Card Apprentice Daily Log

Chapter 1791 Hypocrisy

Date- 16 April 2321

Time- –:–

Location- Card World, Southern Region, Blossom District, Sky Blossom City, TSR Guild Headquarters, Blood Rock Cave, Seed World, Inter-Realm City, Sector DS0909, Infinity Library, Exec. VVIP Members Lounge

Belgphegor knew the dwarf was not bluffing if he were to go to the trial, not only would the dwarf win by a landslide but all the members of the Blight Brood Club would be banned by the devil merchant code for 3 weeks minimum. That was just the punishment as for the compensation the club would have to fork out a small fortune. 

A three-week ban from the devil merchant code, would not only affect the Blight Brood Club but all the demon/devil merchants of the 'Seven Prince of the Hell' faction since they were all members of the Blight Brood Club. Canceling their membership from the club now would not help them since the ban would be placed on everyone who was a member of the club when the appeal was submitted to the devil merchant code. 

The three-week ban would prove crippling for the faction's finances since they had just emptied their treasury to buy the rights to the card world from the devil merchant code. The loss would be substantial, and to recover from it they will have to advance their card world invasion plan without proper preparations. Therefore Belhpegor could not afford to go to trial. Today one way or the other he was going to make the dwarf settle.

"Choice is yours," Erza said sternly folding his hands and leaning on the couch.

Being threatened by the dwarf, Belphegor frowned thinking, 'These dwarfs are a stubborn race. Even drunk this dwarf is proving difficult to persuade.' 

However, believing that the dwarf being drunk favored him Belphegor continued to excuse the dwarf's rude attitude toward him and kindly continued to persuade him while pretending to agree with him. This was because Belphegor was convinced that the dwarf was intoxicated, he did not doubt it. 

"I too do not want to risk the club for those two. However, they have contributed a lot to our faction. If I give up on them when they are in trouble how will I explain it to the rest of the faction members? I know you were wronged but please try to understand our dilemma too," Belphegor who was constantly agreeing with the dwarf now slowly switched the narrative asking the dwarf to understand their struggles. Subtly implying that the dwarf was the one who was being unreasonable here. 

"I think your friends and subordinates would prefer to prioritize the safety of their faction over risking it all just to protect those two useless goons," Ezra refuted Belphegor and showed no signs of changing his demand or even easing it. 

Belphegor shook his head pretending to be helpless, and said, "Regardless, as a leader I cannot give up on my members." 

"Aren't you honorable, quit the act. I have done my homework. I learned that the foreign devil merchant has just recently joined. When did he have the time to contribute to your faction?" Ezra blurted in rage. 

Belphegor was surprised that Ezra knew such detail about the faction, but considering that he had access to the resources of an elder chaos dwarf it made sense. However, seeing the dwarf slowly get lose-lipped around him Belphegor smirked believing that soon he would wear down all the defenses of the dwarf, and then getting on close terms to him he would manipulate him to do his bidding. 

"I will be honest with you, the foreign devil merchant had made a huge merit by helping us with the rights to a high-level realm for a fifty percent discount. His contribution to the faction cannot be overlooked," Belphegor explained to the dwarf with a serious face. 

"I have heard about the realm you are talking about, it's the foreign devil merchant's native realm, isn't it? You are trying to protect a traitor who was willing to sell his native realm. What makes you think that tomorrow he will not sell your faction?" Ezra scoffed at Belphegor and his stupidity in protecting a traitor who sold his homeland. 

"His home is the 'Seven Princes of Hell' faction, and as one of the princes it's my duty to protect every member of the faction," Belphegor continued to act the part of an honorable leader. According to him, Handsome Fox was not a traitor for betraying the card realm as the 'Seven Princes of Hell' faction was his new home.

"Hahaha," Ezra laughed aloud at Belphegor's hypocrisy and said, "My point exactly, today the 'Seven Princes of Hell' faction is his home tomorrow he will belong to another faction. Belphegor if you grow a scorpion in your backyard you cannot expect it to not sting you. So it best if you cut off the rotten parts before it's too late."

"My hands are tied regarding this matter. If you come after those two you will have to face us all, please understand," Belphegor was no stranger to acting but today he had outdone himself. 

Belphegor did not want the dwarf to go to trial yet he did not compromise with the dwarf because the dwarf in his drunk state had already revealed to him that it did not want to trial too. According to Belphegor, going to trial was the only leverage the dwarf had but due to its stupidity, it had revealed to him that he would rather not. 

Since Belphegor knew that the dwarf was avoiding the trial, he did not mind pretending that he had no problem going to trial if push came to shove. To make the dwarf feel like that leverage in his hand was not enough to threaten Belphegor. This way the dwarf would have no choice but to decrease his demand sooner or later. 

As a seasoned manipulator, Belphegor knew when to push and pull, so he would not push the dwarf too much so that the dwarf would suddenly change his mind about going to trial. He will play this game until he gets the dwarf to settle for next to nothing. 

During this discussion, never once did it cross Belphegor's mind that he was only hearing what the dwarf wanted him to hear not what the dwarf let slip in its drunken stupor. He was so convinced that the dwarf was drunk that even someone cautious and cunning like him did not doubt that the dwarf was acting just like him. 

…

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