"So beautiful, she beautiful! (✧v✧)"
Akasha, who was so excited she couldn't speak coherently, had starry eyes full of anticipation, so much that they looked like they were about to fall to the ground.
"Akasha wants to wear it too!"
Hoshino gently smiled and said, "Akasha-chan, for you to wear this dress, you'll have to wait another ten or twenty years~"
"A... a bride..." Rebecca muttered to herself, stunned by the sight before her.
"Rebecca, this is trust! The trust between me and my deck has opened this flower-filled path!"
"Don... don't try to fool me. Do you think using that excuse will make me forgive you for living with Yugi?"
"Hmm? Why would I need forgiveness when I've done nothing wrong?" Hoshino's expression turned serious again as she gently touched the Bride Nero card on the table.
Feeling slightly guilty, Rebecca's tone lost some of its force, "After all... trusting in just one card like that..."
"It's not just one card, it's the whole deck! I trust my deck, my Servants, more than anyone else!"
Hoshino spread her deck across the table, her deep red eyes revealing an unshakable determination.
"Everyone— is my wings!"
"Umu!" Nero's cheeks flushed red. "To make such a straightforward harem declaration in front of a bride, Master sure has some nerve!"
"If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to win in the end, right, Nero?" Hoshino smiled, surveying the situation on the field.
Because of the card Mirror Wall, even though Nero originally had a higher attack power than the Darklord Desire, she couldn't break through with her weakened strength.
[Nero Bride ATK 2500 → 1250]
Feeling the restriction on her power, Nero nodded her head adorned with a flower crown. "Umu, it is as you say. If it's just me, I could barely win. But since I've made my appearance, it wouldn't be right not to achieve a glorious victory!"
"Then let's activate Bride Nero's special effect!"
[This effect can only be activated when this card is Ritual Summoned. Special Summon one Level 4 or lower [Lily] monster from your hand or deck.]
Hoshino drew a card from the already-spread deck, utilizing the effect search. "According to the effect, I will Special Summon [Heroic Spirit – Nursery Rhyme] from my deck!"
The field, already covered in falling petals due to the Ritual effect, now had an extra layer of strange dolls and books mixed in with the petals.
"Ha... whew!" A small, cute figure popped out from a pile of toys and petals, breathing a sigh of relief.
[Heroic Spirit – Nursery Rhyme ★★★★ (4 Stars)][DARK][Spellcaster/Effect][ATK 800→400 / DEF 800]
[This card is also treated as a [Lily] card.]
"It even includes children now!" Jonouchi exclaimed, utterly confused upon seeing Nursery Rhyme for the first time.
"Jonouchi, are you an idiot!" Anzu elbowed Jounouchi, annoyed. "That's probably the flower girl at the wedding!"
"So I'm the flower girl! It's my first time being one!" Nursery Rhyme, not quite sure what was going on, became even more excited after hearing Anzu's explanation.
"Ah, I remember reading in a book that flower girls should..." Nursery Rhyme pressed her fingers to her tiny head, trying hard to think.
"Well! I'll just give a gift first!" She quickly gave up on thinking.
[②: If this card is Special Summoned, you can add 1 Spell card with [Heroic Spirit] or [Lily] in its text from your Deck to your hand.]
"This is the final chapter of the wedding march. The card I'll add to my hand is..." Hoshino dramatically revealed the final searched card, shaking the entire arena.
"The Field Spell Card [Golden Theater! Laus St. Claudius]!"
After playing the card, Hoshino looked at Nero on the field, "Are you ready, Nero?"
"Leave it to me!" Nero placed her pale hand on her heart, full of emotion, and chanted loudly.
"Sunlight of spring, dancing flowers! The winds of May that brush your cheeks! The blessed bells that ring all the way beyond Stella! Open, Nuptiae Domus Aurea!"
Though it was a mini duel arena, the Golden Theatre, already showcasing the luxury and dignity of Rome, now transformed into an enchanting wedding venue, radiating even more overwhelming grandeur.
