I Swear I'm Not a Demon Masquerading as a Human

Chapter 40: Lance's Fire Safety Awareness

Sunlight filtered through the green leaves, dappling the stone steps of the Sages' College's ancient library tower. On the nearby path, only a scattering of early risers hurried past in the morning light.

Lance wasn't in a rush to agree to join any specific team, so he simply chatted casually with Vivian, "By the way, what are the Shadow Realm challenges like if you join a team?"

Since freshmen weren't permitted to challenge Shadow Realm dungeons solo, Lance couldn't just queue up for a match on his own. Once inside the Void Gate, the Shadow Realm would automatically assign a difficulty level based on the combined ranks of the challengers. If a team wasn't at full capacity, they would often be matched with other challengers entering through Void Gates from different parts of the world.

Vivian replied, "You'd be guided by Silver Licensed second or third year students. Given your aptitude, I'm sure you'd quickly get the hang of real combat within the Shadow Realm."

At this point, they spotted the library tower, a major landmark of the Sages' College. Now they knew they had entered the right college's grounds.

Gold Licensed registered challengers were found almost exclusively among third years, and they were never below Rank 5. Setting aside the practicalities, regulations alone made it impossible for such challengers to team up with Lance, who was only Rank 2.

The Southern Continent Shadow Realm Management Association had a rule to ensure everyone's safety. Challengers with a rank difference of more than two were prohibited from teaming up, as this would drastically inflate the difficulty of the resulting dungeon.

Therefore, even if he joined a team, the most senior member guiding him would be a Rank 4 Silver Licensed upperclassman.

"So, basically, I just need to follow orders and play a support role?" asked Lance.

Vivian nodded. "Exactly."

Lance then became polite and indirect. "Please let me think about it a bit more."

However, Vivian understood that it was a tactful refusal. Rewards for clearing a Shadow Realm usually depended on the team's overall achievements, as well as the individual's final performance rating.

If a person merely coasted through the challenge, the rewards would be meager, and the promotion points awarded by the Association after the post-mission review would be low. Then again, for a newcomer, simply clearing a challenge successfully was already considered a stroke of great luck.

Not to mention achieving an exceptionally high individual rating upon clearing the challenge. This was impossible unless that person was a legendary figure descending back to the mortal realm to utterly dominate low-rank opponents.

Vivian had a sudden thought. She asked, sounding a bit unsure, "Do you want to take command yourself?"

Surely Lance wouldn't be that arrogant, right? Even in teams where the strategist role was filled by a support-class member, they would never let a newcomer take charge. After all, a Shadow Realm challenge was a high-stakes endeavor where the entire team's lives were on the line!

Lance hurriedly denied, "Not at all. I'm not particularly good at commanding large groups."

"You must be cautious when tackling a Shadow Realm. It is far more dangerous than you imagine! Don't get ahead of yourself, especially as a newcomer. Focus on learning and observing first," Vivian advised him with a serious expression. She felt as though Lance didn't fully grasp the perils of the Shadow Realm.

She didn't rush to recruit Lance, simply stating the facts. "If, after weighing your options, you decide our team is a good fit, feel free to come to me directly. Just be careful. There are teams out there with formidable strength but terrible reputations."

After all, Lance would have plenty of other teams to pick and choose from, and she didn't want him to join theirs merely out of convenience. Before they knew it, the two of them had arrived at a towering red brick building that resembled a manor-style hotel.

Lance smiled his thanks as he passed through the automatic revolving glass doors of the dormitory. "Alright, thank you, Princess Vivian."

People at the school were already taking an interest in him. Regardless of whether he joined a team or not, his future Shadow Realm challenges were bound to attract significant attention.

To register as a challenger for a real Shadow Realm dungeon, regulations required carrying an official Shadow Realm Recording Program enchanted card that was issued by the Shadow Realm Management Association.

This card would record, in real-time, every situation and piece of information the challenger encountered during the challenge, which served as a crucial resource for the various research societies to review and analyze Shadow Realm data.

Moreover, only by carrying it could the Association calculate promotion points for registered challengers after a session concluded. However, the most critical point was that the Shadow Realm Recording Program featured a live-streaming function similar to the one found in the Artificial Shadow Realm Activation Terminal.

Since Ikerite University was an official partner of the Shadow Realm Management Association, the College of Magical Engineering's publicity department could broadcast in real-time on magical screens across the campus. Student challenges that were either highly educational or generated significant buzz often appeared for the public to view.

