The green-clad youth grabbed the character card and compared it to the handsome face of the black-haired, black-eyed man standing before him.
“Are... are you really that Priest Leon praised by His Majesty?”
Leon pulled a lollipop from the Coo Coo Guild out of his pocket, popped it into his mouth, and asked with a smile, “Do you still have any doubts?”
He even had the iconic lollipop element from the card!
It was definitely the real Leon Douglas!
“Priest Leon! That old furry merchant who sells the card packs told me that this game, 《Hearthstone Spire Slay》, was designed by you personally. Is that true?”
Seeing Leon admit his identity, the green-clad youth’s expression was one of pure shock, as if he had just met his idol.
“It was me.” Leon nodded, then looked at the youth with interest. “What do you think of this card game?”
“It’s incredible!” the youth exclaimed.
“I’ve never seen a card game design with such a high degree of polish!”
“It’s as if it underwent four or five years of refinement and balancing from the very beginning of its design.”
“The strategic depth of 《Hearthstone Spire Slay》, the card mechanics, the numerical balancing...”
Hearing the youth talk so eloquently, Leon’s eyes lit up. “What do you do for a living? Have you studied card design before?”
The youth scratched his head and said, “I’m just a carpenter. I work for the old master in town. But ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved cards. I’ve played every card game I could find, and I even designed a set of my own.”
“But compared to the 《Hearthstone Spire Slay》 you designed... mine is just playing with mud...”
Leon looked down at the youth’s hands. Sure enough, they were covered in calluses and small cuts from sharp tools.
Leon raised his priest’s scepter, and his mental power flowed steadily into it, condensing into a sphere of Light Prayer at the tip.
“May the Holy Light protect you.”
The gentle, warm glow of the Light Prayer shone on the surrounding crowd and onto the youth’s hands.
The youth felt as if he had just stepped into a warm bath after a long day of hard labor. Every corner of his body was filled with a sense of pleasant comfort, and a warm current pulsed through his hands.
Looking down, he saw the small cuts from flying wood chips and the bruises from accidental hammer strikes rapidly fading away, leaving his skin perfectly intact.
Leon ordered a guard to bring paper and ink. He wrote a recommendation letter and handed it to the youth.
“I approve of your understanding of card games.”
“If you’re interested, you can take this recommendation letter to the capital and find the president of the Coo Coo Guild. Help him prepare for the inaugural ‘Hearthstone Spire Slay Cup’.”
“I believe that with your talent, you will surely shine in the tournament.”
The youth froze. He never expected that a commoner from a small town like him would catch the eye of a great figure like Leon.
He took the recommendation letter from Leon, his eyes suddenly turning red.
“Priest Leon...”
“By the way, I still don’t know your name.” Leon looked at the youth with a smile.
“Yabi,” the youth said excitedly. “Priest Leon, my name is Yabi.”
Leon shook hands with Yabi and said, “Very well, Yabi. I’m glad to have discovered a talent like you.”
When Leon departed, Yabi was still caught in a sense of unreality, as if he had just won the lottery while walking down the street.
It wasn't until the yellow-clad youth he had been playing against stepped forward and patted his shoulder with a complicated expression.
He was a bit jealous, but also happy for him.
“You bastard... you’re so lucky! To actually meet a benefactor like Priest Leon!” The yellow-clad youth punched Yabi’s chest lightly, his voice full of envy.
“That’s the capital! The Coo Coo Guild!”
“With this recommendation to work for the Coo Coo Guild, you won’t have to worry about food or clothes for the rest of your life!”
...
The Falcon Warband warriors finished packing the luggage into the storage boxes at the back of the carriage. They then drove the rested beasts to resume their journey.
Sitting inside the carriage, Leon opened his status panel.
【Divine Art Casting Grade: Excellent】
【Light Prayer EXP +15】
【Healing Art EXP +15】
【Light Prayer Lv2 (237/300) → Light Prayer Lv2 (252/300)】
【...】
“My reputation is starting to build up...”
Under the previous circumstances, the panel giving an 【Excellent】 rating meant Leon’s guess was correct—his fame was indeed closely linked to the panel’s evaluations.
The game of 《Hearthstone Spire Slay》 was only just beginning to take off. Once it swept across the entire Heron Empire, Leon believed his name and image would reach the ears of even more citizens.
By then, there would be even more audience feedback, and the panel’s ratings would naturally rise.
“Furthermore, Light Prayer is almost at Lv3...”
Leon pondered. The jump from Lv2 to Lv3 should provide another opportunity for a trait enhancement. He wondered what the maximum level for a divine art was.
If they could be leveled up infinitely, then in theory, Leon could link all the divine arts he mastered together.
When that time came, he would only need the mental power cost of a single Light Prayer to unleash every divine art on his panel at once. The thought alone was exhilarating!
After daydreaming for a while, Leon quickly composed himself and entered a state of meditation.
It would take about two and a half days to travel from the outskirts of the capital to Eldenborg.
This was enough time for Leon to significantly increase his mental power through the effect of Synergetic Meditation.
Every bit counted. Every increase in mental power would be an accumulation for the Arduous Meditation trait of his Holy Light meditation!
...
Two and a half days later.
The clouds on the horizon were dyed like red marshmallows by the setting sun, looking sweet and delicious.
A luxuriously decorated carriage traveled slowly across the lands of the Southern Border of the Heron Empire.
On the wooden panels of this four-wheeled carriage, a family crest painted with special dyes shimmered in the twilight.
Two violets, crossed like swords, were displayed on the crest, looking both glamorous and mysterious.
Any noble with sufficient knowledge of heraldry would understand the weight of the family this crest represented.
This was a ducal family that had existed since the founding of the Heron Empire.
This family had produced three illustrious Generals of the Realm and two Imperial Prime Ministers who were deeply trusted by the emperors.
There was even one who was praised by the people as the “Imperial First Minister.”
Surrounding the carriage were several bloodline warriors clad in heavy armor.
Riding elkmire steeds and carrying black spears, their armor glowed as if set ablaze by the setting sun.
“Young Master, Stormveil City is just ahead,” a bloodline warrior said respectfully, lightly tapping on the carriage’s glass window.
Leon slid open the glass window and glanced at the setting sun.
“There’s no need to rush. We’ll rest in Stormveil City for the night.”
“Yes, sir.”
Leon turned around and looked through the glass at Bishop Miles, who was riding alongside them.
“Bishop Miles, do you have a place to stay in Stormveil City? If you haven't made arrangements, you are welcome to rest at my family’s manor.”
Rate on N.U.
