The casino had fallen completely silent.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the table.
Joa slid another card forward.
Kael studied it for a brief second before calmly placing one of his own.
The game continued.
One card.
Another.
Then another.
Joa frowned.
Why...
He's matching every move.
His confidence began to crack.
Kael won the next hand
At that exact moment...
Rowan quietly returned from the crowd.
Without saying a word, he gave Nolan a subtle nod.
Nolan smiled
Everything was ready.
Another round.
Kael won again.
Felix laughed loudly.
"What happened, Joa?"
"Why's your forehead sweating?"
"I thought you never lost."
Joa gritted his teeth.
"Shut up."
"I don't lose to children."
He picked up the final card.
"This ends now.
He slammed it onto the table.
"I win."
Kael didn't move.
Instead, he smiled faintly.
"You should wait."
"I still have one card left."
The atmosphere froze.
Even the musicians stopped playing.
Joa stared at Kael.
"...Impossible."
Kael slowly revealed his final card.
Silence.
Then...
Shock spread across the room.
Kael had won.
Every chip.
Every coin.
The entire ten-million bet.
Joa remained frozen.
Kael calmly gathered the money into a leather bag before placing it on the table.
Behind him...
His friends erupted with laughter.
Rowan folded his arms.
"Looks like greed finally caught up with you.
Nolan smirked.
"Never assume you're the smartest man at the table."
Joa suddenly slammed both hands onto the table.
"CHEATER!"
Kael slowly stood.
"I didn't cheat."
Joa pointed at him furiously.
"Then how did you predict every card I played?"
Kael looked at him for a moment before reaching toward Joa's right arm.
"You keep talking about cheating..."
"...but you're wearing it."
He grabbed Joa's wrist.
Joa's expression changed.
Kael rolled up the sleeve.
A tiny metal device slipped from beneath Joa's cuff and landed on the table.
Click.
The entire casino gasped.
Kael smiled.
"So this was your confidence."
He tossed the money bag toward Nolan.
Nolan caught it effortlessly.
Joa's face twisted with rage.
"You bastard!"
He threw a punch straight at Kael's face.
Kael tilted his head.
The fist sliced through empty air.
Before Joa could recover...
Kael grabbed his arm and slammed him across the gambling table.
CRASH!
The table split apart.
That single impact ignited chaos.
Joa's men charged forward.
Kael's four friends met them head-on.
Boom!
Punches echoed through the casino.
Glass bottles shattered against walls.
Wooden chairs exploded into splinters.
Waiters screamed and fled toward the exits.
Gamblers abandoned their chips as they rushed outside.
The elegant casino transformed into a battlefield.
Felix drove a kick into one opponent's chest.
Daren smashed another across the jaw with a broken chair.
Nolan ducked beneath a bottle before countering with a heavy punch.
Rowan sent two men crashing into a roulette table.
Meanwhile...
Kael and Joa tore through the center of the hall.
Joa swung another wine bottle.
Kael caught his wrist.
The bottle shattered against a pillar instead.
Glass scattered across the floor.
Joa drove a knee toward Kael's ribs.
Kael blocked it before spinning into a powerful kick that launched Joa across three gambling tables.
CRASH!
Cards, chips, and broken wood flew everywhere.
Within ten minutes...
The luxurious casino looked like it had survived a war.
Broken chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Tables lay overturned.
Smoke drifted through the ruined hall.
Then...
Rowan's communication panel rang.
He answered for only a few seconds.
His expression changed.
He looked toward everyone.
"Nolan."
"Felix."
"Daren."
"Kael."
"We're leaving."
Without hesitation...
The five of them sprinted toward the back exit.
Joa and his remaining men immediately chased after them.
But before either side could reach the alley—
Police whistles echoed through the streets.
"Nobody move!"
Dozens of officers surrounded the casino from every direction.
The front entrance burst open.
A tall inspector stepped inside, calmly surveying the destruction.
His sharp eyes scanned the broken furniture and unconscious fighters.
His name was Inspector Victor.
He adjusted his gloves before asking,
"Who caused this?"
One frightened gambler immediately pointed toward Joa.
"H-He did!"
"There were five other guys with him..."
"They escaped through the back!"
Victor turned toward his officers.
"Arrest them."
"Let them cool off in prison."
Outside...
In a narrow street behind the casino...
Kael and his friends watched from the shadows as Joa and his men were dragged away in handcuffs.
Daren laughed.
"Rowan..."
"Having your brother in the police really saves us every time."
Rowan shrugged.
"I told him enough to arrive at the perfect moment."
Nolan patted the heavy money bag resting on his shoulder.
"So..."
"Today's dinner is on Kael."
Kael rolled his eyes.
"I only won back what I lost."
Daren laughed.
"Doesn't matter."
"You're still paying."
Kael sighed dramatically.
"...Fine."
A burst of laughter echoed through the quiet street as the five friends disappeared into the night together
Grace lay quietly on her bed, flipping through the worn pages of an old history book. Moonliht filtered through the window, painting silver patterns across the room. The world around her seemed distant as she lost herself in stories of rulers, wars, and forgotten kingdoms.
Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
The door slowly opened.
Larissa stepped inside with her usual gentle smile.
"Oh... it's you."
Grace didn't even lift her eyes from the book.
"What do you want?"
"The elders have called a meeting," Larissa replied softly. "Everyone has already gathered."
Grace sighed in annoyance.
"At this hour?"
"Those old men have nothing better to do. If they wanted a meeting, they could've waited until tomorrow."
"I don't understand why they're the guardians of this realm."
Larissa frowned.
