TLNOTE : BIG PROBLEM ! A lot of card names disappeared because they were read as HTML code instead of text. The affected chapters were 2, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, and 30. It’s fixed now, please re read the chapters!
- The Two Lone Duelists. The Shop Manager VS Erea (Part 3)
Erea summoned Erea.
In a sense, it was a curious sight, but not too unusual.
If monsters are going to fight, it’s a common occurrence.
Up until now, the monster she summoned was just [Eclraire].
“I never thought…someone else would use the [Primordial Nova Ancient Angel] monster.”
“Well, I am also [Eclraire]. Though…the reason I got this card was because of something the shop manager said.”
“Ah, you mean when I told you to ‘get a card depicting the current you’?”
“Yes, I couldn’t give up, so I opened one of Michiru’s packs and it came out.”
So she still hadn’t given up…
By the way, you may wonder how [Erea] came out of a pack in this world, essentially revealing her true identity.
But Erea was not actually included in those special packs with the beautiful girls.
For some reason, she got mixed into one of the packs.
The pack production process in this world involves a bit of the occult, so things like that happen occasionally.
Anyway, that’s a long story for another time.
“So…were you able to mess with your smartphone inside the card?”
“The me inside the card…didn’t have a smartphone…”
“Don’t sound so sad about it…”
Maybe it’s because she often leaves her phone at the counter or in the back room while working.
Well, even if she could use her phone inside the card, it wouldn’t actually be her real phone.
It might cause some kind of space-time warping bug, so it’s probably for the best.
“Still, one thing is clear now. Or rather…I should have realized it sooner.”
“And what is that?”
“Erea…your fighting style changed from the Imperial style to your usual style.”
“!!”
As I mentioned before,
the cause of Erea’s shift in style lies with [Eclraire].
When [Eclraire] is in her deck, it’s like a switch gets flipped.
With that switch on, Erea acts based on her soldier routines.
Conversely, when [Eclraire] is not in her deck, she can duel normally as her regular self.
That’s the biggest reason Erea can hide her true identity.
“Come to think of it, you’re right. …Is it the influence of [Duelist-Erea]?”
“Probably. But the only thing we can say from that is that people have parts that change and parts that don’t.”
“…! No, I haven’t changed! With the ease you’ve shown up until now, I’m not worried about destroying your Counter Effect as I make this claim! [Duelist-Erea]’s Effect! By sending the top card of my Deck to the Cemetery, I can destroy one of your cards!”
There it is, Erea’s effect that doesn’t require any cost.
For [Eclraire], it’s not destruction, but searching for an “Imperial” monster.
…Erea sure knows how to duel normally without [Eclraire], doesn’t she?
Still, my Counter Effect will be destroyed.
[God-Declaration] can’t respond to monster effects.
It was likely designed that way to counter [God-Declaration], with [Duelist-Erea]’s effect being able to destroy it.
Now, [Erea] is aiming her crystal shot
she is aiming at my Counter Effect to destroy it.
“…This is the end for you, shop manager.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
I nod at those words.
“Ah yes, Erea’s question. My third answer.”
“…Shall I hear it?”
“My answer is…”
I close my eyes for a moment.
At that time, I was thinking about three things.
One was the past – me before being reincarnated into this world.
Just a plain, ordinary cardgame otaku with no particular distinguishing features.
One was the future – the colorful fighters of this world that will appear before me.
And the last was…
“I don’t think there is an answer.”
“…No answer?”
“Or rather, it can’t be decided. People are constantly changing moment by moment. So the reason I wanted to become a shop manager is likely changing all the time too.”
“So in other words, there is no answer.”
The two big reasons are probably the ones I mentioned at first.
But the smaller reasons will surely change each time I’m asked.
And that’s not a bad thing at all.
“Because it’s proof that I’m alive. By continuing to change, people can move forward. There may be times we take a step back, but that’s just one way to keep making progress.”
“But then…people would be too uneasy. No one knows if they’ll become the person they want by constantly changing.”
I nod.
“That’s precisely why the unchanging parts are also needed. As Erea says, people don’t change. There are parts that remain the same. So…”
“So…?”
“So I decided to create it. A place that doesn’t change.”
And then, [Duelist-Erea] fires her crystal shot, destroying my Counter Effect.
“…This shop!”
“…!”
“When [The Place Where Past, Future and Present Converge] is destroyed, it has an effect that can be activated in the Cemetery!”
“A second one!? Not [God-Declaration]?!”
[The Place Where Past, Future and Present Converge] has two effects.
The normal effect, and the effect when it’s destroyed.
I set it expecting Erea might destroy it based on her personality, just to be prepared for that possibility.
Erea probably considered that too…but if she insists her current words are correct, then she has to destroy this card.
She definitely would have in the past.
[Revolutionary Architect] prevents the activation of Field Spell effects.
So by being destroyed and sent to the Cemetery, this card’s effect can bypass [Revolutionary Architect]’s restriction.
And normally, [The Place Where Past, Future and Present Converge] summons from the Deck and Cemetery.
In other words, the future and the past.
Therefore, when destroyed, it summons from – the present Hand.
“Damn…but in this situation…what are you planning to do?”
“There’s more than one form of change.”
And so, what I summon is –
“Appear, [Imperial Vanguard Eclraire]!”
Another Erea.
“Wh-Why me…!? A second [Eclraire]!?”
“I happened to draw this one from a pack too.”
It was actually the same [Michiru] pack Erea got hers from.
Back then, one of the random cards I opened contained [Eclraire] mixed in.
I just never got around to telling Erea,
but I was able to reveal it at the perfect timing here.
