Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 2569: Got You!

Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Jillians’ Pub

"Babe, since when did you have an asshole for an uncle?" I asked Jill, sipping the scotch she fed me with effortless grace. "His grin makes me want to punch him. No wonder you and your father never mention him."

I spoke loudly on purpose, fully intending to provoke Sean. It wasn’t like he’d done anything that justified me killing him—not yet, anyway. He was a jerk, but still Jill’s uncle, Demigod Norley’s brother. What puzzled me was how someone barely a century old and carrying the Brothwork surname was related to Demigod at all.

"You son of a bitch!" Sean roared as he lunged at me with everything he had, hoping to reach me before I could deploy my Limitless barrier. Unfortunately for him, my thoughts moved far faster than he ever could. A massive wall-shaped Limitless barrier materialized instantly, cutting him off.

He slammed into it, unable to cross the endless stretch of space it contained. Realizing he would never reach the far side, he tried to pull back and switch tactics. But when he stopped, he didn’t bounce off the barrier as his attacks had before. Instead, the limitless barrier folded around him, sealing him inside a sphere of limitless space. I called it Limitless Prison.

Inside the Limitless Prison, Sean thrashed with everything he had, unleashing every technique in his arsenal without restraint. Unfortunately for him, he clearly lacked any understanding of space rules. Without that foundation, he had no chance of unraveling the mechanics behind the Limitless barrier—much less escaping it. Every second he struggled only widened the gap between him and any hope of freedom.

When he finally realized his efforts were useless, he stopped and began screaming—though nothing he shouted crossed the infinite gulf isolating him from the outside world. Whether he was threatening me or begging for release, no one could tell. So, we simply ignored him.

"So, what’s his story? And what exactly is going on? Who has the guts to forcefully invite the great Jill Norley to their dinner party?" I asked casually now that the nuisance was contained.

"Before that, tell me why you’re here. What do you want?" Jill countered instead of answering. She assumed—as usual—that I only came to her when I needed something from her.

"It pains me that you think so little of me," I said with feigned disappointment, masking the fact that she was absolutely right. She knew it; I knew it. But she didn’t need to call me out so directly.

"I asked you first. So you go first," I quipped, tilting my chin toward the scotch glass in her hand, signalling her to feed me.

My lips parted as she brought the bottomless scotch to them with deceptive gentleness—only for her to suddenly try and shove the glass into my mouth. Since it had no bottom, she was basically trying to drown me in booze.

Cough! Cough!

"Woman, have you lost your damn mind? How dare you attempt to murder your benefactor?" I sputtered, stumbling back and releasing her. I knew I should’ve stopped teasing while I was ahead, but her reaction was way over the top.

"Benefactor? Why don’t you just call yourself a great and noble prince?" Jill shot back before ramming the glass against my mouth again—this time hitting my teeth and forcing the scotch into my nose, over my lips, and down my chin and neck. "Go find your damsel at the bottom of this glass!"

I caught her wrists and spun her around, pulling her flush against me. My arms wrapped around her as I settled my chin on the curve of her nape, cheek brushing against her ear. Inhaling her scent, I guided her hands down to her waist still captured in mine as I murmured, "I truly pity the unfortunate soul who ends up marrying you."

"Wow, I haven’t seen anyone ignorant enough to pity themselves," Jill said, making it perfectly clear she meant I would be the one marrying her.

"And what makes you think I’d marry a wild girl like you?" I murmured, rubbing my nose against her cheek as she twisted in my hold, trying to free her arms.

"If you’re not going to take responsibility, then behave yourself!" Jill shouted, mortified as she noticed her new group of friends openly watching—and recording—us. I ignored them and quietly instructed Hive AI to wipe their footage, hacking into their grimoires without a sound.

"Why should I buy the book," I teased, brushing my face through her hair before nestling into the curve of her neck, "when I’ve already read it cover to cover without missing a single detail? Not to mention I can reread it anytime I feel like it. Do you follow?"

"Let go of me, you vulgar bastard!" Jill snapped. She struggled harder, more frantic this time. She knew I was messing with her, but the words hit differently. It might have been a joke to me, but to her it sounded like I was casually stating something painfully obvious.

"Fuck!" I cursed—not because of anything Jill did, but because Hive AI informed me that some of Jill’s friends weren’t just recording us... they were live-streaming us.

I was screwed. They had broadcasted us across the five regions without our permission. Who even does that? Apparently, even card apprentices would sell their souls for views.

Hearing my outburst, Jill finally stopped struggling. "Well, now the whole world thinks I’m yours and you’re mine," she said smugly. "Let’s see how you dodge responsibility now, you bastard."

My eyes widened. I had no idea when she planned this—if she even had planned it. I didn’t have time to figure it out before she revealed everything herself.

"I know you’re here for the pleasure-card venture I started. I launched it despite knowing it was your next big project just to piss you off—"

Before she could deliver the punchline, I cut in, "So you did all this just to catch me off guard and legitimize our short but illicit relationship by exposing it to the world—"

"And for the money, of course," Jill added, snuggling into my embrace as if she hadn’t been trying to drown me in scotch moments ago. "I told you I’d get you."

"Yes, you did," I said, shaking my head and releasing her.

Jill turned around, placed her hands on my chest, and leaned in. She brushed a quick kiss against my nose before smiling up at me.

"This should teach you to never underestimate me."