It’s a familiar feeling that she wakes up to. Her face in the sink, ice cold liquid drenching down her sculp, and she’s being waterboarded by her two unruly roommates. It’s child abuse! Irritated, she flips her head up to yell at them. Facing a very annoyed Cyan and clueless Bob who’s awkwardly laughing about it as if he’s just being strung along. This must be Cyan’s shitty idea. Why did Bob follow in his footsteps? But judging from how utterly exhausted they both look; she can’t stay mad at them. That and also, they’ve informed her that Bob’s ordered breakfast. It’s gone cold because they spent the past hour wrestling with her very stubborn half-asleep self that is insistent on staying in bed. Okay, okay, she gets it, she’s a pain in the ass. So, she quickly ushers them out to freshen up before joining them by the coffee table.

The food’s plated on top of the paper mess they made. It’s a fanciful spread of pastries. Decorated cupcakes on a 3-tiered dessert stand. Something is shaped like a fish on a copper tray, which turns out to be a jam filled Danish. There’s also that chocolate snail she’s seen at the restaurant yesterday. It’s pretty good. The shell’s a lava cake. The insides are warm and melty. Although, biting into it seems a little morbid to her. It’s like the creature’s bleeding. All the emptied coffee cups have been shoved to a side. Instead, Bob’s ordered hot chocolate with marshmallows and caramel cog sprinkles. Outside, the grandmother who lives opposite them is doing laundry. Hanging her clothes on the line that stretches across the city. Someone’s cat, adorned with a top hat and monocle, is precariously using it as crossing to stalk pigeons perched opposite, cleaning its mechanical wings. The sun is too bright. The trains are too loud. The grates are too noisy. She still feels sluggish.

They spent breakfast mostly with small talk. Bob seems really intent on getting to know them better, asking them trivial questions like, what hobbies do they have, and what’s their favorite color. It’s through him that she finds out, Cyan mostly passes his time playing video games and trolling online forums. And, he pretends to be too mature to answer the second question, declaring that only kids have a favorite color. He’s lying. He obviously likes white and blue. Considering those are the clothing colors that he picks out. Whereas Bob, well Bob, unlike them, actually have friends before this exam. So, he spends his time hanging out. Doing, as he puts it, ‘just regular things,’ kids with friends, normally do. And apparently, he goes to school with the commoners. That’ll explain the uniform they’ve first seen him in. His favorite color is gold. Surprising. She would have guessed red from the expensive ruby stud he has on an ear.

After breakfast, they changed into prison clothes to get ready for the trial. It’s like they thought, the clothes itself alters their map markers from green to orange. It feels kind of gross. The detergent isn’t strong enough to get all the bloodstains out, but at least it’s faded it enough to be unnoticeable. The bit of crustiness and grime will probably help them blend in more. They have to look default as possible, so Lilith isn’t allowed to bring her axe. On the other hand, Cyan’s decided to wrap his tails around himself. Fluffing the shirt up, making him look like he’s wearing fat suit that she can’t help but to laugh at his expense. Cyan’s shoving her face away and snapping at her to stop. She won't. In fact, she’s still laughing when Bob scans his bracelet against their room door. Opening them directly to the exam hall.

It’s already noon, on a weekend, the place is lively again. There are more VIPs here today. But, they aren’t really engaging in games, instead, they’re all clustering against the walls. Behind some stanchion barriers, as well as the observatory deck one floor up. All of them in fancy outfits and masquerade masks. Some of them, checking their wrist watches like they’re waiting for something to begin. Bunny girls are been brought in to serve them drinks. On the stage, above the rules, there seems to be a countdown for an hour. What’s that all about. But before she’s able to ponder further, a beep goes off on her bracelet.

Bob’s just transferred her the money. They’ve got more important things to do right now.

After splitting up, she wanders around the hall, observing the players. She doesn’t see Kusma boy yet. Or maybe she does. She won’t know. But she’s praying she doesn’t run into him. Cyan’s signaling her a player. Some shaggy haired hag that looks like she’s crawled straight out of a horror film. She has a partner. Another shady looking raccoon guy off to the corner. It’s the standard practice. The Hag plays whereas the Raccoon guy peeks at the opponent’s cards. They’ve just lost a game to someone. Leaving them with only 8k remaining when they finally got the chance to withdraw. Got out played apparently, by another opponent utilizing the same strategy to peek at their cards, but just a tad smarter and quicker to actually switch out at the last moment. The Hag and Raccoon duo look pretty desperate for a win now.

