All In

"I have to say, you and your cousin are a lot alike, Agnes," I told her, "both very willful."

"ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ᴏɴʟʏ ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟ, ᴡᴇ ᴜsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ."

"Really," my eyes widened in surprise, "I couldn't tell by the way she was acting."

"ɪᴛ's ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ, sʜᴇ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇᴠᴇʀ ɪ ᴡᴇɴᴛ," Agnes rubbed her head, "ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ sʜᴇ ɪs ᴏʟᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴍᴇ."

I sulked and crossed my arms, "Then why is she so mean to me?"

"ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏ ɪᴅᴇᴀ," she shrugged her shoulders, "ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀɴᴛᴀɢᴏɴɪᴢᴇ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴀɴʏ ᴡᴀʏ?"

"Not that I can think of. I mean, yes I did. But that was only a reaction. She had that attitude the first time I met her."

"ᴡᴇʟʟ, ɪ ɢᴜᴇss ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ʜᴀs ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇᴅ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ɪ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴡᴇᴅ," she replied, "ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪs ᴀ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴄᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴜs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sᴇᴇᴍs ᴛᴏ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ. ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ɪ ᴘʀᴇʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ, sʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ɢᴏᴇs ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇᴀᴋʟɪɴɢs. ʜᴏᴡ sᴀᴅ."

"Eh, I'm not weak, though."

"ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴍᴀɪɴs ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ sᴇᴇɴ," she silently added.

The crowd began murmuring and their faces were filled with excitement. They showered Raya with praises and flocked to her like vultures would around a piece of meat.

"Amazing, to think that Raya has already found her magic."

"I've never seen magic before!"

"How incredible of her, she must be a genius, a genius! Wouldn't that make her one of the best in the Kingdom?"

"Forget kingdom! It might reach farther than that!"

"Agnes won't stand a chance."

Some were genuinely impressed and clasped their mouth in shock, while others had their eyes opened wide from the surprise, and did not forget to fawn over her. But everyone was excited to see me fall.

Raya sat quietly in her seat, there was a slight smile on her face.

She announced, "I follow his majesty's magic. I assume you are currently magicless, right? Since you aren't of age, yet."

"You knew, but you still wish to challenge me?"

"Don't blame me, my magic is different. I'm not asking for a direct fight," she then asked, "<Blood Oath> have you ever heard of it?"

I shook my head, "no, not in this context."

"Thought so," she snorted, "you aren't the type of person who would play fair after all."

"Hey, that's false accusation, I hold my promises."

"Come on, not even a fool would believe that," she hid her face behind her fan and I only saw her eyes shaped like two crescent moons, "anyways did you know, at some places people ceremonially exchange each other's blood to form a pact. It symbolizes how a promise should never be broken. A relationship between those who had shed their own blood was bound tighter than a mother was to her child. A promise is not a trust exercise, it is a burden. A burden they should be willing to take," her face darkened, "for example when someone swore they would always stay by her side."

"Very interesting. Kind of barbaric though, don't you think?"

"Tsk," she clicked her tongue, "whatever."

Raya stretched her hand out and the air between us started to change. It was like an invisible force started gathering the dust and dirt around us, assembling right in front of her. The winds were sucked in, creating a small gust that was pleasant in the summer heat.

The magical experience made everyone gasp, their eyes were glued to the phenomena happening in front of them and glowed like colorful marbles.

Raya raised her index finger, and a small white flame was dancing on top of it, flickering under the sunlight. She let her finger fall —the same way a judge would after reaching a verdict— and the flame turned into a miniature shooting star, as it followed her finger closely, until it hit the collection of dirt and dust.

The flame began burning, chewing through the pile in front of her, and grew larger and stronger.

Through the white flame, something began to form, and after it had enveloped everything, it disappeared leaving only a piece of parchment floating in the air. The parchment was clean and white, seemingly of high quality. There was something written on it, but I couldn't read it.

"How beautiful," a girl muttered in a daze.

Soon, someone started to clap, and others followed right behind, filling the small gazebo with cheers.

"This is a contract," Raya said, "my magic allows me to challenge someone to a game. Before the game starts, both players have to offer something they deem of equal value, otherwise it won't work. Any bets must be upheld. Even if my magic broke or was overpowered, the losses that have already been incurred won't change."

I was still caught in the magic that happened in front of me, but her words made me return, my eyes brightened in anticipation, "how interesting. Isn't that just gambling? How can you assure everything is fair?"

"That is where the contract comes in play. Truthfully speaking, I have no control over that parchment, it decides matters on its own," she sighed and pointed at it, "the contract is an almost independent magic that already exists, I was only able to call it, so I cannot control it. Any rules written on it have to be followed, naturally that includes me."

She wasn't lying, I could tell that much. Everyone surrounding us was anticipating my next move and I did not look like I was in a position to refuse. Of course, if I really wanted to, I had more than enough leverage to escape this situation: My Grandfather, my Archduke title, Vera and also the ghost Agnes. They acted as protective shields. But if I were to lose-

"Finally something fun," I laughed.

"Do you accept?"

