"He is cheating, right?"
"How long has he been there?"
"Only an hour."
"And he already got that much!?"
A small crow had formed around a specific table of Blackjack. Most of them were simply there to watch the game since no tables were available.
They all watched as a black haired kid played. His golden eyes glowed like two coins, yet they seemed soulless, almost as if he was dead. Nothing seemed to amuse him, as his boredom expression never changed even when he won.
That was how people on the outside perceive him, but inside, Edric was going crazy.
'One more! Come on, just one more!'
He had long passed 50,000 Reais and was going towards his goal of 100,000. And truth be told, he wanted to stop, but couldn't. While his objective here was to whip the house and, maybe, meet the Rivenditoris, Edric wanted to at least cash out what he had before doing something.
However, he had won the last fifteen rounds in a row. A crazy streak! One that he had never had before and couldn't break it now.
Currently his hand was a seven of spades and a four of hearts and he was betting fourth thousand in one go, the maximum permissible.
"Double."
"A ten?!" The old man at his side was incredulous.
Edric pulled the chips in his direction and organized his pile.
"What can I say, I am on fire." He was in ecstasy.
But not everything was sun and flowers. Edric could see that security around his table had increased, it wouldn't be long before they either kicked him out, or since he was with a lot of chips, they would take him to a higher up to accused of cheating and then be kicked out.
'...I guess it's time then.'
Edric rotated his chair, using his cane to get up.
"Oh, are you finally tired of winning?" The woman asked.
"Of course not, what kind of a gambler do you think I am?" He looked at the security. "I will soon be kicked out anyway, so I just want to speed up the process."
100,000 in chips may sound like much, but in truth, it wasn't. Edric stuffed all of it into Tina's bag and left the table.
As he walked away from the seat, people started to fight over it. Believing that the seat had brought some kind of luck.
"Hello," He said to one of the guards, "I wanted to talk with a higher up, if possible."
The guard looked at him weirdly. He had been ordered to keep an eye on the boy, but he never expected to be addressed.
As he was about to respond, his radio beeped. He took a step back and pressed the button.
"Hello?"
"Bring him here."
Edric couldn't hear or understand what he spoke or to whom, he simply waited patiently, looking around.
Ever since he stepped into the second floor he had been searching for a specific woman, the one who took his money years ago.
At the time she had been a dealer, one he couldn't beat even with a positive count and basic strategy. Yet he couldn't find her.
'Good, I hope that witch is either dead, or locked behind a cell.'
"Come with me." The guard finally said.
With one guard at his right, another at his left, and following the one ahead, Edric was escorted until the stairs, where another person was waiting for him.
A man in his thirties, dressed in the same uniform as the other, only that his shirt was golden instead of red.
"Sir," He said, "I am here to escort you."
The third floor was completely different from the others. To begin with, it wasn't an open space like the other floor, it looked more like a hotel with many doors. Making an educative guess, Edric imagined that this place was probably where the private games would happen, poker games where people would bet their entire fortune.
Not only that, but as they went deeper into the corridors, the style began to change, the marble floor disappeared and Edric knew he was getting into the staff part.
Eventually the man took Edric in front of a carved dark wooden door. When they stopped he frowned.
Though he had never been here, he knew how to recognize an officer, and this one surely wasn't a manager or anything like that.
'Is he really taking me to meet a Rivenditoris?'
Honestly, Edric didn't think this crazy idea would actually work…in truth, Edric had believed Tina was delusional. Why would a Rivenditoris meet him? He was pretending to be a low noble, when would a high noble meet with him? Unless…
'Does he know who I am?' That was a possibility.
Thinking about it, if he was Lynce's metaphorical husband, she could very well ask him to keep an eye on him since she knew he came here.
'Something doesn't smell right though…'
His guide knocked on the door thrice before stepping away and leaving Edric all alone.
"You can enter." A woman's voice came from inside.
Edric recognized the voice. He suddenly wanted to turn and run. And he would, if not for the door suddenly opening and a strong arm pulling him inside.
