He stood still, amusement slowly turning on his face. He muttered quietly, "Finally," his eyes glinting.
Then he walked toward the guild to see how things were unfolding. It was now night—fewer people on the streets, drunkards roaming home, laughing loudly. A drunk guy stumbled out of an inn, some others sleeping on the streets. The night air smelled faintly of night-bloom flowers, a scent that only came alive after dark.
When he reached the guild gates, he could already hear cheers and joy inside.
He entered. People were People were congratulating Sylra for being chosen to compete in such a prestigious competition. The last competitor from Balmwich was Orric—he had won it half a decade ago.
But amidst the crowd , smell of burning wood . Felix felt overwhelmed . Anxiety hit him suddenly, a flashback crashing into his mind: people running, trapped with nowhere to go, panic spreading. Overwhelmed, Felix left without meeting Sylra.
Outside, he took a deep breath, looked up at the moon, then headed toward an inn. Inside, he sat at a table and observed the room: many drunk men playing dice and betting. One man was winning most of the rounds—a nobleman, judging by his manner.
Felix grinned. A coin flipped and landed on the betting table—heads.
He muttered under his breath, "Let's play a game. Whoever rolls the most sixes on the dice wins it all."
A drunk man laughed, sipping his drink. "Brat, do you even know what you're saying? Lost, are you?" He thought Felix was just a young kid with nothing to offer.
Felix put four gold coins on the table. "Is that enough to get your attention?"
The drunk man hesitated but was tempted.
Felix smiled and placed his guild card on the table. "I can give more if you want. I get paid enough."
Tempted, the nobleman said, "Alright, brat, I accept your offer." A man next to him warned, "Don't," but the nobleman ignored him.
"How much do you want to start with, brat?" he asked.
Felix's smile widened. "Let's start with one gold coin and work our way up."
The drunk man got excited. "Alright then, it's your first move. Go on."
The drunk man rolled the dice. A six.
The crowd cheered. "Chief won?"
The nobleman smirked. "Kid, be prepared to lose all your money."
Felix stayed calm. "Go on then."
"It's your turn, brat."
Felix rolled. One.
He muttered, "Bad luck, one."
The nobleman laughed. "Looks like it's not your day, kid." He rolled again—another six. His laugh got louder. "Another one!"
Felix said, "Let's do two coins at the same time this time."
The drunk nobleman grinned. "Sounds good, brat. Here—take the dice." He tossed them to Felix.
Felix sighed, rolled, and got two. He breathed heavily, looking disappointed.
"Let me teach you how to roll sixes," the drunk man said, picking up the dice. He rolled—and got a six.
The man next to him warned, "Don't use all your luck now."
Everyone laughed at the banter.
Suddenly, in the heat of the moment, the drunk man said, "Hey, brat, let's bet it all. If I win, I get all your guild earnings for a month. If you win, you get my winnings today."
Felix smirked, thinking, The fish has bitten the hook. "Let's see how it goes."
The bet made no real sense for Felix; odds were against him. But his name was Felix—the one who battles against the odds.
Felix threw the dice to the nobleman. "You go first."
The drunk nobleman laughed, "How stupid you are, brat. You're giving me the win without a chance." He rolled. The dice danced on six for a split second but landed on three.
Surprised murmurs spread through the crowd. "Impossible…"
The drunk man gulped but kept his cool. "Your turn, brat."
Felix's smirk widened. "Pray and hunter." He rolled and got six.
Cheers disappeared into silence. The nobleman's eyes widened in shock.
Felix took all the winnings but left some coins behind for the nobleman.
He stretched, thinking, Today was intense. Time to find another inn to stay.
Before heading to an inn, he stopped at a bakery about to close, bought some bread, and ate at a resting place while gazing at the full moon.
After finishing, he went to an inn, asked for a room, paid, and settled in—ending the day.
The next morning, birds chirped early.
Felix drank tea and ate breakfast, preparing for the journey ahead.
After finishing, he stepped outside. The sun was about to rise.
At the guild, people gathered around Sylra. He called Felix over, and they all assembled outside.
Darian said, "Take care. Your journey should be safe."
Kaelan arrived and announced, "It's time. We should leave."
Nell grabbed Sylra's hand. A few fans from the crowd followed. Nell whispered, "Lose or win, I'll always be proud. Give your all." She handed Sylra a golden bracelet as a gift.
Sylra was on the verge of tears.
"I'll win—for you and Balmwich," Sylra said firmly.
Kaelan stepped outside, raised his hand. People cheered. Felix noticed his voice cracking , * thought a feminine voice but he ignored not thinking more .*
He climbed into a carriage where Felix waited, but they rode in separate carriages from the Duke's son.
The journey to the capital had begun.
Note : this chapter do feel a little shallow from my pov but I'll try changing it in future if I get more ideas .