They claimed they were not mages. I thought them being scholars and seeing something elusive was enough proof, but they kept denying it. As Booker pointed out: “You never see us do any magic.”

I did see Mun-Hee talk with that table in her quarters a few times, but I had to agree with Booker. My scholarly friends weren’t the only ones seeing strange things, the other demons in the room also saw the person on the wall. And none of them looked like mages, quite the opposite.

In the end, they put the blame on me! And they weren’t honest about it, they were very condescending with the terms. Their explanation wasn’t that they’re better than me for being able to see it, it’s just that my eyes aren’t as good as theirs.

Which is the same thing, but I didn’t feel like arguing with a room full of demons.

In Jens’ words, their eyes can catch the falling paintings, and that’s how they can make sense of it. I’m not sure if I understood him right, and not just because he doesn’t know how to use timkik tongue properly, but apparently their eyes can somehow create a pattern out of all those paintings, making them complement each other.

How does that make sense, and why would you need to see a previous painting to understand the next one, I don’t know. The only thing important to me was that I didn’t have to deal with the strange wall. And that was a relief. Although, it did unnerve me a bit. I mean, if that is what passes for fun with these demons, staring at the weird, cursed-looking wall while holding some strange, glowing horns, then I’m in a world of hurt and I don’t even know it.

“It may be that, instead of torturing me with pain, they’re trying to slowly chip my sanity away.”

So, with the plans for the night spoiled, Ira offered an alternative. He invited us to play some other game in his quarters. That was more to my liking. The privacy of his quarters hinted at something interesting.

But, alas, I should’ve known better. I knew it won’t be anything interesting as soon as he gave all of us a stack of cards. Why would we need privacy to play a card game? It makes no sense!

Although, I have to admit that the cards themselves were fascinating. And intriguing. It didn’t take me long to realize that each cost a small fortune. Those weren’t some simple cards I’m used to, every single one of them was an art piece. Masterpieces at that! Every single card had an illustration on it, as detailed as any painting I’ve seen before! But, unlike the large paintings that are viewed from a distance, these were small enough to fit in your hand. I have no idea what an artist would paint those with. A brush certainly wouldn’t do the trick.

I started looking at Ira with different eyes after that. He didn’t look like it, but he was clearly leagues above Mun-Hee when it comes to coin. She had nothing like that in her quarters. Now that I think about it, I don’t remember seeing any art in her place, ever. And this guy had hundreds of painstakingly painted paintings! Gods only know how much all of it costs when you put all those cards together.

“And for what? To play some lame, childish game with them?” I screamed internally, “You must have an endless supply of coin to be that wasteful! His family has to be extremely wealthy!

“Which begs a few questions. First, why are his quarters as small as Mun-Hee’s? If he has coin to waste, why not get bigger, more lavish quarters?”

“At least it looks like he can hire a maid. Although small, his quarters are very orderly and clean. Unlike the mess back in Mun-Hee’s place.”

“And why he isn’t fat? Why can’t you see how wealthy his family is just by looking at his body? Actually, why is the black demon the only fat one? There’s no way his family is the wealthiest! Wasn’t he supposed to be …”

“But then, they said he’s a scholar too …”

“None of this makes any sense! I’ll wait for Ira to finish explaining this … whatever kind of game this is that I’m too poor to understand. Then, I’ll ask my questions as we play.”

“Ira, you is not thinking,” Jens said, “How Snirba can do this if she not know our tongue?”

All the demons looked at Ira as if he were a disappointment for his entire family, but that didn’t faze him one bit.

“Not important. We is just haveing a fun time. Not important who win. Also, it is helping she learn English faster.”

“It is not fair!” Mun-He complained.

“Life is not fair. What, you have better idea?”

She let out a labored sigh: “Fine, let us do it. Snirba, we do it together. I tell you every thing.”

“But first, to prepare.”

Ira got up and got some weird demonic cups out of a drawer. Their cups are so much different in shape. Instead of being wide and shallow, theirs are thin but deep. Much easier to knockdown.

But these were even more outrageous than the ones I’ve seen so far. These were transparent, meaning that these ones were made from glass.

“How wealthy his family has to be? Glass cups? Not only is high-quality, clear, and transparent glass like this insanely expensive, it can be easily broken too! How many times has he had to replace them? His family shows its wealth in the most bizarre ways.”

“Or maybe that’s just how all the demons are. He’s just the first one I’ve seen with that much wealth. I should definitely pay more attention to him. I knew that looks can be deceiving, but that clearly goes twice for the demons.”

Seeing all of this made me curious about him: “Ira … why aren’t your chambers bigger?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you think someone like you deserves bigger, more lavish chambers?”

He grinned victoriously at Mun-Hee before responding: “Oh, I do. Not fair to have this small. Certainly deserve bigger than Mun-Hee.”

“So, why don’t you have bigger ones?”

“That is rules. We all have same room here.”

“Huh? I’m not sure I understand. Are you saying that both the nobles and the servants have the same quarters?”

“No nobles and servants here,” Mun-Hee said, “Here everybody is same.”

“She says that but then complains why she is different,” Ira retorted.

“Because it is not fair!”

“Life is not fair.”

He turned towards me, looking quite satisfied and self-important.

“Maybe you not notice, but ‘life is not fair’ is my motto. Because it is true. Some just not understand. Or worse, refuse to.”

He grabbed an unusually big, black bottle as he talked. Then, he started pouring some pitch-black, sizzling liquid into my cup.

“Yes, you is right. I deserve better room. But life is not fair. Mun-Hee complains I is better than her, but life is not fair. She is wanting to make it fair, a noble feeling, but life is not fair.”

“It is not fair because people like you not want it to be!”

“She is thinking she’s outside nature. She’s for rude waking.”

“That is dumb,” Jens joined, “We is not come here to talk dumb stuff. We is here to enjoy.”

“Ira can only talk about dumb,” Mun-Hee agreed, “and then act like he not mean that when everyone calls him on it.”

“I agree.” Ira said, picking up his full cup, “let’s enjoy, because life is not fair.”

All the transparent glass cups were filled with the same black, poisonously-looking liquid. The sight was straight out of demonic tales. It resembled a scene where the demons are making a sacrifice to their evil god, or where some souls who went astray were about to drink poison, expecting some demon lord will resurrect them as his undead thralls.

I took the cup given to me uncertainly, only to realize it was as cold as the night. It felt even colder, as if all the Sun’s warmth was completely drained out of it. And yet, it looked as if the black poison was boiling. Plenty of bubbles rose from it constantly, as if it was still being cooked in some witch’s cauldron.

“Cheers!” The demons raised their cups and drank poison without hesitation. I pretended to do the same, only bringing it to my mouth.

“So, how is it?” Ira asked me, smiling. It was a genuine smile, making me realize his twisted smile is reserved for Mun-Hee only.

“If they’re rivals, then I may be sleeping with the losing side,” I thought, “Maybe I should see if I can change that.”

“It’s …”

“How do I tell him I don’t want to drink it without offending him?”

“Not similar thing here?” He helped me without realizing it.

“No … most definitely …”

“It is sweet, no?”

“Uhh … yes, it is.”

“People like salty here more,” Mun-Hee said, “No salty like we have. Is rare here.

“Oh, I can give her something salty to drinking, all right.”

Mun-Hee stared him down, looking ready to murder him on the spot.

“I guess she wants to keep all of it for herself, whatever that salty thing is. Some friend she is.”

“Relax, just stupid jokes,” Ira raised his hands in defense, “Still … nah, forget it. It is not time. Let us have fun.”