Dark nodded and said politely, "Hello, upperclassman."
The upperclassman smiled, clearly pleased. "I may be from Fool House, but I'm still your upperclassman. My name's Leon. If your classmates need Costume Change Cards too, they can come find me in Fool House's common room."
Dark asked curiously, "Does Fool House's common room not have a door restriction?"
Leon explained, "Of course it does, but our door lady is very hospitable. Just bring a present. Oh, I mean, bring a small bottle of lubricant, and she'll open right up for you."
Dark stared in surprise. "L-lubricant?"
"Ahem!" Leon looked away awkwardly. "Anyway, that's how it works. Since you're a new student in Noble House, I recommend this Vampire Set! It's one of the most popular costume series Noble House has ever had. I even infused the fangs with sweet blood plasma. Just put some magic power into them, and they'll bleed!"
"That sounds pretty nice."
Dark lowered his gaze and rummaged through the Vampire Set first. It was all traditional red and black. It looked good, but somehow seemed to be missing something.
He asked casually, "Do you have a Demon King Set?"
Leon's expression stiffened. "I do have a Hero Set. Oh, right, I remember a student who claimed to be the Son of the Hero enrolled this year. Is he in your House?"
Dark replied, "Knight Academy."
"A knight?" Leon sighed. "I really hope he'll wear my Kamen Rider Set."
Dark jolted. "Kamen Rider Set?"
"Yeah," Leon said proudly. "It was a famous hero back when the Demon Race still existed. They used a special belt. Just insert a Costume Change Card into the belt, and you could transform into a Kamen Rider. It's a lot like the Magitech Cards in the Sacred Cloth series nowadays. You know Alvitr, the Valkyrie? She's one of the owners of the Twelve Golden Holy Armors."
Dark, of course, knew about the Valkyrie. He'd also seen her complain about how tight the Holy Armor was.
The so-called "Holy Armor" was very similar to a "Sacred Cloth." The Twelve Golden Holy Armors were designed after the twelve zodiac signs and could multiply their wearer's strength and speed a hundredfold!
→ Only when wearing the Holy Armor was the Valkyrie a true Valkyrie!
Dark couldn't help becoming a little interested in the Kamen Rider Set.
But the longer he looked, the more something seemed off.
Why did the Kamen Rider Set Leon had made look so much like the Beelzebub Set?
Never mind. He'd better choose something more ordinary!
A full-body costume like this would really hamper his movement. If he planned to make a big splash on Halloween, he'd be better off choosing something lighter.
This "Tuxedo Mask Set," for example, looked pretty good.
A black tuxedo, white glasses, a deep-red cape, white gloves, and a blood-red rose!
And it only cost 33 credits.
"I'll take this one."
Dark didn't dwell on it. If it didn't work out, he could always change later.
Leon wasn't unhappy that he'd chosen the cheapest Costume Change Card. He patiently explained how to inscribe the final Transmutation Array onto it.
Dark felt he'd learned a lot.
Those 33 credits had been well spent!
But just before Dark left, Leon suddenly called after him. "By the way, here's a Love Divination Card. Enjoy your youth!"
Dark held the Love Divination Card Leon had given him, his thoughts in disarray.
"Leon seems like a decent fellow, and he's from Fool House. He doesn't seem like the type to lie. Could these Love Divination Cards really have been distributed by Professor Kazel?"
"Professor Kazel definitely has excellent magitech skills, but... does he have this kind of taste?"
Dark carefully examined the still-beautiful Flower Card in his hand. He couldn't imagine Professor Kazel, with his goblin blood, making something like this.
And according to Leon, Professor Kazel had simply handed out the Flower Cards and told them to give them to people they took a liking to.
There weren't many Flower Cards in all. This had been Leon's last one.
Dark couldn't think of anything he and Diana might have in common. He went around Wonder Candy Shop once more, bought some toffees, and sure enough, got another Flower Card!
Then he visited the flower shop, the jewelry shop, the clothing shop...
Some shops gave him a Flower Card, while others had already given all of theirs away.
By the time he'd made a full round, he'd collected eight Flower Cards, including the one Leon had given him.
With the one he already had, that made nine!
"Nine Flower Cards. That's quite a haul."
Dark left Traveler Street before sunset.
As he stepped out of Lake Pavilion, he happened to pass Victor and Robert.
The two boys seemed to have put aside their earlier differences and were roughhousing together again.
"Come to think of it, have they finished their homework?"
Dark wondered.
(( д)(д ))
Dark Dimon Tries to Step Out of the Fog
As for whether Victor and Robert had gone to the library, and whether they'd actually finished their homework there, Dark was only mildly curious. He had no intention of looking into it.
