Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2885: Anna’s Inspiration and Purpose

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City

”You are sorely mistaken. The guild and the workshop are not the reason I’m rich. The guild mostly handles import and export using the wealth and resources I already control in the Lil’ Red Storm Realm. As for the workshop, it isn’t even operational yet. VR-Universe is still my real money maker,” I corrected Anna, subtly hinting that the true source of my wealth was my monopoly over the Card World and the Lil’ Red Storm Realm.

”What do you mean the workshop isn’t operational? I met Dulas and Biore there. They seemed to be using the workshop,” Anna said with concern.

”Oh, they are. They manage the workshop for me, and in return, I let them use it.”

”They told me you were their mentor. From what Peyote informed me about the chaos dwarfs, I don’t think anyone from their race would accept someone from another race as their mentor, especially when it comes to crafting. I’m guessing the legends of your craftsmanship have already begun spreading through the myriad realms as well. Though, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised,” Anna said in awe of me.

”It’s good that you’re finally realizing just how awesome your fiancé is. But I’d appreciate it if you showed it with more than just words,” I said, not bothering to appear humble.

Still, a small part of me was concerned. Anna seemed far more focused on what I had accomplished within the devil merchant code than on the existence of the devil merchant code itself or even the vastness of the myriad realms. This experience should have been reality-shattering, the kind of thing a person would obsess over for weeks, yet all she could talk about was me.

Was I truly the luckiest guy in the myriad realms, or was there something I was missing?

”You are my fiance so you will be awesome. But, what I’ve achieved compared to what you’ve achieved in the same amount of time is nothing. You have so much going on, while I have nothing going on besides being your fiancée—correction, one of your fiancees...”

”Envy is not a good color on you, you know that, right?”

”Me? Envious of you? Why would I be? Everything that’s yours is mine. What I’m trying to say is, it’s inspiring. Just like how you’ve been inspiring me ever since the day we met. I had plans, you know, plans to use my title to change things for the good of my people. But I realized that if you want to build something new in place of the old, you can’t build around the old or alongside it. You have to destroy the old. Only then can you build something new upon its dust. That’s why I pushed for your world domination campaign with the other two. However, now that it’s actually happening, I can’t seem to find any use for myself in it...”

”Anna, whatever it is you’re getting at, just say it,” I cut in, tired of her beating around the bush.

Anna shifted in my arms until she was facing me directly. Looking straight into my eyes, she said, ”I want a child. Our child.”

”...”

I stared blankly past her for a moment, wondering if I had heard her right. It was far worse than what I thought she was going to ask for... or maybe it wasn’t.

In my past life, I had wanted children of my own someday, if I found the right person. But that Viltronian bastard had ruined everything.

Yet in this life, I had found the right people. However...

After getting no response from me for several minutes, Anna finally called out to me. Panic began creeping into her voice as she hurriedly tried to explain herself.

”Wyatt, say something! I know you’re too young for this, and it’s a little selfish of me to suddenly ask something like this out of nowhere, but when I met Dulas... that kid was so full of life and wonder. At that moment, I just thought it would be nice if I had a daughter like her. I didn’t even realize I wanted children of my own until then. You don’t have to give me an answer right now. Think about it—”

”No, I already have. I would love to have children with you,” I said, pulling Anna, who was about to leave my side, back into my embrace and caressing her tear-stained cheek.

That only drew another line of tears down her face. Looking into my eyes, she immediately understood I wasn’t finished. Almost instinctively, she whispered, ”But?”

I buried Anna in my arms and held her tightly, choosing to tell her the truth.

”You know how everyone thinks my powers are borrowed from devils? That’s not actually the case. They come from several mutations I made to myself and my ego gem. As a result... I don’t think you, or any other female Card Apprentice, can carry my child.”

Anna raised her head from my chest and, rolling her eyes up to look at me, asked, ”How do you know for sure? I carry an unparalleled bloodline — regardless of whatever mutations you have, I can carry your child.”

”And what do you mean by ’any female card apprentice’? Does that mean females of other races can bear your child?”

By the end, Anna’s tone had turned deep and grim. My instincts immediately warned me to choose my words wisely.

”Not many races can bear my child — only certain strong Ruler-class races: demi-humans a.k.a Viltronian’s like Jaya, Ovumites like Slay, or someone with a special physique like Jill’s carnivorous womb. Your unparalleled bloodline is strong — the purest I’ve seen so far — but you don’t have the unparalleled physique that actually gave birth to the unparalleled lineage. But I can help you elevate your bloodline and acquire your ancestor’s unparalleled physique. Then, we can give it a try.”