Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date 22 Mar 2321

Time 17:05

Location Sky Blossom City, Fine Gold Sky Blossom Branch, Fine Gold Tower, Tower 1 Penthouse

"Did you post an assassination order on Dalton Wyatt in the neighbouring Sun blossom city?" Diana was intensely irritated and frustrated today and the reason was her beloved little sister's ignorant actions. 

"How did you know that! I paid them extra to keep my name out of it and to do it off the books. I guess crooks can't be trusted after all." Said Jaya ungraciously without knowing the consequences of her actions. 

"You little… Do you know the seriousness of this matter, did I not warn you about going against the circle's interest?" Diana was furious and her sister's offensively nonchalant response only fueled her anger. 

"What the Circle knows about it too? How could they? I used special channels to be deceitful." Confused Jaya asked agitatedly.

"You fool everything related to Sky blossom city be it legal or illegal requires the circle's nod before coming into action. Let alone an assassination order, the Sun Blossom assassination guild you contacted submitted for permission to the Circle and after that, you know." *sigh*… Diana let out a long, deep breath expressing her tiredness. 

"Wait! If the Circle knows then what about me, sister!" Jaya asked in nervousness.

"The Sun Blossom assassination guild compensated the Circle with 20 soul jades along with the head of the person who accepted the mission. So, what do you think will happen to you?" Seeing the fear on her sister's face Diana felt a little pleasure and amused. She wanted to create a state of extreme fear and distress in Jaya to satisfy her sadistic urge.

"Sister! I was wrong! I don't want to die. Please do something… after all, you are a member of the Circle" Feeling the threat to her life Jaya pleaded in great fear and nervousness.

Diana was a member of the Circle and the Scarlet Parade 18 years ago was her way in and the initiation. 

"I am just a pawn in the circle, dispensable just like anyone else. My reach is limited… sorry little sis... Nothing personal… you know... rules are rules…" Jaya being frightened and pleading for her life gave Diana a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction, feeding her sadistic pleasure Diana intimidated Jaya more.

Hearing her sister Jaya was at a complete loss and felt an absence of hope, seeing Jaya's expression Diana let out a vulgar satisfied laughter. 

Seeing her sister's uncontrolled and undisguised vulgar laughter Jaya was confused and was having difficulty discerning the situation. 

Cutting the suspense Diana said, "relax little sister! Hahaha, you should have seen your face. Even though I am just a pawn in the Circle I am still useful to them." 

"So?..." Jaya excitedly asked, waiting for her sister to say the five magic words which would sow hope in her despair filled life. 

"So… 'I Took Care of It', though it cost me 5 D-rank and 1 C-rank dungeons to exchange for your life. A small price to pay for you." Said Diana dotingly. 

"But still all this would not happen in the first place if not for that bastard Wyatt. 

If only he had listened to me, we would have landed the Jk grain and oil Ltd. account and instead of losing 6 dungeons, we would have snagged a huge fish." Said Jaya menacingly, completely forgetting the ordeal few minutes ago. 

"Forgot about it, I already knew we couldn't land the account the moment Elliott was elected as the Managing Director of the Jk grain and oil Ltd Sky Blossom branch. 

I still sent you to receive him because if you were able to get the account then good but if not then you would learn a valuable lesson. 

But who knew that it would end up costing me 6 dungeons." Diana shook her head thinking about how to make up for the losses. 

Coincidentally Jaya was also thinking the same and asked, "Sister, how do you plan to move forward even if we do not consider today's loss we still have all the money we borrowed for the Jk account." 

"Do not worry I have already made plans for it. what do you think about Debra?" 

"Debra? Apart from her awesome origin card, I think she is a very strong and capable card apprentice. We are lucky to hire someone with her calibre."

"Wow! Isn't it a rare sight to see you praise someone?" Diana was surprised, her arrogant sister just praised someone and she sounded genuine.

"You would too sister! You should have seen her today, she used her body as a shield to protect me, colour me impressed. She is an asset, compared to her our Fine gold guards of the same level are not that remarkable." 

