Luca didn't know exactly what had changed about her, but ever since that night, Aisha noticed she had become much quieter than usual—a stark contrast to the normally chirpy girl.
As for Luca's claim that she had been beaten up by Irena, Aisha wasn't buying it.
After all, Irena-senpai had messaged her saying she was sick.
There was chat history as proof—no way that was a lie.
And operating on the principle of "the less said, the less exposed," Luca, with the Mark of Veritas still etched below her navel, decided to spend the next three days as a quiet and reserved beauty.
Adding to her woes, even after calling for it all night, the Millennium Ring didn't respond. Luca felt that ever since arriving at Fusion Academy, absolutely nothing had gone her way.
So much so that the next day during class (first-years at Fusion Academy have classes on Saturdays with Sundays off), even when she ran into her "rival," Kevin Seth, she barely spoke.
Her odd behavior didn't go unnoticed by Kevin either.
Was this really the same cocky, arrogant girl who declared herself Aisha Carlos's rival just a few days ago?
Now that she had turned into a mute beauty, she wasn't nearly as annoying.
She actually had a decent face, if only she would keep her mouth shut.
"Yesterday was Friday, today is Saturday~ One more day and it's Sunday~"
Compared to Luca's gloomy silence, Ren was bursting with energy—and excitement.
"Ren-chan, you're in a good mood today."
"Hehehe, am I?"
"You practically wrote it on your face."
"Must be because we get tomorrow off."
Aisha's inner voice: Who are you kidding? It's because Miles is helping you with your magic printing today, hmph!
Everyone endured Ren's relentless enthusiasm until school was finally over.
"Aisha, you coming to the club activity? The High-Level Spirit Research Society?"
Kevin was the first to invite her.
Just yesterday, the two of them had proudly graduated from the Go-Home Club and joined High-Level Research.
They couldn't just skip their second day and ghost the club.
Aisha stuck out her little red tongue, a sheepish look on her face.
"I do have club today, but not High-Level Research. I'm helping out at the Magic Club with Ren-chan. Sorry, Kevin, let the others know for me?"
"Magic Club, huh? Got it."
He didn't insist on tagging along. Kevin had no real interest in magic.
To the Seth family, brute-force Duel Cards were far more appealing than esoteric spellcraft.
More importantly, if both new members skipped the club on their second day, Nia and Rovik wouldn't be too happy.
"I'll pass the message along to the High-Level Research side, Aisha Carlos. Just go ahead."
"Thanks a lot, Kevin."
Parting ways with Kevin on the first floor of the club building, Aisha made her way to the Magic Club—a perennially popular club located in the most prominent first-floor spot, unlike the out-of-the-way third-floor corner that housed High-Level Research.
Its room was several times larger, too.
Given the sheer variety of magic types, the five bookshelves crammed with spell records came as no surprise.
On several large tables lay colorful bottles and jars, some of them even bubbling with steam.
Even Miles wouldn't know what they were for—neither did Aisha.
"Ren, you're finally here."
Coming to greet them was a tall, long-legged upperclassman in purple robes and black stockings. Though not as curvaceous as Nia, she was still quite the seductive beauty.
The monocle on her left eye was purely decorative, yet it enhanced her intellectual dominatrix aura.
Ren waved and introduced them: "Let me introduce you. This is the Magic Club President, second-year Shira Harth. Senpai, this is my childhood friend and dearest companion, Aisha Yuna Carlos."
The Harth family was a renowned magical household. A century ago, their abundance of mages once placed them on equal footing with the Seth family, rivaling even dukes in the kingdom.
But that was a glory long past.
As Duel Monsters developed and the Seth family focused on raising Duelists, the Harths, who clung to old magic theory, saw their status sharply decline.
Still, while focused on mage training, the Harths had no shortage of Duelists either, barely qualifying as high nobility.
Far more prestigious than the Carlos family.
"Good afternoon, Senpai Shira," Aisha greeted politely.
"Hehehe~" Shira chuckled elegantly, covering her lips with the back of her hand. "Aisha Carlos, I've heard your name plenty already. You're quite the celebrity at Fusion Academy."
She had shattered Kevin Seth's perfect win record in the Withdrawal Duel, and bested Luca Slint from XYZ Academy using Arcana Knight Joker in the Transfer Duel.
In just over a month, Aisha Yuna Carlos had become a household name across the academy.
"Such an adorable little celebrity, gracing our Magic Club... Are you here to observe? Or to join? Either way, this big sister welcomes you."
The sudden flattery made Aisha blush. She shyly scratched her ahoge.
"Probably just observing. I'm curious about today's experiment—something about using potions to alter card effects."
That was a lie. Aisha Carlos was actually here to supervise. To watch over the borrowed Miles and make sure he didn't do anything weird.
"The experiment, huh? Then you must've heard about it from Ren. But it's no secret. This project has been our Magic Club's focus for half the semester."
Spending half a semester with no success showed how hard it was to formulate a potion that could influence card effects. The worry in Shira's graceful brows made that obvious.
"Today is probably our final trial. Though we've poured massive resources and effort into it, if we fail again, we'll have to pick a simpler project for the semester-end school festival."
"The final trial, huh."
Ren had mentioned that too.
Precisely because this was a make-or-break, historic experiment that Aisha had allowed Miles to help with.
Miles said, "Can you specify what kind of effects or which card you plan to target?"
Now fully intrigued, Miles asked his question through Aisha.
"After half a year of theoretical research, the potion with the highest success rate is the Transformation Potion. And the card with the most synchronized compatibility is this one."
With slender fingers, Shira slid a tradable card across the table.
Spell Card: [Metamorphosis]
Miles was shocked, "Wait, isn't this card banned? You're trying to print a banned card?"
...
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