Chapter 181: Dekan's Forbidden Door (1/2) |
Dormitory room 404 of the Knight Faculty had recently become the subject of a new campus legend circulating at Heavenlit Academy.
The owner of this dormitory, Dekan, had been enrolled for only one semester, yet he had thrown the Kingdom Federation into constant turmoil.
Although due to the speed of information dissemination, even if Dekan was to become the thirteenth Special-Grade Card Maker of the current era, it wouldn't be known to every commoner in the world.
Dekan was more so just being watched by the major powers of distant nations.
But many people in the world had already heard of the name "Mr. D"!
Even Morion, who was in the southern kingdoms, knew of the infamous name "Mr. D".
Although the Resurrection Church hadn't explicitly stated who Mr. D was, their official announcement was just short of writing out Dekan's name.
After all, there was no second person in this world who could fit the description.
Of course, whether Mr. D truly existed, whether he was related to the new Special-Grade Card Maker, and whether the Resurrection Church was slandering Dekan, these were topics for the masses to discuss among themselves.
But now, no one would risk their life to provoke Dekan.
Although most people also knew that Dekan couldn't possibly be the Bishop of Agony.
But first there was Ruin Bishop Ivans, and then Marquis Roderick.
They couldn't help but be afraid.
Although Dekan had not fought these two 8th-rank major enemies head-on, and his own performance was indeed that of a utility support.
But without a doubt, Dekan had successfully guided the destruction of his enemies.
Students were very worried that if they accidentally offended Dekan.
While they might not be personally eliminated by Dekan, it was very likely that the victim would not die an informed ghost.
Therefore, things related to Dekan gradually began to evolve in the direction of a forbidden existence.
In the Knight Faculty's student dormitories, students would often pass by the corridor outside Dekan's door.
They were both afraid of Dekan and would sometimes want to come to this vicinity at night to test their courage.
Many observant students would notice.
The door of dormitory room 404 was a little different from the others.
First, there was a small dent on the door panel.
Judging by the height, it seemed to have been caused by someone knocking on Dekan's door with too much force.
However, this speculation was quickly overturned.
No one would be so tired of living as to provoke Dekan in such a face-slapping manner.
So upon careful thought.
This dent on the door panel was probably made by Dekan himself.
Thus.
Many students in the academy actually began to speculate on the meaning of this dent on Dekan's door.
Some believed it was Dekan's abstract art piece, "Abyss on a Door Panel."
Others believed that Dekan wanted to use it to warn those who intended to disturb him: Don't knock on my door casually and disturb me, or I'll embed you in the door panel.
When the students asked Cloix, who seemed to be the most approachable in Dekan's team.
Cloix also just said that he didn't know how the dent came to be.
When he first met Dekan, the door panel was already like this.
As a result.
The students couldn't help but become even more curious about the cause and effect.
Another very strange place was the lock on Dekan's dormitory door.
Although the handle of the lock looked fine.
But a closer look would reveal that it had been broken by twisting.
The lock cylinder must have been completely shattered.
It could only close the door properly, but it couldn't be locked from the inside.
It was currently in a state of having the equipment but not the function.
Anyone who came to this place.
By simply turning the doorknob, could open the door to Dekan's dormitory and explore the most dangerous place in the school.
However.
No one dared to try.
Dekan's unlocked door seemed many times more terrifying than a locked one.
It was as if Dekan was using his favorite fishing and entrapment tactics to lure enemies who had designs on him.
Once one stepped into this room, a series of "Ruin Bishop-level treatment" traps would be triggered.
This door was gradually regarded by the students as an absolutely forbidden object that could not be approached!
And Dekan's dormitory room 404 also gradually became a special point of interest in the school that received a lot of attention.
Even students passing by under the Knight Faculty's dormitory building could quickly identify which window belonged to 404 by looking up.
...
After returning from Tristine City last time, Dekan had not asked the school janitor to repair his door lock.
At that time, Dekan needed Cornelia to help him bring the large stock of 【Captain De'erkan】 stored in his dormitory to Tristine City.
And Cornelia didn't have the key to Dekan's dormitory.
So Dekan had entrusted Cornelia in a communication to forcibly open his dormitory door and move the 【Captain De'erkan】 stock.
After returning to the Royal Capital, Dekan had originally planned to ask the janitor to repair it.
