Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2596: The Eldest’s Gambit

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Brothwork Manor

Snap—

The furious voice vanished, swallowed by the thunderous snap of stretched space rebounding as abruptly as it had formed. A moment later, a divinity and a diamond grimoire streaked toward me. I collected them and turned to Jill, asking, ”Whose father was that?”

”One of the Brothworks you killed, obviously. You took out quite a few of them today. So, it’s hard to tell whose father he was exactly,” Jill replied, unaware of exactly who I had just slain.

”By that logic, it could have been anyone,” I countered. ”It’s not just Brothworks I killed here today.” Then I added, ”Let’s get out of here before more mouths throw themselves onto the fire.”

”To where, though?” Jill asked, just as I summoned Henricks to pick us up.

”What do you mean, where? To Fine Gold,” I said. A portal opened beside me, and from the other side, Henricks greeted us. ”Welcome back, boss.”

Moments later, Jill and I stepped through the portal and emerged atop the rooftop of the TSR Guild’s new headquarters in the Sky Blossom City.

”By the way, what about the group of demigods I sent with Redfall? Have they settled in well?” I asked, checking in on the West Princess and her companions, who arrived here with Redfall. Later finding a change, he ditched them to go revive his mother. I did give him a primordial calamity daughter gem, leaving it up to him to decide. This way I could better test my cursed bloonline and bloodkins.

”Yes, they have. In fact, they’ve taken quite a liking to your criminal rehabilitation and reintegration program. Ever since their arrival, they’ve done nothing but ask about it,” Henricks replied. He had no idea what the West Princess and her entourage were doing in Sky Blossom City, especially alongside Redfall. After all, it was common knowledge that they had been the prime instigators of his downfall.

”Keep them occupied until the Southern Capital transfers that student gang that got tangled up with the Southern noble families,” I instructed. ”Once that happens, hand the students over to those five and inform them that they are responsible for the students’ criminal rehabilitation and reintegration program.”

As I spoke, I thought to myself, ’That should keep them busy until I’m free to make proper arrangements for them.’

”Got it, boss,” Henricks nodded. Noticing me wanting to ask something but hesitating, he added, ”Anything else, boss?”

”How is Susan doing?” I finally asked. I had already decided not to go see her. This was something she had to face on her own if she truly wanted to be with me. Jill had put it perfectly: My popularity was Susan’s curse. Unless she could fathom the courage and strength to undo this curse, there was no real future for us.

To the world’s leaders and the citizens of the Five Regions, she was the easiest target among my three girls. She needed to toughen up. Because, this kind of instance will be a common thing if she wants to be with me.

”She’s buried herself in work. The other girls tried to talk to her, but she brushed them off, telling them not to worry and insisting she was fine,” Henricks replied, a hint of sympathy in his voice.

He had been rooting for Susan ever since they met. Compared to me ending up with Jill or Anna, he felt it would be better for the freedom fighters if I chose Susan for the very same reason people were tearing into her on the grimoire network right now: she was seen as weak, a nobody.

”What do you think?” I asked, seeking Henricks’ opinion rather than a simple report of what he had observed.

”I don’t think she’s doing fine,” Henricks said honestly. ”I saw her come up to the terrace during her break, cry it out, and then head back to work.” Then, glancing at Jill, he hesitated before adding, ”I mean no offense, but I think she’s hurting more because you chose Her Highness Jill than from the online hate.”

”Are you calling me a homewrecker, ex–Field Marshal?” Jill snapped instantly, taking offense. His fleeting thoughts had not escaped her notice. She immediately understood that the freedom fighters, now a significant part of my forces, were aligning themselves with Susan to secure their interests as my forces continued to grow. ”I’m sick of people saying ’no offense’ and then saying the most offensive thing possible. As far as I know, Wyatt wasn’t in a committed relationship with anyone when we got together. So, how am I the villainess here?”

”Please forgive me, Your Highness. I overstepped,” Henricks apologized at once. After all, Jill was now officially his boss’s lady. He couldn’t imagine Susan ever speaking to him so sharply, she would always find the patience for her elders. Nor could he understand how his boss had chosen the bossy Jill over the gentle Susan.

”Yes, you were out of your lane, ex–Field Marshal. Make sure there won’t be a next time,” Jill warned. She knew that if she wanted to stand as my eldest, she could not afford to let these people walk over her. She had already begun to play the game, while the other two did not even realize it existed, let alone that they were part of it.

”Rest assured, Your Highness,” Henricks said, swallowing his grievances. He resolved to contact Susan as soon as this was over. He had been waiting for a chance when I could meet her alone, far from that damned White Snake and Crazy Corey. But with events moving so quickly, he could no longer afford to wait for the perfect moment. He would have to wing it.

”Humph,” Jill snorted, picking up from Henricks’ tone that he had chosen to stand behind Susan and that there was no changing his mind.

I pretended not to hear the exchange between Henricks and Jill, choosing to stay in my own lane and let Jill handle it. Sometimes, one needs to know when to do nothing at all.