Chapter 3044: The Weekly Report
Chapter 3044: The Weekly Report
Date: Unspecified
Time: Unspecified
Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Five Regions, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City
"The Dark Realm," Henricks answered. "His Highness is trying to establish a foothold there with Corey’s help... and those devils. I don’t know the full picture. There’s a lot happening behind the scenes."
He shrugged before adding, "You should ask your daughter. Those girls know far more than we do. From what I’ve been hearing, they’re probably stronger than us now, thanks to their Card Spirits."
The girls he was referring to were Aurelia, Jaya, and Corey, and the devils were Peyote and Veerott.
The reason he wasn’t going into detail and lying through his teeth about not knowing enough was because the Information regarding their actions toward the Dark Realm and the devils was being tightly regulated throughout the New Empire.
The last thing they wanted was for the Masters or the Royal Families to learn about it. That would simply hand their enemies another excuse to paint the New Empire as demon or devil worshippers.
"Didn’t you receive a Card Spirit as well?" Field Marshal Lorn asked. She had assumed Henricks was among the fortunate few chosen by a Card Spirit, just as she had been. Seeing him sound envious of the younger generation didn’t suit him.
"What Card Spirits?" Tess blurted out in shock. To her, Card Spirits belonged to myths and ancient legends.
As a Demigod, she could pour her Soul Energy into her cards to create temporary artificial spirits that functioned much like clones. But a genuine Card Spirit, that was an entirely different existence.
"Seriously? You don’t talk to your daughter at all?" Field Marshal Lorn asked, genuine concern creeping into her voice. "I always thought it was an act to protect her from the noble factions in the Southern Capital."
"She is willful, stubborn, and has strong ideals," Tess replied, as though that alone explained everything.
In truth, the Field Marshal was partially right. To keep her children away from the political struggles of the Southern Capital, Tess had deliberately distanced herself from them while they were growing up. Despite that, she had managed to maintain a healthy, even affectionate, relationship with her other children. Only her relationship with Aurelia had gradually worsened.
Tess liked to believe that Aurelia’s incomplete bloodline, rumors surrounding it, and the Border City’s reaction to it had played the biggest role in driving a wedge between them. Deep down, however, she knew she could have handled things differently. Silence had been the safer choice politically. It hadn’t been the wiser choice as a mother.
Henricks and Field Marshal Lorn exchanged a glance before quietly dropping the subject. Neither of them wanted to intrude on someone else’s family matters. Neither of them was in any position to offer advice.
Henricks had been an orphan raised as an avant-garde spy, only to eventually kill the very master who had trained him and rebel against the organisation that raised him.
As for Field Marshal Lorn, most of her family remained under house arrest by the Southern Royal Family.
Compared to those histories, Tess’s fractured relationship with Aurelia was simply another reminder that even the strongest people often carried wounds that had nothing to do with battle.
"Did you not read the new Merits and Rewards Memo?" Henricks asked, steering the conversation away from Tess’s relationship with her daughter. "Card Spirits have been added to the list of rewards that can be redeemed with enough merits."
"I didn’t," Tess admitted with a weary sigh. "We’ve barely had time to breathe while reassigning the surrendered soldiers and settling their families. The past few days have been nothing but chaos."
She forced a self-deprecating smile, pitifully adding, "I finally managed to steal a little free time. I thought I’d come here, get a few words of praise from our handsome young ruler, and recharge a little."
She glanced in the direction their ruler had disappeared. After a brief pause, she added, "Seems that wasn’t meant to be. I can only blame myself for being incapable of helping His Highness beyond the Card World... in the Dark Realm."
Choosing her words carefully, she asked, "By the way, why are we trying to establish a foothold in the Dark Realm? And how are we even doing it?"
Henricks and Field Marshal Lorn exchanged a brief glance. Neither of them questioned Tess’s loyalty. They understood exactly why she was asking. She wasn’t prying, she simply felt left behind.
Apart from the New Empire itself, she was one of the newest additions to His Highness’s inner circle. And with so much information being compartmentalized and kept under strict secrecy, it was only natural for her to feel insecure about her place among his trusted subordinates.
After all, everyone wanted to believe they were indispensable to the ruler they had chosen to follow.
"You still have to ask that after visiting the Lil’ Red Storm Realm?" Henricks replied with a question of his own, unwilling to be the one to violate protocol.
He sympathized with Tess.
But both he and the Freedom Fighters were already walking a fine line. The organization had earned a less-than-stellar reputation within the New Empire, and the last thing he wanted was to test His Highness’s trust by disclosing information that wasn’t his to share.
"I mean no disrespect to Her Highness Dalie," Tess quickly clarified, "but the Lil’ Red Storm Realm is still a lifeless realm. It simply can’t compare to the Dark Realm. Establishing ourselves there is one thing, but establishing a foothold in the Dark Realm..."
She paused, collecting her thoughts before choosing her words more carefully. "Is it truly necessary, considering our campaign in the Card World?"
"Don’t overthink it," Field Marshal Lorn said with a reassuring smile. "His Highness has undoubtedly thought it through. If he believes it’s important enough to pursue, then there’s a reason behind it. Perhaps he’ll explain everything during the next strategy meeting."
She knew Tess wasn’t questioning their young ruler’s judgment. Quite the opposite. Tess was simply worried. Without access to the complete picture, she was trying to understand how another battlefield, especially one as dangerous as the Dark Realm, fit into the New Empire’s long-term plans.
Given how tightly that information was compartmentalized, her concerns were only natural and partially their fault.