"Thanks to the Field Spell Card, my [Heroic Spirit – Nero Claudius Bride] is now unaffected by your Spell and Trap effects, and her attack and defense power increase by 300 points!"
"Umu, the strange force that was binding me is finally gone." Standing proudly at the center of the Golden Palace, Nero swung her white-silver sword, each stroke effortlessly slicing through the air with magical sharpness.
[Nero Bride ATK 1250 → 2800]
"Now she can defeat Rebecca's Darklord!" Akasha became even more excited as the attack power surpassed that of the Darklord.
"But I'm not just aiming to defeat the Darklord Desire!"
Pointing at Rebecca across the Golden Palace filled with dancing flowers, Hoshino solemnly declared, "I've already claimed victory in this duel!"
"Attack Darklord, Nero!"
"I've been waiting for this! I'll show you the most overwhelming wedding display with this stunning bridal outfit!"
Nero raised her sword high. Though its blade had changed to silver to match the bridal outfit, the flames swirling around it still proclaimed the name of her ultimate sword technique.
"Due to Nero's special effect, her attack power will rise— by 1000!"
[Nero Bride ATK 2800 → 3800]
"With a hundred flowers beneath me, let my noble stage echo throughout this sacred ground!" The swirling red petals formed a spiral of beautiful flowers around the flaming blade.
"Sing, Fax Caelestis!!"
The beautifully elegant sword strike, with petals and fire intertwining, struck the black armor of the Darklord with devastating force.
"—Its love…burns bright as the flame!"
"Arrgh!" The deep roar of Darklord faded into nothingness as it disappeared into the fire, unable to resist Nero Noble Phantasm.
[Rebecca LP 2200 → 400]
"How could this happen, how could I lose..." Rebecca muttered to herself, unable to believe what she was seeing.
"It's your turn to finish it, Nursery Rhyme~"
"Yes, Master~" Following her master's final command, Nursery Rhyme opened her book.
"The ripples of the pages will push the grass bookmark back— every fairy tale is a friend!"
"This is checkmate!" Hoshino snapped her fingers, her voice echoing through the toy shop.
Nursery Rhyme's remaining 400 attack points, halved, became the final move that ended Rebecca's duel.
[Rebecca LP: 400 → 0]
[Duel Over, the winner: Hoshino Chiyuki!]
"I... lost..." Seeing her life points drop to zero, the greatly shaken Rebecca collapsed onto the duel arena's table.
There were no cheers of victory, nor regrets of defeat. Everyone was at a loss for words about the result of the duel.
In the quiet toy shop, only the faint mechanical sounds of the arena could be heard.
In the end, it was Sugoroku, who had remained silent from beginning to end, who finally broke the awkward silence.
"Rebecca, you're a good kid."
"Grandpa Sugoroku..." Rebecca, looking dejected, slowly sat up, perhaps realizing that slumping over the table wasn't very becoming.
"You genuinely like Yugi, don't you? I can see that. But have you tried to understand Yugi's feelings?"
"I..."
With his hands behind his back, Sugoroku, usually cheerful, adopted a more serious expression. "Liking someone isn't just about saying it or keeping them close. You need to understand and care for them."
"Didn't expect you to say something so wise, old man!" Jonouchi chimed in with a grin.
"Yugi's feelings, huh?" Reflecting on Sugoroku's words, Rebecca cast her gaze at the boy in front of her. "Yugi, do you... dislike me?"
Yugi scratched his head. "If we're talking about whether I dislike you... I don't dislike you, Rebecca."
"Then do you like me?"
"..."
"See? Just as Hoshino said, something is missing between the two of you that should be there between lovers."
"Rebecca?"
"But no challenge can stop a girl's love!" Far from being saddened by Yugi's silence, Rebecca seemed to perk up a bit.
"What's missing can be found! If you don't understand someone, you can try to understand them! Only those who have faced hardships together can walk the path of flowers in the end!"
"Right, Hoshino?" With renewed energy, Rebecca shot a fervent glance at Hoshino.
"Uh?" Caught off guard, Hoshino blinked. "Y-yeah, sure... that sounds right."
