Dekan's Tier Three Card Crafter Certification

The morning sun hung on the horizon, and the passing breeze carried the fresh scents of fruit and flowers.

Having crossed the campus at dawn, Dekan walked slowly in his uniform, a faint smile on his face.

Beneath the morning sunlight, his calm expression and sunny disposition seemed to radiate warmth.

He had no classes that morning, so Dekan had signed up for that day's Tier Three Card Crafter certification exam.

After earning a higher-tier certification, he would get better discounts when buying common materials from the Card Maker Association.

The fees for consignment sales and accepting commissioned orders would also be lower.

Besides, the Card Maker Association was a good place to look for rare materials.

Though Dekan still couldn't afford Tier Six epic materials, he could register his interest in buying them first.

When he came back from the Shadow World with another haul, he might have enough money to buy them.

Dekan and Cornelia had scheduled their next Shadow World expedition for a month later.

For one thing, Shadow World expeditions had a cooldown period.

For another, Dekan wanted to wait until Cornelia reached Tier Four in the real world before returning to the Shadow World.

That would give them a massive boost in destructive power.

Cornelia had been acting a little mysterious these past couple of days, often heading to a small hill behind the school.

But since she hadn't asked Dekan for help, he decided not to pry into her private affairs.

Though their classmates thought they were inseparable, they actually spent most of their time apart, doing their own things.

Dekan often shut himself in his dorm to make cards, while Cornelia went to combat training every day.

Theresia, however, had heard Dekan was taking the Tier Three Card Crafter certification exam and arranged to watch him well in advance.

She was one of the few people at the school who knew Dekan was a Card Crafter.

Theresia had wanted to see Dekan make cards for a long time.

And if he came up with anything new, she'd have a chance to buy it first.

"Good morning, Dekan!"

"Morning, Theresia!"

They met at the agreed spot by the school gate, then headed for the Card Maker Association.

Dekan had recently begun making a name for himself in the Royal Capital. Word of how he and Cornelia had trounced a Tier Four Shadow World and defeated the Faceless One had spread throughout the city.

The school had already put together a highlights reel, but most of the residents didn't have magical devices to watch it.

So many people in the Royal Capital had heard of him but had never seen him.

It was worth mentioning that although Dekan's Shadow World expeditions made for great entertainment, some of what happened might... seriously damage the school's image.

So the school had decided that future broadcasts of Dekan's Shadow World expeditions would be for internal audiences only, while edited recordings would be released to the public.

Even so, Professor Morgut of the Alchemy Academy had signed a generous revenue-sharing contract with Dekan and Cornelia.

About half an hour later, they arrived at the Royal Capital branch of the Card Maker Association in the Norton Kingdom.

They pushed open the heavy wooden doors and entered the magnificent building.

The association's interior had a very old-fashioned look. Aside from the clearly divided counter areas, there were few decorations, and everything was neat and orderly.

Even though it was still morning, staff were busy throughout the association. Quite a few visitors had gathered in groups of three or five in front of the counters, discussing all sorts of topics and occasionally bursting into hearty laughter.

"What time does your exam start?" Theresia asked.

"Ten. We're a little early, so I thought I'd register my requests for materials and buy a few things on the second floor."

Dekan checked the time. It was only a little past eight.

"That's fine. I'll have a look around with you."

The two of them went up to the second floor.

As soon as they reached the floor, which looked like a trading hall, their attention was drawn to one side.

A blonde girl in a Havenlit Academy uniform stood not far away, surrounded by several staff members in high-ranking attendant uniforms, as if she were the center of attention.

From her uniform, she appeared to be a second-year student in the Alchemy Academy.

It wasn't an everyday sight.

Unless she came from a particularly noble family.

Before Dekan could voice his surprise, Theresia had already recognized the blonde girl.

She grabbed Dekan's sleeve, apparently ready to turn around and leave.

But their uniforms stood out too, and by sheer coincidence, the blonde girl noticed them.

"Theresia?"

The graceful, elegant blonde girl looked at Theresia and Dekan with a hint of surprise.

Theresia let out a quiet sigh.

When she looked back at the blonde girl, her face was already wreathed in smiles. "Good morning, Your Highness Alice."

Dekan noticed Theresia's subtle reaction and seemed to realize something.

The blonde girl was a princess—and not the sort of person one wanted to run into.

"What a coincidence, Theresia!"

Alice hurried over, smiling at Theresia.

Clearly, she and Theresia had known each other for a long time.

"Mm... Is this Dekan? I never expected to see you here. Even my royal brother has praised your exploits in the Shadow World."

But Alice soon turned her attention to Dekan. After all, he had become quite famous at school lately.

"Your Highness," Dekan said, bowing to Alice with his easy smile still in place.

No wonder this was the Royal Capital. He could step out for a stroll and run into someone important.

How exciting.

"Dekan, I assume you've come to the association to sell the materials you got from the Shadow World. I'll buy them at a high price!"

Alice hurried up to Dekan and said with a smile.

"Ah, no..."

Before Dekan could finish, Alice nodded thoughtfully. "I see. You're here to buy Tier Three cards. You've just advanced, so it's time to stock up."

Dekan was about to explain.

Alice continued, "You're so lucky to have run into me. I'm an incredibly talented Magic Card maker!"

Dekan: "..."

He understood now.

The princess didn't listen to a word anyone said.

She was far too presumptuous.

When Dekan tried to refuse,

he noticed Alice looking at him with a smug expression.

She seemed to be eagerly waiting for him to say, "Please make some cards for me, Your Highness Alice!"

It was rather hard to turn down such a warm offer...

But if she was that confident, she was probably quite skilled.

Even Dekan wouldn't dare claim that he was an "incredibly talented card maker."