"Please don't speak about them like that."
"They're our elders."
"They protect this land."
Grace finally looked up.
"Don't teach me what I should or shouldn't say."
Larissa remained calm.
"I'm only saying that harsh words don't solve anything."
Grace waved her hand dismissively.
"Fine."
"You can leave."
"I'll come after I finish reading a few more pages."
Larissa nodded.
"Alright."
She quietly left the room.
As she walked downstairs, Emily noticed her expression.
"You told her?"
Larissa nodded.
"She said she'll come after reading."
Emily folded her arms.
"She still doesn't understand responsibility."
"Before becoming a leader, she's already acting like one."
Emily started toward the stairs.
Larissa gently caught her wrist.
"Don't go."
"You'll only upset yourself."
Emily stopped.
She looked at Larissa for a moment.
"...Did she say something to you?"
Larissa shook her head.
"No..."
"But she's becoming more arrogant."
Emily let out a quiet sigh.
"So you've finally noticed."
"She was like this from the beginning."
"When I first met her..."
"I felt she had inherited Isabella's strength..."
"...and her father's darkness."
Neither of them realized...
Grace had quietly stepped into the hallway.
She heard every word.
Her fingers slowly tightened around the history book.
Without saying a single word...
She turned around and walked back into her room.
---
Inside the meeting hall...
Several elders were already seated around the long wooden table.
Candles flickered gently, casting long shadows across the stone walls.
One elder looked around.
"Where are Kael and Grace?"
Larissa answered respectfully.
"Kael left for the city this morning."
"He should return soon."
"And Grace said she'll come."
The elder nodded.
Silence settled over the room.
Ten minutes passed.
Then twenty.
Finally, one elder frowned.
"Where is Grace?"
Emily stood.
"I'll call her."
Before she could leave, another elder raised a hand.
"Sit."
He turned toward a nearby servant.
"Go and bring Grace."
The servant bowed before hurrying away.
Emily leaned back in her chair.
"What was so important that you summoned everyone this late?"
The elder smiled faintly.
"Curious?"
Emily crossed her arms.
"You've made all of us curious."
Another elder suddenly looked toward Larissa.
"Why did Kael leave for the city?"
Emily answered before Larissa could.
"You know him."
"He has friends there."
"If he doesn't visit them once in a while, he starts complaining."
A few people chuckled.
The elder sighed.
"That boy is too carefree."
He looked toward Larissa.
"When are you two finally getting married?"
Larissa immediately lowered her head.
Her cheeks turned bright red.
Emily before larrisa say
"What are you asking her?"
"That's your responsibility."
"...and their decision."
The elder scratched his head awkwardly.
"I suppose you're right."
Another woman sitting nearby smiled.
"So..."
"You finally admitted it."
The elder blinked.
"...Admitted what?"
"That the wedding is your responsibility."
The room erupted with laughter.
Even Larissa couldn't stop herself from smiling.
Just then...
The doors opened.
Grace walked inside.
Her face remained calm.
But her eyes still carried traces of the anger she had buried moments earlier.
She bowed politely.
"Hello everyone"
Before she could sit down, one elder spoke.
"You're late."
Grace looked directly at him.
"The servant only came ten minutes ago."
"I arrived as soon as I was informed."
The elder frowned.
"I asked Larissa to call you half an hour ago."
Grace turned toward Larissa.
"She never called me."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Larissa looked genuinely confused.
"I did."
"You said you'd come after reading a few pages."
Grace answered without hesitation.
"I wasn't reading today."
"Why would you lie?"
One of the men at the table frowned.
"We all know Larissa."
"She has never lied to anyone."
Grace pointed toward him.
"So you're saying I'm lying?"
"I didn't say that," the man replied calmly.
"Enough."
The eldest guardian struck the table once with his cane.
"No more arguing."
He looked at Larissa.
"Be more careful next time."
Larissa lowered her head.
"...Understood."
Emily quietly reached beneath the table and gently squeezed Larissa's hand, silently telling her not to argue.
The elder looked around the room.
"Now..."
"Let's discuss why you're all here."
Everyone fell silent.
He slowly looked toward Grace.
"We all know who you are."
"You are Isabella's daughter."
"After Isabella's death..."
"Our realm has remained without a true leader."
Grace's heartbeat quickened.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
The elder continued.
"Originally..."
"I wanted Kael's opinion regarding your progress."
"But since he isn't here..."
"I'll judge based on everyone else's observations."
Grace spoke confidently.
"My combat skills have improved tremendously."
"I'm ready."
The elder shook his head.
"A leader is not measured by strength alone."
"You'll be responsible for people's lives."
"You'll make decisions that cannot be undone."
"Sometimes..."
"You'll have to sacrifice what you value most."
Grace met his gaze.
"I'm ready."
The elder studied her quietly.
Finally...
He nodded.
"Very well."
"Tomorrow..."
"We'll gather the entire city."
"We'll announce you as the acting leader."
"You'll govern this district for one month."
"We'll observe every decision you make."
"After that..."
"The people themselves will vote."
"If they believe you're worthy..."
"You'll remain our leader."
"If not..."
"You'll step down."
Grace slowly smiled.
"I accept."
The elder stood.
"Then the meeting is over."
"If anyone contacts Kael..."
"Tell him to return immediately."
"He must attend tomorrow's ceremony."
One by one...
Everyone rose from their seats and quietly left the hall.
Only Grace remained standing for a moment.
Leader.
The word echoed repeatedly inside her mind.
A slow smile spread across her face.
Whether it was excitement...
Or something far more dangerous...
No one could tell.