Leo wasn't enthusiastic about his first time on a steam train until Roulettenburg's iconic aurora turned the night sky pink.

In fact, since he was near the back end of the train, it had been a very uncomfortable experience up until then, with faulty heating, rude company, and out of service bathrooms all throughout his two-week journey. Everyone in his village was envious of him, even though Leo couldn't understand why. Yes, not many commoners got to legally travel out of the empire, but they weren’t the ones who had to slog through four different countries, instead of using a shorter direct route, just because their patron felt like saving a minuscule amount of money.

It should be noted that, despite his foul mood, Leo wasn't actually bothered by the unpleasant conditions he had endured, or the unnecessary waste of his time, or even the inconvenience of his sudden departure from home. What really got to him was the loneliness of this excursion. The fact that he wasn't able to share these memories with the one person he wanted at his side, all because a fickle, cheap bastard decided it was better for Leo to travel alone. Still, as soon as the locomotive exited the tunnel and swerved near the edge of a snowy crag, Leo completely forgot about his misery, noticing an unusual event outside his window.

With an intensity far beyond what the young man expected, the firmament grew increasingly bright and magenta, dyeing the interior of his wooden coach with a soft pale-red hue. Leo stood up and adjusted his glasses, gaping at the sight. The stars themselves were slowly obscured, swallowed by the radiance of the city. Further ahead stood a metallic bridge with an arch-shaped superstructure, spanning a large chasm below. Its design was marvelous, decorated with carvings of six-sided dice along the arch and held together by a web of cables on both sides of the track. The city resided behind the mountain range on the other side of the bridge, so it would take some more time before it could be seen from the train. Regardless of this, the fact that Roulettenburg's glow was noticeable from this distance left Leo stunned. Even the frozen peaks around them were transformed by this light, fooling the eyes into seeing the mountains as if they were made out of cotton candy or cherry blossoms, a landscape straight out of a fairy tale.

Leo sat back down on his cushioned seat, frozen in disbelief. It seemed the scale and majesty of the famed 'Gambler’s Moon' wasn’t exaggerated in any of the stories. If anything, it was downplayed immensely.

Across from Leo sat an old, bearded man, who gave him a knowing smile. It was Theodore Astley, a gentleman that wore a gray suit, a matching top hat, and a brown vest with a purple bow tie. Leo had only met him on the last train station they stopped at, but found him to be a pleasant companion after being forced to share a compartment with him for eight hours. Though he and Mister Astley had exchanged a few words, mostly about current international news, Theodore was amicable and polite whenever he spoke, like a highly educated and well-traveled individual. Quite unlike almost every other person Leo had encountered so far.

“Cherish this moment” Mister Astley said, with his deep, gravelly voice. “There are few sights in this world as breathtaking as Roulettenburg at night, and experiencing it for the first time…” He trailed off for a second, tightening his face with brief melancholy. “Well, young man, let’s just say it is a memory you will treasure for the rest of your life.” He smirked. “You can bet on it.”

Leo nodded, still entranced by the view. “So this isn’t your first time here?”

“I’ve been in and out of Roulettenburg all my life, but I’m returning now for the first time in twenty years.”

Leo turned his head. “Really?”

“Do I look like a liar?”

“N-no. I apologize, sir. I’m just surprised, is all.”

“Oh? And why is that?”

“Well, you know…”

“Yes…?”

“I just assumed you weren’t…” Leo swallowed. “...rich.”

Mister Astley frowned.

The young man shrunk in his seat.

A heavy silence lingered in the air until Theodore smiled and broke into a long fit of laughter. Leo wrinkled his nose, perplexed. What was so funny about that? Mister Astley let out a satisfied sigh, wiped a tear off his eye, and said:

“Fair enough, fair enough. I suppose I can’t blame you for that. I’m curious, though. What made you think this?”

“I mean, you wouldn’t be in this cart if you were nobility, right? You’d be in your own private quarters, mingling with all the other rich folk in the front of the train.”

“Maybe I just hate that type of company. The wealthy tend to act blasé around each other when they’re sober, always putting up appearances and playing it safe. They’re no fun like that.”

“That’s true, but you still don’t act like a noble.”

