Once the flames had died out completely, only a few wisps of black smoke remained in the woods.
A yellowed bone bell rolled to Yūki's feet, struck the toe of his shoe, and gave one last clear chime.
Yūki glanced down.
"You were cursing so energetically a moment ago, but your exit was pretty clean."
Snowstorm Princess walked over carrying her ice hammer, her crown still crooked.
She straightened her crown and glared angrily at the bone bell.
"It dared threaten my young master even after losing. If the Shadow Game hadn't swallowed it first, I would have frozen it and smashed it with my hammer."
Yūki looked at the ice hammer in her hand, which was taller than a person.
"You could leave out that last part. Your princess image might still be salvageable."
"I have a very princess-like image."
Snowstorm Princess argued earnestly, "Lady Misaki said before that when you meet an unreasonable enemy, you should make them quiet down first. It's easier to reason with them afterward."
Yūki felt those words carried a bit of the Fujiwara Family's traditions.
Silent Magician approached, the silver light at the tip of her staff already withdrawn.
Only after checking that Yūki had no burns did she turn her gaze toward where the Puppet Master had vanished.
"His presence is completely gone."
"Completely gone?"
Yūki bent down and picked up the bone bell. "Even spirits can be swallowed by a Shadow Game?"
"What a Shadow Game devours is the soul."
Silent Magician looked at the cards scattered on the ground. "Humans lose their souls when they lose, and spirits are no different. He was a spirit himself, with no second body to leave behind."
Snowstorm Princess crouched beside an [Evil Eye, King of the Dead], her fingers not touching its face.