Published at 31st of December 2025 8:25 am

Chapter 125: Of Wolves and Sheep 2: Enter the foxtrot softly

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

I hire a public carriage to take me to the Viscounts house, arriving midafternoon. Another of her guests has just arrived a willowy woman in her forties with long flowing hair who looks at my not arriving in my own vehicle in mild, quickly concealed disdain. Shes clearly enhanced from how fleeting the emotion was, but not a worrying level unless, of course, showing me her lack of control is itself a bluff to get me to let down my guard. If theres one thing I took away from yesterdays lessons, its that the game outside the game is just as important.

Marcus has astounded me by already finding a place for me to purchase, though it is on the upper end of my price range at two large gold and thirteen medium. Ill go over tomorrow and check it out, making the purchase at the same time, assuming I approve and still have the coin. Presently, I have three large gold and two medium (plus an assortment of lesser coins), so really, I just have to not lose anything

I should probably give myself a hard limit to not reduce myself past about two large and twelve medium, which would leave me enough to sell a few herbs to make up the difference. But then again, Ill probably lose that much just in the opening hands, and itd be silly to leave so soon. Besides, itll be more exciting this way.

Our host is standing near the entrance, greeting the previously arrived guest. I wait only a moment though before she sends the guest to the playing room with a servant and turns her attention to me.

Ah! Malichi Monhal! I must say I was delighted when Greg suggested extending his invitation to his new patron. She speaks with a precise, open-armed welcoming gesture. Shes clearly more enhanced than the last time we met. Perhaps she only takes greater contracts for higher stakes games to catch people off guard. Shes all smiles too, which is again much different than my previous encounter, though I suppose that is just because shes playing host. I catch a flash of worry as she regards me, but it is quickly controlled.

As was I, Viscount. I make a short, polite bow and try not to let it show that I noticed her improvement.

Please, she counters, call me Tabi All my guests do.

Very well Tabi. Im pleased to be here.

Well well see how long that lasts. But you must tell me. Is that the dagger I see on your hip? The one the empress gifted you?

It is indeed. It has an effect that I was advised to keep on me.

Ah, well, so long as it doesnt help you win at cards.

I chuckle at her joke. Not as far as Im aware. Though Im still discovering its nuances.

Well, Im certain that whatever they are, a gift from her majesty is certain to be delightful. Now, were still waiting for another. So, if you would please, follow my servant to the gaming room and introduce yourself to the others.

The Viscounts manor is even more expensive and elaborate than Allans. Marbled columns holding up vaulted ceilings with elaborate murals depicting hunts of various kinds in woodland settings. After a few twisting hallways, the servant deposits me into a darkened parlour room lit only by a window facing the wrong direction to get sunlight at this time.

What is with gamblers and darkened rooms? I passed several better lit ones on the way, which would have served just as well. At least this lot seems to have better night vision, so I guess it doesnt really matter. I suppose Im a bit more comfortable this way too, though I am tempted to cast a light orb just to see what theyll say.

There are three others in the room (not including servants), including the woman I saw enter before me. There is, of course, a large circular table at the centre, and small side tables against the walls with refreshments. The earlier woman and another, much younger one are sitting at the table while a tall man in his early twenties with curly hair and well developed muscles in a medium build is pouring wine into glasses for all three of them. He glances at me, but finishes pouring then brings them back by adroitly stacking them on each other and balancing them on the palm of one hand. The younger woman smiles at his display of skill while the older one scowls.

What was the point of that? All it did was reveal a minimum level of enhancement. Why give more information than is necessary? Is it supposed to be a bluff? Perhaps hes actually far more enhanced than would be required for such a feat, and so he performed it to make us think that it was his limit?

After the display, I make my introduction and receive theirs. They are, of course, instantly intrigued when they hear my name.

And is that the dagger itself? the older woman count something asks, greed obvious in her eyes.

Yes, I of course wouldnt scorn her majestys gift by leaving it in a box somewhere.

And what does it do? The younger woman a barons daughter in her mid-twenties, mid build and height with mid length hair in an elaborate braid asks.

I chuckle at the opportunity to give the line. It cuts things.

She rolls her eyes, but she, and the others, takes the comment in good spirit. May I see it?

I shake my head. It has very potent magic on it, so I dont want to draw it trivially. Though its not much to look at, as the symbols are all on the inside of the blade.

Interesting, the man a viscounts son (not Monroes) says. Wouldnt that weaken the blade more than external engraving?

I shrug. Perhaps. But the technique was necessary for the particular enchantments to work.

Fascinating, the count says, I dont suppose you intend to put it up as a wager?

A shiver goes up my spine as she locks eyes. Shell target me if I give even the slightest hint that I might risk it. I cannot afford to play coy, so I level an icy glare. I would not risk the blade even if I had lost all my coin and stood to gain all the gold in this mansion.

Teh pity, She says, and looks away in disappointment.

