"I was just curious who she was." Hara Shichi put the card into his card case. He suddenly felt that Ai being able to materialize was not necessarily a good thing. He had a feeling she would be getting handsy with him every day from now on. Not that it hurt much.
"Then why didn't you take off her mask while she was unconscious?" Ai tilted her head.
"Because my intuition told me we would meet again." Hara Shichi said. It would not have been right to remove someone else's mask without permission. If she did not want to reveal her identity, there was no need to get to the bottom of it.
"Pah, you want to meet her again? What for? To fall in love?" Ai pinched Hara Shichi's cheek and snapped.
"Ai, are you really a goddess?" Hara Shichi eyed the silver-haired girl before him suspiciously. "Why is your head full of malicious assumptions about me?"
"Then why were you spacing out just now?" Ai refused to let it go.
"..."
That night, Hara Shichi understood one thing—goddesses did not reason with people.
Fortunately, their relationship would not suffer over such a minor spat.
Especially after printing several decent cards, Hara Shichi felt that he and Ai had grown closer.
Like fish and water. As for who was the fish and who was the water, that was unimportant. In any case, when he went to school the next morning, he felt utterly refreshed, a smile on his face.
"Did something good happen to you, my lord?" Ghost Ogre asked curiously. Ever since she had escorted Hara Shichi to the classroom that day, she had accompanied him on his way to school every day. Sometimes, after school, she would also come out for some fresh air.
Hara Shichi did not want Ghost Ogre to remain cooped up inside a card all the time either, so he was happy with the arrangement.
"I printed a few pretty good cards last night," Hara Shichi answered honestly.
"What kind of cards were they?" Ghost Ogre lowered her gaze and asked softly.
"Some fairly powerful monsters." There were other students around, so Hara Shichi could not go into detail and could only answer vaguely.
"How do they compare to me?" Ghost Ogre blinked and looked at the red glow around herself.
"What are you thinking?" Hara Shichi patted Ghost Ogre on the shoulder. "How could they compare to you?"
"Mm, I understand." Ghost Ogre's snowy-white lashes trembled slightly. Since her lord had said so, then they had nothing to do with her.
Ghost Ogre was fragrant, soft, fair, tender, and adorable. She could fight and she could be hugged. How could ordinary monsters compare?
Thinking of that, Hara Shichi could not help wanting to pull Ghost Ogre into his arms and pinch her serious yet adorable little face. But there were too many students passing by, so he had no choice but to give up.
Then, when he entered the classroom, he found Yukikaze looking at him strangely.
"Did something good happen to you, Hara Shichi?"
Yukikaze asked.
"Hm? Ah, I printed a few pretty good cards last night." Hara Shichi touched his face. Was he really making it that obvious?
Damn it, Hara Shichi. They were only a few extra monsters. Why were you this happy? Wasn't your goal Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Infinite Impermanence, and Solemn Judgment?
Thinking that, Hara Shichi's expression gradually returned to normal.
"I'm so jealous. I was the unlucky one," Yukikaze sighed. "Last night, halfway through my shower, the lights in my room suddenly went out, and the water turned cold too. I was worried I might catch a cold."
"You had that happen too?" Mina beside them joined the conversation. "The lights in a lot of student dorms suddenly went out last night. It was terrifying. Everyone was saying maybe some ghost was causing trouble."
"A ghost... probably not." Hara Shichi gave an awkward laugh and glanced at Ai floating in midair. She was not a ghost, but she was close enough. Everyone's guess was remarkably accurate.
"But last night, I saw a shadow on my balcony," Mina said nervously.
"A shadow? Could you have seen it wrong?" Yukikaze was surprised as well.
"No way. That shadow even knocked on the glass. Good thing I locked my floor-to-ceiling window tight and didn't let him in."
"Did that shadow say anything?" Hara Shichi suddenly had a guess.
"I think he was calling my name. His voice sounded a little familiar, but the lights were out, and I hid under my blanket because I was too scared to say anything." Mina frowned as she recalled it.
Hara Shichi tugged at the corner of his mouth. He more or less understood who the shadow was.
