Dekan Seeks to Win Hearts with Virtue

The reason for Baron Batchelor's poisoning was actually quite simple.

The moment Dekan had entered the cooking classroom, he had secretly slipped three [Venomous Ground Spikes] into the demon student's pocket.

Moreover, they were the latest version, continuously refined by Dekan.

[Venomous Ground Spikes 2.4]

[Category: Spell Card]

[Rarity: Blue Rare]

[Tier: 2]

[Effect: Inflicts continuous severe poison and bleeding status. This spell can be triggered from a long distance.]

[Note: This is version 2.4, which fixes the bug where the toxin could be removed by Tier 2 purification magic. —Developer's Diary]

When Dekan heard Baron Batchelor's opening line, "I shall sincerely invite you all to attend my dinner party," he had already guessed that in this game, the losers would likely become the Baron's dinner.

After all, it was Baron Batchelor's dinner party.

What did Batchelor want to eat?

It was obvious: the three little demons he saw with such murderous desire in his eyes.

Since that was the case, as long as Baron Batchelor ate that demon student, the Venomous Ground Spikes would have a high chance of successfully entering his stomach.

Using [Venomous Ground Spikes] to hunt large magical beasts was a classic "entrapment" tactic Dekan had used back in the Kulan Border Territory.

First, capture the small beasts that the large magical beast liked to eat.

Place the [Venomous Ground Spikes] inside the small beast's body.

Then, drive it toward the habitat of the large magical beast.

After confirming that the large beast had captured and consumed the small beast, summon the Ruined Poet from the shadows and trigger the spikes.

As long as Dekan provided a steady supply of mana, the Venomous Ground Spikes would not disappear.

The most crucial point was that Dekan had softened the card, increased its flexibility, and coated it with a special anti-acid corrosion paint.

Once the prey swallowed this card, the Venomous Ground Spikes could be triggered continuously inside its stomach.

He could kill the prey without shedding a drop of blood.

The only downside was that retrieving the cards was a bit troublesome; the three inside Batchelor's stomach were likely gone for good.

But that wasn't a big problem; it was time to develop a new version anyway.

"Cornelia, help me tie him up."

Dekan commanded.

Cornelia nodded, put away her hammer, and took out another card Dekan had given her.

[Steel Wire Rope]

[Category: Equipment Card]

[Rarity: White Common]

[Tier: 1]

[Effect: None]

[Note: Can also be used as a weapon.]

This was a product of Dekan pushing mechanical properties and geometric structure to the limit, made by twisting steel wires into a spiral according to specific rules, complete with a rope core and lubricant.

Even though it was a Tier 1 white card, once tightly bound by the Steel Wire Rope, not even a Tier 4 warrior could break free through brute force alone.

Cornelia quickly bound the convulsing Baron Batchelor tightly, then stepped on his back once more to keep him from moving.

"Done."

"Good work."

Dekan slowly raised his right hand, and the Ruined Poet turned into a stream of light, gathering at his fingertips to transform back into a card.

Batchelor suddenly felt as if he had been reborn.

The agony that had been eroding him diminished significantly in an instant, as if a curse had been lifted.

After a long while, his consciousness finally returned to his mind.

Although he was still tormented by pain, compared to a moment ago, the air he breathed now felt almost sweet.

"Are you in the mood to talk to me now?"

Dekan leaned forward slightly, looking down at Baron Batchelor as he asked.

"Die!"

There was only one thought in Baron Batchelor's mind.

That was: finish this guy off immediately.

He is the source of all evil!

Baron Batchelor's eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty glint as he used all his strength to try and break free from the rope, which did not look particularly thick, only to find it abnormally sturdy.

He clearly hadn't sensed any magic imbued within the rope! How could he not break free?!

After his attempt to break the rope proved futile, Baron Batchelor violently stretched his neck out once more, intending to devour Dekan.

However, before he could revert to his true form, Cornelia slammed her hammer down hard, driving his head into the ground and even creating a small crater in the floor.

"Ah!!!"

Baron Batchelor howled.

Being struck by this hammer was exceptionally painful!

Even though the damage wasn't fatal, the agony was unbearable!

Baron Batchelor was already extremely weak now and could not resist Cornelia's brute force attacks at all.

"Sigh, it seems I need to leave you with a memorable impression."

Dekan sighed and tossed a card, summoning the Ruined Poet.

"This darkness, void of hope, beyond redemption, for this darkness is I myself..."

Accompanied by this chanting that made Baron Batchelor's scalp tingle, the brief moment of peace ended in an instant.

He was plunged back into that state of extreme agony; the pain from within his body surged once more, ravaging both his body and mind...

"Ugh, gurgle, blub, blub..."

Baron Batchelor's face turned deathly pale, his mouth hanging open as he emitted uncontrollable, incoherent sounds.

He finally realized that this summoned creature surrounded by black mist was the source of his torment.

"Cornelia, don't use too much force, just tap him on the shoulder blade."

Cornelia swung the sledgehammer in her hand once again.

[Terror Warhammer]

[Category: Equipment Card]

[Grade: Blue Rare]

[Tier: 2]

[Attack Bonus: 200]

[Effect: When struck by this weapon, the target experiences double the pain.]

[Note: "HeresCornelia!"]

This was a custom warhammer Dekan had crafted for Cornelia, perfectly suited to his system.

Dekan could not yet forge a longsword capable of withstanding Cornelia's strength.

Therefore, he had temporarily forged a blunt weapon for her.

Compared to swords, blunt weapons were less likely to break.

The size of this sledgehammer was much larger than a standard tool hammer, with a handle about as long as the blade of the sword Cornelia had originally used.

As a result, Cornelia found it surprisingly comfortable to wield.

Previously, when Baron Batchelor was struck by the Terror Warhammer, the Ruined Poet was not present, so he only felt double the pain.

Now, with the Ruined Poet present, taking a hammer strike from Cornelia would result in twenty times the pain—an experience Baron Batchelor had never endured before.

Cornelia seemed to be trying her best to control her strength.

Then, like cracking a walnut, she tapped Baron Batchelor on the shoulder.

"Ahhhhhhh!!!"

An incredibly shrill scream echoed through the cooking classroom.

"How is it?"

Dekan asked.

Baron Batchelor seemed unable to speak, twitching frantically on the ground.

Dekan: "Baron Batchelor, do you know what it feels like to be in so much pain that you pass out, only to be jolted awake by even more pain?"

Baron Batchelor: "Awoo, gurgle, gurgle, gurgle..."

Dekan: "Cornelia, once he regains a bit of consciousness, start tapping from his right hand, then the left hand, then the left foot."

Cornelia: "What about the right foot?"

Dekan: "Leave that for last; I just want to make someone with obsessive-compulsive disorder suffer."

Cornelia nodded.

She didn't have OCD, but this Baron Batchelor, who prided himself on elegance, likely had a severe case of it.

After all, he kept every corner of the cooking classroom perfectly organized and was very particular about the position of his necktie.