If Lance attracted enough attention, there was a strong chance he would be spotted by the staff from the College of Magical Engineering! He really didn't want to face such a public spectacle.

He felt conflicted. The reception to his second round assessment, The Hidden Flame of Winter, hadn't been exactly positive. As these thoughts crossed his mind, a breath of fresh air greeted him, accompanied by the sound of cheerful music.

Upon entering the Sages' College dormitory building, he saw a magnificent sparkling chandelier hanging in the lobby. Its lights, resembling bright stars, illuminated the entire space. The ground floor lobby was furnished with sofas and coffee tables where students could sit and relax at any time. Even though it was still morning, students were already there drinking tea or chatting, looking relaxed and happy.

They paid little attention to Lance and Vivian. For them, the arrival of new students was nothing new as they had already experienced this years prior. The two of them walked across the rustic carpet covering the floor and approached the reception desk.

The attendant wearing an Ikerite University staff badge looked up, smiled, and asked Lance and Vivian, "Checking and moving into the dormitory today?"

The two nodded. "Yes."

The attendant explained with a smile, "The male dormitory is in the left wing, and the female dormitory is in the right wing. The building at the back is the cafeteria. Rooms are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. You two are the first incoming students to register for the male and female dormitories respectively, so you can choose whichever rooms you prefer. There are vacancies on every floor right now."

Since the third year students had just graduated and moved out, the rooms they had previously occupied were now vacant.

Vivian made her decision immediately. "Then I'll choose the second floor. See you later."

She then took the key handed to her by the attendant and turned to leave.

Lance waved. "Goodbye."

He sensed that although Princess Vivian appeared to be haughty and sharp at first glance, she wasn't actually difficult to deal with. Her interactions with others were genuinely sincere.

As Lance hesitated, he also felt that the second floor of the male dormitory was a good choice. It was convenient to access, and unlike the ground floor, it didn't suffer from dampness or the noise of constant foot traffic.

The attendant said with a hint of resignation, "Just a quick note, aside from the lobby, there are only a few rooms on the ground floor. However, since that floor was never popular, the school eventually renovated the space to deal with the long-term vacancies by knocking down the walls between pairs of rooms. As a result, the ground-floor dorms are twice the size of those on other floors."

Her Highness Princess Vivian had decisively claimed a room on the second floor before he could even offer a recommendation, and he hadn't dared to dither with royalty. He truly wondered how this black-haired, green-eyed youth managed to remain so composed in the princess's presence.

Lance replied amiably, "In that case, I'll stay on the ground floor."

He could tell that the attendant was actually hoping that someone would occupy the ground floor.

Smiling, the attendant handed Lance a silver key engraved with a magical sigil. "Wonderful. Here is the key to Room 101."

Even though he recommended the ground-floor rooms every year, he didn't always manage to get them rented out. He was delighted that the very first student of the year had chosen the ground floor.

"Thank you. May I ask where the fire safety equipment is located?" Lance asked politely after accepting the key.

Even though the attendant knew Lance was asking a perfectly sensible question, it was the first time a student had ever made fire safety their very first question upon moving into the dorm. It gave him a strange, inexplicable sense of unease!

A brief silence fell around the reception desk as the attendant studied Lance. Lance tilted his head, his expression a mix of innocence and puzzlement.

The attendant coughed softly, clearing his throat. "Ahem."

The student before him seemed to embody the definition of the word "virtuous," as he was gentle, respectful, and modest. He hardly looked like a dangerous individual.

"Of course, young man. Our school places great importance on student safety, and fire safety is naturally a top priority. The entire dormitory building fully complies with all of the Hutton Kingdom's fire safety regulations and architectural standards..."

Acting with professional diligence, the attendant explained the locations of the dormitory's emergency exits and firefighting equipment. Lance listened attentively, nodding from time to time. This actually made the attendant feel even more apprehensive.

After finishing his detailed explanation, the attendant felt compelled to ask this follow-up question, "Young man, and please forgive me if this question seems intrusive, but you aren't carrying any dangerous items, are you?"

Lance confidently replied. "No, you can rest assured."

Hearing this, the attendant realized the point was valid. The dormitory was equipped with the College of Magical Engineering's latest automated security screening systems. It was impossible for people to bring flammable or explosive materials inside.