The room was dark, illuminated only by the moon over the glass ceiling. A head, two couches made of the finest materials seat front to front. Separating them, a small wooden desk. A little head, in a marble desk, a woman sat in a chair. She was drinking tea. Her rose hairs shining in the light of the moon.
"Hello, Lynce." He said.
"Ara, shouldn't you call me big sister?" She replied, fake offended. "Turn on the light."
The man who grabbed him obeyed.
The room lit up so suddenly and so bright that it took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust. When they did, he looked around the room.
Just like he expected it was luxurious, but not extravagant. It was the type of luxury that didn't come with expensive items, but out of good taste. Paints of the most diverse, yet they seemed to follow a pattern. Something about love and destruction.
The man who grabbed him was Tyler, the Rivenditoris heir. Tall, muscular, brown hair that fell to his shoulders. But something was weird. Deep inside his nut-brown eyes, Edric could see something…
'Is that a heart?' It surely seemed so.
So just like he suspected, the heir really had been enchanted by Lynce's powers.
"Does the Rivenditoris know you bewitched their heir?"
"But of course," she crossed her legs. "We are deep in love, can't you see it?"
Tired from the long walk, Edric took a seat on the red couch.
"I sure can…So? Why did you call me here?"
"Weren't you the one that requested to see a higher up? You sure were on fire today."
"Oh, you saw that?"
She nodded, getting up her chair and seating on the pink couch in front of him.
"I coincidentally saw you in the cameras when you left that weird van of ours," She took a sip of her tea, "I suppose you are on the run because of Cyan? Let me guess, you are going to the Academy."
Edric almost frowned, somehow managing to keep his straight face.
"Me? Why should I go to that cursed place? If anything, I prefer to live freely."
Lynce burst into laughter.
"Oh, little brother. There is no reason to lie, you know. Everyone knows you called the King. You called him in the middle of a public appointment, and what he said was heard by thousands of people."
"...You gotta be kidding."
"Don't you read the papers?" With a single side glance at Tyler, he went and picked up the newspaper and brought it to her. "It says right here in the headline: Who is Edric Farben, one of the fewest people to ever own a royal favor?!"
She laid the paper down and picked up her cup once again.
"Of course, it doesn't show your face."
Edric almost couldn't believe, if it wasn't for the paper right in front of him, he may not have. But it was undeniable.
Seriously, how unlucky he had to be to call the King right when he was in public? Not only that, but how does the King answer a private call in a place like that?
Not satisfied, he didn't even try to go to a private place to speak with him, just decided to do it on the spot.
'What a fucking idiot.'
It was worse than it seemed. Not only was his name somewhat popular and his brothers had already discovered his plan, but, as the news said, everyone knew he had used a royal wish to cheat the academy's test. Without a doubt people wouldn't like that.
"I have to say, even I didn't know you had a Royal Favor. It's…weird, really. How did you, who never leave your little mansion, get one?" She sounded genuinely curious.
Unfortunately for her, Edric himself had no idea.
"Enough with this talk, there is a reason that I requested to talk with a higher up."
Lynce frowned, clearly not happy to be ignored like that, yet, instead of saying something, she simply crossed her legs and waited for him to talk.
Edric had promised to deliver the truth to the Rivendoris, not to Lynce.
"I just so happen to hear good information from a…trustworthy source," he lied, "It said something very valuable that I am sure you, the owner of this casino, would love to know."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Really? Very good information from a trustworthy source?" She repeated, sarcastically. "So let's hear it, what's that information that you have that I don't?"
Edric grinned.
"What? For free? Don't you think good actions should be rewarded?"
"Hm, will you really treat your sweet and pretty older sister like that? Isn't being alive already enough payment?"
"You think? I am not so sure…"
"Then, as payment, let me give you a tip: You shouldn't play this game, little brother. You are already unlucky enough to be targeted by Cyan while being crippled and barely having a shot in the succession. Surely you don't want me as your enemy as well. Especially when you are here alone."
Edric pretended to think for a second.
"I guess you are right, why would I want beef with you." He leaned forwards. "I received the information that the Farblos would be financing a heist here at the Perola, not only that, apparently they will act tomorrow."
He lied.