With a deep breath, Lilith doubles check the arsenal. Together with the loss yesterday and Bob’s cards, they now have, 5A’s, 3J’s, 2Q’s and 3K’s. Then she approaches her. Tuning up her -I’m just a sweet little lost child who’s made one too many bad choices in life so now I’m arrested, I don’t know what’s going on- façade to the maximum. But it almost surprises her how quickly the Hag is agreeing to a game with her without much thought. Is the uniform that useful? Or is there something else going on she doesn’t realize yet.

She’ll just play. Bob’s acting as her eyes this time whilst Cyan scouts for her next opponent.

Staring the game, the Hag gets first bet. She isn’t making any moves yet. Right. She’s probably waiting for Raccoon to tell her what card Lilith is putting down first. So, Lilith eggs her on, slipping down an Assassin on the table to start the timer. The Hag doesn’t respond. Instead, she’s looking at the timer, waiting for it to run out. Huh. Is that because the Hag is afraid Lilith will change her card if she’s too confident? Well, there are 3 seconds left so there won’t be much time for her to decide. She’s probably placed a jack or a queen. Bob's telling her it's a queen. She bets 1k. Should Lilith switch her card out? She doesn’t really want to lose that Assassin to her. She should. Deciding at the last second, she withdraws her card and exchanges it. Taking the win with an additional Jack.

That immediately makes the Hag skeptical. The look on her face is obvious, she knows something’s wrong. Ducking her own cards before her chest, hiding it from view. Frantically looking around like she’s searching for Lilith’s partner.

Lilith definitely acted way too suspiciously. But, does it really matter? Again, Lilith places down another Ace. Betting another 1k. This time, Bob can’t see what the Hag’s cards are. But she can guess, she’ll probably put a Jack or Queen, given that the Hag knows what cards she’s playing. The Hag isn’t waiting on the timer anymore. She’s instantly placed it down.

Lilith swaps her card for a King. But what she hasn’t anticipated is that the Hag’s swapping hers too. Huh. So... would that be an Assassin now? She swaps to a Queen instead. The Hag mirrors. Is it a King now? Assassin. Hag swaps again. She’s intentionally doing this. Lilith’s starting to lose track. Fuck it. She’s going to stick with the Assassin. They have five of those, so if she really loses it, she loses it. And she did. The Hag’s ended up with a Queen. She isn’t all that dumb. At least she’s easy to read.

The third round, the Hag actually places first. She’s perhaps feeling more confident now after that last victory. Upping the ante to 5k this time. Lilith doesn’t know what she’s placed. Should she use the truth bullet now? No. Bob's only made thirty bullets so she should spend it wisely. The hag catches on quick, so she should definitely save it on the last round to catch her off guard. In fact, she should give this round to her. So, she’ll drop her guard for the final round. Lilith has last bet, it’s fine, she’ll be able to get all of Hag’s money regardless.

Languidly, Lilith places another Assassin. Oh. The Hag isn’t actually swapping the card? No wait. She is. At the last five seconds. The hag must’ve placed a Queen or Jester, right? Considering that Raccoon can see her cards in full view. At that, Lilith waits for the last moment to switch to a King.

Fuck. The Hag’s placed an assassin? She swapped to an assassin because she’s anticipating Lilith to swap.

Forth round. This is the deciding round that she really shouldn’t screw up. And, judging from the past three rounds, she’s able to gather, the Hag is incredibly cautious. So, she’s got to start the timer first. Tapping her cards against the table, but she won’t place any yet because Raccoon peeks at hers. Instead, she’s just waiting for the countdown as she bets,

“$14000” this would cover all the amount she’s lost as well as get all the Hag's inventory. It’s making the Hag swallow soundly. Looking increasingly frantic as the timer runs to single digits. She starts panicking at the last five seconds. Slapping a card down, trying to urge her,

“What are you waiting for. Just pick!” Lilith’s waiting alright. Waiting. Four seconds left, she quickly passes the signal. Bob pulls the trigger, three seconds,

“What card did you put?” the question catches her off guard,

“Why would I tell you?” a spark of golden Magia goes off behind her back. She’s jolted forward by the force of it, knocking her into absolute confusion, but she’s compelled by the Magia,

“Qu-” Lilith slaps her card down before she’s even heard the hag finish the line. The timer ran out before the Hag could answer her question. She was going to say Queen, right? Jesus. This is more nerve wrecking that Lilith thought it’ll be, even though they have a guaranteed victory. She needs to get the timing down. Too early, and the opponent would switch their cards, and too late, she won’t hear the answer before time's up.

