"How often will she need to have her excess mana drained?"
To be safe, Hoshino still asked Mash for confirmation. If the interval was too short… forget Alexis and herself—her lips would fall apart first.
Comparing the data on the device, Mash estimated,
"The rate at which Alexis generates mana isn't too fast. About once every two to three days. But to prevent mana buildup from causing harm to her body, it's best to take measures in advance."
Take measures in advance… meaning kiss her in advance, huh.
"Fortunately, each time the mana is drained, the portion of your blood that produces mana within her decreases. If we repeat the treatment a few more times, she should return to normal."
"What a simple and… barbaric treatment method."
Watching Mash explain with a straight face, Hoshino suspected Mash was hypnotizing herself too—repeating in her mind that it was "just a medical procedure."
"Alright, Alexis, rest a bit longer. I'll take you back to the Blue Dorm tonight. If you're gone for too long and the dorm supervisor notices, that'll be hard to explain."
If Hoshino remembered correctly, the Obelisk Blue Girls' Dorm supervisor was Ayukawa Emi—the voluptuous school nurse. But when she's angry, she's terrifying.
Beneath the blanket, Alexis gave a light nod. Even though part of her didn't want to leave, she also felt guilty for causing Hoshino so much trouble.
As evening fell and they confirmed Alexis's condition had stabilized, Hoshino brought her back to the Academy on her D-Wheel.
After today's disturbance, security around the Academy had been tightened. The front gate no longer allowed students to enter or leave freely—proof of student identity was required.
But compared to KaibaCorp's security, the Academy guards at the gate had much better "eyes." The moment they recognized Hoshino's D-Wheel, they didn't dare stop her—not even questioning her before letting her through.
Sitting on the back seat, pressed closely against Hoshino's back, Alexis felt the entire ride from the villa to the Blue Dorm wrap her in a strange, warm happiness.
"Alright, Alexis, I'll head back for now. If you start feeling unwell at all, call me immediately—I'll rush over right away!"
Blushing, Alexis nodded. Standing at the dorm entrance, she gave a small wave as Hoshino rode off.
"Aibo, it's exactly because you keep doing these lover-level things that… sigh, you're such a sinful woman."
"What are you talking about? I was just helping Alexis as her teacher. I can't just watch my own student die for no reason, right?"
"…Let's hope she sees it the same way."
Hoshino Alter swallowed that final warning. Whoever causes the trouble can clean it up.
.
..
...
Night — Hoshino Residence
"Master, your package arrived today~"
Munching on a rice dumpling, Okita handed over a package that looked like it had been through war.
"== Can you explain why my package looks like this? It looks like someone ransacked it!"
Scratching his cheek awkwardly, Okita confessed,
"Well~ when I picked it up, I thought you'd ordered some tasty snacks… so I opened it to take a peek."
"Then Nobu thought it wasn't fair for only me to see, so she opened it again."
"Mash was worried you might have bought something weird online, so she grabbed it to check."
"Kiritsugu suspected it might contain a bomb…"
"So that's how it ended up like this."
Taking the package, Hoshino glared coldly,
"Tell them this: if anyone dares open my packages again, I'll feed them to Gawain's mashed potato cooking experiments!"
"o(ﾟДﾟ)っ! Master, how cruel! You'd inflict such a brutal punishment?!"
"I'd like some privacy too, okay…"
In truth, it wasn't entirely their fault. On this isolated Duel Academy island, receiving a parcel was extremely rare. Ordinary couriers didn't deliver here—only special channels could send cargo in.
Sender: Kaiba
"Huh? Something from Kaiba? I literally went to KaibaCorp this morning—why didn't he just hand it to me? Why bother mailing it?"
The box was already so damaged there was no need to "open" it—more like "pry" it apart. Inside were four coupon-like tickets.
[Academy Island Hot Springs Resort Grand Opening Single-Pass] ×4
"After two years of development, a new hot springs resort utilizing the island's volcanic activity is officially opening! Present this coupon to enjoy a two-day, one-night free stay on opening day!"
Besides the four tickets, there was also a handwritten note—clearly Kaiba's handwriting:
"Possibly related to the Shadow Rider. Make sure to investigate."
"This guy… always sounds like he's giving orders. But what does a hot springs resort have to do with the Shadow Rider?"
Rubbing the free vouchers between her fingers, Hoshino thought,
"Wait—the opening is tomorrow, isn't it? A free hot springs trip, huh? Even if it's still on the island, it feels pretty refreshing~"
That night, Alexis, Akasha, and Jaden received a group text from Hoshino:
"(oﾟ▽ﾟ)o I'm treating everyone tomorrow! Let's go to the newly-opened Hot Springs Resort! Meet at the front gate at 6 AM—don't be late~"
(***)
Slifer Red Dorm
Bored out of his mind, Minazuki asked,
"Jaden, Syrus—tomorrow's finally the weekend. Where are we slacking off this time?"
Jaden checked his phone, then replied seriously,
"Sorry, I already have plans tomorrow~"
Syrus's glasses nearly fell off.
"H-Huh?! What kind of wind is blowing today? Jaden-aniki actually has plans on a weekend!?"
Minazuki dropped down from the top bunk and grabbed Jaden by the collar.
"Plans? Spill it—are you going on a date with Akasha?!"
"No, no…" Trapped in Minazuki's hold, Jaden forced an awkward smile.
