Talia Never Thought She Would Take a Student

"I'm not short on money," Lanqi said with a shrug, looking utterly nonchalant. "..." Talia fell silent once more. Transactions had always been about fulfilling the mutual needs of both parties. Just as Talia possessed martial prowess she could hardly unleash in the human realm and was lacking in money, Lanqi had funds to spare yet urgently needed protection. Thus, they could fulfill each other's needs and strike a perfect bargain. So this time, when Talia sought something other than money from Lanqi, he naturally hoped to receive something of greater value to him in return. "Next, I ought to find a card-making instructor. Relying on self-study isn't going to cut it for Tier 2 magic cards anymore." Their brief exchange had chased away the drowsiness that was beginning to cloud Lanqi's mind. He stood up absently, tidying the scattered crafting tools and densely scribbled sheets of paper across the table as he murmured to himself. His single-minded card crafting practice over this past period made him feel as though his mental strength was steadily growing. Perhaps before long, he would break through to Tier 2, a threshold his predecessor had already been quite close to reaching. Furthermore, he planned to borrow that ancient heirloom, [Hymn of Compassion]—which in the original plot was destined to be taken by Talia—from his family's treasury for a short while to craft it into his own magic card. However, Lanqi lacked the confidence to succeed on his first try with such a precious artifact material. He needed a highly skilled mentor and collaborator. And who better than Talia, the demon grand card maker destined to acquire [Hymn of Compassion] and forge it into a magic card in the original story? "Are you asking me to teach you card crafting?" Talia gazed sideways at Lanqi's faintly visible emerald-green eyes. Her voice betrayed neither consent nor refusal. Lanqi's hint had been all too blatant. Clearly, he wanted Talia to impart her card-making knowledge in exchange for a first-edition [Basic Etiquette]. During the days Lanqi and Talia had spent together, he would often consult her on magic card knowledge, whether casually or intentionally. Sometimes Talia would answer offhandedly, and other times she would simply ignore him. Talia had no idea how this human had figured out from the very beginning that she knew card crafting, but she had neither pursued the question nor denied it. Perhaps it was his unique keenness, his knack for deduction, his sharp intuition, or perhaps she shouldn't have zoned out staring at the card-crafting tools for so long. Any of those could be the reason. Yet even if she had later implicitly acknowledged her knowledge of card making, Lanqi still had no way of knowing her true level as a card maker. "From the very first moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were extraordinary. At the very least, in all my years in this border city-state, I have never seen anyone with your presence. You even gave me an impression of being beautiful, powerful, and ageless." Lanqi set down the papers in his hands and met Talia's gaze, earnestly looking into her golden eyes. "I've always trusted my intuition. So I figured I'd take a chance. What if you truly are a master card maker I might only encounter once in my entire life?" He appeared to have made up his mind to be candid with Talia, letting her know that compared to mere coincidence, those first two transactions carried an element of inevitability. "..." Talia listened in silence. She could tell with certainty that this human wasn't merely paying lip service or dissembling; he was speaking from the bottom of his heart. Moreover, such reverence—it was as though even if she were a demon, he would willingly seek power from her. "Besides, Tata, since you've already chosen to stay by my side and protect me, wouldn't it be an excellent choice for both of us if you taught me card crafting while I shared the finished cards with you?" Lanqi added. "..." Normally, there was no way she would ever mentor a talented human and allow him to run wild. Except under one circumstance— Unless the danger he posed to humanity far outweighed his talent. And Lanqi clearly belonged to the category of card makers with immense potential for catastrophe. If he was willing to pay a sufficient price, she could indeed consider instructing him. It was just that Talia had never imagined she would ever take a student, let alone that a demon would serve as a teacher to a human. "I will only teach you up to Tier 2. If you find that acceptable, we have a deal," Talia replied after a moment of thought. Although her expertise lay in crafting cards using demonic magical script rather than human script, the underlying principles of magic engineering were mostly universal. Above all, practical technique mattered far more than theory. Teaching a novice like Lanqi would pose no problem whatsoever. Hearing Talia's response, Lanqi nodded decisively. "Splendid! That works completely for me." At that point, half of the delight that had just surfaced on Lanqi's face vanished, replaced by a touch of worry. "Though, in a little over a month, I might have to head to the royal capital... Could I trouble you to continue teaching me card crafting and protecting me on the road, as well as after we arrive in the royal capital? I will pay you the agreed-upon remuneration, of course." "What are you going to the royal capital for?" Talia asked, her brow furrowing. For years, she had traveled southward across the continent, largely sticking to the border provinces of various human kingdoms. If possible, she preferred not to travel pointlessly to an important human stronghold like the capital of a major kingdom. "I need to take the entrance exam for Ikerite Academy, and I'm quite worried that assassins might tail me and strike on the journey... That makes your protection all the more necessary." Having said this, Lanqi seemed to recall something and hurriedly added: "Oh, right! Since you're my privately hired secret bodyguard, we'll need to arrange a convenient cover identity for you on a long journey like this. That way, we won't arouse the assassins' suspicion. I'll package you as someone from our household so you can protect me more easily." Seeing that Talia offered no objection, Lanqi gave an even more earnest smile. Not a trace of a swindler about him. After all, every single word he uttered was true. Next, Lanqi enthusiastically explained to Talia how he could leverage the merchant guild's connections to forge a seamless new identity for her. "..." Talia, who had been leaning toward refusing him, suddenly froze at his words. Once again. Lanqi had effortlessly presented a condition that suited her perfectly—one she couldn't possibly refuse. Just like... the temptation of a demon. The primary reason she had fallen into such destitution was her lack of a legal identity in human lands. Her employment, trade, and travel were severely restricted. Even a temporary identity provided as an add-on to their deal would grant her a level of freedom and convenience she hadn't dared to dream of before!