"You can tell Aoshi about this later. He might know something," Hara Shichi hinted tactfully.
"What could he possibly know..." Mina's voice suddenly grew quieter. She seemed to have remembered whose voice that familiar one belonged to.
"Oh, right, Hara Shichi. Senior Julie asked us to gather at the game room after school today." Yukikaze whispered into Hara Shichi's ear.
"What are you two whispering about?" Mina looked at them suspiciously.
"Uh, nothing..." Yukikaze did not want to drag Mina into this. Setting aside her dueling skill, strictly speaking, Mina had not come to the academy because she wanted to become a duelist.
She had come to Duelist Academy to attend the same school as her childhood friend, Aoshi. In truth, she had no interest in dueling.
"Sigh, you forget your old love once you find a new one. Fine, a best friend can never compare to a boyfriend. I'm just getting in the way of your lovey-dovey time." Mina pretended to wipe away tears. "I'll leave now. I won't disturb you two any longer. Bye!"
With that, she hurried away without giving Yukikaze a chance to refute her.
"Cough, cough. Mina was just joking." Yukikaze's little face reddened as she spoke embarrassedly.
Rather than pick up that thread, Hara Shichi asked, "Did Julie say what it was about?"
"That was a really clumsy topic change," Ai remarked.
Yukikaze's expression froze. She had not expected Hara Shichi to change the subject so directly. She said resentfully, "I don't know either. Just ask her when you get there."
With that, she turned around and began preparing for class.
What Was the Point of Not Giving It Everything When You Had Nothing?
"Did something good happen to you?"
Julie leaned lazily against the wall. Her shoulder-length purple hair and dark red eyes made her look like a vampire from legend in the dimly lit room.
"Why is everyone saying that? Is it really that obvious?" Hara Shichi had thought he had already calmed down from his excitement.
"Your face is rosier, and your complexion is better." Julie examined Hara Shichi. "You look much more energetic than before."
"It's all thanks to me." Ai smugly patted Hara Shichi on the shoulder. "I used my Duel Power to nourish your body a little. Otherwise, every time you duel, you get knocked flying like a sheet of paper. Your body might not be able to take it."
"Don't stand around chatting at the door." A certain green-haired little girl curled up beneath the blankets, a game controller in her hands, called to Hara Shichi. "Come in, all of you. Don't be shy. Sit wherever."
Hara Shichi surveyed the room. Perhaps because it had been cleaned, the trash was gone, the school uniforms hung on the wall, and the discs were neatly stacked together. But... there was still only one sagging bed and a television glowing faintly.
"Senior, there's nowhere to sit in here at all," Hara Shichi complained.
"So picky. Can't you sit on the floor?" Sera rolled her eyes playfully. "Don't worry, the floor has been wiped clean."
"As if you were the one who wiped it." Julie took off her shoes with a huff, revealing black cotton socks, then sat down on Sera's bed without hesitation.
"Ah! Letting you share this free space with me is already my greatest concession! You are not allowed to invade my sacred bed!" Sera waved her soft pink fists in protest.
"Don't forget who helped you clean your room." Julie tapped Sera on the head.
"Damn it, you're using your kindness to force me?!" Sera dragged the blanket back as she reluctantly retreated, giving up the center of the bed. "Then everyone get up here."
So Hara Shichi took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed too.
"Where's Yukikaze?" Only then did Julie notice that someone seemed to be missing.
"A teacher called her over after school. It seemed to be about something," Hara Shichi said.
"I'm here." Yukikaze appeared at the doorway, waving her little hand. "Sorry for the wait."
"It's fine. Now that everyone's here, I'll begin." Julie took out a rolled-up sheet of paper and spread it out before them. "Do you know what lies behind our academy?"
"Elcrain Great Forest?" Hara Shichi vaguely remembered Yukikaze mentioning it to him.
"That's right. The academy was built here partly to keep students away from the city and its distractions. But more importantly... Elcrain Great Forest is one of the largest gathering places for Duel Spirits on the continent. As the continent's foremost academy, this school voluntarily stands at the forest's edge, serving as the boundary between humans and Duel Spirits, monitoring the Duel Spirits to prevent unrest."
