The steward dealt the first hand placing the trio’s cards before then on the table with the precision of a man who had done it a thousand times before.

"Your Highness, you must know the rules of poke, right?" Matthis asked.

Carlos hummed, relaxing in his seat with his one arm placed over the headrest and another over his thigh. Sir Hopkins stood behind Carlos near the door clenching his fists as he just wanted to storm out of the room.

"Yes, we get our cards, we take a look at them and place our bets."

Robert chuckled softly, "The bets are also pretty important, Your Highness."

"The one who has abundance doesn’t care for that, Earl."

Robert kept smiling before he glanced at Matthis.

Carlos barely glanced at his cards, posture loose, fingers lazy and his eyes darkened for a moment before he closed his eyes.

Carlos had removed his pendant before the game started and placed it in his pocket without any seeing earlier so, the one playing now was Ruel.

The other two also glanced at their cards.

"So?" Matthis asked looking at the two others.

"All in." Carlos announced pushing forth his fifty gold coins and Robert chuckled.

"Going all in from the first hand itself, Your Highness is claiming his luck." Robert said before he added, "Call."

Matthis sighed before he announced, "Call."

The trio’s cards were revealed and Carlos had two near pairs which made Matthis groan.

"I-I’ll pay you later, Your Highness." Matthis said with a sheepish smile and Carlos shrugged.

"Well played, Your Highness," Kirkland said smoothly.

Carlos smiled, pleased.

From his first hand he got 150 gold coins or at least 100.

The steward shuffled the cards again

The next two hands was also a win for the Carlos with Matthis folding and Earl Kirkland handing over 1000 gold coins.

Carlos appeared smug as he lounged in his seat, Ruel’s game already going smoothly.

"This game is pretty easy, Ruel. I want to play too!"

"You sure?" Ruel asked.

"Yes! It looks fun."

"All right, you can play this one hand."

Ruel closed his eyes and Carlos found the control of his body again. He was excited.

Kirkland placed a bet this time, all in from his side of 2000 gold coins. Carlos pushed forth his total amount which also equated to 2000 coins.

"Call." He announced proudly.

Matthis also called.

Carlos proudly flipped his cards watching the one pair but then his eyes widened as Earl Kirkland had a straight and then for both of their shock, Matthis had a straight flush.

Matthis cheered in happiness as he won a big hand.

Carlos didn’t have a penny left at hand and he also felt a little angry that he lost but then he also hoped that he would get a better one in the next game.

"My next bet is my manor in Leiden, it’s called Glory. It was gifted to me by my Uncle." Carlos announced.

The other two also placed their bets, the cards were revealed but yet again, Carlos lost.

And another round, then another.

"Looks like the devil’s luck has ended." Matthis joked as he gathered his spoils.

"I’m sure you will win everything back in the next hands, Your Highness?" Earl assured with a sly smile.

Carlos was angry but he still had a lot left to bet. So, he did, he kept playing, kept betting and kept losing. Gold gave way to jewels. Jewels to deeds. Properties in Leiden. Establishments in Esmertia. The port.

Each loss drew laughter, indulgent praise, encouragement wrapped in mock concern.

"You’ll win it back in the next hand," Matthis assured him, already reaching for more.

Kirkland’s eyes shone now, no pretense left. His smile had sharpened into hunger.

When there was nothing left on the table that bore Carlos’s name, silence settled.

"Well," Kirkland said at last, voice thick with triumph, "it seems abundance has had its fill of you, Your Highness."

Drac who was watching it from afar wanted to step in but he didn’t, he recalled how Carlos had told them off only a few minutes ago and he didn’t even feel like pretending to protect Carlos at this point. He had dug his grave with his own hands.

Carlos was livid when he heard Ruel’s voice in his head, "Had enough fun, son?"

"But I’m losing?! How can I lose? I’ve lost everything!"

"Because the game is rigged." Ruel told him in an almost matter-of-fact tone making Carlos’s expression to change.

