Lucius and Jemima naturally couldn't let the matter rest. When they saw Bernard's severed legs, they nearly fainted and were eager to challenge Carlotta White to a duel immediately.
However, no matter how unwilling the two were, Nelson Lloyd wouldn't allow anything untoward to happen.
He had come to the infirmity specifically to handle this matter.
"I've already said this was a fair duel. Miss White did not intentionally harm anyone. After all, she only unleashed a single attack."
"Director Lloyd, are you saying my son lost both legs in a single encounter with a third-tier apprentice?"
"I know this may be hard to accept, but that's the reality."
As civil officials, they were treated with respect, but as the director of Caerwyn Academy, Nelson usually didn't need to cater to their whims. He found their arguments unreasonable.
He wasn't siding with Carlotta, but based on the circumstances, Carlotta truly hadn't done anything wrong.
At the moment, he just wanted to quickly send these two officials away so he could go have a drink with his friends. He'd heard that a new tavern had opened, and the wine from Dawn Manor was quite exquisite.
...
Carlotta, of course, had no idea that Bernard's parents had come to the academy and wanted to cause trouble for her.
Since acquiring the intelligence system, she never actively sought out information. The system provided everything relevant to her, especially important matters, which were never overlooked.
The Oil Creation Card was a type of card that even a first-tier apprentice could make. As a third-tier apprentice, Carlotta didn't find it too difficult to create one.
Now, her collection of cards includes the Oil Creation Card (Kerosene Version), Heating Card, Cooling Card, Lightness Card, and Storage Card, five in total.
Carlotta felt that although her primary focus was on the Elven Knight Path, her outward identity was still that of a card magic practitioner. Neglecting card magic too much wouldn't be good.
After some thought, she flipped through the "Comprehensive Guide to Card Magic" and selected two simple yet suitable cards, spending some time to craft them.
One was a Cleaning Card, which would make tidying up much easier.
The other was a Water Gathering Card, a precautionary measure in case she accidentally set something on fire and needed to extinguish it quickly.
Not long after Carlotta finished making the cards, there was a knock at the door.
She immediately stored the cards and her bear cub in the Storage Card, which then merged into her hand, before going to open the door.
When she saw who was at the door, Carlotta's eyes showed surprise: "Mrs. Austin, what brings you here?"
It was Clorinde Austin, the lady she had met at the Elf Knight Gathering.
Moreover, through the system's intelligence, Carlotta knew that this lady's husband, Cameron Austin, was having an affair.
Clorinde was unaware of this, thinking her husband's age had simply diminished his abilities, and was even considering alchemical methods to revitalize Cameron.
Thus, seeing Clorinde, Carlotta's expression suddenly turned somewhat complex.
"I came to see you, Miss White," Clorinde smiled.
She had no idea what Carlotta was thinking, and was privately lamenting that Carlotta had chosen to major in card magic.
Carlotta quickly invited Clorinde in, quietly taking out the Water Gathering Card and the Heating Card. She first placed a cup on the table, used the Water Gathering Card to fill it with water, then placed the Heating Card beneath the cup to warm it.
Soon, a cup of hot water was ready, which Carlotta offered to her guest.
"Mrs. Austin, do you have any questions about the Elven Knight Path that you'd like to ask me?" Carlotta inquired.
"Miss White, you are indeed perceptive. But this time, it's not about me. I'm here on behalf of some friends," Clorinde replied, holding the hot water with both hands as she began to ask her questions.
Although the Elf Knight Gathering exists, not everyone could attend. Some were deprived of the qualifications, while others were too busy to make it.
After the tea party, Clorinde had shared stories of the remarkable young girl, Carlotta, with some acquaintances, which naturally drew attention.
Some who hadn't participated in the tea party informed Clorinde of the challenges they faced, asking her to contact Carlotta for solutions.
Clorinde didn't refuse.
As someone who loved practicing the Elven Knight Path, she believed she would have many occasions to seek Carlotta's advice in the future.
So, she took this opportunity not only to ask questions but also to build a rapport with Carlotta.
Of course, the questions weren't asked for free. She had brought rewards from the other ladies.
"Knowing that you major in card magic, one lady provided many related materials, high-quality blank cards and various materials needed for card creation."
Even blank cards had quality distinctions. High-quality blank cards increase the likelihood of successful card creation.
Carlotta had never failed in card creation, but that didn't mean success was guaranteed.
Failure was actually quite common, so high-quality blank cards, which boosted success rates, were not cheap.
"Another lady sent me some jewelry, you might like, Miss White, is also a girl who should love beauty."
"The last lady simply gave me a fee, 50, 000 Orrae, as a small token. She also plans to invite you to a banquet in the future."
Carlotta provided suitable answers to the questions Clorinde brought and accepted the rewards.
The materials for card magic were self-explanatory; she had a need for them.
She didn't know the exact value of the jewelry, but it was clearly substantial.
As for the straightforward 50, 000 Ordae reward, it made her reflect. She had once reported a wanted criminal for a 30,000 Orrae bounty, and the subsequent trouble still hadn't been resolved. Now, earning 50,000 Orrae has become so effortless.
She considered asking Clorinde to help her deal with the group led by Bram, but those guys didn't seem to have any criminal records.
They had been detained before but were safely released, and now they weren't doing anything dangerous, appearing as law-abiding citizens.
She had no grounds to take action against them.
Knowledge gained through intelligence couldn't be used as evidence.
How to handle these people would require further thought.
Clorinde didn't stay long at Carlotta's place. After getting the answers and delivering the rewards, she prepared to leave.
"Madam, let me accompany you at the door."
Carlotta, who knew a bit about etiquette, accompanied Clorinde out of the dormitory.