In another world, Lu Mingfei is learning card making.

—Okay, putting everything else aside, at least in the end Lu Mingfei and Luo Tianyi both got their passes to the dojo training. Every afternoon after school, they could come over to practice for a while and study swordsmanship.

Just as the red-robed acolyte said, they weren't doing it for the competition; they simply wanted to figure out what "swordsmanship" really was, and then use that knowledge to refine cards.

In a sense, this actually fits the behavior pattern of people from another world very well—when magic card technology first appeared, there must have been many people like them, searching everywhere for things to use for card crafting, and then summarizing the cards they could craft...

Lu Mingfei, now with Luo Tianyi added, is simply replicating this behavior on Earth.

Their first attempt was, of course, to have Luo Tianyi make a card!

……

Lu Mingfei moved a stool and sat down next to the table, watching Luo Tianyi as she held a card-making pen and wrote and drew on the card.

The transmutation array used was number one, the ink was ordinary alchemical ink, and the materials were the musical instruments that Luo Tianyi had selected to buy on Monday.

Although Lu Mingfei didn't have the ability to completely destroy the materials' spiritual essence, he had the card deck as a backup. Luo Tianyi was also an elf card, so she wouldn't be as reckless as the ordinary students of St. Mary's who would be drained of their energy and die. Therefore, Lu Mingfei felt that there shouldn't be a big problem.

—If it really starts drawing energy, then just stop crafting cards.

Even today, Lu Mingfei still feels that if it weren't for that sorting card incident during enrollment, there might have been a "casualty quota" for studying at St. Marian College...

Putting all other thoughts aside, Lu Mingfei grew increasingly nervous as he watched Luo Tianyi finish her painting and begin to put in her materials.

What can be produced is secondary—the main issue is that this is card crafting led by a magical spirit! This is the first time in the history of St. Marian, isn't it?

In any case, Lu Mingfei did not see any similar records in the library's collection.

The materials shattered, forming pure magical energy that blossomed into a dazzling absorption disk in mid-air. Luo Tianyi quickly manipulated the black hole, symbolizing the first transmutation array, to begin devouring the magical energy of the materials—

But she didn't absorb much. She still lacked experience, and after a series of operations, she often pushed out more magic than she absorbed.

Finally, the scene dimmed, and the alchemy array shone brightly. Lu Mingfei immediately looked down, only to see the interface of the comprehensive network—

[Hidden Mouse]

[Type: Wild Beast/Small Creature]

[Quality: White, Standard]

[Level: LV1]

【characteristic:

Feeding ink: Feeding the unit with ink can increase the connection between the unit and the organization.

[PS: The mouse, also known as the guinea pig, is the smallest of the rodents. —From "Dogs, Cats, and Rats," note]

"So you can even make this?"

Luo Tianyi clearly also liked this little creature she had created, so much so that she summoned it and played with it in her hand the next moment. Lu Mingfei, although he didn't usually like mice, naturally considered this creature, which had appeared in his extracurricular reading, a different story—

So the two of them huddled together, heads touching, watching the adorable little creature rolling around in Luo Tianyi's hands.

"Let me see if it has the description from the card—"

Luo Tianyi handed it over as instructed, and Lu Mingfei looked down to take a look—

[Hidden Mouse]

【∅】【0/0/50】

[Race: Terrestrial] [Attribute: None]

[Special Move: None]

"Wow, the energy level is zero." Lu Mingfei blinked and subconsciously began to analyze.

Its energy level and attack/defense are both zero, meaning it truly has no offensive capabilities, and even maintaining its existence requires almost no effort; its attributes and ultimate attack are also zero...

Does this mean it's just an ordinary little mouse?

Was the problem caused by Luo Tianyi's negligence during the refining process, or is it that she can only refine such ordinary units?

Lu Mingfei didn't know, but that didn't stop him from trying again.

—Then Luo Tianyi refused to accept it:

"You mean, it's possible I can only create these ordinary creatures?" She blinked her cute eyes and asked, "And if I really can only create cards like this..."

"What will they be used for?"

"Just gathering dust at the bottom of the hold?" Lu Mingfei answered instinctively, then quickly tried to justify himself, "They might not stay gathering dust forever. If there's a requirement to upgrade the Earth Tokens later, they might be placed inside the Earth Tokens and grow along with them..."

"That's possible, right?" Luo Tianyi held the Hidden Mouse in her hands and turned halfway around. "I don't want to refine any more spirit cards—once they're refined, they can only stay in the cards. It's so boring and pitiful."

"..."

Lu Mingfei was speechless for a moment.

This sounds outrageous, but it seems quite normal for a girl this age. So Lu Mingfei thought for a moment and raised a finger:

"How about we forge equipment cards instead of spirit cards?"

"Equipment cards?" Luo Tianyi looked up in surprise. "Aren't those extremely difficult to obtain?"

"Actually, it's not difficult—if there's a corresponding array diagram." Lu Mingfei picked up a piece of paper from the table and started writing and drawing. "If we can really forge equipment with extraordinary power, then it means that this hidden rat is simply underdeveloped due to insufficient magic power."

"Then, you can go and craft a qualified spirit card, how about that?"

Luo Tianyi nodded, her eyes flashing with determination: "I will definitely forge a qualified equipment card!"

After receiving the array diagram designed by Lu Mingfei, Luo Tianyi continued working at her desk—and the Hidden Mouse naturally ended up in Lu Mingfei's hand. The little thing wasn't afraid of people at all, and sat right on Lu Mingfei's palm, licking its paws and scratching its face, completely ignoring the enormous creature in front of it that was many times its size.

Lu Mingfei examined its web interface, especially the "ink-eating" feature. After thinking it over, he still didn't dare to directly apply the gold ink to it. Instead, he found a pen refill on his desk, removed the pen tip, and used the tube to hold it in front of its mouth.

The mouse, upon smelling the industrial ink, showed no discomfort: it immediately clung to the tube, its tiny tongue probing and swallowing every last drop of ink that slowly flowed out. As it ate more and more, Lu Mingfei noticed a different sensation arising in his mind.

"Is this the increased connection?" Lu Mingfei stared at the hidden mouse, beginning to utilize the tactile sensation in his mind. With his thoughts, the hidden mouse moved—

Rolling, thrashing, and jumping, almost as if it were an extension of their own limbs.

"Hmm...that's interesting. Is this considered part of the 'Contracted Servant' spell in the mage system?"