| The Rise of Loki, The Trickster! (5)|

"You can throw in your bets here! For my side, you bet on the right ball. For the challenger, bet on the left ball! So...Who's going first?" He smiled mysteriously.

"I would. 3 gold coins for 3 rounds of the cup game." A person stepped up, he's a lean challenger. His rimless rectangle glasses make him look like a professional.

"Sure~"

.

.

"Talk about being skillfully tricky..." Lady Alice muttered after we watched five more challengers challenging Trickster, Loki, only to fail.

"Yes, it's my first time seeing a show like this as well. I will have to bring the boys here next time" Mom said.

Yes, the show was entertaining and fun to watch.

"Ellie wants to go pway with brother!" Ellie declared,

With that, we stopped shopping and heads back home.

***

Loki saw the group of Lady Alice, Lady Tabitha, Eleanor, and Lilia walked off in the distance.

'It seemed that they're heading back from shopping. The sun is also setting...hmm' He thought.

'Earning a bit more wouldn't hurt...would it?'

Oh, how wrong he was.

As he was in thought, he didn't realize a new group of people entering the plaza which made the crowd to move as they approach with a fully decorated luxury-carriage.

"20 gold coins, whatever game you choose...I'll show you the difference in out level, you disappointment of a mage." A prideful and arrogant tone came from a person standing in front of the luxurious carriage.

Hearing his insult, Loki's mischievous smile didn't falter one bit as the number of gold he's offering is quite satisfying but the murmurs from the crowd caused him to be a tad bit interested in him.

"Isn't he...Prince Curtis's Royal Guard?"

"Yes, I saw him during the banquet."

"Is he interested in winning? Or just trying his luck?"

Taking a proper at the arrogant royal guard, he appears with gray hair, bony jawline, hollow cheeks, and beady eyes. As a royal court mage, he wears a maroon, hooded robe, and carries a metal staff.

"Who's this? Is he a drug addict or something? Sorry man, I'm not selling the thing you're looking for." Loki too off his hat and press it against his chest, showing how sorry he felt...of course, his mischievous smile never left his face.

"Pft-"

"HA...Ahem...pft-"

"Huu haa...H-Hey pft- don't l-l-laug-pft-!"

The crowd themselves are fighting not laugh as hard as they could or else they will get in trouble.

"...What bullsh*t did you say, you lowlife!" The arrogant royal guard gritted his teeth and yelled in a low voice.

"My apologies, so shall we begin? Let's play 3 rounds of 'Guess where the coin is' as it's easier prepare." Loki suggested with a playful smile. Not knowing that some important figures are looking at him inside the carriage.

"Change it, from 3 to 1 round. Prepare to lose" The guard confidently said out loud, but the crowd seemed to not support him as they place their bets on Loki's side. This action caused the royal guard to pop veins on his forehead.

"Oho~ 1 round only? Sure~ you can't go back on your word. Ready? Here I go~!" Loki counted as he made his first slow first move.

The guard just smiled at this and Loki knew why he's smiling...

'Trying to scam a scamme- Trickster? I see.' Loki thought as he knew that the guard had secretly placed his own mana on the cup that hid the coin.

'Didn't he know that I can switch the coin's cup to another?' Loki thought, confused at how clueless this guard is.

Loki started switching cups and sliding coins all over the table at an insane speed. The guard can't even follow the cup that held the coin with his eyes, but he's placed his signature mana on a specific cup. At one point, Loki even used his secret move.

"So, where is the coin?" Loki asked, with a wider smile.

"Heh, it's the one in the middle!" The royal guard revealed the content of the cup he chose...only to be met with air.

"Poh! Wrong~" Loki crossed his arm into an X-shape, looking at the royal guard's surprised face before being replaced by anger.

"..." He opened another cup on the left, only to once again be met with air.

"Whaaat? 2 times in a row? Seriously~?" Loki teased.

"Argh!" He slapped the remaining cup, but there's nothing there as well.

"What?"

"Where's the coin then?"

"Where did it go?"

The crowd got confused, along with the guard himself.

>BAM!<

"What's the meaning of this?! There's no coins in the cup!" The royal guard slammed his hand on the wooden table.