With nine Flower Cards in hand, he had more leeway in controlling "Bliss." But if Professor Kazel really had made the cards, Dark wanted to learn and master the method!
For one thing, he'd have a steady supply of Flower Cards.
For another, he was curious about how the cards could absorb "Bliss"!
But going straight to Professor Kazel to ask about it would seem a little abrupt.
Dark thought it over for a moment, then remembered he still hadn't returned one of the Thought Bottles.
So he quickened his pace, planning to head back to his dorm and retrieve the bottle first.
The common room was usually busiest on Friday nights.
The students let out the stress they'd built up over the week, without having to worry about homework or classes. After all, it was only Friday. They could leave their homework until tomorrow, and they wouldn't need to think about classes until the day after.
Even Noble House's common room was no exception.
Dark wove through the crowd, dodged Diana's gaze as she searched for him like a cat hunting a mouse, and successfully slipped into his dorm.
The dorm was quiet. Nothing seemed different from when he'd left.
He closed the door, turned on the light, and walked over to his desk.
The Thought Bottle was in the desk drawer. He'd grab it and leave.
But the moment he reached for it, he suddenly heard a meow.
Unable to help himself, he turned and headed for the balcony.
"Did Meow Meow Grass wake up?"
He opened the door and looked down at Meow Meow Grass on the balcony.
Then he fell silent.
On the balcony.
Meow Meow Grass was gripping the dangling Insect Branch with both its little paws, its pink tongue lapping at the tip.
The Insect Branch had been infused with three drops of "Pride" and should have become very hard, but it had somehow turned limp again!
[Wrath +1]
He'd only just earned it back that afternoon, and now he'd lost it again.
"Meow—"
Meow Meow Grass hadn't noticed that its master had lost control in a fit of rage. It dropped the branch and trotted over to Dark.
Its tail stalk was long enough for it to reach his feet.
Dark crouched down and lifted it onto his knee, wondering whether he should juice it or pet it tonight.
Then he noticed a faint mark on Meow Meow Grass's forehead.
"Crest of Pride?"
Dark frowned, and the anger in his heart quickly faded.
After examining it several times, he confirmed that it really was the Crest of Pride. But strangely, Meow Meow Grass showed none of the "pride" that DemiDevimon and Eevee had displayed.
"Could it be because it's a plant?"
Dark fell into thought as Meow Meow Grass took his finger in its mouth and sucked on it.
"Come to think of it, how does a creature like Meow Meow Grass even exist?"
Dark's eyes flickered. Then he took "Pride 1" from his Card Case.
"Magic Guidance Summon!"
A dark golden orb of light flew out of "Pride 1" and sank into the top of Meow Meow Grass's head.
But the Magitech Card that could make people arrogant still had no effect at all.
"I'll look it up in the library!"
Dark took a breath, set Meow Meow Grass down, and carried the Insect Tree inside.
He'd learned his lesson.
Tomorrow, he'd go to Traveler Street and buy a barrier to keep Meow Meow Grass away from the Insect Tree. He'd also get it some Furballs or something to keep it entertained.
Dark sat down and began taking notes, realizing he was busy all over again.
"Should I go to the library first or find the professor?"
"Better see the professor!"
"I can go to the library tonight."
Professor Kazel wasn't in his office.
Dark went to the laboratory instead.
Sure enough, Professor Kazel was there, making Magitech Cards.
But today he wasn't making "Jack-o'-lanterns." He was using bandages and a human-shaped mannequin to make a "Mummy."
Dark thought about how to bring up the subject naturally, and pulled out the Flower Card of White Mandala as he entered.
"Dimon? Are you here to borrow the laboratory? The key to the laboratory next door is in the second drawer of my office."
Professor Kazel looked very focused.
Dark didn't set the Thought Bottle on the worktable until he'd walked over. "Professor, I'm here to return this."
"The Thought Bottle?" Professor Kazel glanced back and smiled. "You can keep using it for a while longer."
"No, thank you, Professor. I've already bought an Insect Tree."
He'd intended to start by chatting about emotions and thoughts, then steer the conversation toward the Love Divination Cards.
But as soon as Professor Kazel saw the Flower Card in his hand, he asked without a second thought, "What, have you taken an interest in these Flower Cards too?"
Dark's brow furrowed slightly. He said, "Yes, Professor. I've been wondering whether the divination these cards offer involves peering into people's thoughts."
Professor Kazel paused, then smiled even more broadly.
He set down his work, removed his laboratory gloves, and said with a smile, "I never imagined you'd made such progress in your studies of the mind."
Before you continue