The next game is in fact up in the air for a while, but in the end Matylda wins it with three kings, the ones of water, fire and earth, on her hand. That isn''t exactly a stellar hand, but this time around it was good enough. Thus some of my coin moves to her pile, but so does plenty more from the other two participants.


    Despite loosing the game I''m rewarded with a divine whisper.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Gambling has leveled up to level 2!]


    Well, I certainly won''t complain.


    And just like this we keep playing for a while, the bard only delivering cues every once in a while. Some games fortune favors me. On other occasions it doesn''t. Overall though I manage not to lose any more coin, even if just barely.


    Well, at least I grow in experience if nothing else, as the next divine whisper lets me know.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Gambling has leveled up to level 3!]


    It really isn''t much of a surprise. I have even been expecting it. The first levels are always the easiest ones after all. And we are doing some serious gambling here.


    Matylda on the other hand loses a little after an initial lucky streak. I''m not worried though. As far as I can tell, all is still proceeding according to plan.


    The chubby lad for one certainly doesn''t seem to mind that he isn''t having an easy time getting his hands on our coins, as before with Sylwia and her companion. No, he doesn''t mind at all. Gods and goddesses, he is falling hard for Matylda''s act.


    It is a little scary, if I take a moment to think on it. She probably could empty his pockets without the help of cards by now and he probably wouldn''t complain in the slightest.


    Justyna on the other hand is showing signs of frustration. For a little while at least. Then her mood takes a turn. It''s like she is a lion on the prowl now. Everything considered it seems like she enjoys our game much more, now that she has to actually earn the stacked up coins in front of her.


    Yes, the impression I get from here is the one of a predator that just smelled blood. She knows how to play cards too. No doubt about it. Her only weak spot right now might just be her conviction to believe that she still has a fair chance to win.


    We all push small stacks of silver coins into the middle of the table once more in preparation of our next game.


    This time it is my turn to shuffle and deal the cards. I decide to try my hand at some fancy shuffling. Fancy enough in fact to help me progress my [Sleight of Hand] skill a little.


    And while the chubby lad looks on impressed and even Matylda coos and claps, not all of my audience can appreciate the show. No, Justyna looks more annoyed than anything else. She sounds annoyed too.


    “Could you please not do that?”


    I shrug and stop my fancy display, to resume shuffling our deck of cards in a more sensible way once more.


    Maybe she is afraid that we might try to pull something after all. A sensible attitude. She is just focused on the wrong player. She really should be paying more attention to the bard in the background instead. She doesn''t though and thus she misses the next subtle cue. A single note that is slightly too high.


    Maybe it is a good thing that she made me stop with the fancy card shuffling. Otherwise I might have dropped the cards in surprise. That would have been a little embarrassing and possibly hard to explain. Anyway, it is time to get a little serious!


    I deal everyone their cards, Matylda first, then the chubby bloke followed by Justyna and at long last myself. I take a moment to have a look at my own cards, before the others can raise the stakes and possibly ask for new cards. It takes a little effort to keep my expression carefully composed and neutral. It takes some effort too, not to blink in surprise.


    It isn''t a winning hand right off the bat, but it comes pretty close. A king and a queen of the air element, as well as the matching hero, which takes the place of the ace I''m familiar with. Those are pretty good. If I ditch the other two cards my chances to get a halfway decent hand should be pretty good.


    Before I can think on it any more I have to resume my duties as the dealer for this game. Matylda drops a single card in exchange for a new one. Either she already has damn good cards or she is bluffing hard. If it is the latter though I have no way to tell. She raises the stakes by five shillings too. Yes, she really seems to be confident.


    Hopefully she isn''t pushing too hard and our guests have good cards too. We don''t want them to drop out early this time around. We won''t get at their coin that way after all. Well, considering that I''m the last one who gets to act this round, there is precious little I can do anyway.


    We are in luck though. Or at least it appears that way. Both the lad and the lady drop two of their cards in exchange for new ones and both match the stakes raised by my dwarfen compatriot.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    I''m last and I too push five more silver coins into the middle of the table, before I drop the two cards I have no use for in exchange for two new ones. This time around I''m prepared from the start, to keep my feature carefully composed. That''s a good thing too, considering my new cards.


    What meets my eyes is beyond satisfying after all. A knight and a ten of the air element, to match the rest of my cards. Around here this combination seems to be called a royal road and I doubt I''ll see another anytime soon, especially in my own hand.


    The bard''s tune seems to match the mood, as it''s pace picks up a little. It might seem like coincidence at first, but I take it for another hidden cue. It isn''t my turn to act on it yet though. The others go first after all.


    I have a sip of beer, my third so far, to wet my throat and calm my nerves, as well as to keep myself occupied until it is my turn to act.


