--AN) 15+ chapters on https://www.patreon.com/c/invayne --
Other monsters could not generate their own energy unless they were an ancient bloodline. This was something unknown to the current generation of Card Masters.
"Elder Hill, why are we not taking a carriage?" Jasmine did not seem too happy about having to walk. Jack and Leo were fine with it since they also considered this as a form of training. Building up your stamina was important as a Card Master since you could be in dungeons for days, if not months, at a time, depending on how deep you planned to go.
"Jasmine, you are a Card Master now. You will need to go on long journeys where carriages can not go. You will venture deep into forests and even scale mountains to get to the dungeon locations. If you get a monster you can ride at some point, then it makes it easier. Otherwise, you will need to use your two feet in order to reach your destination." Elder Hill did not hold back. He had dealt with many whiny-type newcomers, and he was never kind in his wording since they had to face reality.
Leo looked at Jasmine, who lowered her head. She had clenched fists and kicked a rock by her foot in frustration. Leo could only shake his head. He wondered just what she had expected. Once she left the village, she was no longer the village chief's daughter. Her status meant nothing in the world outside their small village.
'She will be humbled by the time she gets to the capital. Too bad you will not be walking the entire distance.' Liana felt that people like Jasmine should be forced to walk the entire way to the capital, but that would take her a year.
The only reason the trip would only take a few days is because they would be going through an ancient transport gate at the closest city, Valesguard. It was far from any other town, which meant they would need to spend the night outside.
"Leo, what do you think the capital looks like?" Jack, who had been silent all this time, couldn't keep it in anymore. He was too excited. He really couldn't wait to see the capital.
"MMm… nicer buildings and a million times more people than our village?" Leo was not as excited as Jack, so he only gave a lackluster reply that put a small damper on Jack's excitement.
"He's not wrong." Elder Lancaster chimed in. He seemed to have found Leo's answer quite amusing. "The capital is filled with stone buildings that range from five to ten floors tall. But nothing is more grand than the royal palace. It is carved out of the mountain and is as ancient as the kingdom itself. The one who carved it was the first king, Herald Von Augustus. It is said that his Ocean Tortoise was an SS-rank and used its water beam attack to carve up the mountain to create the palace. It only took them a day and a night to complete it."
"Wow!" Jack's eyes lit up. He had always found stories of the ancient Card Masters to be amazing.
"If the palace is as big as you say, I do find it hard for a single monster to create the entire thing in such a short time." Leo was more of a realist. He would not believe the old lore completely since it was said that Rock Salamanders were useless. But in truth, they were the earliest forms of true dragons.
Elder Lancaster nodded his head. "I can see what you are saying. Even I can not believe the tales passed down through the generations since stories will always be changed and embellished here and there. But I do believe the fist king did create the palace. This much I do know is true due to the scarring on the stone."
"Scarring on the stone?" Leo became interested. He knew that any attack used to create anything from a monster would leave some markings, which interested him since this was a fabled SS-rank monster. From what he understood, currently, the highest monster out there to be owned by a Card Master was only S rank.
"Yes the scarring matches that of a water beam. Even the interior of the palace has such scaring which means the inside was also carved in the same manner."
"To have such power and precision." Jack was basically a little fanboy at this point.
Jasmine, on the other hand, tried to ignore what was being talked about but thinking about the palace made her wonder if she could meet a prince and become a princess and live in the very palace they were talking about.
'Humph! An SS-Rank is only good enough to create mundane things.' Liana was not impressed at all. "If it was me, I could create an entire palace with a snap of my fingers. Leo, I will create one for you once I reach EX-rank."
Leo did not know why Liana seemed to be having some strange competition with a dead monster. But he knew one thing was for sure. 'Please don't. If you did the entire kingdom's army might come and destroy it.'
'Let them try! Don't forget I am much stronger than some stupid army. Even if they tossed hundreds of thousands of SS-rank monster at me, they would all perish! Didn't you promise to make your sister a princess?'
'I said I would give her a life of a princess, not actually make her one.'
'Same thing. Same thing. She will just be given the role for real instead of acting like one.'
'Let's just wait and see.' Leo now realized that the Rock Salamander next to him was very stubborn once she had made up her mind about something.