003 Dekan Sets Off on a Journey
Autumn leaves fluttered down, and the land of the Kulan Border Territory began to don a deep golden cloak.
It was still a month until school started, but Dekan and Trecia had already set off from the border territory.
A carriage ride to the Capital City would take approximately one week.
Technically, they just needed to arrive two weeks before the start of term for the entrance examination, but if they left it too late, the area around the Capital would be congested with nobles touring in a long queue.
Waiting in line would be terribly inefficient.
Additionally, Dekan wanted to arrive early to attend to other matters, so he decided to set off promptly.
“Little Dekan, you’ve grown up!”
Dekan’s mother, tears streaming down her face, bade farewell to her son.
“Boy, when you get into fights in the Capital, save some strength. Don’t always rely on your bad-luck Cards! Remember how our neighbor, Big Strong, has been a bit off ever since you fought him?”
His father’s face was filled with pride, but his words were laced with deep concern.
There were quite a few adventurers in the town who had been tormented by Dekan.
The father was worried that Dekan might end up in the Capital’s prison before even finishing school.
Dekan nodded as if to appease him, which only made his father worry more.
“Make sure you don’t use those Spell Cards at school, especially [Hypnotic Gas], [Poisonous Ground Spike], [Hydrogen Explosion], and all that gear of yours with those summoned creatures. People might mistake you for a heretic priest!”
His father repeatedly admonished him.
“Relax, relax, I’ve learned to control my strength now. And I’ve left 30 gold coins in the counter.”
Dekan chuckled helplessly.
“May the road be with you!”
“Well, I’m off.”
After bidding farewell, Dekan boarded the carriage.
Henceforth, Dekan would be leading a boarding life at the academy.
Tuition fees and miscellaneous expenses were all covered by the Kingdom, with hardly any costs to bear on his part. Moreover, he could freely use the academy’s high-grade facilities and resources, which was what Dekan valued most.
Earning a gold coin doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve earned a gold coin.
But saving one gold coin truly means you’ve earned it!
Frugality is the first step to wealth!
Of course, if Dekan wanted to become wealthy, he still needed a substantial amount of startup capital.
If only he could secure a small shop in the Capital.
Creating sister Cards requires a great deal of capital! He needed to advance to a higher level as a Cardmaker!
Having dreams gave him a sense of motivation!
A journey of nearly a week lay ahead, and to entertain himself, Dekan brought along numerous books.
Also, he had already investigated all the notable tourist spots along the route, planning to visit them when passing by.
All in all, the start of the journey felt surprisingly good.
This was Dekan’s first long trip.
While he had left the town before, at most he’d only ventured as far as the major city at the border for sightseeing and shopping.
The chats with Trecia along the way were generally pleasant, but they couldn’t keep talking all the time. Most of the time, they would sit quietly, gazing out the window at the unfamiliar yet beautiful scenery.
Everything was so new to Dekan — this sentence encapsulated his journey.
Even if nothing eventful happened during the week, he wouldn’t get bored.
Who says a journey must involve monster attacks, bandit ambushes, or damsel-saving plots?
Simplicity is the true essence.
After all, the security in this kingdom was excellent, and such scenarios were unlikely.
At the beginning, their interactions were polite and somewhat distant, with neither disclosing much personal information.
However, since they were of similar age and shared an open personality, after five days of traveling together, Trecia became more familiar with Dekan, naturally letting her guard down as they talked happily about their families.
Trecia was the daughter of the Count family, both her parents had passed away, and the family was gradually declining. Now she was striving to rejuvenate it.
Dekan, on the other hand, didn’t have such worries.
Their family didn’t rely on agriculture for survival, so even if occasional natural disasters struck, they could still save a little money.
Their life wasn’t extremely affluent, but it was certainly self-sufficient, with enough food and clothes.
The lord of the Kulan Border Territory was also kind, with not only low taxes, but in the aftermath of natural disasters, the affected areas would have their taxes reduced for several years, along with receiving aid.
…
The sun was already high in the sky, warm, dry breezes blew through the air.
Trecia rested her chin on her palm, leaning on the window, gazing at the scenery outside.
“By the way, Dekan, what do you plan to do after graduation? Go back to your hometown or take up a position in the Capital?”
Carried by the breeze outside the window, she asked Dekan.
“My current plan is to become a merchant. But the future is unpredictable, after all. I just want to live a more leisurely life in the present.”
Dekan closed the book in his hand, placed it aside, and smiled as he replied.
Trecia nodded, apparently quite approving of Dekan’s philosophy on life.
“What about you, Trecia?”
“I will most likely take up a position in the Capital and keep exploring the Shadow World,” answered Trecia.
“But Trecia, isn’t exploring the Shadow World quite dangerous?”
In Dekan’s understanding, “Shadow World” referred to a dungeon.
It would appear unpredictably at a fixed entrance in this world.
“Neglecting or failing to conquer the Shadow World would lead to natural disasters in some parts of the world.”
“I once witnessed my territory hit by a natural disaster, which indirectly contributed to the decline of our family.”
“Since then, I have pledged to devote myself to defeating the Shadow World. Most importantly, I do not want to see the common people suffer such defenseless harm again.”
Trecia’s voice became much lower, her tone tinged with a hint of sorrow that she couldn’t hide.
“You and the lord of our Kulan territory are good nobles. I like people like you.”
Dekan handed over some candies to Trecia.
This was his favorite fruit jelly candy.
Soon Dekan continued, “Don’t worry, once I become a master Cardmaker, I will definitely create top-notch Magic Cards for you, and at a super-friend price!”
He held deep admiration for Trecia.
After all, exploring the Shadow World was life-threatening.
The only way he could help Trecia was by making Magic Cards.
Weapons, clothing, and ordinary equipment couldn’t be brought into the Shadow World.
Except for—Magic Cards bound to the soul.
That was also the reason why Magic Cards had become mainstream combat tools in this world.
It played a crucial role in conquering the Shadow World!
Fortunately, Dekan had a bit of talent as a Cardmaker, so he wouldn’t end up on the Capital’s streets covered by a small blanket.
“Thank you, Dekan. But the Shadow World can also bring me fame and fortune, it’s not a bad path to reviving our family!”
Trecia beamed happily.
This made Dekan pause momentarily.
“Is the Shadow World so lucrative?”
“Of course, all my 60 gold coins came from the rewards of Shadow World conquests.”
“Then… I might give it a try too.”
Dekan stroked his chin, muttering under his breath.
As long as there was money involved, many things were worth considering.
“Do you want to become a Battle Cardmaker?”
Trecia asked.
One form of support was called “Battle Cardmaker,” who were occasionally taken into the Shadow World.
“Sort of.”
His method was rather unconventional, similar to a Battle Cardmaker but fundamentally different.
