"Ah, um, that..."
Caught red-handed peeking at Aisha, Senior Irena quickly forced a smile to hide her embarrassment as their eyes met.
"Good afternoon, Aisha Yuna. Are you looking for a specific book? I can help."
"Senpai Irena!" Aisha strode up to her, voice unusually solemn.
"Y-Yes!" Irena, slightly confused, responded as if being scolded despite having done nothing wrong.
"Senpai Irena, I have a favor to ask."
"No problem, Aisha. I'll do whatever I can."
"I want to borrow spell points."
"Huh? Borrow spell points?"
Irena was shocked. Since becoming a second-year student and volunteering as Fusion Academy's librarian, she had never once heard of a student requesting to borrow spell-crafting points.
The reason was simple.
A daily 10% interest rate was astronomical.
Miss a payment, and the compounding interest became terrifying.
Irena was convinced the academy only kept this high-interest debt system as a deterrent, a warning against premature borrowing and reckless financial habits. If someone took a spell loan and was expelled or couldn't repay it, the school would convert the remaining debt into monetary value—at a rate so outrageous, even most nobles couldn't afford it.
"Are you sure you want to borrow spell points, Aisha? It might lead to misfortune."
"Mm-hmm!" Aisha nodded like a pecking chick, her bouncing ahoge a declaration of resolve.
"Alright. Let me assess how many spell points you can borrow."
At Fusion Academy, the librarian evaluated a student's behavior, reputation, and performance to determine loan eligibility.
But really, the result was quite subjective.
What mattered most was the impression the borrower left on the librarian.
And for Aisha Yuna Carlos... no one scored higher in Irena's heart.
Irena Kartel had applied to be a librarian because she loved books.
Rather than join noisy after-school Duel clubs, she preferred the quiet of the library.
On her very first day as librarian, nervous and uncertain, Irena was immediately soothed by the first freshman to arrive.
A cute girl with jewel-like green eyes had looked up and timidly called her "senpai." It had struck a chord in Irena's heart.
So this was what it meant to be relied on by an adorable kouhai.
Though she'd later heard rumors about Aisha's poor Duel reputation, Irena never changed her opinion.
Maybe because Aisha lacked Duel talent, she spent all her time studying in the library, which allowed Irena to interact with her more.
To Irena, Aisha was kinder, more diligent, and more heartwarming than anyone.
This was the foundation of Irena's judgment.
"Alright. If it's Aisha, I approve a loan of 100 spell points."
"100 points?" Aisha gasped. "I can really borrow that much?"
She had worked half a semester to earn just 10 measly points—A loan of 100 made her feel like she had struck gold overnight.
Of course, it would all have to be repaid.
"Yes, 100 points," Irena said. "I believe in my judgment, and I believe you have a just reason for asking."
The rumor of Aisha's expulsion match against Kevin Seth had already spread through Fusion Academy that afternoon and reached Irena as well.
Like Miles, she had to wonder if this was Aisha's last shot.
'This is all I can do for you, Aisha,' she silently wished.
"Mr. Miles! What do we do? I can borrow 100 spell points!"
Aisha immediately contacted Miles within the Millennium Puzzle.
"Do we even need to ask? Max it out!" Miles answered instantly.
"M-Max it out?!" Aisha panicked.
A 100-point loan meant 10 points of interest per day.
That was already more than her entire semester's worth of effort.
"If I can't repay it..."
"You're already on the verge of expulsion. Why hesitate now? If we win tomorrow's Duel, paying back 110 spell points will be no problem."
According to academy rules, a win in the practical test gave a base reward of 30 credits (30 spell points).
Additional rewards are scaled with the opponent's strength.
Beating Aisha, with a 0% win rate, would net almost nothing; however, Kevin Seth was undefeated since enrollment.
Defeating such a top-tier Duelist would be like opening the treasure chest of a dragon boss—spell points would rain like gold.
"Burn the ships. Victory or death. Max it out, Aisha!"
"Okay, max it out!" Fired up by Miles, Aisha shouted.
"Max it out?" Irena blinked.
"Er, I mean... I want to borrow the full 100 Magic Points, please, Senpai Irena."
"Understood. One moment, Aisha."
Delicate fingers swirling with magic, Irena, known as the Gray Witch, had considerable magical prowess beyond Duel Monsters.
She traced complex incantations across the contract scroll, then touched Aisha's pale forehead with a final burst of energy.
"It's done, Aisha."
—Ding. Payment received: 100 Magic Points.