Turning Chapter 908

Chapter 908

'Good. Aton hasn't realized that Gloe already used her abilities.'

It was all for this moment that Yuder had deliberately instigated a heated conversation between him and Lusan, feigning nonchalance and impulsively suggesting a card game.

To use Gloe's power without Aton's knowledge, two conditions were necessary.

Firstly, Reneve, who was suppressing powers throughout the entire underground dungeon, had to withdraw her force in a specific area at the precise moment.

Secondly, at the moment Gloe used her power, Aton had to be distracted enough not to notice.

When an Awakener uses their power, a subtle flow of energy inevitably occurs. In cases where the power is as visible as magic, anyone would quickly realize its use. However, even when it's not as apparent, those sensitive to such energies could detect the changes.

At this point in time, when Awakeners were a recent phenomenon, it would be no exaggeration to say that besides Yuder, no one possessed such acute sensitivity. Plus Reneve and Gloe belonged to the category of those whose power usage couldn't immediately be detected without seeing it with their own eyes.

But the adversary was Aton. He was an Awakener, a priest of the Black Moon, and a swordsman with skills nearly akin to a swordmaster.

Yuder thought that someone with Aton's abilities and senses might detect the slight changes when someone used their power. He especially considered the moment when Reneve withdrew her power to be risky.

‘The dungeon is quiet and confined. In such a place, anyone's senses become more acute than usual.’

Therefore, Yuder had unreservedly used Lusan and himself to confuse Aton's senses and distract him. Anyone who knew Yuder even a little would realize that such an impulsive proposal was not in his nature, but Aton, after all, had no real knowledge of Yuder's personality or character.

‘He'll never know either.’

Had Yuder come alone as he had during the previous interrogation, it would have been ineffective. However, Lusan had successfully discomposed Aton, allowing the plan to progress smoothly.

‘If he had been as faithless as me, it wouldn't have worked at all.’

Yuder briefly appreciated Kishiar's insight for revealing such an effective method of interrogation. By now, Kishiar would be outside, observing everything with a smile. In fact, Kishiar had taken on the role of signaling Reneve to temporarily halt her power in this space at the right moment.

In essence, to deceive Aton, more than five individuals were involved.

‘It's certainly a cumbersome method.’

If Aton could have been easily overthrown by torture or persuasion, there would have been no need for this.

But Yuder knew that a man like him would never waver with violence or sweet words. If Yuder had treated him roughly, Aton would have been pleased, striving for an honorable death.

‘Why would I do such a thing for anyone's sake?’

The chance to capture a high-ranking spy of Aton's caliber intact was uncertain in the future.

Aton and the enemies behind him were incredibly secretive, thorough, and meticulous. Even Yudrain Aile of his previous life had not fully realized until his death that they were involved in all these matters.

If Aton had not dawdled unnecessarily in the south and stubbornly decided not to repay his debt to the Cavalry, capturing him might have been impossible.

Therefore, Yuder wanted to obtain definite answers without any doubt while Aton was still in sound mind and body.

And now, with the optimal environment for Gloe to use her power established, it was time to see if the desired result would materialize.

"I have one leaf. Gloe has two. The priest is three. And you, Aton, make four."

The 'Cloverleaf' game began with cards being distributed according to the number of small patterns drawn on the corners. The cards Yuder received had patterns resembling leaves, each with only one drawn.

"Then, I shall start."

Since the order usually followed the number of leaves, Yuder shuffled his cards first and then picked up a stack from the center. The new card in his hand had three leaves drawn on its corner, a common picture.

'A regular card.'

Three leaves meant it was Lusan's card. In this way, each player drew cards in turn and rotated them according to the rules. The game's aim was to have the most cards with one's own pattern and the highest scoring cards when the last card in the center disappeared.

It was simple, but it required a fair bit of strategy to protect and accumulate one's cards while hindering others.

That is, if one played honestly.

