Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2382  Frozen Utopia

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. ”Winter Valley?” Moon repeated, her brows knitting together. ”It was actually our first choice, but that place is uninhabitable. Sure, our race is immune to the glacier plague, but the same canʼt be said for the food and supplies we need for daily life. And letʼs not forget, the environment is brutal—even for us. Adults in our race can barely handle the cold, but the kids? They wouldnʼt survive. Itʼs not a place where a civilization can thrive.”

Her tone grew firmer as she dismissed Veneraʼs suggestion, convinced he didnʼt truly understand how unforgiving Winter Valley was and only read about it in the books. It hadnʼt earned its place among the thirteen deadliest places in the Dark Realm solely because of the glacier plague. The valley itself was a relentless, frozen wasteland that could bring even the strongest dark races to their knees.

”Itʼs not just the glacier plague freezing living beings,” Moon continued, gesturing with her hands as if trying to make Venera visualize the severity. ”It freezes everything—anything with even a hint of heat in it. Food, tools, furniture... you name it. The slightest warmth is enough to trigger the plague, and whatever gets frozen becomes so brittle that a simple touch could shatter it. Weʼve tried using items with ice attributes, but even those donʼt last. Our body heat transfers to those item, and thatʼs all it takes for the glacier plague to claim it.”

Moonʼs voice grew heavier, frustration creeping in. ”Living there is impossible under those conditions. And yes, I know weʼre Froslings, but weʼre not mindless ice eaters. We like our meat well-done. Sure, we can chew and digest frozen meat if we have to, but we prefer it cooked. Itʼs tastier that way. The thought of surviving on frozen scraps in a place where even cooking could spell disaster? Thatʼs no life for a civilization.”

Her eyes flicked to Venera, her expression daring him to counter her argument. She didnʼt doubt his intelligence, but she couldnʼt see how anyone—even someone as resourceful as him—could overcome the sheer hostility of Winter Valley.

”Donʼt worry,” Wyatt said, his tone steady but commanding. ”Iʼve already thought this through. If you trust me, gather your people at Winter Valley—all of them. And when I say all, I mean it. Anyone who doubts me or tries to play it safe will be dead to me and my people. They wonʼt be welcome in the frozen utopia, Frosell, that I plan to build in the winter for my people. Do you understand?”

Before Moon could process his words fully, Wyatt pressed on. ”As a show of good faith, Iʼll modify your raceʼs title demon core method—just enough for your elders, whoʼve been stuck at the chivalry and semi-noble class level, to finally break through to the noble class. With my modifications, they wonʼt have trouble reaching the rank of baron or viscount. But if they are hungry for more, tell them to gather their families and wait for me at Winter Valley. Can you handle that?”

”Yes, Master Crafter!” Moon yelled, her voice booming with determination. Her sudden outburst startled the Dwarves, who were in the middle of their guild entrance interview with FortuneEyes.

Dulas and Biore exchanged uneasy glances. The questions they were being asked were puzzling, to say the least. Theyʼd never joined a guild before, but they were fairly certain that these kinds of questions werenʼt standard procedure. FortuneEyes wasnʼt asking about their skills or experience; instead, she posed bizarre, almost nonsensical questions, most of which could be answered with a simple yes or no.

The simplicity of the questions left them baffled. Was this FortuneEyesʼ way of testing them? Or was she going easy on them because theyʼd been personally introduced by the guild leader, Venera? The latter seemed plausible, and for a moment, they allowed themselves to feel entitled.

After all, theyʼd been mistreated by their own family for so long that they didnʼt recognize the boundaries of real entitlement. If they had approached any other guild, their status as young and talented Chaos Dwarves would have been celebrated. Most guilds would have bent over backward to keep them happy, offering them every courtesy.

But here they felt entitled just to breeze through a interview test while the Frosling beside them declared her unshakable loyalty to a man who spoke of transforming a frozen wasteland into a haven for her people.

”Good,” Wyatt said with a satisfied nod. ”Then return home and start making preparations. Iʼll send the modified Frosell title demon core method within the next forty-eight hours. Until then, spend some time with your family and friends. Because after this, you wonʼt have much free time. Trust me, youʼll forget what time off and leisure even mean.”

He admired how decisively Moon had agreed to his terms without hesitation. That kind of resolve and conviction was exactly what he looked for in people who would work under him.

”Yes, Master Crafter! Iʼll be patiently waiting to hear from you at my house in forty-eight hours!” Moon responded with the enthusiasm of a cadet addressing their drill sergeant. Her voice was firm, yet a mix of fear and excitement flickered in her eyes. She was terrified that her race might squander this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but at the same time, she was thrilled by the prospect of Winter Valley becoming her peopleʼs new home.

Why had she bought in and agreed to Veneraʼs seemingly outlandish claims and outrageous demands so quickly? Because why not? Her race had lost their native realm, endured decades of inhumane experimentation, been discarded as lab waste, and suffered millennia of oppression under the Snow Elves. The only hope for breaking free of their oppressors was to modify their current title demon core method—an endeavor her entire race had pursued for over a century, without success.

And now here she was, being handed a modified Frosell title demon core method essentially for free. All Venera asked of her was to trust him and rally her people to the Winter Valley for a chance at a better life.

What moved her most about Veneraʼs proposal wasnʼt just his promise of a better future—it was the way he made it clear that those of her race who trusted him and gathered at Winter Valley would become his people. Moon had witnessed firsthand how Venera treated those he considered his own. Joining his group wasnʼt just about survival; it was an honor, a chance to be part of something greater. To Moon, that was worth more than the modified title demon core method he was offering to convince her people.