Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 3090: Creating Problems For Greater Good

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Lil’ Red Storm Realm, Freedom Magelopolis

“Your Highness, forgive my ignorance, but I thought the Froslings would be moving to the Dark Realm soon,” Asong asked in confusion.

When the Froslings had first arrived, she had been told that the Lil’ Red Storm Realm was only meant to be temporary shelter while preparations were made for their eventual migration. But if Dalia was already planning for Froslings and Card Apprentices to form families together, it sounded like they would be staying far longer than she had expected.

“Plans changed. Apparently, the location chosen as their new home in the Dark Realm has some unforeseen threats that need to be explored and dealt with before we can even consider establishing a civilization there. So, for now, the Froslings will be staying here for the foreseeable future,” Dalia explained.

She walked through the holographic projection, the towering image of Freedom City passing through her body like mist, before stopping beside Asong. Dulas and Moon Fright followed closely behind.

Dalia then pointed toward the female dwarf, introducing her, “This is Dulas, my apprentice. Dulas, this is Asong, one of my Card Apprentice friends.”

“Your Highness, you are too kind,” Asong said awkwardly.

She had spent enough time around Dulas to understand that, despite her strength, age, and vast knowledge, she still possessed an innocence almost childlike in its simplicity. There was no hidden meaning behind Dalia’s words. She genuinely considered Asong one of her friends.

That realization made the reservations in Asong’s heart disappear. She smiled gently and turned toward the dwarf, greeting her, “Hi, Dulas. To become Her Highness’s disciple, you must be quite the prodigy.”

Dulas, like Biore, spent most of her time on her island in the Ceed World at the heart of the Lil’ Red Storm Realm, so despite their mutual connection to Dalia, the two had never actually met.

“No, no. The teacher is simply too generous for taking someone as average as me as her disciple. I was just very lucky,” Dulas replied with a modest smile and a polite nod.

Asong returned the gesture, her curiosity lingering on the dwarf for a moment. There was something strangely endearing about how sincerely Dulas seemed to believe she was ordinary. She wanted to ask her if all dwarfs were as cute as her, but since she didn’t know what her race was actually called she didn’t dare to speak her mind.

“Dulas, bring everyone up to speed,” Dalia ordered, minimizing the city’s hologram before passing it to her apprentice.

Dulas carefully took the hologram into her palm and began explaining, “After His Highness’s order, Her Highness improved the city’s barrier array so that both Card Apprentices and Froslings would experience race specific comfortable room temperatures throughout the city. Right now, we’re trying to figure out how to arrange the two races so they can begin living in harmony and, eventually, become closer.”

Asong nodded while listening to the cute little female dwarf explain the situation with the seriousness of a scholar presenting the results of a major research project.

Then she glanced at the three women. She was surprised. They were genuinely stuck on something this simple? Asong shook her head.

“Your Highness, you’re approaching this from the wrong direction. I know you envision Freedom City as a perfect utopian city where everyone can live comfortably together, but if you want the two races to become close enough to break through the racial barrier and eventually form mixed families, you need to give them reasons to interact.” She gestured toward the city hovering between them. “Right now, everyone is too comfortable with the existing arrangement. The Card Apprentices are too shy, and in some cases even insecure, around the Froslings. Meanwhile, the Froslings respect the Card Apprentices too much to casually approach them, especially with their bad past with previous hosts.”

“You’ve created a city where everyone can coexist without conflict, but that’s precisely the problem. Nothing is forcing them to actually know one another.” Asong paused, considering how best to explain it. She pointed toward two separate districts on the hologram. “They can work in the same city, shop in the same markets, walk through the same streets, and serve the same Ruler, yet still spend their entire time in the city without knowing each other.”

“If you want them to become friends, colleagues, and eventually families, you need to create situations where they have to rely on one another. Give them shared projects, mixed teams, community events, competitions, apprenticeships, even problems that can only be solved by working together.” Her expression became more serious as she looked between Dalia, Dulas, and Moon Fright. “Right now, both sides are afraid of crossing a line. The Card Apprentices don’t want to offend the beautiful Froslings they consider almost untouchable, while the Froslings are too grateful and respectful toward the people of their Savior who not only rescued them but also gave them a place to live with dignity something they hadn’t felt for several centuries.”

“You don’t need to force them together. You need to give them opportunities to overcome that hesitation naturally.” A faint smile appeared on Asong’s lips as she tapped the holographic city in Dulas’s palm. “Make them share experiences. Let them struggle together, celebrate together, complain about the same problems, and eventually laugh at the same stupid things. Once they stop seeing each other as Card Apprentices and Froslings and start seeing each other as friends and neighbors, the racial barrier will begin to disappear on its own.”

“Comfort creates coexistence. Shared experiences create bonds. And if your ultimate goal is mixed families, you need the latter.”

Moon Fright nodded in agreement with Asong, while Dalia and Dulas glanced at each other, clearly unable to understand how creating more problems was supposed to solve the ones they already had. Still, for now, they quietly went along with it.

Dalia asked, “So, what kind of problem are we talking about here?”

“Simple day to day ones. Let’s start with the city barrier. Remove the temperature-control function completely. Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness, but this realm is simply too hot for either races,” Asong replied, asking Dalia to undo everything she had done so far. “Weather has always been the easiest conversation starter for people with nothing to say.”