The grandfather clock in the study ticked leisurely, its gears clicking with clear precision.
The scent of aged books, stored in the intricately carved bookshelf at the corner, filled the air.
Noah removed his glasses and closed his eyes, the soft amber glow from the magical lamp on the desk casting a warm light. His furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
Regardless of whether Lance was putting on an act, at least his composed demeanor was reassuring.
"But Father, before I take the entrance exam, I’ll need some money. Could you ensure that I have enough funds for the next three months?"
Just as Noah thought Lance was about to leave, these words made him open his eyes again.
"What do you need it for?"
Noah asked cautiously, as if suspecting that Lance was trying to squeeze as much money as possible out of him before the exam, only to squander it all in indulgence.
"Crafting Magic Cards requires a lot of materials, and I also need to hire a suitable teacher."
Lance’s tone remained calm, his expression unshaken. He didn’t look like he was lying.And in fact, he wasn’t.
Once he finished reading the legal code, his next plan was to dive into the study of Magic Cards.
"You know how to make Magic Cards?"
Noah asked in surprise.
Lance didn’t respond immediately.
Truthfully, he didn’t.
He needed the perfect wording to earn his father’s trust and convince him to invest without hesitation.
At that moment—
"I can vouch for the young master. He will craft excellent Magic Cards."
The butler, who had been standing behind Noah all this time, finally spoke.
Bowing slightly, he leaned in and said,
"If you were to see the painting in the young master’s room, you wouldn’t be worried about him at all."
"Oh?"
Noah turned his head, eyeing the butler in surprise before quickly shifting to intrigue.
His gaze then landed on Lance with newfound interest.
"Lance, have you been painting again lately? If Hans is praising it this much, it must be quite an impressive piece."
Hans was the butler’s name. Though the previous Lance rarely addressed him directly, Lance continued the habit, referring to him only as "you" in conversation.
"It's more than that…"
Hans shook his head with a small smile, as if Noah had yet to realize the true extent of Lance’s skill.
It was obvious that Noah had spoken in the same tone one would use when praising a child.
"Hans has always looked out for me. He’s just exaggerating."
Lance pressed his lips together briefly, cutting off the butler before he could finish.
That portrait of Talia in his bedroom was better left unseen by Noah.
If Noah happened to run into Talia in town, there was no telling what kind of ridiculous misunderstanding might occur.
"I see."
Noah didn’t dwell on it.
The only thing that surprised him was Lance’s humility.
Ordinarily, Lance would have seized this chance to boast about his talent and use it as leverage for more investment.
Hearing Lance’s response, Hans decided not to press the matter further.
He merely gave a knowing smile and stepped back behind Noah.
"Alright then. I hope you pass the entrance exam for the Alchemical Institute. Hans…"
Noah let out a sigh, offering some perfunctory words of encouragement before instructing Hans to provide Lance with the funds he needed.
Truthfully, Noah only agreed so easily because of the old butler’s influence—along with Lance’s unexpectedly good attitude today.
After all, a little more money wouldn’t make a difference.
Hopefully, the boy would come to his senses soon.
May the Goddess bless him.
If today’s composure, humility, and steadiness weren’t just an act, how wonderful that would be…
As night deepened, the wall lamps along the wide hallway on the mansion’s second floor cast a faint glow, enveloping the estate in tranquil serenity.
Most of the servants had finished their duties and retired for the night.
Of course, some were still on duty.
The moment Lance pushed open the study door, he noticed a maid waiting outside—
Francine, one of the few who wasn’t afraid of him like the other servants. She was perceptive and understanding.
In fact, apart from Hans, she was the only one in the mansion who seemed to take him seriously.
After exchanging polite greetings—
"Young Master, are you sure you’re not just fooling the Master?"
Francine followed Lance as he walked out of the study, lowering her voice with a hint of concern.
She had overheard the conversation inside and was well aware of how Lance had spent his days before today.
The entrance exam for the Alchemical Institute was no joke.
Even just the written test covered Kingdom Arithmetic, Potionology, Material Processing, Fundamentals of Magic Engineering, and Alchemical Principles, among other subjects.
Even if Lance hired the best tutors now and crammed day and night, it wouldn’t be enough.
"Just an entrance exam."
Lance chuckled, closing his eyes with an air of nonchalance.
His expression was so composed, it was as if he didn’t care about the difficulty at all.
"Uh…"
Francine hesitated, suddenly wondering if Lance had already given up and was simply enjoying his final moments of freedom.
But then again, even if he failed, it wasn’t like he’d be scolded or end up homeless in the Royal Capital.
Young Master could still make a living there.
Just by selling paintings, he’d surely earn a decent income.
"Relax. Tonight, I’ll start studying the exam rules."
Sensing her worry, Lance flashed a confident smile, his gaze as clear as when he had been reading the legal code.
"That’s good to hear…"
"Wait—exam rules?"
Francine froze.
Something about his wording felt… off.
Sure, reading the exam guidelines beforehand was a good habit…
But why would the Alchemical Institute’s entrance exam rules need special research?
Before she could dwell on it further, Lance bid her farewell and picked up his pace toward his bedroom, leaving her standing in the hallway, puzzled.
Lance shut the door behind him as he entered his room.
Lance pulled a copy of the Ikrit Academy Entrance Reference Book from the bookshelf.
He moved to the desk, pulled out the chair, and sat down leisurely. Picking up a pen, he stared at the book in his hands and began planning his schedule for the next three months.
When it came to getting into the academy—he was serious.
He had indeed assured his father that he would successfully enroll.
But… he never said which branch he planned to enroll in.
"I've never been one for fighting, but I do enjoy resolving conflicts… That said, if it really comes down to a fight, as long as I’m prepared, I don’t see myself losing."
Muttering to himself, Lance flipped through the admissions brochure for Ikrit Academy.
The academy had multiple branches.
The Alchemical Institute and the Magic Engineering Institute were heavily focused on theoretical research and support roles, making their entrance exams difficult to fast-track.
However, there were also two branches that prioritized direct combat and tactical application—the Sage Institute and the Knight Institute.
Lance’s plan was simple.
A detour enrollment.
All he had to do was change his application from the Alchemical Institute to another branch.
The combat-oriented Sage and Knight Institutes had vastly different evaluation criteria, but their entrance exams always centered around three key aspects: adaptability, character and temperament, and actual combat ability.
This was also closely tied to the most challenging dungeon in this world—the Shadow Realm.
Over the next three months…
As long as he could successfully create some Lance-exclusive key Magic Cards and supplement them with a few market-available cards for synergy…
Then maybe—just maybe—he could pull off something so outrageous that every academy official would be left absolutely speechless!F