Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2593: You Get Me The Best

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Brothwork Manor

”Are you sure you don’t want to come?” I asked Jill, using the moment to gauge how serious she was about our relationship. I knew she liked me, but how much? It was in moments like these that one truly measured a partner’s feelings.

”Wyatt, I know what you’re trying to do,” Jill said calmly. ”I love you, but I can’t be selfish because of that. I have responsibilities and duties as a daughter. My father has always been there for me, quietly fulfilling his role and his obligations as a father, and more than that. It would be irresponsible of me to do what you’re asking. If I went through with it despite understanding this, I would be ungrateful. Honestly, I’m a little disappointed that you would use my father to test my love for you.”

Her words laid bare my intentions, and explained her sense of duty as a daughter, expressing her disappointment in my actions.

”I had no intention of making you choose between me and your father. I was just—” I began, wanting to explain that my goal had never been to estrange her from him, but to separate her father from the Masters.

This misunderstanding between us stemmed from my belief that Demigod Norley’s love for his daughter ran so deep that he would fight the entire card world for her. Jill, however, didn’t want her father to wage war against the world on her behalf. She wanted him to be happy, doing what he loved, and always be in her life. She was willing to go to any lengths to ensure that.

Once I understood this, I was about to explain myself fully, but Jill cut me off. ”Wyatt, I know. Just go. I’ll be here, waiting for your return.”

I hesitated, wanting to explain again, but Jill reassured me that no explanation was necessary, silently mouthing, ”Trust me. I understand.”

That was when I truly realized it. This was Jill I was with, not Susan or Anna. She proved me right. She understood me and my greed—my greed for our future. That was why she didn’t need me to spell out what I was doing or why I was doing it.

The only miscalculation I made was failing to consider what Jill wanted as a daughter, not just as my lover. As a man, I had blindly assumed it was a father’s duty to sacrifice for his child. But as a daughter, Jill didn’t want her father to sacrifice himself for her. She simply wanted him by her side, always.

”You get me the best,” I murmured, pulling Jill into my embrace and kissing her forehead. When I was with her, I felt everything at once. It wasn’t chaotic, but perfectly measured, moving in a cadence that made me want to lose myself in it.

”I have to. Because you’re the one for me,” Jill replied softly, leaning in to seal her words with a kiss before I could say anything that might ruin the moment.

After the brief kiss, Jill reassured me, ”Don’t worry about my father’s past and his friendship with the Masters. As far as I know, he always treated it as a business transaction. He created cards and stuff for them, and they ensured his research and projects were well funded. It has been decades since my father last needed them. Now, all that remains is nostalgia. They’ve already begun sidelining him and eyeing his inheritance. His patience with them is wearing thin. I’m sure my father has his own plans for them. Once our relationship develops further, I’ll talk to him. Anything before that would be pointless.”

”Alright, we’ll do it that way. But what do you mean by ’once our relationship develops further’? We’ve already done the deed multiple times. How much further can it go? Don’t tell me you’re planning to tell him only after we have our first child?” I teased, unable to help myself. I was hopelessly addicted to her cute reactions.

To my surprise, Jill ignored my jab and fired one back instead. ”Our first child? How many children do you see us having? Pump your brakes, you despo.”

”Let’s raise an entire army,” I leaned in and whispered into her ear, ”one big enough to help us monopolize all the markets across the Myriad Realms.”

Her eyes widened at my words, and she gave me a playful punch. ”Slow your roll, buddy. When you say things like that, I start reconsidering this entire situation.”

”Situation?” I blurted out, genuinely offended that she’d reduced our relationship to a mere situation, only to hear her shoot back, ”Now who’s clingy and easy?”

”Didn’t I already tell you?” I replied without missing a beat. ”When it comes to you, I’ll always be the clingy and easy one in our so-called situation. Now do you believe me?” I asked, lacing my fingers with hers and holding her gaze.

”Woah, you’re really getting good at this,” Jill said playfully. ”Or is it that you’re only putting in the effort now that I outed you as the clingy and easy one between the two of us?”

As she spoke, she leaned in until her lips hovered just short of mine. Even without touching, I could feel them.

She was a temptress, no doubt about it. If I lingered any longer, she would occupy my thoughts for the entire night, becoming the only thing I could focus on. That wasn’t good, considering a manor full of clueless people was waiting for me to pass judgment on their fate.

”What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?” Jill asked when I didn’t respond.

In that moment, I finally understood why people said work and relationships didn’t mix. If this was what working alongside Jill was like, I’d never get anything done. Shaking my head, I said, ”I have work to do. Stay right there. I’ll be back, and we’ll continue where we left off.”

With that, I hurried into the Brothwork Manor, leaving Jill—who had thought she had me wrapped around her skirt—momentarily stunned. She called out, ”Wyatt—”

But I was already gone.