With that settled, Lance bade the attendant farewell and happily set off with his key to find his room. He had deliberately avoided bringing too much luggage from South Vantina, planning instead to purchase what he needed, including his card making tools, after settling into the dormitory in the capital.

Ideally, if the room were spacious enough, he could section off a corner to serve as both an art studio and a card making workshop. That was one of the reasons he preferred a room on the ground floor. After all, failure was an inherent part of the card making process. That was simply the nature of the craft.

Talia had even taken to teasing Lance, calling him a card exploder rather than a card maker.

If I'm going to practice card making in the dormitory, the ground floor is probably the safest bet.

He didn't have to walk far to find Room 101 in the corridor adjoining the main hall. Lance inserted the key, turned it, and opened the solid wood door with a crisp click, revealing the entryway.

It was simple, practical, and elegant. A large, classical style coat rack and shoe cabinet offered convenient storage for outerwear and footwear. After passing through it, Lance entered the dormitory's main area: a spacious living room. It featured a comfortable sofa, a matching coffee table, and a magical screen mounted on the wall.

The cushions and throw blanket on the sofa were in warm tones, and a vintage floor lamp stood nearby. Sunlight bathed the various brown wooden furnishings, giving the entire space a soft, cozy atmosphere.

It didn't take long for Lance to figure out the layout of his new home. The living room connected to four other spaces: a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, a small outdoor terrace, a study, and a final room that was mostly empty and resembled a massive storage closet. It was likely intended for students to customize and furnish according to their own needs.

The rooms were perhaps a bit excessively large, though cramped quarters would surely have drawn complaints from students. As he pondered this, he heard a knock at his door.

He walked over and opened it to find a staff member from the Student Services Center delivering the luggage he had left in their care. Next came the unpacking. The process went smoothly, and the place was largely set up before noon.

His new living quarters was fully equipped, and the storage room was ample and well-designed, making it easily the most satisfying aspect of the place.

Lance sat on the sofa, leisurely leafing through the Registration Regulations of the Southern Continent Card Making Association while waiting for lunchtime.

This was the first step in his journey to becoming a world-renowned card making master. The minimum requirement to register as a card maker was reaching Rank 3 and possessing the ability to create three types of cards: summoning cards, spell cards, and equipment cards.

Lance still needed to hone his card making skills for a while longer. And, of course, advance to Rank 3 as soon as possible. Once he reached those requirements, he could then try taking the card making exam at the Ikerite branch of the Southern Continent Card Maker Association. Only by becoming a registered card maker and obtaining certification could he secure patent protection.

It also eliminated many tedious verification and quality control steps, as well as certain processing fees when selling cards. This would allow him to efficiently sell creations under his own name on the Card Maker Association's official trading platform.

Lance murmured to himself as he flipped through the pages of the book in his hand, "I managed to secure Iron Licensed registered challenger status for the Shadow Realm without even taking the exam. I wonder if I can start at a higher rank for the card maker assessment..."

The registered card maker exam was also known as a certification exam. The system mirrored that of the Shadow World Management Association: Iron, Copper, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Crystal, and Legend.

The exam determined a card maker's initial certification based on their potential. Generally speaking, simply passing and being certified as an Iron card maker was considered a success. Of course, there were exceptional card makers with immense potential who, through outstanding performance, could be certified directly at Copper or Silver.

A Silver Certified card maker was already considered highly impressive. Rumors said that even within this school, Gold Certified card makers were extremely rare, and across the entire Southern Continent, Gold Certified card makers were far fewer in number than Gold Licensed registered challengers.

Lance sighed and closed the book. "My craftsmanship is still too inconsistent."

Although he had successfully crafted two Rare enchanted cards on his own, Basic Etiquette and Friendly Exchange, in the months since, those were the only two he had managed to complete, alongside a handful of Uncommon Tier 1 cards.

All of the other enchanted cards in the Flawed Healing series had been purchased from the Association. Fortunately, they were sold at basement prices and weren't expensive.

Regardless, I should go venture into the real Shadow Realm first! I can't even take the card maker exam until I reach Rank 3.

Lance was always an optimist; he didn't worry about things beyond the immediate future. After all, why worry about tomorrow when you could enjoy today? Tomorrow was another day! Mastery in card making wasn't something achieved overnight.

Right now, the only thing that mattered was that his brand-new campus life at Ikerite University was about to begin!

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