I became a heart-stealing thief in Azure Files

Amamiya: ...

So, there are also legends related to the "Dark Game" in Kivotosne?

"No, no, no..." Shizuko became increasingly frantic, shaking her hair and raising her voice slightly in disbelief, "In the end, it's just a legend, right? How could such a dark duel possibly happen in reality?!"

"The loser will lose their entire carefully constructed deck... and will also lose the bond between themselves and the deck."

A voice suddenly joined the conversation, responding to Shizuko's words.

Amamiya looked in the direction of the voice—the speaker was the girl with the hairstyle that looked like she was good at playing cards, who had previously activated the effect of "Sky Thunder" with her nonsense and defeated her opponent in one fell swoop.

After taking all the cards from the loser, she stood up slowly with the air of a winner and greeted Amamiya.

"Hello... Sensei from Xialai, and students from the other unnamed academies."

"I am Yuki Jūdai, an ordinary duelist from the Duel Academy."

Shizuko opened her mouth, but for a moment she didn't know what to say.

The girl who called herself "Yuki the 12th Generation" had already walked up to Amamiya and briefly explained the situation to the speechless Amamiya.

"This is the real 'Dark Game'... Sensei, you should know the rules—and even if you don't, you'll understand as soon as I tell you."

"In a 'card duel'... the loser will have their deck plundered by the winner."

Amamiya: ...

First of all, the name "Yuki Jūdai" itself is already full of flaws...

Secondly, the rules of this card-betting duel... are they really from Duel City?

"While it may not qualify as a 'Dark Duel'... for a duelist, losing an entire deck is nothing compared to losing even a few core components; the soul of the deck vanishes with it."

After the girl who called herself "Yuki the 12th Generation" said that, Shizuko thought about it for a moment and realized that the game was indeed quite scary.

Let's set aside the question of how much it costs to build your own deck...

Just considering the point of "having something you cherish taken away," it is indeed quite painful.

"Then why are you still participating in this event?! Aren't you afraid of losing and having your cards taken away?"

'Yu Cheng 12' smiled confidently, lowering his eyebrows and head while adjusting his bizarre hairstyle.

Then she said confidently and earnestly, "Everything for a true duelist is inevitable," as my senior once told me.

"As long as I believe in the bond between myself and the deck... no matter what, I can definitely create miracles and open up a brand new future!"

Jingzi: "..."

That's so cringeworthy!

His chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) is so extreme that it makes it difficult to know how to talk to him.

"Furthermore... it's said that the winner will receive a 'resort management rights contract.'"

"So... even if I'm prepared to lose, I will still move forward with unwavering determination."

After saying that, the girl, who called herself "Yujo Twelve Generations," turned and left confidently and gracefully—probably to participate in other card games as the winner.

Watching the 'Twelfth Generation of the Nightly Wanderer' depart gracefully, the girls of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons exchanged bewildered glances, belatedly realizing what had happened.

From the duelist's parting words, they all keenly gleaned the most crucial information—

"The winner will receive a 'contract for the operation of the resort'..."

Shizuko softly repeated these words, then unconsciously glanced around...

Many duels taking place around the card table are still in full swing.

As an outsider who knew almost nothing about 'card games', Shizuko hesitated for the first time.

“Sensei…” she looked at Amamiya, hesitatingly asking, “Should we participate in this game…?”

Without a second thought, Amamiya decisively shook her head.

What a joke... This kind of game, where nonsense outweighs the rules, is not only a recipe for disaster, but it can also easily lead to all sorts of strange and messy situations.

Even if she had participated, Amamiya felt that she couldn't withstand the kind of nonsense and eccentricities that the "Yuki Twelve Generations" had just spouted.

"Let's not forget what the purpose of our trip is."

Upon hearing Amamiya's words, Shizuko, who had almost been led astray, immediately snapped back to reality: "...Oh, right."

Their purpose was clearly to 'cooperate' with the Golden Fleece and the students of Odyssey Academy...

How did we end up talking about card games without even realizing it?

"Then Sensei... what should we do?"

Sometimes, winning a game doesn't necessarily require being on the chessboard.

Winning the game is the same, of course.

Amidst the watchful eyes of the girls in the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, Amamiya calmly raised her hand to the bunny girl who was casting her gaze.

The bunny girl, who was being gestured to by Amamiya, was a little confused, but she still walked towards Amamiya.

"Excuse me, sir/madam..."

The bunny girl hadn't finished speaking when something seemed off.

She paused, then looked Amamiya over again.

"..."

After confirming again, she coughed lightly, her tone becoming much more respectful.

“This Sensei from Xialai, is there anything special you need?”

Amamiya nodded, then slowly said, "I want to report this."

Chapter 99 Sansen’s Longing

In the luxurious lounge of the Golden Fleece.

Girls dressed as bunny girls, all wearing identical orange-yellow semi-transparent W-shaped sunglasses, stood in a row on both sides of the room at the entrance.

Each of them wields heavy weaponry, and despite their youthful and adorable appearance, and clothing styles that seem to reveal the curves of a young woman's body with just a slight bend—

Perhaps it was due to their sheer number, or perhaps it was their inherently imposing aura...

Except for Chise and Izuna, all the girls in the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons were sitting upright.

As for Chise, she seemed completely unaffected by the bunny girls' aura. Her bright pink eyes were fixed on the various fruit platters on the table and the bubbling iced drinks with a slice of lemon on top. Her gaze kept shifting between the two, as if she was considering which one to enjoy first.