"I just checked. It's with Sensei, Alexis, and Akasha."
"Syrus. Bring the torture device. We can't let this guy leave alive tomorrow!"
"I was thinking the same thing! Jaden has betrayed us and is openly building a harem!"
Obelisk Blue Girls' Dorm
Lying on her bed while grinding a mobile gacha game, Akasha received Hoshino's text. She didn't even get the chance to see the result of her ten-pull before her mind went blank from shock.
"ﾉ)ﾟДﾟ( Going to a hot springs resort overnight with Hoshino-nee?! Is this the turning point—am I finally ascending the steps to adulthood?! Should I order those PC parts now? Will they arrive in time?"
Meanwhile, in her own room, Alexis—who had been restlessly scrolling through animal videos, unable to sleep ever since last night—also short-circuited when she saw the message.
"Senpai… invited me to the hot springs… Am I dreaming? Why did my life suddenly become so full of happiness after getting bitten by a vampire?"
She jumped out of bed and glanced at her wardrobe.
"I need to decide what to wear tomorrow. Wait—if it's a hot springs resort, we'll definitely go into the baths… meaning no clothes… and I'll be naked in front of Senpai…"
Still, wearing clothes is recommended before entering the hot spring.
(***)
The Next Morning
"You're all early! Looks like everyone's excited for the hot springs~"
At 6 AM, dawn barely breaking, Hoshino arrived at the Academy gate on time—only to find Jaden, Akasha, and Alexis had arrived even earlier.
"Of course, Sensei!" Jaden swung his arm enthusiastically.
"When I got your message last night, I was so excited I almost couldn't sleep! A new hot springs resort by the volcano—how hype is that!?"
Jaden's bright, energetic face showed zero signs of sleep deprivation.
Akasha and Alexis, on the other hand, had stayed up all night—due to… different forms of excitement.
Of course, aside from Jaden—who had asked for confirmation—both girls had assumed this was a solo date with Hoshino. So when they met at the gate and discovered the truth, a little disappointment was inevitable.
Akasha sighed quietly. The "victory underwear" she had carefully prepared was now completely wasted.
"Hoshino-nee, how are we getting to the resort? Since it's using the volcano's hot springs, it should be near the summit, right?"
Checking the time, Hoshino replied,
"A bus to the resort passes by the Academy gate at 6:10 AM. But…"
She glanced around. At the moment, the only ones at the gate were the four of them. And there was only one bus to the resort each day. She had expected more students to be joining.
"It's the grand opening—was the promotion that bad? Why does it feel like we're the only ones going?"
"Senpai, I don't think it's a promotion issue." Alexis gave an apologetic smile, then pulled up the resort's official website on her phone. "If I had to guess… it's the price."
"Price?"
Looking at the screen Alexis handed her, Hoshino blurted out:
"What kind of ridiculous pricing is this?! Is this a hot springs resort or a five-star luxury hotel?!"
Just a single night cost nearly half of Hoshino's monthly salary. Very few on this island earned anywhere close to her level. Calling it "five-star hotel pricing" was generous. It would be strange if students could afford to go.
"I was shocked too. I didn't know Sensei was this generous. Or are you secretly rich?"
Whether Hoshino was rich or not… anyone who had seen that three-story villa of hers already knew the answer.
"I wouldn't say rich. Someone just sent me free two-day-one-night stay vouchers. So this trip is basically a free perk."
"Free vouchers? I see."
Alexis quietly exhaled in relief. She had been feeling guilty, assuming Hoshino paid such a high price just to invite her.
Jaden and Akasha seemed like old friends of Hoshino. But she had only recently met her. She assumed being invited must be because of her physical condition—if something went wrong with her body again during the trip, it would be troublesome. That was likely why Hoshino brought her.
Beep! Beep!
A crisp horn sounded. After some small talk, the bus to the mountaintop resort arrived at the Academy gate. It was on a completely different level from the usual island buses—luxurious exterior, complimentary drinks, and snacks inside.
"Estimated travel time: approximately two hours. Passengers, please enjoy the journey."
.
..
...
Travel officially begins the moment you set foot on the transport. Gazing out the window at the familiar scenery, Hoshino felt it was completely different from when she rode her D-Wheel.
"It's so peaceful. Yesterday feels like it never happened."
Why a hot springs resort would have any connection to the Shadow Rider was still a mystery to Hoshino. So for now, she simply assumed it was tsundere Kaiba using a flimsy excuse to force her to take a vacation.
"(｀・・´) Jaden, if you keep eating the free snacks now, you won't have room for the resort's fancy meals later!"
"I'm just whetting my appetite! If it's tasty, I can eat infinite amounts!"
"Senpai, would you like a drink? The tomato juice looks delicious."
Taking the offered can, Hoshino looked at Alexis and asked softly,
"Alexis… did the incident leave you with some strange side effects? What's so good about tomato juice?"
"N-No, I've always liked it."
With a seductive smile, Alexis licked the red liquid from her lips, making Hoshino recall last night all over again.
She took a sip. The drink was just sourness mixed with tomato's unique astringency—no sweetness at all. "Delicious" was the last word she'd use.
"You can have it. I can't handle the taste."
"(〃＞皿＜) No! That would be an indirect kiss! Better let me drink it—I don't mind!"
Akasha lunged forward, grabbed the can, and chugged it in one go.
"K-Kiss…"
A faint blush spread across Alexis's cheeks again.