Card Apprentice Daily Log

Date- 2 April 2321

Time- 07:34

Location- Sky Blossom City, Fine Gold Headquarters, Tower no.2

Cindy led me into a luxurious dining hall and walking past the neatly arranged tables with gold-plated cutleries we arrived at a spacious open veranda, and at the center of it was a dining table. Cindy went ahead and pulled a chair for me saying, "Boss, I took the liberty to arrange for a lite healthy breakfast. Shall we continue as we eat?"

"Sure" Saying that I walked past Cindy and looked at the view through the veranda and added, "I didn't know you guys had a lake in here."

"It was built to add serenity to the company. But mostly to train Fine Gold Guards." Cindy placed the chair back in its place and walked next to me explaining the lake while she singled her staff to bring in the food after 5 minutes.

"It seems your boss didn't count pennies when it came to building training facilities for her guards," I said while returning to the dining table.

"CEO Diana planned to fight the Circle with her guards one day so that was given," Cindy stressed the words 'CEO Diana' as she answered. Once I became the majority shareholder in the Fine Gold merchants Diana was no longer the chairwoman and the CEO of Fine Gold. I became the chairman and Diana's title was shortened to CEO.

"Hm, I heard you offered the Bright Lions, TSR guild, and Tiger squadron to use the Fine Gold training facilities. What did your CEO Diana say about that?" Once I became the majority shareholder in the Fine Gold merchants, Fine Gold not only extended help to Elliott but also the Bright Lions, TSR guild, and Tiger squadron.

"I don't dare to take credit for that, it was CEO Diana's idea I was just following her orders," Cindy answered.

"Is that so, ain't she a smart woman." I already knew it was Diana who ordered Cindy to offer my other organizations that they could make use of Fine gold facilities. Since I owned Fine Gold this was given but I appreciated Diana's thoughtfulness. Cindy was quick to claim credit I wanted to see how far she was willing to go, but she saw my intent from miles away, after all, she was a smart woman.

"Yes, CEO Diana is an exceptional businesswoman." Cindy complimented Diana following my lead.

"So, why the heck would she try to break into the market of different cities with limited resources, instead of outsourcing the distribution to the locals or partnering up with them?" I had a hunch about this but I wanted to give Cindy a chance. Until now Cindy had only pointed out what Diana was doing wrong but not why she was doing it and what she was doing right. Now I gave Cindy a chance to stop gossiping and start being productive.

"As I pointed out earlier, status, not just the fact that Fine Gold is from a 3rd tier city but the status that came with the realm, Card Overlord. Second-tier cities are crawling with card overlords. The families and other organizations there are being led by peak card overlords. Not to mention that the talented ones have formed Ego gems and can mobilize rule power.

The Card Overlords that choose to stay in a backwater 2nd tier cities are not the cream of the crop but they have been ruling the 2nd-tier cities for years and have amassed enough wealth and legacy to afford broken runes, even if they cannot comprehend the rules of their own. These people are ten folds stronger than Fine Gold in terms of manpower and personal power.

CEO Diana knows a wolf cannot partner with a tiger, so she is trying to break into selective city markets while trying to map the safest distribution routes throughout the blossom distinct.

I know what you are thinking boss, When the time comes for the distribution of the silver milk power the Royal family will publicly announce their backing to the Fine Gold as the sole distributor of silver milk powder in the blossom district, with the Royal family backing the Fine Gold these families and organization form the 2nd tier cities shouldn't dare to pushback Fine Gold. If you think so, then I can only tell you that you have gravely mistaken.

Like the circle used to rule in Sky blossom city, every city, be it 3rd or 2nd tier city, they have their tyrant, who will collectively represent the cities from the shadows. When it comes to partnering with them or outsourcing the distribution to them in their respective cities, these greedy tyrants will not agree to the generous fifty-fifty split, not to mention the 70-30 split Fine Gold's way which CEO Diana is planning to propose.

Therefore CEO Diana is trying to test the waters before the announcement of the Royal family, at the expense of failing and never being able to recover from it." Cindy slowly explained how Diana had already foreseen the problems that would occur when Fine Gold is awarded the distribution of silver milk powder in the Blossom district and was trying to come up with contingencies, at the expense of the present she was paving way for the future.

"She is indeed a brilliant businesswoman," I could see what Diana was planning after hearing Cindy explain the circumstances.

Diana was basically trying to do what I planned to do to deal with the circle before I got in touch with Anna and the circle. I planned to rally, the Bright family and the Whiteburn family against the Circle. Why would these two families do my bidding? Of Course, I planned to tempt them with my otherworldly knowledge, this was a long-term plan which could only come to fruition after years of meticulous planning but I skipped all this trouble thanks to Elliott, who introduced me to Anna, the Southern emperor, commander of the Southern watch, the heir to the Southern Royal family. Anna's presence in my life had made it a lot easier and more complicated, though I preferred a simpler life, I am getting there.

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