"It's nothing."
Dark pointed at the title and said with a smile, "Isn't Easter coming up? I'm looking into the origins of Easter."
Pandora glanced at the book and said softly, "Easter, hm? I wonder what you can get out of this year's Easter eggs?"
Dark: "Easter eggs?"
"That's right." Pandora pulled out a chair and sat down beside him, propping up her chin as she spoke. "Every year at Easter, the academy hands out Easter eggs in all sorts of ways. If you're lucky, you might even get a half-finished Magic Guide Card made by the professors themselves."
Dark said in surprise, "Don't the professors advise students against using half-finished Magic Guide Cards?"
Pandora laughed. "They're only some highly entertaining half-finished Magic Guide Cards—their research value far outweighs their practical value."
Dark nodded slightly, somewhat lost in thought.
According to Professor Kazel and Professor Silf's plan, they would be giving out the Gate Key as the Easter egg of the Easter Dueling Festival.
Before that, this information would only be leaked out inadvertently, by way of "rumor."
So Dark tried asking, "Senior, do you know about the Easter Dueling Festival?"
Pandora was slightly taken aback, then asked with great interest, "You mean there's a dueling tournament this Easter?"
"There should be." Dark nodded. "They say the winner gets a prize worth quite a fortune."
But a thought struck Pandora, and she said, "Since it's an Easter tournament, doesn't that mean we'll have a chance to compete on the same stage?"
Dark scratched his head. "I'm afraid not. I hear they'll divide everyone into groups by year."
"That's such a shame." Pandora looked a little disappointed. "If it's too boring, maybe I won't take part."
Dark blinked and hinted, "Maybe there'll be a surprise reward?"
Pandora couldn't help turning her head, covering her mouth as she laughed. "Enough with the 'they say,' 'I hear,' 'maybe'—why not just tell me directly?"
Aiya, aiya...
Dark felt a bit helpless and simply said, "When the time comes, the professors will place a kind of Gate Key inside the winners' Easter eggs. Whoever holds a Gate Key can freely come and go through the secret passages.
Also, as a product of the same line as the Sorting Card, the Gate Key has many interesting little functions. For instance, holders can send messages to one another..."
"That's it?" Pandora asked.
Dark nodded. "Mm."
Pandora shook her head. "That's hardly an enticing selling point. I'm not all that interested in secret passages."
Dark smiled faintly. "Then just enjoy the holiday."
Pandora raised her hand, her slender index finger pointing toward the corner of her mouth. "I can cheer you on."
She had clearly seen that Dark would be taking part in this Dueling Festival.
Dark didn't bother trying to persuade her further. He simply reached into the drawer, took the box of chocolates he'd prepared for Pandora out of his bag, and set it on the desk. "A return gift."
The corner of Pandora's mouth curled up. She reached out and tapped the chocolate box, asking softly, "May I look forward to a surprise?"
Dark thought it over and said, "Maybe."
Pandora grumbled, "Can't you use an affirmative sentence?"
Dark: "Then it's a yes."
Pandora blinked, picked up the chocolate box, and gave it a little shake. "When I get back tonight, I'll properly enjoy your surprise."
Seeing that she was already getting ready to stand, Dark asked, "Are you on duty again this afternoon?"
"No." Pandora shook her head. "I've got an experiment project to do today, so I have to go."
With that she rose and left, leaving behind only a faint sweet fragrance.
Dark gazed for a while in the direction she'd gone, then finally turned back and reopened Easter: Revelation—but his attention was no longer on the book.
"So she came specially, made time just to pick up the chocolate?"
...
After mulling it over again and again for a while, Dark took Easter: Revelation up to the counter to register the loan, then left the Library.
In any case, the chocolates that needed returning had all been returned; these external matters could finally be put to rest.
With only half a month left until Easter, there were still many preparations he needed to make.
Although the format of the Easter Dueling Festival hadn't been announced yet, since it was a school-wide tournament, it would surely follow official competition rules, which placed strict requirements on the number of Magic Guide Cards participants could carry.
That meant he'd need at least forty Magic Guide Cards.
The only uncertainty was which tier of Magic Sphere Life Barrier this tournament would use.
The Magic Sphere's Life Barrier had five tiers, with each tier corresponding to mana values of 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, 8,000, and 16,000 respectively.
Of the tournaments Dark had taken part in so far, the most official had been the last Rookie Tournament, but even that had only used the second tier, with the Magic Sphere Life Barrier's mana value at just 2,000 points.
