it. Is something wrong with it?"
"Nothing's wrong with it, but it has a serious problem!"
Theresia suddenly grew agitated. "Do you know that this card has thrown the entire card-based meta at the Heavenlyte Magic Academy in the Royal Capital into chaos?"
"Really?"
Dekan raised an eyebrow and looked at Theresia, puzzled.
A while back, he had mass-produced a batch of Bandit Goblin cards and sold them to a traveling merchant.
He hadn't expected the card to cause such a stir.
He appraised the card on the counter and confirmed once more that he had made it himself.
"This card looks completely ordinary..."
Dekan scratched his head in confusion as he looked over its stats.
[Bandit Goblin] [Type: Summon Card] [Rarity: Blue Precious] [Tier: 1] [Attack: 100] [Health: 100] [Effect: When this summoned creature is about to deal damage to an enemy, it instead forcibly steals one item from them.] [Note: "M1917 Gangster-Style Smith & Wesson—solving all your troubles!"]
Dekan looked up at the young woman's expression again, and suddenly understood why she was so worked up.
Maybe the card had gotten under her skin?
Was it really that bad?
He hadn't even sold the card he considered truly Underworld-level.
"If that's the case, why not just bring a few more Bandit Goblins?"
If you can't beat them, join them.
Dekan's eyes were full of confusion.
"Who in their right mind would bring that many Tier 1 cards? And do you know how much a single Bandit Goblin costs in the Royal Capital right now?!"
Theresia was about to lose it. This shop assistant was clearly an amateur who knew nothing about Magic Cards!
It wasn't as if the card were particularly reliable, versatile, or powerful.
It was simply obnoxious. What it stole depended entirely on luck.
With bad luck, it might only steal the candy in an opponent's pocket. With good luck, it might snatch their entire card slot!
Bringing too many of these Tier 1 cards wasted deck slots, but going without a Bandit Goblin meant losing a deterrent—and risked getting harassed by one!
What did you call that? An arms race!
"Then what should I do?"
"...Do you have a Goblin deck to go with it?"
Dekan: "..."
"I do, actually."
He wasn't about to turn down someone willing to buy his cards. Besides, this young woman had come all the way from the academy in the Royal Capital, crossing mountains to reach his remote little town.
Dekan opened the counter, took out a card album, and laid it on the table. He flipped to the end and found a Tier 2 card he had made recently.
"Goblin Sheriff. I recommend this one."
"Sheriff?"
It had the same bizarre style, clearly the work of the same twisted genius behind the Bandit Goblin.
Theresia was baffled. It was a Tier 2 card, sure, but didn't being a sheriff conflict with being a bandit?
Dekan didn't explain. He simply pulled out the card and handed it to her so she could appraise it herself.
[Goblin Sheriff] [Type: Summon Card] [Rarity: Purple Rare] [Tier: 2] [Attack: 200] [Health: 200] [Effect: When a Bandit Goblin is nearby, this summoned creature gains the Bandit Goblin's effect and additionally summons two Bandit Goblins.] [Note: "Being a sheriff is just my side job. Being a bandit is my real profession!"]
"What kind of ridiculous effect is this..."
Theresia stared at the card's effect, utterly dumbfounded. She had completely forgotten to maintain her graceful image.
Never mind whether the card was overpowered.
If four Bandit Goblins suddenly charged at her, she would turn and run without hesitation.
"I'll take it! How much?"
She came to her senses and hurriedly asked Dekan.
At the very least, she couldn't let this Underworld-level card fall into anyone else's hands!
"...I don't really know prices in the Royal Capital. You name a price."
Dekan was starting to regret selling that batch of Bandit Goblins to the traveling merchant for 100 Mint Coins apiece.
He had no idea exactly how high the card's price had climbed in the Royal Capital, but it was certainly more than he had imagined.
Theresia thought for a while, then tentatively asked, "How about 60 Gold Coins?"
Whoa—!
Dekan nearly fell out of his chair.
One Gold Coin was worth 1,000 Mint Coins.
Twenty Gold Coins would be enough to support a family like his in this border town for a year.
Theresia watched Dekan's reaction. Although he seemed unfamiliar with the going rate, she didn't want to take advantage of him.
This little shop must be hiding a legendary card maker.
She would need to rely on this card maker's skills even more.
Theresia bit her lip. "This card could definitely sell for more in the Royal Capital, but I didn't bring much money with me. I need to save enough for the trip back. If that's not enough, I can make up the difference with Magic Cards."
She wanted to buy Tier 3 or even Tier 4 cards as well, but she knew she couldn't afford them yet.
"All right."
Dekan figured she seemed pretty honest. Without saying anything more, he took out the ledger and started writing.
Theresia promptly took a bag of Gold Coins from her waist pouch and handed it to Dekan.
"By the way, could you show me what your Tier 3 cards look like?"
Theresia was curious to see what kind of bizarre Tier 3 cards this shop produced.
Even if she couldn't afford one, she wanted to take a look.
"We don't sell Tier 3 cards here."
"How come?"
"Because I can't make Tier 3 Magic Cards yet."
Theresia: "???"
"You made these cards?!"
Before you continue