The cards are revealed. She’s won it with a King. She narrowly survived. The Hag accuses her instantly, swearing vulgarities at her. Although, she looks more devastated than angry with the loss. Lilith withdraws from the game. She doesn’t exactly feel good about this victory. It feels like an exploitation.

Is that how this trial is supposed to be cleared? By being a slimy person. Either swindle, or be swindled. Alyss didn’t leave room for fair play and morals when she designed this. She doesn't have the luxury to judge. They’ve got to make their money back quickly as possible so they can get out of the low wealth tier and challenge players with larger inventories if they want to get to the next hall.

She's scanning the room to look for Cyan. Making eye contact, he quickly signals her the next opponent. This one’s got 30k. A default looking guy with black hair and no distinctive features like a blank slate everyman character that movies sometimes use. He’s agreeing to the game surprisingly quickly too, but under a condition that he locks half his inventory away so he isn’t in a betting disadvantage. It’s here she finds out from him that custom games can be set with a few clicks of buttons on the display page. Ranging from fixing max bets per round, increasing game rounds before withdrawal, and there’s also a function that lets bets be deducted every round and the game has to keep going until a player reaches 0 inventory or runs out of cards. So, this must be what the hype was about yesterday.

Blank Slate doesn’t seem like a bad person honestly, even the way he plays is surprisingly earnest. He isn’t even cheating. He’s just really perceptive. Asking her what she’s putting, and then make guesses, and observes her reaction to them. And, after the first round, he already knows she has someone peeking at his cards so he’s also retracted them closer to himself. Plus it really hurts her pride when she’s lost to him on the second and third round. Is she really that easy to read? On the last round, she feels like absolute garbage when Bob hits him with the bullet. Compelling her into another easy victory. She’s getting the hang of the timing now. But, as she departs this table to make to the next, she can’t help but to feel a little sorry for how dejected Blank Slate man looks. He didn’t deserve to be trampled over by their cheap trick. Internally, she wishes, good luck Blank Slate man, she’ll be rooting for him in his future movies.

The third match just made her throw away all those sentiments. Her opponent is some slimy embodiment of the ugly bastard tag that was snarking her the entire match. Mocking her intelligence when he’s found out she’s using such an obvious tactic of peeking, and telling her how much he’d like to destroy her in the match as well as her pussy afterwards. Urk. People like this actually exist outside of novels huh. So, when she finally pulls the uno reverse on him, it feels incredibly satisfying to watch him cry.

After the forth, fifth and sixth matches, habituation makes it really easy for her to not feel guilty anymore. Now, she even gets ecstatic watching their inventory numbers tick up. The players today are extremely willing to play. Almost like they’re competing for something. She’s reaching close to 100k and it hasn’t even been half an hour yet. Cyan’s doing a pretty good job at differentiating the prisoners. Bumping a shoulder here and brushing an arm there. He’s getting away with it because of how crammed and chaotic this place is.

Guess examinees aren’t as common as they thought within the player base. They might have been extremely unlucky yesterday. She hasn’t encountered anyone who uses Magia yet. Although, she’s starting to run into another problem.

Her card count is dwindling. Now she’s only left with 1A, 3J’s, 1Q and 1K. She isn't exactly good at this game so she’s been losing them sporadically before the forth round. Signaling her teammates. What should they do about this issue? She can’t abuse the truth bullet before the withdrawal round either because once the cat is out of the bag, it’ll give the opponents time to counter her.

In fact, now it strikes her, what do players do when they run out of cards? They will eventually, because cards disappear upon drawing, and no replacement cards are given. There must be a way cards are replenished, otherwise this game will not last for the whole 30 days of the adventurer's exams.

