A/N:

This chapter is dedicated to GulSHans
(It was her who made the new book cover, btw ♥️)

The capital was still as crowded as before to the point where Estil and Ueno had to push their way through the throng of the crowd before they could saunter off a secluded alleyway. Ueno said he knows the place where they can make the final pick for team players and so he was leading the way. Estil glanced over the sky and noticed the clouds tinged with orange hue reflecting the setting sun. As they walked through the narrow passageway, a small gap between the buildings managed to allow a little drop of sunlight to drip through the gap. As if on cue, a gust of wind swept through and along with it, the hood of Ueno's cloak was peeled off his head, revealing his silverish white hair while the wind ruffled through its silver strands. Ueno stepped through the gap where the light of the setting sun was pooling in, and his silver-white hair was suddenly dyed in the bright orange color of the dying embers of the sun.

Air was suddenly knocked out of Estil's lungs as she was reminded by one of her recurring nightmares. As if sensing the sudden agitation of his company, Ueno looked back, and Estil stopped walking as fear and apprehension seized her being.

Her mind screamed at her, lashing out to her and ordering her body to move. But her body didn't listen as she was seeing the vision of the night seven years ago. For right now she was staring at the same eyes, those cold aquamarine eyes reflecting the dance of bright orange smoldering fire engulfing the whole surrounding, leaving nothing behind.

"Miss Estil?" his deep voice called.

That snapped her back to reality. There was no fire, there was only the light of the sun about to set. There was nothing to worry about. Estil opened her mouth and tried to speak, but a croak was what escaped her lips. Her throat was dry.

The sun shifted once more, then light had disappeared. Ueno rearranged the hood of his cloak and he was eyeing her with concern. "Are you alright?"

Her thoughts were running amok. How are you really feeling when you're with me? Don't you feel anything, not even guilt? Those were what she wanted to ask but instead, she found herself smiling; the smile she had practiced and polished over the years.

Swallowing hard, she nodded. "Yes. Sorry."

His eyes never leaving hers, he nodded back. "Come closer, it's safer if you stick close to me."

Estil did as she was told. Suddenly, she felt weak and tired. Remembering the past drains the life out of her. Above all, she's asked for help for the person who caused their family's downfall.

A bitter smile formed her lips as she allowed Ueno to drag her closer to him as she told herself over and over again like a broken machine, It's alright. I understand why he had to do it and hoped one day, she could finally convince herself.

She allowed her feet to carry her as she composed herself once more.

×××

They entered a pub, which to her belief was actually big but right now it seemed to be too small because of the crowd. And every single person in this pub right now are players without any affiliations yet-- thus, the reason why Ueno decided to choose this place.

Ueno scanned the area, assessing every player inside the pub. Estil was doing the same. But several minutes had passed and none of them could take a pick.

Ueno lowered his head to whisper in her ear, "The players inside this pub look like young twigs to me."

Estil raised her brow, then whispered back, "Guy on the left, forty degrees," she was referring to a man over a hundred kilos in weight,"doesn't look like a twig for me."

A gentle burst of air tickled her neck, an indicator that Ueno had laughed.

"Yes, I can't argue with that."He agreed with traces of laughter in his voice. When was the last time they were able to laugh freely together?

"So," she swept her gaze one more time inside the pub, "made any picks yet?"

"Didn't you say we each take half of picking members for the team?"

"Hmm." Then who should I pick? Ueno was right, they all seemed to be inexperienced or not skilled enough and Estil didn't want to take a pick among them.

"Don't judge a book by its cover, they say." Estil whispered only loud enough for Ueno to hear.

Ueno grimaced. He is a Knight, and quite the talented one at that, he knew just with one look whether a person is skilled or not. His expression was telling her he finds no one qualified.

"So," a voice whispered, but it wasn't Ueno's voice, "what sort of secrets are we sharing that we need to whisper like this?"

Ueno's face darkened, while Estil instinctively reached for the hilt of her sword, until she realized whose voice it belonged to. A short, uncontrollable laugh escaped her throat as she reached inside her cloak for one of her short blades and within a blink of an eye, she was grabbing the intruder's cloak by the collar and pressed her blade on it's throat.

"Ah. You really do surprise me with your charm, mi Estella."

Smokey gray eyes met with brilliant sapphire blue eyes

"Perhaps I shall tell you a secret or two before I send you off to your grave," she whispered.

He groaned. "I think I just had an orgasm."

Ueno's face darkened even more as his eyes spit the fires of hell, but opposite him, Estil was calm and collected like usual but a small smile was almost traceable on her lips.

"Your mouth is still as disgusting as your personality." She released his collar and hid her blade inside her woolen cloak.

Az readjusted his cloak and like Ueno, he was wearing a blue cloak on top of their black Imperial Uniform.

"What brings your presence here?" It was Ueno.

"Ah, mi Estella. I came here looking for you," Azul answered but he was looking at Estil.

"Reason?" Estil's brow was raised. "And aren't you supposed to be keeping watch on the Eastern Border?"

"I was recalled back, it seems like my assistance was needed to watch over you lots." Azul stepped between them and grinned, "Don't this just remind you of what we were like when we were kids and full of love?" 

A memory flashed briefly inside Estil's mind. It was way back when she was still a daughter of an esteemed noble scholar where she used to play with Azul, meanwhile Ueno just recently arrived from the Lower Kingdom after his family disowned him and he was struggling to establish his name in the Upper Kingdom. Since Estil used to be troublesome as a kid, she would skip all her etiquette classes and attend sword fight practices instead. She would watch their Knights practice and when Az would visit her, she would play wooden swords with him. There were many times as well where Ueno would string along, and at that time he had been enlisted as an apprentice Knight and together the three of them would spend time practicing with swords. Well, most of that time Ueno was treated like crap by Azul. Azul had always been the arrogant, high and mighty rich kid whom everyone in the neighbourhood hates. And that includes her, and Ueno all the more.

