Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2493: The Founder’s Direct Descendant’s Disciple

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Morningstar University Campus, Garden of Beginning

Before Lucine could reply to her filial disciple, Ahalya noticed the oddness in the atmosphere as her eyes glanced over their Dean and ‌six of the most reputed card demigod academicians of their university. They were quick to erase their tear stains, but the sadness and sorrow were obvious in their eyes.

How could they not be? They were sending their memory-challenged ex-dean back into the temporal currents of the Card World knowing what it did to her the first time. They knew the odds of the 3rd returning were very low. Still, they had to do this. If they don’t manage to save the boy, they— Morningstar University, would go down pages of‌ history as the sinner of the Card World.

”What’s going on?” Ahalya ‌skeptically asked, knowing that it had been long since her master had stopped waiting for her return in the ’garden of beginning’ when she entered the time vestige. Clearly, something was off.

”Master, what’s going on?” Ahalya repeated herself, feeling a sense of foreboding.

”Nothing. You head to your lab and record your findings in our university archives. I will join you soon,” Lucine didn’t answer Ahalya. Instead, ordered her to leave, signaling Ahalya’s exploration team to take her away.

”Leader, let’s go. The sooner we get our findings verified, the sooner we can publish them to attract generous fundings,” a perky woman from Ahalya’s team said, pulling her toward the exit of the ’garden of beginning,’ knowing her assignment.

Ahalya shook her teammate’s grasp off and grabbed her master’s wrist. Taking her hand in hers, she glanced into her master’s eyes as she enquired with ‌a low, but clear voice, ”Are you planning to enter the temporal currents again?”

Lucine’s brows widened before she shook her head and replied, ”You have always been very perceptive as a child. I could never hide anything from you.”

Lucine spoke from experience. After accepting Ahalya as her disciple, she soon learned that her discipline could read her like a open book, she couldn’t hide anything from her. For example, Ahalya stopped bringing up or speaking of any topic related to her birth mother, having sensed that Lucine didn’t like it. She knew her master didn’t just see her as a disciple, but as her child too.

”Yes, I am entering the temporal currents, and it is not up for debate. Just go and record your findings in the archive, I will be right back,” Lucine sternly ordered Ahalya, but her eyes were pleading with the latter not to argue and just let her do this.

”Why?” Ahalya asked her master, unable to think of what could be possibly so important that their Dean would approve her master re-entering the temporal currents knowing the risk and odds.

”That’s top secret. And I have declared the ’garden of beginning’ under regulated zones. Only staff and students with my permission can be here. So, you lot, clear the ’garden of beginning’ or face disciplinary actions,” Dean Faust spoke up before Lucine could, knowing the 3rd couldn’t lie to her disciple. She doted on her way too much unless it came to the latter’s birth mother. He then signaled the other six demigods to take control of the situation.

”Fine. I’m going with my master then,” Ahalya declared. Not bothered by Dean Faust’s warning, meanwhile, her teammates were already leaving the garden. After all, their mentor wasn’t the freaking direct descendant of the founder of Morningstar University. In a sense, Ahalya was the princess of Morningstar University. Hence, all her monikers had the word princess in them.

”No, you are not,” Lucine exclaimed in panic, recalling the dread of being stuck in the tug of war between the spatial and temporal forces. If not for her adequate mastery of space and time rules, she would have been reduced to nothingness the first time she recklessly entered the temporal currents of the card world.

Seeing her like this, Dean Faust and the other six demigods knew instantly that Lucine wouldn’t control her disciple. If things continued as they were they might not only risk losing the 3rd, but her disciple to the temporal currents of the Card World. They had to act now before Ahayla managed to convince Lucine to let her tag along.

”Why? Do you want to finish what you couldn’t back then?” One of the six demigods maliciously blamed Ahalya for conspiring to kill Lucine using the temporal currents digging into the unfortunate past in the history of Morningstar University.

”No! I would never,” Ahalya defended in horror. All the memories she had suppressed in the back of her mind suddenly flooded her mind. Still, she maintained a strong front and argued, ”My taintless trait makes me better suited for entering the temporal currents. If you are worried about my intentions, I will go in alone and complete whatever mission it is that you wanted my master to do.”

Listening to Ahalya not only use his words against him but bend the situation to her desire, the demigod was left speechless. The other demigods blamed him for not thinking twice before acting. One of them hurriedly countered and rejected Ahalya’s proposal, ”No, that won’t do. You don’t have the required realm and enough mastery of space and time rules to undertake this mission. Don’t argue and leave before we are forced to take disciplinary action against you.”

The demigod spoke facts. Ahalya was a mere card king, and her mastery of space and time rule hadn’t even reached the bifurcation point, her achievements so far in the space and time rules were only thanks to her taintless trait. Otherwise, it was very hard for lower-realm card apprentices to start the comprehension of space and time rules.

Still, Ahalya didn’t accept defeat. Just as she was about to continue to argue, Lucine ordered aloud, ”Stop it, Ahalya. I know you want to help, but all you are doing is making my condition worse as I take on a very difficult mission. Though I can’t go into the details, the entire world’s future hangs in the balance of this mission’s success. Stop being a nuisance and just return to your dormitory right now.”

Lucine was not only harsh with her words but also signaled one of the Demigod staff to drag Ahalya away and put her under house arrest until she returns, or until her soul candle in the University’s altar dies. Lucine doted on her disciple and knew the latter meant well, but there was a time and place for that, and this wasn’t it. So, she steeled her heart and did what needed to be done.