Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date- 18 April 2321

Time- 09:49

Location- Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City

"Boss, why are you fighting this? " Diana asked Wyatt in worry. Even the royalty was intervening in this matter, she felt something important was going on behind the scenes, which she wasn't eligible to know. But her cult loyalty and reverence in the Southern royal family told her that her beloved boss should just follow their arrangement and shouldn't fight it. However, if her boss needed her, she was willing to help him at the risk of her life.

That was because Diana felt her boss was a genuinely good person who was willing to give everyone a second chance. He gave someone as sinful as her a second chance. Her boss, Dalton Wyatt, was the only human on the card world fit to bear the title 'Hope of the Southern region.' He deserved all her devotion and respect because he had earned it.

"..." Wyatt sighed, listening to Diana. He might have gained their trust and faith, but it was still not enough to erase the decades of brainwashing the Southern royal family had put the Southerners through with patriotism and whatnot. For the Southerners, the royal family was not just their ruler, but it was also their spiritual leader, a symbol of faith. They were taught to cultivate faith and reverence toward the royal family when they were young.

Currently, in his group of friends and staff, except for his Calamity Daughter Gems, everyone held such emotions towards the Southern Royal family. For Wyatt, they would be willing to go against the Southern royal family, but it would depend on the circumstances. They would require a strong reason to help him fight the Southern royal family. Otherwise, they would prefer if Wyatt and the Southern royal family worked out their differences.

"Boss looks like the traffic will not clear anytime soon," Cindy said from the front passenger seat, looking at the haphazard mob waiting for the arrival of the 'Hope of the Southern region.'

"We can walk, the orphanage's western entrance is not far from here," Cortney suggested.  Listening to her, Wyatt nodded, and asked Diana, "How is the security of the orphanage? Is its parameter breached?"

"I just received an update from Agent Debra Khan, with the help of the Bright Lions she managed to stop the crowd from entering the orphanage compound," Diana informed Wyatt, based on the latest information she got from within the orphanage.

"Good, order the Bright Lions to stop managing the crowd and focus on the orphanage security. Now the crowd is the cops' headache. We are walking to the orphanage," Wyatt instructed Diana. Then, turning to Cortney he said, "You are not allowed to reveal my identity until I make sure the surroundings are safe. I have made a lot of enemies and I don't want the orphanage and its kids paying the price for me. Not even your orphanage headmaster. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Cortney affirmed aloud, nodding vigorously. She did not care as long as Wyatt fulfilled his promise.

"Boss, what about the staff with a high contribution to our organization? Should I invite them to join us for breakfast" Cindy asked Wyatt, seeing him nod, she cheered.

"Okay, then. Lead the way," Wyatt in his morphed middle-aged businessman form said to Cortney, after getting out of the car.

As everyone followed Cortney to the orphanage's western entrance, they did not attract much attention. Since except for Wyatt none of them were that popular, and they made a point to cover their faces with sunglasses and hats. Not to mention the crowd was not so keen on observing a few businessmen and women walking the street because of the traffic jam.

Wyatt could have used his agility and flight to just rush into the orphanage, but he moved in the crowd and used his soul pupils to scan the crowd for any abnormality. Especially to check if there were any hypnotized puppets of Gideon Grim among the crowd. Just then he heard the Field Marshal's voice in his mind, 'Why do you keep doing this to me?'

'What did I do to you, Your Majesty? Your Highness was the one who shamelessly used her status to force my staff against me,' Wyatt said reminding the Field Marshal of the text she sent to Diana. He did not bother to mention how she used the cops.

'I was just using every means at my disposal to complete my mission,' the Field Marshal responded, saying she did what she had to do for the mission. She knew if she did not use extreme measures, Diana would not go against Wyatt's orders and directly snitch about her to him. She had first-hand experience of how much everyone in the SUV trusted and respected Wyatt. So, she did what she had to.

Then, the Field Marshal continued, 'Before, I met you my record was seamless. I had managed to complete every mission I was given successfully. But since I was assigned to you, my failure streak began. Do you have any idea how much control, patience, and work goes into achieving a few centuries long seamless mission record? Now it is all ruined because you are not willing to listen to your elders and want to do everything your way—'

'Your Highness, you and I know, you do not care about your mission records. You might have cared about it when you were young but not now. So, please spare me the emotional manipulation. I am not going to address the crowd as the 'Hope of the Southern region.' You can forget about it,' Wyatt interrupted the Field Marshal in the middle of her heart-to-

heart and asked her to cut the bullshit.

'Well, I tried,' the Field Marshal said as if she gave up, but Wyatt knew she was far from done and only said it to get his guard down. Which was good, as he planned to use that spirit of hers to bait her into his trap, 'Your Highness, there is a way for you to not only get me to embrace the title 'Hope of the Southern region' but also agree to become your family. I don't know if you are willing to give it a try.'

...

[AN: Check out Reader's Quest Board in the Author's Thoughts section for mass release.]