Chapter 31: Wizard's Soil (Part 1)

The next day after school, I was walking alone down the hallway of the old school building.

"This should be the right place, yeah?"

I checked the location of the classroom on the handout I had with me.

There was a reason I had come here.

While browsing the club introduction pamphlet mostly for fun, I noticed a club that hadn’t existed last year—and it caught my interest.

Its name was 『Wizard’s Soil Club』.

Wizard’s Soil—nicknamed Wiso—is a famous trading card game played all over the world. We got hooked on it back in middle school. We had to pause during exam season, but I’d talked with Souta about picking it up again in high school. When we entered high school, we looked for a Wiso club, but couldn’t find one, which was a bit disappointing.

That’s why I was curious when I saw that one had quietly sprung up, and ended up coming to the old school building where its room was located.

Today I was acting separately from Yuna. She was never interested in Wiso, and if I told her I wanted to play a boys’ card game now, she’d definitely be exasperated.

Also—

“…Yuna needs to grow out of her sister obsession a little too.”

Since I became Alice, Yuna had gone out of her way to protect me in all kinds of ways. But the one inside Alice is still me—her older brother. I can handle things myself, so there’s no need for her to stick around and fuss over me.

The clubroom was in one of the more secluded parts of the old building. A sliding door, worn with age, had a piece of drawing paper taped to it with 『Wizard’s Soil Club』 scrawled in black marker.

“Hellooo.”

I greeted the room as I opened the door. Inside was a six-mat-sized wooden room, and a boy and girl were in the middle of playing a game.

The two noticed me and paused their match to look up.

“…You’re not stalking me, are you?”

The one who greeted me with that rude line and a sour face was none other than Souta.

“That’s a hell of a way to start a conversation. Why would I ever do something like that?”

“This isn’t exactly the kind of place a normal girl would show up at.”

That comment was kinda rude to the girl he was playing against, wasn’t it?

“So? You need something from me?”

“Not from you specifically, but you’re playing Wiso, right? Mind if I watch?”

“…You play Wiso?”

“I used to. When I heard there was a club, I got curious and decided to check it out.”

“You really have changed, huh…”

“Stop calling me ‘you.’ I told you, it’s Alice.”

“Yeah, yeah. Got it—Alice.”

“Um… Souta-san, who is this?”

The girl who’d been playing with Souta asked, sounding a bit wary. Her voluminous twintails were adorned with decorative accessories, and she had sharp, well-defined facial features—she looked like the very image of an elegant rich girl.

And her figure was stunning—curves in all the right places. Especially her chest, which strained against her blazer and shirt so much it involuntarily drew my eyes. A red ribbon on her chest marked her as a second-year student.

『What the heck is this…? That’s a cheat code. A total body stat cheat!』

Alicia mumbled something incomprehensible inside my head. Lately, I feel like Alicia’s been getting a bit too influenced by anime.

Anyway, not introducing myself would be rude.

“I’m Alice Kisaragi, a first-year. Souta… senpai and my older sister have been childhood friends for a long time, so we know each other through that.”

“I am Ryoka Hashimoto. Souta-san and I are the two members of the 『Wizard’s Soil Club』. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”

…Not sure how to react to that. Her appearance was already something, but her personality’s pretty distinctive too.

“And I’m Souta, the club president. Not that it means much—we’re the only two members right now. Well, let’s get back to the game.”

“Y-yes!”

The two returned their attention to the board and their cards.

I stood beside the table, watching the game unfold.

Ryoka seemed to have the advantage in both creature count and life points. It was currently her turn, and if this attack went through, she’d probably win.

"This time, victory is mine! I attack with 『Starving Wolf』 and 『Muscle Bear』!"

"Before the attack, I play 『Loss of Spirit』. Those two are exhausted and can’t attack this turn. Also, I draw one card."

“Ggh… Turn end!”

“Then it’s my turn. I draw… and end my turn.”

“My turn! Draw—my two revived creatures attack!”

“I play the spell 『Hunter’s Trap』. It destroys both attacking creatures.”

“Ggh… Then after combat, I summon 『Ancient Wyrm of Olden Times』!”

“I counter it with 『Summon Denial』.”

“…Turn end.”

Hashimoto-san looks like she’s about to cry… Brutal. While she’s still way ahead in life points, Souta has more cards in hand—and now her field is empty.

“My turn. Draw. I summon Guardian Angel and end my turn.”

“My turn. Draw… I’ve drawn it! Answer my call and descend from eternity, King of Destruction—『Crimson Vermilion Ancient Dragon Argerante』!!!”

『This game is kind of cool!』

…No, Alicia, I’m pretty sure this isn’t how you’re supposed to play it.

“Okay then, my turn. Draw. I play 『Enslavement Spell』—I’ll be taking control of Argerante.”

“Ahhh—my precious Argerante…”

Hashimoto-san is practically in tears now. I’m starting to feel a little bad for her.

“Then I attack with Guardian Angel.”

Guardian Angel has the ability to heal its controller by the amount of damage it deals in battle. With this attack, Souta regains health and safely pulls out of the danger zone.

“My turn. Draw! …I summon 『Bladed Wyvern』!”

“Countered with 『Negation of Existence』.”

Souta doesn’t even allow her to stall for time, completely shutting down Hashimoto-san’s resistance.

“…Turn end.”

On the next turn, her life points were wiped out by Guardian Angel and the now-betrayed Argerante.