The jellyfish-like hairstyle darting around near the boarding gate caught Hoshino's attention before she even realized it.
Compared to Yugi's iconic "starfish hair," it lacked a bit of visual impact, but when paired with that familiar silhouette, its recognizability was still unmistakable.
"Jaden!" Hoshino called out.
"Sensei? I thought you weren't coming!"
Jaden looked visibly relieved, which made the little ahoge on top of Hoshino's head curl into a question mark.
"Was I not supposed to come? Did I promise you something?" Hoshino asked.
"Of course! Weren't the plane ticket and invitation sent by you, Sensei? Otherwise, how would I even know anyone from the Phoenix family?"
Jaden pulled out a card bearing the ornate Phoenix family crest and spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Huh? Why did you get an invitation too?"
Hoshino suddenly felt completely lost.
Although she had met Jaden in San Francisco back then, as far as she remembered, he had never been involved in the underground dueling incident. There was no reason for Clara to know him.
"But this is awesome! I was about to rot from boredom at home during spring break, and now I get to travel overseas with you, Sensei—lucky!"
Not bothering to dig into the reason at all, the ever-optimistic Jaden overflowed with excitement at returning to a familiar place.
"…That's not fair. I thought this would be a two-person trip with Senpai…"
By contrast, Mash—who had been just as excited as a grade-schooler on a field trip earlier that morning—felt her enthusiasm drop sharply the moment Jaden appeared.
She nervously bit her thumb, emotions swirling, then wondered if she was being too childish.
"Jaden is Senpai's student. I can't sulk over something like this… that would only trouble Senpai."
Noticing Mash's inner conflict, Hoshino reassured her, "It's fine, Mash. Even with Jaden along, we can still enjoy the trip!"
"That's true, Senpai. Traveling with more people does make things a bit livelier."
Forcing a smile, Mash quickly adjusted her mood and took out her ticket.
"Looks like it's almost time to board. Let's head in first. Getting to fly together with you is a rare experience too~"
Since they were flying to the opposite side of the globe, the total flight time was around twelve hours.
Mash, who had spent the entire night excitedly planning, had already imagined how she and Senpai would spend the time together sitting side by side. Her small backpack was stuffed with puzzles and snacks.
"By the way, our seats should be next to each other, right? Since the Phoenix family booked the tickets, they probably took that into account."
As they prepared to board, Hoshino also pulled out her ticket and casually glanced at the seat number.
"Seat 5A… that should be row five, seat A. A window seat too—nice, I got lucky."
Being able to sit by the window and gaze at the rare scenery floating above the clouds was one of the joys of flying.
"Senpai, you're in 5A?" Mash looked at her own ticket, surprise flickering in her eyes. "Then why is my seat 5C? Don't tell me this plane puts A and C together?"
Such layouts did exist—but clearly not on this flight.
"—Dear passengers, due to flight regulations, please do not change seats without authorization."
On the plane, Hoshino sat quietly in seat A, gazing out the window at the drifting white clouds, feeling her mind slowly clear.
In seat C, Mash slumped lifelessly against her chair, her hollow eyes looking as though something precious had been taken from her.
And wedged between them in seat B, Jaden was happily enjoying the complimentary in-flight meal.
"This is really good, Sensei, Mash! You're not eating?"
Resting her cheek in her palm, Hoshino teased, "Jaden, you say everything tastes good, no matter what it is."
"It's fine, Jaden, you go ahead. I'm not hungry," Mash replied politely with a soft sigh.
She still had plenty of snacks in her backpack, as well as Emiya's homemade bento—but right now, she had no appetite at all.
. .. ...
A twelve-hour flight—departing in the morning and factoring in the time difference—meant that when they arrived in San Francisco, it was still morning, giving them the strange feeling of having gained an extra day.
Following the address on the invitation, Hoshino and the others arrived at the Phoenix estate.
Up until today, Hoshino had considered her seaside villa to be quite luxurious. But compared to the Phoenix estate, her pride and joy could now only be described as a "tiny shack."
In downtown San Francisco, where every inch of land was worth a fortune, only a corporate behemoth like the Phoenix family could build a private estate with grounds larger than Central Park.