This Easter Dueling Festival, of course, couldn't possibly use the Rookie Tournament format.
Considering that first to third years would be one group and fourth to sixth years another, the lower-year group's Magic Sphere Life Barrier mana value would very likely use the third tier of 4,000 points, while the upper-year group's should be the fourth tier of 8,000 points.
Of course, it was also possible they'd use the fourth tier of 8,000 points across the board.
Dark had no intention of going to ask Professor Kazel about it. With a touch of anticipation for the on-the-spot variables, he focused more of his energy on training his long-range control of the Magic Sphere.
This Easter Dueling Festival was a rare opportunity for a first-year to compete on the same stage as third-years.
And when going up against third-years, it would inevitably involve the control of and tug-of-war over the Magic Sphere.
An ordinary third-year would hardly be like Senior Angelia, who had no dueling experience whatsoever.
How to maneuver the Magic Sphere to dodge an opponent's attacks, even split one's focus to simultaneously control the Magic Sphere and summon Magic Guide Spirits, or forcibly manipulate the opponent's Magic Sphere to set them up...
All sorts of tactics emerged in endless succession.
Especially in a tournament like the Easter Dueling Festival, which doubled as entertainment, someone might even deliberately pull off some stunt...
In short, just thinking about it was exciting.
...
While Dark was going back and forth between the Library and the dormitory, the three little girls who had received Valentine's return gifts had all immediately opened their chocolate boxes the moment they got back to their dorms.
Eudora hadn't even eaten lunch before hurrying back to her dorm.
After slipping into her bedroom, she set down her bag, then flung herself onto the bed, her petite body sinking into the covers.
Lifting the ribbon-tied chocolate box up before her eyes with both hands, Eudora giggled "hehe," unable to contain her excitement.
From being flatly rejected when she invited Dark to dance before Christmas, to now receiving a Valentine's return gift, this leap that came after all her effort had her utterly enchanted.
Although she knew in her heart that it wasn't a return gift in that sense, compared to some other girls who, after giving chocolates on Valentine's Day, didn't even get a peep in response, she was without a doubt among the lucky ones.
"This should count as taking the first step, right?"
Eudora rubbed her cheek against the chocolate box, her two big eyes—stars hidden within them—narrowing into a pair of crescent moons.
"After the first step comes the second step..."
Lying there on the bed just like that, she cheerfully tore open the chocolate box.
Once the box was open, the aroma of chocolate drifted out, mingled with the scent of fruit.
Eudora leaned in and sniffed, then her eyes suddenly lit up: "There's wine inside!"
The chocolates she'd given Dark had also had wine in them.
This similarity suddenly gave her an even greater sense of being acknowledged.
"Wonderful!"
Eudora parted her soft pink lips, picked out a liqueur chocolate, and took a tiny bite.
That chocolate, mixed with a hint of fruity fragrance, somehow tasted much better than the ones she'd made herself.
Licking the Fairy Wine at the center of the chocolate once more, a faint blush quietly surfaced on Eudora's face.
At the same time, the mana within her body grew noticeably more active, leaving her whole body comfortable and at ease.
Surprise welled up in her eyes: "What kind of wine is this?"
After a while, savoring the lingering aftertaste of the Fairy Wine, she picked up the card from inside the box and looked at the words written on it: ...
May your studies bear fruit, and your future hold promise.
——From Dark Demon [With Compliments]
...
Eudora abruptly covered her cheeks, a hazy, gossamer film veiling her eyes.
"You've got to give it your all, Eudora!"
...
Meanwhile, on the other side...
After having lunch with Dark, Diana and Rose returned to the dorms, laughing and joking along the way.
After Rose dropped her bag off at her own dorm, she came over to Diana's dorm.
The two of them placed the chocolate boxes they'd each received together on the desk, deciding to open them together.
Diana stared at the chocolate box and muttered, "On Valentine's Day, if it weren't for running into Eudora, I definitely would've succeeded—so annoying!"
Rose glanced away, looking a little awkward.
To this day she still hadn't told Diana that she had been the first person Dark saw on the morning of Valentine's Day.
Though that whatever-it-was rumor was definitely fake...mm, it had to be fake!
Rose steadied herself and said, "Shall we open them and take a look? I'm guessing they're handmade chocolates."
Diana said with a giggle, "I think so too. Dark is always so meticulous. Come on, let's open them together."
