"Simple. This card is tied to your fate."
Hearing Aleister say that, Yuui sneered inwardly.
'Tied to my fate? And who exactly is this fate meant for… Alicia, or me, Albaz Yuui?'
'If it's meant for me, then in a sense, every Duel Monster Card in existence is tied to my fate. After all, it's because of me that they came into being in this world. As the creator of Duel Cards, refusing such a baseless "fate" seems perfectly reasonable.'
Seeing Alicia—or rather, Yuui—wear that unmistakably disapproving expression, Aleister fell silent for a moment before asking slowly, "Alicia, are you sure you don't want this card?
"Though you can't tell right now, this card actually houses a Spirit. And the potential of that dragon is limitless. It could greatly enhance your strength."
"A Level 7 Spirit with limitless potential, huh…" Alicia murmured, clearly tempted. Yet she still looked toward Yuui, seeking his judgment.
Yuui eyed Aleister, who was still trying to push Odd-Eyes Dragon, his suspicion about the card's nature growing stronger by the second.
Frankly speaking, in terms of Spirit power, Odd-Eyes Dragon should be comparable to the Bredt Kingdom's legendary Spirit, Dark Magician—perhaps even stronger.
That wasn't an exaggeration. Dark Magician's strength as a Spirit came largely from his wide array of exclusive Spells and Traps, as well as his multiple forms. With those cards and forms combined, he could wield power rivaling the divine.
Meanwhile, Odd-Eyes Dragon, one of the Four Heavenly Dragons, possessed even more variations than the other three, and even forms that unified all four summoning methods, capable of power matching the gods themselves.
Even so…
Leaving aside whatever might be wrong with the card itself, this one was Odd-Eyes Dragon, not Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!
There weren't even Pendulums in this world! So no matter how far they tried to develop Odd-Eyes Dragon, how powerful could it possibly become?
Moreover, Aleister's insistence on handing over Odd-Eyes Dragon was the biggest red flag of all. If this card were truly normal, why would he be so desperate to give such a significant one to Alicia—or to him?
Absolutely not. This card mustn't be taken.
Thus, Yuui—controlling Alicia's body—shook her head and said, "Sorry, Headmaster, but forcing a bond like this isn't right. Besides, with my current strength, I wouldn't be able to control that card anyway. I appreciate your generosity; however, please, find another master for it."
After saying that, Yuui stood, gathered the five cards from the table into his Deck Box, and gave a polite bow before preparing to leave.
Although it might not have been the most courteous response, at that moment, both Yuui and Alicia just wanted to get out of this den of trouble as quickly as possible.
"Wait."
Aleister's voice halted him mid-step. Yuui stopped, his expression darkening slightly.
Alicia: "Yuui-san, do you think the Headmaster's angry?"
Yuui: "The angrier he gets, the more it proves that card's problematic. Right now, we need to stay cautious and avoid getting dragged into unnecessary messes."
He answered Alicia in his thoughts while turning back to face Aleister again.
Right then, a golden streak of light shot toward him. Yuui instinctively reached out to catch it, as Aleister's voice followed.
"Since you refuse the card, I'll give you another reward instead."
Yuui looked at what he caught—it was a circular ring with a triangle inside, and at the center of that triangle was a golden eye.
"This is... the Eye of Wisdom?"
Alicia: "Yuui-san, what's the Eye of Wisdom?"
Yuui: "An ancient symbol… used as an alchemical key in old times."
His brows knitted, examining the item in his hand. Why would Aleister give him such an artifact?
As he pondered, Aleister calmly put away Odd-Eyes Dragon and said, "Originally, I wanted to find a worthy master for that Spirit. That said, since you don't like it, Alicia, use that key to claim another reward.
"Don't worry. You may not be satisfied with Odd-Eyes Dragon, but this key will lead you to something that truly suits you."
Yuui stared at the key for a moment, brow furrowed, then finally slipped it away. He'd already rejected Aleister once—refusing again would've been outright rude.
Seeing Yuui accept it, Aleister's smile deepened a little. "Alright then, Alicia. That concludes your rewards. You can go rest now.
"I'll also be informing the faculty that the start of the term will be postponed by two days. Everyone should take the time to rest properly."
"Yes, thank you, Headmaster."
With that, Yuui left the Headmaster's office. Not long after, Chorozo poured another cup of coffee and placed it on the desk.
Then, an intricate magic circle appeared where Alicia had been sitting—its runes glowing with lights of many colors.
A teasing voice followed. "Old man, you really know how to toy with people! You could've just told him that Odd-Eyes Dragon's power could help him reconstruct his body, but you said nothing at all."
When the magic circle vanished, a blue-haired girl in a white dress appeared, her delicate face framed by crystal hairpins. She was lying sideways on the sofa in an unladylike pose, a mischievous grin on her lips.
"You know he's on edge because of the seal, and you still mess with him like that. What do you think he'll do once he gets his power back?"
Aleister didn't seem bothered by her scolding. He took another sip of his still-warm coffee and said casually, "I paid that price a century ago. Even if he comes for me, it won't be the current me he'll face.
"And besides, I didn't lie. That key will lead him to a reward he'll be satisfied with… whether he can actually obtain it, though, depends on him."
The blue-haired girl snorted. "Still the same twisted old man." She played with a strand of her hair, then narrowed her eyes, gazing through the wall toward Alicia walking back to the freshman dorms below.
"You know, you don't seem to care about that little girl's fate at all. I'd advise you not to underestimate things. He's not who he once was—nor who he will become. That girl… she's important to him."
At those words, Aleister froze briefly, then turned his gaze toward the blonde girl as well, deep in thought.
...
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