"I have no shortage of money."
Lanqi shrugged his shoulders and said indifferently.
"… "
Talia fell silent again after hearing this.
Transactions have always been about satisfying the needs of both parties.
Just like Talia had the strength to use but lacked money in the human kingdom, while Ranch had more than enough money but was in urgent need of protection. They could meet each other's needs and reach a perfect deal.
So this time.
When Talia wanted to get something other than money from Lanci, Lanci naturally also hoped to get something more valuable to him from Talia.
"Next, I should find a card-making teacher. It's not enough to study the second-level magic cards by myself."
The brief conversation made Lanqi's sleepiness, which was about to rise in his mind, fade away.
He stood up absentmindedly, cleared the scattered card-making tools and pages filled with dense handwriting on the table, and muttered to himself.
The selfless card-making training during this period made him feel that his mental strength seemed to be getting stronger and stronger. Perhaps in the near future, he would be able to break through to the second level that his predecessor was very close to.
Also, he wanted to borrow the ancient relic Poem of Compassion, which was a family collection and would be taken away by Talia in the original plot, from home for a while and make his own magic cards.
But Lanqi had no confidence that he could successfully make magic cards with this secret material in one go. He needed a highly skilled mentor and collaborator.
Then Talia, the great demon card maker who was originally going to obtain the Poem of Compassion and make it into a magic card, is undoubtedly the best choice.
"Do you want me to teach you how to make cards?"
Talia stared at Lanci's faintly visible emerald eyes from the side. There was neither "yes" nor "no" in her words.
Lanqi's suggestion just now was too direct.
Apparently, he hoped that Talia would teach him card making knowledge in exchange for a first edition of the basic etiquette.
During the days that Lanci and Talia spent together, Lanci would intentionally or unintentionally ask Talia about the knowledge of magic cards.
Sometimes Talia would tell him casually, and sometimes she would ignore him.
Talia didn't know how this human figured out that she could make cards in the first place, but she didn't want to delve into it, nor did she want to deny it.
Maybe it was because of his unique vision, maybe it was because he was good at guessing, maybe it was because his intuition was very accurate, or maybe it was because he shouldn't stare at the magic card making props for too long and lose his concentration, all of them were possible.
However, even though she later admitted that she knew how to make cards, Lanqi had no way of knowing her true level as a card maker.
"From the first moment I saw you, I was convinced that you were a very powerful guy. At least, in all these years in the border city-state, I have never seen someone with your temperament. You even gave me a feeling of beauty, strength, and immortality."
Lanqi put down the paper in his hand for the moment, met Talia's gaze, and stared at her golden eyes seriously.
"I always trust my instincts. So I'm just giving it a try. What if you really are a card-making master that I will only have the chance to meet once in my lifetime?"
He looked like he had made the decision to come clean to Talia, to let her know that the first two transactions had been more inevitable than accidental.
"… "
Talia listened to Lanqi's words silently.
She could clearly tell that this human was not pretending to obey, but was speaking sincerely from the bottom of his heart.
Moreover, this attitude of reverence was as if even if she was a demon, he would willingly seek power from her.
"Anyway, Tata, since you have chosen to stay by my side and protect me, if you can teach me how to make cards at the same time, and I will share the cards I make with you, don't you think it would be a great choice for both of us?"
Lanqi added.
"… "
In the first place, there was no way she would teach a talented human being and allow him to grow wildly.
But there is one exception -
Unless, this guy's harm to humanity is greater than his talent.
And Lanqi is obviously one of those card makers with great potential for causing harm.
Then if he is still willing to pay a sufficient price, you can indeed consider teaching him.
But Talia never imagined that she would have students, or that a demon would be a human teacher.
"I am only responsible for teaching you to the second level. If you can accept it, I will make a deal with you."
Talia responded after thinking for a moment.
Although she mastered the card-making technology of demon magic, she was not very good at making cards using human magic.
But the magic engineering principles of magic cards are more common, and compared to theory, practical skills are more important. She has no problem teaching Lanqi, a beginner.
After hearing Talia's reply, Lanqi nodded decisively:
"Okay, that's totally fine on my end."
At this point, the joy that had just appeared on Lanqi's face disappeared a little bit, and turned into worry.
"But I may have to go to the capital in a month or so... Could you teach me how to make cards and continue to protect me while we're on the way and after we arrive at the capital? I will pay you the original agreed reward."
"What are you going to do in the capital?"
Talia frowned when she heard that.
Over the years, she has been traveling to the south of the continent along the border provinces of various human kingdoms.
If possible, she didn't want to go to a human stronghold like the capital of a large country for no reason.
"I'm going to take the entrance exam for Ikerit College, and I'm worried that the killer will follow me and kill me on the way... so I need more protection."
After Lanqi said this, he seemed to remember something and quickly added:
"By the way, since you are my secret bodyguard, I have to prepare an easy-to-disguise identity for you when you travel far away, so as not to easily arouse the assassin's vigilance. I will package you as someone from our house so that you can better protect me."
Seeing that Talia didn't question these words, Lanqi smiled more sincerely.
There is no feeling of being deceived at all.
After all, every word he said was true.
Next.
Lanci proudly explained to Talia how to use the Chamber of Commerce's connections to create a seamless new identity for Talia.
"… "
She was originally inclined to reject Lanqi, but was suddenly stunned by Lanqi's words.
again.
Lanqi naturally proposed a condition that was extremely desirable to her and that she could not refuse.
It's like... a temptation from the devil.
The main reason why she was in such a miserable state was that she did not have a legal identity in the human kingdom.
Work, transactions and travel are all subject to many restrictions.
Even if it is just a temporary identity provided as an additional condition of the transaction.
It will also be the freedom and convenience that she never dared to imagine before!