Standing before a mirror, Lucille rubbed her face with water. In just a moment, she would get changed and begin her day, but just as she put down the face towel she was using to dry her face…

[Initiating Communication Channel with User Lucille Goldcroft]

She stared at the message with a strange expression, finding it absurd that the Authorizer would have any reason to talk to her with the communication Status Modifier. The Demon Emperor and her were already going to meet in the last week of March, as was in their demonic contract, so there shouldn’t be any reason to contact each other.

The notification appeared, and she cocked an eyebrow when she saw the message.

[Message from User ############ ###########-#########: I’ll be unavailable in the last week of March. Come another time. And don’t you dare come after the fifteenth because if I have to put up with you visiting me twice within a timeframe shorter than a month I’ll-]

[Communication Channel has closed]

That guy is so temperamental.

It seemed that the realisation that Lucy had to revisit him in March had triggered his anger again. She didn't know how he managed to keep such a pleasant and calm demeanour when dealing with anyone with his Archduke clone.

Maybe he had a split personality—one personality for interacting with others, and another for interacting with only her. Of course, the personality for interacting with her utterly detested her.

Lucy shook her head and left her bathroom. She had already told Vincent that she needed to leave the week after for reasons relating to Ravimoux, and her aide had agreed with her plans, so she’d just take a detour on the way.

An inter-dimensional detour. Through the Demon Realm and Daemonium Palace Stronghold. And stopping for an hour or two to deal with a Demon Emperor who wanted her dead.

…she wouldn’t be getting one relaxing day this week at all.

After getting changed, she left her room and entered the hallways of the Commission.

She opened the door of her living room and walked in. Sitting on her couch was Vincent, who was drinking a cup of tea.

He glanced back and raised an eyebrow. “Decided against an early start today?”

“I’ll be needing my rest this week,” she replied. Lucy walked over to her kitchen doors, looked down, and planted her hands on her hips. “Scytale.”

Snoozing on the ground, a braided metal rope keeping his wings and body trapped, was a silvery snake. Lucille clapped once to wake the serpent up.

“Huh? Wha?” He blinked blearily and shook his head when he saw who woke him. “Ugh, Lucy, wake me up more gently.”

“I recall you had managed to free yourself from the confines of Sedric’s item last night so how come I find you trapped here again?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

With a yawn, the snake shifted into his human form. “Raegan and Sedric got into a fight, I tried to break it up, but things happened and now I’m here again.”

The correct interpretation being that Scytale had added fuel to the fire and the fire decided to gang up on him to burn his ego down.

“I see.” Lucy rolled her eyes and crouched to unlock the cuffs. With the correct complex application of her mana, the clasp unlocked, allowing the cuffs to fall to the ground.

Scytale rubbed his wrists and stretched. “Much better.”

“Lucy…”

They glanced back as a sleepy voice was heard. The door opened to reveal a blonde-haired girl with messy bed hair, rubbing her eyes to get rid of the sleep dust. She was wearing a white nightrobe and was still holding her pillow as she stepped in. “What’s for breakfast?”

“Breakfast?” Scytale sat up straighter. “Oooh, I like that word. Yes, Lucy, what’s for breakfast?”

Before Lucille could answer, loud heavy footsteps could be heard marching down the hallway, and then the door slammed open. Jasten Albrecht glared at the girl and grabbed her arm to pull her out. “The Prophetess of Fate does not greet people in her nightwear, especially if just to ask to eat!”

“But I’m hungry, Sir Albrecht! You don’t understand because a Rank-5 like you doesn’t need that much food or drink anymore!”

“Oh, I can assure you that I will be drinking plenty the moment I get a break from dealing with you two, and it will not be water!”

Their arguing became distant, leaving the living room in silence. The three of them exchanged amused looks until a third person stuck their head in. Raegan narrowed his eyes at them. “Hey, is the kitchen in here stocked or has Scytale eaten everything already?”

Lucy let out a sigh as Vincent chuckled. She shook her head wryly. “It seems I’ll need to ask the staff to bring everyone’s morning meal here.”

…

Lucille was sipping coffee when her living room door was opened again to reveal a properly dressed Annaliese. She marched over to the couches to sit next to Lucy as another individual slowly entered the room.

“…why did you bring me here, Prophet-”

“It’s Annaliese!” she interrupted, pointing at the speaker.

