Wanna Duel? I've Got the Pharaoh's Deck! [10]

Rain fell in a soft, steady rhythm, pattering crisply against the pavement.

The moon and stars had vanished behind a blanket of sudden storm clouds, replaced by the warm, artificial glow of streetlights doing their best to push back the darkness.

Under the downpour, Hoshino Mai stood holding an umbrella. Her blond hair framed a surprised expression as she looked at the boy huddled beneath the supermarket awning.

That same look of surprise was mirrored on Yuuhi’s face.

“Miss Mai?”

“What a coincidence, Yuuhi-kun.”

She had changed out of her eye-catching outfit from earlier that day. Now she wore a soft, stylish hoodie—casual, homey, and effortlessly cute.

Less like a local idol, more like the friendly girl-next-door.

She lifted a pale hand in a wave and smiled. “Didn’t think we’d run into each other again so soon. Maybe we’ve got a bit of fate between us?”

“Yeah… what are the odds?”

The unexpected encounter helped lift Yuuhi’s rain-dampened mood a little.

“Were you out shopping?” he asked, curious. “Do you live nearby?”

“Yup. My place is less than 500 meters from this Madolche supermarket. I usually shop here. It started raining halfway through my walk, but luckily I always bring an umbrella. Would’ve been a disaster otherwise.”

Mai stepped under the store’s awning beside him, folding up her umbrella and giving it a firm shake to scatter the water.

She stood next to Yuuhi, watching the cars and people drift through the rain outside—making no move to resume the “big grocery run” she’d mentioned.

It seemed like, at least for now, talking with Yuuhi was the more interesting option.

“You too, Yuuhi-kun? Looks like you just finished shopping, right? My umbrella’s big enough—why don’t you wait a bit? Once I’m done shopping, I can walk you home.”

“No, really—that’s okay.”

Anyone could tell that Yuuhi was in a tight spot. Her offer was thoughtful—generous, even. You could call it a lifeline on a rainy night.

But Yuuhi could only grit his teeth and politely turn her down.

Because that kind of option… had never existed for him in the first place.

“My home’s… really, really far from here. I’m just passing through, so I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

“I see. That’s a shame.”

Mai sounded genuinely disappointed.

“By the way, did you keep doing duel shows after I left?”

Feeling a little guilty, Yuuhi quickly tried to steer the conversation away from the awkwardness.

“How did it go? Did the event turn out okay?”

“Oh, it went great!”

The question made Mai brighten, her smile taking on a playful glint.

“And I have you to thank for that, Yuuhi-kun.”

“Me?”

“Yup.”

She nodded, then explained cheerfully, “It was because of our duel that the crowd really hit its peak hype. Everyone saw that you could win—and figured they had a shot too.”

“Ah…”

Yuuhi instantly understood what she meant.

Looking back on the match, if not for that lucky top-deck off [Monster Reincarnation], he never could’ve beaten her.

And what kind of deck had he used?

A mismatched pile of vanillas and nostalgic bricks, completely devoid of modern synergy.

So yeah—of course the next challengers would think he only won by luck. Yuuhi himself couldn’t exactly argue with that.

“So after that, we didn’t have to worry about the crowd going cold at all,” Mai continued, grinning as if the chaos had been more amusing than frustrating. “People were lining up non-stop, super eager. I could barely keep up.”

She rubbed her temples a little, mock-exasperated, but her smile never faded.

“I kept dueling for another two hours before someone else tagged in. By the end, all three grand prizes—including the one you won—were handed out. The store also moved a bunch of merchandise thanks to the buzz. Honestly, it was a huge success.”

“That’s great news.”

Yuuhi smiled sincerely. “Congrats, Miss Mai. I guess the shop gave you a bonus, then?”

“They did—and you deserve a share of the credit, Yuuhi-kun. Which is why…” she paused, glancing back at the rain pouring down outside.

The sound of it was loud now—relentless. No sign of letting up.

“I may not be able to walk you home, but… have you had dinner yet, Yuuhi-kun? How about I treat you to something?”

“You’re buying?”

“Mm-hm. There’s this ramen place nearby I really recommend. Their noodles are amazing—huge portions, super filling. You’ll love it.”

Yuuhi hesitated—but just barely.

Originally, he’d planned to get by with bread and bottled water for the night. But if he could save that food and have a proper hot meal instead, he could ration the rest for emergencies.

More importantly, after standing in the cold like this, he really needed something warm.

“Well then, I’d be hon—ha… ha-choo!”

Just as he was about to accept, Yuuhi suddenly sneezed—hard—twisting his head away mid-sentence.

“Wait, are you getting sick?” Mai asked, concerned.

“No, it’s just the cold…”

Ah-choo!

The second sneeze ruined his attempt to sound convincing.

Now that she was really looking, Mai noticed his clothes were damp in several places.

It might’ve been getting warmer lately, but the nights were still chilly—and soaked like this, that chill was far more dangerous than it looked. Even worse, that kind of slow, creeping dampness could sap your strength without you noticing.

“…That won’t do.”

Her tone sharpened with sudden seriousness, and she frowned at him in disapproval.

“Catching a chill like this is no joke. If you don’t do something soon, you’ll definitely end up with a fever—and that’s not going to be fun. I’m sorry, Yuuhi-kun, but I don’t think I can take you out for ramen after all.”

“Oh…”

Yuuhi blinked. For a moment, he was too disoriented to even feel disappointed.

Then, before he could respond, she spoke again—and this time, her words made his eyes go wide.

“But… if ramen’s off the table… how about this, Yuuhi-kun—”

She paused, met his eyes, and gave him a small smile.

“—Would you like to come to my place?”

“…Huh?”

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T/N: HUH?????????????????????????????????????????

This is a fan translation of 打牌吗？ 我王样卡组！by 夏日戏言 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!