After Zigfried was apprehended, most of the resources the Schroeder family had left behind in San Francisco were swallowed up by the Phoenix family. Combined with their rapid growth in recent years, the Phoenixes had truly completed a spectacular comeback and now stood at the peak of power.
"Good morning. How may I assist you?"
At the grand gates of the Phoenix estate, an elderly butler dressed in a black tailcoat greeted them respectfully.
"Um, we were invited by Miss Clara," Hoshino said, handing over the invitation.
"Miss Clara?" A hint of doubt crossed the butler's brow, but the invitation indeed bore the family crest.
After a deep bow, his professional courtesy never wavering, the butler replied, "Understood. Please allow me to confirm the details with the young lady. I ask that you step inside and wait for a few minutes."
Leading them into the mansion, the lavish interior décor proclaimed the uninhibited extravagance of a wealthy aristocratic family.
"This really doesn't feel like a noble lady's wedding venue," Hoshino muttered after the butler left, surveying her surroundings.
While the atmosphere was elegant and luxurious, it still carried the comfort of everyday living. For a grand aristocratic wedding, it simply didn't seem grand enough.
"Senpai, even though you said that earlier, are you sure the invitation was sent by Miss Clara?" Mash asked.
Hoshino had only assumed as much out of instinct. After all, although the Phoenix family was enormous, the only person she actually knew was Clara.
"So this is the royal palace?! As expected of Sensei—she even knows a family from such a prestigious lineage."
Overwhelmed by the exaggerated architecture and luxurious interior, Jaden—who had been silent ever since they entered—finally blurted out his amazement.
"Looking at it this way, Sensei, you seem pretty rich too. You're not secretly some kind of princess, are you?"
This guy… his intuition was unexpectedly sharp. Was this the instinct of a naturally gifted duelist who relied on gut feelings?
Just as everyone was immersed in their surroundings, the elderly butler returned with the invitation in hand, wearing a troubled expression.
"My apologies, honored guests. After asking the young lady, she said that she has not arranged to invite any guests recently."
"Huh? So it wasn't Clara's invitation?"
Now Hoshino was even more confused. If this invitation truly came from the Phoenix family, then who had sent it?
Rolling her eyes slightly, Hoshino thought for a moment before proposing, "How about this—sir, could I trouble you to inform Clara that Hoshino Chiyuki is here to see her? I believe the young lady will understand once she hears my name."
"Hoshino Chiyuki… miss, correct? Very well. Please wait a moment longer."
Another few minutes passed. By now, Hoshino was no longer in the mood to admire the extravagant scenery—she just wanted to understand the true meaning behind this invitation.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed again. This time, the one who rushed back into the reception hall was not the courteous old butler, but an excited blonde girl.
"Hoshino—! Long time no see!"
Almost throwing herself forward, Clara wrapped Hoshino in a sudden hug. The unexpected assault was so abrupt that Mash nearly raised her shield in reflex.
"Hoshino, you're still just as cute!" an overjoyed Clara exclaimed, holding her tightly and vigorously rubbing her cheek against the small tuft of hair sticking up on Hoshino's head.
This was exactly why Hoshino still wasn't used to foreigners' overly enthusiastic greetings.
"But even after all these years, you haven't changed at all, Hoshino—just like before. It's amazing~"
(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ) Haven't changed?
Joy surged in Hoshino's heart. Everyone else said she'd shrunk, yet only Clara insisted she hadn't changed at all.
She no longer hoped for comments about growing up—being told she hadn't changed was more than enough. Hoshino's expectations were that low.
Because of that alone, Clara's standing in Hoshino's heart shot straight through the roof.
"Clara, you're really a good person," Hoshino said, deeply moved.
"Somehow, I feel like I just got friend-zoned the moment we reunited."
The old butler stood there, dumbfounded. Seeing his young lady show such unrestrained enthusiasm was something he had rarely witnessed—even in the thirty years he had served the family.
The scene made him quickly reflect on whether he had been rude in any way during his earlier reception.
