Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date- 4 April 2321

Time- 05:45

Location- Southern Region, Blossom District, Unknown Location

"Yes, I do. But now is not the time to discuss that. Because if you need all this to remain between us, I need to contact my man and tell him to abort the emergency protocol I have in store," I said while using my eyes to point at the entire dungeon we were in.

The reason Jill's web missed my second text was that it was through my Hive AI. Because the distance between me and my nearest calamity daughter gem was very large all I could transmit was an SOS signal attached with coordinates of my location.

"Emergency protocol?" Jill asked raising her eyebrow.

"Contacting the Southern emperor," I answered. I was not kidding my emergency protocol was indeed Anna because she was the only person that I trust with the ability and capital to save me from various dangerous scenarios.

Yes, I remember what I said about Anna's interest in me earlier. Well, all I have to say in my defense was that I am no genius me it comes to women if anything I am a coward and indecisive. I am surrounded by women who were putting their feelings for me out despite my repeated rejection. Compared to them, I was a coward.

Ever since I have come into the world, it has been an emotional roller coaster. I who had to give up on friendship and love to correct my mistake am once again starting to make friends and am a bit lacking in the section of love. Everything was going so well, I felt alive again, I am still far from the chill life I envisioned for myself but things were good I don't want to put stress on it by putting labels. What was I if not a coward for not growing emotionally? I guess multiple near-death experiences in a night do force you to clean the emotional laundry piling up. I swear if I make it out of here, I will not limit my emotions from growing.

"So, you are telling me that if I let you contact your men right now, soon the southern emperor will be knocking at my doorsteps? How do I even know you managed to sneak a text past my web? Explaining the creation of a network of artificial wills in layman's terms doesn't prove your clones," Jill despite being certain that there was nearly 90 percent chance that what the boy was saying was true, choose not to believe the boy because if she believed him then the Web which was one of her most praised achievement would… would– Jill was so disturbed that she could not bring herself to think those word.

"Jill, don't let your pride be the end of your work here," I reminded Jill.

"You are right what I am doing here can never be revealed to another soul otherwise it will be the end of humanity as we know it. So even if you are lying, I have no choice but to trust your words. Let's go," Jill who had just returned to her base carried me and hurried out of the dungeon. She decided to do the right thing once she found the ultimate reason as an explanation, the importance of her work down here.

"Wow, hold up, I never agreed to anything," I yelled jolting Jill back to reality.

"What do you mean?" Jill asked as her eyebrows connected with her frown deepening.

"I mean, give me a reason why I should stop my subordinate from not contacting Anna to rescue me," Whatever Jill was doing down here seemed to be very important, and I wanted a piece of it. And the only way to achieve that was by revealing my cards to her which would help me persuade her into giving me what I wanted.

"I see," Jill's expression suddenly turned indifferent, and then she asked, "Is this the negotiation you spoke of?"

"Yes, you see earlier I was not what you had down here worth me risking my life but visiting your base I got an idea that I am going to love whatever you got cooking down here," I answered trying to withhold my victory smile and look indifferent like Jill.

"How about this, I won't kill you if you call off your men?" Jill's expression remained indifferent but her eyes showed the resolve that she would not hesitate to cross her moral lines to get me to call off my men.

"Before you go threatening me with torture and death, why don't you listen to what I want?" I hurriedly said because I felt that desperate Jill may try something on me which would lead to revealing the secret of my Calamity Soul gem.

"You have a minute before I start the procedure to take hold of your soul to call off your men from reaching out to the southern emperor for your rescue," Jill gave me an ultimatum. I really need to figure out how she could say such frightening words with an indifferent face and voice. I don't know if Jill had the means to achieve what she just claimed but thankfully my plan did not involve making Jill that desperate.

"I want to know what you are doing down here—" As said this I saw Jill activate her grimoire knowing that if I was not clear with my motives Jill might really try what she claimed I hurriedly said, "I am willing to take an oath in presence of the world's will and all the rules promising that I will not reveal what I learned down her to another soul or practice the things I learn her without your permission."

"..." Hearing that I am willing to take an oath the resolve in Jill's eyes became dimmer finding another way to permanently close my mouth, mind, and hands about whatever I learn down here.

"Jill, all I am asking you is to help me understand what you are doing down here that's worth taking my life or in your case an innocent life," Seeing the resolve in Jill's eyes get dimmer I decided to reason with Jill instead of stating my terms for negotiation.