"I'm not quite sure, yet. Technically I don't have to. I mean, a normal person fighting against a mage would be in quite the disadvantage. So what would I get out of this?"

The guy behind her sneered, "you coward."

Raya only nodded, "you are correct, but how about this. If you win, I will convince my father to absolve you of two crimes."

"What, so I'm still getting punished?"

"Unfortunately that is all I can offer. You may think otherwise, but I do have to sacrifice a lot to convince my father," she shuddered.

"And if I lost?"

"Then you will leave the family name behind."

There was a silence reigning over everyone. Her words were like a spell itself that made anyone who listened mute.

Afterwards a commotion broke out. At first a ripple, and then a wave of exclamations sounded.

In an age where entertainment was hard to come by, a stimulation like that was exceedingly rare, so when they had heard what was at risk, they all burned with excitement.

Who wouldn't want to see a good show?

Regardless of who won or lost, they would have been satisfied. Of course, I believe they would rather have me losing, but whatever.

The guy behind Raya asked, "will you agree to the stakes?"

"Hmm," I tilted my head.

"What, you aren't thinking of backing out now, right," he raised his eyebrows, "after you have been acting so high and mighty, you refuse to show your tail? And you want a man with backbone?"

"T-That's right," a young boy chimed in.

Another girl shouted, "don't dare escaping!"

I glared at them, and they immediately turned silent. No one else had anything to say either. I guess that they were still frightened by what happened two days ago. They were still willing to passively attack me, but no on dared to confront me directly. It was as though they were turtles who shrunk their necks in when my eyes fell on them.

That's probably why they were so elated by Rayas proposal. They might be able to let out some pent up frustration through her.

"You are really impressive," the guy blurted out, "to sit here calmly and still show such a defiant look, you must have real guts. This truly is not the place for you to be at. If you have any piety left, I advise you to leave this place for good, lest you tarnish the family name even more."

His words were like a little spark that ignited the crowd. They soon regained some of their spirit and started shouting again. They didn't insult me, but they urged me to either accept the challenge or leave directly.

He cupped his ear and smiled coldly, "do you hear that? This shows how you should pay more attention to your actions. Mind your identity and don't let yourself be found at places you don't belong," he advised me. However there wasn't the slightest bit of sincerity in his voice.

I wanted to say something, but did not manage to find the right words.

That brother was really asking for it, wasn't he?

I suddenly felt Celestia tugging at my sleeves again. It was becoming her go-to move now.

She had been standing right behind me without saying anything, but she couldn't hold back anymore. Her eyes were brimming with fury, and she was silently gritting her teeth.

She whispered in my ear, "don't accept, I'm certain this is a trap."

Celestial may have not been well versed in magic- no, she was even worse than me, but she still could tell when someone had sinister intentions.

"You are right, it probably is," I laughed.

"How can you joke around in this tense atmosphere," she scolded me, "don't tell me you are falling for his low class tricks?"

"Relax, if I can't even deal with such a small dispute, how will I reach greater heights?"

Truth be told, I was tempted.

Not by his taunting, of course.

It was the game that I was interested in. I had always wanted to play under such circumstances. A game where nobody was able to renegade their promises. Where the things they had betted were absolute. How fun would it be, a world where we decided everything by games? What thrill would I be able to experience if something truly valuable was on the line?

That was no more than a wish of mine, though. A small fantasy.

Still, even if it was for a short time, Raya gave me the opportunity to do so.

"Servants should stay out of this," Raya said in a harsh tone, causing Celestia to flinch back.

"Now, don't get so agitated, she is an important friend of mine."

I would have said family, but that might have been pushing it. She wasn't Estella who was already in love with me. And more than anything, I would have drowned in spit if I said that in front of my actual family members. Tsk, even though I thought a family wasn't a big deal.

"What did you say," Raya asked in disbelief, "what the hell did you just say," her expression turned as dark as a starless night.

"Uh, Raya, what's gotten into you, calm down," the guy behind her said.

"Shut up, I will crush that bitch right here. How dare she say those words to me," she flung her arms in fury, "you better accept, the proposal or we will fight the traditional way," she clenched her fist.

Geez, I didn't expect her reaction. Did she detest the servants like Agnes, or was she just that repulsed by my words? Both options seemed likely, as she had an unreasonable hate against those below her.

"Alright, but under one condition. Let's change the betting a bit."

The guys squinted his eyes, "don't even dream about it. To propose a change just because you're suddenly scared of the consequences. Do you have no shame?"

"Don't be so quick to deny me," I lifted a finger, "I was just thinking, if we are doing it, let's do it for real. Such little stakes, arent they just boring?" I smiled, "how about this, If I lose, I will be your slave for the rest of my life. But the same condition applies to you. Any demands, no matter how unreasonable, the loser has to follow obediently, until the day she dies."

My announcement made everyone go silent.

They only kept blinking their eyes rapidly and their faces paled. The crowd stared at me as if I was just struck by three lightning strikes successively.

Celestia staggered and almost fainted on the spot, "do you feel like you aren't dying quickly enough," she yelled desperately.

Raya, on the other hand, replied with determination, "I accept."