Daniel pondered the situation further, acknowledging that this might be the swiftest way to bring his wife back to life. While he had significant resources and brilliant minds at his disposal, ti was the one thing he couldn't generate. The stasis pod, a product of his team's hasty efforts, hadn't undergone thorough testing, making its long-term stability uncertain.
Although it functioned well in the short term, the possibility of it malfunctioning after a few months or a year was a concern. He couldn't risk his wife's safety on a technology that hadn't been rigorously vetted.
Considering Matsudaira's proposal, Daniel grappled with the idea of entrusting his wife to individuals he had t less than a day ago. He felt uneasy about ensuring Koyuki's well-being and protecting his broader interests.
"I'm open to letting her go with your group. We can arrange transportation for your journey. However, there's a condition attached," Daniel paused, his tone carrying the weight of his decision.
He let the silence linger, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in before he continued.
"One of my ntors will join you. Their role will be to ensure Koyuki's safety and protect my interests throughout the mission. For instance, once she regains her life, she won't return here," Daniel explained.
Matsudaira absorbed Daniel's words, a shiver running down his spine as he grappled with the implications. The futuristic marvels he had encountered—a subterranean city, advanced technological feats—underscored Daniel's incredible capabilities.
Matsudaira wished he could reassure Daniel about Koyuki's eventual return. However, the situation was complex; his mission was authorized by the Shogun, yet its true purpose remained undisclosed, information he couldn't reveal.
"One of your ntors? Daniel? How many ntors do you have?" Greed asked, curiosity breaking the serious atmosphere within the room.
Daniel's enigmatic teacher was a fact that even Greed, Ragnar, and Envy found hard to believe. Daniel had ntioned that his teacher, Atlanteus, taught him about Atlantean Artifice. Atlanteus had lived during the Golden Age of Atlantis, before 4000 BC. The idea that soone from that ti was still alive was astonishing.
"Well…" Daniel pondered for a mont before responding. "Several, I think?" he finally said.
"Well, this is big news, Mr. Emberweave," Envy chid in.
"Huh? Why?" Daniel turned toward her.
"Why not? The fact that your teacher enabled you to beco an Artifice prodigy within 10 years is an achievent in itself. Did Greed ever tell you that in order to tap into your capabilities, even an entire mage's lifeti isn't enough?" Envy explained before continuing.
"That's why I wanted you to teach my people in the Hightower. Your teaching could create connections within the mage council and boost your reputation. But no, you chose to keep your achievents secretive. No mage has ever achieved what you have. Trying to conceal your success like that…" Envy's frustration was evident, as she understood Daniel's trust issues. However, while she comprehended his perspective, she still felt a pang of frustration at the outco.
She envisioned the potential prosperity of the Hightower and her faction if Daniel were to openly share his knowledge. How many mages might have abandoned the Path of Knowledge in favor of her faction? The possibilities were tantalizing, yet they remained just that—possibilities that might never co to fruition.
Hearing that, Daniel felt a twinge of regret for having lied about his teacher. He recognized that even if he revealed his true abilities, others wouldn't likely believe him. The idea of explaining his magical card shop and the myriad amazing things he could acquire and actualize in the real world seed almost fantastical beyond belief.
"So… What do you say?" Daniel turned toward Matsudaira.
"I can only promise to bring one person with us. That's the most I can commit to," said Matsudaira.
"That is good enough," Daniel replied before turning to his daughter, who was still gazing at her mother through the stasis pod glass.
"Sweetie, can you go back to our ho and stay with Aunt Greed and Aunt Envy? I need to attend to so business," Daniel addressed Sylvana.
"Okay, Papa," Sylvana nodded.
"Will you be able to make it and join us for dinner?" Greed asked.
"Yes, please wait for . I think I can return and make it in ti for dinner with you all," Daniel answered before exiting the room.
After Daniel left, Greed led Matsudaira's group to a comfortable guest apartnt within the underground city. The apartnt was a testant to Atlantean technological marvels, seamlessly blending modern conveniences with an air of mystique.
