Chapter 36: Let's Use the Three Sacred Beasts
"Kikawayu wants to go to Duel Academy too?" Finesse observed with puzzlement.
"Yep yep yep." Kikawayu nodded like a bobblehead.
"Are you really a guy?" Finesse unleashed a soul-piercing question.
"If you're a girl, I absolutely won't agree. I don't want to create trouble for myself by leaving such a cute girl beside Amano."
"A-absolutely, truly."
Not going to lie, Kikawayu felt somewhat guilty in that instant.
"Relax, Finesse. Kikawayu and I have been wearing the same underwear since we were kids."
Amano naturally understood what the overly-direct young miss was expressing.
[If Kikawayu is a girl, letting such a cute girl follow Amano all the way from District 32 to Duel Academy would undoubtedly be creating a dangerous rival.]
Sigh, no helping it.
As his good friend with 86 affection points, Finesse really was the jealous type.
But as Kikawayu was his best bro with 100 affection points, Amano naturally wanted to help however he could.
Even for the deck Kikawayu would need at Duel Academy, Amano planned to dip into his savings to help him out.
Brother, we've suffered together for eighteen years—now we absolutely have to share the good fortune!
"Fine, I agree." After thinking it over, the beautiful and kind-hearted young miss ultimately consented. "However, Amano, I think even for guys, wearing the same underwear isn't very hygienic."
That's poor people's business—stay out of it.
"Well then, we should get going."
There was still a month until the academy semester started. Finesse's trip to District 32 wasn't to pick up Amano for school, of course.
Rather, she'd finally found a mechanic who could treat Shio's legs.
"Miss Finesse~" Shio in her wheelchair timidly tugged at Finesse's sleeve. "Can I... not go?"
"..."
"So cute!"
Finesse felt like she'd taken a critical hit from cuteness.
After all, she hadn't met Shio during her first visit, so she'd been very curious until then.
After meeting her in person, even though Shio was looking down with a pouting mouth, full of worry and unfriendly eyes—
Those features bearing a few similarities to Amano's were small yet delicate, combined with that moist innocence unique to little girls.
Already fond of children, Finesse took one look and felt like her heart had been shot through the bullseye.
No wonder Amano cared so much about his sister. If she had such an adorable little sister, Finesse thought she'd become a sis-con too.
So seeing Shio's legs covered by a blanket in the wheelchair, Finesse's awakened sense of justice made her determined to help Shio stand again.
"I know change requires courage, Shio. But the mechanic I contacted for you is Eden Tower's absolute best. I will definitely, definitely, definitely cure you!"
Actually, before Finesse came, Amano had already told her that Shio's condition had been off these past few days.
She seemed resistant to treatment.
But Finesse wasn't going to "spoil" her like Amano did. The action-oriented young miss directly princess-carried Shio and brought her to the luxury car's back seat.
From Finesse's arms, Shio's pitiful little eyes seemed to plead with Amano for rescue.
But no helping it—just this once, big brother couldn't let you have your way.
Since the car also needed to fit Shio's wheelchair, only three people could ride.
Kikawayu volunteered: "I'll head home first to tell my parents about Duel Academy. Then I'll take the district train over."
"You brat, actually going with 'act first, ask permission later'? That confident your parents will agree?"
"Hehe." Kikawayu scratched his head awkwardly. "Worst case I'll get on my knees—it'll be fine."
"We'll head over first then. Good luck."
"Yeah."
After watching the Wein Family's luxury car depart, Kikawayu headed home alone.
However, she didn't actually greet her parents as she'd claimed. With none of her usual goofy attitude, Kikawayu returned to her room alone.
Yubel materialized leaning against the room's wall, a smile playing at her lips.
"Duel Academy, huh? Interesting. What deck are you planning to enroll with? Fair warning—if you use Super Polymerization, Eva will definitely detect it. Better choose something less conspicuous."
Kikawayu opened her locked drawer, which was crammed full of deck after deck.
"I'll use the Three Sacred Beasts. Should be strong enough."
"Yu, do you have some kind of special misunderstanding about this world's academy dueling standards?"
...
As the Wein Family's dedicated driver, Uncle Gong's driving skills were excellent. Even on the lower districts' bumpy roads, the ride remained comfortable.
