Napmoth's POV
I.... Lost? How?
As the arrogant blond haired prick before me explained the "genius" of his plan, all I could think about was the conversation I had with Sara some days prior.
"Do not underestimate him, when you two duke it out, I want you to give it your all"
She told me with a rather cold expression on her face, I couldn't help but question
"I can tell you're not joking, but still.... Isn't that a little harsh? Are you really so eager to see your golden boy die?"
I had anticipated several different variations of what her answer could've been—Different justifications for her warning or her usual playful way of dodging compromising questions or covering up the truths she didn't wish to share...
However, nothing could've infuriated me more than the words that came out of her mouth that day
"Fufufufu, Even if you give your all and then some, you'll still undoubtedly lose to Adam Graves"
How infuriating!
Even worse, her eyes as she uttered those words— so full of conviction like it was a universal truth that couldn't be overturned.....eyes that you've never once shown for me
Why? Just Why?
Why are you so obsessed with this cocky bastard who doesn't appreciate the amazing woman you are? Why do you believe in him so much?
In this match I wanted to overturn her belief with something so grand she couldn't deny— a flawless victory over Adam Graves
By claiming victory in all three rounds I could prove without a doubt that I am superior, I am more than enough.
You do not need Adam Graves to achieve your ultimate objective, I am more than capable.
Still though, I lost the second round so a flawless victory is out of sight. That said, I can claim the third round and sink him right here.
".....Now then, let's begin the final round"
Every single word he uttered with that smug expression of his pissed me off, how dare he?!
Sigh— Calm down.... and be objective
I have to admit his strategy was impressive, he deserves far more credit than I gave him originally. That said, about how much of it was true, I can't say for sure...
The fact that he explained his strategy was suspicious to begin with, just which part of speech was meant to mislead me?
It doesn't really matter anyway.
He might have a sharp mind, but his face isn't doing him any favors— like I said, he's far easier to read than Michelle King, it didn't even take the whole second round to complete my data
He might have been able to anticipate my reading and include it in his strategy last round, but it won't work this time— I can see it, everything like you're an open book including stuff like that
".....I can read you perfectly"
I said, assured of my victory. It is impossible for you to win now.
He leaned backwards, sinking into his chair with an indifferent expression— Well, he was clearly trying to hide his worry, as I could tell from his microexpressions
"Ofcourse, we'll be using a fresh new deck for this round, any objections, clown?"
"I have none, it won't save you anyway"
I said as I brought out a new pack of cards and handed it to his outstretched palm— he wanted to inspect the deck and unseal it himself.
Huh? This guy must think he's so slick!.
I checked his expressions— he seemed to be wearing a natural pokerface, at least he thought he did. It was clear he believed he had gotten away it and was planning his next move.
He thought he was discrete when he did it, he thought I wouldn't see, he thought I wouldn't notice...
This bastard marked the joker right in front of me
Should I call him out for cheating? If I do, I'll win right here and now.... But that wouldn't be any fun.
He clearly thinks he's got one over on me and I'll let him keep believing so till I snatch victory right from under his nose. I'll pay you back for making a fool of me last round, using your own strategy against you I'll watch you despair as the house of cards you so cleverly built comes crashing down
Ofcourse, victory is still the priority, so if all else fails I'll just call him ou—
"So tell me—"
He said, breaking my chain of thought. My eyes met his and he had a rather peculiar expression on his face— one fierce but puzzled, as though trying to probe my true intentions
"— What exactly is your endgame here?"
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing you've done tonight makes sense. Hell, this whole place makes no sense. What's the point of all this? What's the purpose of these games? What's the point of the hostages? And most importantly....."
His face sank, probably thinking back to the murder case a couple weeks back where Lizbeth Andrews lost a loved one.
"Let's just say..... you're here as beta testers"
"Beta... Testers?"
"Do you need a dictionary?"
"I know what it means?! But that doesn't answer anything!"
"I'm afraid that's all the information I can give you at this time, hoho"
He tried to hide it, but I could see visible anger from his expression, though, it didn't last for long.
He took a deep breath, squeezed the empty pack the cards were originally in and threw it in the trash without looking, almost like a pro basketballer.
This guy must seriously think he's a S-ranked Aura farmer
"Alright then, I just have to beat it out of you. Let's duel!"
He said with renewed conviction. We shuffled the deck and began the final round immediately.
Just like the previous round, this guy focused only on increasing his hand
Just what is he up to?
Is he aiming for a deck out victory? No way, he knows full well that's a tall order...
