Date: Unspecified

Time: Unspecified

Location: Myriad Realms, Card World, Central Region, Central Academic City, Morningstar University District, Morningstar University Campus, Garden of Beginning, Time Vestige, Morningstar University 2nd Campus

Fine, you win. Ill settle for interviewing Slay under your supervision, Lucine finally conceded, even though she was convinced I was bluffing.

After all, it wasnt just the universitys talented and loyal card apprentices on the line, but the time vestige itselfand with it, the Labyrinth of Myriad Pasts. Losing a group of apprentices was unfortunate but recoverable, Morningstar University could train a new batch with enough time and recourse. But losing the time vestige meant losing something irreplaceable. Without it, the Labyrinth of Myriad Pasts was practically useless.

In the end, the risk was far too great for her to gamble on. Her personality wouldnt allow it, not when she carried the responsibility of being a direct descendant of Morningstar Universitys founders. Making the safer choice was the only option she could accept.

Aww, that offer expired. Choose wisely next time, I said, pulling back my offer to Lucine with a playful grin. By giving in, shed practically admitted that she would bend over to my whim if I pushed her hard enough. I would have respected her more if she had simply walked away instead of responding to my bluff. Not only did she back down but also revealed just how desperately they valued a one-on-one interview with Slay.

At first, I genuinely wanted to work with Lucine, but after watching her try to chip away at my goodwill at every turn, Id had enough. Now, I would show her what it truly meant to negotiate with Dalton V. Wyattthe card apprentice who once tricked a Devil into handing over a Demon Merchant Token without even realizing what the Devil Merchant Code was.

What? This is too much, Wyatt! Lucine complained, feeling that I was being an obnoxious jerk bullying her with my strength.

Too much? Im being too much, I shot back.

I offered to cure your terminal disease, offered to pay for your losses, and even agreed to let you interview Slay under my supervision. Yet none of it was enough for you. You kept demanding more, waving around the fact that I jumped into the temporal crack of my own accord. If you were smart enough to deduce that, then you should also be smart enough to grasp the consequences if I had not let the temporal and spatial forces drag me into the temporal river. Either the time vestige would collide with me and reduce me to dust, or Id tear open the wall of the time tunnel trying to escapeboth of which could have caused serious damage to the time vestige, not to mention the card apprentices in it.

Im not claiming I did it for Morningstar University. I did it for Ahalya, and because I was curious. But instead of appreciating the consideration I showed, you not only trapped me here but tried to weaponize that fact against me. And now you think Im the one being too much?

I hit her so hard that from the look on her face I half-expected her to hand over her lunch money and run off crying to her mama.

Really, Mr. Saint? You could have walked out of the eye of the time tunnel from its end in our present by going against the stray temporal and spatial forces instead of giving into them. That way you could have moved out of the time vestiges without tearing the tunnel wall, Lucine mercilessly shot back. Dont pretend you didnt know that. You knew exactly what you were doing. You were just hoping I wouldnt know and that Id let you have your way out of guilt.

She looked at me with open disdain, as if saying, Ive seen through all your tricks, you charlatan.

I couldnt push against the stray temporal and spatial forces because of my special card to resist the time rule. If I used that resistance to fight the temporal currents, it could have disrupted the formation of the time tunneland possibly damaged it altogether. Trust me, I did what was best for all of us at that moment, I argued back explaining the challenges I was facing at that moment that she had failed to account for. I didnt hesitate to employ deceit to keep my secrets safe. It would be stupid of me if I ended up spilling my secrets for the sake of winning an argument.

Do you think I enjoy diving into a river when I dont even know how to swim? Because thats exactly what your accusation sounds like. Why would I willingly jump into the temporal river when I dont have even a shred of comprehension of the time rule? I did it because it was the only logical move to make sure the time tunnel reached our present safely. I kept my explanation briefjust enough to make my point without going into the finer details.

Listening to my explanation, Lucine stared at me for a moment before snapping, I call bull.

What? I asked, taken aback. She was the first person I had ever hinted to about my immunity to the time rule, even if I wasnt totally honest and said it only indirectly. So it stung a littlenot only did she refuse to believe me, she dismissed it right to my face.

I said I dont believe you, she repeated, then muttered under her breath, Special card that resists the time rule, he says… more like a special card for spewing nonsense.

Her sneer deepened, and the disdain in her eyes for me sharpened like a blade.

You dont believe me? I asked, my tone turning dangerousan unspoken challenge hung in the air. If you dont believe me, then come. Lets settle it. .

Why would I believe you? Youre the same guy who keeps trying to fool me by claiming you can cure my time-rule dementia, Lucine fired back instantly, not even pausing to register the threat in my voice. She was too worked up to notice it at all. Even if I pretend you arent trying to trick me and you genuinely think you can cure a disease that even celestials cant, theres only one other explanation for why youd believe thatyoure insane. A complete loon. So which is it? Are you a loon or a conartist?

She didnt hold anything back. When she wanted to, she could be one mean broad.