“…With this, I can also bypass [Revolutionary Architect]’s restriction.”
“Then all I have to do is attack [Eclraire] with [Revolutionary Architect]!”
[Revolutionary Architect]’s effect prevents the player without an “Imperial” monster from activating effects.
I avoided that by summoning [Eclraire].
Erea already has 0 cards in her hand and no set Counter Effects.
There is nothing more I can do.
All I can do is to attack [Eclraire].
However,
“You understand [Ex-Metatron]’s third effect, don’t you?”
“Damn…but it’s better than just sitting and waiting to die! [Revolutionary Architect] attacks [Eclraire]!”
“[Ex-Metatron]’s effect! I redirect the attack target to itself…and increase its ATK by the number of [Ancient Angel] monsters on the field!”
Using [Ex-Metatron]’s effect, I intercept [Revolutionary Architect]’s attack while boosting its ATK.
However, with just the one [Ex-Metatron], its boosted ATK still wouldn’t be enough against [Revolutionary Architect]’s current ATK.
But there’s one more “Ancient Angel” monster on the field.
“I increase [Ex-Metatron]’s ATK by the amount for itself and [Duelist-Erea]! Counterattack, [Ex-Metatron]!”
The two clash.
And the victor was…me.
“Uuu, I’m so frustrated!”
“You were one step away.”
“To lose right at the end like that, the shop manager sure is immature!”
Too bad.
If I didn’t have that flag set up, you definitely would have won, Erea.
Physically speaking, there’s no way I could have drawn [Eclraire].
“But still, I can’t accept that ending. The field was the same for both of us, wasn’t it?”
“Was it…?”
“There was you on your field and me on mine…it’s not fair that you were the one-sided winner.”
Hey, let’s not count [Revolutionary Architect] as me, okay?
It’s kind of embarrassing…
Putting that aside.
“It’s because Erea changed. The difference between me accepting that change, and Erea not accepting it.”
“Uu…I can’t deny that.”
Actually, the [Eclraire] Erea has and the one I have have slightly different facial expressions.
Erea’s [Eclraire] has a face befitting a soldier, while mine has a gentler expression.
It’s like the current Erea is just dressing up as [Eclraire].
But it’s not a cosplay.
The past and future are constantly changing.
The future goes without saying, but even the past changes.
The events themselves can’t be altered, but one’s feelings about them can change for better or worse depending on their state of mind when recalling them.
Like the gentle expression on my [Eclraire].
The only thing that doesn’t change is this present moment.
That’s why I decided to create an unchanging “now.”
The card shop “Duelist” – my shop that persists in the “present.”
That was my third answer.
“Anyway… it was a good fight.”
“Same to you, Store Manager. It was really fun.”
We walk toward each other and shake hands.
“—Next time I won’t lose.”
“—Next time I’ll win again.”
Well, Erea is glaring at me with a smile, and I’m wearing a provocative smile too.
Such is the sad nature of fighters.
“Come to think of it…”
“What is it?”
“What was Erea’s third answer?”
Ah, Erea nodded.
Letting go of my hand, she smiled mischievously.
“The answer is—a secret.”
When Erea said this, she had an expression I’d never seen before… and I inadvertently forgot to breathe for a moment.
The silence continues, just briefly.
Anyway, trying to break that silence, I search for words and speak.
“A secret, huh… well, can’t be helped then.”
“Ah, no, that’s not it. The secret itself is the answer.”
“Huh?”
Erea hurriedly denied my words.
[img src=https://i.imgur.com/NxkK6VM.jpeg]
When I tilted my head wondering what she meant,
“Because isn’t it cooler to keep it a secret? The beautiful shop clerk’s hidden face was actually a beautiful monster! …Something like that.”
“Should you be saying that yourself? But well, I guess I can understand the feeling.”
It is cool, after all, being an agent hiding their identity…
Though I question whether the Dark Card Organization’s people are actually hiding their identities well.
“Anyway… let’s get something to eat.”
“Haven’t you eaten yet?”
“Well, eating here has become the standard.”
And so, we change the subject.
We turn off the field’s power, double-check the store’s locks,
and then head to the living room on the second floor where we often eat dinner together.
Yes, a secret.
The final reason why Erea hides her identity is because she wants to keep it a secret.
But it’s not just because it’s cooler to keep it secret…
At this moment, hardly anyone knows about Erea’s past.
Detective-san and Suiren, and… then the Store Manager.
Since Detective-san and Suiren would never leak the secret… the secret should remain a secret for a while.
Just as the Store Manager’s secret belongs only to Erea and the Store Manager…
Erea wants to share her secret with the Store Manager alone.
The Store Manager said that
his fight with the former Daia was his peak.
Then, this moment is Erea’s peak.
That’s why Erea doesn’t change.
She thought she didn’t want to change.
But the Store Manager says that
people continue to change.
So although Erea’s secret will eventually be revealed to those around her…
for now, she wants to keep it a secret.
Yes, for now.
Just a little longer… Erea wanted to keep her secret as a secret.
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There are a lot of missing card names this chapter.
It is not usually an issue since most will have only 1 or 2 references, but this particular chapter has a fair number.
I’m guessing the reason is due to there being special characters (maybe arrow brackets?) around the card names that are causing the names to be treated as HTML code or the like and thus stripped out on uploading.
You’re right, a lot of card names disappeared because they were read as HTML code instead of text. Stupid me! The affected chapters were 2, 5, 8, 13, 17, 19, 22, 23, 25, 28, 29, and 30. It’s fixed now, thanks for letting me know!