"Weren't you just purely a prick back then?" Ueno shot back with a straight face.

Azul grinned. "At least you had fun with me, no?"

Estil smacked his chest with the back of her hand. "Exactly what did you come here for?"

"I figured you needed more members. And the fact that the both of you are here as of the moment means my presumption was correct."

Despite his cool expression, Ueno's eyes were throwing daggers as his cold aquamarine eyes met Azul's smiling face. "I'm sorry I don't want you in my team."

Azul smiled even more beautifully as he stared back at the man beside him, his sapphire eyes equally cold as his. "Never in my wildest dream had I ever wished to work in a team with you. I'd rather slit my throat right here, right now, than see your face for more than a minute. Ah! My eyes are hurting now as we speak so I'm done speaking with you." And he turned his back to face Estil once more.

"Alright, girls!" Estil interrupted. "As much as I'd like to keep watching this exchange of dramatic banter, can we please speak now and tell me more about what you have said, my lord Azul Valdani?"

"Quit with the pleasantries."Said Ueno, glancing about before setting his eyes on Estil."Let's take this talk outside and I won't hear any protests from you, dear sir."

Azul raised his hands in surrender. "Alright. Then off we go. Follow me, both of you please. And by the way, how many more players do you lack as of the moment?"

Ueno motioned for outside. "If you may, kindly lead us out and discuss the matter once we're out?"

"Stingy." Az uttered, but nonetheless made his way out. And the two followed after him.

×××

Four hours to go before the game commences.

They walked quite a long distance before finally stopping on a dark intersection, Azul led them to the back of a small chapel that was located near the border of the Gray Area. Gray Area is where people lives who do not belong to any of the hierarchy of the society in the Dwellings. Usually, people who belong to the nobility or the upper class reside on either of the three zones-- Diamond Street, Emerald Street, or Golden Avenue. Families belonging to the middle class are living in two zones-- Cobalt and Blue Town. But a third zone separate from the two exists; it is where the Courtesans of the kingdom are who are considered elite individuals of the society-- not an upper class, but not middle class since the majority of the courtesans are either orphans or children born from scandals. Nevertheless, their extraordinary beauty and wit made them rise above the hierarchy and was granted a zone of their own-- the Twilight District. The lower class are all in one zone, the Servus.

However, the people who are punished for exile, the disowned and abandoned, those who were stripped of their titles and riches, the criminals and convicts, beggars and homeless, are not welcome to live on any of the zones mentioned. These people decided to band together and live in one area, as they are ignored by society and the empire. Thus, the slums of the Gray Area were created. For the majority of the people, to live in the Gray Area was like the death sentence itself. So others would take risks to travel outside the Dwellings and move to other places.

Estil can remember people from the Gray Area asking her and her brother why they wouldn't move to the Middle Kingdom or Lower Kingdom. Estil wouldn't answer but she always knew the reason why-- this game.

"We've arrived." Azul motioned for them to stop and to be silent. This chapel had been abandoned for quite some time now, and honestly Estil had no idea that Azul knew this place. Knights rarely go close to this area since it's close to the border slums of the Gray Area. The fact that the chapel here had closed and moved somewhere closer to the other zones is evident that people of prestige and honor wouldn't choose to live close in danger of the gray slums. Well, not that it matters to the residents of the slums.

Azul suddenly hooted three times in a row, paused in about five seconds before hooting one last time. Ueno was silent and his face was unreadable. Estil only kept watch in their surroundings. Finally, movement was sighted inside the closed gate, and before long, a man wearing a robe of a cleric approached their group.

He didn't speak, he just motioned for them to come inside. Azul made a gesture for the two of them to follow, of course with him leading the way. They walked a short distance before passing through an entrance where soft lights of a candle welcomed them. The door behind them closed, and Azul finally spoke.

"This is Piero Beldran, a clergyman."

Estil was frowning. "And?"

Azul made a gesture with his hands. "A potential team player?"

Estil's frown deepened. "Hold on. He is a man of cloth."

"I believe so, too."

"Hold on," Ueno cut in. "Reverend, were you enlisted?"

The man called Piero nodded, "If I may correct you all, I wasn't ordained yet. And yes, I am enlisted."

"Joining the game would mean forfeiture of your future as a cleric. You know the church does not support this festivity."

"I know."

"Okay."

"Okay?" It was Estil. "What do you mean okay?"

Ueno shrugged as his eyes met hers. "He's in."

"W-Wha--"

Az patted Estil's head which cut her off. "He is a talented lad."

Ueno glanced back at Piero. "What can you do for the team?"

"I have the gift of clairvoyance. I'm also skilled with five other languages- the elven, dwarven, the orcs, forest faes, and Minokawi."

Estil's mouth fell agape. Ueno spared her a sideway glance and grinned, perhaps his first smile since Azul had shown up. "Lesson number one, Miss Lumierre, never judge a book by its cover."

Something thumped inside her chest, and someone flicked her forehead.

"Don't be fooled by those smiles." Azul scolded.

Estil gave him an incredulous stare. "I don't know what you're talking about." But Azul's expression says he was not convinced.

Estil turned her gaze back at Ueno. "And we need just one more."

"Oh, perhaps Lord Valdani did not mention yet? My sister will be joining me."

"Oh. And where is she?"

"She's been here all this time." And just like that, a figure emerged standing behind Piero. "And that's her skill."

Ueno and Estil shared glances, and smiled. Azul was smiling, too.

Ueno extended his hand. "Welcome to the team. Now let's go back to the capital and win this cursed game."

Piero accepted his hand and shook it firmly. "Looking forward to clearing the game with you."