With the Millennium Puzzle in her hand, Ren felt as though she held the entire world. Her gaze, brimming with unrestrained desire, even carried a faint, indecent edge.
Across from her, Aisha stood completely stunned, feeling only the chill and emptiness at her now-bare chest.
"Ren-chan? What are you doing?"
"You can't tell? My childhood friend really is such a dummy."
Twining the Puzzle's chain around her fingers, Ren flaunted it with the air of a victor.
"You said it yourself—we're best friends. And as my best friend, lending me Miles (the kind of lending where you don't get him back) shouldn't be too much to ask, right~?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about, Ren-chan. Are you… feeling okay?"
"I've never felt better in my life."
The sensation of no longer suppressing but embracing her own desires was something Ren had never experienced to this degree.
"Ahh, Feels so good~"
"You're definitely broken right now."
Miles suddenly said, "And Ren, you seem to have misunderstood something very important."
—Soul Exchange.
Ren thought that taking the Millennium Puzzle meant taking Miles.
But the soul-link contract couldn't be established unless Miles, in his spirit form, initiated it. Even without the Puzzle on Aisha, their connection wouldn't be severed.
This was exactly why Aisha always found bath time such a hassle.
Even if she stripped completely and removed the Puzzle, her consciousness would still be linked to Miles.
The Puzzle in Ren's hand glowed, but the one whose body control shifted was Aisha.
"Ren, snap out of it—you're probably under the influence of the Shadow Game and the surrounding fog."
Miles could already guess what had happened—the fog's eerie nature could invade a duelist's inner darkness, just as he'd suspected.
"Miles? What… what's going on?"
Even with the Puzzle in her possession, seeing Miles appear on Aisha's side made the satisfaction and indecent thrill fade from Ren's face.
"I don't know when you… ahem… developed an obsession with me, Ren."
No matter how much of a card nerd he was, Miles wasn't oblivious.
Given her behavior, pretending not to notice would be going too far.
Speaking to Ren while in control of Aisha's body and voice might have looked like a yuri scene from an outsider's perspective.
Not that there was any risk of outsiders in this thick fog.
"But I'm sorry—I made a promise to Aisha on my first day in this world. I won't abandon her."
"Mr. Miles!"
Aisha hadn't expected him to still remember that first-day promise… it moved her deeply.
"But! But—!"
Clutching the Puzzle tightly, Ren almost pleaded.
"Don't you think Aisha's Deck is too weak? If she had a stronger one, you'd have a much easier time, wouldn't you?"
"That's… not wrong."
Aisha snapped, "Mr. Miles, you're not supposed to agree with that right now!"
Miles saw no point in denying it.
He'd thought it on his very first day here—the clumsy bottom-ranked girl with nothing but weak, common monsters wasn't the ideal host for a reincarnated duelist.
Despite that, he'd never regretted it.
A Deck's current strength didn't define everything.
It was Aisha's kindness and determination that had earned the Pharaoh's recognition, and even two God Cards.
"Even a weak Deck has its own way to fight—I've already proven that."
Yes—he'd proven it perfectly when he crushed Kaima Seth's Blue-Eyes White Dragon with nothing but "weaklings."
"But Miles, you really prefer HERO Decks, don't you?"
Ren pressed her advantage.
"Every time you duel with one, you're clearly happier… I've seen it myself!"
Aisha yelled, "Not true! Miles is happy using my Deck too!"
Though she couldn't speak directly to Ren from within the Soul Room, Aisha couldn't stop herself from protesting.
"Uh…"
"Why are you hesitating now, Mr. Miles?!"
Before coming here, Miles had intended to make HERO his first Deck… Even among countless archetypes, HERO would always be his white moonlight.
If possible, who wouldn't want to be a hero?
"Look, Miles!"
Catching that flicker of uncertainty, Ren lifted her skirt and took the Deck box from her pale thigh.
"These are all your favorite HEROes—Elemental, Masked, and now even more types!"
Spreading the cards before him, she displayed every HERO she had.
"If you're with me, all my HEROes will be yours! I'll summon more and more of the ones you love until you're satisfied!"
"Ah… this…"
Her words and the sight of an entire HERO Deck shoved toward him—no card addict could claim to feel nothing.
The strange fog truly could reach into a duelist's heart and stir the darkness within.
Even Miles was feeling its pull.
He'd meant to talk Ren down… and here he was, nearly convinced himself.
"I'll give you all my cards—so be my HERO, Miles!"
"..."
"Miles, get a hold of yourself! Don't stay silent now!"
From within the Puzzle, Aisha grew more anxious, sensing his wavering.
This was a real-life love triangle situation… something Miles had never experienced before death, now feeling it keenly as a spirit.
And honestly, Aisha's offer didn't compare at all to her rival's.
…It was like a fateful crossroads: choose the rich woman with the cards or the ordinary girl with nothing.
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[