Miracle Card Shop: All My Cards Can Be Actualize

"And what if his face becomes someone else?" Klaus inquired.

"We'll see whose face he aspires to have. For instance, if it were Lucien, his teacher's face, don't think he'll have a chance to use this body either," Daniel replied before retrieving his smartphone from his pocket with his left hand. He glanced at the picture of Lucien that Maria had obtained for him.

The blue light emitted by the magic array on the homunculus's body grew brighter as time passed. Gradually, it subsided, and the faceless homunculus began to undergo a transformation. First, the facial features and contours began to take shape, followed by the appearance of eyes, nose, and mouth. As the features solidified, Daniel slowly lowered the gun aimed at the homunculus's head. His eyes widened in shock as the face that emerged was one he knew all too well.

It was his own face, but the face of his current self, not the person he was ten years ago.

Upon witnessing this, Klaus let out a chuckle, his satisfaction evident.

"So, what will you do now, Magitek? As someone who served him for a long time, I understand why he wanted to be like you. You're a genius, even before becoming a mage, and now you're one of the most powerful individuals in the Curtained World. You've inherited and mastered the secret of Atlantean artifact creation, and to top it all off, you're loved by his first love," Klaus said, his tone laced with mockery.

A few moments passed, and the homunculus housing Victor's soul slowly opened his eyes. Taking in his surroundings, he spotted Klaus, his loyal friend, and Yuki, his beloved homunculus, who pounced on him, embracing him tightly. Off to the side, he saw the person he once despised, filled with jealousy, sitting on an armchair, reclining with closed eyes, a large-caliber handgun resting on the tea table nearby.

A silver-haired beauty in a white suit stood by his side, her eyes vigilant, acting as Daniel's bodyguard.

"Mr. Magitek..." Victor wanted to express his gratitude to Daniel for providing him with this superior body, far stronger than a normal homunculus. He could sense that even within this homunculus body, he possessed more magical capacity than in his original human body.

"Get out of my sight... before I change my mind," Daniel said in a flat tone, not even bothering to look at Victor, his hand resting on the gun as he unlocked the safety, making it evident to Victor.

Now, Victor was the Victor from before he met his teacher, the naive prince of the Tessia Kingdom, free from the influence of the Seeds of Sin. He quickly stood up, bowing to Daniel without uttering a word.

Silently, he exited the room, but before Klaus and Yuki followed suit, Daniel called out.

"Wait..."

The trio halted and turned to face Daniel as he reached for a large syringe containing a prismatic substance, brimming with power, with a tiny philosopher's stone floating within the substance. Anyone with the slightest knowledge about the homunculus body would know that this substance could drastically enhance a homunculus's abilities. But at what cost?

"Miss Yuki, this syringe contains a philosopher's stone made through a different method, but it generates the same amount of mana. The substance inside will improve your physical constitution. However, once you use it, your facial features will change, resembling a different person. If you believe your king will still love you after that, you may take it. If not, let's forget about it," Daniel concluded the conversation, then tossed the syringe toward Yuki.

Upon hearing this, Yuki did not hesitate. She drove the large syringe into her chest, the long needle piercing through her heart. She injected the substance and the philosopher's stone contained within the syringe.

After a brief moment, she withdrew the syringe and collapsed to the ground. A stifled sensation surged from her heart as the power coursed through her. Her face began to morph, accompanied by the painful sensation of rising power and the transformation of her body, becoming more resilient, stronger, and more agile. She longed to scream, but her ever-changing face prevented it. She could only endure.

Victor, feeling a surge of anger, his heart pounding with distress and powerlessness, wondered if this was what Daniel had experienced that day. The day when he was influenced by the Seed of Sin and succumbed to fleeting desires of lust and jealousy. He felt a mixture of regret and anger, partly directed at himself and partly at Daniel for not warning his beloved before she injected that substance.

