"…So, doctor Edwards. Do you believe the leaked news from Oracle City to be true, and what would it mean for the inhabitants of Abyss City?" 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.
"The source talking about the so-called portalnet 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 turned black as a not-so-delicate female hand set down the remote control.
"This is bullshit! You're cheating, aren't you?!" A woman, with black hair streaked red, accused in an outraged tone.
Noctis looked at Lia as his hand slid across the table, unfazed by her enraged gaze.
The hand then wandered to a bowl filled to the brim with a murky translucent fluid inside, as the entirety of the bowl was carefully pulled across the table, not spilling a single drop.
It finally landed right in front of Noctis, who wore a satisfied smile, his eyes half closed, showing little of his pupils.
As he emptied the Notium that had gathered into a whole of six drops into his Curir, he spoke overexageratedly.
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 teammates?"
Placing down the now-empty bowl, Noctis slowly slid it back towards the middle of the 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 answered.
"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."
She stayed silent, completely stumped, as if analyzing herself.
Of course, those weren't her biggest tells, but Nox would be damned to give up this bottomless tree of free money, too priedfull to cut her losses.
Lia would be his primary funder during his time in government, whether she wanted to or not.
Laughing internally, a long-winded villain laugh.
He wasn't the most money-motivated person, but if she basically gave it to him. What could he do?
It was truly too easy. Simply like taking candy from a toddler.
In the half-year since Noctis had entered his service at the government, it only took him one mission 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 by defeating him with ease… repeatedly!
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.
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 her being so annoyed that she would never play again.
Those people would be fools!
Lia had so much pride running through her veins 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 early days.
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 overeager in finding an easy meal.
At least he knew her bottom line now.
And he was approaching it slowly.
Looking towards 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 was the oldest among the members and the group's leader. Peculiarly, the person Noctis originally thought to be the most junior member, the seemingly spinless 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 sign between him and one of his colleagues to intervene before it went too far.
For a small part of the spoils, of course.
"Chirp"
The sound of chirps rang throughout the room and came from a cage placed right between Noctis and Recks.
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 meaning, but that was simply atrocious.
To add on to his distaste, Lia's gaze suddenly intensified on the two of them, as 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 between the two.
She was a true second-rank Authority Wielder after all.
That fucking bird!
"Why were you showing the number three with your hand?!"
"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"
Oh no.
Noctis did not believe she would figure out their scheme.
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 squicky noise, the five gazes of Noctis, Lia, Recks, Alexia, and that ocursed bird wandered over to the half-opened door.
There, three faces came to 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 want 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 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.
Grumbling under his breath at the sight of the purple-lipped young woman, he averted his gaze as she waved her hand slightly to signal 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, 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 brassed 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 envoi of the northern parent settlement.
He'll help out in our unit until the increased number of cases that have been occurring settles down.
W-would you like to introduce yourself?" His voice shook slightly, hesitantly at the last line.
The youth in a yellow robe seemed not to notice as he took a step forward, his gaze wandering across the entire room, his arms folded together hidden in his sleeves.
He bowed slightly and spoke in a very enthusiastic tone.
"Hello, my fellow Daoist brothers and sisters.
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.