Miracle Card Shop: All My Cards Can Be Actualize

Chapter 615: Daniel’s Torment - 05

"What did I just see? Why did she suddenly seem happy? Weren't you punishing them?" Daniel asked, still confused by Lady Silvestro's erratic behavior.

Envy letting out a tired sigh. "The Silvestro are always shameless cunning bastards, Especially their shamelessnes seems to be inherited by blood. If their specialty is not in magic related to nurturing the soil, I would have thought that their Origin Element is 'Shamelessness'."Envy said with a chuckle.

"Is it really that bad to put it that way?" Daniel asked.

Envy watched the direction Lady Silvestro had just retreated. "Fine if you don't believe me," she replied, "but don't come complaining to me when they start causing you headaches."

"Now I really have a bad feeling about this," Daniel muttered.

Envy chuckled and followed Daniel into the waiting area. The moment they stepped into the VIP section, little Sylvana sprang onto the table and jumped toward him.

"Papa!" Little Sylvana giggled as she leapt into his arms. Nestling comfortably against him, she turned to Envy. "Are we eating out today? Or will there be a special feast?" she asked excitedly.

"We're eating out today, sweetie. I've reserved a private room for us at one of Uncle Veneziale's restaurants," Envy said.

"Huh? Which one? The Italian one, the French one, or…?" She paused, considering other possibilities.

"It's the Italian one, sweetie," Envy replied with a warm, motherly smile.

"Yay! I love pizza the best!" Sylvana squealed, laughing happily in her father's embrace.

The three left the waiting room, exchanging quick greetings with a few people who approached them, then headed to the parking lot and got into the car. They drove to the Italian restaurant, under the protection of the Veneziale family, where a VIP room awaited them.

The rest of their family who had free time were already waiting for them at the restaurant—whether it was Michaela or Penthesilea. As for Greed she had used the teleportation portal to go back to the USA since she has some urgent business to take care of.

The feast celebrating little Sylvana passing the examination went off without a hitch. But amidst the gathering, as they enjoyed their meal, they noticed numerous eyes on them.

Or rather… on Daniel. Some guests looked at him with excitement, only to turn away in disappointment, while others maintained their eager gazes—no, they even had a hint of zeal and fervor, as though witnessing something especially intriguing.

Envy noticed this as well. She glanced at the women watching Daniel with admiring, almost dreamy expressions. She quickly realized they were all ordinary people, unaware of magic or the Curtained World. Smiling, Envy dismissed it as a natural reaction—after all, her man was handsome and undeniably charming. She responded by subtly moving closer to him, nudging and clutching his arm to her chest, signaling to the onlookers that this man was hers, and they could look but not touch.

Daniel could only give an awkward cough, attempting to appear indifferent, though he was acutely aware of Envy's "gesture" and her presence beside him.

All in all, the feast went smoothly, and soon it was time to head home. They spent some quality time with little Sylvana, playing games with her and enjoying a cozy round of board games. It was, altogether, one of those peaceful days Daniel had longed to have.

But… Daniel had no idea that amidst the envious and resentful stares from various women, there was one woman who remained unfazed by Envy's glare. Instead, she stared back defiantly before shifting her gaze toward Daniel, licking her lips as if savoring the sight of something tempting.

Her name was Susan Dennis. Armed with both status and wealth, Susan had a penchant for powerful men, especially those who seemed challenging to win over. Daniel was exactly the type she liked—a man who appeared elusive and out of reach. She'd had numerous boyfriends before, but boredom always led her to move on, as none of them brought any lasting thrill to her life.

In addition to her wealth and influence, Susan had deep connections within the underworld. Several gangs outside of the Veneziale clan sought her favor, drawn by her considerable resources and reach, all of which she had acquired through her own business acumen.

Daniel Emberweave, however, was different. He was the kind of man she envisioned as a worthy husband—the kind she'd been searching for. And a mere marriage or family wouldn't deter her pursuit.

Taking out her phone, Susan discreetly snapped photos of Envy and Michaela. She then sent these to her associate, instructing him to gather background information on both women. Her membership with the Syndicate Union ensured access to comprehensive intelligence.

