Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 3055: Asong’s Disagreement

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Five Regions, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City, TSR Tower, Guild Meeting Hall

“Really, Wyatt?” Asong asked, finally breaking her silence. “How are you any different from the rest of the rulers?”

She had heard enough. During her time in the Lil’ Red Storm Realm, she had caught a glimpse of what the future could look like under him.

But the more she thought about it, the more one question lingered in her mind. Would living in luxurious high-rise homes while being governed by an almighty existence like a Celestial truly change what had been happening throughout the Five Regions for generations? Or would it simply be the same hierarchy wrapped in a more appealing package?

Asong held no resentment toward Dalie. If anything, she admired her. Despite possessing the power of a Celestial, Dalie had willingly chosen to live among mortals, personally involving herself in their daily lives and caring for their well-being instead of remaining aloof.

In Asong’s lifetime, she had only met two Celestials. Yet the short time she had spent with Dalie had already earned the latter her genuine respect.

She wanted Dalie to succeed. But admiration alone wasn’t enough to make her devote herself to another dynasty whose entire existence was centered around a single ruler.

Looking beyond the prosperity, the opportunities, and the promises, Asong believed she finally understood what the New Empire truly was. It wasn’t built around its people. It was built around its ruler. Everything revolved around and for the man they reverently called the Southern Hope.

The vision he presented was inspiring. Almost intoxicating. But once the illusion faded, what remained, in Asong’s eyes, was simply another empire designed to strengthen the authority and ambitions of one extraordinary individual.

Asong realized then and there that she wanted no part of the New Empire.

She had even gone so far as to discuss it with Dalie, trying to persuade her to overthrow him and build the future he envisioned, not for one him, but for the people.

The conversation had gone nowhere. Dalie was too firmly convinced that Wyatt was her sibling to even entertain the idea. In the end, Asong was the one who gave up.

She had wanted to oppose everyone who stood in the way of the people’s freedom, the Southern Hope, the Masters, the Royal Families, anyone, but after witnessing that even a Celestial like Dalie willingly followed him, she couldn’t help but wonder, what if the Card Celestial favored him as well?

The more she analyzed the situation, the more hopeless it seemed. No matter how hard she wrecked the brain of hers, nothing appeared capable of changing the outcome. Eventually, she accepted reality and walked away.

Or so she thought. Now, however, after hearing Wyatt casually imply that the New Empire would function as a heavily monitored state, and watching him corner people into submission through calculated manipulation rather than outright force, the fire she thought had long since died suddenly reignited.

It was the same fire that had once driven her to stand against Karl and the Masters. She wasn’t afraid of being silenced. Nor was she afraid of being killed. Her best friend was standing right beside the Ruler of the New Empire.

She trusted that the bond she shared with Anna was stronger than any allegiance, no matter how powerful the man standing between them.

So, for the first time since arriving at the New Empire, Asong decided to challenge the man they all called the Southern Hope. Not somewhere far away, not in secret. But here, in the heart of his empire. Surrounded by the very people who had chosen to follow him.

“How am I any different?” I laughed, throwing my head back. The laughter echoed through the silent meeting hall. Then I lowered my head and met Asong’s gaze without flinching. “Because I don’t take, I give.”

“The innovations I’ve created and the opportunities I’ve provided speak for themselves. No ruler in the history of the Five Regions has empowered ordinary people the way I have—”

“Innovations and opportunities that you control,” Asong shot back, cutting me off before I could finish. “Innovations and opportunities you use to control people… and monitor them.”

Her voice rang through the hall, growing emotion by the second, “You happened to be born with blessings the rest of us could never dream of. And now you’re just another greedy little man who loves playing at being a ruler, when all you really are is a manipulator.”

The atmosphere in the meeting hall turned heavy.

“What good is innovation if it comes at the cost of our freedom?” she demanded. “What good are opportunities if accepting them means surrendering our right to choose?”

She stared straight into my eyes. There wasn’t the slightest hint of fear as she declared, “You may conquer the entire world. But you’ll never conquer me. Do you hear me, Wyatt? I’ll never bend my knee to you.”

Listening to Asong’s words, the entire meeting hall fell into stunned silence.

Many had expected the infamous former councilwoman of the Central Capital to challenge His Highness with reasoned arguments.

Instead, she had openly declared her defiance in the heart of the New Empire. Before anyone else could react, Aurelia shot out of her seat. She reached for Asong’s throat with unmistakable killing intent.

Just as her fingers came within a centimeter of Asong’s neck, an overwhelming pressure crashed down upon her, freezing her in place. At the same instant, Eight sword hilts materialized around her. Each was connected to a blade forged entirely from condensed Sword Energy, their razor-sharp tips aimed at non-vital points across her body in a precise sword formation. Clearly, the swords weren’t there to kill her. They were positioned to incapacitate her the instant she made another move.

Meanwhile, Agatha instinctively pulled Asong into her embrace, shielding her. The moment she sensed Anna had already intervened, however, she stopped moving and remained where she was.

Aurelia’s eyes flicked toward Laura, then to Anna behind her, and then back to Laura, before she loudly snarled, “I don’t care how much His Highness likes you or how far back the two of you go. I’ll rip out the tongue of anyone who slanders him.”

Her glare at Laura intensified with undisguised hostility, as she cussed, “Bitch, take your swords back before I shove every last one of them where the sun doesn’t shine.”