CHAPTER 51: THE GAME ADDICT OFFERS A PACT.

"Why don’t we play a game?" asked Ishtar with a single finger raised.

Both Seraphina and Maria quickly had a scowl etched on their features. Regardless of her status, Ishtar was still a noble.

If she was choosing to play a game before making any type of decision, then it was surely because she wanted to extort Dorian.

Seraphina placed one hand on the couch, her eyes shifting to Dorian with worry. "My lord, please be careful. It’s never a good thing when nobles suggest something like this."

Dorian still kept his gaze on Ishtar, who was rather surprised to see Seraphina speaking up the way she did. Most people working under a noble often try to act their best, on the off chance the higher noble observing them would like them enough to snatch them from their employer.

However, it doesn’t seem as though Seraphina wanted to do that. In fact, Ishtar was certain Seraphina and Maria couldn’t care less about the Viscount’s status.

A smile graced Ishtar’s lips.

She crossed her legs and then assessed Seraphina’s comment right after.

"Why do you think such?" she said with a tease. "I am simply bored and looking for someone to play with; what more could possibly be there?"

Seraphina frowned even more in response.

Finally, Maria spoke up—

"Pardon, but what kind of game are you going to have my lord play? And also, I am sorry for my bluntness, but I don’t believe your reason for proposing a game is for fun only."

Hah!

Ishtar laughed out loud, obviously finding the entire thing amusing.

"Of course I am playing this for fun; that much is true. What’s a game that no one can enjoy? However, you are right about one thing; I do want something from this..." The spark in her eyes dimmed. "Which is why I would like to make a pact before we engage."

Seraphina’s mouth dropped open in a gasp.

"I see," Maria sighed, her calmness overshadowing Seraphina’s growing indignation. "My lord?" she looked at Dorian, waiting to hear his response.

Dorian leaned to the side, his eyes scanning the flower vase resting at the far end of the room.

After thinking for a while, he looked at Ishtar and asked...

"Say I do accept this. Then what you are saying is, using a pact, the winner gets whatever is said in the pact, regardless of morals and law."

"Yes, that is typically how a pact works, is it not?" Ishtar replied with a convincing tone. "Kings use it during wars to minimize casualties; we are simply using it for a game. No big deal."

Dorian remained silent.

’A pact,’ he uttered in his mind. ’From what I know, a pact is a sacred act, used by two or more people to establish dominance and fairness. It is similar to making a bet with someone, only this time, there is no way to scam your way out of this. This is because a blessing of a certain god is at play when a pact is made. To ignore is to die, as they say.’

Dorian knew nothing about the gods of this world, but still, he understood the gist of the topic.

"What kind of game are you suggesting we play?" he asked, yet another question.

As soon as he asked this question, Ishtar grinned maniacally, unable to hide her excitement any longer.

She replied, licking her lips seductively, while cupping her cheeks with both her hands.

"Let us play a game of Imagination," she said, her tone coy and evasive.

’A game of imagination?’ Dorian raised a brow in confusion.

"Ah! So you’re the one! That game addict that goes around extorting people!" Seraphina voiced out, pointing at Ishtar.

"Game addict? Well, that’s a rude thing to call a lady," Ishtar replied, feigning ignorance.

Seraphina was so shocked that her finger remained pointed while her mouth was open

"It really is you. Who would have thought you were a noble of all things..." She shook her head, moving her lips next to Dorian’s ear the next second.

"My lord, please don’t accept this challenge. This woman—people in my barony called her the game addict, though her face was always covered, so no one knows her identity. They say she would ambush random people at the bar and challenge them to a game called the Game of Imagination.

A lot of people had their lives ruined and lost everything because of this. No one has ever beaten her before, nor do they know where she found the game. But her existence is pretty popular around there."

As Seraphina whispered in his ear, Dorian noticed how Ishtar was smiling back at him, wiggling her fingers.

The game addict is not someone he had ever heard of, and since he used to be a die-hard gambler, there was no one he would have missed if she were to have entered the Aurelian barony.

"Do you mind explaining the game to me? I would like to know what I am stepping into before accepting to play along," he uttered.

"Right, silly me, I should have done that from the start." Ishtar clapped her palms together with a smile.

"The game goes like this. You and I will be trapped in a small domain I will be creating. Once in there, we battle using our imagination, taking turns to destroy each other’s creations. Of course, there are rules, but you get the gist of it."

Every word she spoke was followed by a gesture of her finger.

’She can do that?’ Dorian was instantly shocked.

Maria and Seraphina also mirrored the exact same reaction.

’If she is able to do something like this, then there is a chance she might be a mage class, Grandmaster?’

He squinted his eyes a bit.

[The skill Analysis has been activated.]

[Name: Ishtar.]

[Class: Mage.]

[Rank: Master Rank.]

[Special ability: Domain Creation.]

’So I was right.’

Dorian was impressed by her profile, most especially her supposed domain creation skill. If he is able to get her on his side, or rather, that ability, then his plan for the dragon egg can be executed with ease without having to do what he initially planned.

He finally made up his mind.

"Sounds like an interesting game. Sure, I don’t mind." Dorian leaned forward. "I am ready whenever you are, of course."

Ishtar laughed. "And here I thought you would ask to think more about it." She twirled her hair around her finger. "As you wish. Although it is pretty late now, how about we do this tomorrow?"

Dorian turned his gaze towards the nearest window, where he could see the sun already setting.

He already planned on spending the night in the viscounty anyway; the trip from his barony all the way here took longer than he expected.

"You’re right." Dorian stood up. "Then I’ll be sure to show up tomorrow. For now, I and my subordinates will go look for an inn to spend the night."

"Ridiculous. I refuse to allow a guest of mine to do such." Ishtar switched her legs. "Please, spend the night in my humble home; I do not mind. As my guest, it is my duty to make sure you are well entertained."