With that, they sent Cyan to find out whilst they engage in the next four games that he’s queued them up for. Three actually, one Santa looking elder flat out rejected her. When she’s done. They’re 243k wealthier, but she’s left with only 2J’s, 2Q’s and 1K.

She shouldn’t continue playing like this without one of the most important cards in the game. It’s here Cyan comes back with the information. There’s a purchase panel on the wrist watch. They can buy the cards from Alyss. Bringing the hologram up, it’s another one of those stock market looking graphs. 50 copies of each card are introduced every day. The price is determined by demand and supply. But what the hell are these absurd costs for a piece of paper. An Assassin is 120k, a Jack is 50k, a Queen is 80k whereas a King is 100k, and it’s only slowly going up as the day passes. It’s completely predatory!

After some more confusing morse code deliberation, trying to be inconspicous as possible and juking people walking into their line of sights. The three of them came to an agreement that they should fork out the money to purchase one assassin otherwise it’s too risky to keep playing. Pinching her heart, Lilith reluctantly hits the buy button which sets them back 120k. She shouldn’t play her A without guarantees anymore. With that in mind, she completes four more games. By the end of the hour, they’ve gotten a whooping total of 680k, and 2A’s, 1J, 1Q and 1K remaining and 19 bullet shots left. She’s used two bullets in some matches to save her cards, now that she knows they’re so expensive. Teaming up with Bob has really changed the tides in their favor. A few more games, and perhaps, all 3 of them will be able to make it to the next round! They just have to be cautious regarding who they play against.

It’s at this moment that the countdown on the stage finally reaches zero. An announcement’s been made that the casual games is to be concluded now. Then the lights go off in the hall. The iron shutters are lowered with rattling creaks. Leaving the players in the enclosed darkness.

What’s going on? The VIPs who were listlessly waiting suddenly clamors to life with excitement. Some even brought out their fancy little mini binoculus things on a stick to watch the stage lit up with a single spot light. Some dude in a magician’s outfit just strolled out from behind the red curtains.

She knows who that is! It’s barbed peni-, no, Cat boy, despite he’s wearing a decorated mask to conceal his face. Alyss is really putting him to work. He’s taking center stage,

“Ladies and Gentlemen, Sapiens and Mythicals.” he greets outstretching his arms,

“A very warm welcome to the Aegis Royale’s Annual Casino event.” placing a palm by his chest, he bows,

“Without further ado, let us introduce our first week’s contestants for the Kingdom Roulette.” the fuck’s that?

At that, the spot light dims. It’s flickering into the crowd of murmuring prisoners. They don’t look concerned at all. In fact, they seem rather excited. This means, it must be some sort of an opportunity rather than a sadistic death game, right? She’s seen way too many movies that segways into that. Torturing poor people for the rich’s entertainment.

The hologram on the stage flickers on, displaying a portrait shot of a rebellion guild adventurer. A young man with center parted green hair, beady frog eyes, wearing a black face mask with a red cross on it where his mouth is supposed to be.

“In our first spot, with the greatest number of consecutive wins in a row at 32, currently seating on 8mil, number 258!” the spot light isolates him from the crowd. He isn’t showing much reactions aside from a tongue flick and two empty blinks. Cat boy declares,

“Please come up onto the stage.” looks like it isn’t a choice, because two Felmane adventurers are now entering the scene to escort him. He doesn’t resist. In fact, he appears surprisingly demure and harmless. And the fact that he’s still in this hall despite he has over 5mil would suggest, he may have allies that he intends to take along for the next hall.

He’s obediently heading to where he’s been gestured, behind the Cat boy in a little square box drawn with masking tape. The VIPs, applauding his entrance. Cat boy continues to announce,

“In our second spot, the richest contestant currently in our hall holding more than 20mil, number 52!” The portrait above him changes to a middle-aged man. The business savvy looking type with sleek back hair if not for his stripey uniform that he’s adorned with. But, unlike Froggy, Mr Business doesn’t seem as keen to be picked for this. So, he’s protesting,

“I refuse to participate! I can’t participate in this. I have too many people relying on me and I don’t even know how to play the game!” is that an act? How can he be the richest in the hall yet not know how to play the game at the same time? But Cat boy tells him in a singsong entertainer’s voice,