In just two hours, Amano's group traveling from District 32 had already reached their destination—District 13, famously known as the Mechanical District throughout the lower levels.
The intricate buildings lining the streets were all related to auxiliary mechanics. The people concentrated here were mostly special groups with mechanical prosthetic modifications on their bodies.
The cacophony of sales pitches and mechanical installation collision sounds rose and fell continuously.
District 13's entire commercial sector encompassed mechanical arms, mechanical eyes, auxiliary prosthetics—basically most devices that could be mechanically replaced in this era.
Services were comprehensive too: installation and maintenance of various mechanics, calibration and updates, even installing adult apps in mechanical eyes for virtual reality services.
And most importantly, the Vail Machinery Workshop standing before Amano's group.
It looked no different from other workshops—in fact, slightly smaller than others, with exceptionally plain decor.
"Masters generally don't care about such superficial details," Finesse explained.
"Finesse, you said in the car the mechanic you found is named Vail?"
That name—wasn't that the scammer shady loli who'd run away at District 11's station?
District 11 and District 13 just happened to be two streets apart.
"Of course! Master Vail is top-tier talent that even many of the Tower's major families want connections with!"
"But Master Vail has a rule—only one order per month, never any exceptions. If my father hadn't personally intervened, even the Wein Family would've had to wait six months."
"One order per month, never any exceptions." Amano pondered silently.
Such professional ethics—probably not the same person as that shady loli full of merchant scheming he'd met near District 11 station, pushing her card-pulling scam.
"I'm Finesse Wein with a reservation."
"Understood, please wait a moment."
Using the doorway communicator to relay the message, the workshop's sealed door slowly opened.
However, before Amano's group could enter, three people emerged from within.
One hooded man led the way—probably a workshop employee.
The two following behind had much more distinctive attire.
The man wore pitch-black formal wear with an upright, powerful posture. His slightly delayed walking rhythm showed he was likely a bodyguard or attendant type.
The girl appeared around Finesse's age.
Smooth black hair cascaded like a waterfall to her slender waist. Her frosty expression didn't diminish her top-tier looks rivaling Finesse's.
Most importantly, the girl's black sailor uniform skirt seemed to have a weapon hanging at the waist.
"A katana?" Amano was inwardly shocked.
The slightly curved blade was sheathed in a black scabbard. It should be what Amano remembered as a samurai sword.
But why carry a weapon inside Eden Tower?
Couldn't use it anyway—was it purely decorative?
Not going to lie, the girl's cool elegant aura combined with her slender graceful figure created perfect synergy with the katana at her waist.
As if she was naturally born to wield a katana.
"Ah!"
Unexpectedly, Finesse was first to speak.
She pointed in shock at the girl before her.
"Nanki'in Sakuya! Why are you here?"
The Nanki'in Family was the controlling family behind Sharia Corporation that Finesse had mentioned once at the underground duel venue.
Due to nearly a century of highly overlapping industries with the Wein Family, they'd become bitter rivals—an old-guard underworld family within Eden Tower.
Obviously Finesse recognized this girl.
Nanki'in Sakuya replied coldly: "Finesse Wein, that's what I want to ask you."
Though their families were opposed, both girls were similar in age and status as family young misses, so they frequently encountered each other at social events.
Their relationship wasn't close friends, but definitely not strangers either.
Finesse still remembered the impact of seeing Nanki'in Sakuya when she first attended a formal social gathering at age 13 after returning to the Wein Family.
—So that's what a family young miss should be like.
Right, after that, the aloof attitude Finesse adopted to hide her illegitimate daughter inferiority complex was largely modeled after Nanki'in Sakuya.
"Alright, customers, let me explain first." The hooded employee clapped his hands.
"Since both of you made simultaneous reservations with Master Vail, and Master Vail's rule as you both know is one order per month—"
"Simultaneous?" Finesse and Sakuya frowned in unison.
"The Wein Family and Nanki'in Family—we're in a difficult position too. After all, we don't want to offend either side." The hooded man spoke honestly. "So now there's only one solution left..."
This didn't need much explanation.
At this moment, both young misses' eyes met, crackling with hostility.
In this world full of duelist brains, when problems couldn't be resolved, they basically all evolved into—
"Duel!"
***
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