Hargrave gazed at her with bemusement. “I can’t just… call the Prophetess of Fate by her first name.”

The Headquarters’ local Paladin nodded appreciatively as he walked forward to cross his arms in front of Annaliese. “That’s common sense. Unfortunately, it looks like someone still needs to learn what common sense entails.” He narrowed his eyes at the blonde-haired girl.

Annaliese looked away. “Aren’t we having food?”

“It’s over here on this table and the coffee table,” Lucy called out, pointing to the tables.

The Prophetess’s eyes brightened and she ran over. “Yay! Breakfast!”

Jasten Albrecht ran a gauntleted hand through his wild hair, looking very weary and exasperated by the girl’s behaviour. Raegan was already eating a bowl of fruit covered in mounds of cream and sugar. He seemed to have enjoyed the lack of the Paladin’s supervision when it came to his eating habits.

Lucille gave Sir Albrecht a side-eye. “Do you still think being their guard is better than dealing with the Sages?”

He shot her a flat look, but instead of ignoring her or acting irritated that she had brought up something she knew about him, he just sighed. “Look, they’re not bad kids… well, the Prophetess isn’t – but when I joined the Citadel as an apprentice knight, I did not expect, several years later, to be the guardian of two teenage orphans, and essentially become their parental figure.” He shuddered slightly. “Especially not at thirty-two.”

The Paladin frowned and crossed his arms. “But this is still better than being involved in the destruction of another noble house or kingdom.”

In her perception field, Lucy could see Raegan watching them intently, likely eavesdropping. She turned to the bearded man. “They would probably give you less trouble if they fully trusted you. But with your first introduction to the ‘Antithesis’ and the role he plays…” She turned away and shrugged as she walked off. “If you let that slip you may face many difficulties.”

Jasten Albrecht watched her solemnly as she went over to the main table. Lucy stopped to give Raegan a pointed look, making him hastily avert eye contact.

Hargrave crossed his arms, watching everything with a strange expression. “Commission Head… was I brought here to have breakfast?”

In the middle of picking up a bread roll, she glanced back and raised an eyebrow. “How would I know? The one who abducted you is over there, not here.” She pointed at Annaliese.

“Ab…ducted?” He saw who she was pointing at. “Oh.”

“Hm?” Annaliese, with a mouth full of berries from her breakfast of fruit, blinked when faced with the attention. “Oh, Ham’gave?” She chewed and swallowed before smiling. “I came across him and wanted him to enjoy breakfast with us too! He’s one of your friends, right Lucy?”

Hargrave shook his head. “No, that’s not-”

“So, why did a staff member tell me to come here now?” Sedric stuck his head in the room. “Uhuh. Food is the reason, I guess.” Not yet wearing his leather apron and gloves, he walked in and picked up a slice of buttered bread, then sat down on the couch. “Well, Lucille probably won’t let me leave so I may as well enjoy myself.”

“Please be careful how you phrase your words, Sedric,” Lucy replied wryly. “You almost made it sound like you believe I want you in my presence.”

He looked over his shoulder at her with a mildly disgusted expression, but Annaliese, who had finished her meal, walked up to a certain red-haired ex-mercenary.

“You’re really tall, Hargrave,” she began cheerfully. “And if you fought Scytale, then you must be strong. What kind of job do you have?”

He gazed hesitantly at her. Annaliese’s eyes brightened as an idea came to her and she continued talking before Hargrave could answer, “Were you a knight maybe? Or a guard of some kind? Perhaps a Guilder or adventurer?”

Hargrave shot Lucy a glance for help. She smirked and leaned against the couch, curious about how this was going to play out.

Then Annaliese paused and frowned slightly. “Although, maybe you don’t have the right element for those jobs? And do you even wield a weapon?” She blinked at Hargrave, deeply curious.

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He took a step back and she stepped forward, waiting for his answer. Shooting Lucille a frustrated look when it became clear the Prophetess wasn’t going to back off, he sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “I… have an affinity for blood. And I wield a spear.” He crossed his arms, not wanting to say more. “I’ve done many different jobs,” he finished firmly.

Annaliese narrowed her eyes. “What kind of jobs?”

Hargrave sighed again. “Jobs like fighting p- I mean, things…” he awkwardly corrected himself, likely realising telling a sixteen-year-old that he used to kill people for a living wasn’t a great idea.

