Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 3088: New Card Association

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

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

“Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness,” Dyke bowed deeply, trying to hide the tears in his eyes. He had two loves in his life one was card creation and other was his freedom. He helplessly sacrificed one for another, but now listening to His Highness, he realized, he didn’t sacrifice his freedom, only limited it for a short period. That was enough for a grown man with the strength of a Card Demigod to cry.

Getting his emotions in control, he enthusiastically asked, “Your Highness, I swear I work like a donkey to repay your kindness. Please, give me my first assignment,”

“If I needed donkeys, I have enough of those,” I said pointing at the Sinner’s tower, it was filled with demigod realm calamity daughter gems they would do any grunt work with a single complaint for millennia. I had more than enough of them. What I needed was someone who can think on their feet, someone who was capable of making decisions despite risks and otherwise. “What I need is you, for you to establish a functioning card association for the New Empire and make it number one in all of Card World. Can you handle it?”

Dyke looked at me in confusion and asked, “Forgive my ignorance your highness, I thought New Empire already has a Card Association.”

“No, the New Empire doesn’t have a Card Association, but two card associations. One from the old Empire and the other is a fraction of the Southern Card Association. Both of their secret power struggles while Hive Spirit is trying it best to keep them working in tandem. The fraction of the Southern Card Association we have has no capable leaders, only greedy that want to keep their new found power. Meanwhile the Old Empire has many capable leaders to lead the new Card Association but their ideology is a little… lets just say they are still adjusting to the new Empire,” Field Marshal Lorn answered, taking the cue. “Then there is the matter of favoritism. Those from the old Empire fear that His Highness is biassed because of his origin. That is where you come in, an outside hire with an extraordinary resume. Do you understand the situation and your task or should I go on?”

Dyke nodded, he had already gotten acquainted with Hive Spirit when he was signing the employment contract. He was surprised to see that she could operate outside of VR-universe through his grimoire without his permission. He had a mental conversation with her, one that went similar to what everyone in the second assembly had with Hive Spirit.

“Leave it to me, Your Highness, I won’t disappoint you,” Dyke vouched confidently.

Actually, when he was just starting out as a Card Creationist, leading the Card Association was one of Dyke’s dream but the more popular he became because of his skill the more he experienced the ugliness of the Card Association run by a bunch of fat cats that had gotten too comfortable in their seats. Therefore, he refused to settle and became a wanderer living off freelance work. Fortunately, he had already established his brand as a genius card creationist otherwise he would have starved to death just like many other talents that came before him.

Now that one of his forgotten old wishes was coming true in the form of payment for the unranked grimoire, Dyke couldn’t be more happy. It was as if suddenly the whole of the Myriad Realms came together for him.

“I trust you,” I said with a gentle nod. Then I glanced toward Lorn, preparing to take my leave. “Lorn will help you with the rest. Do whatever you need to do, but no killing. Just hand them over to the Sinners’ Tower—”

I hadn’t even finished briefing Dyke on the authority his new position carried when Hive Spirit abruptly interrupted my thoughts, sounding a loud warning alarm inside my mind causing me to stop mid-sentence.

Hive Spirit rarely interrupted me like this. When she did, it meant something important had happened, something that demanded my attention immediately.

Lil’ Red Storm Realm is under attack. The information arrived alongside the alarm.

Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who had received the notification. Lorn and the other officials holding authority within the Lil’ Red Storm Realm’s Freedom City had received the same warning from Hive Spirit.

The atmosphere around the campus changed almost instantly. The casual conversation disappeared, replaced by the quiet urgency that descended whenever something threatened the New Empire.

The leaders of the Freedom Fighters were already converging on the teleportation hub, moving with the efficiency of people who had spent their lives responding to crises.

Before I could even decide whether to head there myself, Hendricks and Ned arrived beside me. Both men wore serious expressions. They had clearly come looking for me before making any major decision.

“Your Majesty,” Hendricks greeted with, his gaze briefly shifting toward Lorn and Dyke before returning to me. Ned followed right behind him, waiting.

The attack had come suddenly. And whatever was happening in the Lil’ Red Storm Realm was serious enough that Hive Spirit had broken into my thoughts to warn me.

Dyke had no idea what was going on, but one look at the grim faces of Lorn, Henricks, and Ned told him that something was seriously wrong. For the first time since his arrival, the Unranked Grimoire and everything surrounding it became irrelevant. The New Empire had a fire to put out, and he was prepared to do his part, and then some. Not just because this was a good opportunity to earn merits but because he was a citizen of the New Empire.

All four of them looked toward His Highness with grave expressions. Yet, when they saw his indifferent face, devoid of even a hint of urgency or fear, they suddenly felt the weight on their shoulders ease.

That didn’t change the fact that the Lil’ Red Storm Realm was under attack.