Tasha, Aini, and Fendrel huddled together, closely examining the individual soul contract scrolls that Andrew had presented to each of them. As they examined the scrolls, the realization dawned on them that Andrew intended to bind them to his service using these rare and potent magical documents.

Signing these contracts would make them his employees, but it would also place their very souls in his hands. It would allow him to snuff out their measly lives with a mere thought.

Tasha's amazement only deepened as she inspected the soul contract before her. She knew that crafting a soul contract demanded the expertise of a twelfth-circle enchanter adept in the manipulation of souls. Her fingers traced the intricate patterns on the scroll and wondered about the identity of the enchanter that created it.

Enchanters, a unique branch of mages, could engrave runes of any kind, but they favored runes that corresponded with their particular affinities or at least closely aligned with them. For example, an enchanter with a fire affinity could effortlessly create magic weapons inscribed with fire runes, while having difficulty with the etching of even the most simplest water runes.

She pondered Andrew's hidden abilities, now revealed as a twelfth-circle mage. However, she didn't believe he was hiding his proficiency in enchanting. Enchanting was an difficult craft to learn, and the knowledge it required was vast even for high-ranking mages. His progress in enchanting appeared very natural and organic, something that would be hard to fabricate.

Tasha herself had a knack for darkness runes, which made her great at engraving anti-scrying and stealth runes, just like their Master Gonde. This was one of the reasons why she believed she would inherit the store, as she shared the same affinity as their master.

Andrew, on the other hand, had an affinity for space runes, which made him adept at creating low-quality spatial pouches to sell in the Gonde's store. From this, she deduced that Andrew must have some connections with other high-ranking enchanters. The fact that there were high-ranking runes engraved throughout the casino walls and even on some of the gambling equipment hadn't escaped her keen eyes.

She returned her attention to the scroll and continued reading the terms of the soul contract, just like her two friends from the thieves guild. As they read, Tasha's thoughts wandered to the stories she had heard about cities that permitted slave houses to utilize soul contracts to bind criminals and those in debt to servitude. In this empire, debt and crime-based slavery were the only lawful forms of bondage. Anyone caught practicing illicit types of slavery, such as chattel slavery, would face severe repercussions, including arrest and prosecution.

As the trio meticulously examined the terms outlined in the scrolls, they discovered that the conditions appeared reasonable. The contract actually offered them a generous salary for their work. All they were required to do was serve as dealers in Andrew's casino.

As she read the terms, she couldn't help but think of the challenges that came with being a dealer. It wasn't an easy occupation, after all.

Dealers in such establishments needed a certain level of strength and perception to deter cheaters and handle occasional tantrums from irritable mages and warriors. In a world teeming with mana, dealers had to be particularly vigilant, as even the slightest misstep could lead to disastrous consequences.

With a deep breath, they accepted the contract. They knew that Andrew wasn't giving them a choice in the matter. It was either, work for him or die.

**

Andrew breathed a sigh of relief as the trio agreed to the terms of the contract. He was glad that he wouldn't have to kill anyone today, especially his former senior apprentice. As they did so, Andrew received a notification from the system informing him that he had completed his first quest.

Quest #1: Your casino still has a lot of unmanned tables. Please recruit 3 employees. 3/3. Reward: Add a drink of your choice to the bar selection.

Andrew couldn't help but smile at the reward. "I can't wait to choose a new drink for the bar," he thought to himself.

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Tasha and her friends exchanged looks of despondence. "We should go and prepare for work tomorrow," Tasha suggested, turning to leave with Aini and Fendrel.

Suddenly, Andrew's "Strongest Casino Owner" system chimed in. "Employees must stay within the casino premises," the system's voice echoed in his head.

He hesitated before relaying this information to the trio. "Wait!" Andrew exclaimed. "Employees must stay within the casino premises."

The trio looked at him incredulously. "Are you serious?" Tasha demanded. "Where are we supposed to stay, Andrew? Do you want us to sleep on the ground? There are only two bedrooms in this place. Unless you want one of us to warm your bed," she added, giving Andrew a scornful look, as if he were a sick pervert.

"Umm..." Feeling a bit flustered, Andrew want ask the same question to the system. It was then that he heard the system's voice in his head.

"The hotel feature has now been activated!" the system announced. "All the best casinos double as hotels, providing accommodations for their patrons and employees. Ten additional floors have been created above the casino, complete with luxurious suites. As the owner, you have full access and control over these accommodations. Your employees' lodging needs will now be taken care of."

Relief washed over Andrew as he realized that the system had provided a solution to the problem at hand.

"All the best casinos have hotels for patrons and employees," Andrew explained, trying to ease their concerns. "Follow me, and I'll show you where you'll be staying."

As he finished speaking, an elevator door materialized in the wall of the casino. It began as a glowing white light before solidifying into a door with two buttons on the side. The trio was astonished to see it appear out of nowhere, and Andrew instructed them to follow him as he led them inside.

Soft elevator music played in the background as they took in the sight of the ten buttons for floors within the elevator.

Tasha, Aini, and Fendrel seemed to recognize the contraption as an elevator, a rarity in this world. Most mages and warriors gained the ability of flight, albeit slow at first, at rank 6, rendering such expensive devices unnecessary. It was mainly the wealthy non-cultivators who bothered installing them in their homes.

There were no windows in the elevator, heightening the sense of mystery. The trio exchanged wary glances when they felt the elevator ascending at a rapid pace. They couldn't comprehend how this was possible, as the store had only been a two story building.

What they didn't know was that the system had created ten additional floors for the hotel above the casino, utilizing Demigod-level spatial magic to defy conventional architectural limitations. Each suite was designed with different price points, but they would be free for the three of them since they were now employees of the casino.

As the elevator made its way to the top floor, reserved exclusively for the luxurious penthouse suites, Andrew found himself curious about the living accommodations that awaited Tasha, Aini, and Fendrel. He wondered what kind of opulent spaces the system had prepared for his newly recruited employees.

**

As twilight descended upon the city, a deep sense of unease permeated the local thieves' guild. Fendrel, the leader of the Star City branch, had not returned since being called away on a job by a former member, Tasha Nightfall. His subordinates had grown increasingly anxious as the hours passed, fearing the worst.

In a dimly lit room in the Star City's thieves' guild, one of Fendrel's top subordinates by the name of Roran knew he had to do something. He nervously penned an emergency message to the central branch of the organization. Using a well-crafted mechanical pen and quality paper, Roran's words flowed across the letter in a shaky scrawl, describing the situation and their suspicions that Tasha may have set a trap for Fendrel and the others, possibly involving the authorities.

"We request immediate assistance," Roran wrote, his hand trembling as he gripped the pen. "Our branch is too small, and if someone is capable of taking down our boss, we will need reinforcements. Please send someone to investigate the situation as soon as possible."

Once the message was complete, Roran folded the paper and sealed it in a envelope with the guild's insignia. He handed it off to a fellow thief, who quickly disappeared into the shadows to deliver the urgent plea for help.

A day later, at the central branch of the thieves' guild, the message arrived in the hands of a high-ranking member. He read the contents, concern etched on his face. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he decided to dispatch a group of high ranked warriors to Star City to look into the matter. It seemed that a thief who had left the guild had decided to betray her old comrades.

Little did they know that the truth was far more complicated than they could have imagined. Their members, Fendrel and Aini were not in the clutches of the authorities, but instead force to serve as employees in a casino, a world away from the dark alleys and shadows they were used to.