So then? Is he searching for the joker? Maybe..... But then, that's unrealistic— unlike last round, he doesn't know where exactly the joker is in the deck; that trick requires two things: a hindu or overhand shuffle and that you're the last person to shuffle the deck...
This round, I shuffled last so the joker could be anywhere. Did he simply not understand my trick properly and.....made a mistake?
No.
The man Sara believes in wouldn't make such an amateur mistake.
So what is his plan?!
C'mon..... think!
Review the whole board, separate fact from speculation...
Take a step back, and analyse the current situation.
.
.
.
Wait.
Now that I think about it, when you think about it that way, his odd behavior makes sense.
His arrogance and bravado once the second round was over wasn't him just being drunk on his own genius, it served a purpose.
He intentionally pissed me off, making me feel like giving him a taste of his medicine as well— in doing so, Ilet the marked joker enter the game.
He knew I'd notice him marking the joker and incorporated it into his plan— hear me out, what if the card he marked was infact, not the joker?
What if.... He placed another card behind the joker to fool me into believing that was the back of the joker card, when it was infact another card?
With me believing the joker was marked, I wouldn't hesitate to use my calls when he starts hoarding cards....when infact, the joker is actually in his hand right now.
If the joker isn't marked, there's no guarantee he'll get it if he ran through the deck like he's doing now.....so then, did he perhaps, take the joker before the game even started?
Was there ever such an opportunity?
Yes, there was.
When he questioned my motives, right after marking the "joker", he drew my attention from the deck for a couple seconds.
In that moment, he probably hid the card in his sleeve... Then as he was about to draw his first card, placed it in his palm and just pretended to draw.
Just like that, his trick was complete.
I looked him dead in the eyes
"You're one sly bastard, aren't you, Adam Graves?"
"What are you talking about? Did losing make you delusional or something? Or are you thinking up excuses for why you're about to lose?"
I've read his expression and confirmed my thoughts...
He is definitely a sly bastard..... but it's not because of the trick I just thought up
He anticipated I'll notice him marking the joker.... but even more than that, he anticipated I'd read into his actions this much and arrive at this conclusion
And so, he pulled off one of the ultimate bluffs in the history of gambling
A bluff so stupid, yet ingenious that I can barely contain my laughter.
The card he marked was undoubtedly the joker, he doesn't have it in his hand.... And all his extra behavior were simply red herrings to make me arrive at the conclusion that the joker was in his hand
By having me believe that, I'd fall into the trap of his true strategy
A situation where I can't use any match calls or one where I'm backed into a corner and forced to use a joker call.
In the second case, I'd lose immediately and as for the first.... that's where the marked joker comes in.
As he keeps on hoarding cards, he'll use his calls to reduce the ones in my hand so that once we finally reach the marked joker, I'd be forced to draw it—During his turn, he can match the pot all he wants until I run out of cards to match with the pot and am forced to draw the joker, at which point, he'll use a joker call and end it.
It's a strategy that's possible as long as he has far more cards in his hand than I do... Which is why
"Match Call!"
I'll destroy his hand.
My deduction was correct, the joker really wasn't in his hand, now to press forward with gusto
The game went on with both of us reading each other and reducing the cards in our opponent's hand— ofcourse, thanks to my keen observation, I had the advantage.
I could easily read the best times to deal maximum damage and reduced his hand drastically till he was down to two cards.
At that moment, we both had a single call left, and he drew a card— that's when I saw it at the top of the deck
The marked card, the joker.....
It was the next card to be drawn, and I was going to make him draw it.
I discarded the queen of hearts to match the queen of spades in the pot, he discarded the 2 of hearts
Two cards left in his hand
I discarded the 2 of clubs, then he discarded the 2 of spades
One card left in his hand
"You've been an annoyingly formidable opponent, but you're at the end of the line....THIS IS CHECKMATE, ADAM GRAVES!"
I slammed down the 5 of spades, matching the pot. At this moment, Adam Graves had only three options, and they all led to my victory.
One, He matches the pot with the last card in his hand and loses by default
Two, he stubbornly draws the joker and I call it, then he loses.
Three, if the card in his hand doesn't match the one in the pot, he has no choice but to draw the joker and I'll still win after I call.
Ofcourse, surrendering is a fourth option... Now then, what will you do?
Desperately trying to hide the resigned look of defeat in his expression, Adam Graves drew the joker
"Ofcourse, I'm using a Joker call..... It was fun while it lasted, Adam Graves"
With an expression of defeat, he let go of his hand and the two cards in Adam Graves' hand fell on the the table
At last, its finally over.... What do you think about that Sara?