"I don't blame you, I feel the same. Not just Debra even the card apprentices from those adventure guilds are better than our Fine gold guards even though we recruit the best and brightest of every generation. 

Our guards are like zoo animals, they just train indoors and go on escort missions but rarely participate in dungeon related missions. 

But the card apprentices from those adventure guilds are like wild beasts, they complete dungeon diving and exploration 4 times a month sometimes even 6 or 7 times along with other guild missions. 

After 5 years of such harsh work conditions, even a late bloomer like Debra is looking better than these so-called best and brightest we recruited not to mention the veterans in guilds with decades of experience." 

"Sister what are you getting at, both have their perks. The card apprentices from those adventure guilds are not suitable for escort missions. They are a bunch of hungry dogs who lack the discipline, manners and patience required for escort missions but our guards are praised for their grace and professionalism. Not to mention they are trained to be so." 

"You are right! But this grace and professionalism did not bring me where I am today. I need those wild beasts too." 

"Sister! Just get to the point." 

"Well, you asked what my next step is right? I am going to open an adventure guild in Sky Blossom city." 

"But I thought the Circle warned you from expanding your private forces in Sky Blossom City."

"That was 13 years ago before Fine Gold had spread to 12 cities and they had extorted 6 dungeons from me. And besides opening an adventure guild is just an honest business I have no intention to go against the circle." 

"If you say so, but building a guild and nurturing stronger members will take decades not to mention how expensive it will be." 

"Decades?... No, it will take a few months if everything goes according to my plan." 

"Are you planning on the acquisition of guilds and merging them with our guild later. Those guilds will see it from miles away, sister no offence but this plan is dumb." 

"I agree with you it is a dumb plan but thanks to Debra it's possible. Yesterday before assigning her as your exclusive bodyguard I had an interview with her, that stupid girl had more worthy info than I thought. 

According to her, the Raven Guild along with Sun Boars Guild and Tyrant Guild formed a temporary alliance to clear the B-rank Blue Blossom Lake field dungeon." 

Blue Blossom Lake is a huge attraction point for powerful adventurers and large guilds as the haul for this one dungeon could be considered more rewarding compared to other dungeons because of its special monsters which only appear seasonally. 

Blue Blossom Lake is a rather unique seasonal field dungeon, the monsters appearing in this dungeon vary according to the seasons. This dungeon is spread across an area of 47 kmsq and is rich in marine life.

The dungeon is heavily fished as the main monsters of this dungeon are rich in animal protein for the densely populated Sky blossom City. The master's here are mostly mutated versions of the various species of tuna, mackerel, croaker, anchovy, shrimp, and shellfish. 

But this dungeon is not to be underestimated as despite its appetizing monsters it is still a B-rank dungeon. This dungeon is ranked hell level difficultly among B-rank field dungeons because the dungeon is not on terrain but underwater. 

"So? Good for them even if they are not able to clear the dungeon they will still make a fortune. How does it profit us?" Jaya did not see where her sister saw an opportunity in this.

"Right Debra also thought the same and did not care when she revealed this info." Diana let out a smirk and explained.

B-rank Blue Blossom Lake field dungeon is a very hard dungeon so most of the capable adventurers and leaders of all the three guilds should be participating in this dungeon mission. Currently, the three guilds are at their most venerable state with most of their capable members out and a huge debt on their head as they must have taken huge loans for successful completion of this dungeon. 

These large guilds are profitable because of their harsh slavery equivalent contracts for their members and their frequent dungeon diving and exploration missions. 

But the frequent dungeon diving and exploration missions meant a large number of casualties with each mission which the large guilds swept under the rug with their large capital and resources. 

If someone were to leak all these to the media and relevant government departments right now when the guilds are at their weakest legally they can protect themselves because of their high paid law team but their shares will take a sharp dive.

"Using this to our advantage our guild will purchase most of all three guilds shares to gain control of them and merge with our guild."