Mister Astley arched an eyebrow. “Meaning?”

“Your attitude, sir. You dress like an aristocrat, and you certainly have the poise and vocabulary of one, but you also have the one thing they never have. You possess self-awareness, Mister Astley. A noble-born man has never addressed me as an equal before. It’s like they come from a separate, higher plane of existence than mine, unable to comprehend a commoner’s frame of reference. I never felt that way around you in this entire trip.”

Mister Astley seemed thoughtful for a moment, stroking his beard. “I take it you’ve been around a lot of nobility before?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“I see.” Mister Astley nodded to himself. “A young man heads to Roulettenburg for the first time after saving enough money to buy an entrance crest, full of ambition and the hope that he will become, overnight, as rich as those he resents. It’s a story as old as the city itself. Heck, I lived it myself.”

Leo chuckled. “I’m afraid you're mistaken, I have no intention of becoming rich. I’m just heading to Roulettenburg because my patrons are paying for it.”

Mister Astley narrowed his eyes. “Patrons?”

“I’m a private tutor for a family. They’re going to live in the city for the time being.”

“Ah, that makes more sense.” Mister Astley relaxed. “For a moment there, I thought we were competing.”

“Beg your pardon?”

“Professional gambling. When you mentioned patrons, I thought you meant you were going to gamble someone else’s money for them during the festival.”

“Oh heavens no; I don’t gamble.”

“Don’t gamble?” Mister Astley leaned forward, concerned. “Leo, you do know where we are headed, right?”

“I think so? My temper just isn’t suitable for gambling. I uhh… My emotions run wild whenever anything is on the line and it ruins the enjoyment for me.”

Mister Astley blinked a few times, processing what he heard. “Are you mad? You can’t go to Roulettenburg if you don’t gamble!”

“But there’s no crime in Roulettenburg. I shouldn’t be in any danger, right? The crests ensure that.”

Mister Astley shook his head. “When all conflict is solved through betting, knowing how to gamble is key to your survival. It’s basic self-defense. More to the point, you hear all the time about how there’s no crime in Roulettenburg, and it’s true, to a certain extent, but criminals don’t just vanish as soon as they enter the city. You can still be dishonest, browbeat, and take advantage of the naive. The crests just prevent theft and physical violence, nothing more. Crime isn’t non-existent, it’s just more creative in Roulettenburg. Tell me, what will you do if you’re challenged to a game?”

“I’ll refuse. I have three chances, don’t I?”

“And what if you’ve already used up two of your chances? Are your patrons so generous that they’ll buy you another crest? Do you think they would tolerate that expense?”

Leo looked away. “They wouldn’t.”

“Exactly. It’d be cheaper to just hire another tutor. Hopefully, a wiser one.”

“Then, if I’m ever in that situation, I’ll just play. It’s not like I have much to lose.”

Mister Astley widened his eyes. “No Leo, that’s an even more dangerous attitude. It’s how people end up as indentured slaves! I saw it all the time back in the day. A person liberally uses up their first two refusal chances and finds themself targeted by a shark. The shark then makes an outrageous bet that no one in their right mind would take, except for the desperate person that can’t afford to leave the city anymore. And guess what? The desperate person usually loses because people under pressure tend to make poor decisions. It’s serious business!” He sighed and fixed his bowtie. “I’m… I’m sorry if I’m being brusque, Leo, but I’m afraid I must insist on this. I can’t let you go without at least teaching you the basics. My conscience won’t allow it.”

Leo furrowed his brow. “Basics? It’s gambling. Doesn’t it all boil down to luck?”

Mister Astley slumped forward, disappointed. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” He stood up, grabbed his briefcase out of the luggage compartment, and stuffed his hand in one of its side pockets. “It’s not about being randomly lucky, it’s about optimal decision-making, choosing the play with the highest probability of success and limiting your opponent’s actions.” He pulled out a thin deck of cards and sat down. “Of course, your adversary will be doing the same, which is where the beauty comes from. While it’s true you might run hot once in a hundred nights due to good fortune, the rest of the time, you’re outwitting your opponent.” He started shuffling the cards. “You’ll find this to be true in even the most simple of games. Are you familiar with ‘Cat, Mouse, and Dog’?”

