The stone-paved roads of the border city-state of South Vantina appeared ancient and serene under the soft glow of the morning sun.
Lance walked at a leisurely pace, a bright and cheerful smile on his face.
Talia’s killing intent had been resolved.
It wasn’t a challenge for him at all.
Now, he was heading to his next planned destination for the day—the Border City-State Library.
A place that his former self would never have visited.
But to the current Lance, it was a treasure trove of endless knowledge.
Even though this library couldn’t compare to the grand libraries of major cities or the renowned Royal Library of the Kingdom, it still housed many rare books that he couldn’t find at home.
There were countless things Lance wanted to research—he was eager to dig in.
Just the thought of returning to a peaceful, quiet life filled him with anticipation.As long as he wasn’t killed by Talia and made sure she never got her hands on that crucial startup fund for her nation’s restoration, then in a way, wasn’t he actually making the world a better place by preventing more chaos?
And as for the measly three pounds a day he promised her—
Even if she stuck around until the day she died, it wouldn’t be enough to restore a country.
By the time she had saved enough to stop sleeping on the streets, she would probably grow tired of this ordinary little town and choose to leave on her own.
After all, she and he were different—
He just wanted to be a carefree commoner, while she had grand ambitions to climb back to the top.
Lance pondered this as he stopped by a bakery that one of the maids had highly recommended.
After buying his breakfast, he continued his stroll toward the library, carrying a paper bag in his arms.
The library wasn’t too far from his house.
Even walking at a relaxed pace, he would arrive within thirty minutes.
By this time, the shops lining the streets had already opened for business, welcoming the day’s first customers.
The scent of freshly baked bread and coffee drifted through the air, mingling with the early morning mist.
The golden morning glow intertwined with the fading fog, while lush green moss covered the winding roads at the horizon, whispering silent tales of history’s weight and splendor.
As he neared the library, the distant chimes of a church bell echoed through the city, the melody holy and serene.
Every building in sight looked majestic in its own way.
Lance took a bite of his black truffle cheese croissant, inhaling the crisp morning air.
Before he knew it, he had arrived at the Border Library.
For the next few days—
He would definitely become a regular visitor here.
The grand facade of the library stood before him, a row of towering stone pillars rising above the broad staircase. The exterior walls, built from aged stone, bore the marks of time’s passage.
Stepping inside—
He was immediately greeted by arched windows adorned with intricate patterns, filtering in soft, warm light.
Walking straight to the front desk, Lance quickly registered for a library card.
With that done, he headed toward the main reading area.
Following the directions on the library’s map, he arrived at the legal documents section. His fingers lightly brushed the book spines as his sharp eyes scanned the titles with practiced speed.
Before long, he pulled out a thick, heavy book—
The Hetton Kingdom Legal Code.
With a satisfied expression, he carried the book to a long table and settled down to read.
In a fantasy world like this, most people’s first instinct would be to explore their innate talents or try their hand at magic.
But not Lance.
He wanted to study the law.
Sure, magic and power were crucial in this world.
For example, Magic Cards could grant people immense wealth and supernatural abilities.
Lance was fairly confident in his talent as a Card Crafter.
However, becoming a skilled and accomplished Card Crafter was not something that could be done overnight.
He needed extensive knowledge of magical engineering and countless hours of practice.
For now—
Knowledge and wisdom were his most important weapons for survival.
Because sometimes—
Understanding the law could let you destroy an enemy in court, sending them to life imprisonment… or, if you played it right, straight to their execution.
So there was no rush to study Magic Cards just yet.
In his opinion, the most important thing upon arriving in a new place was to first understand the country’s laws.
Or rather—
To fully grasp the “basic rules” of the game.
That was why Lance had arrived at the library first thing in the morning, searching for the latest edition of The Hetton Kingdom Legal Code, and carefully reading it word for word.
He was, after all, a law-abiding citizen.
Until sunset.
As the golden rays of the evening sun streamed through the library windows, the peaceful atmosphere filled the air.
Lance remained at his desk, his eyes glued to the legal code, carefully flipping through its delicate pages.
The soft orange glow from the setting sun illuminated his focused face, adding an air of calm intellect and quiet elegance.
"Isn’t that literary-looking guy super handsome?"
"Right?! He’s so serious and focused. He’s been reading law books all day—he must be a total genius."
"Wait… isn’t that Lance Wilfort? The infamous rich playboy with the terrible reputation?"
"Uhh… but look at him. He genuinely respects the law. Maybe the rumors about him aren’t all true?"
Behind the library counter, a few girls whispered among themselves, occasionally sneaking glances at Lance.
His soft black hair and vibrant green eyes, combined with his natural poetic and artistic aura, gave him an undeniable charm.
Now that he wasn’t acting like a spoiled rich kid, it was like he had completely transformed into a different person.
But Lance, utterly absorbed in his reading, was oblivious to all of it.
He barely noticed how time had flown by—
Only when the light outside dimmed significantly did he finally feel the strain in his eyes.
Looking up, he realized the library had already begun to empty out.
"Tomorrow, I should start researching the basics of magic engineering."
Lance muttered to himself, marking his place in the legal code before closing the book.
It was time to head home.
Aside from borrowing this unfinished legal text, he had already made a mental list of books to check out next—
Such as:
The Fundamental Traits of Cults
How to Defend Against Brainwashing via Mental Spells
Hetton Kingdom Magic Engineering Department’s Fraud Prevention Case Studies
Because after thoroughly understanding the laws of the kingdom, his next priority would be studying Magic Cards.
As someone with a clear conscience, he needed to completely master how to counteract mental manipulation, curses, and other sinister magic!
The very thought of someone using these types of spells against him made his skin crawl.
And just in case—
Purely hypothetically speaking—
If he ever found himself in a situation where he had no choice but to use these efficient forms of magic himself…
Then he had to know exactly how to bypass all countermeasures against them.
After all—
"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."