"What?"

"The steward and Earl are controlling the game. He deals the kind of cards that decide the hand."

"That’s cheating!" Carlos was about to open his mouth to call it out.

"You’re forgetting the plan, son." Ruel reminded and Carlos clamped his mouth and pushed his anger back but the frown didn’t leave his face.

"What’s wrong, Your Highness?" Robert asked, with a smug smile.

"Are you going to stop?" Matthis taunted.

"Step back, child. Let me show these how far the devil’s luck goes." Ruel spoke.

Carlos closed his eyes and the air around him changed and his eyes carried a darker edge as he leaned ahead playing with the diamond cufflink.

"You see the thing with abundance, Earl Kirkland." Ruel spoke through Carlos, "it means that it is never ending."

Earl and Matthis laughed, "Well, what else have you left to bet on, Your Highness?"

"Why don’t you just count how much I’ve lost? I’ll win it back soon." Carlos said and the duo chuckled before they discussed on what they had ripped off of him.

Carlos smirked and then looked down as the diamond cufflink he was playing with had loosened enough and it fell to the floor. He looked up at the steward who got to his knees to pick it up.

Ruel in that moment reached out and placed his hand on the back of the steward’s neck and muttered something in a foreign tongue.

The steward’s eyes became hollow and his shoulders slumped. Ruel moved closer to the steward’s ear and spoke in a low voice that almost seemed like it was a spell.

"Make sure I win."

The steward’s eyes turned lifeless and he nodded.

"Hey, what are you doing down there?" Robert asked before ordering, "Get up!"

The steward didn’t move on his word and Ruel leaned back in his seat before saying, "Give me my cufflink and get up."

The steward handed Ruel the diamond cufflink before he stood back up.

"Ready for the next hand, Your Highness?" Kirkland asked with a smile and Ruel smiled.

"Sure, Earl."

"What will you bet this time?" Matthis asked.

Ruel appeared like he was pondering over it before he looked at his right arm and then placed it on the table.

"Hm? Are you betting your cufflinks, Your Highness?" Matthis asked in a condescending tone with a laugh.

Ruel smiled at him, "No, I’m betting my arm."

The duo paused for a moment. This was unexpected.

"Pardon? Your Highness, but betting your arm? That’s-"

"Why? It’s my arm, I can place my bet on anything that belongs to me, right?" Ruel said.

Carlos’s nervous energy wasn’t concealed from Ruel but instead of assuring him with his words, he wanted to show it with his actions.

"All right." Robert said making Matthis look at him.

"What?"

Robert looked at Matthis, "If that’s what His Highness is betting on then, we are in no position to stop him."

"Deal the hand." Robert told the steward while smiling at Ruel.

The hand was dealt and Matthis placed the gold he had won from Carlos as the bet, Robert raised and then they revealed their cards.

Matthis had the three of a kind, Robert had the straight which made him look at Ruel with an evil glint in his eyes.

Ruel didn’t even have to look at the cards before he flipped them over and it was a full house that made Matthis’s jaw to drop and Robert to frown. But it didn’t completely unsettle them.

Ruel didn’t give them the time to comprehend before he announced, "Next hand, I bet all in, whatever I have."

Matthis looked at Robert who also placed his bet, the mansion he had won from Carlos and Matthis placed the famous show shop that he had won from Carlos on bet.

And to their surprise, they lost again. Robert was starting to get annoyed as he lost two times in a row. He glanced at the steward and gave him a nod, a signal to do his job properly.

The next hand was played and they lost again, then again, then again.

Ruel wasn’t giving them the time to take any breaks till they had came back to the balance where Carlos’s all belongings were returned to him and Matthis was now in a deep debt.

Despite that, Matthis wasn’t completely disheartened but he still had nothing to bet.

"Oh, Lord Matthis why are you worried? You are still in possession of the things that could be placed on bet." Ruel spoke and Matthis looked confused.