"But still, it's really rare for you to come looking for me, Hoshino. I thought you'd forgotten all about your old friend~"
Given Hoshino's shut-in tendencies, simply traveling from her home to the academy already drained her completely. Even an occasional trip to Kaiba Corporation counted as an energy-depleting business trip. As for San Francisco—since the end of the KC Grand Prix, she truly hadn't returned.
And for Hoshino, while San Francisco was a city filled with memories, not all of them were good.
—The underground dueling arena where duelists died almost daily, Keith's death, and the Ultimate Shadow Game triggered during the final KC—all of it left her unwilling to revisit those memories.
"So it really wasn't you who sent me the invitation, Clara?"
Hoshino handed the invitation stamped with the Phoenix emblem to Clara as she asked.
"This is indeed the Phoenix seal," Clara confirmed at a glance.
Only members of the Phoenix family possessed such a seal—it wasn't something that could be easily forged.
"But I'm sorry, Hoshino. I really wasn't the one who sent this invitation," Clara said, tilting her head in confusion. "So then… who could it be?"
"It was me."
Arriving fashionably late, Aster Phoenix pushed open the door and entered, smiling as he looked toward Hoshino and the others.
"I was the one who sent the invitation—inviting Hoshino Chiyuki and Jaden Yuki."
"Aster, you're back already? I thought you wouldn't be free until the afternoon!" Clara greeted him.
"Aster? Aster Phoenix?" The familiar name rang a bell for Hoshino.
When she noticed the unmistakable hairstyle, realization finally dawned.
"Aster Phoenix—that guy who got defeated by Jonouchi, right?!"
"Uh… yes, that's correct…" Aster admitted, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Having his painful history exposed so casually left him with mixed feelings.
"But that was in the past. Now, I absolutely won't lose to Katsuya Jonouchi again."
Hoshino continued recalling, "When I saw the name 'Phoenix' on TV back then, I thought it was just a coincidence. I didn't expect you to really be from the Phoenix family."
"The Phoenix surname isn't that easy to share, you know, Hoshino~"
Standing beside Aster, Clara introduced him proudly. "This is my younger brother—Aster Phoenix."
Hoshino exclaimed in surprise, "So you have a younger brother, Clara? This is the first time I'm hearing about it."
Aster scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Calling me her younger brother is a bit much. I'm actually just an adopted son—I'm not Lady Clara's biological brother."
"You always make a point of saying you're not my real brother. You're such a sis-con, Aster." Clara teased, poking him with her elbow. "You were so clingy when we were kids, but you hardly come home anymore. What, are you embarrassed now?"
"I'm not a sis-con…" Aster protested. "The Professional Duel League is really busy, Sis. As someone who bears the honor of the Phoenix family, I have to produce results."
"That aside, Aster, why did you invite Hoshino and the others?" Clara cut straight to the point.
"I was just really interested~" Aster narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze sweeping toward Hoshino.
"I heard that when the Phoenix family was in crisis back then, Hoshino Chiyuki teamed up with you, Sis, and saved the family from disaster."
Clara beamed. "So you knew I hadn't seen Hoshino in a long time and missed her dearly, and that's why you arranged the invitation on my behalf? Honestly, you've gone this far and you still say you're not a sis-con~"
"Could you please tone it down a little in front of outsiders?" Aster said helplessly.
"What's the problem? Hoshino isn't an outsider~"
Although the two weren't related by blood, their sibling-like dynamic was unexpectedly harmonious.
"So, Aster, since you specially made time to come home, does that mean you're going to do something fun with your sister—something we haven't done in a long time?" Clara blinked her big eyes at him expectantly.
"What do you mean by 'something fun'? If you don't explain it properly, people will get the wrong idea, Sis. You mean dueling, don't you?"
"Yep! Dueling is the most fun~ Everyone else is too weak—it just doesn't get me fired up!"
The Clara who had once been completely crushed by Keith could actually say something like that now—and even claim that dueling professional duelists was fun. It seemed that over the years, more than just her chest had grown.
—That was Hoshino's evaluation, having just been buried in Clara's embrace moments ago.