Yuder, keeping a poker face, glanced around while scanning his cards. Gloe was bent over, her long, unruly hair almost covering her face. Lusan, with a face that clearly showed he was almost inexperienced in such games, frantically examined and fiddled with his and the central cards.

And Aton, while glaring at Yuder, was holding his cards properly despite his hands being bound by a knight's restraint. He held them at an angle that prevented others from seeing, clearly experienced in such matters.

'He must think it's dubious yet easy, as winning against just one of us frees him from this interrogation.'

Yuder figured that if he were Aton, he wouldn't consider winning against the others important in this situation. Aton, in his heightened state, would surely aim to strike Yuder at once.

But...

"...With all cards flipped, let's calculate the scores. I have 25 points and am first, the priest has 20 points for second, the Commander’s Assistant has 18 points for third, and you... have 17 points for fourth."

After flipping the last card and quickly calculating the scores, Gloe let out a long breath and laid down her cards. Aton's eyes shook uncontrollably as he saw the four stacks of cards revealed on the table and the final results.

"What is this...?"

"Too bad. You lost by one point."

"..."

Aton clenched his hands bound by the restraint. He glared at the cards in disbelief, then turned his gaze towards Yuder.

"...What trickery is this?"

"Would I have only managed third place if I had resorted to tricks? Why blame others for your own stupidity, Aton?"

Aton's fist trembled again. Yuder, with a cold laugh, nonchalantly shuffled the cards and pushed them toward Aton.

"We still have some time left. Shall we start again from the loser this time?"

"..."

"Isn't it generous of me? Life rarely offers a second chance, yet here I am giving you a second opportunity."

Of course, Yuder Aile himself was an exception to this rule. However, Aton and the others could not possibly know that. Except for the one person observing from the outside.

Yuder closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them. Aton, his eyes conflicted, slowly started shuffling and redistributing the cards. This time, the cards Yuder received were adorned with three leaves.

Soon, the second game ended. Yuder was second, and once again, Aton narrowly finished last.

"Still think it's not a trick?"

"Don't you see the order of the revealed cards? If you hadn't forcibly swapped that card, the second-to-last one you picked, with mine, you would have been first."

"..."

"Well, with such terrible luck, it's no wonder everything you do ends in failure and brought you here."

Aton's fingertips trembled more noticeably than before. Yuder continued with his icy appraisal.

"With such mediocre skills, how did you manage to deceive Duke Tain? Tell me your secret. Or, are the gamblers in the imperial capital even worse than us?"

"...One more time."

"What? Speak up. I can't hear you."

"Isn't it the rule of 'Cloverleaf' to play rounds equal to the number of participants? Then, we haven't finished yet. Let's play another round."

Aton's eyes were strangely red as he spoke, yet he seemed unaware of his own oddity.

Yuder stared intently at the last card in the stack in front of him. It depicted a fairy with notably large lips, sitting on a petal, laughing uproariously.

'Truth.'

Yuder's gaze naturally drifted to Gloe, sitting beside him. She nodded slightly. Droplets of sweat could be seen weaving through her curly, long hair.

Yuder sighed softly, almost as if he hadn't seen Gloe, and chuckled lowly.

"Weren't you reluctant before?"

"..."

"Fine. Even if you win, it's not like we lose anything besides leaving here quickly. Let's do it. Is everyone else okay with it?"

"Ah, yes... Surprisingly, I might have some talent. It's become rather... interesting as we continue."

"That's enough to say you have talent. If you want to try other card games later, ask the other guys. There are quite a few who enjoy this; they'll teach you the rules well. Gloe?"

"I'm... okay with it."

"Great. Then let's play the third round."

Yuder praised the bashful Lusan, ignoring Aton's increasingly sour expression. "You shuffle it this time, too."

As soon as Yuder finished speaking, Aton roughly grabbed and started shuffling the deck. His manner was different from before, when he had been cautious, as if searching for any hidden tricks.

His hands moved urgently, and his eyes were slightly bloodshot.

Gloe's power was manifesting its effects.