"...So that’s what happened. Sounds like you had a rough time."
"Honestly, do you get caught up in some kind of incident every time you step foot outside? Are you cursed or something?"
"Don't say that. I'm already worried about it myself."
Returning to the academy after his date with Melt, Yugo wore a wry smile as he reported the day's events to Fee and Anhel.
Ever since he had been reincarnated into the world of Luminous History, he had been a magnet for trouble. From the Bull Golem incident to every minor outing in between, he’d noticed a pattern of encountering drama wherever he went. It was starting to get to him.
Given that this was a game world, going out was practically synonymous with triggering an event, so getting swept up in incidents was almost a given. However, from Yugo's perspective—ignorant of the game's mechanics—it was only natural to wonder if he truly was cursed, just as Anhel suggested.
Still, even if he kept his head down, people who held grudges against him from his days in Villain Mode—people like Marcos or Rush—would likely come looking for a Duel anyway. Yugo eventually reconciled with his situation, chalking it up to the destiny of a hero, when Anhel spoke again.
"Still, a mess like that must have ruined your big date. Poor Melt... Wait, where is she? Didn't she come back with you?"
"Nah. She’s staying over at En’s place tonight. She was all fired up, saying that if an incident happens tonight, she’ll be there to prove her friend’s alibi. Because of that, I had to be the one to go get her Overnight Stay Permission. It was a real pain to convince the teacher."
"And yet you still did it. You’re such a softie, you know that? You had to know it would be a hassle."
"Well, I get wanting to help a friend who's feeling down. En was taking it pretty hard. If I were in Melt's shoes, I’d probably do the same thing. Obviously, I can’t exactly go have a sleepover with them, so I figured I’d help them out in the only way I could."
"...You really are kind, Brother. I’m sure they both appreciate it."
Fee offered those warm words to Yugo, recognizing that his brother had been thinking of En’s well-being as much as Melt’s.
Yugo brushed it off, saying it was only natural to help a friend, but then Anhel chimed in.
"But seriously, how did you manage to get permission for Melt on her behalf? I bet that was a huge fight, wasn't it?"
"Mmm... I think it only worked because Melt is such a serious student. The Female Dormitory Supervisor trusts her a lot. Normally, it would’ve been a hard 'no'."
"I mean, the supervisor probably thought there was a chance you’d sneak Melt into your room for something inappropriate. They don't usually let third-party applications like that slide."
"Yeah, she said the same thing. But then I asked her where exactly a guy who sleeps outside was supposed to take her, and she just went quiet."
"Pfft! Well, once you put it like that, what could she say? That's a counterargument only you could make."
Anhel laughed heartily. Yugo hadn't been trying to be clever; he had simply stated the blunt reality of his situation.
Feeling a bit awkward discussing the idea of "sneaking girls in" in front of Fee, Yugo looked away from Anhel’s grin and changed the subject.
"But seriously... a waitress being suspected of a string of robberies, and her friend getting dragged into it... the whole thing smells fishy."
"It does," Fee agreed. "We’ve been so focused on incidents involving Magic Armor Beasts that I didn't realize these kinds of crimes were happening too."
"To think the Security Captain who helped us during the Skull Incident was sent here as part of a Special Task Force... This city’s public safety must have taken a real nosedive lately," Anhel added with a sigh, her voice tinged with disappointment.
The Clay brothers both looked somber.
In this world, humans were just as capable of causing trouble as Magic Armor Beasts. In fact, Yugo understood that while the beasts merely followed instinct, humans often committed acts of evil with much more deliberate intent. Despite that, he spoke his mind.
"But even so, there are people out there looking forward, trying to start their lives over. I want this to be a world where those kinds of people are rewarded."
"Yeah. I feel the same way, Brother."
Though the scale of their past actions differed, Yugo saw a bit of himself in En. He had been a Villain Student once, too.
Just as he was striving to become a hero with the support of Fee and Melt, he believed En had every right to leave her past behind and become someone new. Fee nodded, echoing his brother's sentiment, but then his expression grew serious.
"Hey, Brother. Can I ask you something? Hearing your story just now... there was one part that felt a bit off."
"Off? Like what?"
Yugo looked at Fee. It seemed his clever younger brother had caught onto something.
He leaned in to listen to Fee’s opinion. Despite looking a little tense, the boy began to explain the exact moment where he had sensed an inconsistency.