Carrying Nightshroud's card, Youmi hurried anxiously in the direction of her dormitory.
"Hey, brat, where did you suddenly disappear to just now? I felt a powerful dark force… what was that?"
From the direction of the dorms, Fleurdelis—now changed into her knightly attire—rushed over at full speed. Behind her was Lady Lab, tightly gripping her twin blades.
Fleurdelis stamped her heel into the ground, carving a mark as she came to a stop right in front of Youmi. However, her breastplate slammed straight into Youmi's forehead, hitting her solidly. Youmi stumbled back a step and fell to the ground, the Nightshroud card in her hand flying out and being hastily caught by Fleurdelis.
Holding the card, Fleurdelis reached out to pull Youmi up and asked, "The soul of Nightshroud… brat, did you play a Shadow Game and seal someone?"
Seizing the opportunity, Lady Lab hurried over, directly pulling Youmi to her feet. "Hey, you didn't get suddenly dragged off to some other dimension, did you? You didn't even think to call us or anything… honestly… I was really worried, you know."
"Sorry. He just suddenly appeared, so I went straight into a duel with him."
Youmi pressed a hand to her forehead, then took the Nightshroud's soul card from Fleurdelis. "Inside this is the soul of one of the Seven Stars, someone calling himself Nightshroud. If Yuki or Midai is among the Seven Stars, we might be able to get some info through him. So I'll need you two to help me with an interrogation."
Stepping forward to stand directly in front of them, Youmi clasped her hands behind her back and smiled. "After all, since that guy wagered his soul and everything in a Shadow Duel, I won. That makes this my property, so I can deal with it however I like, right~"
Removing her helmet, Fleurdelis looked like she wanted to say something, but hesitated.
"Then leave it to me—to us and Arias," Lady Lab said eagerly, stepping forward and taking Youmi's hands. "To think you'd suggest leaving such a fitting task to us. Looks like the ones who suit you best really are us, after all. Right, Arias?"
The sound of a camera shutter clicked. Arias emerged from an extremely conspicuous bush, holding a Polaroid camera.
After bowing to both Youmi and Fleurdelis, Arias said, "Indeed, milady. And it seems Miss Fleurdelis doesn't mind…
"However, if we're to prepare an interrogation, I believe it would be best to make some arrangements first.
"As for you, Miss Youmi, please go and relax until we contact you. Having just emerged victorious from a Shadow Game, you must be exhausted in both body and mind."
She had originally intended to say more, but upon seeing Fleurdelis's expression, she seemed to realize something Youmi herself had overlooked, and changed her wording.
Lady Lab said rather offhandedly, "Eh? But wouldn't that mean letting Youmi stay with those outsiders?"
Seeing this, Arias let out a small sigh and leaned in to whisper something into Lady Labrynth's ear. This finally made her blush and run back toward the dorm.
Arias bowed once more and said, "I imagine the two of you have something you'd like to discuss in private, so I won't intrude. Please look forward to what we manage to extract from that 'gentleman.'
"Also… Miss Youmi, according to the deal with Ten Thousand Dragon, we can remain here for three more days. During that time, please feel free to use our strength without reservation. However, time is limited, so I hope you'll also keep a close eye on our young lady."
With that final reminder to Youmi, Arias jogged off to catch up with Lady Lab.
"Hm? Something you want to talk about alone… Fleurdelis, is there something you wanted to say to me?"
Watching Arias leave, Youmi turned to Fleurdelis.
"There is. It would be better to talk somewhere more secluded. Over there will do."
Fleurdelis pointed toward a narrow forest path.
Pulling Youmi along at a brisk pace into the woods, Fleurdelis suddenly spoke via telepathy. "To prevent anyone from overhearing, I'll speak to you this way from now on. I truly hope you'll answer me honestly. All this time… have you been lacking a sense of security? Or rather, are you actually not very confident?"
"Huh?"
Still not quite adjusted to the sudden shift in how the conversation was happening, Youmi answered aloud without thinking. "Why do you say that? I'm a carefree optimist overflowing with confidence anytime, anywhere~ Everyone always says I'm thick-skinned and carefree. How could I possibly feel uneasy? That kind of emotion has nothing to do with me."
Reaching out to tap Youmi on the forehead, Fleurdelis asked, "Someone who's always confident and carefree, wouldn't that actually be Lady Lab? Brat, ever since that woman appeared, you've been acting more and more like her. I can't quite explain why, but you often don't seem like yourself…"
Hitting the sore spot Fleurdelis had tapped, Youmi cried out and said, "I don't know why you got that impression… No, it's true, that's not a misunderstanding.
"Personally, I find opportunities like this kind of transformation quite interesting, so sometimes I want to play a role or experience what it feels like to be the one I possess.
"That's normal, isn't it? Though it's only with Lady Lab. Before that, the card art was Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle, right…?"
Youmi gestured in the air, outlining the shape of Lady Lab, pointing to horns, and then something white and round.
Next, she pinched and tugged at her own face, kneading it like clay, shaping the same smile as Lady Lab. "Even if it wasn't for very long, I still spent quite some time using the exact same face and imitating that personality. So when I saw her again, I acted like this just for fun. Doesn't that seem perfectly normal?"
"That's not normal at all…"
Fleurdelis shook her head, her gaze toward Youmi carrying even more concern. "Back when you had just turned into Fallen of Albaz, before you officially enrolled at this academy, your personality was very different from how it is now…
"If I had to compare it to a painting, your colors have become far too complicated.
"Especially after your little brother appeared, your personality picked up even more of my traits and those of Chamber Dragonmaid. She might not have told you, but during the days you were unconscious, you often muttered in your sleep as if trapped in nightmares."
Taking a few quick steps forward to block Youmi's path, Fleurdelis placed both hands on her shoulders.
"Brat, at the very least, rely on us more. If modeling your behavior after ours gives you a sense of security, why didn't you seek our help from the start? We're companions, aren't we? Whether it's here, or in your own world."
Perhaps it truly was fitting of a knight, meeting Fleurdelis's earnest gaze, Youmi hesitated for a moment.
"Maybe that's true… no, it really is."
She wanted to stubbornly push back a little more, but ended up denying her own words instead.
"Even though I accepted Ten Thousand Dragon's commission and came here… the way events gradually diverged from what I expected, Yuki being so different from the Yuki I knew, and Midai, someone I don't know at all, yet who harbors deep hatred toward me… all of that makes me uneasy. Maybe I'm trying to escape something this way, but I don't even understand myself what good that does anymore… so…"
After taking a moment to gather her emotions, Youmi said:
"Help me, Fleurdelis. I need you. And everyone else's help. Truly."
Her body was suddenly pulled into a powerful embrace. Fleurdelis hugged her happily.
"I don't understand psychology or anything like that, but at least that last line sounded sincere to me.
"Still, just calling me 'Fleurdelis' doesn't really satisfy me. Like Ecclesia does, you should call me big sister—or just sis, brat. Ever since I met you, I've treated you like a little brother, just like Fallen of Albaz. And now, I see you as a little sister instead."
Even though Youmi's feelings toward Fleurdelis weren't that complicated, being suddenly handed a 'little brother card' still stabbed her right in the heart.
"Even though I don't really like being 'handed a card,' still…"
Youmi patted Fleurdelis on the shoulder.
"What is it? Do you need me to do something else, brat?"
"Your breastplate is about to stab me to death. I'm just saying… could you take that thing off first?"
Youmi gritted her teeth, pointing at her painfully prodded chest.
...
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