Aster replied modestly, "Everyone here is a duelist strong enough to rival me. Since the opportunity is rare, shouldn't you try challenging someone else this time, Sis?"
"You mean… challenge Hoshino?" Clara waved her hand dismissively. "Don't joke around. Hoshino is the Duel King. There's no way I could beat her~"
"Then how about this one—Jaden Yuki?" Aster shifted his gaze to Jaden. "I've heard you're a HERO deck duelist like me, and also a student of the Duel King. I'm very curious about your strength."
"Oh? A duel invitation?" Jaden said excitedly. "Greeting someone with a duel—now that's thrilling!"
When it came to dueling, Jaden never turned down a challenge.
"Another HERO deck user, just like you?" Clara's interest was piqued as well. She asked Hoshino, "Is it okay, Hoshino? Let me duel Jaden."
"Since both of you are up for it, I don't see why not~"
Hoshino was genuinely curious too—how far the once-naive young lady had grown.
Still, in the best-case scenario, Hoshino would have preferred to step onto the field herself. That way, she could earn a batch of Saint Quartz—at full value, no discounts.
After all, over the past few days, she had been focusing on training Zane and had earned almost nothing in Saint Quartz. After Nobunaga, there hadn't been a single good pull either. It felt as if not only her hand, but even the gacha pool itself, had been clogged by that pair of comic reliefs.
The Courtyard—
A spacious European-style garden, with plants trimmed to near-artistic perfection, complemented by a clear lake in the center reflecting sunlight. Just being there made one feel completely at ease.
"Are you ready, Jaden Yuki~?" Clara asked as she equipped her Duel Disk.
"I'm ready anytime!" Jaden replied, taking his Duel Disk out of his travel suitcase.
Even while traveling, he didn't forget to bring along something as bulky as a Duel Disk. Duelists really didn't mind the trouble.
Though, to be fair, Hoshino wasn't exactly in a position to criticize him.
"Then I'll take the first turn. Draw!"
Jaden drew his card and began the duel.
"I set Elemental HERO Clayman in Defense Position!"
[Elemental HERO Clayman ★★★★ (Level 4)][EARTH][Warrior][ATK 800/DEF 2000]
Using Clayman's 2000 DEF as a wall to open, Jaden set another card from his hand and ended his turn.
"My turn, then—Draw~" Clara said, drawing her card.
Hoshino analyzed, "If I remember correctly, Clara used to run a Madolche deck. Back then, it looked pretty average in terms of power, but that deck is actually very well-suited for Xyz Summoning."
"I Normal Summon Madolche Magileine in Attack Position and activate her effect!"
[Madolche Magileine ★★★★ (Level 4)][EARTH][Spellcaster/Effect][ATK 1400/DEF 1200]
[When this card is Normal or Flip Summoned: You can add 1 'Madolche' monster from your Deck to your hand.]
As expected, the cute dessert-themed little witch materialized on Clara's field. However, with only 1400 ATK, she was nowhere near enough to break through Clayman's defenses.
"With Madolche Magileine's effect, I add a Madolche monster from my Deck to my hand."
Seven years ago, a deck that was cute but completely lacking in power was something only a sheltered young lady like Clara would have used.
But now—things were different.
Adults… the times have changed.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Tribute Doll! I tribute my on-field Madolche Magileine and Special Summon a Level 7 monster from my hand!"
Slamming the card into her Duel Disk, the roar of metal machinery echoed across Clara's field.
"I Special Summon—Barrel Dragon!"
[Barrel Dragon ★★★★★★★ (Level 7)][DARK][Machine/Effect][ATK 2600/DEF 2200]
"Barrel Dragon's effect—once per turn, I can target one monster on my opponent's field and toss three coins! If at least two come up heads, that monster is destroyed!"
She tossed three coins, which landed neatly on the back of her fair hand. The entire sequence flowed smoothly, practiced and confident—she even looked rather cool doing it.
Results: Heads, Heads, Tails.
BANG—!
The revolver fired. The smoke-trailing bullet shattered Jaden's Clayman on the spot.
Adults.
This is what it means when the times have changed.