Leo nodded.

“Good” said Mister Astley. “We’ll be playing it for your lesson. Now what’s your bet?”

“Come again?”

“Your wager, Leo. I can’t teach you about gambling if you’re not risking anything.”

Leo frowned. “Why can’t we just play for fun?”

“You seem to misunderstand. Playing without stakes is a completely different endeavor from gambling. You wouldn’t understand the lesson otherwise.”

“I haven’t even agreed to this lesson!”

Mister Astley raised his eyebrows, playfully offended. “I didn’t realize my help wasn’t appreciated.”

“That’s not what-”

“I know, I know, I was merely joking. You’re free to refuse, of course. Cowardly, but understandable.”

“Fine” said Leo. “Twenty imperial aegis. Nothing more.”

Mister Astley scoffed. “That’s barely enough for a decent meal. Surely you aren’t traveling with so little money, right?”

“Of course not, but I can’t afford to lose more.”

“And that’s precisely why it’s not sufficient.”

“But you’re a professional, are you not? Isn’t it likely that you’re going to win?”

“Yes, very.”

“Then why would I willingly take a bet I’m probably going to lose?”

“For a simple reason, Leo. Ask yourself, do you honestly believe the risk of losing a few bills outweighs the benefits of my potentially life-changing lesson?”

Leo uncomfortably shifted his weight. He only had eighty aegis to his name and he wouldn’t receive his next tutoring stipend until the end of the week. Sure, his patrons were going to cover his dinner expenses for as long as they stayed in Roulettenburg, but that still left him responsible for acquiring his own breakfast and lunch. If he didn’t manage his money carefully, he would have to skip a few meals. Leo bit his upper lip. Then again, he could always ask for an advance if he lost this game. It wasn’t an unreasonable request.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Yeah… no. On second thought, that was a terrible idea. The General was always caught up in some financial trouble or other no matter the occasion. He would never approve an advance.

This was shaping up to be a bad deal, and yet… Leo hesitated to refuse. Mister Astley was right. Leo didn’t know the first thing about gambling and it could easily cost him dearly if he wasn’t careful. Also, even if Mister Astley’s knowledge wasn't useful, this could be a good opportunity to acquire some extra spending money. Roulettenburg wasn’t only about gambling and streaming. It was a city with half a millennia of history behind it, with legendary art exhibitions, famous hot springs, and the greatest marketplace in the continent, a gigantic bazaar where everything, even the rarest of books or wines, was sold to the highest bidder, no matter their lineage.

All of these activities required money, which Leo couldn’t afford to waste because of his tight budget. If, however, he had a few more aegis in his pocket, he might actually get to enjoy this trip, instead of being locked away wherever his patrons are staying.

“Sixty aegis” said Leo. “That’s what I charge for a single tutoring session. Since this is supposed to be a lesson, I think this amount is fair.”

“How... fair. I love it!” He narrowed his eyes. “We need a table, though.” He stood up, pulled out his luggage, and stacked his briefcase on top of it, turning it into a surprisingly sturdy structure despite the constant movement of the train. “That ought to do it. Shall we begin?”

As soon as Mister Astley dealt the first hand, Leo hunched over his cards and began to contemplate his first move. He’d never really thought that deeply about Cat, Mouse, and Dog before this moment. It was a relatively simple game that only required nine cards to play, three of every animal in the name. Cat cards beat mouse cards, mice beat dogs, and dogs beat cats. After shuffling the deck, each player was dealt a three card hand and had to pick one of them to clash with the opponent. When the outcome of the first clash is determined, the two played cards are discarded and both players draw a card from the remaining deck. The players then keep clashing until their hands are empty, leaving only one card left in the deck. In the case of a tie, neither player receives a round win. The first player to win three clashes wins the game. If the players run out of cards, all the discarded cards are shuffled, along with the one unused card, to create a new deck and a three card hand is again dealt to both players. This process is repeated indefinitely until a victor emerges, but, most of the time, games were over after one or two cycles.

Leo pursed his lips. Two mice and a cat. A normal hand. Should he play the cat and save the pair of mice for later? Did it even matter? It was the first clash, the moment where the players have as little information as possible about each other. The result would be random no matter which card he chose.