The girl tilted her head. “Monsters?”

“…yes, I’ve killed monsters.”

Annaliese nodded like she had expected that response all along and sat back down. Hargrave breathed a sigh of relief that the girl had stopped asking questions, and after looking around to see that everyone was occupied, awkwardly took a bread roll off the table and sat on a couch.

A few minutes later, Vincent, who had been enjoying his meal silently, checked his wristwatch. “It appears it’s time for me to begin my work. The crafters we plan to employ for a project have arrived, as well as some potential future employees, so…” He turned to Lucy. “What do you plan to do?”

She hummed, looked around, and then nodded. “As much as you are supposed to be my replacement, I can’t avoid meeting the employees or craftsmen.” She grabbed her cane that was leaning against a couch and walked over to the door. “I’ll meet them with you.”

Vincent nodded and followed, but then a certain blonde-haired girl’s eyes widened.

“Wait, if Lucy’s gone, then what are we supposed to do?!” Annaliese exclaimed.

Lucille and Vincent traded glances and then shrugged. They shut the door of the living room behind them.

…

“-and from what I could tell, the majority of them seem willing to accept the contract,” Caius reported to Lucy as she sat behind her desk. “As expected, their primary aim of accepting the job offer was to become part of the Commission’s central powers due to their inability to involve themselves in their clans’ central politics.”

She nodded thoughtfully, reading the letters of those who accepted the requests for them to come to the Commission’s Headquarters so Lucy and Vincent could see if they were fit to become part of her internal affairs department. “And the crafters of the clans?”

Caius bowed. “They were very intrigued by the concept of a ‘train’, and showed excitement and ambition at the prospect of being involved in the implementation of such an innovative machine.”

“If we’re on the topic of trains, Lucille…” Jacques walked in and placed some forms on Lucy’s desk with a smirk. “I showed the preliminary plans of the train to Alichanteu’s crafting nobility clans and they requested to know more details. Additionally, they asked to meet the one who designed the plans in person.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And your response?”

The ponytailed man shrugged. “I said they were part of the Commission and I would contact them to let them know if a meeting could be arranged, but besides that, I didn’t leak a thing.” Then Jacques hesitated. “Although… I’m worried there might be complications…”

Lucy, who had been writing something down, looked up. “Complications?”

“The, uh, leading crafter of those clans is a dwarf,” Jacques replied. “I only showed him the train’s rough plans as you requested and didn’t have time to discuss the reason for the vehicle or its logistical purpose, so he may think someone got their hands on blueprints of a dwarven railway fortress,” he explained.

“Ah, so he believes someone may have illegally acquired the blueprints for a moving fortress,” she mused. Lucille nodded. “Next time you meet, inform him and his clan members of the purpose of this train. I’ll explain the operations of the train when we meet in person so he will understand that the mechanisms are completely different.”

Jacques and Caius nodded, but then Vincent walked in, adjusting his glasses as he looked at a letter in his hand. “Lucy, I’ve just received word that Count Ravimoux intends on meeting you when you go to the Black Lily Casino,” he told her. “The courier didn’t provide any explanation as to why he was coming.”

She took the letter from it, and after unsealing it with a small knife, she read the message. After a moment, she held her chin with one white-gloved hand. “He wants to discuss the internal affairs department and my plans for it.”

Vincent frowned. “Is he against the creation of this department?”

She hummed and re-read the letter. “It doesn’t appear so. He says he also wishes to discuss something else, although his comments on the internal affairs department are related to the organisation involved.”

“I see. Ravimoux does know of this obscure organisation that I have never heard of in my entire life,” Vincent remarked dryly.

Lucy sighed and put down the letter. “Yes, Vincent, they exist. Now, what else do we have on the agenda for today?”

He walked forward to pass over a second, opened envelope. “Just some requests from nobles allied with the Citadel asking to meet the Prophetess. I declined, obviously.” Then he paused and looked at Jacques. “Jacques, has progress been made with the Counties’ reports on the profitability of the competition?”

“Right.” Jacques nodded. “Evisenhardt and Chavaret said that so far, it looks like it would be very beneficial if it ran this year as well, although they can’t yet estimate the long-term profits as no nobles are confident enough yet in the Commission’s claims to run this annually.”