THIS IS MY PERFECT VICTORY—
Huh?
Huh?
The Joker....
"...It isn't there"
There were two cards in his hand and they both fell on the table, but what I'm seeing....are the 7 of hearts.... and ace of spades
"You know...." He said "...when it comes to reading people, I'd say Michelle is better than you"
I wasn't listening, I grabbed the two cards on the table, and that's when I saw...
The marked card was the ace of spades
I reflexively turned to look at him— to see the arrogant smirk on his face as he said
"That's right clown, I win"
I leaned back on my chair, looking up at the ceiling...
So the card he marked wasn't the joker?
"I guess you're a really lucky bastard on top of being sly"
"Huh?"
"I mean, your strategy would've fallen apart of I'd drawn the joker at any point in the game.... Hell, even before that...if I wasn't so caught up in my pride and called you out for marking a card, I would've won instantly"
I still can't believe I fell for it, geez, what's wrong with me?
"No, you would've still lost, that's undeniable"
He said, getting up from his seat. I couldn't help but gaze at him with skepticism
"What do you mean?"
"If you accused me of cheating, I'd deny it"
"Do you really think I'll just take your word if you did?"
"I'd keep denying"
"And I'll keep pressing"
"Then I'd make a bet— if you don't find evidence of me cheating, you automatically lose. Because you cheated for two rounds, you'll have no choice but to accept or back off"
"I'll see through your bluff and accept!"
He stretched out his hand, then said
"Go ahead, inspect the deck"
What's he on about? The marked card is right there... what's the point of inspecting the deck?
Still though, it won't hurt to humor him
Let's see...
Huh?
At that moment I was hit by an even stranger phenomenon, or rather things started falling in place
"Where....is the joker?"
"You get it now, don't you?...."
I gazed back at him as he continued
"..... The joker was indeed the card you saw me mark at the start of the game, however, for the entirety of the game, it was never in the deck"
"....."
"When I questioned your motives, I used that opportunity to slip the marked joker back into the pack, then I squeezed the pack and threw it away"
"But then... What about this ace? When did you mark it?"
" You used a similar trick on Michelle, didn't you? Marking the card as you drew"
"Ah—"
"Yep, as I drew the two of hearts, I marked the card under it. Ofcourse, I marked the joker earlier at the exact same spot with the intention of using that trick all along"
Everything was anticipated at the start, this guy..... Now I see why Sara holds him in such high esteem.
Sigh.....
"How did I not see all this while reading you? It's not possible"
"Like I said, when it comes to reading people, Michelle is better than you"
"Huh?"
"Or maybe you're a little better, can't really say for sure.... well, it's all the same to me"
"You're not making sense"
"No one likes a man who's too perfect— My mum used to tell me that all the time..."
He began as he sank back into his chair, about to give a rather boring monologue
".....As a child I tried my hardest to impress her, working my ass off at every so she'd never be disappointed, in return I got hit with that damn phrase. Annoying, right?"
"Is there a point to this or are you going to keep on babbling?"
He ignored me and carried on.
"In response to her..."advice", I worked tirelessly to give myself a flaw.... Something so obscure it wouldn't seem like I was faking it, yet too trivial to affect my reputation"
"Which is?"
"Fake tells in my expressions. I got really good at it too, the ladies loved it back then... Those who managed to spot them had this look of elation as though they've solved the Riemann postulate, haha"
"Impossible, if you'd been faking your tells during the game, I would've noticed, my system is flawless"
"Whoever said I just started faking it?"
"Huh?"
"What if the data you based your system off of was flawed, if that's the case, even a flawless system wouldn't give you the right answer"
"You don't mean...."
"That's right. Ever since you started observing me, I've been faking my tells"
What?! Really?!
Now that I think about it, Michelle King definitely looked surprised when I showed her the footage— for someone who's observed him closely for months and had the skill to read me even through this puppet, it was odd she didn't notice those tells.
But that was because there were none to begin with, they were all fake!
She might be dumb, but she's still Bruce King's sister.... ignoring her was a big miscalculation
But even more impressive is this guy..... So he anticipated this situation from the very beginning? And everything I did was just dancing in the palm of his hand?
That also means everything I read about him was also what he wanted me to see— from the moment the game started, no, even before that, he's been manipulating me into arriving at this outcome
Guess I lost before I even made the first move, huh? Now I see why Sara likes you so much.