Several minutes passed, and the intensity of the pain gradually subsided. The transformation of Yuki's body came to a halt. Her face had changed from its mixed-race beauty to a purely Caucasian appearance, albeit with subtle traces of Wrath's features but without the Asian elements. Her hair turned blonde, and her eyes assumed a green hue, resembling those of an ordinary human.

Yuki felt an immense surge of power coursing through her body. Her strength alone could easily overpower five strong men, and her magical energy felt akin to that of a nuclear generator. The force propelling her was abundant and overwhelming, making her believe she could punch through thick, reinforced concrete walls.

"Miss Yuki, your body has evolved to its pinnacle, reaching the limit of its capabilities. You are now stronger, but since your body was based on the previous model, your power may not be as potent as Victor's body, which I created from scratch. So, don't come back to me and complain that you're not as strong as him, because I don't offer after-sales services in this case," Daniel stated with a hint of jest. He glanced briefly at the homunculus couple before continuing.

"Remember, Victor's body still harbors the kill switch embedded within his heart. So, never, ever entertain thoughts of seeking revenge against me. Otherwise, I'll trigger the explosion within his heart," Daniel paused, then closed his eyes and reclined back in his seat.

"Now, you may leave," Daniel dismissed them with a wave of his hand, indicating that the trio should depart before he changed his mind.

After the trio had left the room, Michaela gazed at Daniel with a complex expression before gathering the courage to ask her question.

"My lord, why did you lie to the trio? I understand the concept of lying to conceal the truth, to protect someone, or even to gain an advantage. But lying just for the sake of lying? I still don't comprehend it," the archangel inquired, her head slightly tilted in confusion.

"That's humans for you, Michaela. Sometimes, they lie simply for the fleeting satisfaction it brings. They aren't concerned about whether their lies will be exposed in the future. The point is that they experience a momentary sense of gratification," Daniel explained. However, instead of alleviating Michaela's confusion, his explanation only served to deepen it further.

—

Outside the room, Victor noticed Wrath feeding cake to an adorable little girl with red hair. The girl eagerly opened her mouth wide, awaiting the spoonful of cake. After eating it, she smiled widely, her face filled with delight.

Victor approached Wrath but stopped just outside her reach, bowing before her with sincerity. The witch trio and little Sylvana were taken aback when they saw Victor's face, which resembled Daniel's, but their magical senses reassured them that this was a homunculus body, not Daniel himself.

"I apologize for my past actions, Miss Wrath," Victor said.

"Hmm? Why does this uncle have the same face as Papa?" Sylvana asked her mother, her innocent curiosity shining through.

Wrath was momentarily startled before she glanced at Greed and gestured toward the long table adorned with a variety of Michelin-star desserts for the guests to enjoy.

"Greed, could you take my daughter to choose a new cake? I have something to discuss with this gentleman," Wrath requested.

"My daughter!?" Greed echoed, a hint of surprise in her voice, but she quickly composed herself and extended her hand for little Sylvana to accompany her in choosing a cake.

"Sweetheart, can you go with Aunt Greed to pick your new cake? I need to have a brief business conversation with this uncle," Wrath explained to her daughter.

"Okay, Mama! Should I bring some cake for you and Papa too?" Sylvana asked, her smile beaming.

"Thank you, my dear. If you can choose a good cream cake for me and a chocolate cake for Papa, I'm sure he'll be delighted," Wrath instructed.

"Okay! Aunt Greed, help me pick the cream cake! I don't know what they look like," the mischievous little girl said in an adorable manner, melting Greed's initially reluctant heart and earning a soft smile from her.

"All right, little redhead, come with me!" Greed responded with a smile, scooping up little Sylvana and leading her toward the long table where a multitude of desserts awaited their selection in a self-serve style.

Once the pair had departed to select their cakes, Wrath looked at Victor coldly. As one of the Witches of the Seven Deadly Sins, even though she had lost her spellcasting abilities, she could still sense the distinct soul and mana fluctuations that set Victor apart from Daniel. Victor was the only one who had wronged her and survived, for anyone else who had gravely offended her had met their demise.