Location: Myriad Realms, Lil Red Storm Realm, Ceed World, Trophy Section
"Continue to eat dust in here until you guys fix your nasty personalities," I barked at the ten Frosling corpse puppet spirit cards that hovered before me and turned to head toward Redfall and Agent Forger. But paused, seeing the cards following behind me. I couldn’t help but sneer as I turned around to face them and hear them out, but to my dismay they flew past me and headed towards the floating island Redfall was practicing on.
I stood erect, frozen at the spot. If not for the resources and effort I poured into their creation, I would have destroyed all ten of that ungrateful bunch. Yes, I was that mad at them. Also, I was intrigued by their actions. Were they just curious about their surroundings? Or were they up to something?
Forgetting my embarrassment, I watched as the cards floated towards Redfall in unison. Alerted by their arrival, the latter coldly opened his eyes and glanced at them, causing the cards to pause and change their direction simultaneously. Then they continued towards Agent Forger, who was further away.
I wondered, ’What happened? Were they spooked by Redfall opening his eyes suddenly? These jerks stood up to me but were scared by Redfall? He was a mere calamity daughter gem whom I had given the highest degree of freedom under a bloodkin. This is insulting.’
As the cards reached Agent Forger, I watched earnestly trying to figure out what these jerks were up to. Feeling their presence, Agent Forger too opened her eyes and curiously glanced at the cards. This time, however, the cards didn’t seem to be deterred by the latter. Instead, they continued to be near her. Then they began to circle her, similar to the time they circled me after I created them.
I felt a sense of betrayal. I thought that was something only I could enjoy, i.e. considering how they wouldn’t even spare Dalie a second of their time even though the latter had helped in their creation, let alone listen to her. Come to think of it, these jerks have been rebellious since the beginning. I just failed to see it because I was blinded by the fact that I created them. It seems I was no less naive towards my creation than Dredre.
I didn’t let my emotions get the best of me and patiently watched the cards in action. I wanted to figure out what they were doing and why they reacted differently toward Agent Forger and Redfall. Is it because they can tell Redfall was just a calamity daughter gem and Agent Forger was a bloodkin? Or was it because Redfall didn’t have his grimoire, and Agent Forger not only had her grimoire but was of the Card Demigod rank now.
"Master, they want me to choose one of them. What do I do?" Agent Forger suddenly said, turning towards me.
This was when it hit me — they were choosing their card apprentice. But with whose permission? I, their freaking creator, never said they could go find their card apprentice. They were freaking supposed to honestly eat dust in the trophy section, reflecting on their nasty personalities, as I punished them to. Not go find a card apprentice of their choice. This was simply maddening. Thɪs chapter is updatᴇd by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵※𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾※𝙣𝙚𝙩
However, I didn’t stop the cards from selecting Agent Forger as their card apprentice because she was soon returning to the Card world with me to work as a double agent in the organization secretly controlling the central government. She would be serving as my eyes and ears around the masters. It was a dangerous job. Having an unranked card in her deck would surely help ensure her safety.
How does one equip an unranked card in a Diamond grade grimoire? They don’t. It was impossible unless the said card had developed a spirit. The cards that awakened their spirit could place probations on themselves such that they could be equipped by a grimoire lower than their rank. Meaning these unranked Frosling corpse puppet spirit cards can be equipped in a bronze grimoire if they choose to. These cards were self aware and were constantly learning and developing, that was what made them great.
Back to the matter at hand, as soon as Agent Forger sought my input on this, four of the ten cards left the circle and moved away from Agent Forger. It didn’t take a genius to guess what this meant. These guys freaking withdrew their offer to Agent Forger because they didn’t like the fact that she sought my opinion.
"Just one of them? Why not two of them?" I asked, wondering if Louis could choose two cards. However, before she could even ask them, another three cards left the circle.
Fearing these jerks would collectively boycott Louis too, I hurriedly signalled her to choose one already. As she needed them to ensure her safety among the masters in case our plan for her to act double agent failed.
Getting my permission Louis immediately chose one of the three cards, Froseer, that still showed interest in her. Louis chose this card particularly because of its name Froseer. She liked how it was a clever word play on the words Frost and Seer, as in Frost Vision or something of sorts. It sounded much like her title, the right eye of the Card world’s will. It felt like destiny.
After Louis was done choosing the other two cards joined the remaining seven and together they flew to my side and began to circle around me. I could feel these ungrateful jerks asking me to find more card apprentice candidates for them. It was as if they had forgotten about my punishment all together. Shaking my head, I pointed at Redfall and asked, "What’s wrong with him? He is strong."
I meant it when I said Redfall was strong. Though he was still in chivalry-class, the runes that Redfall had reforged were just too powerful. Their rule meanings were not only sinister and shameful but very rare. I had come to understand why he was considered a menace in the five regions and conspired against.