Hedon Pedestrian Plaza was already bustling as the morning light grew brighter. The glass display windows of the large department stores, with their carefully arranged showcases, drew the eyes of passersby, filling this Saturday morning with a sense of liveliness.
On the second floor of the Cardmaker Association, the vast glass façade held a massive magical screen. The looped advertisements had just switched over to a pre-broadcast for the upcoming Registered Cardmaker Exam.
Families strolled through the plaza with lively children, couples exchanged smiles as they enjoyed the leisurely weekend, and the outdoor seating at cafés and restaurants was dotted with customers.
At this moment, more and more people began to lift their heads, shifting their gaze from the street scene to the giant screen on the Association’s wall.
Fifth floor of the Cardmaker Association.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could look down on the broad view of the plaza.
Lan Qi and Huperion were chatting idly.
According to the signs, walking toward the central atrium would soon lead straight to the exam area.
“I feel great today!”
Lan Qi checked the time. It was about time to head into the examination hall, so he said his temporary farewells to Huperion.Having just done a good deed earlier, his mood was soaring. Even his confidence in cardmaking felt higher than usual.
“…Lan Qi, good luck.”
Though Huperion felt that Lan Qi’s fiery state of mind was definitely bad news for Sophia, she still gave him her wholehearted blessing.
Whether Lan Qi was serious today or simply treating it like entertainment, he might very well unleash his full strength in the exam. Huperion had long since grown used to this, but her feelings were complicated.
On the one hand, she hoped Lan Qi could pass and earn a solid ranking. On the other, she worried that if he overperformed, Sophia might not be able to handle it mentally.
Still, it should be fine.
She had studied the exam process: candidates get five attempts, needing to successfully complete at least three cards, one each from spell, equipment, and summon categories. Passing by sheer luck was virtually impossible.
On top of that, the finished cards would be graded, and the total score determined the candidate’s rank. To reach Copper Rank right from the start, one typically needed three blue “Rare” cards—already proof of copper-level skill. Silver Rank was almost unattainable for newcomers.
Huperion knew Lan Qi’s skills well—his upper limit was high, but his lower limit was dangerously low, and his greatest flaw was inconsistent quality. Only in Seal-type cards could he guarantee much success. As for the epic card “Poet of Great Love,” that had been his teacher’s masterpiece; Lan Qi himself had never produced anything of the “Sacred Pink” tier.
So, she figured if today he could manage a purple and two whites, reaching Copper Rank would already be a solid result.
“Then, Lan Qi, I’ll probably wait for you on the third floor.”
She waved, motioning for him to hurry into the exam hall. She planned to check on Eino and Sophia; if they were getting along fine, she’d stay with them to watch the broadcast on the magical screens.
“Mm, I’ll come find you once I’m done.”
Nodding, Lan Qi turned and walked toward the exam area.
Ten minutes later.
Inside the vast central hall for the Registered Cardmaker Exam.
Natural light streamed through the rose-patterned skylight above.
Lan Qi had already confirmed his exam registration and now sat calmly in the waiting area.
Along the walls stood colossal magical devices, like silent giants glowing faintly, their cold mithril-and-crystal surfaces gleaming with a majestic light.
Many first-time candidates from outside cities stared in awe at these engineering marvels—the pinnacle of magical craftsmanship. But Lan Qi, having seen them before, remained unfazed.
He remembered his entrance exam at Ikerite Academy, which had used the very same Artificial Shadow Realm Terminals.
In recent years, the Cardmaker Exam had been upgraded from traditional exam halls to these artificial shadow worlds.
After the exam began, candidates, carrying their Portable Cardmaking Toolkits, would enter isolated, harmless Tier-1 shadow realms. These separate realms prevented any outside interference, while allowing the Association to record and evaluate the entire process.
The broadcasts went not only to the Association’s headquarters, but also to the massive screens on the Ikerite branch’s glass façade, as well as to the magical displays on every floor.
This meant that whenever an exam was held, clients or traders visiting the Association could watch as casual entertainment. Even passersby in Hedon Plaza might sit by the flowerbeds or stone steps to rest and watch.
All this made many first-timers—and those who had failed before—especially nervous.
But compared to the anxious candidates around him, Lan Qi looked remarkably composed. His calm presence made it seem like he was the proctor rather than an examinee.
After all, he’d already been through two artificial-shadow exams and even one real shadow realm.
Since his return from that dreamlike Demon Academy, he felt as though his heart had been left behind in that world. Perhaps he would never feel true joy or sorrow again.
So he waited, utterly serene.
Then, footsteps echoed across the hall.
The entrance of an examiner always brought silence.
From the side entrance walked a man in a dark suit, marked with the insignia of a registered cardmaker and a senior examiner of the Association. He was in his forties, impeccably dressed but with weary eyes.
He strode to the front of the waiting area, surveying the candidates.
Most were young—students from Ikerite Academy, the Sacred Theological Institute, or the Holy Mechanical Academy—drawn here because Hedon Kingdom’s other cities had limited exam slots and different schedules. Many had traveled here by mag rail to take part.
At Ikerite Academy, few cared about the Registered Exam outside of the Engineering Faculty. Still, if a student performed exceptionally well, the Association would notify Professor Polao, the dean of the faculty. On such days, the faculty would eagerly await good news—though today, there didn’t seem to be any promising candidates, so they probably weren’t paying much attention.
The middle-aged man’s thoughts wandered as he introduced himself:
“I’m today’s chief examiner, Lawrence.”
Even without further words, his status as a Gold-ranked Cardmaker spoke for itself.
“You will each enter an individual harmless shadow realm, and you may freely choose your environment. The exam will last a maximum of five hours. Once it begins, you’ll have thirty minutes to review the rules and purchase materials.”
“The exam officially starts at 9 AM and ends at 2:30 PM. If you get hungry, you can even buy lunch inside.”
With that, Lawrence embedded a glowing white key into the Artificial Shadow Realm Terminal.
The space before it twisted, its transparency deepening into darkness until, at last, a man-made void gate revealed itself.
Association staff began guiding the candidates inside.
Meanwhile, the massive glass façade of the Ikerite branch lit up—
the Registered Cardmaker Exam broadcast had begun!