Date: Unspecified
Ti: Unspecified
Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Brothwork Manor
Demigod Von ignored Jill’s protest and stopped dwelling on whether the figure before him was truly Jill or the manifestation of her Carnivorous Womb inhabiting his dearest niece’s body. He resolved to visit his old friend later, to inform him and seek his counsel on the matter. Until then, he chose to treat her as his niece, unwilling to see that unsettling gaze directed at him again.
For now, however, he turned his attention back to his duty; his colleagues were already growing impatient.
"Young man, hand over the World Decree if you have no intention of signing it. It is not sothing you should possess. It will only bring you trouble—if not outright harm should you attempt to use it," Demigod Von said one final ti, extending his hand with a stern expression. It was clear he was prepared to resort to force if I continued to resist.
"Very well, I will," I said. "But before that, answer this—if I sign the World Decree, are you certain your Masters can bear the consequences?" I asked, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
"Are you saying you intend to sign it?" Demigod Von pressed, clearly amused by my words. "If so, then go ahead. The Masters have outlived countless so-called geniuses. You will be no exception."
"Yes, I do," I replied. I opened the scroll and, without bothering to read it, signed my na. I added calmly, "There. Don’t say I didn’t warn you."
"Wyatt!" Jill exclaid, trying to stop —but before she could react, I had already signed the scroll. It dissolved into the surroundings, and monts later, an aurora spread across the star-filled night sky.
Demigod Von was equally astonished. He had never believed I would sign the World Decree. Yet as the decree dispersed and the aurora blanketed the heavens, he found himself at a loss for words. He never expected to sign the World Decree. Now that I had, it was far too late for him to regret his words.
"Why did you sign that?" Jill demanded hysterically, grabbing my collar. Panic was etched across her face, her eyes glistening with tears.
"Relax," I said, pulling her into my embrace. "I just wanted to see what divine retribution looks like." As I spoke, I gently turned her head toward the sky. The aurora that had monts ago painted the black sky had vanished without a trace, leaving behind a starless night shrouded in dark, roiling clouds.
Watching the exchange between Jill and , Demigod Von finally accepted that it was truly his niece standing before him—and not the Carnivorous Womb. His gaze followed hers toward the sky to witness a sight even the Masters feared. The aurora had vanished, replaced by roiling dark clouds. It was the unmistakable sign of the World’s Will in fury. What followed was divine retribution.
"What did you do?" Demigod Von asked in dread, unable to tear his eyes away from the churning heavens as the thunder grew louder with each passing mont.
"What did I do?" I echoed, shrugging innocently. "I warned you before I signed the World Decree when you asked to."
The reason I signed the World Decree—declaring myself a slave of the Masters—was simple. I knew that even if I agreed to the contract inscribed in the World Degree, the Card Celestial would not. I was not rely one of its investnts; I was also a hybrid celestial. It might be willing to abandon an investnt, but it would never sacrifice a fellow celestial. Hybrid or not, it had already accepted —otherwise, it would never have entrusted with the Eye of Fortune, nor assisted in obtaining the Eye of Prosperity to recreate the Eye of Tao.
It was no different from a cat being indulged by its human owner with the finest cuts of at. The owner might spoil it endlessly—but the mont the cat dared to ask for human flesh, it would be put down without hesitation. The sa held true for the Masters, who had grown accustod to being indulged by the Card Celestial through their incessant World Decrees.
Unable to suppress my curiosity, I added, "Who inscribed that World Decree? Right now, I wouldn’t want to be in their place." I paused, genuinely wondering who the Card Celestial would punish, though I was almost ninety percent certain that it was the Masters. It would be shocking if a Master were to perish under divine retribution—and even more so if all of them did. "Was it all of the Masters... or just one of them?"
"It was the Masters," Demigod Von replied with a steady tone. "But don’t worry. This isn’t their first rodeo, and it won’t be the last." He spoke with confidence in their ability to withstand divine retribution.
After all, if they were unable to endure such punishnt, they would never have been able to push boundaries or explore the limits of what could—and should—be achieved through the World Decree. It was through this process that they deduced laws to wield the World Decree without provoking the World’s Will. Had they been deterred by divine intervention, they would never have risen to their current heights. They feared it, yes—but they never allowed that fear to halt their pursuit of power.
"How did you know the World’s Will would reject the World Decree?" Jill asked, staring deeply into my eyes.
"I didn’t actually know," I replied. "I just felt that if it were any parent, they would never agree to let one child enslave another—let alone assist in making it happen." I spoke in a deliberately profound tone, hoping she would get lost deciphering the taphor rather than pressing further.
I had no intention of explaining that I was part celestial, and that the Card Celestial would never consent to such an arrangent. Even if it sohow did, it would never enforce it—I was no longer dependent on it.
It was much like a parent who may dictate a child’s life while they still live under the sa roof, but loses that authority once the child starts earning and moves out on their own.
User Comments
0 comments from readers