A moment later, the Viscount arrives with the last player Marquis such and such, a willowy old man with long grey hair tied into a tail and a neat beard. His clothes are the least expensive out of all of ours, lacking the enchantments now in style, but when we sit down a moment later, he reveals the largest pile of coin at the table save for Tabis. (No, I dont think I like that. Too cordial and something. Ill be calling her Monroe, if only in my head.)

I, naturally, start out with the smallest pile of coin with only about three large gold (split up into smaller coins). The others start out with the following number of large golds: The barons daughter 4, the viscounts son 5, the count 7 and the marquis 10. Monroe starts out with 13, but she also has a small tray table of half medium gold coins that the other players can exchange their coins for.

Viscount Monroe starts off with an open-armed gesture. Well then, Im pleased that you all chose to accept my invitation. Youre all known as talented players, and I hope we can enjoy ourselves and not take the game too seriously.

Murmurs all around agreeing with the sentiment. Everyone is lying, especially Monroe. This game will be tooth and nail by the time its done, and at least one of us will be financially ruined by it.

Sitting down at the table, I find myself opposite to Monroe, with the son of a viscount to my right, and the count to his. To my left is the barrons daughter, and to her left is the marquis. There is a servant in each of the four corners, each ready to bring us refreshment at a gesture further baffling me as to why the youth decided to grab them himself. It must be some sort of bluff.

Well, if it is one, it doesnt become apparent anytime soon. Im certain he must be at least a page, maybe a squire, but it really does seem that his total enhancement isnt drastcally above what he displayed. He wins one of the first five rounds, but I learned to tell when hes bluffing after the second.

The other winners of the five rounds are Monroe, the Marquis, and the Count the latter winning two hands. I havent won anything yet, but Ive managed to avoid going too hard after anything, and so still have most of my coin. Still, my stack is already lighter than the house I want. I could stop here and try to find more herb buyers to make up the deficit, but thatd be silly. Besides, now when its starts getting exciting.

I glance around the table and try to consolidate my reads on all of them their ability and strategy. Monroe is inscrutable, but her strategy is not. She folds quickly each hand, but then suddenly raises a sizable amount. Nobody wants to go up against her so quickly, so we all folded. It wasnt a major gain, but it was enough to put her ahead of where she started. I imagine that she will steadily accrue a tidy sum this way. Of course, eventually people will oppose her, but by then shell have amassed a significant advantage.

Still, I dont think I need to worry about her, as she wont try to knock anyone out of the game outright, so as to not seem a bad host.

Besides Monroe, the count is the hardest to read, and has the most aggressive strategy moving quickly in the opening hands to make gains while everyone is still figuring the others out and targeting the players with smaller piles of coin. Shes heavily enhanced like they all are, but I dont think shes on the knights path like the viscounts son seems to be. At the very least, Ive been able to predict if she was bluffing on the hands she won. Given her aggression, though, Ill try to hide this knowledge until I can lure her into a large bet, and just weather her until then.

The viscounts son, in contrast, is clearly one of the intended sheep. Hes decent enough at the game, with enchantment that nears, or possibly surpasses my own, but he often lets control of his face slip not to mention his other indicators such as breathing, heartrate and scent he doesnt pay enough attention to others and doesnt have a coherent strategy. Moreover, every time he sees a hand to the end, he looks about nervously, in contrast to the count, who looks the most nervous after she has already folded.

The barons daughter is skilled, but conservative, managing to mitigate her losses despite not winning anything yet. But will she continue this way, or is she just biding her time while she gets a feel for the table?

The one who lost the biggest hands though is the Marquis. I think hes a squire, perhaps nearing the edge of knighthood, though of course hes too old to be promoted now. He has a sharp eye and a good ability to steady his face, but he doesnt have much of a strategy. He seems mostly content to take unnecessary risks while letting his superior coin pile soak up his mistakes. Meaning that despite having won a round just through sheer risk taking, hes still below where he started and has even lost more than me somehow.

I think the count is meant to be a wolf and the viscounts son a sheep, but I dont know about the other two. Either one of them might suddenly start playing better once they get a better read. I need to act soon before Im too far behind.

The next hand finds me still in it after Monroe, the count and the barons daughter have all folded. Im certain I have a better hand than the youth, but not so certain about the marquis. If I go for it, the marquis will probably pursue. Which, I guess is probably his strategy making us too scared to challenge him without certainty because he knows his coin pile can take it. I cant let myself get into that pattern.

I look him in the eye. He looks back. I smirk confidently, but let the faintest quiver linger on my cheek. He sees this and smirks back, and I know I have him. He controls himself well, but hes still too eager revealed not by his face, which could have easily been faked, but his heartbeat and his scent. He must have a middling hand that he would have folded with if he didnt think I was bluffing.

So, I raise three whole mediums. The youth keeps in the hand, increasingly desperate for the coin he already put in the pot, while the marquis confidently matches the raise, smirking all the while. The smirk slips though when we reveal and I have the best hand.

Bad luck, I say as I scoop up nearly the largest pot so far, conscious of the appraising looks I get from the other players the counts most of all as taking this puts me well past where I started and all the way up to 4 large gold.

It looks like I found the second sheep. Now just to figure out which one Im supposed to be.

Share