    Matylda surprises me once again. She barely takes any time at all to gauge our reaction, what little there is anyway, to our new cards. Instead she raises the stakes by another five silver shillings almost right away. By now it seems rather obvious that she is bluffing. It appears so obvious in fact, that I''m almost certain that she actually has the cards necessary to back up the bluff.


    Justyna''s thoughts seem to follow a similar path as mine. She isn''t easily fooled, but in the end she goes along and pushes the additional coins into the middle of the table too.


    The love struck fool on the other hand appears to be fooled by Matylda''s display. He folds and drops out, but that''s alright too. There are already ten of his silver coins in the pile at the table''s center.


    In a way it is hard to believe for me that this much money isn''t much of a hassle for these people. For me each and every one of this coins is still a veritable fortune. After all each shilling translates to twelve pennies. With a bit of haggling a single of these silver coins could get me through a whole week. And there are already fifty of them piled up there. In the end I add another five, to match Matylda''s raise, and I do so with a confident smirk.


    The chubby fool seems to be pretty curious how this will play out. He is leaning forward on his chair, his gaze dancing around wildly from one of us to the other. Any more and he''ll risk falling off his chair. Justyna on the other hand is sweating a little now. Anticipation makes her fingers fidget ever so slightly.


    I have to admit, I''m a little curious too, but I don''t let on to it, which earns me another most welcome divine whisper.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Bluff has leveled up to level 4!]


    Never mind the promised payment for my participation. This little endeavor is already paying dividends nicely.


    Matylda has to be raising her [Bluff] or maybe an [Acting] skill too. She certainly has no trouble keeping up her bubbly cheerful act. To be honest, it is quite impressive.


    Finally Justyna speaks up, anticipation clear in her voice.


    “Well, lets see what you''ve got.”


    She doesn''t have to ask twice. Still humming happily, Matylda reveals her cards one after the other.


    I blink in surprise, as the first card is a seven of the fire element, but then she follows it up with four nines of all the elements.


    Once she is done Justyna groans and reveals her cards in turn. She has a full house, or a mansion, as it is called around here. Except she doesn''t have a single face card, which means that her mansion would be called a hen house instead, although that doesn''t hold any special meaning. It isn''t a bad hand, but not good enough to beat Matylda''s.


    Now everyone''s eyes are on me. I''m not in a hurry though. I take another sip from my beer, emptying my mug in the process. Only then do I start to reveal my cards one by one.


    Justyna''s eyes widen a little more with every card I put down face up. The lad is staring open mouthed too. In the end even Matylda applauds as I finally reveal the last card, completing my royal road.


    I have a feeling that my [Gambling] improves further too, even if it isn''t enough to earn me another divine whisper this time around.


    Once I''m done I pick up my empty mug and wave for a refill, a wide grin on my face.


    “I guess this round is mine.”


    Without any further delay I lean over the table to collect the pot I have just won.


    At this point the chubby lad jumps up though, showing more energy than he has all night.


    “I call bullshit!”


    Whatever is going through his head, judging by the expression on Justyna''s face this is in no way part of any plan she might have had. She is about as surprised by his sudden outburst as I am.


    I stop what I have been doing and straighten up, kicking my chair back in the process, never taking my eyes of the silly lad. One hand rests on the hilt of my weapon. My voice cuts through the air like a blade of ice.


    “Lad, you better take that hand off the hilt of your blade. I promise you, if you start to pull it here and now, you won''t get to finish the motion. I''ll strike first and I''ll strike hard. You better not doubt me.”


    I''m dead serious and a divine whisper lets me know of another level up in short order.


    [*Ding!* Your skill Intimidate has leveled up to level 5!]


    The [Lady in Waiting] pales a little at my declaration.


    Yes, my words obviously have the intended effect. At least on her. The damnable lad''s hand shakes a little too, but somehow he is too thick headed to properly realize the danger he is in.


    Finally, after another tense moment he takes his hand off the hilt of his weapon. He doesn''t back down though. Instead he straightens up too, looking at me in deviance.


    “Fine! Have it that way! I challenge you to a duel!”


    He pushes the rest of his coin into the center of the table.


    “At sunrise! At hangman''s hill, just beyond the forest''s edge! Winner takes it all.”


    I can only blink in surprise as he storms off, slamming the door behind himself. A deafening silence descends upon the room at his exit. Finally I turn towards the two women that remain at the table with me.


    “Does he have a death wish?”


    Justyna slumps in her chair, shaking her head.


    “You better not make light of him. Even if he might not look like it, he is pretty good with that sword of his.”


    Finally she jumps to her feet too.


    “I have to go. I''ll have to try and convince my brother to officiate this duel. Maybe we can impose some restrictions if he does. First blood? Yes?”


    Without saying anything else, or waiting for an answer she rushes off too. She doesn''t even bother with her own pile of coins still remaining on the table.


    I slump back down on the chair and take a long drink from my fresh mug. At long last Matylda speaks up.


    “Well, that isn''t exactly according to plan, but whatever works. I guess.”