“That is not an option, kindly make your way onto the stage!” to send the adventurers yanking him up. He’s almost putting up a fight if it isn’t for how easily he got thrown over the shoulder like a sack of rice. The prisoners, bubbling away to make space for them to pass. Then, he’s put down beside Froggy. The moment he did, Mr Business savvy immediately tries to leave, but one of the adventurers is preventing him with a hand on the shoulder. Cat boy is ignoring his complains to continue,

“In our third place, our greatest come back, who went from losing everything he had, wagering an eye and a kidney, to collating over 4 million dollars in a single day, number 88!” The spotlight shifts to a different prisoner. Fuck. It’s Kusma boy! He’s been on that much of a victory streak after demolishing them yesterday? He actually likes the attention because he’s even waving to the crowd as he’s skipping up the stairs. Pandering to the VIPs who are applauding him. He’s excited to be picked. Blowing kisses as if he’s some kind of a celebrity. Well, at least she sees him as Kusma boy today and not big honkers hostess lady, so that means, the perception control isn’t casted on her. Cat boy’s moving on,

“The fourth place goes to, the highest win count of 87 matches, despite currently owning a measly 800k, number 300!” it’s another rebellion guild adventurer, a young mythical woman this time, with eight eyes. Two regular ones, and 3 smaller orby looking ones beneath them. There’s a black fuzz growing on her neck, resembling a fluffy scuff, except it’s sprouted with lanky spider legs lining up the bones of her nape. She seems skittish. Scurrying onto the stage, slightly hunched, with her arms tucked defensively before her like a hamster nibbling on sunflower seeds.

“The fifth place, the player who hasn’t lost a single match since the game’s begun, number 155 with an inventory of 1mil!” this time, it’s an anxious ridden commoner with bucktooth, squinted eyes and pimply skin. Shaking like a leaf when he’s being put on the spot. It’s obvious to see why he hasn’t lost a single match; he probably hasn’t actually played. He too has to be dragged on stage. The poor dude looks like he’s about to pass out.

“In the sixth spot, the player with the greatest number of consecutive losses but still somehow manages to survive with an impressive inventory amount of 3mil, number 76!” another familiar face. It’s that assassin girl from Rufus’s trial. So, she’s here too! What’s her name again? Blake? Blair? Blythe! It’s Blythe! How did she lose eight times in a row but still have money remaining? Is she rich? Doesn’t seem like she’s sold anything, but she too, has changed into prisoner uniform. She’s being quietly escorted onto the stage, standing there with a blandish expression on her face like she’s constantly judging everyone around her.

“In the seventh spot, the dark horse who’s won 10mil in a single game, yet currently only holds an inventory amount of $1, number 9!” if there’s anyone that looks blatantly like an examinee in disguise. It’ll be this guy. A mythical teenager, slightly older than them. Giving off edge lord vibes with his spiked, jet-black hair and scales down the sides of his sharp slanted eyes that’s in a perpetual state of a crescent smile. He's got lip piercings, a forked tongue flickering in and out of his mouth. That's pierced too, and tribal snake tattoos spiraling down his vein-streaked forearms that he’s exposing with his rolled-up sleeves. Some rings, bangles and a chain around his neck that he doesn’t care to remove despite he’s adorned the prisoner’s uniform. Like Kusma boy, he likes the attention, cheerily giving a piece sign to the crowd. Except, when he does it, it comes off kind of shady like there’s ill intent behind it. In fact, his features resemble someone she’s seen before. But before she can put a name to it, she freezes at the next call out.

Why is her picture on the hologram? And incredibly unflattering candid too of when she's first entered the hall, in a half blink and mouth opened mid-sentence. She looks like she’s sneezing.

“In our last spot, the contestant with the most consecutive wins within the hour at an impressive 13,” it can’t be this cliché, right?

“But a not so impressive inventory of 680k.” no. Please no. She doesn’t know what’s going on yet!

“Number 420!” the spotlight dawns on her. It’s really bright. She’s squinting her eyes at it. Cat boy makes the briefest – the fuck, it’s you – expression when he saw her, before he seamlessly conceals with a nonchalant,

“Please proceed forward!”

