“That’s no good, Miss Reysha. Even if you look at us cutely like that, we cannot simply overlook what you’ve done to us earlier!~” said by Falikh as he grins widely to Reysha.
Reysha herself understands this.
She, herself is no cook but, judging by the fragrance and aroma the stew releases, she knows that it is a top-tier meal. She even deems it more appealing than what the best cook in Kerias could pull off.
The smell of the delicious food clouded her decision making. Reysha’s stomach is pleading her to eat. She has some provisions left but, they are undeniably far too inferior to the wafting fragrance of the stew.
So she lowered her head towards Falikh’s and co and asks for a serving.
But Reysha was immediately shot down by Falikh because of what she has done to them earlier. She cannot accept herself to force them to give it to her or even to even steal from them.
That would make her no less from them.
“I…know! I know that…but…even… even just a single bite? Can I?” she desperately pleas as her head is filled with the delicious stew, imagining how the creamy stew would smoothly flow to her throat.
Reysha is by no means, a simpleton. She cannot be lured by anything that easily and she analyzes everything to the best of her abilities. But adventuring sacrifices your time to cook for yourself and Reysha has not been in any towns or city for weeks now making the smell of the cooked food tempting for her.
Hansen, Amadeo, and the others look at Falikh with uneasy eyes. The reason is Falikh is a complete glutton. That means Falikh, the leader of the bandits, won’t easily give away food because the probability that the leftover would be eaten by him.
That’s how gluttonous he is.
“So, Miss Reysha, we shall fight it over in a gamble!” daringly said by Falikh as he places his hands on his hips with a smug smile.
It was decided that they will play black jack with more simplified rules.
Each of the players would draw two cards from the deck. They can draw one more card if they wanted. The player with a total card value with more or less than twenty-one or got a total of twenty-one wins. Faces are considered ten and the ace is considered one or eleven.
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And so, a table is laid outside the shack with Reysha sitting at the other end against Falikh. All of the bandits are clustering behind Falikh to watch.
But as the deck of cards was laid down, Falikh speaks.
“To make things more exciting, let’s give punishment to the loser of the game!” exclaimed by Falikh as he happily shuffles the cards.
“What?!” Reysha said in surprise because of the sudden declaration of Falikh. She was extremely dubious of Falikh’s actions and words but…
Teth, the cook, lays down the prize of the match at the side of the table, the piping hot stew which visible has abundant of meat, carrots, potatoes and herbs floating on the white creamy soup.
He probably just meant it as motivation for both players but at that crucial moment, Reysha’s mind has become disarray as the delicious stew is just a reach away from her.
“You’re on!” childishly shouted by Reysha as she cannot still her hunger any longer.
Faliks smiles and added “Then if I lose, Miss Reysha will get to eat the stew and will have the privilege to give us, the whole band of bandits order. If Miss Reysha loses, you have to listen to three of my demands!”
Everyone behind Faliks shivers as he laid out his idea. Each one of them glares at him with indignation as they were dragged into his mess. They try to still the urge to punch him in the face and expect Reysha to decline his proposal.
They somehow knew Reysha is level headed or much smarter. They are also aware, except Falikh, that Reysha is just sparing them and is playing around for an unknown reason.
But their expectation comes to an end as Reysha shouted “I accept! Hurry up and let get started!”
And so, the standing dealer, Amadeo shuffles the deck.
Reysha intently stares at Amadeo’s hand to see if they are some sleight of hand or trick to rig the game to the point of enhancing her eyes with magic power.
At Reysha’s watch, Amadeo trembles as he felt the bloodlust seething out from Reysha. Not only him, but everyone in vicinity tensed up as Reysha began to let out an explosive amount of magical energy.
Everyone’s heart can be heard pounding as the quiet night slowly passes, especially Amadeo who is shuffling the cards.
Sweat was spilled from each and everyone’s forehead and some of the bandits started to become pale as they quietly try to catch their breath.
The chilly breeze of the night caresses everyone’s cheeks and the forest tree leaves clamors with rustles. Everyone felt like the ground slight shook as the sky gradually comes falling down on to them.
They started hallucinating things such as a visage of a large dragon with angelic crests stands behind Reysha as if it is watching over her inside a ghastly mist.
Was it really a hallucination or not? They tried to ignore it at the best of their ability.
It has only been fifteen seconds or so has passed since Amadeo started shuffling but the entire area is already bathing with so much hostility from Reysha.
Amadeo’s palm becomes sweaty and his heart pounded faster than ever because of Reysha’s bloodlust induced stare that is solely directed to him.
“Goddamn you Falikh! She just wanted to eat!” he curses inside his mind toward Falikh as he feels like he is going to faint.
And so…
THUD!
Amadeo fainted without abandon.
His eyes roll back into the back of his head as his mouth produces foams of saliva.
“Eh?! He fainted?! Someone should continue shuffling the cards for us…” innocently exclaimed by Reysha as she looks at the bandits at the back of Falikh.
Each one of them turns to look at each other.
“We refuse!!” fearfully shouted inside their mind in unison.