But after getting used to two days of life without a door lock, Dekan suddenly discovered—
Life without a door lock was exceptionally convenient!
Not only did it save the step of turning the key to lock the door when going out every day, but it also saved the step of locking it from the inside when he came home!
Moreover, whenever his friends came to visit him in his dormitory.
Dekan didn't need to run over to open the door.
Just a simple "Please come in!" was enough.
He could save a full several tens of seconds every day!
Over time, it was a quantitative change leading to a qualitative change!
So this door lock had been broken here ever since.
As for the security issue, Dekan was not worried at all.
In his interactions with Cornelia, he had come to realize a truth.
In this world, a door lock, and even the entire door, was just a decoration.
Those who could be stopped by a door would naturally not dare to provoke him.
And for those who couldn't be stopped, if they really wanted to come in, it would be meaningless to strengthen the door and lock by ordinary means.
It was better to just leave it as it was now.
Lying flat was also a form of great wisdom.
Two weeks had passed since returning to the present world from the Shadow World 【The Secret Tale of the Waning Holy Rite】.
The short winter vacation was about to end, and there were only a few days left before the start of the new semester.
During this time, Cloix had been in charge of matters at the Happy Group.
The Happy Group was currently in its startup phase.
Although there were many talented people introduced by Viscount Lampard, the lord of Tristine City.
It still needed a leader who could hold down the fort.
Then Cloix was naturally the most suitable person in the current Beautiful Mind trio.
After all, he was a major shareholder and the boss.
And in the next semester, Cloix didn't need to choose any compulsory courses; he had already learned them during his third year.
He also had enough credits for elective courses.
So Cloix was very free.
He only needed to complete one Shadow World to graduate smoothly.
Cloix's plan was to stay and teach after graduation.
So graduating smoothly was particularly important to him.
But for at least the next six months, Cloix could concentrate on being the boss.
PART 2
Until they successfully captured the business prodigy Morion to serve as the CEO of the Happy Group, Cloix could then be at ease as a hands-off boss.
In these two weeks, Cornelia had been the most idle.
But unlike when she first arrived at Heavenlit Academy.
Now, even without study tasks and without Dekan as her translator, she could communicate with people smoothly.
Except for still stuttering a little when speaking the Norton Kingdom's language.
She now also had her own cat—the Cat Teacher (although shared with Dekan).
She also had a good friend of a similar age and with similar interests, Flora.
Cornelia now often held the Cat Teacher and went to the Happy Group base to watch Flora's daily idol training.
Then, after Flora finished her work, they would go out to play together.
Flora seemed to have boundless energy.
As long as there was time after practicing her dance routines, she would definitely go out to play with Cornelia in this "Royal Capital where there were always new discoveries to be made."
After all, the Norton Kingdom was a major power with considerable comprehensive strength.
The Royal Capital of Heavenlit City, with its long history, had many places worth exploring.
However, Cornelia had been a little worried about Dekan recently.
According to the Cat Teacher, Dekan hadn't stepped out of his dormitory for two weeks.
He seemed to be so engrossed in his work that he had forgotten to eat and sleep.
If it weren't for the fact that Cornelia often spent time with the Cat Teacher, she wouldn't have known Dekan's current state—
He had shut himself in the card-making workshop in his dormitory all day long.
Even the door of the workshop had a barrier placed on it by Dekan.
Dekan had never been like this when developing any other card.
Cornelia knew that Dekan had to concentrate on making this card, so she had not disturbed him.
Only the Cat Teacher had contact with Dekan.
Its daily task now was to help Dekan buy his lunch and dinner, and then place them at the door of the workshop.
Cornelia found this rather strange.
It felt like a pet was taking care of its owner.
But she quickly dispelled this thought.
If the Cat Teacher found out that both Dekan and Cornelia treated it as a house cat, it would be very angry.
After returning to the academy with Flora.
Cornelia had just said goodbye to Flora.
Then she held the Cat Teacher and walked towards the Knight Faculty's dormitory.
“Time to buy that kid's dinner, meow.”
“I, I'll go with you. Dekan said, he can return the 【Bloodstained Casebook】 to me today.”
After coming out of the Shadow World earlier, Dekan had borrowed her killing book from Cornelia, saying that he would return it to her in two weeks at most.
It seemed that Dekan needed to study the 【Bloodstained Casebook】 to create his new card.