As for Izuna... although she was somewhat wary, she wasn't overly nervous.

Her fox ears twitched, as if she were ready to retreat with her lord at any moment.

Sitting in such a depressing reception room, Shizuko felt so heavy that she could hardly breathe.

While Chise remained calm, she, sitting right next to Amamiya, tugged at Amamiya's sleeve under the table.

'Sensei... Are you sure everything's okay?'

'Their aura...is so intimidating.'

Mimori, sitting on the other side, also expressed his concern at this moment.

Even though she knew there would be no problems on this trip, she couldn't help feeling a little nervous due to the oppressive aura she had never experienced before.

Don't worry, everyone.

After a moment's thought, Amamiya made a move that caused both Shizuko and Mimori to immediately widen their eyes and instinctively straighten their backs and raise their heads—

He reached out and grasped Mimori and Shizuko's hands, which were slightly cool, perhaps due to the summer sea breeze, under the table.

"...?!"

The situation was completely unexpected. Shizuko, who was already a little nervous due to the atmosphere, was stunned for a moment. Then, the pair of cat earrings on her head stood up straight as if they were directly 'electrified' due to her extreme surprise.

Immediately afterwards, the brown-haired girl's shimmering purple eyes were instantly shrouded in a mesmerizing mist, swirling with tiny circles.

After a sudden freeze, Shizuko quickly lowered her head slightly, glancing at Amamiya out of the corner of her eye as if complaining.

'Sen, Sensei... what are you doing...?'

Amamiya seemed oblivious to Shizuko's furtive glances, continuing with his own actions, his fingers intertwined with Shizuko's, their hands clasped tightly.

'Huh? On the contrary...they're holding on even tighter?!'

Shizuko became increasingly confused, and a faint blush quickly crept onto her face.

'Although the situation was somewhat sudden, but…'

After a brief moment of confusion, the shyness that appeared on the girl's pretty face quickly melted into an equal amount of relief.

'…Sensei's hands have distinct knuckles. Although they don't seem much older than mine, they give off a mature, gentle… reassuring feeling.'

'Is this... the palm of an adult's hand?'

For a fleeting moment, Shizuko recalled the sudden arrival and subsequent disappearance of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons not long ago... as if it were a spring snowfall specially created for the sake of atmosphere.

A chilling current swept through the fence, gently ruffling the white-haired girl's hair that had shone so brightly under the sun breaking through the clouds when Sensei was there... Could that white-haired girl's feelings be similar to his own at this moment?

【~???~】(from Jingzi)

At this moment, Shizuko's mind was in turmoil.

Unable to maintain her "marketplace girl" persona, Shizuko uncontrollably began to "spread her thoughts" and think about strange things.

As for Mimori, who was treated the same way by Amamiya... she wasn't much better off.

Unlike Shizuko, Mimori recalled the 'jumping from the plane' operation that had occurred not long ago.

Mimori still remembers the terrifying feeling of weightlessness she experienced when she, Chise, and Yuriko 'rappelled down' without a parachute to the island resort not long ago, and the absolute sense of security she felt when she was held in someone's arms.

The warm breath of a mature man so close, the steadiness of his strong arms and embrace, and the comforting voice that whispered "Don't be afraid" in my ear just as I was panicking...

The feeling of being completely dazed and having my heart race—Mimori still remembers it to this day.

Mimori recalled the many romantic comics she had read, and the "life ideal" derived from them—to become a true Yamato Nadeshiko (ideal Japanese woman).

She thought of those stories of "coming from the Sky Tree, riding on auspicious clouds and bathed in rosy light, and then making an eternal vow"...

But she didn't expect the so-called "final fulfillment" in the story, and she didn't want to see a scene that looked magnificent but was actually empty, like "the sky tree was set on fire by lightning, and the city reflected in the pupils was like a sea of ​​stars."

Mimori felt that he was not worthy of such a magnificent 'future'.

—This 'impression' began to change after my first encounter with Sensei at the cherry blossom festival.

Until recently, the "parachute-less rappelling" behavior was completely dismantled.

The eerie blue flames swirled around his feet, and as they swirled, the phantom thief's jet-black "Wings of Rebellion" swooped down from behind him, defying gravity and protecting him—that moment was so clear.

In a daze, a thought arose in Mimori's mind: 'Ever since I met Sensei...'

'It seems I'm gradually living the life of a "heroine in a story"...'

'Could Sensei be that 'destined one,' like in a romance manga... someone who can change their fate?'

The moment this thought crossed her mind, Mimori's heart began to race slightly.

【~???~】(from Mimori)

[I sensed a special emotion emanating from Mimori...]

My bond with Mimori has deepened...

【Mizuha Mimori (Faith)★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆】

"Minister... Mimori...?"

Sitting in Amamiya, Shizuko and Mimori's opposite side, Uika noticed the sudden change in expression on Mimori and Shizuko's faces.

She was first surprised, then asked with great concern, "...Are you all alright?"

Shizuko, who was 'lost in thought,' was startled by the question.

As she quickly withdrew her hand, she blurted out, almost like a thief caught in the act, "N-nothing...!"

Mimori smiled gently, her light blue eyes remaining completely still.

Unlike Shizuko, who recoiled as if electrocuted, she softly hummed in agreement, "It's nothing..."