“Alichanteu and Ravimoux have very different reports,” Caius spoke up. “Alichanteu gained a 15% increase in the number of crafters employed by them in the craftsmen zone, which is the largest they’ve obtained in a single year. Ravimoux has reported an increase in the number of spies, as well as an increase in the total number of different clans, forces and Factions interested in the Aurelian Commission.”

“That’s to be expected. A new leader, new plans, and new movements, as well as the Prophetess of Fate coming here,” Lucille stated. “But I’m glad to know that the Counties deem the competition a success and wish to do it again.”

She took another look at the documents in front of her. “If there’s nothing else, then let’s disperse to deal with our duties.”

Caius and Jacques dipped their heads and left, and Vincent held up the documents in his hands. “I’ll take these contracts over to the internal affairs department members after reading through Ravimoux’s report about the background of these members.”

After Lucille nodded, he left the study too. She signed her name on one last page before standing up and taking her jacket off the back of her chair. She pulled it on and then left as she hummed a tune.

Now, shall we see what the former-timeline Templar of High Justice wants with me?

“Sir Jasten Albrecht.”

The wild and blond-haired man who was leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, looked up. His brows were creased and he looked worried, or perhaps apprehensive about something. He sighed and ran a gauntleted hand through his hair when he saw her. “So you came out.”

Lucille nodded as she approached him. “I may have to return to my work later in the afternoon, but currently, I’m free.” She smiled and tilted her head at him. “Free to converse with you, as I presume was what you wanted.”

His frown deepened as she hummed and looked around. “Are your two wards not nearby?”

He glanced down the corridor behind her and then returned his steel-grey gaze to her. “They’re within my senses,” he stated curtly.

“I see.” Her smile widened and she turned around, a hand held behind her back. She gestured to him with the other. “Then will you care to be my escort temporarily, Sir Albrecht?”

He eyed her warily but silently followed her, matching his pace to hers. He was only a few steps away as they walked through the empty hallways of the Commission’s Headquarters. She had purposely chosen to walk along the hallways free of people, and she was sure the Paladin behind her was aware of that.

Sometime along the way, she stopped to look at a large enchanted painting. With potent alchemical paints forming the surface of the artwork, several figures in the comprehensive battle scene appeared to be moving, with red clouds drifting across the background. Lucille clasped both her hands behind her back. “There’s nobody around, Sir Albrecht.”

The Paladin didn’t reply, so she turned around and smirked at him. “Well, come on, I don’t have all day. What did you want to discuss?”

He crossed his arms as he studied her, his face expressionless. Then slowly, he replied, “You’re now acting like you did when you first met me.”

“Ha, yes.” Lucy crossed her own arms and tilted her head again, still smirking. “I act this way around people whose motives and intentions are unknown so my motives and intentions are just as vague. Of course, I do just enjoy seeing the faces of people who attempt to understand me.” Her smile dimmed somewhat. “In your case, however, I can’t say I’m enjoying it, as you still haven’t told me your question.”

He narrowed his eyes and then sighed. “Fine, I’ll ask my question. Lucille Goldcroft.” He leaned forward, his face solemn. “What is Raegan?”

His question was… unexpected. Even for Lucy. She stared at him for a moment. Then she put a fist up to her mouth and coughed. “I… well, he’s human.”

The flat look she earned made her roll her eyes and wave him off. “I was caught somewhat off guard, just wait a moment. I know what you’re asking. But what makes you think I know the answer?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, pointing at herself. “I have mentioned the ‘antithesis’ before, but do you believe even I could know something that the Sages seem to have buried so deeply over the ages?”

Jasten Albrecht shook his head. “You know more than me. And that’s enough for me to want to find out what it is that you know.”

“Hmmm…” Lucille studied him with narrowed eyes and then leaned against the wall. “Sir Albrecht, I know what little I’ve managed to hypothesize from the ancient records kept in the highest tower of Pedestal. Nothing more than that.”

“And how do you know what is kept in the highest tower of Pedestal?” he asked with suspicion.

“I snuck into the Great Sage’s inherited personal library and read everything in there,” she stated blandly.

He stared at her. “What-”

“Why, what’s wrong?” Lucy tilted her head. “Are you confused why I’m telling you this? Not to worry, you can’t prove I ever entered. I’m sure you haven’t heard any rumours about the Great Sage’s quarters being compromised, so even if you told them something… if nothing was found then you’d be treated as an idiot.” She spread her arms and shrugged. “Are you still willing to hear what I have to say when you can’t verify the source?”

