Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2965: Common Sense

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City

“No!” Veerott roared, his voice bouncing off the walls of the flesh catacombs. He was sick and tired of this twisted game—tired of being forced to choose between his own kin and the friends he had once considered family. If they truly were his family, why weren’t they trying to help him? Why were they sabotaging him at every single turn?

“Aqualas, you take the high ground, I’ll take the low,” Seraphina commanded, completely ignoring his outburst as she plotted to ambush him and snatch the core. She firmly believed that neither the Southern Hope nor Petra would interfere, convinced this was strictly a test designed for Veerott.

But Aqualas didn’t move. She just stared at her two friends facing off against each other, then shifted her gaze to the Southern Hope, and finally to their gruesome surroundings. This entire reality felt alien to her—even the water rule power currently helping her maintain her physical form felt strange.

Fighting here would be entirely pointless. Even if they somehow won this scuffle, the Southern Hope could undo their victory with a snap of his fingers. He was simply too powerful, operating on a level far beyond their understanding, just like the Time Supreme, Space Supreme, or Soul Supreme.

There was no point in fighting entities capable of reshaping existence itself. In the face of such overwhelming power, knowing when to accept defeat wasn’t cowardice—it was common sense. A quiet resolve filled Aqualas’s eyes as she flatly rejected the order.

“No, Seraphina. Just stop it,” Aqualas said softly. “We lost. It’s time we accepted it.”

“Aqualas, I know you’re scared and feeling guilty, but this is not the time to give up. Trust me just this once. I need you,” Seraphina pleaded, her voice tight. Yet, her gaze remained glued to the core, terrified that Veerott would hide it or swap it out.

“No, I’m sorry, I can’t be of help to you anymore. But, I know I’m the reason we’re in this mess in the first place. I’m going to fix it,” Aqualas said, shaking her head, her next course of action already set in stone. She turned her back on Seraphina, looked directly at the Southern Hope, and declared, “I will swear loyalty to you, too. But on one condition—you have to let Seraphina go.”

“What?!” Seraphina’s eyes finally snapped away from the sub-reality core, staring at Aqualas in a mix of utter disbelief and mounting fury. “Aqualas, have you completely lost your mind? I don’t need you sacrificing yourself for me—”

Midway through her rant, Seraphina choked on her words. Her expression turned entirely grim. She slowly turned her head back toward the Southern Hope, staring at him with a volatile mixture of awe and sheer outrage.

“You… You were aiming for this all along,” she whispered, the realization hitting her like a physical blow. “That’s why you handed Veerott the core right in front of us. Is that even the real core of the sub-reality? I finally get it now. I finally understand why Lorn betrayed her own family, forsaken her duty to her bloodline, and swore loyalty to you!”

In response, I merely smirked. “Whatever do you mean? I thought you said this was all just an illusion.”

Seraphina glared at me, her eyes burning with resentment. Ignoring her completely, I turned to Aqualas and rejected her offer. “No. I promised Veerott that I would let you all leave this place unharmed, and I intend to keep my word—provided you swear not to pull another stunt like threatening to end all life by committing suicide over this.”

Hearing my terms, Veerott finally exhaled. His heart had leapt into his throat when Aqualas offered her loyalty in exchange for Seraphina’s freedom, and a wave of profound relief washed over him now that he knew I didn’t plan to keep them imprisoned and will uphold my promise to him earlier—so long as Aqualas swore not to kill herself.

“Thank you, then,” Aqualas said, speaking straight from her heart. “But I want to stay by Veerott’s side. Since he is following you, that means I’ll have to follow you, too, if I want to be with him. I hope you will grant this selfish request of mine.”

Now that the absolute futility of resisting the Southern Hope had fully sunk in, she stopped fighting the current entirely. She was even willing to join his ranks just to stay with her friend. That decision left Veerott visibly overjoyed and Seraphina utterly furious.

“Oh, no you don’t! You and your friend can rot in this sub-reality for the rest of your miserable lives!”

Before I could even give Aqualas an answer, Petra snapped, her voice exploding in pure rage. Not only did she flatly reject Aqualas’s request, but she also shot down the entire idea of letting her and Seraphina walk free under an oath. The sudden outburst terrified Veerott, who had just been celebrating the fact that everything was finally going his way.

Just as I opened my mouth to speak, Petra whipped around and snapped at me next. “Wyatt, I didn’t complain once, and I’ve gone along with absolutely everything you’ve done so far. But I will not let you off the hook for this. You’re not only letting her off without a punishment, but you’re actually considering taking her in? I don’t care what happens to the other one, but Aqualas is staying imprisoned right here. And that is final.”

“Master—” Veerott tried to speak up on behalf of Aqualas, but I raised a hand with a stern look, signaling him to shut his mouth immediately.

Then, looking directly into Petra’s furious eyes, I said with casual indifference, “I was actually considering taking Aqualas in and assigning her to you as your direct subordinate. But since you feel so strongly against letting her go… sure. Let’s do it your way. I don’t mind, it’s all the same to me either way.”