Chapter 115: Lances Common Sealing Cards

Chapter 115: Lance's Common Sealing Cards

The sound of the twelve melodious chimes of the clock tower ringing out from Hutton Pedestrian Plaza could be heard even on the third floor of the Card Maker's Association. The dark brown wooden flooring gleamed under the harsh midday sunlight, while the soaring vaulted ceiling, featuring exposed log beams, evoked the natural, rustic aesthetic characteristic of the Hutton Kingdom.

Beyond the leather sofas and coffee tables arranged on the carpet was a curved wall separating the meeting area. It displayed footage of the registered card maker exam. Two and a half hours had already passed since the exam began.

Some candidates had exhausted all five of their attempts and departed in disappointment. Others had successfully crafted two to three cards and were even attempting to create higher-quality ones to boost their scores.

Beside the coffee table, Lady Sophia, the daughter of an earl, sat next to Prince Ainor. Their dynamic remained unchanged, though the distance between them seemed just a fraction closer.

Meanwhile, Hyperion sat on a single-seater sofa on the other side, looking relaxed and at ease. The three of them had been watching the registered card maker exam. Since the broadcast cycled through various candidates, glimpses of Lance appeared only occasionally.

Back-end staff at the Association would switch the feed to show key moments, such as when a candidate was nearing the completion of a card. After all, the most thrilling moments were inevitably the instant a card was successfully completed or when it exploded.

Sophia shook her head as she watched a card on the screen explode. "If the card maker is prioritizing success rate, the sure fire way to get three finished cards out of five attempts is simply to stick to White cards."

Hyperion remarked with a sigh, "True. Even though they'd end up at the entry-level Iron Certification, at least they'd pass the exam."

Suddenly, the image shifted. The director switched the feed to a candidate from the Holy Order Research Academy who was on the verge of sealing and finalizing an enchanted card.

He was crafting a composite-type card that blended Light and Holy attributes and was currently nearing the completion of the penultimate step. The onlookers could see that the young card maker, who was clad in the robes of an apprentice priest, had already meticulously etched the mana-bearing substrate onto the smooth card base.

He had heat-pressed Radiance Stone powder, which was capable of activating Light attribute magic, into a framework that acted like shackles, firmly anchoring the magical energy within the card. Next, he began the final and most crucial step: the ultimate calibration and finishing process.

His gaze was steady and his pen moved ceaselessly, skillfully interconnecting several magical inscriptions to form a complete mana circulation loop. This design allowed the card to recharge after mana consumption, enabling it to be used again.

Throughout this process, he had to ensure that every magical structure functioned correctly upon activation while avoiding conflicts with other components. Any error could cause the card to collapse instantly. Under improper handling, it might even result in a violent explosion.

His brows were furrowed out of deep concentration. Finally, in that high-pressure moment, the enchanted card stabilized amidst a glow of light. A brilliant blue aura could be clearly seen swirling endlessly across its surface.

A chorus of praise erupted from the already bustling floor. The blue glow radiating from the card was a testament to his exceptional technical skill. After all, making a card on the spot during an exam was vastly different from doing so in a routine setting.

In everyday crafting, a person had ample time for material selection and preparation, without the same pressure regarding success rates. Choosing to forgo the safety of a standard White Common card in pursuit of a higher-quality finish was, in itself, a sign of immense confidence in his own abilities.

Ainor remarked, "This guy's got real talent. If he manages to produce three Blue cards, or even a combination like one Purple, one Blue, and one White, he'll definitely be given Copper Certification."

Although his area of study at the College of Magical Engineering wasn't card making, his frequent visits to the Card Maker's Association meant he knew exactly which criteria determined the classification of a finished enchanted card. The higher the quality of the finished cards produced during the exam, the more surplus promotion points a candidate would earn, even if the cards fell into the same classification tier.

At that moment, a display of the finished card appeared on the screen.

[Holy Light Retribution]

Category: Spell Card

Grade: Blue (Uncommon)

Attribute: Light

Tier: 3

Deals area of effect Light attribute damage. Against beings aligned with evil deities, it deals an additional 100% Holy Judgment damage. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

The Holy Light shall purify your soul!

Such displays often allowed candidates to quickly sell off crafted cards they didn't need once the exam concluded. Top performers might even receive orders or commissions on the spot.

One man commented, "If you were fully equipped with these kinds of enchanted cards to specifically hunt down evil spirits, it would be incredibly effective. You could take down deeply corrupted cultists of the Church of Resurrection, and they would be devastatingly effective against the vast majority of demons and vampires."

Another snorted. "Effective against demons, sure, but it's a tough sell against vampires. They're practically unkillable. Then again, it's not like we're likely to run into them anyway."

Even while sitting in the lounge area, they could overhear the conversations of passersby in the corridor. Demons were rare in the Southern Continent; their kingdom had been based in the Northern Continent before its fall. On the other hand, vampires were mysterious, reclusive individuals.

