Having received Vice Principal Raiden's approval, Aisha Yuna Carlos safely exited the teacher's office and returned to the High-Level Spirit Research Society.
Along the way, she noticed that some classmates were giving her odd looks.
After all, Dystopia the Despondent had been slapped to death by a giant Mokey Mokey. And in all of Fusion Academy, only one Duelist used Mokey Mokey.
If not for Professor Field's powerful intimidation as the "Iron Demon," forcing every student who had witnessed Dystopia to stay silent, gossip would have spread across campus like wildfire.
Thanks to his ironclad threat and Fiona's flawless magical repair of the ruined plaza, the academy buried the entire incident in darkness.
Most students, who were either in club activities, holed up in the library, or lounging in their dorms after school, merely noticed the three strange earthquakes that occurred throughout the day.
Aisha herself was sternly warned by Professor Field to avoid using the Dystopia card inside the academy.
Not that the card truly belonged to her—it was technically the property of the High-Level Spirit Research Society.
Even if the school didn't confiscate it, Aisha was obliged to return the card to the club.
But upon returning—
"We all agreed it's more appropriate for you to keep the card, Aisha."
Vice President Rovik once again pushed Dystopia the Despondent back to her.
"Sigh, are you sure? Wasn't this card passed down by seniors of the Spirit Society?"
"That's true, but what they passed down was a sealed, unusable card. The one you now hold is Dystopia the Despondent, whose seal you unlocked at the cost of your life."
After delivering his well-prepared speech, Rovik dramatically adjusted his thin-rimmed glasses, their gleam making him look incredibly wise.
"Why do you get all the cool lines? I'm the president here!"
Nia jumped out in protest.
Though a 12-star monster like Dystopia was her dream card by personal preference, Nia still supported the decision.
"Aisha Carlos, as our new member, your efforts today didn't go unnoticed. As a reward, I, as president, entrust you with the highest-grade God Card. May you carry the Spirit Society to greater glory!"
"Yes, President!" Aisha solemnly accepted the card, even feeling an inexplicable sense of honor. "I'll do my best to collect more God Cards!"
Miles: "Don't you think that goal is a little too ambitious? You think God Cards are as common as wild Pikachu or something?"
However, compared to Miles's realism, everyone else present clearly leaned more romantic.
Kevin nodded in agreement. "As expected of my fated rival. Collecting God Cards is exactly the sort of grand goal you should have!"
Nia chimed in, "Well said, Aisha. Now that we've expanded to four members, our goal for this semester shall be: collect the God Cards!"
"President, can I ask what our club's goal was before Kevin and Aisha joined?"
"Survive and slack off."
Truly worthy of being stationed next to the Self-Destruct Button Activation Group. One step from being disbanded.
Miles said, "Aisha, ask them about Camille."
Since returning, Camille, the spirit inside the Millennium Key, hadn't shown up, leaving Miles worried.
He had hoped to ask Camille how spirit companions could materialize independently like him.
Instead, the question remained unanswered, and now Dark Aisha had emerged inside his soul room.
After watching her silently tidy up for a while, Miles noticed something odd.
"You're only cleaning half?"
The once-messy soul room now had one half immaculately cleaned by Dark Aisha—to a degree that would satisfy even the strictest neat freak.
The other half remained in Miles's usual organized chaos.
To make matters worse, she had even constructed a dividing line out of books, neatly separating the zones.
"That side's yours. This side's mine."
"Do we really need to split things this clearly?"
"We're not very close. I didn't want to impose."
"You're not shy at all, are you? This is my room, you know. Did I ever say you could claim half of it?"
"..."
Speechless, Dark Aisha bit her lip, then slid the book boundary a few meters toward her side.
"Then... can I have a third?"
"Is that really the issue here?"
Besides, soul rooms have no edges. How could you even tell what's one-third?
"So you're planning to stay here forever?"
"I don't have anywhere else to go."
As far as Miles could tell, Aisha hadn't realized her dark side had independently entered his soul room.
It was unclear whether Aisha would ever even see her dark self during soul swaps.
Miles suspected probably not.
Soul rooms were independent spaces, and Aisha's was clearly different from his. Otherwise, she would've left behind some trace every time they swapped.
If that was the case, then Dark Aisha hiding in Miles's space likely wouldn't be exposed during exchanges either.
"I won't get in your way. Please let me stay."
Maybe it was her 'false' memories of being abandoned that made Dark Aisha so withdrawn, painfully cautious around others.
Avoiding inconvenience had become her core survival instinct.
Was it pitiful?
Miles thought so.
Did he feel sympathy?
He definitely did.
No matter how false the memories, he didn't want to see the cheerful, sunny Aisha Carlos end up like this.
"Alright, you can stay."
"Really?"
A flash of joy lit up Dark Aisha's eyes—quickly hidden, as if by habit.
"But one more thing."
Miles removed the books that had served as the border.
"If we're living together, then we're family. No need to be so formal. I don't mind if you mess things up a little."
"Miles, I..."
Staring at the removed line, Dark Aisha looked conflicted, her words caught in her throat.
"...I said I didn't want to inconvenience you, but honestly, I'm more afraid you'll mess up my side."
'…So she's a neat-freak roommate, huh?'
'Fine...'
...
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