章 15: Chapter 11 Lanci's New Abacus_1
Talia lifted her gaze from the purple glowing card, a hint of resignation flashed in her eyes as she let out a barely heard sigh.
It had been a long time since she had last made a card, and she had nearly forgotten the glow that accompanied the flow of magic power in the cards.
Especially during the card creation and activation, the colors could be extraordinarily vibrant.
This level largely reflected the card's strength, value, and rarity.
The lowest [White Normal] cards were ubiquitous, also being the mostly circulated magic cards in the market.
Most of them were simple everyday spells with little additional effects or summons.
[Blue Preciousness] magic cards would possess complete and practical effects, they were flawless masterpieces that required stable and superb skills to make.
If a novice cardmaker could produce a magic card of this quality, they often had extraordinary talent.
As for the more advanced [Purple Rareness] magic cards, their value and strength already started to undergo a qualitative change. Ordinary people could not afford them at all.
For the wealthy nobility and most powerhouses, the purple-graded magic cards were often their key cards that fitted their battle profession and formed their own system.
If a magic card of this level had some practical additional effects, even if the values were low, they might still be able to deliver unexpected effects.
Regarding higher ranks, ordinary people would not know much about.
After all, [Pink Sacred] magic cards were more of a distant symbol and emblem for most humans.
In a city like this one on the edge of the kingdom, it was rare to spot the traces of a sacred cardholder all year round.
The scarcity of it was not just due to its rarity itself, but also because one needs to consider thoroughly before binding it to one's soul.
Under normal circumstances, magic cards do not bind permanently to the user after use.
However, the higher the rank, the greater the cost to undo the soul binding.
Once it comes to [Pink Sacred] magic cards, they cannot be casually unbound and re-bound outside the state of combat like the first three types of cards. It requires a complicated re-encapsulation process, and it also inflicts long-term damage to the binder.
As for [Orange Epic], it is recognized as the highest grade of magic card that sentient beings could encounter.
Every epic card was unique, they were anchored in the world and spanned history.
Once it was bound to one's soul, it was hard to unbind it even at a great cost.
Forcibly breaking the contract would deal irreversible heavy blows and damages to both the user and the card.
Therefore, while the White, Blue, and Purple cards had high flexibility, they could be swapped and combined according to tactics at any time. The Pink and Orange cards, despite their greater power, must be thoroughly considered for their compatibility with one's system, even if one has the opportunity to bind them.
According to ancient legends in the Demon World, there is a rank above Epic, but it has not been seen for hundreds of years. With the demise of the Demon Race, the clues about this type of card have become increasingly elusive...
Talia, with her rich experience, did not find the noble Purple Rareness quality anything special.
She herself had made countless cards of this kind.
However, compared to the quality of Lanci's card, Talia was more surprised by the odd effects of the card.
Generally speaking,
The early works of cardmakers often reflect their future card making style.
As for Talia, it was difficult to predict what outrageous things this guy would come up with in the future.
As Talia fell into her thoughts, the cardmaking workshop lapsed into silence again.
"…"
Seeing that she had not spoken, Lanci did not disrupt her further.
The calm afternoon sun quietly filtered through the clouds, the shadow of the window panes flickered on the brown floor, alternating between light and darkness.
After tirelessly working for two weeks, Lanci finally saw the results. He gradually relaxed, leaning back in his chair, as he felt a rare wave of sleepiness in this nap time.
Time in the Cardmaking Workshop seemed to briefly freeze, filling the room with an odd sense of peace. The engraving pen, alembic, ink bottle and other tools on the workbench seemed to possess souls of their own, whispering lullabies in this fantastical realm.
However, just as Lanci was about to drift into a world of dreams, Talia roused him with a question, her voice like a string in the wind.
"How old are you?"
Her tone was as cold and emotionless as ever.
"I'll be turning 17 next year."
Lanci raised his head to look at Talia.
He answered with careful precision.
After all, he wasn't sure if stating his age as 16 outright would be perceived as a lie by Talia.
While his physical age was undoubtedly 16, his soul was as old as before he had crossed over into this world.
"Then it isn't too late for you to learn cardmaking."
Talia re-evaluated the boy before her.
She had watched Lanci progress from complete novice to somewhat proficient over the past few days, hence she was certain that he lacked significant cardmaking experience before.
Based on her observations during her travels from the far north to the south of the continent, passing through various human kingdoms, this boy named Lanci could be considered a natural Magic Artisan amongst human Cardmakers, despite his late start and lower rank.
"Tata, do you think the Magic Cards I've made are okay?"
Lanci's face held a natural smile.
There was no hint of boasting in his words, he seemed genuinely interested in learning from Talia, knowing her perspicacity to be exceptional.
"... If it can be mass-produced, once it enters the market, it could become a new universal card."
Talia responded after a brief silence.
The reason this card could be universally applicable was simple.
Because everyone would want to buy it.
Once this card circulates, the nature of the battle might change.
Having the enemy kneel may become more important than victory or defeat.
Furthermore, in fair competitions, this could significantly deter - "If you dare to make me kneel, I'll make you kneel too". It could go unused, but it cannot be not possessed.
Even though the thought of always having to guard against enemies using this Sword Tomb Spell irked Talia immensely, she admitted that Lanci deserved to be damned.
However, in the long run, if it leads to a messy human fighting style, it could work in her favor for her goal of reclaiming the throne.
Therefore, she would not actively stop Lanci from abusing this card, corrupting the Magic Card system and environment of the Human Kingdom.
"I see."
Lanci looked at the [Basic Etiquette] card in his hand, the corners of his mouth lifting into a friendly smile before turning to Talia,
"I can't give you this one, but I'm willing to sell the next one to you. According to the success rate, it will probably take a few more days of toil. I'm currently busy preparing for an exam, so I can only make it after the exam."
"How much?"
Talia asked without hesitation, her tone devoid of any hint of question. It was as if questions passing through her lips turn into statements.
She understood that before such a universal card was officially circulated, its scarcity undoubtedly rendered it of utmost value.
Furthermore, as the first edition, this card held an inherent value, being the "recipe".
If Lanci was willing to trade her the second card, she could be sure the price wouldn't be low.
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