Was Mister Astley thinking hard about this too? Leo looked at his opponent. Mister Astley played a card facedown and leaned back on his seat, almost scowling but not quite. The old gentleman’s body language was now overtly defensive. His muscles were stiff, his legs were crossed, and his warm, friendly resting face had transformed into a hardened, calculating glare.

Leo jerked his head back at his cards to avoid staring. That sudden change in demeanor made him feel weird, and the fact that Mister Astley had made a quick choice only exacerbated this emotion.

“It’s bad manners to waste your opponent’s time, Leo.”

“S-sorry.”

A mouse. Leo had to play a mouse. Out of all the card types, dog was the most likely to be in Mister Astley's hand. If Leo played a cat, he’d be asking to lose or tie, with only a one in six chance of actually succeeding. He took a deep breath and placed a mouse card facedown. It was the play with the best odds.

Mister Astley tilted his head, silently asking if Leo had made his choice.

Leo nodded.

Both players then grabbed their chosen card and flipped them on the makeshift table. In that very moment, the train entered the bridge, causing the outer light to rapidly flicker as it shone through the beams that composed its walls. Leo squinted. Mister Astley had played a dog.

Leo loosened his shoulders when he realized he won the clash, then clenched his jaw, suppressing a gasp.

There was a complete stranger in front of him, like a malevolent spirit had possessed Mister Astley with terrifying speed. The shadows on his wrinkled face varied wildly in harshness due to the shifting light, his presence growing more alien and hostile despite his unyielding silence. Leo drew his card to move things along. Another cat. He couldn’t make eye contact with Mister Astley anymore. For some strange reason, the mere thought of it quickened his pulse. Leo started twirling a long strand of hair around his index finger, mouthing gibberish to himself without actually speaking. This time there was a fifty percent chance of Mister Astley playing a dog, but that didn’t take into account this wasn’t a random choice anymore. It all boiled down to whether or not Mister Astley was the type of person who would dare play the same card twice in a row, be it out of habit or as a challenge to Leo’s character.

Leo gripped his cards tighter. There was also another problem. If he played his last mouse, he’d be locked into playing cat on the next two clashes. If Mister Astley saved the last two dogs and played either the remaining cat or mouse, the game could be over before they reshuffled the deck, or end up two to one in the old gambler’s favor.

Mister Astley cleared his throat.

Leo flinched. Mister Astley had already played a card. When did he do that? His irritation was palpable. Leo grit his teeth. If Mister Astley wanted a quick game, then he shouldn’t have forced Leo to stake so much.

Why hadn’t Mister Astley taught him anything yet? Was he offended by his earlier comment? Unlikely. The more Leo thought about it, the less he doubted it was all part of the lesson. Mister Astley did say people under pressure made bad decisions.

An intrusive aura of malice saturated the room with its crushing weight, seeping outwards from Mister Astley and crawling all over Leo’s skin. This is exactly what Leo hated the most about gambling. The anxiety it awoke in him was crippling, painful even. It made him feel like a child again, hoping for some higher power, like fate or an authority figure, to suddenly interject and protect him from harm.

It was too late for regrets now. It wasn’t just his money at stake; his honor was on the line too. He wasn’t going to starve this week. Never again. The young man was almost convinced that Mister Astley would play dog. It’d be the easiest way to mess with Leo’s head.

Leo played his last mouse, feigning confidence.

They flipped the cards as the train sped out of the bridge.

Mister Astley lost again.

Leo smiled, swelling with pride. “So far, my opinion remains unchanged, Mister Astley. I’ve been guessing this whole time... Is this really the extent of a professional gambler’s skill?”

This was Leo’s opportunity! If Mister Astley wanted to play mind games then so be it, Leo would wasn’t above that either. In other circumstances he’d be horrified at how blunt he was being, but formality and politeness needed to be thrown away for the sake of winning this mental duel.

“I agree.” Mister Astley sighed. “I suppose it is time I started playing seriously.”

“Please, I won’t fall for tha-”

The temperature fell drastically.

Leo shivered, confused. That… had to be a coincidence, right?