"Calm down mister guard. What is the game you're playing?" Loki asked, after shaking his head sideways.

"Guess where the coin is" He muttered, still not get it.

"Correct! The game is 'Guess where the coin is' and it's not specified that the coin must be in the those three cups" Loki stated.

"Then?!" The guard yelled.

"Teehee~ *Shing* My bad~ I didn't know you're the lowest ranking in the Royal Guard." Loki stated after doing a 'Teehee' sign while sticking his tongue out.

What's surprising is that...there a gold coin on his tongue.

"WOAAAHH!"

"I didn't even notice!!"

"HOW! AMAZING!"

Crowd erupted before Loki gave a gentlemen bow, ignoring the fuming guard.

"And that my dear audience is the peak ending of today's show!"

"Thank you, thank you, my dear audience," Loki thanked, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd. "It has been a pleasure to entertain you all, but alas, it is time for me to bid you farewell."

The crowd murmured their disappointment, but Loki raised a hand, his smile never faltering. "But fear not, my dear friends! I promise to return soon, with even more daring feats like tricking a Royal Guard! Today is 'The Rise of Loki, The Trickster!!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, and Loki took a deep bow, his long coat billowing in the breeze. Suddenly, he leapt onto the edge of the stage and extended a hand towards the sky before launching a large water ball into the sky before exploding it.

The setting sun reflected millions of small droplet of water falling from the sky, creating a serene view with Loki at the center.

The crowd gasped and cheered as Loki disappeared after using the explosion as a distraction, his laughter echoing in the distance.

Meanwhile, in the carriage.

"Beautiful..." A cute black-haired girl that is guaranteed to become extremely beautiful as she gets older muttered but due to the crowd's cheering that overpower hers, no one's in the carriage heard it.

"Loki...To think that he left the tournament to do this...He's throwing away his talent." A person muttered, his head is supporting a crown.

"He might find the tournament boring right?" A woman stated, her head also support a tiara.

"To think that we'd find him here after coming from the tournament."

***

[Merlin's PoV]

I washed myself off as soon as I got into my room in the Helstea's manor and as expected, the girls have arrived here before me.

Just as I finished dressing up, I hopped down the stairs as Art told me to.

I wonder what Art is planning.

"Hmph! Brother is a meanie!" I heard Eleanor's voice, I looked over and saw her puckering her lower lip with her arms crossed.

"Is it because I didn't go shopping with you, Ellie? I'm sorry." Art patted her turned head, which made her tense her face as she forced herself to keep from smiling.

"How was shopping Mom, Lady Tabitha? Did you guys buy a lot of stuff?" Art asked, his hand still on his sister's head.

"We didn't buy much, just a couple of new outfits for Ellie and Lilia. There's also a show that kept us entertained" Lady Alice responded.

"Show? What kind?" Art asked, just then I chimed in.

"Good evening, Lady Alice, Lady Tabitha. Eleanor, I got a-..." I stopped mid-sentence before whispering to Eleanor in a soft voice.

"I got the strawberry flavored candy~!"

"Yay!" She celebrated.

"shu!" I shushed her.

At this time, I heard a storm of footsteps coming toward us. Vincent arrived beside us with an excited look on his face. His eyes were a little red and he had an uncontainable smile on his face.

"You guys are finally here!" He said picking up his daughter and kissing her cheek.

"Honey, why are you so flustered? Have you been crying?"

"What is going on?"

Lady Tabitha had a bewildered look on her face from confusion and worry. Vince did look a little crazy right now. I wonder what made him that happy...

"You didn't tell them yet, Arthur? Merlin?" He faced Art and me, the goofy smile still pasted on his face.

'Tell what?' I am truly lost here.

Art shook his head and chuckled, "We just got down as well. I was about to tell them."

"Tell us what, baby?" Lady Alice had a look of concern as well. Well, no one likes to be left out.

"Merlin and I came up with mana manipulation training a few days ago. So I discussed with Mr. Vincent about us teaching Ellie and Lilia mana manipulation starting today. Of course, only if Lady Tabitha was okay with it." Art explained in one go.

'Oh, so it's about that.' I now understood the situation.

Mana manipulation is only possible from us as quadra-elemental mage is required.

"…"

***

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