Date: Unspecified
Ti: Unspecified
Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City, Headquarters
Having dealt with the Emissary, I set out to check on the progress of my various projects. However, the Field Marshal and Henricks rushed over and reported, "Your Highness, the new Southern Heir, Seraphina Heatsend, is on the move."
I nodded, understanding that it had begun. I hadn’t expected my first official battle to be against the Southern Royal Family, I had thought it would be against the Emissary of Light and the Empire. But the three mischief underestimated —and paid for it.
"Did you get any information on where she was planning to begin?" I asked, knowing that among my newly conquered territories, seven districts ford the border between the Southern Region and my New Empire. No matter how large their army was, she was still only one. Just as with the three mischiefs, I planned to take the battle directly to the new Southern Heir.
"Yes, the first-rate city, Star Mist in the Mist District. It is known as the accessory card hub, filled with Card Creators who call themselves Card Artisans. They chose to side with us because they don’t want to pay the high tax rates on accessory cards to the Southern Royal family, especially since those cards fetch exorbitant prices regardless of rank, even outside auctions.
"They are not only hoping for lower taxes under us, but also wish to collaborate with you to secure the copyrights to designs of exotic jewellery and accessories used by natives of the VR universe. That is also why Seraphina is targeting them personally," the Field Marshal reported, explaining why Star Mist City chose to side with and had beco the Southern Heir’s first and foremost target.
"Yes, I’ve heard about them. From what I gather, they’re trying to form a separate organization of Card Artisans, independent of the Card Creators’ Association. I believe they have plans that go beyond reduced taxes and collection of exotic designs."
After my match with Chris Chase at the Southern Capital, I was invited to attend a three-week card artisan workshop in Star Mist City. I lost interest the mont I learned what a Card Artisan actually was. So of them were genuine and knew their craft, but the rest were little more than charlatans, fleecing people in the na of artistic value. At first, I assud people bought those things for money laundering and tax evasion, but after learning about the Southern Royal Family’s steep taxes on jewellery and accessory cards, I realized so people simply didn’t mind being parted from their wealth.
"How certain are you about this information?" Karl asked the Field Marshal as he arrived with Sansa, Catherine, and Redfall. I planned to directly face Seraphina Heatsend along with them. "Don’t get wrong, I’ve read the Masters’ dossier on Seraphina Heatsend. She’s a warmonger—her reputation forged on the battlefield against supre beings and monsters. Soone like that wouldn’t simply reveal her location and plans so openly even to her close confidants. I believe she wants us focused on the Mist District while she strikes a city in one of the other six."
"Well, I don’t think she would resort to such a tactic. We have teleportation hubs across all our conquered cities, and not to ntion Henricks is on our side—"
"She could take out the teleportation hubs. And as for Henricks, he can only teleport a handful of people at a ti—unless that’s exactly what she wants. She could be baiting us into rushing to reinforce another city using Henricks, only to walk straight into her trap."
Karl countered the Field Marshal’s argunt, drawing on what he had learned about Seraphina Heatsend from the dossiers. However, the Field Marshal didn’t agree.
"You’re overthinking it. I know my aunt better than you," She said. "She’ll try to assert her dominance by defeating Wyatt head-on. With Anna handing her the position of Southern Heir right after freeing her, that chip on her shoulder has only grown bigger. She doesn’t just want to win—she wants to win in a way no one can question it."
"Well, it was you who imprisoned her, right? How strong can she really be?"
"Her Origin Card is peculiar, and combined with an unparalleled bloodline, she may now be stronger than Peyote in terms of raw strength. But, in terms of realm, she likely hasn’t broken through the limits of the card world yet—otherwise, she would have escaped prison without Anna’s help."
"Stronger than ? Little girl, there’s a limit to exaggeration."
"You will see."
At the Field Marshal’s words, the cloud turtle—seemingly asleep among the drifting clouds above—murmured softly, just enough for the few of us to hear, unconvinced that anyone in this backwater realm could truly be stronger than it. The Field Marshal didn’t bother arguing with it, knowing that the truth would beco apparent soon enough.
With that, everyone turned to , waiting for my decision. I didn’t know if Seraphina Heatsend was as strong as the Field Marshal claid, but I believed she was right about her targeting Star Mist City.
Among the seven districts that ford the border between the Southern Region and my New Empire, the Mist District stood above the rest in both economic strength and manpower. It had nearly twice the number of second-rate cities and the highest concentration of first-rate cities compared to the other six districts.
If she took down the Mist District first, it would imdiately shake the others. They would begin to consider surrender. It would give Seraphina the montum she needed—once a few districts fell, the rest would follow, yielding out of fear.
So, I chose to go with the Field Marshal and gave my orders. "Henricks, Sansa, Redfall, Karl—prepare to move out to Star Mist City with . The rest of you, return to your posts."
"My Lord, should I stay back as well?"
"Yes, especially you, Peyote. Because if Karl is right, Seraphina’s true target won’t be a city in the other six districts—it will be Sky Blossom City."
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