"Mm, but what does that have to do with us?" Yukikaze asked in confusion. "Isn't that the teachers' responsibility?"
"Wait, Julie, don't tell me you want to..." Hara Shichi sensed Julie's intentions, but before he could finish, Julie cut him off.
"That's right! We're going to tame Duel Spirits!"
"Eh?!"
"I don't really want to go out."
"Reason?"
The three of them gave different reactions, but Julie had expected all of them.
"In one month, the National Higher Academy Tournament will begin," Julie said calmly. "That means we need to grow stronger quickly within a month and defeat the Crimson Lotus Society. Otherwise, once they return from competing under the academy's name, our confrontation with them will be meaningless."
"And there is only one way to become stronger quickly—obtain powerful cards." Julie swept her gaze over everyone present. "Do any of you have a lot of money, or come from a wealthy family?"
"My family... mm, I guess we aren't rich." Yukikaze tilted her head in thought for a moment, then shook it.
"I'm dirt poor." Hara Shichi said. He was an outsider who was currently mooching food and drink from the school. Where would he get money?
"If I had money, I would have bought new games already." Sera said weakly.
"Then are any of you children of dueling families? Does your family have any secret treasures, trials, or monster cards like family guardian deities?" Julie asked again.
The three of them shook their heads like rattles.
"Then do any of you know Professional Duelists? The kind who could give you cards?"
"I know one, but she probably won't give me cards."
"No."
"I think the teachers have plenty of good cards."
"Since we have nothing, we can only tame them ourselves," Julie said calmly.
"But isn't that dangerous?" Yukikaze asked worriedly. She had seen Duel Spirits slaughtering one another with her own eyes. There was only one phrase to describe it—bloody carnage.
"The earliest duelists directly tamed Duel Spirits," Julie said gravely. "It's only because Duel Cards began to be copied and sold in large numbers that everyone chose the safer route of Card Printing. Since others have succeeded, why can't we?"
"I agree." Hara Shichi was the first to speak. "And I have a Duel Spirit protecting me, so there probably won't be much of a problem."
As soon as he finished speaking, Ghost Ogre leaped out from Hara Shichi's card case, her little face serious. "I will absolutely protect my lord's safety."
"Then... I agree too." Yukikaze pursed her lips and spoke softly.
"I'm not going."
A cool voice rang out, and everyone's eyes immediately turned toward the speaker.
Sera raised her chin proudly and gave a light snort. "My deck does not need other monsters to make it stronger. Traps alone are enough."
"Oh..." Julie narrowed her eyes and reached out to hook an arm around Sera's neck. "What did you just say? I don't think I heard you clearly."
"Campus bullying is prohibited! Ah! Don't touch there!... Waaaah..."
"Hehe, where shouldn't I touch?"
"Wait! Not there... not there... I'll break..."
"Don't look!" Ai hurriedly covered Hara Shichi's eyes.
Hara Shichi awkwardly turned his head away. After a round of horseplay, Sera lay on the bed with unfocused eyes.
"Do you agree now?" Julie whispered into Sera's ear.
"I agree... I agree..." Sera answered weakly.
"Done." Julie clapped her hands neatly.
Senior Julie was terrifying...
Yukikaze could not help trembling.
"Then we'll meet at the school gate tomorrow. No objections?"
"Okay."
"No problem."
"..."
"Come to think of it, A-Qi, you don't really need to go either, do you?" Ai suddenly said on their way back. "We printed quite a few cards yesterday. You don't need monster cards at your current stage, right?"
"Even if I don't go, she'll go by herself." Hara Shichi recalled Julie holding that book in the library that day. "It's better if everyone goes together so we can look out for one another. We can also build some team spirit."
"So that's how it is. A-Qi really is kind," Ai praised.
"Don't." Hara Shichi tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Praise me for anything you want, just don't call me kind."
"Why?"
"It's too common."
Before you continue