Vampires were nearly impossible to kill. Sealing them away was often the only option. Their only weakness was a susceptibility to being weakened during the day. At night, however, they reigned supreme, unrivaled by any.

That was why Hyperion had fully understood the opening remarks at the Purgatory Corridor Academy Shadow Realm challenge, which had described the era's background. At night, humanity was nothing more than slaves to the vampires, for even the demons dared not clash head-on with them after dark. At the height of their power, no other race could do a thing against the vampires.

"Well, it's not bad, though it's of little use to someone like me who lives in the capital of Hutton year-round." Ainor did buy cards from time to time, but this particular one didn't interest him much. He never encountered vampires, nor did he go out to fight demons. As for cultists, they wouldn't dare cause trouble in the capital where High Priest Lawrence resided.

"Then there's no need for you to look at this guy's other cards. Holy Light Warhammer and Holy Light Apostle from the same series have similar effects."

Sophia had already grasped the examinee's strategy. He was creating a set of three cards from the same series. This approach allowed him to maintain a consistent feel and stability, push his strengths to the limit, and secure a direct promotion to Copper Certification.

As he spoke, Ainor couldn't help but express his admiration for Lance once more, "Actually, I still prefer the cards made by Lance..."

Before he could even finish his sentence, the broadcast feed switched to Lance, the very person the three of them had been keeping an eye on all day. It seemed the director had prioritized the card's quality. The main screen had previously focused on the examinee who had crafted a Blue card, but by the time the view shifted to Lance, he had already finished crafting his own.

The screen now displayed the card's appraisal results.

[Cartoon Mask]

Category: Equipment Card

Grade: White (Common)

Attribute: Sealing

Tier: 3

A summoned creature equips it. Softens a ferocious appearance, making it look cute.

The artwork has been adjusted for you.

One person commented, "What a strange card."

Another nodded. "I've never seen anything like it. The Association will likely register it as a patented invention."

It wasn't uncommon for examinees to create novel enchanted cards that the Association hadn't recorded before. Although the grade of Lance's card was low, its peculiar effect sparked a bit of discussion.

Prince Ainor couldn't help but exclaim, "What a captivating card!"

He looked eager to buy it and try it out on his own summoned creatures and those of his friends.

Sophia and Hyperion exchanged a look, their expressions conveying utter helplessness. It was a stark contrast. When others created Blue cards, they often failed to impress, yet when Lance created a White card, he exuded the air of a master.

The prince was clearly biased. If he ever became king, he would likely become a die-hard member of the "Lance fandom."

Still, the card Lance had created was admittedly a bit baffling in its purpose. It was likely best suited for "lifestyle magic" or entertainment purposes. Of course, forcibly transforming an enemy's ferociously cool dragon into a cute, baby-style dragon could certainly be a great way to mess with their morale.

And with that, Lance had successfully crafted three cards out of three attempts. Although the cards were all unremarkable White Sealing attributed cards, and there was certainly an element of luck involved, it was evident that his aptitude for Sealing magic had reached a terrifying level.

Among the two cards he had created earlier, there was one that Ainor also desperately wanted.

[Little Love Doll]

Category: Summon Card

Grade: White (Common)

Attribute: Mental/Sealing

Tier: 3

Uses song to gently seal and dampen the target's emotions, calming their mind.

Little Love will heal you~

This was a cute doll version of the Poet of Boundless Love. In short, it was adorable, enough to make anyone want to buy one just to keep at home and listen to her sing. Hyperion was even wondering how to broach the subject of buying one from Lance. She wanted one for herself too.

Ironically, the spell card Lance was best at making, his specialty, had been made quite casually. It looked like he just wanted to secure a passing grade with basic, low grade cards first.

[Are You Praying?]

Category: Spell Card

Grade: White (Common)

Attribute: Sealing

Tier: 3

Seals the target's eyes for 1 second. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Darling, guess who I am.

Aside from the odd name and text, it was a standard sealing spell of the sort commonly found on the market. However, it was slightly different from simply interfering with vision. It appeared capable of directly sealing away an opponent's eyes as well.

Many examinees would end the test immediately after successfully crafting three cards. Making cards on the fly during an exam was rarely as effective as taking the time to carefully craft high-quality enchanted cards when fully prepared.

Yet, judging by the fleeting glimpses they had from the screen, Lance showed no intention of stopping. He planned to keep going on.

Sophia asked, puzzled, "Did he intend from the start to make three White cards as a safety net and then try for higher grade ones to boost his score?"

Few people employed such a strategy. After all, card makers capable of achieving success rates like four-out-of-five or five-out-of-five had no need to start off with three White "safety cards." By relying on their natural skill, they could craft superior enchanted cards right from the start.

Hyperion shook her head. "I don't know, either."

Lance had previously told her that his plan was to play it safe with White for the equipment card, while attempting higher grades for his summon and spell cards. But he had changed his strategy on the spot, so Hyperion had no idea what had sparked this new approach.