Dekan's Sacred Magic

"He looks like he knows what he's doing, but in reality, he's made a grave error in common sense. The scrolls he selected indicate he's making a purification-type spell card, but no purification spell uses demon blood. Furthermore, Purifying Holy Flame should be reserved for offensive holy-attribute cards. It seems he's just a layman."

The examiner could no longer help but offer sharp commentary on Dekan's card-crafting process.

"The materials he chose are only enough for a single attempt; there's no room for a second try."

"That card has looked like it was about to explode for a while now; it's actually making me a bit nervous."

"Let's just have the fire suppression and rescue teams ready for when that card detonates."

"Wait, can any of you read the magic script he's writing?"

"...It doesn't look like human magic script. I doubt humans could even chant the syllables corresponding to these characters."

"Is it Draconic? Or Elvish?"

"I don't know! I've never seen a card crafter use non-human magical languages before."

Dekan had entered a state of self-forgetfulness. In an instant, he seemed to have forgotten human language, with only the intent his Master had once imparted into his mind echoing in his ears.

Although this was his first attempt at crafting a Tier 3 spell card.

For some reason, he felt great.

It was as if he didn't need to think; his consciousness guided his hands forward, and he knew exactly how to execute every subsequent step.

He didn't know how much time had passed, but a smile finally curled at the corners of Dekan's lips.

It was done.

And it had turned out quite well!

"Master did not deceive me."

Dekan finally finished all the inscriptions. His cautious, sluggish movements suddenly accelerated, becoming fluid and seamless, and he completed the sealing process in less than two minutes.

The moment the mist dissipated.

An orange light instantly illuminated the entire hall!

A candidate nearby was blinded by the glare, causing a misoperation that cost him his final attempt.

Even so, he stood there with his mouth agape, rubbing his eyes and unable to stop himself from taking another look.

Before he could even get angry, he was stunned into silence.

Orange?!

Is this something that can even appear in an examination hall?

"A Tier 3 Epic card?"

"I actually got to witness the birth of a Tier 3 Epic card with my own eyes!"

"So Dekan's true profession is a card crafter!! No wonder his cards are all so bizarre!"

"If he made an orange Epic card, then... wouldn't he become a Tier 3 Special-Grade Card Crafter?"

"How many years... how many years has it been since anyone heard of that title!"

The spectator stands had already erupted into cheers as loud as a tsunami.

Dekan walked calmly to the invigilator's desk and handed the card to the appraiser.

After finishing the appraisal, the appraiser wiped his glasses and checked his instruments.

Then, he attempted the appraisal once more.

[Blood Purification]

[Category: Spell Card]

[Grade: Orange Epic]

[Tier: 3]

[Effect: If used on oneself, removes abnormal status effects of Tier 3 and below. If used on a different species, it purifies the target's blood, evaporating their blood volume. Cooldown: 120 seconds.]

[Note: Heretic! I shall purify you!]

"You call this purification?!"

The appraiser's eyes widened. After confirming the appraisal result was correct, he muttered in disbelief.

Then, under the shocked gazes of the examiners, the card was sent into the testing room.

"Is this card really safe? Are you a pure-blooded human?"

"...How about we just pass him?"

Before long, the card was sent back out.

It was judged as valid.

Neither of the two testers dared to let the other use the card.

If their bloodlines weren't pure, there was a high chance they would be "purified" on the spot.

Waves of discussion and exclamations erupted continuously from the spectator stands.

It felt as if they were celebrating a festival.

However, unlike the joyous atmosphere of the onlookers, the air between Alice and Theresia felt exceptionally heavy.

When Alice first saw that orange glow, she was stunned for a moment, as if her brain had short-circuited.

"Orange... Epic?"

Alice's face gradually grew hot, as if she had finally grasped the current situation.

She had actually been bragging in front of a card creator capable of crafting Epic cards?

And a monster capable of crafting Epic cards of the same tier, at that!

She sniffled, and her eyes began to mist over.

She felt as though the words she had previously spoken to Dekan were lingering in her ears like a curse, unable to dissipate no matter what.

For a moment, she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

"A-Alice, Your Highness, Dekan just had a bit of good luck! After all, card creation is thirty percent skill and seventy percent luck!"

Theresia reached out in a panic, wanting to touch Alice, but fearing that she might shatter at a single touch, she hesitated and dared not lay a hand on her shoulder.

"Th-this kind of distinctive card... could it be that all the cards he uses were made by himself?"

Alice's voice trembled, and it seemed as if her tears might fall at any moment.

She looked at the publicly displayed appraisal results.

With such highly distinctive cards, it was hard not to associate them with Dekan's deck.

This led to a terrifying conjecture—

All of Dekan's cards were actually crafted by his own hands.

This was absolutely not luck; this was absolute strength.

He had actually been able to easily craft Tier 2 Purple cards back when he was only at Tier 2.

Perhaps even that Ruined Poet was one of his early works!

Dekan was undoubtedly a super-spec card-crafting genius who left Alice far behind.

"..."

Theresia fell silent; she felt that Alice's eyes could no longer hold back the tears and dared not provoke her further.

"You... you knew about his card-crafting level all along, didn't you?"

Alice understood what Theresia meant.

"No, Alice, I really didn't expect you to chat with him so enthusiastically, and I thought he would, at most, craft a Purple Rare card..."

Theresia said somewhat timidly.

This made Alice tremble even more violently.

Then, she looked back and noticed that the several association staff members waiting in the back had awkwardly averted their gazes.

Clearly, these attendants had also witnessed the entire process of Alice bragging to Dekan.

Alice wanted to hold back her tears, but the sense of shame that was practically killing her was beyond description.

Her eye sockets turned increasingly red, and tears fell incessantly like beads from a broken string.

Finally, she suddenly thought of something and looked at Dekan in the examination hall.

She saw that Dekan was also looking at her, and he flashed a brilliant smile at her.

Dappled sunlight fell upon Dekan's face through the glass window, yet it could not outshine that smile, which was even more dazzling than the sun.

"Waaaaah..."

Unable to control herself, Alice burst into tears, stood up from the spectator stands, and ran away.

This was the first time in Princess Alice's life that she had ever run away...