episode_0019

“……You were properly summoned, right?”

“If Elfelt gave me the proper card.”

Compared to how he appeared in the Central Plaza Duel, his appearance had lost all dignity and everything else, leaving me and Arianna speechless.

“If I had had resistance, I wouldn’t have suffered like that……. Ugh.”

The moment [Spirit King of Divine Flames Flame Lord], hereafter referred to as Flame Lord, who was crouching under the desk like a crying child, began to sob,

“No!!”

Elfelt, who was looking at him with a tearful expression, tightly hugged Flame Lord.

“You did nothing wrong. It’s all my fault for being insufficient in the duel!!”

And like a parent comforting a child, she held Flame Lord in her arms, stroked him, and consoled him.

“But, if I had had something like magic resistance back then…….”

“You’re strong even without that!! I’m the one who’s weak for not being prepared for that!!”

Elfelt worried if she might get burned by the flames on Flame Lord’s body, but that didn’t happen. Flame Lord’s flames flickered weakly and did not burn Elfelt’s body at all.

“I’m also sorry for summoning you like this. Because I couldn’t use you well……. Because I couldn’t unleash all your potential. I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

“Sorry……. Th-that means, you’re not going to use me anymore?”

“That can’t be!! You’re my ace monster!! I’ll absolutely never remove you!!”

She hugged the overly timid Flame Lord even tighter.

“……Thank you. I, too, will strive to become stronger.”

Flame Lord leaned on Elfelt’s shoulder with a slightly more relaxed expression.

It was a strange yet heartwarming sight of a duelist comforting their dejected ace monster.

“So this is the bond between a card and a duelist……. It’s touching.”

“Yeah. I never thought that the cool Flame Lord would have such a faint-hearted personality.”

Arianna and I watched with slightly complex feelings. Marius, whom I had placed on the floor just in case, seemed to have been moved by the sight as well,

“Yes. Your abilities are strong enough. There’s no need to blame yourself.”

He also manifested himself, patted Flame Lord’s shoulder who was being hugged by Elfelt, and offered words of encouragement,

“Hiiik, Pigggyaaaaaaaaak!!”

“Fl-Flame Lord?! Flame Lord!!!”

The moment Flame Lord’s eyes met Marius’, he made a bird-like sound and fainted.

“Isn’t it a bit much to react like that the moment you see a person’s face?”

“Considering what he went through, it’s understandable.”

Marius looked hurt, but I think the one who could calmly face the opponent after being pierced and killed by a 14000 ATK spear is the remarkable one.

“Hmm……. Elfelt, shall we send him back for now?”

“Ah, yes. There’s more I want to talk about, but I’ll save that for another time……. Thank you.”

I asked for Elfelt’s understanding and returned the fainted Flame Lord to a card. It felt somewhat like returning a fainted PoXmon to a ball. Marius also returned to a card with a word of apology for interrupting. He seemed a little dejected, which bothered me.

“Seems like a card you have deep affection for?”

“Yes. [Spirit King of Divine Flames Flame Lord] is a precious card I inherited from my mother.”

Elfelt replied, holding the returned card tightly in her arms.

“It’s always been my favorite card that I’ve kept in my deck, but lately, I’ve felt like I haven’t been using it well……. I felt sorry about that. I never thought I’d be able to talk like this. Thank you.”

Elfelt seemed composed in the last duel, but perhaps she was actually harboring feelings of frustration and apology. She’s truly a good duelist. Skill grows from frustration.

“Excuse me……”

As I was feeling warm and fuzzy, Arianna gently tugged at my sleeve.

“I’m sorry to interrupt this warm and pleasant atmosphere……. Wasn’t this meeting originally to build my deck?”

And she said it, narrowing her eyes as if dissatisfied, urging me on.

“Ah.”

“That’s right.”

When I came to my senses, I had completely derailed without realizing it. Honestly, I had completely forgotten.

“Elfelt-senpai……”

“D-don’t look at me with those eyes. Sorry……”

Elfelt avoided eye contact at the summoning, which seemed to say, ‘Not only did you interrupt, but you’re also only talking about yourself, aren’t you being too much?’. It seemed the senior-junior relationship had been reversed.

“Hmm. Then, before we start building the deck in earnest.”

I cleared my throat, opened my binder, and

“Here, [Spirit of the Lock] and [Earth Absorber]. I’ll give you 3 copies of each.”