With that, the two of them opened their chocolate boxes at the same time.
Arranged inside each box were nine liqueur chocolates, three rows of three.
The surfaces of the chocolates even had some fine, delicate patterns.
"It's a bear design!"
Diana's eyes lit up, and she immediately picked up a chocolate, turning it over and over.
Rose carefully picked one up too and said, "Mine has a rabbit design."
Then she looked at the card inside the box.
But at the same moment, Diana, unable to wait any longer, popped a chocolate into her mouth.
She bit down hard, biting off half the chocolate, and the Fairy Wine hidden inside immediately spilled out.
"Wuu!"
In her urgency, Diana gave a sharp suck, drawing all the Fairy Wine into her mouth.
"It's wine!"
Her eyes lit up, and she immediately picked up a second chocolate.
"Rose, this is so good! Hurry and try one!"
Suppressing her delight, Diana turned to look at Rose—only to see Rose staring at a card, her gaze trembling slightly.
"Hm?"
Diana couldn't help leaning over to take a peek.
What met her eyes was an adorable little composition: a little bear, a rabbit, and a kitty all lying together atop a crescent moon, their little paws peeking out.
...
For Diana, the delicious liqueur chocolates were perhaps the best gift of all.
But for Rose, this card was perhaps the best of all.
...
As though she'd found a priceless treasure, Rose decided to take it back with her and have it framed...
Diana, too, picked up her own card afterward.
The greedy little bear drawn on the card made her cheeks flush slightly, and in self-abandon she took another bite of liqueur chocolate.
Then her gaze drifted over toward Rose's liqueur chocolates...
Seven-thirty in the evening.
The students of the four houses once again came to the top of the Spiral Clock Tower, sitting in the classroom and waiting for Professor Medea's arrival.
The Love Divination from Valentine's Day had left a deep impression on the students.
Today was White Valentine's Day, so the little Magic Guide Masters wanted to do it once more.
But Professor Medea, who made her entrance riding a pumpkin carriage, did not grant their wish this time.
She merely selected a few love stories related to star systems, imparted some philosophical truths by way of those stories, and then briefly explained the "Tarot card divination method."
"Tarot cards" were a very commonly used divination tool.
In the streets and alleys, you could often see people doing divination with "Tarot cards."
Of course, 99.999% of them were frauds.
The depth of "Tarot card divination" was beyond what a beginner could imagine.
Even Professor Medea wouldn't dare claim to have mastered "Tarot card divination."
But as teaching material, it was quite easy to pique the students' interest.
After all, who doesn't like playing cards?
At the very least, Little Eevee was watching with its eyes shining, every now and then letting out a few soft cries.
Dark knew it was about time he bought it a deck of "Tarot cards."
Through the entire class, Professor Medea never brought up any topic related to Easter again.
After class, Dark went specially to ask, but Professor Medea only smiled without a word, wearing a "figure it out for yourself" look.
Figure it out my a!
So Dark simply tossed the matter clean out of his mind.
After all, he wasn't the least bit worried that anything would actually happen at Easter.
And even if something did happen, it would have nothing to do with him.
...
The morning of the day after White Valentine's Day ended.
Professor Kazel called Dark to his office at the end of the second class.
Then, after tidying up a bit, he took Dark along with him to Professor Silf's office.
Once they entered the office, Professor Kazel casually tossed Dark a Magic Guide Card.
"The Gate Key is finished?"
Dark asked offhandedly, picking up the Magic Guide Card and examining it closely.
This Magic Guide Card shimmered with a faint golden halo, carrying a familiar gold-card flavor to it.
But of course it wasn't a gold card.
A thought stirred in Dark's mind, and he asked, "Professor, did you really make tiers?"
Professor Kazel said smugly, "White, blue, purple, orange, gold—easy. Try injecting some mana."
So Dark injected a thread of mana into this golden Gate Key.
But once the mana was injected, the face of the Gate Key popped out a little key-shaped figure, which said in a somewhat stiff tone, "Identity verification failed, identity verification failed, please return this card to Kazel, please return this card to Kazel."
Amid these "beep beep beep" sounds, three black lines slowly stretched across Dark's temple.
Professor Kazel and Professor Silf both burst out laughing.
To cover up his own malicious little prank, Professor Kazel hurriedly said, "Here's the thing—this time, for the Easter Dueling Festival, we'd like to do it on a bigger scale..."
____
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