Mister Astley cracked his neck and stretched his back while casually saying:

“I have a cat and a dog left. Shuffle and deal for me, will ya’?”

“What?”

“You have two cats, don’t you? It’s not like you have any choices left.”

Leo widened his eyes. “How…”

“Don’t feel bad ol’ sport. You reacted admirably to my pressure.”

“Don’t… don’t patronize me!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“I said stop it!”

“Stop what?”

“It’s obvious you’re cheating, don’t play coy with me.”

Mister Astley cackled. “Am I now? That’s quite the claim.”

“Then what other explanation is there?”

The old gambler grinned and his eyes shimmered yellow. Leo shook his head. Mister Astley’s eyes were normal. Did they really glow? No. Impossible. It was obviously a trick caused by the weird lighting.

“Normally, the burden of proof lies on the accuser.”

“In a court of law! I will not sit here and be swindled like a fool when you could be tricking me in a million different ways.”

“How so?”

“Well, for example, the cards could be marked.”

“You’re free to inspect them as much as you want.”

“That’s not the point! They could be marked in such a subtle way that only you would be able to identify them. Or… or you could’ve used sleight of hand to stack the deck! There are too many methods available at your disposal and I’m not afraid to admit I’m too inexperienced to know any better.”

“Fine, fine. If you believe the integrity of this lesson has been compromised then let’s cancel the bet and stop playing.”

“Just like that?”

Mister Astley nodded. “Simple as that.” He stood up to gather his cards. “Won’t deny I’m saddened by this outcome, though. I suppose we both ended up unimpressed by each other.”

Leo grabbed his wrist. “I didn’t say I want to quit.”

“You don’t?”

Leo paused. What was he saying? This was his way out. He knew from the start that taking this bet was a mistake. Why would he put himself through more of this torture? Still, when he tried to let go of Mister Astley’s wrist, an unfamiliar, almost primordial instinct urged him to reconsider the current game state.

The cards weren’t marked. Or, to be more precise, the probability of this being the case was incredibly low. Why would Mister Astley play his cards before Leo if he could just wait until he knew which card he had to beat? As for stacking the deck, while it could certainly give Mister Astley an advantage, it wasn’t relevant anymore now that it was Leo’s turn to shuffle the deck. It’d be foolish to throw away this opportunity. Especially since Leo was in the lead. He couldn’t believe he almost forgot that detail. Was that Mister Astley’s plan? To slowly manipulate Leo into ignoring the fact that he was actually winning just to get out of this bet? It didn’t matter. All Leo had to do was avoid losing twice. One more lucky guess and he’d be the victor.

Leo released Mister Astley from his grip, saying:

“I… apologize for challenging your character. I’d like to continue the game, if that’s alright with you.”

“Very well, then.” Mister Astley sat down, straightening his sleeve. “Let us continue.” He glared. “I will warn you though, I won’t tolerate any complaining after the game is concluded. If you’re not willing to part with your money gracefully, I’d rather not play at all.”

“Y-yes, I understand.”

Leo shuffled the deck in silence, allowing the whirr of the train to fill the void, and, after dealing the cards, looked at his hand. A mouse and two dogs. Only two options with this hand, but that didn’t stop Leo from ruminating. Two mice, three cats, and one dog remained unseen. Playing mouse seemed like a terrible decision since it meant a five in six chance of tying or losing. Dog was definitely the obvious pick but, before Leo could play one of them, another foreboding chill stopped him from committing to it.

Mister Astley was… open and relaxed, sporting the polite, innocent smile Leo was accustomed to during the trip. Somehow, this smile was even more intimidating than when the gentleman was simply serious. Much like the warface of a hardened veteran or a predator about to lunge at its prey, it was a well-honed, practiced expression that only got more unnerving the longer it lasted.

Leo breathed into his hands to warm them.

Mister Astley gently set his card on the briefcase. He wasn’t rushing Leo anymore. In fact, he seemed more than content waiting for the young man to make up his mind. Another blatant mind game. Leo didn’t doubt it for a second… so why was he letting it interfere with his train of thought?

Maybe playing mouse wasn’t such a bad idea. Given that he already had two of the three dogs, it was the most useless card in his hand.

