"…So, Doctor Edwards. Do you believe the news from Oracle City to be true, and what would it mean for the inhabitants of our modest settlement?" A slightly distorted, yet charming female voice asked, as the camera turned to an elderly man in a white coat.
He sat there, on an expensive-looking chair, his gaze stern as if in contemplation. An air of wisdom and knowledge surrounded him.
"The source talking about the so-called great immigration has shown trustworthiness with their earlier predictions.
And if it's truly all that it's promised to be, it could bring great change for our poorer population.
After all, it would open a realm of oppor—"
Klick!
The screen, which seemed to flash in and out, suddenly turned black as a not-so-delicate female hand threw down the remote control.
"This is bullshit! You're cheating, aren't you?!" A woman with black hair streaked with red accused in an outraged tone.
Noctis slowly looked towards Lia as his hand subtly slid across the table, unfazed by her enraged gaze.
The hand then wandered to a dark bowl ornamented with a rimmed pattern, depicting stars surrounding the hollow interior of the object. Waving up and down, it was filled to the brim with a murky, translucent fluid, as the bowl was carefully pulled across the table without spilling a single drop.
At times it seemed to flow over, but somehow the substance defied all logic, staying in one piece and rejecting the notion of parting.
It finally landed right in front of Noctis, who wore a satisfied smile, his eyes half closed, showing little of his dark gold-tinged pupils.
As he emptied the Notium that had gathered into a whole of six drops into his Curir, he spoke overexaggeratedly, a certain mocking air to his every word.
He had doubled his funds in one go.
"I do not know what you're talking about?! But such accusations… Are not to be made lightly!
You know… such things could really harm the team's cohesion!?
After all, how are we supposed to work together if we can't even trust our comrades?"
Placing down the now-empty bowl, Noctis slowly slid it back towards the middle of the small round table as he spoke, his eyes still barely open.
"And besides, why would I need to cheat when you have such obvious tells?"
Lia slowly closed her mouth before planning to open it, then suddenly closed it once more, her rage disappearing and flaring up in turns.
She seemed unsure about what she should be angry about now, jumping and confusing herself between the options.
Before she could ask, Noctis gave her the answers to her unsaid question.
"Your left eyebrow raises ever so slightly every time you bluff. When you have particularly good cards, the sound of your right leg rocking starts to become a bit fainter.
Oh, and every time you believe I have shit cards, you give off that aura of overconfidence.
You should truly work on the last one in particular."
She stayed silent, completely stumped, as if analyzing herself, revising her actions during the game.
Watching her thoughtful expression, Noctis could barely hold back a chuckle.
Try all you want. It won't help you in the end.
Of course, those weren't her biggest tells, but Nox would be damned to give up this bottomless tree of free money, too prideful to cut her losses.
Lia would be his primary funder during his time working for the government, whether she wanted to or not.
Laughing internally, a long-winded villain laugh, she had long been ensnared in my web.
He wasn't the most money-motivated person, but if she basically gave it to him. What could he do?
Reject? With her character, she would take that as even more offensive than her losing over and over.
'Maybe inciting her to bet more is my fault.'
It was truly too easy. It was like taking candy from a toddler.
In the half-year since Noctis had entered his service in the government, it only took him one job with her to fully understand her proud character.
These were a few wins he truly needed. After that—Monstress started making him doubt his skills, with defeat after defeat after defeat, and all of that while wearing that smug smile, paired with that facade of empathy!
Someday I'll understand how she's doing it!
I'll have my revenge!
She has to be cheating somehow?
Picking up the cards, Noctis started shuffling them skillfully, his thoughts gradually returning to the game.
At the same time, he threw her a mocking smile. A tranquil expression was plastered on his face; his eyes were now fully closed, already aware of how she would react.
"So another game, or are you chickening out… Yet again leaving without the slightest winnings?"
Some might have thought these disheartening taunts would eventually lead to Lia being so annoyed that she would never play again.
Those people would be fools!
Lia had so much pride running through her veins, as one of the most senior members in the division, that she would only react with more anger-filled energy to each taunt. In turn, leading her to bet more.
He just had to be careful to stop at the right time, since she was prone to getting physical.
Noctis had learned this the hard way in his first few days, too eager to earn a quick buck.
A shiver ran down his back at the thought. Three of his colleagues had to pull her off him, while he was pummeled by her fists.
Back then, he might have been a bit too eager to find an easy meal, restocking his reserves.
At least he knew her bottom line now.
And he was approaching it slowly.
'Oh God, "Bottom line". Am I becoming like Trisha?'
Just as the distressing thought ran by, Noctis' gaze locked on the person sitting to his right.
It was a nice-looking guy called Recks.
He was also one of the most senior members in the group responsible for sector four.
Followed by Lia, Alexia, Noctis, and… that wommen.
