Dekan Sets Off on His Journey

Fallen leaves drifted down as the land of the Kulan Border Territory began to don a deep golden coat.

With one month left until the school term began, Dekan and Theresia set out from the border territory.

The carriage ride to the Royal Capital would take about a week.

In truth, they only needed to arrive for the entrance exam two weeks before the term began. But if they cut it too close, the area around the Royal Capital would turn into a grand spectacle every enrollment season, with nobles from all over competing to travel there and lining up in endless queues.

Waiting in line was far too much of a waste of time.

Besides, Dekan wanted to arrive at the Royal Capital early to take care of some other matters, so he decided to leave as soon as possible.

"Little Dekan, you've grown up!"

His mother wept as she saw her son off.

"Son, when you get into fights in the Royal Capital, remember to hold back a little. Stop obsessing over those cursed cards of yours! Just look at Dazhuang next door—he's still a little out of his mind after all the beatings you gave him."

His father could not hide the pride on his face, but his words were full of concern.

Quite a few adventurers in town had been tormented by Dekan.

He was worried that Dekan would get thrown into a Royal Capital prison before he even graduated.

Dekan nodded perfunctorily, which only made his father worry more.

"Whatever you do, don't use those Spell Cards of yours at school! Especially [Hypnosis Gas], [Venomous Ground Spikes], [Hydrogen Explosion], and all that equipment and those summons of yours. People will mistake you for a Cult Priest!"

His father repeatedly reminded him.

"Don't worry, don't worry. I know how to control myself now! Also, I left 30 gold coins in the counter."

Dekan smiled helplessly.

"Have a safe journey!"

"Then I'm off."

After saying goodbye, Dekan climbed into the carriage.

From now on, Dekan would be living in the academy dormitories.

The kingdom covered tuition and miscellaneous expenses, leaving him with almost nothing to pay for himself. He could also use many of the academy's advanced facilities and resources for free, which was what Dekan valued most.

Earning one gold coin did not mean you had truly earned one gold coin.

Saving one gold coin was what truly meant you had earned one gold coin!

Thrift and careful household management were the first steps toward getting rich!

Of course, Dekan still needed quite a bit of startup capital if he wanted to get rich.

It would be great if he could buy a little shop in the Royal Capital.

Making girl cards required a huge amount of money! He also needed to become a higher-ranked Card Crafter himself!

With a dream, he felt full of motivation!

With a journey of nearly a week ahead, Dekan brought many books to stave off loneliness.

Besides that, Dekan had already researched the famous sightseeing spots along the route. Whenever they passed nearby, he could stop by and check them off.

No matter what, the feeling of beginning a journey was unexpectedly nice.

This was Dekan's first time traveling far from home.

Although he had left town before, he had only ever gone as far as the major cities on the border for sightseeing and shopping.

Chatting with Theresia along the way was fairly enjoyable, but they could not talk nonstop. Most of the time, they simply stared blankly out the windows at the unfamiliar yet beautiful scenery passing before their eyes.

Everything was fresh. That was the best description of Dekan's journey.

Even if nothing happened for an entire week, he probably would not grow bored.

Who said a journey had to involve monster attacks, bandit ambushes, or saving a beauty in distress?

Ordinary was good.

After all, this kingdom had excellent public security. They would hardly encounter any of those things.

When they had first begun traveling together, they had probably been somewhat polite and unfamiliar with each other, so neither had gone into much detail about their personal circumstances.

But they were close in age and both had cheerful personalities. After living together for five days, Theresia and Dekan had grown familiar with each other. Her guard naturally dropped, and she happily began talking about her family.

Theresia was the daughter of a count. Her parents had both passed away, and her family was nearing decline. She was now working hard to restore it.

Dekan, on the other hand, did not have so many worries.

His family did not rely on farming for a living, so even when natural disasters occasionally struck, they could still save a little money.

Their lives were neither especially wealthy nor lacking. They had enough to be self-sufficient, with clothes to wear and food to eat.

The lord of the Kulan Border Territory was also very kind. Not only were taxes low, but after natural disasters, he would exempt the affected areas from taxes for several years and provide aid.

The sun outside had already risen overhead, and a dry, pleasant breeze blew past.

Theresia rested her chin on one hand and leaned against the window frame, watching the scenery outside.

"Say, Dekan, what do you want to do after graduation? Go back home, or take a position in the Royal Capital?"

With the breeze blowing in through the window, she asked Dekan.

"For now, I'm thinking of becoming a merchant. But it's hard to say anything too absolutely about the future. It always lies beyond prediction. I just want to live freely and happily in the present."

Dekan closed the book in his hand, set it aside, and answered with a smile.

Theresia nodded, seeming to agree with Dekan's outlook on life.

"What about you, Theresia?"

"I'll probably take a position in the Royal Capital and keep clearing Shadow Worlds."

Theresia answered.

"But Theresia, isn't clearing Shadow Worlds rather dangerous?"

In Dekan's understanding, a "Shadow World" was a dungeon.

They could appear without warning at fixed entrances throughout the world.

"If Shadow Worlds are left alone or fail to be cleared, they can trigger natural disasters somewhere in the world."

"I once witnessed my territory suffer through a natural disaster. It was also indirectly connected to my family's later decline."

"Ever since then, I swore to devote myself to clearing Shadow Worlds. Most importantly, I never want to see ordinary people suffer that kind of unavoidable harm again."

Theresia's voice became much lower, and there was a trace of sorrow in her tone that she could not conceal.

"You're just like the lord of our Kulan Territory. You're both good nobles. I really like people like you."

Dekan shared a few candies with Theresia.

They were his favorite fruit gummies.

Dekan soon continued, "Don't worry. Once I become a Card-Making Master, I'll definitely make you Magic Cards that exceed every expectation—and I'll give you a super friendship discount!"

He truly admired Theresia.

After all, clearing Shadow Worlds put one's life at risk.

The only thing he could help Theresia with was making Magic Cards.

No weapons, clothing, or ordinary items could be brought into a Shadow World.

Except for Magic Cards bound to one's soul.

That was also why Magic Cards had become the mainstream combat tools in this world.

They were critically important when clearing Shadow Worlds!

Fortunately, Dekan had some talent for making cards, so he would not end up begging on the streets of the Royal Capital under a tiny blanket.

"Thank you, Dekan. But Shadow Worlds can also bring me fame and wealth. It's not a bad path for restoring my family!"

Theresia broke into a happy smile.

That made Dekan pause.

"Are Shadow Worlds profitable?"

"Of course. All 60 of my gold coins were exchanged from Shadow World clear rewards."

"Then... maybe I can try clearing some too."

Dekan held his chin and muttered to himself.

As long as the money was enough, many things were worth considering.

"Do you want to become a Battle Card-Maker?"

Theresia asked.

There was a support role known as a "Battle Card-Maker," and they were sometimes brought into Shadow Worlds.

"Something like that."

His approach was rather unconventional. Though it was somewhat similar to that of a Battle Card-Maker, it was fundamentally different.