After about half an hour, Daniel had left with his family, but Susan remained, eagerly awaiting her associate's report. When the information finally arrived, she skimmed through it and uncovered several things of interest.

"Hmm… the woman who looks like that man's 'owner' is a Duchess from Britain? Fascinating. If I manage to have him for myself, doesn't that make me better than a Duchess?" Susan chuckled with smug delight. This twisted pleasure was a habit of hers; she enjoyed going after men in committed relationships, particularly those with seemingly perfect families, as if it proved her own superiority when she successfully seduced them away.

But Daniel Emberweave was a different kind of prize. This man, with his looks, wealth, and renowned skill as a genius inventor, was someone she could see herself truly possessing. And once she did, she imagined she could easily exploit his talents to her advantage.

She scanned through Michaela and Penthesilea's profiles with a glance of indifference. Her associate's report identified Michaela merely as Daniel's bodyguard and Penthesilea as an employee at Astral Corp, Daniel's own company.

Reflecting on the affectionate, respectful looks the two had exchanged with Daniel, Susan assumed he must have an "open relationship" with them, likely with the Duchess's permission.

"Well then… maybe I'll need to tame him a bit. None of my men are allowed to have other women," Susan declared, her tone dripping with dominance.

Amidst the golden glow of countless stars blotting out the darkness in the mysterious realm of the Starry Abyss, where miracles, endless possibilities, and magic converge, the Keeper is searching for something. Within the dark, yet radiant sea of stars, he moves with a fluidity that defies space itself, shifting and teleporting thousands upon thousands of times.

Then, he pauses in a peculiar spot, staring intently into the space before him.

There lies a fiery red thread, leading nowhere, suspended amidst the starry abyss.

"Oh?" The Keeper takes hold of the fiery red strand, examining it closely. He senses its origin—the Abyssal Realm—yet which exact realm it stems from remains unclear without following the thread further.

"This is… very interesting. A Hell Lord has truly bestowed a blessing upon Mr. Emberweave? It seems that most of the offerings from his worthy deeds have been redirected to the owner of this thread. So that's why the power of the destined fate that he had changed didn't flow here; the world perceives the deeds as completed under the patronage of that… THIEF."

When the Keeper spits the word "thief," a hidden fury flickers within his calm eyes. From his shadow, countless hungry maws, monstrous tentacles, and claws of unknown abominations emerge briefly before fading as his expression returns to the composed and amicable demeanor of the Keeper.

"I'll take care of this first..." he mutters, clutching the fiery red thread tightly.

— Night —

After tucking little Sylvana into bed, Daniel steps out onto the rooftop to gaze at the stars. Today has been a good day, a rare one where he's enjoyed quality time with his family without shutting himself away in his study or personal lab for experiments and model testing.

Feeling nostalgic, he decides to take a late-night walk to the convenience store, as he used to when he was an office worker, to buy some snacks.

He descends from the rooftop in his private elevator, using his keycard to access the door leading from his building's main floor to the rooftop apartment. Outside, the neon lights illuminate the street, punctuated by distant car horns and the low hum of engines passing by. It's just after 9 PM, and the atmosphere stirs memories of his days as a game designer—debating card designs with his like-minded coworkers. Exhausting, yet fulfilling, those days couldn't compare to his current achievements, but he cherished them.

Inside the 24/7 convenience store, he picks up a few cheap instant noodles for nostalgia's sake, a couple of colas, and some snacks he used to enjoy. Mostly junk food, it doesn't hold a candle to Envy's cooking or the fine meals from high-end restaurants like the Italian one he visited with his family earlier. But tonight, these treats carry a nostalgic value.

Tonight, he plans a gaming session until dawn, just as he used to when he had some free time without pressing responsibilities.

As he exits the store, he accidentally bumps into a young woman, causing her to stumble to the ground.

"Kyah!" she exclaims as she falls.

"Oh! I'm sorry, my bad, my bad!" Daniel apologizes instinctively. But his trained instincts tell him he hadn't bumped into her that hard, and he's almost certain she saw him but didn't bother avoiding him. Nevertheless, he reaches out to help her up.