Fuyuki City, Wu Yan’s villa…
“This is where you guys live?”
Luvia scanned the place before nodding in approval.
“It is a little smaller than I would like, but, this is acceptable.”
“Small?”
Illya looked at the living room about 2 times bigger than her house in area before laughing.
“How about my house?”
“Don’t compare my house to yours. I just want to live comfortably. The area of the house isn’t a primary factor of consideration.”
He rolled his eyes.
“Anyway, go ahead and take a seat.
Hinagiku and Mikoto sat their guests down. Luvia, Rin, Illya, and Miyu sat on the comfortable couch with nervous looks.
Hinagiku and Mikoto took up the seats near Wu Yan.
They silently sat there as they knew Wu Yan had this situation handled. They looked like homely wives when they are like this.
Luvia’s mansion got destroyed by Wu Yan when he fought the alternate Illya. This is why he offered to house them for now.
It isn’t because he felt guilty or he suddenly feels expanding his family. It is because they couldn’t sleep as they needed to address the elephant in the room.
“Right, where is that old butler?”
He asked Luvia.
“I didn’t see him during the fight.”
“I sent Auguste back.”
Luvia said.
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“He isn’t competent enough to partic.i.p.ate in the fight.”
“Okay.”
He pursed his lips before looking at Illya.
“Okay, Illya, do you have anything to say?”
“Huh?”
Illya tilted her head.
“Say about what?”
“Your transformation, silly…”
Rin said.
“Also, who was that tanned Illya?”
They wanted answers and Illya felt tense when everyone looked at her.
She also felt guilty because she had no answers to give.
“I-I don’t know. I don’t know what to tell you guys.”
Illya said that when Wu Yan was going to take her card, something within her popped into existence. After that, she lost consciousness.
When the fight ended, her consciousness came back to her while the tanned Illya took on a physical form.
It felt like her memories were jumbled and there was a sudden hollow part in her psyche.
“In other words…”
He continued.
“You don’t know what happened to you and you don’t know how you used Phantasm Summon?”
“I only remember my vision blurring and that tanned other ‘me’ when I woke up.”
Illya hugged her head in pain.
“Alright, what is Phantasm summon?”
Luvia continued.
“The tanned Illya also chanted the same word.”
“Phantasm summon?”
Rin looked at him.
“You seemed like you know about this.”
The others also looked at him.
Miyu seemed keen on knowing the answers.
“Allow me to explain.”
Hinagiku continued.
“Phantasm Summon is like an extension of the Limited Release. You used the card, your magic medium, and your body as the physical medium to take on the powers of a spirit. Essentially, you’re transforming into the Heroic Spirit.”
“Heroic spirit transformation.”
Mikoto looked at Illya.
“But, how did you know about this technique?”
“The limited release only uses the dress and card as the medium.”
Wu Yan looked at her.
“The Phantasm Summon used the body as the medium. How did you know and how did you establish a connection?”
“I mean…”
Illya stuttered.
“I don’t know…”
They fell silent.
It seemed like they hit a dead end.
“Wu Yan-nii…”
Miyu asked.
“Why do you guys know so much about the cards? You seem to know about functions of the card unknown to us.”
Rin and Luvia also wanted to know.
How did they know about Phantasm Summon?
Even the researchers only know about Limited Release for now. Their understanding of the cards is rudimentary at best.
Summon Phantasm is probably the true usage of the card.
How did they know something that the authority on magic knows nothing about?
“We know because we have a special a.n.a.lysis function that told us about this function.”
Wu Yan gave them a vague but true answer.
“But, we only know about the usage of the cards, the n.o.ble Phantasms, Spirits, and usage methods. Other than that, we don’t know who created the cards or why the cards were created.”
“I see.”
Rin and Luvia thought about it.
Miyu also released a sigh of relief.
“So…”
Illya scratched her cheek.
“The other ‘me’ used n.o.ble Phantasm and you guys thought I knew the skill beforehand?”
“Yes.”
Mikoto answered.
“That is why we are very curious.”
“Hmm…”
Illya sighed.
“Maybe, the other 'me' knew the method and she used it instead of me?"
"That seems like the plausible answer for now. We don't know who is that tanned Illya nor how she can keep her Phantasm Summon mode active for so long, we do know she has the Archer card."
He said.
“In any case, we have to locate the tanned Illya to get the answers we need."
'Before that..."
Hinagiku looked at Luvia and Miyu.
"Where are you two sleeping tonight? Why not stay here if you don't have a place to stay?"
"Stay here?"
Miyu flinched while Luvia frowned.
"No thanks, we can stay at a hotel."
"Making a kid stay in a hotel, I can't believe this."
He rolled his eyes.
"It's late. Just stay here for the night, by that, I mean you all."
"I..."
With the dark night outside, they agreed that it was best to hit the sack as soon as possible.x