As one would expect, Darron, that old opportunist, was the oldest member and the group's leader. Peculiarly, the person Noctis originally thought to be the most junior member, the seemingly spineless Severus, was the second most senior member, followed by Recks.
Turning his attention back to the game.
Right now, Nox was closing in on the danger zone.
He couldn't simply stop the game, for the same reason she would never stop playing.
Her pride.
The moment he showed weakness, Lia's overbearing personality would show.
Of course, he wasn't unprepared, as an experienced hustler. Noctis had prepared a small signal between him and one of his colleagues to intervene before it went too far.
For a percentage of the spoils, of course.
"Chirp"
The sound of chirps rang throughout the room, originating from a cage placed right between Noctis and Recks, making them both freeze up.
It was that good forsaken pet bird, Niao.
What an awful name for a bird. Noctis didn't care about names too much after all—they did not have any substantial influence or important meaning, but that was simply atrocious.
To add to his distaste, Lia's gaze suddenly intensified on the two of them. Noctis suddenly clenched his hand together, stopping whatever sign he was sending, as unnoticeably as he possibly could.
She did not, however, overlook the strange interaction or maybe just tension between the two.
She was a true second-rank Authority Wielder after all, and to add on, her specialty was her sharp senses.
That fucking bird! Cursing out the bird mentally one last time, not daring to do so out loud. It was a no-go for Lia. She took that thing wherever she went.
"Why were you showing the number three with your hand?!" Lia finally spoke in an inquisitive tone.
"Chirp"
Noctis had found the bird cute at first.
"Chirp"
But somehow it had the tendency to get in his way in inexplicable ways!
"Chirp"
"Ahm… It's just—"
Stopping in his tracks, his face took an even paler shade than usualy.
Oh no.
Noctis did not believe she would figure out their scheme. On the opposite, he believed it was well hidden enough. However, he had a bad premonition. No matter what excuse he pulled out, he would end up with a beating!
Happy. "Chirp"
And Alexia and Recks were not enough to restrain her. Only the captain, the only person she truly respected, seemed to have that ability.
"Are you guys cheat—"
Interrupted by a loud squawking noise, the five gazes of Noctis, Lia, Recks, Alexia, and that cursed bird wandered over to the half-opened door.
There, three faces came into view, two familiar, one not so much.
A man with slicked-back brownish hair, tinged with a hint of gray, walked in refinedly. His long blue coat hung lifelessly, worn down by a long life of ups and downs.
Darron.
Behind him stood a bright yellow-haired youth, a few years older than Noctis, in a weird, yellow robe-like outfit, which Noctis was unfamiliar with.
The sight, however, reminded him of another individual he did not wish to be reminded of.
The most striking thing about the young man was not the eye-catching hair color, nor the uncommon clothes. But a dark pattern like a scar spanning down his forehead and over his eye.
The pattern of a lightning bolt spread across his forehead like an infectious disease.
Not giving the peculiar appearance too much attention. His half-year of overworked service had numbed him to such sights. Noctis's gaze instead wandered towards the third person and lingered on her for a few moments.
She strode in casually.
Grumbling under his breath at the sight of the purple-lipped young womman, he averted his gaze as she waved her hand slightly, signaling him.
She wore a smile... this calm, smiling expression, however, was a terrifying sight to Noctis.
Please… God, let it stop. He prayed in his heart.
He did not want to hear another lecture!
Noctis wasn't particularly religious, but it couldn't cause any harm to ask a higher power, right?
Well, considering there were numerous shards of evidence that there were so-called gods, or at least beings as powerful as them, it might not have been the most intelligent thing to do.
After all, who was to say that a god couldn't be angered by the half-hearted prayers of a non-believer?
Not laying too much weight on the line of thought, Noctis braced himself for a new, relentless torrent of teasing.
His eternal punishment for leaving her without a word.
While Trisha's smiling figure closed in on the resigned-to-his-fate Nox, Darron stepped forward, his voice stern and confident, showing the authority of a leader, while his face couldn't hide a hint of exasperation.
"This is an envoy of the northern parent settlement.
He'll help out in our unit until the increased number of cases settles down.
W-would you like to introduce yourself?" His voice shook slightly, hesitantly at the last line, making Noctis curious about the man. It wasn't every day that one saw someone who could unsettle the captain to this extent. If he thought back, he could not remember a single instance of this.
The youth in a yellow robe took a step forward, as his gaze wandered across the entire room, his arms folded together, hidden in his sleeves. Every gaze was on him at this moment, filled with expectation and interest.
He bowed slightly and spoke in an enthusiastic tone, no hesitation, no regrets.
"Hello, my fellow Daoist brothers.
I hope to learn and explore the heavens with my fellow disciples.
On a good bond between sects."
Noctis:"…"
Lia:"…"
Alexia:"…"
Recks: "To a good collaboration, then." His voice unshaken, Recks stepped forward and stretched out a hand.
'Oh, so Darron had not been uncertain, but simply ashamed.'