Let's play cards! In a fantasy world of swords and magic

After making an excuse to stay in the dorm bathroom for a while, You Ling, who didn't find any trace of the Millennium Ring among the clutter, had no choice but to give up.

After all, since they were living together now, there would be more opportunities in the future.

Hiding the truth and engaging in a battle of wits was something You Ling wasn't afraid of.

However, what You Ling didn't know was that each Millennium Item had its own unique effect.

Unlike the Millennium Puzzle, which had to exist in physical form, one of the effects of the Millennium Ring was that it could completely merge with its holder's body and soul.

Thanks to this effect, even if the holder discarded the Millennium Ring, it could return to them at any time.

Luka, taking full advantage of this feature, didn't need to carry the Millennium Ring with her, which would only increase unnecessary risks.

She could simply discard it in some corner, summon it back when she needed it, and then toss it away again after use.

It was foolproof. Even if she shared a room with Aisha Carlos, there was no chance the Millennium Ring would be exposed.

Additionally, with the other soul residing in the Millennium Ring, Luka could quietly wait for the right opportunity.

Since she was here, she might as well enjoy her time at the academy.

She only needed to spend one night each week checking if the dark duelists under her command were doing their job properly, diligently hunting souls for the Phantom Demons.

So, what special abilities did the Millennium Puzzle have, aside from housing a soul?

So far, You Ling hadn't discovered any.

Exiting the room and not wanting to disturb Luka further, Aisha just hoped Luka would clean up the clutter soon so the dorm room could return to its tidy state.

Otherwise, she might go crazy—in every sense of the word.

"Eh, Kevin, you're still here?"

Leaving the first-year girls' dormitory, Aisha was surprised to find that Kevin, who had been kicked out by Luka, was still waiting outside.

"Yeah, I've been waiting for you for a while."

"Why are you waiting for me?!"

After the successful fusion of the Three Knights, You Ling's troubles had vanished.

But Aisha's recent troubles hadn't been resolved at all.

In fact, after today's duel, Kevin had become even more persistent, further cementing his belief that Aisha was his destined rival.

With the Millennium Item holders already causing enough trouble, couldn't this self-proclaimed rival just take a step back?

"I'm going to the library to read with Senior Ilena, Kevin. Don't follow me."

Usually, it was Ilin who helped Aisha shoo Kevin away.

But today, Ilin had been invited to help the Magic Club research the latest formula for a transformation potion, leaving Aisha without her usual protector.

"(ﾟДﾟ*)ﾉ I'm warning you, Kevin! If you keep bothering me, Senior Ilena will report you to Senior Kaiba!"

Left with no choice, Aisha brought up her second protector, Ilena, who was very familiar with Kaiba Seto.

Hearing his sister's name, Kevin's expression instinctively showed a flicker of fear, but it only lasted for a moment before he quickly composed himself.

"It's not me who's waiting for you, Aisha. Someone else is looking for you, which is why I'm here."

"Who?"

Aisha glanced around skeptically.

"It's me, Aisha Carlos."

A deep, steady baritone voice spoke up. Standing next to Kevin was a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses, giving off an impression of both refinement and confidence.

"This is probably our first meeting. Let me introduce myself—I'm Rovik Brown, a second-year student."

"Rovik Brown…"

The name Rovik was unfamiliar to Aisha, but the family name Brown rang a bell.

If she remembered correctly, the Brown family's business was a nationally renowned toy manufacturing company.

The Browns were also a prime example of a business tycoon family transitioning into local nobility.

"Uh, hello, Senior Rovik."

What could a young master from such a prominent family want with her? Aisha couldn't help but feel nervous.

Seeing Aisha looking like a flustered little hamster, Rovik smiled helplessly, trying to appear as gentle as possible.

After all, Rovik was well aware of Ilena's assessment of him—that he had a stern, no-nonsense demeanor.

"I heard that you haven't joined any clubs yet, Aisha. I wanted to invite you to visit our club and see if you're interested."

"Oh, it's about a club. That's a relief."

Aisha let out a long breath and relaxed.

She had thought the Brown family might be here to discuss business with the Carlos family.

Although it wasn't uncommon for noble families at Fusion Academy to build connections through their children, such responsibilities were far beyond Aisha's current capacity.

As for clubs, Aisha understood that much better.

Since You Ling's arrival and her recent rise in dueling prowess, the once-unknown bottom-feeder had received numerous invitations from various duel-related clubs.

At Fusion Academy, aside from the usual sports and cultural clubs, the most numerous and distinctive were the duel-related clubs.

As the name suggested, these clubs focused on studying and researching duel monster cards.

Some of the more famous duel clubs included:

The Cute Monsters Club, which collected adorable monsters and was popular among girls.

The Cyber Dragon Enthusiasts Association, dedicated to figuring out how Cyber Dragons could thrive.

The Dragon Lovers Organization, which adored nothing but dragon-type monsters.

Of course, most clubs valued the duelist's actual strength, which was why Aisha had received so many invitations after showing her potential.

Especially after today's duel, Aisha was sure to be seen as a hot commodity by many clubs.

"Sorry, Senior Rovik. I don't have any plans to join a club right now."

"I know. Ilena mentioned that you prefer spending time in the library with her rather than joining clubs."

"With her? Is that how she puts it? I just go to the library to read."

The self-absorbed Gray Witch, Ilena, loved exaggerating her charm in the most unexpected ways.

Rovik added, "But this time, I'm just inviting you to visit our club, not necessarily to join. I think after today's duel, you might find our club interesting."

"Would I? Senior Rovik, what club are you from?"

"The High Spirits Research Association."

The High Spirits Research Association specialized in studying high-level duel monsters.

Their philosophy was that a monster's star level represented its power and the mystery of the duel spirit.

In the High Spirits Research Association, even level 8 monsters like the Blue-Eyes White Dragon weren't considered "high-level."

Only monsters of level 9 and above were their research targets.

For example, the Sky Paladin that Aisha had fused today.

You Ling: "I'm very interested!"

Aisha: "(￣▽￣)／Alright, then I'm very interested too."