She’s trying to make eye contact with Bob and Cyan. What should she do? They’re equally lost too. But Cyan’s signaling her, calm down. We got your back. Don’t panic. Think of it the same way as you approach a fight, whilst she’s being helplessly ushered onto the stage. Going past Kusma boy who’s giving her a little wave followed by a quiet,

“Sup loser, didn’t think you’ll make a comeback too.” she’s placed next to Shady Snake. And... he definitely doesn’t look the type that’ll tell her the truth. She should save her breath asking. Cat boy’s continuing in front of them,

“Now that our contestants are introduced, everyone please place your bets on the four players you think will survive the first bracket.” at that, the VIP’s are bringing up their holographic panels. Their profiles are on the screen. Above the contestant’s heads, a dollar sign has manifested that’s rapidly counting upwards into millions, hundreds of millions. What the heck. They are currently being wagered on like horses! Even the prisoners beneath them are betting. They must know what’s going on already. Was this preannounced and she just happened to miss the information? Apparently, it is, because Bob’s trying to get her attention. He’s moved all the way to the hall entrance now, waving a flyer that he’s picked up from a basket. He’s too far, the words are too small.

She gets it. It’s some sort of event she’s forced to participate in and the contestants are chosen by preordained merits. No wonder all her opponents were so keen to play against her earlier. They wanted this final slot. But why?

She checks the bets above their heads next.

Froggy’s favored the most at the moment, followed by Spider. Fair choices, they are former adventurers. The next is surprisingly Blythe. Guess everyone was intrigued by her contradictory introduction. Followed by Mr Business. People didn’t buy his, I don’t know how to play this game act it seems. But why is she dead last. Okay, she isn’t actually dead last, she’s tied with Anxious Bucktooth. Whereas Kusma boy and Shady Snake are somewhere in the middle.

Cat boy’s starting the count down for bet finalizations. The moment he reaches one, the hologram above them switches to a ladder chart. She still in seventh place. Beneath it are two boxes with a slash drawn in the middle. Their portraits, rapidly flashing across them with fast paced beeps like it’s some sort of a randomizer that’s been spun. The sound is actually making her nervous.

Shit. What exactly is going on right now? It’s coming to a stop. Cat boy announces,

“The first match has been decided!” the lights go off, before the blinding spot light again assaults her eyes,

“Number 420, Versus Number 88.” is she being forced into a game?

Number 88... Number 88. Isn’t it Kusma boy? Checking the boxes above her, it is. Their faces are on it. What is this RNG? Rapidly flickering her eyes about, she’s so confused. She spots Alyss behind the curtains. She’s giving her a deadpanned thumbs up before disappearing into the darkness. What is she doing here? Is she trying to help her? Or is this just straight up sabotage for yesterday? Because it sure feels like the latter.

They still didn’t figure out how to counter Kusma boy yet. The rest of the contestants are being brought back stage whilst a table arises between them. A hologram bar hovering above their heads. Heavily favoring Kusma boy’s victory at 93%. Although, he doesn’t look too thrilled to be matched against her either. He’s whining,

“Of all the rich players, why am I against the second poorest!”

She, just have to play the game normally, right? Is that what’s going on? Fuck, she’s panicking, and Cat Boy’s already leaving the goddamn stage without any explanation other than a,

“Let the games begin!” which Kusma Boy follows up,

“Whatever.” rolling his eyes. Then he addresses her with a smirk,

“Ready to get destroyed again?” and he doesn’t even care to hear her reply,

“Challenge 420.” Stop taunting her. Give her time to think, dammit!

Alright, alright. Focus. What is this? This is an event. She is a contestant. The VIPs and prisoners get to bet on their victories. She’s unlucky enough to be pitted first match against Kusma boy. The game should be the same as what she’s played normally. People want to get chosen for this, so there must be a merit. What’s the merit? She looks at Kusma boy’s inventory. He has over 4.3million in it.

That’s it. That’s the merit! She won’t get chances to play against players who’s in much higher wealth tier than her normally and if she wins this, they’ll instantly have 4.9mil!

This is actually a golden opportunity then! If she doesn’t want to be a deadweight in this trial, then she can’t fuck this up. She shakes herself into focus. It won’t be like yesterday. She now knows what sorta tricks Kusma boy has up his sleeves and Bob and Cyan’s in the crowd. They will be helping her. Trying hard to convince herself. She’s got this. She’s got this!

“Challenge 88.”