Location: Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City, Dungeon Highway, Blood Rock Dungeon Seal, Seed World
"Everyone, this is Ceed, Spirit of this Seed World," Dredre announced, introducing the younger pixie standing beside her.
Ceed looked just like Dredre, with pink wings, hair, and eyes. Unlike Dredre, however, whose emotions were always clear on her face, Ceed's expression was as impassive as ice. Yet, she appeared well-mannered and docile, listening and following every instruction Dredre gave her. This was quite different from her earlier, spoiled and bratty self.
After hours of dancing, Dredre and the others finally witnessed the birth of Ceed, the seed world's spirit, on the physical plane. There were many ways for a pixie to create a forest spirit, and Dredre had chosen to use her pixie dust along with the forest's vitality to impregnate the forest soul pathways with a spirit seed in the spiritual plane. This spirit seed, once matured, would blossom into a forest spirit in the physical plane -or, in this case, into the seed world's spirit, as Dredre's pixie dust made the seed world part of its domain.
This, at least, was what Dredre told everyone, as she believed it to be the truth. Wyatt, however, knew the full story: Ceed wasn't merely a forest spirit but a young celestial. He refrained from correcting Dredre, opting instead to use his Primordial Calamity Daughter Gem to subdue Ceed. As a variant celestial, he was much stronger than an unborn celestial still establishing its domain in the physical plane. Therefore, unlike with Dalie, Wyatt was able to completely subdue Ceed as one of his daughter gems. Though reluctant to grant Ceed partner-tier authority, he still arranged it ordering her to behave normally, but to refrain from bossing Dredre around, to avoid arousing her suspicions. Dredre, overjoyed with her successful creation of a forest spirit, was on cloud nine, celebrating Ceed's birth exuberantly with her friends, especially Cortney and Corey. She did not suspect a thing. Even though Ceed was oddly docile and well behaved.
Despite his success, Wyatt was troubled by one question: why hadn't his bloodline chosen Ceed as its inheritor? Even as a fledgling, Ceed was already far stronger than his other daughter gems, apart from those with Bloodkin Tier authority. This led Wyatt to dismiss strength as the key factor for selection by his bloodline.
Though he showed reluctance to make Ceed a partner-tier daughter gem, he hoped she would be chosen as Bloodkin-tier, which would make it easier for her to act convincingly and avoid raising Dredre's suspicions. Still, partner-tier authority seemed sufficient for now, as Ceed was performing well in her role. Ideally, Wyatt would have avoided this situation entirely. But by the time he realized that Dredre was creating a celestial rather than a forest spirit, it was too late. Asking her to stop would have been akin to asking a mother to abort her unborn child, so Wyatt chose to be the villain in Dredre's life. This was necessary; once the celestial was born, Dredre would lose what little control she had over it, and it would attract unwanted attention from the Card World, which could lead to catastrophic consequences.
"Happy birthday, Ceed, and congratulations, Dredre," Wyatt said, offering his gift to Dredre-the incense sticks he crafted from the outer bark of the World Calamity Tree. Fortunately, he had prepared the sticks before his World Calamity Tree form evolved into the Primordial World Calamity Tree. Otherwise, it would have not only risked exposing his secrets but also risked permanently addicting Dredre to its scent, as the aroma of the Primordial World Calamity Tree was far more potent than that of the World Calamity Tree.
"Wyatt, they smell just like you!" Dredre excitedly exclaimed upon sniffing his gift, prompting everyone to look at Wyatt with suspicion. Knowing Wyatt, they hesitated to jump to conclusions. But Corey, glancing at him with a mix of disgust and smugness, remarked, "Wyatt, I always knew you were a pervert, but this even surprises me. So, this explains your pixie form. How long have you been planning this?"
"Corey, watch your words!" Susan and the Field Marshal quickly defended Wyatt. Startled by their outburst, Corey retracted her comment, saying, "Alright, chill! I was just kidding."
Dredre, puzzled, asked, "What's wrong?" But Susan quickly responded, "Dredre, it's nothing. Could you bring more of those red fruits? I loved them,"
"Right away," Dredre agreed and rushed off to get Susan the fruits.
"Corey, what's your deal now?" Wyatt asked, finding it strange that Corey was targeting him, especially since things between him and Susan had hit a roadblock as she had hoped. Besides, Corey had said she would take her role as his slave seriously, like her parents had as the Southern Region's slaves.
"Nothing," Corey replied, feigning innocence. "Can't I joke around during my time off?" It was ironic, coming from the same girl who thought being rude and being straightforward were the same.
"Slaves don't get time off," Wyatt pointed out.
"Good. Then I'll tell Dredre I need to leave early because you want me to work during Ceed's birthday celebration," Corey countered.
"Are you blackmailing me?" Wyatt raised an eyebrow as he watched her push her boundaries.
"A slave wouldn't dare," Corey replied with exaggerated meekness, though her eyes betrayed her defiance.
"What about you?" Wyatt asked, testing her.
"Are you asking or telling me?"
"A slave wouldn't dare to do either."
"It seems you're itching for the whoop-ass of a lifetime." Wyatt reached for her wrist,
"Wyatt, don't you dare. I may have signed a slave agreement and lost a bet, but I still have basic human rights. Don't push it," Corey protested. Only she and Wyatt truly understood what "basic human rights" meant in the Card World, a shared understanding as reincarnators and transmigrators from Earth. Though she was often a handful, Wyatt kept her around for nostalgia.
"So you agree you're my slave?" Wyatt pressed.
Corey glared at him but, noticing Dredre returning with the fruits, made a face at
Wyatt sticking her tough out before rushing over to her side. "Dredre, let's dance. I'll outdo you this time!"
"Alright, let's see. Ceed, join us!"