Chapter 95: Lance is Truly a Model Student

The morning sunlight slanted down, bathing the magnificent campus of the university in a warm glow. It was another day filled with promise.

On the ground-floor terrace garden of a dormitory, lush green vines climbed the wooden railings, their leaves vibrant with life. Elegant potted plants lined the space below. The air was filled with the scent of flowers and fresh earth. A flock of small birds chirped noisily on the wooden deck, occasionally hopping onto nearby stone pavers to sing energetically, as if celebrating the start of a new day.

Lance’s two-week break had flown by in a flash. Today, he was finally returning to the classrooms to resume his regular studies. Even getting out of bed that morning felt a bit more of a struggle than usual.

During these past two weeks, he had spent his time shuttling between his own dormitory and Talia's home. He spent most of his mornings undergoing high-intensity card making training under his teacher's supervision.

While at Talia's place, his rate of blowing up cards had dropped significantly. It was only later, after he had accidentally detonated a card and thought all was lost, that he discovered Talia had already set up a protective barrier. She had only scared him earlier to force him into a state of deep, immersive concentration.

Talia had also instructed Lance to focus his upcoming card making practice on Sealing magics and to choose a Sealing type card as his project for the exam. She wasn't particularly skilled in Sealing arts herself, so Lance would have to research many of the associated spells on his own.

As for the hairstyle makeover magic, she had already begun analyzing the principles behind the original spells for magical beast fur and promised to share her findings with Lance once she made progress. However, since that spell originated from a Level 4 Shadow Realm challenge, the fully functional finished product would also be Tier 4, meaning Lance couldn't get involved in its creation just yet.

Lance also purchased his own protective barrier system and installed it in the card making workshop he had converted from the storage room in his dormitory. He spent his afternoons working overtime to master Sealing spells and even developed a new type of enchanted card. His evenings were reserved for a bit of rest and running practice.

Talia had told him he'd better be good at both sprinting and long-distance endurance running. Otherwise, he'd easily be caught and beaten to death by his enemies. Although Lance didn't quite understand why someone as amiable as himself would be chased down, he still trusted her advice. After all, he had become a firm believer in the demon race's pedagogical methods.

Through his own research and inquiries at the university over the past few days, Lance discovered that very few people specialized in Sealing magic. This was due to the extremely complex principles behind its construction and its significant limitations.

To achieve a potent seal, a high ranking caster generally had to target a low ranking enemy. Against an opponent of equal rank, the result was usually only a weak or short-lived seal.

Any Sealing spell that defied this rule required an exorbitant price to trigger and take effect. Sometimes this may even demand the caster's life to seal the enemy.

While feeding the little birds on the balcony in the early morning, Lance murmured to himself, "If I want a Sealing spell that ignores rank differences, I have to start with small-scale functions."

Although he was fully awake, his mind was still occupied by the Sealing magic he had been immersed in for the past two weeks. The Poet of Boundless Love was quietly watering the flowers nearby, and she glanced at him. Lance would occasionally summon her to act as his card making assistant, so she had gained some understanding of Sealing magic as well.

Sealing an enemy of lower rank than oneself held little significance. However, to seal the cards or even the entire person of an enemy stronger than oneself, regardless of rank... A card capable of that would likely be at least Epic grade. That wasn't something Lance could hope to create on his own anytime soon.

Still, the thought that he might one day master Sealing magic, allowing him to banish a key enchanted card right in the middle of a battle, was appealing. It would certainly be a way to wipe the smile right off his enemy's face.

The Poet finally finished watering the flowers. She crouched down, patted Lance on the shoulder, and offered encouragement, "Good luck, Lance! You absolutely must become a super Sealing Saint!"

Lance stared blankly at the Poet. She smiled back while shaking her head, then dissolved into a scattering of orange fluorescent light that flew back to him. On the balcony, filled with the scent of flowers and the sound of birdsong, Lance tilted his head, puzzled for a long while.

***

After tidying his attire, Lance left the dormitory building and headed toward the academic buildings he hadn't visited in quite some time. A truly exemplary student never missed a class without a valid reason. By doing this, it showed his respect for his teachers and set a positive example for others.

In the heart of the Sages' College stood a three-story stone building. Its dark exterior bore the classic hues of limestone, while stone columns, arched windows, intricate stone carvings, and polished iron railings all bore the unmistakable stamp of a fancy, ornate style. The corridors were steeped in an academic atmosphere. People could almost hear the whispers of the sages of old.

While walking along the familiar path and stepping into the classroom, Lance immediately heard the chatter of his classmates.

Someone asked, "I wonder who's doing renovations in our dorm building? We keep hearing explosions in the afternoon."

Another added, "It's strange, considering contraband isn't allowed in the dorms."

A third commented, "The dorm manager looks a bit spooked. They even applied to the school recently to purchase extra fire-safety equipment."

Noticing Lance's arrival, the students instantly turned to stare at him. Their looks were neither of adoration nor fear, but something in between. It was like they had just discovered a rare new creature belonging to the species "Lance."

Lance made his way through the tiered seating and naturally settled into his familiar spot in the back row. Simply sitting down and taking in the view made him sigh with reflection. Two weeks ago, at that dreamlike academy, he had opened his eyes in a position much like this one. Back then, no student attempting to cheat could escape his Eagle Eye of Justice.

Lance shook his head. Unfortunately, he was back in hell, otherwise known as Ikerite University. He turned and smiled at Hyperion. "Good morning, Hyperion."

This time, Hyperion responded openly, "Good morning."

During the days they had been apart, she had diligently attended every class, remaining as solitary as ever. Now that Lance had returned, she finally had a companion by her side. Looking at him, she asked, "How have things been going lately?"

Sensing that Lance was busy, she hadn't sought him out.

"Fulfilling and full of joy." Lance replied with a cheerful laugh. Not only was he immersed in card making practice every day, but classmates would also drop by to visit from time to time. It truly felt like he was living a lively campus life.

There was a hint of guilt in Hyperion’s voice as she asked, "Lance, did you turn down invitations from a lot of teams?"

She had already heard the news. Quite a few teams had approached Lance, hoping he would join them and offering generous terms. Yet, Lance hadn't accepted a single one. She knew it was undoubtedly because of her.