“Okay, let me think about what Dekan wants for dinner today, meow... This guy is really strange. His preferences for lunch and dinner are completely different. If it weren't for the fact that he only needs one meal, I would suspect that there are two people living in the workshop...”
The Cat Teacher raised its front paw and held it to its head, seemingly very reluctant to have to remember Dekan's order every time.
“I, I remember it's like that too.”
Cornelia often ate with Dekan, so she also noticed that Dekan's food preferences were very strange.
But Cornelia didn't mind.
Instead, she would occasionally guess which kind of meal Dekan would like today.
Just like that, the person and the cat chatted as Cornelia bought dinner for Dekan. Holding the Cat Teacher, she arrived at the door of Dekan's dormitory.
She gently pushed open his door.
The living room looked as tidy as ever.
Although Dekan hadn't gone out, it could be seen that he was not decadent.
If it weren't for the faint light showing from under the crack of the card-making workshop door, Cornelia would have had the illusion that Dekan had been away from the dormitory for several days.
Cornelia walked to the door of the card-making workshop, hesitated for a moment, and knocked on the door.
However, before she could speak, Dekan in the workshop seemed to know who had come.
He immediately put down the work in his hands and walked quickly to open the door.
The door opened, and Dekan looked a little tired.
And behind Dekan.
The originally tidy workshop was now covered with various blueprints pinned to the walls.
The workbench was also piled high with various materials and broken failed cards.
When Dekan saw Cornelia, a trace of light still appeared in his eyes, and a smile soon appeared on his face.
“Cornelia, I'm sorry. I was originally going to have the Cat Teacher bring the 【Bloodstained Casebook】 to you tonight.”
“It's, it's okay. You, you must be hungry, right?”
Cornelia hurriedly handed Dekan's dinner forward.
Dekan smiled contentedly and took the dinner.
So they both came to the living room.
Dekan ate his dinner, and Cornelia sat on the other side of the sofa, keeping him company.
“Is the, new card production, going well?”
“At most by tomorrow, I can try to make the finished product.”
“Are you really going to make that damn thing you told me about last time, meow?!”
The Cat Teacher originally thought it would take Dekan a long time to make it.
Last time at Tristine Magic Academy, the Ice Snow Princess told Dekan that some people in the Kingdom Federation wanted to target him.
So Dekan immediately said he wouldn't take this grievance lying down. Once he reached the 4th-rank, he would carry out a major reckoning against those in the Kingdom Federation who persecuted him.
The overly curious Cat Teacher begged Dekan to reveal the plan to it.
The plan it heard from Dekan was very simple—
Dekan was preparing to create a new card that would make all his enemies happy every day.
That is, what Dekan called his "masterpiece."
The Cat Teacher initially thought it would take Dekan a long time to make this underworld card.
It didn't expect it to be almost complete.
“Dekan, will the process of making that card be very dangerous, meow?”
After all, Dekan wanted to make an outrageous card. Once the production process failed and the card exploded, the explosion would likely blow through Dekan's dormitory.
The Cat Teacher had heard that when Dekan was making 【Blood Purification】, he almost turned a card that was about to explode into a bomb.
“You go home with Cornelia tonight. I'm afraid you'll be scared.”
“Dekan...”
Hearing the conversation between Dekan and the Cat Teacher, Cornelia tugged at Dekan's sleeve with some worry.
However, Dekan just smiled lightly.
“Don't worry, I've asked Cloix to help me set up a protective barrier for the workshop beforehand. Even if the card explodes, it won't hurt the neighbors. And I will also wear a safety helmet in accordance with the regulations.”
Dekan's safety helmet was naturally the 【Crown of Thorns】 with its own health lock effect.
The card he was going to make this time was indeed quite dangerous.
If it really exploded, although he wouldn't die, the triple pain from the 【Crown of Thorns】 would make Dekan pass out.
He would have to wait for Cloix to come and save him the next morning.
“Then, we'll see you tomorrow. Good luck!”
Cornelia knew that Dekan was busy and didn't stay long. She picked up the Cat Teacher and said goodbye to Dekan.
“Yes, see you tomorrow. I will succeed.”
So after seeing Cornelia off.
Dekan's relaxed expression became serious again.
“It's finally time to challenge... the realm above Orange Epic.”
He walked into the workshop, looked at his preparations over the past two weeks, and said as if to himself.