Mister Astley chuckled under his breath. “Since you’re so keen on gambling being all about luck, why don’t we come to an agreement on the matter by putting it to the test?”

Leo did his best to ignore Mister Astley. Whatever he had to say right now was at best a distraction. Two dogs and a mouse. In a way, it was the same kind of hand Leo had at the beginning of the game.

“The problem is,” continued Miser Astley, “if I were to correctly predict the outcome of this clash, you would immediately assume I’m cheating somehow, right?”

“I suppose so, yes.”

Leo had played one of two mice over a cat last time he was faced with this decision. What was stopping him from playing the same way he did before?

“That’s why I’m making my prediction *before* you make your choice, Leo. That way, the more you mull it over, the less you will argue when this clash ends in a tie.”

Leo blinked. Did Mister Astley really just do that? No, it was just a trick! He had nothing to lose and everything to gain by making a bold claim like that. Why would he knowingly tie when he could just win?

Leo played his mouse facedown.

“We’ll flip them on go” said Mister Astley. “Ready?”

“Yes.”

“Go!”

It was a tie.

Leo’s face fell. He couldn’t think of a single way Mister Astley could’ve pulled it off, other than sheer luck. Was that really his whole point? It was absurd! Completely…

“Insane?” said Mister Astley, with bone-chilling glee.

Leo jumped to his feet. "Get out of my head you... you monster!”

Mister Astley smiled. “I’ll have you know I’m a demon, not a monster.”

“I don’t see the bloody difference!”

“A monster is a savage beast that stops when its hunger is satiated. A demon is a calculating force of nature that doesn’t relent until it owns your soul.” Mister Astley drew his card and motioned Leo to do so as well. “May we please finish the game already? We’re almost at the city.”

Were they? The game had demanded all of Leo’s attention. He hadn’t noticed that the sky was even brighter now, with a reddish-purple aurora that pulsed and shifted away from the city’s general direction. Leo snapped out of his brief stun, grasping at the deck but failing to draw a card. His hands were shaking too much. At first he thought it was just the cold, but then it dawned on him it was a symptom of something far more dangerous.

“Leo, if you don’t draw your card soon, I’ll take it as a signal that you’re giving up.”

Leo needed to compose himself. Fear was the ultimate mind-killer. The second he allowed it to take over, the game would be lost. Leo brushed his hair backwards, sat down, and relaxed his stiff neck. Finally, he drew his card, a cat.

The unknown cards were one mouse, two cats, and one dog.

“I’ll spare you the time thinking about it, you’re not going to win this clash either, no matter what you pick. I guarantee it, one-hundred percent.”

If Leo played dog, he had a seventy-five percent chance of either winning or tying. There wasn’t really a choice here, even if his gut told him to do the unexpected play and choose cat.

Mister Astley slammed his card on the briefcase. Leo decided to play a dog, closing his eyes before setting his card. He then pried open one of his eyelids, only to see Mister Astley had played another mouse.

Leo stared vacantly at the cards with sudden lightheadedness.

The game was tied now. Leo had to focus on not losing here. He was so close! He had to focus!

Would he be able to function this week? He would be hungry all day, from dawn till dusk. And what if he fainted during one of his tutoring sessions? The general wouldn’t tolerate it. He’d just call Leo a feeble academic again and go into another embellished story of his escapades during the war. Could this stupid bet ultimately cost him his job? Of course it could! The general would have no qualms over firing Leo if he couldn’t fulfill his duties, not even if Renae tried her best to dissuade him. Leo would have to go back to his village a failure. Face his parents and tell them he gambled away the only job he was competent at. All that studying and hard work, wasted in the flip of a card.

Leo dizzied himself even more after a series of quick, shallow breaths.

There wasn’t anything he could do. Unless…

Leo glanced at the door. It’s not like he and Mister Astley had a legally-binding agreement. Leo pursed his lips. No, it wasn’t the chivalrous thing to do. This loss was just what Leo needed to reaffirm why he should avoid gambling as much as possible.

The train picked up speed when they reached an incline. They were finally descending the mountain range.