The Paladin scowled. “Stop trying to side-track me and get to the point. Yes, I want to know what you think about the boy.”

Lucille smirked and got up from the wall. “Then I’ll answer. But keep in mind that all I say is only based on theories and very sparse and limited information.” She began walking again and he followed.

“Higher elements should not, in fact, be called ‘elements’ at all,” Lucy began, to the man’s clear confusion at the unrelated topic. “They’re compound forces and concepts bound together to become unique energies. So unique that any Higher element is supposed to be used only by its creator.” She glanced over her shoulder at him. “A Higher element is strongest when used by its creator because only the creator has the right conceptual understanding of the element to use it to the peak of its power. Every Paragon Anomaly has their own Higher element that no one else can use.”

She stopped to look out a window. “Higher elements don’t necessarily involve the essential elements or mid-level elements at all. The Death Monarch’s Styx essence is made from death mana, not elemental mana. But Fate essence is made from only light mana and concepts.” Lucy pointed at him. “Let’s assume for now that the System treats Annaliese as having the qualities and conceptual understanding to wield Fate essence as if she created the element. There could be several reasons for that, but they’re not relevant right now.”

She spread her hands. “Then how can Raegan possibly negate a Higher element with his own power?” Lucy held up a finger for the Paladin behind her as she began to walk again. “That brings me to another fact about Higher elements. Sometimes, the Higher elements either naturally find their place in the function of the realms, or have such specific purposes that the realms allow them to exist without severe limitations. Powerful Higher elements, however…” She stopped and turned to face him with a grin. “For them to exist, their contrasting, opposite, or dichotomous element must exist. Another Higher element with power equal to them.”

She smiled and spread her hands again. “I can’t say for sure, and nobody could prove it, but if the realms and the System believe ‘Fate’ to break the natural balance of the reality…” Lucy smirked. “Then the balancing factor must exist too. In this instance, it’s Raegan. He might have the power of an unknown Higher element that functions as ‘Anti-Fate’.”

Lucille shrugged. “As for how that element works… I don’t know. But the Sages know that if Raegan manages to ‘bestow’ his element on others, as the creator of Fate essence did, which resulted in the formation of the Citadel of Fate, then he won’t just be a threat to the Citadel on his own.” She narrowed her eyes. “He could manage to create a force with the power to contradict the Citadel.”

With that ending statement, the hallway was left in complete silence. Jasten Albrecht had a solemn look on his face as he held his chin, gazing at the floor while deep in thought. Lucille watched him consider this without an expression on her face.

Then Lucy clapped her hands, drawing his attention. “I could also be totally wrong about this all and Raegan just has the ability to grant really bad luck,” she remarked casually as if everything was perfectly fine. “I’d suggest you forget everything I just said and go back to being the tired Paladin who has to deal with two difficult teenagers.” She smirked coldly. “Who knows, if the Sages detect you know something then that might be it for your career… and possibly life.”

Instead of seeming particularly upset or worried, he looked up and gave her an irritated look. “I’m not insane enough to attempt something like asking for a pay rise because of this,” he told her.

Lucy grinned. “If you do end up asking them, please invite me to watch. I’d love to know how they’d react.”

He rolled his eyes as he stepped back, looking ready to leave. After giving her a brief glance, he held his chin, thought for a moment, and watched her seriously. “Lucille Goldcroft… you were upset on the day the Prophetess left the Commission last year. Your reaction then seems at odds with your personality.”

“Ah… that.” She sighed and looked away. “The last time someone bowed to me like that wasn’t because of very pleasant circumstances. It’s fine, it’s not relevant anymore.”

When a young girl with such a large burden as her bows to you and thanks you for saving the realms while sobbing her heart out after you had just destroyed half of the origin plane of her Institution…

…even someone like Lucille couldn’t help but be impacted.

…

“I win!”

“Hmm…” A humanoid snake with silver hair rubbed his chin as he inspected the cards on the floor, feeling sceptical that the girl’s claims were correct.

The blonde-haired girl in question was grinning with her hands held up in the air, clearly feeling triumphant and sure of her victory.

The third member of their card game, her dark-haired brother, was also eyeing her cards dubiously. He glanced at his own pile, compared them with hers, and narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t we say that usage of abilities was forbidden, Anna?”

