Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2524: Time Vestige’s Dynamic Time Zone

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Morningstar University Campus, Garden of Beginning, Time Vestige, Morningstar University 2nd Campus

”What do you want?” I asked Lucine, finally concluding that her kindness had a purpose. As for my previous inner monologue, I wasn’t naive enough to think she was being nice out of pure goodwill. Why? Because people being good to me without wanting something in return always made me uneasy. The only ones I was ever willing to bear that fear for, in this life, were Susan and Anna.

”What do you mean?” Lucine asked, her tone carrying genuine confusion. But as my words sank in, a disdain-filled smirk curved her lips. ”Get over yourself. The time zone inside the time vestige shifts depending on which timelines we travel between in the temporal river. And since you suddenly summoned the vestige from that past, our tight schedule got thrown off. We’ll need to make a few quick stops before heading back to our present. Until then, you might as well be productive and comprehend the time rule.”

”I knew that,” I lied, though the truth was it had completely slipped my mind while I was busy worrying about what Lucine was planning with her sudden kindness towards me. This was why I said my biggest fear was someone showing selfless kindness to me. I can’t figure them out. That makes me vulnerable to them. And I hate feeling vulnerable. It’s as simple as that.

”So, how long do I have to wait here?” I asked Lucine, ignoring my spiraling thoughts.

”Months—maybe even a year or two,” Lucine said casually. ”But don’t worry, only a week or two will pass in our present. Also, with your talent, your time here should be more than enough for you not only to begin comprehending the time rule but also to reach the bifurcation point and gain a small understanding of one of its meanings.”

”Two weeks? No way! I can spare a day at most,” I blurted out, panic rising in my voice. ”A lot of people depend on me—without me, they will fall into chaos, total chaos.”

The thought of being cut off from the Myriad Realms for two weeks made my stomach twist. I had too many commitments waiting for me in the Card World, the Lil’ Red Storm World, and the Dark Realm. If I didn’t handle them on time, all my plans would go up in smoke.

”You should’ve thought about that before jumping into the temporal river,” Lucine remarked, her tone sharp with quiet reproach. Her words made it clear—she knew I hadn’t been dragged in by stray temporal and spatial forces. I’d chosen to follow them.

Before I could deny it, she went on, ”How do I know that? Simple. If you have a way to resist timeline dementia, then you clearly have a way to handle temporal forces. And with your strength, resisting spatial forces wouldn’t be difficult either. Young man, you reap what you sow.”

”Hahaha,” I laughed, trying to sound casual, then added, ”I’m sure we can work something out. For instance, I could help you with your time rule dementia—at a discount, of course—and in return, you help me get back to our present within a day.”

”Up to your tricks again, huh?” Lucine sneered, her gaze dripping with disdain. ”Let me tell you a secret, young man—I never once believed you could help me with my time rule dementia, let alone cure it. Sure, you’re strong enough to defeat an unranked devil, capable enough to defy the world’s will, and clever enough to summon the time vestige. I have no idea how you managed all that as a mere card master. But none of it is reason enough for me to believe you can solve an illness that has plagued even the celestials.”

My expression darkened instantly at her words. She was treating me like some con artist always trying to deceive her, when in truth, I’d done nothing but be sincere with her from the start.

”Are you holding me hostage?” I asked, suspicion creeping into my voice as I wondered if this had been her plan all along—to trap me inside the time vestige. ”Or are you forgetting that I can control the time vestige?” I added, exaggerating the claim just to drive the point home. Also, I was feeling cornered within the time vestige.

”Young man, do you know what the first thing I did after entering the time vestige was?” Lucine asked with a playful tone with her lips curling into a teasing grin.

”Breathe?” I replied, pretending to play dumb.

”Yes,” she said, rolling her eyes at my childish response, and with a smirk, she continued, ”and I told the staff to activate the resonance disturbance field. Go on then—try commanding the time vestige to take you to the temporal anchor in our present.”

Her confident smile screamed, ’Checkmate, sucker.’

I didn’t even bother trying. I’d sensed the resonance disturbance field as soon as it was put up and didn’t mind it believing it was being used for someone’s research. Now, thanks to Lucine, I knew it had been set up specifically to target me. I had no plans to do anything about it. I feared in my struggle for control over the time vestige with Morningstar University any number of small variables could cause all of us to be lost in the temporal river for eternity.

”Ah! So I was right—you did use resonance synchronization to summon the time vestige to that past from our present. Hahaha!” Lucine burst into laughter, taking my silence as her victory. And judging by the look on her face, she truly felt like she’d just made a major discovery.

Lucine had been hailed as a genius since birth—praised, admired, and even worshiped for her unmatched intellect by her teachers, colleagues, and students alike. But everything changed when she met this young man. He understood and accomplished things that defied her comprehension, making her feel intellectually cornered and outclassed.

That was why this moment meant so much to her—it was proof that she could still keep up, if only for a fleeting second. This meant he wasn’t beyond her. She will not only catch up to him but overthrow him. ’This feeling is refreshing. It has been a while since I felt like this. Maybe days ahead won’t be so boring after all.’