Cat or dog. It all boiled down to that choice. Two cats and a dog unknown. Did it even matter anymore? If Mister Astley had two cats, the game would already be over. That meant he had the same hand as Leo. Unless Mister Astley decided to throw away the game, he would most definitely play dog too, which would force two ties and a third cycle to start. Leo wasn’t going to survive another cycle. It was clear by now Mister Astley had complete control of the situation.

The horizon opened up as the train swayed right.

Leo was on the verge of playing cat, just to stop this twisted game from continuing any further.

And then Roulettenburg became visible.

Nestled between the base of several mountains and the vast plains of Reveillark were more than a hundred-thousand buildings, some huge with colorful spirals for roofs and full to the brim with people, all protected by a dome of hardened, yet translucent, purple light that enveloped the entire city. The legendary Veil of Fortuna, an impenetrable energy barrier said to be created by Lady Luck herself at the founding of Roulettenburg. At its zenith, in the very heart of the city, hovered the Gambler’s Moon, a colossal pink gemstone responsible for powering the veil and enforcing the laws of this place.

Despite preparing himself for it, Leo was still overwhelmed by the scale of it all. An imperfect, coarse sphere that never moved or stopped glowing, looming over a city divided by seven rivers. These rivers emanated from different mountains and never merged with each other, but made the surrounding farmland an extremely fertile ground, home to a diverse set of flora and fauna that could only exist under this moon’s light. One flower variation in particular thrived extremely well in this environment because of a special type of chlorophyll that glowed neon bright at night. Eventually, it became a dominant trait in the population, which created a giant rainbow-colored field of neo-flowers that surrounded the non-mountainous side of the city, going on for miles until the moonlight didn’t reach.

Leo had grown up thinking he’d never see a place as historic and sublime as Roulettenburg, let alone that he would live in it for a while. Ironically enough, it hadn't become apparent until that moment just how lucky he was to be able to enjoy this experience. A true meritocracy, where only those who swear an oath to the Gambler’s Moon can walk through the veil and are forced to play by its seven rules for as long as they’re in the city.

As the train descended the mountainside more and more, the temperature rose in the carriage. Why did Leo assume he had already lost? He removed his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and rolled up his sleeves. The game was his for the taking.

Leo played dog facedown.

Mister Astley played his card, revealing a tie. “You finally get it, don’t you?”

“Yes, I… think I do.” Leo showed his cat. “It wasn’t a malevolent or condescending smile. Your strength comes from your genuine enjoyment.”

“Quite perceptive of you, yes.” Mister Astley did a small bow, tipping his hat and setting it aside. “Though I’ll admit I’m guilty of making you think otherwise.”

Leo giggled. “I’d be disappointed if you weren’t. It’s your profession after all. I also understand why people gamble now. The anticipation, the pressure, the power dynamic...”

Mister Astley started shuffling the deck. “Fun, isn’t it?”

“It sure isn’t boring! I’ll give you that much.”

Mister Astley finished dealing the cards and Leo glanced at his hand. As long as there was a chance of victory, Leo would do everything in his power to maximize his odds. Like before, Mister Astley set his card first, but the young man already knew what he was going to play. Leo’s heart pounded with excitement. What would he find in this city? Legends often spoke of great men who entered Roulettenburg at their lowest and left it with more power than anyone could imagine. Not just with immense amounts money, but with enough knowledge and wisdom to bring an entire kingdom to its knees. There were also a lot more stories of people who were consumed by this city while chasing their dreams, left a wandering husk of what they used to be after losing everything they cherished. Was there anything in this world worth that risk?

Of course there was!

Back in the Catherinian Empire, he was a lowly commoner who couldn’t even have ambitions other than those permitted by the imperial court. His life wasn’t his own, his body and soul belonged to the empire and church, respectively. Perhaps here, in Roulettenburg, he could aspire to be worth more than he was originally allowed to be. Maybe, just maybe, Leo would be able to do what he thought impossible back home and finally win over the heart of the one he loved the most, without the fear of imprisonment or execution holding him back.

Leo placed a cat face down. He was oddly calm about the whole ordeal. As he flipped his card over, the thing on his mind wasn’t the fear of losing or the prospect of success, only the famous last verse of the Oath of Roulettenburg rung in his head.

May the best players always find shelter under the veil of luck, and may fortune favor equally both sinner and saint.