“What?!” she exclaimed, horrified that Raegan would even accuse her of something like that. “I didn’t use my powers at all! This was all because of my skill!” She looked behind her. “Isn’t that right, Hargrave?”

The scarlet-haired ex-mercenary sitting on a chair didn’t respond, flipping a page of his book over. Annaliese poked him. “Hey, Hargrave! I wasn’t cheating, was I?”

“Hm?” He blinked and looked down. “Sorry, did you need me for something? I haven’t been paying attention for the last hour…”

Annaliese scowled as the two boys snickered. She turned back and crossed her arms with a huff. “Anyway, I didn’t cheat. You’re just sore I won four of the last five rounds.”

“I don’t know, I feel like Raegan’s got a point,” Scytale said, trying to stack his cards to make a house. “I mean, I taught you both this game today, so it’s pretty unlikely for you to win so often without an element of magical hocus pocus floating around.”

“Yeah, what he said. You used too much…” Raegan paused and gestured vaguely with his hands. “Hocus pocus or whatever.”

Scytale crossed his arms and nodded sagely. “Yes. Annaliese, if you keep this up, I’m not sure how we can ever play card games together again. I mean, if you’re just going to keep cheating every time…”

Raegan clicked his tongue. “I don’t want a cheat for a sister.”

“I said I’m not a cheat!” she replied, looking hurt. “And why would it matter if I cheated, because both of you…” She hesitated as a thought struck her, and then her eyes widened. She angrily slammed her hands down on the floor. “You’re both immune to my abilities! I can’t even cheat anyway! You’re both just trying to make me believe I’m in the wrong!”

The two boys looked away and pretended to be distracted as she got angrier. When it got to the stage that Raegan had to plug his ears with his fingers to block the noise, Scytale waved at her to get her attention.

“Okay, okay, yes, I’m sorry about the cheat thing,” he sighed, sitting up straight. “We were both kidding.” Then he narrowed his eyes and raised a finger. “But I will not kid about discussing our points.”

Annaliese hesitated. “Points?”

Scytale nodded firmly. “Yes. This game involves points. I’ve been keeping a tally, and now have the final results.”

She narrowed her eyes at him with suspicion. “I think you’re lying again.”

“What? Of course not.” He turned to Raegan. “You’ve heard me mention the points system before, haven’t you Raegan? This time it’s real, definitely.”

“Oh…” The dark-haired boy looked over his shoulder, from where he had been trying to stack leftover snack biscuits on Sedric’s forehead, who was in fact asleep on the couch behind them. “Uh, yeah, sure. Points system. I remember that.”

“See?” Scytale turned back to Annaliese. “The points system works based on a bunch of things, and the goal is to get the most. You earn points for tons of stuff, such as being the quickest, being the loudest, being the most handsome-”

“Wait, why would being handsome-”

“-and so on and so on.” Scytale spread his arms grandly. “So, I will now reveal our final scores! In third place, with negative fifty points, is Annaliese-”

“What?!”

“I see you’ve been enjoying yourselves.”

The feminine voice made them look over to see Lucille approaching them. She leaned forward to see what game they were playing. Then she gained a strange expression.

Scytale flinched and averted eye-contact as she gave him an accusatory look. “Scytale, you’re scoring a Go Fish game?”

“Hey, I’m being creative and making things more fun!” he tried to justify himself. “And it’s not Go Fish, it’s a new one I came up with myself. It’s called ‘Go Atlantean’.”

Lucy’s expression became weirder, but Raegan cocked an eyebrow. “Hang on, you definitely called this game ‘Go Fish’ when you explained it to us.”

The snake grinned sheepishly. “Oops, my mistake. Let’s pretend it was called ‘Go Atlantean’ from the very start then.”

Lucy rolled her eyes and sat down on the couch.

Annaliese blinked and looked at her. “Lucy, why don’t you join us?”

“I’m much more interested in seeing what this amazing ‘Go Fish’ variant with a scoring system is and how it is played,” Lucille replied dryly. Then she tilted her head as an idea struck her. “Although…”

She slid off the couch and joined their circle. She collected all the cards, shuffled them, and dealt them out. With a smirk, she held up one card. “How about I teach you another game? It’s one of my favourites.”

She passed them their piles and gained an evil grin. “It’s called ‘Mao’.”