Chapter 1 - There’s Definitely Something Wrong With This Card!

“Jingle~ Jingle~”

With a melodious jingle, the old shop door was pushed open.

It was a classic convenience store. However, one could see the meticulous maintenance from the owner all over the store.

The simple layout divided the store into several areas. Apart from the counter, there were several neat shelves. Together with the cold breeze unique to the autumn evening of the kingdom’s border region, the orange sunset penetrated into the store and dyed the wooden infrastructure a layer of warm hue.

The visitor was a young woman. She was wearing a silvery-white military uniform. It was different from the regular military uniform. It seemed more like a reserve officer’s uniform, the ones worn by students.

The uniform wasn’t able to hide the young woman’s figure. Long violet-blue hair flowed past her shoulders. She exuded an aura of grace and refinement.

Behind the counter, Dekan was lounging lazily in a chair.

He had elf-like delicate features but his eyes were a little cold.

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He propped his chin with one hand and held a red apple in the other, staring at it in a daze.

The young woman walked straight to the counter and knocked on the table with her hand, seemingly trying to get Dekan's attention.

Dekan frowned slightly and raised his head.

Soon, his eyes were attracted by the young woman’s clear gem-like blue eyes and cherry-like soft lips.

He couldn’t help himself from staring at her face for a brief moment.

Very well, I’ll forgive you from bothering me while I’m pondering about life.

Dekan sat up straight and asked with a business smile: "Are you looking to buy something?"

Theresia hesitated for a moment before checking around the little shop twice. She then looked at Dekan: "Are you the owner of this convenience store?"

"I just help look after it."

"Then, was this card sold by your store?"

Theresia took out a magic card and placed it in front of Dekan.

It was a tier 1 goblin summoning card.

As the easiest summoning card to make, it was generally very cheap.

Due to their extremely weak attributes and effects, very few people would bother to use a deck of goblins.

Dekan recognized the magic card at a glance. Sure enough, he was the one who made it.

The goblin on the card was wearing an extraordinary attire.

It was wearing a black mask and holding a strange weapon similar to a firearm.

"It was sold by our store, is there something wrong with it?"

"There’s nothing wrong with it but there’s a major issue with it!!"

Theresia immediately became emotional: "All of the magic card deck types in the Royal Capital’s Hevenlit Magic Academy has been disrupted by this card!"

"There’s such a thing?"

Dekan raised his eyebrows and looked at Theresia in confusion.

He mass-produced a batch of Goblin Gangster cards not long ago and sold them to a traveling merchant.

Never did he expect for there to be such a big response to that card.

He once again checked the card on the table and confirmed that it was indeed made by him.

"But this card is very ordinary..."

Dekan scratched his head in confusion as he looked at the description of the card.

[Goblin Gangster]

[Type: Summoning Card]

[Rarity: Blue Uncommon]

[Tier: 1]

[Attack: 100]

[Life: 100]

[Effect: When the summon deals damage, steal one of the enemy’s item instead of causing damage. ]

[Note: "Gangster-made Smith & Wesson M1917 here to solve all your troubles!"]

Dekan raised his head and looked at the young woman’s expression again. He suddenly realized why she was so emotional.

She’s probably disgusted by this card, right?

But, why…?

I didn’t even sell the real disgusting card…

"Wouldn’t the issue be solved if you just carry a few more Goblin Gangsters?"

If you can’t win, just join them.

Dekan's eyes were full of confusion.

"Who would carry so many tier 1 cards?! Besides, do you even know how much a single Goblin Gangster cost in the capital?!"

Theresia was driven a bit mad by Dekan’s remark. She determined that he was a layman and didn't understand magic cards at all!

The card wasn’t completely usable and unstoppable.

It was purely a disgusting card. The effect was completely up to luck.

If one was unlucky, one might only be able to find some candy from one’s opponent’s pocket. If one was lucky, one might even steal one’s opponent's entire deck of cards!

If one was to put more tier 1 Goblin Gangsters in one’s deck, it would be a waste of space in one’s deck. However, if one doesn’t bring a Goblin Gangster, one’s deck would lose the deterrence effect and might instead get screwed over by one’s opponent’s deck!

It was a rat race to the bottom!

"Then what?"

"...Do you have cards for a Goblin deck?"

Dekan: "...I do."

He would naturally not refuse a customer, much less someone who traveled all the way from the capital to this small village to purchase his cards.

Dekan opened the counter, took out a card folder and spread it out on the table. He turned to the end and found a tier 2 card he had just made.

"Goblin Sheriff, this is my recommendation for you."

"Sheriff?"

The style of artwork was the same. It was obvious that this card was made by the same genius.

Confusion filled Theresia’s face. Although this was a tier 2 card, wouldn’t there be a conflict between a sheriff and a gangster?

Dekan didn't say much. He took out the card and handed it to her.

[Goblin Sheriff]

[Type: Summoning Card]

[Rarity: Purple Rare]

[Tier: 2]

[Attack 200]

[Life 200]

[Effect: When there is a Goblin Gangster on the field, the summon will obtain the effect of the Goblin Gangster and summon two additional Goblin Gangsters. ]

[Note: "Sheriff is my side hustle, being a gangster is my real job!"]

"What the hell is this effect..."

Theresia was left flabbergasted upon reading the effect of the card.

Ignoring the appearance of the card, if four Goblin Gangsters were to suddenly rush toward her, she would most definitely choose to immediately turn around and flee.

The moment she came back to her senses, she immediately said to Dekan, "I’m buying it! How much?"

She was determined to not let anyone else obtain this disgusting card!

"...Actually, I don't know much about the prices of cards in the capital. How about you give me an offer?"

Dekan started to regret selling the batch of Goblin Gangsters to that traveling merchant for 100 cast coins each.

Although Dekan had no idea how high the price of the Goblin Gangsters reached in the capital, he knew that it must be higher than his expectations.

Theresia pondered for a while before asking tentatively, "How about 60 gold coins?"

Woah--!

Dekan nearly fell from his chair.

1 gold coin equals 1000 cast coins.

Twenty gold coins were enough living expenses for an entire year for a family in a small border village like his.

Theresia observed Dekan. Although Dekan appeared like someone who didn’t know the market price of his cards, she was reluctant to scam him.

She was certain that there was a legendary card marker in this little convenience store.

She needed to borrow the capabilities of this expert maker more.

Theresia bit her lip: "This card can definitely be sold at a higher price in the capital but I didn’t bring that much money with me. I need to leave some for my travel expenses back to the capital… If this is not enough, I can use some of my magic cards to make up for the price difference.”

While Theresia wanted to buy tier 3 and tier 4 cards, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to afford them.

"60 gold coins is fine."

Seeing that she was quite sincere, Dekan took out the ledger and started writing on it.

Theresia also took out a bag of gold coins from her waist and handed it to Dekan without any hesitation.

"By the way, can you show me what your tier 3 cards are like?"

Theresia is very curious about how marvelous the tier 3 cards produced by this store will be.

Even though she wouldn’t be able to afford them, she wanted to see them.

"We don't have tier 3 cards for sale here."

"How could that be?"

"That’s because I can't make tier 3 magic cards yet."

Theresia: "???"

"You made these cards?!"