On the third floor of the Card Makers Association, the midday sun fell across the glass curtain wall, mingling faintly with the orange glow of the Epic card shown on the magic screen. It fractured into countless mesmerizing, ethereal halos, making the entire hall seem bathed in shimmering light.
At the same time, waves of discussion and gasps broke out all around the floor.
Outside the building, festive cheers also rose from Hutton Pedestrian Plaza. Like distant ocean waves surging from before the screens below, they crashed against the glass curtain wall, clearly audible even to those sitting in the third-floor lounge.
Yet, in stark contrast to the joyful atmosphere of the onlookers,
the air between Hyperion and Sophia seemed frozen solid.
It was so stifling that Hyperion felt slightly suffocated.
The moment Sophia had seen that orange radiance, she had frozen in place, as if her brain had short-circuited.
"Orange... Epic?"
In Sophia’s understanding, for people their age, producing Purple Rare quality was already the absolute limit.
Only academy professors and the most exceptional monster third-years had any chance of producing Pink Sacred quality.
Orange Epic—
That was a domain accessible only to the world's topmost card makers on the level of Duke Mikhail!
"Sophia, do you know what rank an Orange Epic gets assigned to? Did you see that? Lanqi is truly incredible!"
The very first thing Prince Ainuoer did after coming to his senses was grab Sophia by both shoulders, asking with radiant excitement.
Even with how many times he had watched the registered card maker exam, he couldn't tell what rank his close friend would be assigned!
Sophia, meanwhile, seemed utterly dazed. She stared blankly at the projection screen like a doll that had just awakened from a dream and had not yet adapted to reality, letting Ainuoer shake her back and forth.
On the single sofa to one side:
"Stop, please stop... Your Highness Ainuoer... really, don't say another word... spare us your powers..."
Hyperion buried her head as low as she could, muttering continuously in an ultra-hushed whisper.
She felt as if all was lost, sitting on pins and needles!
If she hadn't promised Lanqi that she would wait for him here, she would have activated invisibility and fled without hesitation!
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
In the fifth-floor courtyard exam hall of the Card Makers Association, Lanqi seemed entirely consumed by exhaustion.
On screen, under the pressure of mana that brought him to the brink of collapse, his figure flickered several times before withdrawing from the artificial Shadow World. Finally, he reappeared in the spacious courtyard hall, drawing the gazes of all the examiners.
He had long since been unable to continue crafting a fifth card, even if he still had an attempt left.
At this moment, Lanqi felt only an endless fatigue welling up from every corner of his body. Even his eyelids had grown heavy. His dormitory and his bed had become his sole yearnings.
Once he returned to Ikerite Academy, he would probably be able to drop off and sleep for a very long time.
It might be even longer than the time he had fallen asleep in the South Vantina frontier territory after finishing Talia's portrait.
When Lanqi stepped out from the Void Gate of the artificial Shadow World, Chief Examiner Lawrence's gaze was already filled with shock.
Although the broadcast feed did not publicly display examinees' evaluation results,
as the chief examiner, he could see the results and specific details directly through the proctoring terminal in his hand.
There, a simple and clear line of text was boldly displayed: [Examinee Lanqi Wilfort, Platinum rank].
This single line of evaluation struck like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky, leaving Lawrence utterly dumbfounded.
He felt his heart pounding violently, as if struck by a tempest of pleasant surprise.
Staring at the proctoring terminal, the words echoed repeatedly in his mind, and he double-checked to ensure his eyes were not playing tricks on him.
Yet the result remained plainly before his eyes, followed by a surge of excitement.
As the vice president of the Ikerite Card Makers Association Branch who had overseen the registered card maker exam in the royal capital for so many years, Lawrence had only witnessed someone being evaluated at Gold rank a handful of times.
Moreover, reaching Gold rank practically only occurred when unregistered but deeply experienced Tier 6 or 7 card makers took the registered card maker exam and crafted a Pink Sacred card.
To be directly evaluated as Platinum rank was a first for Lawrence—and even more importantly, this was a youth from their own kingdom!
Orange Epic represented the upper ceiling of magic card crafting, an impassable chasm.
Many Gold-rank card makers who already stood at the apex of veteran card makers spent their entire lives unable to create a single Orange Epic masterpiece.
Platinum rank indicated that one possessed the potential to craft an Orange Epic.
Magic Crystal rank represented mastery over Orange Epics.
The Grandmaster rank above that was merely an honorary title; no one on the Southern Continent in the current era could bear it.
Thus, even though Platinum rank and Gold rank were separated by just a single grade, the difference was as vast as clouds and mud.
Seeing that Lanqi had returned to the courtyard hall, Chief Examiner Lawrence immediately appointed a deputy examiner to take over his duties, then walked briskly up to Lanqi.
"Student Lanqi, may I have a word with you in private?"
Lawrence asked in a sincere tone. Seeing Lanqi's visibly exhausted face, he quickly added,
"I know you need rest. I promise this won't take long. We can talk as we walk."
"Of course, Mr. Lawrence. My friends are waiting for me on the third floor."
Lanqi mustered a bit of energy and answered with a smile.
He felt somewhat curious about what level his creation had reached to earn such respect from the examiner.
"Please follow me."
Lawrence nodded, his voice calm and composed, as if he already regarded Lanqi as a member of the Association.
He led Lanqi steadily into a passage leading from the hall to the fifth floor's internal area—a place normally used only by the Association's internal staff.
The passage was built with warm wooden walls. Its steady, grounded tones formed a sharp contrast with the innovative style of the Association's overall architecture, instilling a sense of tranquility.
When they reached the end of the passage, their field of vision suddenly opened up, and an enormous suspended staircase appeared before their eyes.
Unlike an ordinary staircase, these steps were formed from blocks of translucent eternal crystal. Like clouds floating in the air, they moved with a mysterious rhythm, akin to the heartbeat of the Association's building.
Lawrence and Lanqi stepped gently onto the staircase. The crystal steps began to descend slowly, carrying them down toward the third floor. The surrounding air, drawn along by the movement of the stairs, stirred a cool breeze.
"Student Lanqi, first of all, congratulations on being evaluated as a Platinum-rank card maker."
Standing on the crystal steps, Lawrence turned his head toward Lanqi and said.
"Platinum rank?"
Lanqi raised his tired eyes in mild surprise.
He hadn't expected to be directly assigned to Platinum rank either.
After all, that rumored genius magic artificer girl who was coming from Aloran Kingdom Academy in a few months to view Dean Loren's [Original Slate - Wind] was only at Gold rank.
Chapter 115