"Broken…"
"Really broken…"
The doll spirit Alice sat on the floor with her legs tucked, staring blankly at her cards scattered everywhere, not recovering for a long while.
Her Deck was strewn about. Since she used a Doll Parts build, the floor was littered with them—an arm here, a leg there, and several doll heads mixed in. It looked like she'd been dismantled by her opponent.
"Too much. Just too much."
Alice accused in her heart.
To be fair, she came today with the mission of "plunging the opponent into utter despair," to make a strong duelist lose the heart to duel, even kick the habit and swear off cards forever.
But now it seemed like she was the one getting cured of card addiction…
Alice rubbed her eyes; the tiny doll looked like she'd been punched, slumped and on the verge of tears.
Doll Chimera is such a pain to summon—you need Alice plus four Doll Parts to put it together. She managed it in one turn, got no praise, and instead it got blown up five times in one turn until not even dust remained…
In that moment, Alice felt a little silly for pouring everything into summoning that big boss.
And when the opponent casually dropped an alchemy beater with over eight thousand ATK afterward, Alice was certain.
She wasn't "a little" silly.
She was actually silly.
Ugh, dueling is the worst!
So this is the fabled realm of despair for duelists—the abyss where you never want to swing cards again?
She'd experienced it firsthand.
"Your Deck is interesting."
Kira smiled.
"Good play. That Doll Chimera is hard to bring out—at least you did summon it. Pretty impressive."
Alice looked up, eyes red.
She thought it was impressive too, but coming from him it sounded like mockery…
"Keep it up and come again next time." Kira smiled. "You're always welcome to send me back to the realm of despair."
Alice flinched instinctively, clutching her dress and scooting back.
Nope, not coming back. Never again.
I've already been there.
"I'm sorry!"
Alice prostrated herself.
Kira blinked.
"What?"
He didn't even react. Sorry for what?
Sorry you couldn't entertain me before you broke down?
"I—I remember now!" Alice bowed. "I wasn't supposed to be like this."
"I am a guardian spirit, meant to protect duelists' hearts. I should bring happiness and let everyone enjoy dueling."
"But I was weak, allowed darkness to stain my heart, and conceived such evil thoughts."
"But now I understand."
Alice knelt, face full of remorse.
"You wanted to show me—through a duel—how painful it is to have one's heart for dueling, one's hope, stripped away, didn't you?"
"I shouldn't resent, and I definitely shouldn't force that pain onto others. I'm fully awakened now, and I remember who I am. So…
I'm sorry!"
She bowed even lower.
Kira: "…"
Huh? That works?
In the original, Alice recalled her identity and duty at the end thanks to Jaden's passion—infected by the protagonist's unique charisma.
He hadn't expected you could literally beat sense into her.
Kira stroked his chin, pondering.
Could it be that my power keeps growing—dueling skill fused with the transcendent—so even a casual game has that kind of impact?
"Well, no need to be that guilty," Kira said. "The card-ripper was in the wrong. Punishment was deserved.
But venting on unrelated innocents and trying to harm them—that's where you were wrong."
Alice didn't dare speak.
"Since you've come around, that's good. But just letting you go is risky; there's no guarantee you won't hunt another victim next time…"
Alice looked up pitiably, eyes wide.
"T-then what should I do?"
Kira fell into thought.
…
The next morning.
"Excuse me—"
Jaden stepped into Kira's dorm and froze, wondering if he'd walked into the wrong room.
Because the moment he entered, he saw a tiny girl in a maid outfit—cute as a doll—on tiptoe at the window, scrubbing hard.
"Eh?" Jaden blinked. "You're…"
Noticing someone enter, Alice quickly put down her work and bowed.
"Hello. I'm Ra Yellow's new maid, Alice-chan. Pleased to serve."
"Maid?" Jaden looked even more confused. "Does the Academy even have maids?"
"Normally, no," Alice explained earnestly. "But Kira-sama said I am currently a criminal on probation. This is labor… labor…"
"Reform through labor," Kira prompted from inside.
"Yes, that."
Alice's little face was taut with solemnity as she resumed scrubbing the window with great seriousness.
Jaden: "?"
He frowned. "Wait, I feel like I've seen this girl somewhere…"
"She's the doll from Ms. Dorothy's shop," Kira said. "Originally a spirit that protects duelists, stained by darkness into a dangerous spirit.
After dueling me, she seems to have returned to normal, but we can't rule out risk yet. So she's under observation."
"I—I see." Jaden nodded.
Dueling with Kira… yeah, that tracks. Even the worst corruption would be cleared up.
The two sat down to talk. Soon Alice came in with a silver tray.
"These are snacks and tea I prepared. Please enjoy."
She set the tray down gently and went back to work.
Jaden took a bite, his eyes lighting up.
"Oh, this is delicious!" he said, satisfied. "Man, I wish Slifer Red had a doll like this too…"
"Forget that—how are you doing?" Kira cut straight to the point.
"Doing? How?" Jaden tilted his head.
"The Supreme King—he's inside you now, right?" Kira studied him. "Do you feel anything off?"
....
2 Bonus chapters at 500 PS