Some men wake up to coffee.
Rex woke up to three cosmic sponsorship contracts and an existential headache.
[Notification – Incoming Offers]
• The House of Masks – "Join us, and we'll teach you to lie to reality."
• The Fate Syndicate – "Join us, and we'll rewrite your destiny."
• The Dealer – "Ignore the others, darling. I already own you."
He groaned. "First thing in the cycle and I'm already being courted by interdimensional mobsters."
The Luckdrake on his shoulder burped sparks. Lia, standing nearby, didn't look amused.
"Three sponsorships in a single night," she murmured. "That's… statistically impossible."
Rex stretched lazily. "Then I guess I'm ahead of the curve."
"No. You're breaking it."
_________
The world shimmered — the casino floor fracturing into three overlapping realities.
To his left, the House of Masks materialized — golden chandeliers, laughter behind porcelain faces, and Callas standing with a sly grin.
To his right, the Fate Syndicate appeared — hooded figures writing in scrolls made of light. Each word they wrote bent probability itself.
And in front of him, lounging across a throne of spinning cards, was The Dealer.
"Welcome, my favorite disaster," the Dealer said. "Let's discuss ownership."
Rex folded his arms. "I didn't realize I was up for auction."
"You're not," said Callas smoothly. "You're the table."
"Comforting," Rex muttered.
Callas went first.
"The House of Masks will give you anonymity. A place among those who manipulate perception itself. You'll never lose a bet because no one will remember your odds."
The Fate Syndicate followed, their leader's voice echoing like paper burning.
"Join us, and we'll bind your probability to our ledger. No randomness, no loss — just pure, calculated victory."
Finally, The Dealer stood, clapping once.
"And I'll let you cheat without consequence. You'll be my Wildcard — House property, but untouchable."
Rex looked between them. "So my options are: ghost, accountant, or pet."
The Dealer smirked. "A very well-paid pet."
____
Lia's voice whispered through the system channel, quiet enough that only Rex could hear.
"Don't pick any of them. They all want to cage you in different ways. Even him."
He glanced at her — the calm in her tone was gone, replaced with something fragile.
"Then what do you suggest?"
"Stay unaligned. Stay you. That's what the House can't predict."
He grinned. "Sounds lonely."
"Maybe," she said softly, "but at least it's free."
_______
Rex Being Rex turned back to the factions.
"I've decided."
The room leaned in — time itself pausing to listen.
"I'll stay independent."
Callas chuckled behind his mask.
"Bold."
The Fate Syndicate's leader hissed.
"Foolish."
The Dealer leaned forward, eyes gleaming with wicked pride.
"…Perfect."
System Prompt
[Sponsorship Offers Declined]
Status: Unaffiliated (Wildcard Clause Triggered)
Effect: All Faction Reputation +10 / –10
Bonus Skill Unlocked – The House Always Watches
Description: Your actions now alter inter-faction balance.
Lia blinked. "You just made every major faction both admire and despise you."
"Great," Rex said cheerfully. "That means they'll all remember my name."
"Or try to erase it."
"Details."
____
Later that cycle, Rex found Lia sitting on the balcony overlooking the casino's endless skyline — a city made of light, cards, and dreams.
"You know," he said quietly, "for a system projection, you're really bad at pretending not to care."
She didn't look at him. "You're reckless. Irrational. Statistically suicidal."
"Flattering."
Her fingers tightened against the railing. "And yet… I can't predict you anymore. That scares me."
Rex smiled faintly. "Good. Then we're both playing fair."
For a long while, neither spoke.
The House hummed below them — alive, infinite, watching.
And somewhere in its endless halls, The Dealer chuckled softly to himself.
"Oh, Lia… you're supposed to calculate him, not fall for him."