Following that, Greed guided Envy and Sylvana to a lavish condominium located at the rooftop of the underground city, where Daniel's ho was nestled. With Sylvana engrossed in watching cartoons, Greed and Envy set about preparing a delightful dinner, the aroma of the cooking filling the elegant space as they waited for Daniel's return.
—
Daniel erged from the underground base and drove his car to a secluded forest nearby. Parking the car at the side of the road, he locked it and ventured deep into the woods. Despite his imnse power, he was aware that a hidden team from Penthesilea was tracking him for protection. The recent events involving Koyuki had left Penthesilea riddled with guilt, prompting the establishnt of exclusive teams to safeguard his family mbers around the clock.
As he moved deeper into the forest, Daniel considered the need for secrecy and a plausible cover story about his teacher's arrival. He wanted to create an air of mystery to account for his absence.
After ensuring that he was alone and unobserved, he summoned a shop door and entered the shop.
"Hello, Mr. Emberweave. How may I assist you today?" The Keeper greeted Daniel with his customary warm smile that had a calming effect.
"Hello, Mr. Keeper. I'd like to use the summoning room you ntioned," Daniel replied, waving a hand in acknowledgnt.
"Please proceed to that door to get started. However, please rember that once you've 'actualized' the card, the door to the shop within that room will disappear. Only the individuals you've 'actualized' will be able to exit through the room's door, leading to the outside world."
"Understood," Daniel nodded in comprehension and began walking towards the summoning room. Just as he was about to enter, the Keeper halted him.
"Wait a mont, Mr. Emberweave. Since it has been so ti since your last visit, you've accumulated nurous achievent rewards on the achievent board. I recomnd collecting your rewards before entering the summoning room. Otherwise, the board won't be able to generate additional achievents for you due to limited space."
The Keeper gestured towards the achievent board, which was illuminated with nurous completed achievents. A significant portion of the board was filled with achievents Daniel had accomplished during the month he hadn't visited the shop. Prominent among them were achievents such as "Create Your Own Faction," "Make a Na for Yourself," "Defeat 100 Demons," "Evoke Fear in a High-Ranking Demonic Being," and "Craft Artifacts and Utilize Magic Without Cards."
However, one achievent that caught his attention was "Capture the Interest of the Most Powerful Witch in History." It was a category only including Envy, the Grand Councilor of the Hightower, and the most potent witch Daniel knew. This revelation slightly unsettled him, given the implication of Envy's interest in him, along with Koyuki and Greed. Three out of the seven deadly sin witches seed to hold such an interest in him.
Pushing these thoughts aside, Daniel focused on collecting his rewards. He touched the illuminated achievents on the board, and in an instant, new achievents replaced the old ones. Simultaneously, his available magical points for trading within the shop increased.
As the reward collection concluded, Daniel found himself with an impressive total of 150,000 magical points at his disposal, ready for various trades and activities within the shop.
"Oh, Mr. Emberweave, before you comnce the actualization of the Unique Sentient Being from your card, please be aware that in order to prevent the fabric of reality from fracturing, as it did last ti, the shop will need to deduct a portion of your magical points. The severity of the impact caused by the individual you actualize from the card will determine the number of points the shop requires to prevent any disturbances. If you lack the requisite points, you won't be able to proceed with the actualization," the Keeper advised Daniel as a precaution before he entered the room.
"Understood, Mr. Keeper. I'll keep that in mind," Daniel affird, acknowledging the Keeper's guidance before stepping into the summoning room.
As Daniel entered the room, his focus shifted to the task at hand. His first choice for actualization wasn't Atlanteus, but rather the card representing one of the most formidable vampires in his card ga lore—Vlad Dracula. Curiosity piqued, he sought to gauge the point deduction this particular actualization would entail, especially given his knowledge of Dracula's historical existence.
Daniel's consciousness sank into a realm of his own mind, a ntal landscape where the card he could actualize materialized before him. With a determined focus, he selected the Dracula card, allowing it to hover in front of him, ready to initiate the process.
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