Having never been in a real romantic relationship herself, Hoshino's words during the duel had merely come from her experiences in games with various "waifu" characters. Yet now, she had somehow become a guide on Rebecca's love journey.
"So, the misunderstanding is cleared up, right? Rebecca, you know now that Hoshino doesn't like Yugi, right?" Anzu finally found an opening to speak as the atmosphere began to ease.
"Yes!" Rebecca nodded vigorously, glancing a little sheepishly at Hoshino. "Sorry, Hoshino. I was just acting out of jealousy because you got to spend so much time with Yugi..."
Jonouchi teased, "We know you trust your deck, Hoshino, but to say, 'Everyone— is my wings!' — that's pretty bold, huh~?"
"But there's still one thing I don't understand." Akasha tilted her head as if pondering something.
"What is it, Akasha-chan?" Hoshino asked.
"I know Rebecca-chan likes Yugi-nii, and I think Hoshino-nee doesn't like Yugi-nii that way. But..." Akasha blinked her innocent eyes, looking at Yugi.
"But Yugi-nii, who do you like more, Hoshino or Rebecca?"
Wow, Akasha! You're truly the ultimate instigator!
Sugoroku nearly choked in disbelief. He'd just been relieved that the atmosphere was finally calming down, only for Akasha to stir things up again with one question.
Hoshino looked exasperated, Jonouchi was curious, and both Anzu and Rebecca were visibly nervous, rubbing their hands together.
Caught in the middle, Yugi glanced left and right, at a loss for words, his face growing redder.
Finally...
The Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck suddenly emitted a bright light...
"That's so unfair, partner! How could you push me out here!" Yami Yugi complained, bewildered, as he found himself suddenly switching places with Yugi, who had hidden inside the Millennium Puzzle.
"Another Yugi?" Anzu's face flushed slightly as she noticed the change in Yugi's demeanor.
"Hurry up and answer, Yugi!" Unaware of the second personality, Rebecca didn't care about the glowing Puzzle and continued pressing Yami for an answer. "So, do you like Hoshino more?"
"Uh..." The embarrassed Yami Yugi had no idea how to respond. "If we're just talking about dueling skills, then yes, Hoshino is..."
Rebecca pouted, "That's not what I'm asking!"
"..."
"Hahaha, youth is such a wonderful thing." Suddenly, an old yet powerful voice came from outside the door.
"That voice!" Sugoroku, who had been watching, suddenly trembled with excitement.
"Grandpa!" Rebecca exclaimed, looking toward the door in panic.
"Your grandpa?" Hoshino asked, also turning to the door.
Standing in the doorway was an elderly man in a suit, about the same age as Sugoroku but significantly taller, with a refined, gentlemanly demeanor.
"Arthur!" Sugoroku called the man's name in disbelief, overwhelmed with emotion.
"Sugoroku, it's been over ten years, hasn't it? You haven't changed a bit." The man called Arthur removed his hat and stepped inside.
"Grandpa, what are you doing here?" Rebecca, who had been so assertive moments ago, suddenly became the picture of a little girl, shrinking back.
With his sharp, elderly eyes, Arthur scolded her, "Did you think I wouldn't notice when you secretly followed me from America to Japan?"
He then bowed politely to everyone. "I sincerely apologize for any trouble my granddaughter has caused you. I am Arthur Hawkins, and as her grandfather, I offer my deepest apologies."
"Arthur, why didn't you tell me you were coming to Japan?" Sugoroku, still emotional from the reunion, wasn't bothered by the children's antics.
"It was all very sudden, and I didn't have time to make proper arrangements. If Rebecca hadn't run off today, I probably would've waited a few more days to find you," Arthur explained.
"It's just that you were invited as a guest for the Egyptian Tour, right? Nothing important," Rebecca muttered under her breath, pouting.
"Rebecca, how many times have I told you? Anyone who can't take their work seriously can't become a great person," Arthur reprimanded her again before turning his attention to Hoshino. "To think you defeated Rebecca, you've truly impressive"
(*****)
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