I handed Arianna 3 copies each of [Spirit of the Lock] and [Earth Absorber] in Super Rare specification.

“Eh. Aren’t these rare cards? Is it okay for me to receive them like this?”

“You transferred a Legend card to me, so it’s natural that I should take care of you this much. Keep them.”

“I didn’t give them expecting anything in return……. But I’ll thankfully accept them for now!”

As for ‘hand traps’, I have an overflowing amount. Including lower rarities, I have so many that they would overflow even if I put them all in my deck. There’s a very sad story behind this, but it’s not something I need to talk about.

“Elfelt, do you want some too?”

Thinking I should give some to Elfelt as well, I took out 3 more copies of each from the binder,

“It’s okay. I’ll acquire them myself. Even if I don’t have them, I can still plan the deck.”

Elfelt politely declined, perhaps out of noble pride.

“If I were to say what I want…….”

And then she trailed off after trying to say something.

‘Now that I think about it, she asked for a replica of [Ice Mirror Marius] as compensation for providing cards before building the deck.’

In the end, I lost, and since I built the deck myself, it was left unresolved. Is she uncomfortable asking for it now?

“You said you wanted a replica, right? I don’t know how to make one, but if I can ever make it, I’ll give it to you.”

“!”

But I don’t really mind giving it. I’d die before giving [Ice Mirror Marius] itself, but a replica, a copy of low rarity, I’d be okay with giving it as much as possible if I can make it.

“Uh……. Sir Knight. I’m very happy and grateful, but it’s better not to make such rash promises. [The Four Mirrors] are very rare cards.”

“I’m giving it because it’s you. I wouldn’t say this to just anyone.”

My thoughtless reply made the atmosphere subtly awkward, and

“……Ahem! W-well then, let’s look at Arianna’s deck!! What kind of deck does Arianna want to build?!”

Elfelt changed the subject herself before Arianna could call her. I also reflected, thinking I should focus on the main point instead of getting sidetracked.

“Yes. First, my aptitude is in two attributes: ‘Fire Attribute’ and ‘Earth Attribute’……”

Arianna trailed off and took out her deck from the subspace that appeared above.

“Here. This ‘Good Stuff’ deck that Sir Knight built for me the first time, even though it’s [Legacy], it felt very good to use.”

The deck Arianna took out was the [Legacy] ‘Good Stuff’ deck she had used when escaping the ‘Forbidden Forest’ together.

“I know this is only about [Legacy], of course. It also only has 20 cards.”

However, as Arianna said, that’s the story of [Legacy]. No matter how you look at it, it’s not a deck that can be used in modern [Duel Fantasia], [Official].

“But I thought a deck with this kind of feel was good too. Even if it’s not tied together by a consistent theme.”

“I see. You want to build a ‘Good Stuff’ deck in [Official] as well.”

The cards Arianna had were ace cards from quite a long time ago, given to her by the people of her hometown. If she were to build a deck based on those cards, it would inevitably result in a ‘Good Stuff’ deck.

“The cards I have are a bit old, so there will be limitations……. But still, I want to build a deck that can have proper duels.”

Build a deck that can duel with old cards.

If you use modern [Duel Fantasia] as the standard, frankly, it’s a difficult task.

“……Okay. I understand. Can you pick out a few cards you want to use from among them?”

However, this world is one where deck information and tier decks are not widely spread. Furthermore, the attributes each person can use are different.

In other words, the meta is completely different from modern times where everyone uses similar tier decks. Depending on the deck building and the opponent, she should be able to fight sufficiently.

“Yes! Um, if you’re asking about the card I want to use the most……”

Arianna spread out her deck, examined it, then took out one card and carefully held it out to me.

“I want to try using this one.”

“Ah, this guy.”

It was the Level 1 monster that had played a big role in the first duel I had after coming here, [Novice Dual Wielder].

“This is……. quite a unique monster. Its effect is powerful, but aren’t its stats too low to be utilized?”

Elfelt, who didn’t know the circumstances, tilted her head as if asking if it wouldn’t be difficult.

“Hmm. It is indeed too weak a monster, isn’t it? Maybe in [Legacy], but using it in [Official]……”

Just as Arianna also wanted to use it but thought it was probably impossible and was about to yield,

“……There is one.”

Something came to mind.

“There is a support theme that can use this card well.”

A deck that can use [Novice Dual Wielder] as its ace, a deck that can ‘kill if you don’t know’.