Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date- 7 April 2321

Time- 04:59

Location- Southern Region, Southern Capital, Southern Royal Palace, Guest Palace

"Wyatt, why don't you take a moment to unwind and freshen up? And then, I will give you a tour of the royal palace," Ann suggested planning to be a generous and gracious host to the boy.

'Ah, yes. A tour of the royal palace is undoubtedly the most efficient way to spend my precious time.' " I responded sarcastically.

"Wyatt, I know you hate to be here. But don't tell me, you plan to be this sour the entire time you are here. Since you are here why don't you make the most of it and enjoy your stay," Ann advised feeling that if the boy continue to be a sourpuss she would never get to spend the quality time with him she was planning for.

"..." I gave Ann a blank stare. However, I felt Ann was not wrong, I should not waste my time complaining about what cannot do and instead have a more positive outlook on my current situation and embrace it to explore the opportunities that I could not have come across in Sky Blossom city. So after giving it a little thought I said, "Fine, I will take your advice but I don't need a tour of the palace instead I would like the tour of the popular card shops of the southern capital."

"Great idea, but unfortunately the card shops won't be open this early in the morning. Why don't we finish our tour of the royal palace first, and then we can swing by the card shops later?" Ann suggested, determined to check off all the activities she had planned to do with the boy before Anna returned. The tour of the palace was particularly important to her, and she wanted to make sure they had enough time to explore it thoroughly even if the boy was not particularly interested in it.

"Alright, I'll go along with that," I acquiesced, picking up on Ann's eagerness to show me around the palace. I supposed it wouldn't hurt to become more familiar with the palace's layout and the guards, especially since I'd be here for a while. Who knows, maybe I'll even learn something interesting along the way.

"Very well, I'll be back in an hour to collect you," Ann exclaimed with great excitement and enthusiasm. Her tone was filled with anticipation and zeal, conveying her eagerness to take me on the palace tour.

After Ann left, I surveyed the opulent bedroom in search of the luxurious bathroom. It had been some time since I had cleansed myself conventionally, having relied on my self-created cleansing array formation. But today, I was determined to indulge in a much-needed shower, followed by a leisurely soak in the tub. The thought of the elaborate bathroom in the guest palace filled me with anticipation and excitement.

Utilizing the power of my soul pupils, I easily navigated my way to the largest bath in the guest palace. However, my efforts proved to be unnecessary as I was immediately greeted by a distinguished elderly butler upon exiting my bedroom. "Greetings, sir. I am Colton Haynes, the head butler of the guest palace. How may I be of service to you today?" Colton introduced himself with a polite and professional demeanor, offering his assistance.

"Excuse me, but is the main bath available for use? I would like to utilize it," I asked in a courteous tone, seeking information from the butler.

"Certainly, sir. The main bath is at your disposal. I shall have the maids prepare it for you. Please follow me, and I shall escort you to the main bath," the butler promptly retrieved his grimoire and made the necessary arrangements, all while guiding me towards the guest palace main bath.

Following the butler I soon arrived at the main bath where I was awestruck by the magnificent sight that greeted me: a truly opulent bathroom unlike any I had ever seen before. In fact, it hardly seemed appropriate to refer to it simply as a "bathroom." Its splendor was akin to the luxurious bathhouses found in the most prestigious resorts in Japan.

"Is the bath prepared for the esteemed guest?" the butler asked the maids.

"Yes, sir," the maids nodded in unison, indicating all the arrangements were made as per the head butler's instructions.

"Excellent," Colton acknowledged the maids with a nod of his head. He then turned to me and said, "Sir, please enjoy your bath." With that, he exited the bathroom, leaving me to luxuriate in the opulent surroundings.

As I examined the magnificent bath, I waited for the maids to depart, but they lingered without any indication of leaving. My mind began to race to wonder if they were waiting to be tipped for their service. However, before I could reach a conclusion, one of the maids approached and spoke, "Sir, Let us assist you with your clothes?"

As the maid offered to assist me with my dress, I realized why they were lingering in the room and promptly declined their offer, saying, "Thank you for your kind offer, but I prefer to bathe alone. Please, leave me to it." The maids nodded in understanding and left the bathroom.

As I prepared to undress and enjoy the luxurious bath, I couldn't help but marvel at the stark contrast between the lifestyles of the royal family and us commoners, evident in their Card King realm butlers and maids. However, my thoughts were interrupted as my soul pupils caught sight of Aria, the bodyguard assigned to me by the Southern royal family, hiding in a corner of the bathroom. I had momentarily forgotten about her existence until I actively searched for another presence in the room.

This may be because Aria was using a unique card that granted her such exceptional stealth ability. It not only allowed her to blend in with her surroundings but also completely erased her presence. Her ability was reminiscent of the saying 'out of sight, out of mind.'