Adam Graves, you really are...
★★★Adam Graves POV ★★★
The clown slumped back in his chair like he was having a midlife crisis or something
I kinda wonder how he views me after his loss? Perhaps like the geniuses from my favorite light novels? Like Dazai of Fyodor who anticipated things well in advance and controlled people like pawns? I sure hope so.
To be honest, I guess I owe Michelle twice now— one for saving my life and the other for victory in this game
Fact is, I wouldn't have started faking my tells if she wasn't so adamant about keeping that damn bird with her in the third floor, guess sometime she can be annoying in a good way too.
Ofcourse I'm not going tell him that, I'd rather he see me like how my waifus in C*TE see Ayanokoji.
Besides, I would've easily been able to do that much back in my prime, sigh, how far I've fallen.
"Well, I won your stupid game, so hold up your end"
I said, slamming my hands on the table.
I had expected he'd try double-crossing us or going back on his word, but rather...
*CREAK....
A door opened behind me and one behind him... From the one behind me came my other teammates, as for the other...
"Through there you'll find your friend and the way out"
" Really? No tricks or monsters?"
Growled the news lady
"Well, there may be one"
"Oh? Then why don't you spill where you're hiding first?"
I said, cutting in... However he replied with
"Nah, I think it's more fun this way"
At that moment, the building started shaking... I could feel the insanity emanating from the clown as he said
"You've seen this in treasure hunting movies before, haven't you? The final twist, get out before the building collapses, hahahaha"
You didn't need to tell us before we ran like hell.
Through the corridor connected to the door, we arrived at the reception, our original starting point. There, Michelle sat, bound to a wooden chair with handcuffs with the key and our belongings on the counter.
I grabbed our belongings and the key and had Brock carry the queen bee, chair and all as we made a mad dash for the exit.
Thankfully, we all made it out in the nick of time.
"You guys sure have seen better days"
Greeted Adrian, as I read his thoughts for an update.
Apparently, no one besides us left the building— does that mean the clown buried himself with the building?
I doubt it.
But then....how did he get out?
"...dam, ADAM!" Screamed the queen bee
Oops, forgot I was holding the key.
I undid her restraints and we proceeded to get the hell out of there. On the way, we parted ways with the hostages and the 7 of us trekked down to Michelle's home.
"Um..."
She said in a low voice, trailing behind me with her eyes darting all over the place while twirling her hair in a way I'm tempted to call cute.
"So, um....."
"You don't have to say anything"
"But—"
"It's fine"
Seriously though....if you start offloading the epistle you cooked up in your mind, we'd be here for hours.
On impulse, she forcefully grabbed my arm with both hands— I resisted the urge to dodge cause I knew that would've gotten awkward real fast.
"Still....Thanks for saving me, Adam"
Her words didn't surprise me but her expression definitely did! When she's not being self centered or narcissistic, she's actually... really cute.
I'm getting an aneurysm for just admitting that.
She just realized she was holding onto me and scrambled to let go...her face was flushed and thoughts full of embarrassment.
I guess I should say something
"You're aiming to become Student Council President, right?"
"Huh? How did you...."
"If you want to pay me back, become an excellent student council president, okay?"
To which she nodded nervously.
I incurred two debts to Michelle King tonight, one was cleared by rescuing her, as for the other....
"Sigh— I guess it's me vs Sara, huh?"
"Did you say something?"
"No, just mumbling to myself"
I started this mission with the intent of supplying Sara information she'll use to destroy Michelle's social life and ruin her chances for President, but after knowing what I know, and the debt of life to repay
I just can't let Sara's plan come to fruition
But still..... Can I really do it? Can I beat the demon king herself?
I think part of me was afraid of a head-on confrontation with her after the phantom of the music room incident, I simply used her threat as an excuse to back off, to take the easy way out.
I didn't want to see how low I'd fallen, I didn't want to watch myself lose to her again
But that's all just words..... let's look at things objectively
She's a ruthless snake who'll do anything besides kill to get what she wants, and she promised Rachel will be in danger should I defy her.
Can I really protect Rachel and Liz from her? Can I really beat her? Is it even possible as I am now?
What a stupid question.
Sure she's sly and a little sharp, but she's still inferior to me
She's an absolute monster, true...but I'm Adam Graves, I won't lose in a battle of wits.
Infact, I already know my first move— this haunted hotel was annoying as hell, but I gained a few things
One in particular is a lead — one which could be a weapon that'll make Sara O'Neil cry uncle.