Let's play cards! In a fantasy world of swords and magic

In the days following the practical test, Aisha, who had narrowly avoided expulsion, returned to her usual peaceful life.

Her days were filled with the routine of attending classes, completing homework, and then heading to the library to study various subjects with Senior Irena.

Though it was a simple life, as a student, this was how things should be. Aisha also enjoyed this fulfilling life where she no longer had to worry about credits.

Especially now that she had You Ling's company, Aisha no longer felt lonely when she returned to her dorm room alone.

On quiet nights when she couldn't sleep, Aisha would often chat with You Ling.

Of course, it was mostly Aisha doing the talking, with You Ling occasionally responding with an "Mm" to show he was listening.

Even so, Aisha never tired of it. She told You Ling many stories about her childhood, the Carlos family, and her older sister.

Among these, the stories about Aisha's sister resonated deeply with You Ling.

As the eldest daughter of the Carlos family, Aisha's sister had excelled in every way, and Aisha adored her.

However, because she lacked the Spirit Eye and couldn't become a duelist in this Elven Continent, no matter how outstanding Aisha's sister was, she couldn't revive the Carlos family.

That was why Aisha had taken on the burden, becoming the last hope of the Carlos family.

"I also had a great sister, but that was back when I was alive."

That night, You Ling, who usually responded with just "Mm," spoke up during their conversation.

This made Aisha even more excited, and she chattered away almost all night about her sister.

As a result, the sleep-deprived Aisha ended up dozing off during the daytime duel class.

When Teacher Erin asked her, "When can Quick-Play Spell Cards be used?" Aisha's answer was, "They can be used in duels."

"Not entirely correct. After all, outside of duels, you could also use Quick-Play Spell Cards as weapons to throw. Now, remember to copy the correct answer fifty times, Aisha Yuna."

With a harmless smile, Teacher Erin delivered her divine punishment without hesitation.

[Quick-Play Spell Cards can be used at any time during your turn. Alternatively, they can be set on the field and used like Trap Cards at any time during your opponent's turn.]

The girl began copying...

Even with these little hiccups, it was undeniable that Aisha enjoyed her academy life even more after You Ling's arrival.

However, the only thing that made Aisha vaguely uneasy was the feeling that someone had been secretly following her for the past few days. And it seemed like there was more than one person.

—Aisha's intuition was not wrong.

It was Tuesday afternoon, just after school, and Aisha was on her way to the Fusion Academy library.

Behind her, hiding beside a stone pillar on the left, was Kevin, who had been secretly following Aisha for three days.

"Aisha Yuna Carlos... she seems like such an ordinary girl. There's none of that destined rival feeling I got during our duel. Could it really just be my wishful thinking...? No way! As the top student in my year, how could I lose to such an ordinary girl!"

Kevin, still confused, didn't know how to view Aisha.

If You Ling knew about this, he might have explained that Kevin was experiencing the kind of camaraderie that comes from a good fight, seeing Aisha as a rival.

However, Kevin didn't know about You Ling's existence and only knew Aisha as the girl she appeared to be.

You Ling, on the other hand, didn't know Kevin's thoughts and only knew that he had been following Aisha for the past few days.

Meanwhile, on the right side of the stone pillar, the second stalker was hiding—

Aisha's childhood friend, Ilin Austin, was trying her best to make her striking red hair less noticeable.

"Ah, Ilin, there you are! We've been looking for you."

However, no matter how well she tried to hide, Ilin, with her striking red hair, was easily spotted by a first-year classmate.

It was a girl with thick black-rimmed glasses.

"Our Magic Club has a match today. I was wondering if you could come and help, Ilin?"

The reason Ilin had become the social butterfly of the first year was largely due to her exceptional talents and abilities.

Though not top-tier, her all-around prowess in sports, academics, and card games made her highly sought after by various clubs at Fusion Academy.

Ilin hadn't joined any specific club but instead offered her help whenever a club needed it, building her network and earning her the reputation of a socialite.

However, this time, Ilin didn't respond enthusiastically to the Magic Club's invitation. Instead, she muttered to herself.

"Little Ai has been acting so strange lately. Not only has her dueling style changed drastically, but she's even been sleeping in class. That's not something Little Ai would normally do!"

Even though Ilin kept telling herself not to overthink things after the duel ended, in the end, she couldn't convince herself.

After all, having grown up with Aisha, Ilin knew her far too well.

From the smallest details of Aisha's daily movements, Ilin could even guess what color underwear Aisha was wearing that day.

It was to this exaggerated level of familiarity that made it impossible for Ilin not to notice the oddities in Aisha's behavior after being influenced by You Ling.

But at the same time, Ilin had no concrete evidence. Every time she tried to subtly probe, Aisha would deflect with clumsy acting and cute antics, brushing it off.

The only option left was to secretly follow her.

Having come up with this plan, Ilin, like Kevin, had started tailing Aisha three days ago.

And just like Kevin, she had found nothing.

Aisha's daily routine hadn't changed at all. It was the same three-point pattern: classroom, cafeteria, library, and then back to the dormitory after the library closed.

"Ugh, there's no flaw at all," Ilin muttered, biting her thumb in frustration, her expression growing serious.

The more it felt like a perfect crime, the more Ilin couldn't help but suspect something was off.

"Ilin?" The girl from the Magic Club, noticing Ilin's constant muttering, asked with concern.

"Could Little Ai have been replaced by someone else?" After posing the question to herself, Ilin finally noticed the girl beside her. "Hey, do you believe in magic in this world?"

"Uh, magic... Of course, I do. I'm in the Magic Club..."

Caught off guard by Ilin's sudden and bizarre question, the Magic Club girl was momentarily at a loss for words.

"I mean, something more sinister, like curses or spells that can alter someone's mind."

"That's not really within my area of expertise. You should probably ask the Curse Club about that."

"Tch, no other way then," Ilin clicked her tongue.

Having followed Aisha for so many days without finding any flaws, the only blind spot left was the time after Aisha returned to her dormitory at night.

This was also where Ilin had an advantage over Kevin.

"Tonight, I'll go sleep with Little Ai."