Ruel gestured at the clothes he was wearing and Matthis was shocked.

"I agree," Robert said concealing the glare he was giving Ruel.

Another hand was played and then another and in a few minutes, Matthis was sitting on the floor in only his underwear. He had to withdraw.

Ruel didn’t have a broad smile on his face but the little smirk was enough to tell Robert that he had pulled something in the moment that the steward had ducked.

"I’ll shuffle the cards for the next game." Robert announced.

Ruel tilted his head, "Why? Because you don’t trust your own steward?"

He then leaned ahead with a taunting look on his face, "Or is it because you’re losing?"

Robert clenched his teeth, "It was fine when I bet my arm, right? So, it’s fine to lose and keep losing until you win, Earl."

Robert couldn’t understand what this foolish Prince was trying to do but he had a very bad feeling. The naive and spoiled little brat that he had seen earlier had vanished and now before him sat the real devil.

The game began again and the steward dealt the cards. Robert glanced at his cards and felt the sense of relief as it was a straight flush. Ruel hadn’t seen his cards yet.

"The game seems to be going on for quite a long time, Your Highness. Why don’t we raise the stakes now?"

Ruel appeared intrigued, "And what do you suggest, Earl?"

"All in." Robert announced, "Everything that we own, will be placed on bet for this."

Ruel was quiet for a moment.

"What are you thinking about, Your Highness? If you win, you will get everything that Earl has, and mind you he has a lot more than you think." Matthis piped in as he scooted closer to Ruel’s side.

Ruel then lifted his gaze to Robert and smiled, "All right. Every asset that I own is here, including my own body."

Robert gasped and then laughed, "You seemed to have played with some crude players in the past, Your Highness. Betting your precious body like this."

"Why? You’re too scared to do the same?" Ruel challenged.

Robert paused, triggered before he sighed, "Fine. All of my assets and my body."

"No backing." Ruel smirked making Robert feeling a chill run down his spine but he nodded.

Ruel then without glancing at his cards flipped them over making Matthis’s eyes to go wide while Robert felt his heart coming to a stop.

It was a Royal Flush.

Robert started hyperventilating as now it seemed like he had truly lost everything.

"Your Highness..." He started, licking his lips and going back to his earlier bootlicking demeanor.

"You’re quite a player, aren’t you? You changed the course so quickly that I-" he laughed and shook his head.

Sweat coated his forehead and he looked at the steward.

"Hurry and bring me a glass of water." He ordered but the steward didn’t move.

"What are you waiting for?"

Ruel tilted his head slightly as he reminded Robert, "You’re forgetting something, Your Highness. You’ve lost everything, including the people who work for you."

Robert’s eyes widened and he hung his head, he was livid but he couldn’t dare say anything. Carlos wasn’t a penniless Prince and though it was obvious he would lose the Trial he was still strong enough to erase him

By the final hand, there was nothing left before him.

"I’m afraid we have to stop the game now, Your Highness. This poor subject of yours has nothing left now." Robert said in a pitiful voice.

Ruel leaned back in his chair.

"Oh, don’t be like that, in this next hand you might win it all back." Ruel said and Robert gnashed his teeth wanting to tell this smug brat off but he couldn’t.

"B-But I really have nothing, Your Highness. And you might not like for me to strip..." He glanced at Matthis who was already stripped down to his underwear.

Ruel hummed, "You’re right, none of you are a sight to see without clothes."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Robert relaxed a little.

"But you do have something of value left and you haven’t placed it here." Ruel spoke making a vein popping over Robert’s forehead.

"Like I said-"

"Now, now don’t lie." Ruel said before he leaned ahead, his eyes gleaming red.

"I’ve heard," he said casually, "that you possess something that isn’t truly yours."

The room seemed to darken.

Ruel’s eyes locked onto Kirkland’s. And his next words landed like a verdict.

"I’ll take your fiance, Nyx Valmest."