“Might I ask… are you… an orc?!”
Su Hong froze for a moment, then jumped up in anger.
“You’re the orc! Your whole family are green-skinned orcs!! Where do I even look like an orc?!”
Teeth gritted, Su Hong fumed. He’d never thought himself handsome—but mistaken for an orc?! Seriously?! Was he *that* ugly?!
The steward quickly realized his blunder, offered an apologetic smile, and explained, “My apologies—you misunderstood. I meant, could your ancestors have been orcs?”
“*Your* ancestors are the orcs! Enough! Are you buying these Spirit Cards or not? If not, get out!”
Su Hong was genuinely furious. Was this steward just dense, or was this his true character? He’d seemed decent at first. So he was another spy sent by Luck to specifically infuriate him?!
Startled but prioritizing the guild master’s orders, the steward hurriedly nodded.
“I’ll buy them! Please forgive any misunderstanding.”
He produced a Spirit Card, presenting it to Su Hong with both hands. “Here’s 800 gold coins. Acceptable?”
*800 gold coins?*
Su Hong hesitated. This Spirit Card must function like a bank card—he and Lia had seen bank-like shops while walking through the town earlier. But he had no clue if 800 coins was generous or stingy.
“Lia, is 800 enough? Will it cover a Spirit Card Slot?”
He whispered over his shoulder. Hearing nothing, he turned.
Lia stood utterly stunned. Only when she caught his gaze did she lean close to his ear, voice trembling: “Way too much! A Spirit Card Slot like mine costs… about 50 gold coins…”
Though still fuzzy on prices, Su Hong grasped this was a steal. Since Lia needed coins for the Spirit Card Academy enrollment, why not earn her extra?
He flashed two Spirit Cards. “Honestly? I’ve got two. Both for sale. Discount—1500 gold coins?”
Before he finished, Lia tugged his sleeve twice from behind, whispering guiltily, “How can you charge so much? Isn’t this cheating him?”
But the steward suddenly lunged forward, eyes locked on the cards, voice alight with excitement: “There’s *another*?! Is the second Spirit Card equally long and finely crafted?!”
“Absolutely. No worse than the first. Only these two exist.”
“DEAL!!!”
The steward roared, snatching the two Spirit Card Cinemas while thrusting the gold-loaded Spirit Card into Su Hong’s palm—all in one frantic motion, as if terrified of regret.
A stunned hush fell. Su Hong and Lia exchanged baffled glances, while nearby customers murmured in awe, praising the Chris Guild’s bold generosity.
After a quick bow to them, the steward dismissed the azure leopard spirit and hurried out of the shop.
Clutching the cards, his heart soared. Others might overlook their worth—but within the guild? Priceless. Let the Spirit Glyphsmiths study the technique, and they could mass-produce hundreds. Sold across towns and even the Imperial Capital, at just 20 coins each? The guild would rake in fortunes.
Striding back with hidden glee, he mulled Su Hong’s identity again.
“He said… ‘green-skinned orc’? That’s the deepest insult to orcs—and they revere bloodline purity. So he’s not one. And… a *second* card like this?”
He turned the cards slowly in his hands, thoughtful.
*Could that boy have actually crafted these?*
“Hmph. Even the Imperial Capital might lack makers for such Spirit Cards! Pure fluke—he burned through a lifetime of luck in one shot. Poor kid.”
