The grandfather clock in the study ticked languidly, the whir of its gears clearly audible.
Alongside it lingered the mellow scent of old books from the carved bookcase in the corner, drifting through the air.
Gazing at the magic desk lamp that cast a soft amber glow across the tabletop, Noe removed his glasses, shut his eyes, and gradually let his furrowed brow relax.
Whether Lanqi was merely putting on an act or not, his unhurried demeanor at least offered some comfort.
"Father, I'll need some money before taking the exam. Could you ensure I have ample funds for these next three months?"
Just as Noe thought Lanqi was about to leave, his son's voice caused him to open his eyes once more.
"What do you need it for?" Noe asked warily.
He seemed to suspect Lanqi was trying to swindle as much coin as possible before the entrance exam for one last wild spree.
"Crafting magic cards requires quite a bit of money for materials, and I also need to hire a suitable tutor."
Lanqi's expression and tone remained just as placid as before.
He didn't look in the least like he was lying.
Indeed, he was telling the truth.
Once he finished reading the legal code, he intended to dive straight into researching magic cards.
"You know how to make magic cards?" Noe asked in astonishment.
This time, Lanqi did not answer right away.
In truth, he didn't yet.
He needed a flawless pitch to win his father's trust and convince him to invest with absolute confidence.
Right at that moment, however—
"I can vouch for the young master. He will surely craft exceptional magic cards."
The butler, who had been standing behind Noe the entire time, spoke up.
Bowing slightly at Noe's side, he said, "If you could see the painting in the young master's room, you would no longer worry about him in the slightest, Master."
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Noe turned his head toward the butler.
He was startled by the butler's words, but that surprise quickly gave way to pleasant wonder.
Turning an intrigued look back toward Lanqi, he asked, "Lanqi, have you taken up painting again recently? For Hans to praise it so highly, it must be quite a decent piece."
Hans was the butler's name. Because Lanqi's predecessor rarely addressed him by name, Lanqi had kept up the habit, simply using "you" when speaking to him.
"Far more than just decent..." The butler smiled and shook his head.
Evidently, the master had yet to realize what extraordinary heights the young master's artistic skill had reached.
Anyone could tell that Noe's tone just now had been the sort one used when indulging a child.
"Hans has always looked out for me; he's exaggerating," Lanqi said, pursing his lips briefly and cutting the butler off before he could elaborate.
That portrait of Talia hanging in his bedroom was best kept hidden from Noe.
Otherwise, if Noe happened to run into Talia in town one day, who knew what absurd misunderstandings might ensue.
"Is that so?" Noe murmured, letting the matter slide.
The only thing that truly surprised him was Lanqi's humility.
Under normal circumstances, Lanqi would have leaped at the chance to brag about his talents to secure the investment.
Seeing that Lanqi had spoken, the butler refrained from saying more.
With a faint, knowing smile, he stepped back behind Noe.
"Very well. I hope you pass the School of Alchemy's examination without issue. Hans..."
Sighing, Noe offered a few polite words of encouragement, then instructed Butler Hans to supply Lanqi with whatever funds he required.
It was only out of respect for the old butler and because of Lanqi's good attitude today that Noe agreed to the request so readily.
A few extra coins hardly mattered compared to what had already been lavished on this foolish son of his.
May he learn some sense soon. May the Goddess watch over him.
If today was not an act—if he truly had become this poised, prudent, and humble—what a wondrous blessing that would be.
...
As the night deepened, the wall lamps along the spacious second-floor corridor cast a faint glow, enveloping the entire estate in calm and tranquility.
Most of the household servants had finished their duties for the day and gone to rest.
Naturally, a few remained on duty.
The moment Lanqi pushed open the study door, he spotted the maid waiting outside—
Francine, an empathetic maid who feared him far less than the other servants did.
Lanqi had noticed that she and the butler seemed to be the only ones in the entire estate willing to treat him with genuine care.
After exchanging polite greetings,
"Young Master, are you sure you aren't pulling the master's leg?" Francine asked worriedly in a hushed voice, falling into step beside Lanqi as he walked away from the study.
She had overheard the conversation inside and knew all too well how Lanqi had idled away his time in the past.
The written portion of the School of Alchemy's entrance exam alone covered Kingdom arithmetic, pharmacology, materials processing, fundamentals of magic engineering, principles of alchemy, and numerous other subjects.
Even if Lanqi hired the finest tutor money could buy and studied around the clock, there simply wasn't enough time.
"A mere entrance exam," Lanqi murmured with a light chuckle, closing his eyes. His serene expression made it seem as though he couldn't care less about the test's difficulty, nor did he appear to have any intention of cramming.
"Uh..."
Seeing this, Francine began to suspect that Lanqi had genuinely given up and was simply treating himself to one final celebration.
Still, she knew that even if he failed the entrance exam, he wouldn't face a beating at home, nor would he end up sleeping rough under a scrap of blanket on the streets of the capital.
The young master could easily chart a flexible path in the royal capital.
Selling paintings alone would surely earn him a tidy sum.
"Don't worry. Tonight, I'll study the exam regulations," Lanqi added reassuringly with a radiant smile, sensing the maid's concern. His eyes were as clear and earnest as when he had pored over the legal code.
"That's good to hear..."
"Wait, the exam regulations?"
Francine started.
She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to his words than met the eye.
Carefully reading the guidelines before an exam was certainly a good habit, but...
What was there to study about the School of Alchemy's entrance exam regulations?
Soon, Lanqi bid her farewell and quickened his pace toward his bedroom, leaving the maid standing in the corridor, her brow furrowed in utter bewilderment.
...
Back in his bedroom, Lanqi closed the door.
He pulled an entrance reference guide for Ikerite Academy from the bookshelf.
Walking over to his desk, he pulled out the chair and settled in leisurely. Picking up a pen, he gazed at the book in his hands and began drafting his schedule for the next three months.
When it came to gaining admission, he was entirely serious.
He had indeed promised his father that he would gain admission to the academy.
However, he had never specified which school he would enter.
"Though all my life I have never liked fighting, only resolving fights... if it truly comes to blows and I am prepared, I hardly think I'd lose either,"
Lanqi murmured to himself as he flipped through Ikerite Academy's admissions brochure.
The academy housed the School of Alchemy and the School of Magic Engineering, both of which focused on theoretical research and logistical support—fields where exams could not simply be rushed through or crammed for.
Naturally, it also featured the School of Sages and the School of Knights, both of which leaned heavily toward direct combat and tactical execution.
Lanqi's solution was simple.
A roundabout route to admission.
When the time came, all he had to do was change his application from the School of Alchemy to a different branch.
Although the criteria for the combat-oriented Schools of Sages and Knights differed significantly, past exams consistently centered on candidates' adaptability, character, temperament, and practical fighting ability.
These qualities were inextricably linked to the world's most perilous instances: the Shadow Worlds.
Over the next three months,
so long as he could successfully craft a few key magic cards bearing the distinct "Lanqi touch" and purchase a few existing market cards to build synergies around them,
Lanqi was more than capable of pulling off plays that would make every academy leader black out from sheer disbelief!
Chapter 7