Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2381  Winter Valley Project

Date: Unspecified Time: Unspecified Location: Myriad Realms, Lil. Red Storm, Seed World, Trophy Section, Duel Realm, Crafting Sector, Crafting Colosseum, Inter-realm city, Sector DS0909, Chaos Dwarven District, EGGG Workshop. ”So, can you speak for your entire race, or should I have this conversation with your elders?” Wyatt asked Moon, his tone measured yet probing. Nearby, the dwarves were immersed in their guild entrance tests. Now that Wyatt had demonstrated he wasnʼt alone—that he had a guild filled with capable allies to back him—it was time to lay his terms on the table.

Moon met his gaze steadily, shaking her head with quiet determination. ”Venera, you tell me what you want, and Iʼll handle convincing my race. Trust me, I wonʼt let you be wronged in any way,” she said with a voice firm but respectful. Her confidence wasnʼt feigned. The fact that Venera had agreed to set a price within her raceʼs capabilities gave her the conviction to take the reins.

Wyatt studied her for a moment, nodding subtly. Moonʼs resolve was exactly what he needed. Without it, she wouldnʼt stand a chance against the elders of her race. The struggles of Biore and Dulas with their own families were a stark reminder of how rigid and narrow-minded the older generation could be. Yet, Moon might have an edge. Her elders had sent their younger generation out of the Snow Elven territory to search for hope—and Moon had found it. Now, she only needed to present it to them in a way they all believe it was the hope they were all waiting for.

Wyattʼs expression softened, though his calculating gaze didnʼt waver. ”Good,” he said simply. Then, leaning forward slightly, he asked, ”Before we begin, let me ask you this: Does your race plan to continue staying in the Snow Elf territory? Because once they learn youʼve modified your title demon core method to a high-rank one, the Snow Elves wonʼt just stand by and watch. Surely your people have found a new territory to start anew far from the Snow Elvesʼ oppression, havenʼt they?”

As Wyattʼs words sank in they struck a chord because they were true. Moonʼs features flickered, but she quickly composed herself. However, her expression had darkened, as though he had unearthed a painful memory she wished to bury. Her voice wavered slightly as she began, ”T-that... my raceʼs elders found many suitable places to establish our clan outside the Snow Elf territory. But every time we managed to build something of value, someone stronger would come along and take it from us.”

Her shoulders tensed, her hands clenching at her sides as she continued, ”Weʼve tried countless times, and each time, weʼve had everything stolen once we reached a certain stage of development. So, our elders sought a powerful backer, but no one wanted to align with us because they already believed we were vassals of the Snow Elves. Eventually, the elders halted the plans of developing outside of the Snow Elven territory, deciding to wait... to wait until we had the strength to protect whatʼs ours.”

Her frustration bubbled to the surface as she spoke, her tone heavy with bitterness. ”Only we know how much weʼve slaved for the Snow Elves, scraping together the capital to create a territory of our own. But every damn time weʼve gotten close, someone stronger has come to take it all away. Yes, weʼre weak, but there are other weak races in the Dark Realm—races without even a single devil among them—who are surviving just fine, making a life for themselves.”

Her voice cracked, and her jaw tightened as she forced herself to keep speaking. ”Yet for some unknown reason, itʼs always us. Every damn time. It doesnʼt matter how careful we are, someone always comes. The elders began to suspect we were being targeted, with the Snow Elves as the likely culprits. But without evidence, we canʼt prove anything.”

Moon let out a sharp breath, her frustration evident in her furrowed brow and the tremor in her voice. ”Not that it would matter if we had proof,” she added bitterly. ”This is the Dark Realm. There are no rules—just the law of the jungle. And we the weak are prey.”

The weight of her words lingered, and for a moment, she looked down, her expression a mixture of anger and despair. But as she glanced back up at Wyatt, there was a glimmer of resolve in her eyes. Despite everything, she was determined to change her peopleʼs fate.

”Itʼs understandable. The Snow Elves will never let your race establish itself in the Dark Realm. That should be clear by now,” Wyatt said, his tone matter-of-fact yet not unkind. He watched Moonʼs subtle nod of agreement, though her clenched fists and tense shoulders betrayed the frustration simmering beneath the surface.

With a sigh, Wyatt continued, ”Your race has only one viable option—find a place where the Snow Elves or their influence canʼt reach you.”

Moon nodded again, but her lips pressed into a tight line. The Snow Elves, being a semi-ruler class race, had an extensive reach. There wasnʼt a corner of the Dark Realm free from their shadow. While ruler-class races existed, none showed interest in the Froslings, especially after uncovering the truth to their immunity to the glacier plague.

”Have you considered looking for a new realm with conditions similar to your native realm, Forsell?” Wyatt asked. His tone suggested the question had just occurred to him, though he had already suspected the answer. For the Froslings, leaving the Dark Realm seemed like their only hope of escaping the Snow Elvesʼ oppression.

”Weʼve thought about it,” Moon admitted, her voice tinged with bitterness and resignation. ”But any such realms are immediately snapped up by other races with affinities to ice or related rules. With our financial limitations, we canʼt compete. Even if we managed to gather the necessary funds, someone always outbids us for the rights, hoping to harvest the realmʼs will fragment.”

Her eyes flickered with helplessness, her words heavy with the weight of her raceʼs struggles. ”If we could afford to leave this cursed realm, we would. But the costs of migrating the entire race, combined with the bidding wars... Itʼs impossible.”

Wyatt gave a slow nod, his gaze sharp as he pieced together her dilemma. ”I figured as much,” he replied, his tone quiet but understanding. ”Unless your race discovers a suitable realm before anyone else, youʼll always be outbid. And realms with the conditions you need are rare and in high demand.”

There was a pause, a faint flicker of an idea glinting in Wyattʼs eyes. ”What about moving to Winter Valley?” he suggested, his tone almost casual as if the question had just occurred to him. However, he had been planning to monopolize Winter Valley, one of the thirteen deadliest places in the Dark Realm, ever since he used glacier plague to craft the Frosling corpse puppets for the crafting duel.

Just when he was thinking about how he should proceed with monopolizing Winter Valley and its untouched resources, Moon came to him with her raceʼs dilemma. Her timing could not have been more perfect. Both for him and for her race. If it was some other time, Moon would have walked out of here in disappointment.