The air inside the grand hall seemed to freeze solid.
Everyone stared at Momobami Kirari in absolute disbelief. The untouchable President of Hyakkaou Private Academy—a woman whose very existence was defined by elegant cruelty and flawless grace—was currently displaying an expression none of them had ever witnessed.
She was terrified.
"You..." Kirari stammered, her icy composure shattering into pieces. Her wide eyes darted to her secretary. "Sayaka! The guests you mentioned... it was them?!"
Igarashi Sayaka bowed her head, her voice dropping into a deeply respectful register. "Yes, President. Lord Ren stated he wished to see you, and instructed me to escort them directly here."
Under normal circumstances, Kirari would have been ecstatic. Now, she was entirely consumed by panic. Her body stiff, she took two unsteady steps forward. "Ren... why are you here?"
Ren offered a calm, understated smile. "Yuko came back, and I found myself a bit bored, so I decided to drop by and give you a surprise. It seems I arrived at the perfect moment to catch you taking the stage personally."
"No... no... I... I..."
Yomozuki Runa and the rest of the Student Council watched in stunned silence, feeling as though the floor had dropped out from beneath them. Kirari was afraid? That beautiful, terrifying lunatic was actually trembling. It wasn't a superficial shock; it was a deep, visceral dread radiating from her very bones.
Jabami Yumeko's eyes immediately curved into crimson crescents. She leaned forward, her voice dripping with saccharine poison. "Oh? So, is this new guest also here to bet everything they have?"
The entire room flinched. Kirari violently shook her head, her silver braids swaying as her voice cracked. "No! That is absolutely forbidden! The terms never included outside observers betting their lives! Isn't that right, Runa?!"
Runa swallowed hard, intimidated by the sheer, frantic desperation burning in the President's eyes, and quickly nodded.
Ignoring her usual regal dignity, Kirari rushed forward and desperately grabbed Ren's arm. Her manicured fingers dug into his sleeve. "Ren, please don't get involved, alright? Don't step into this game... Don't match the bet... Please. I'm begging you, please don't..."
The onlookers were rendered entirely speechless. Even Ichihara Yuko arched a brow in mild surprise. The infamous Momobami Kirari had a side like this? It was almost more terrifying than her usual sadism.
Under the disbelieving gaze of the entire hall, Ren casually reached out and pinched Kirari's soft cheek.
"I'm not a student at your academy," he said, his tone dryly amused. "Why would I throw my life on the table? You really are an idiot."
The suffocating tension drained from Kirari's shoulders. She leaned into his touch, a fragile smile breaking through her panic. "Really?"
"I lied. I'm joining the game."
"Huh?! Ren, no! Absolutely not—"
Ren chuckled, cutting off her frantic protest. "Betting everything... I'm not quite bored enough to play for such tedious stakes. How about this: whoever wins between the two of you gets a free meal at my restaurant."
Kirari exhaled a long, shuddering breath, pressing her forehead against his arm. "You scared me to death... Fine! You gave your word! Yumeko! Take the bet!"
Yumeko blinked, momentarily thrown off rhythm, before nodding slowly. "I accept, but... who exactly is this gentleman...?"
Kirari straightened up. As she looked at Ren, the terror vanished from her face, replaced by a deep, possessive pride. "This is the one stake I absolutely cannot afford to lose... my beloved."
"Eh?!"
Four separate gasps echoed across the room.
Yumeko tilted her head, her curiosity fully ignited. "So, this Mr. Ren is a truly formidable gambler?"
"That's right," Kirari declared, a genuine, radiant smile blooming on her lips. "I have never once won against Ren!"
Several sharp intakes of breath hissed through the hall.
"My, my," Yumeko purred, her cheeks flushing slightly. "That is truly impressive!"
Kirari nodded, then turned her attention back to Ren. "Wait for me. It will be over in a moment—just the time it takes to draw three cards. Honestly! You came all this way and didn't even warn me!"
"That's the entire point of a surprise attack."
"Oh, as expected of you."
None of the students had ever seen Kirari act like a smitten, ordinary girl. But before they could even process the whiplash, her demeanor shifted again. The soft, affectionate aura evaporated. When she turned back to the gambling table, she was once again the absolute monarch of Hyakkaou. She appeared exceptionally elegant, yet the cold madness swirling in her blue eyes had grown exponentially darker.
Runa hopped off her chair and leaned close to Ren, examining him with wide, cynical eyes. "Oh my! What a handsome gentleman. I never expected the President to have a lover, let alone be so madly in love. But did you say you run a restaurant?"
"Yes. A late-night diner."
"Oh! How's the food? Is it yummy?"
Sayaka stepped forward, her voice ringing out with absolute reverence. "The sole Special Executive Officer of the WGO, the three First-Class Book Masters, and the Gourmet Devil Senzaemon Nakiri have all evaluated his cuisine as the absolute pinnacle of the culinary world. All current members of the Totsuki Elite Ten Council are Lord Ren's direct students, and countless legendary alumni have sought his personal guidance."
Runa's jaw dropped, her lollipop nearly slipping from her mouth. Sumeragi Itsuki and the others stared in sheer, unadulterated terror. Just how monstrous was this man's background?
Ren sighed softly. "Sayaka, that's laying it on a bit thick."
"Lord Ren, I only spoke the objective truth."
Kirari smiled from across the table. "Sayaka is right. And Ren doesn't even rely on his restaurant for profit; he isn't short on money in the slightest."
"Wow," Runa muttered, recovering her cheeky grin. "He truly is a top-tier catch. But what happens if the game ends in a draw?"
"If it's a draw, then both of you get a free meal," Ren replied smoothly. "After all, drawing three cards from a circle of major arcana and still managing to hit a perfect tie is a remarkably rare twist of fate."
Kirari nodded in agreement, and Yumeko mirrored the gesture.
Runa raised her hand eagerly. "Hey, Mr. Ren, can I come freeload a meal too? I am the official notary, after all!"
"Of course."
"Yay! Then make it a luxurious feast! Alright, game start! The first to draw... representing the past... the President!"
Ren tilted his head, watching the table. 'The past, huh...'
Kirari slowly walked around the scattered ring of Tarot cards. Beside Ren, Yuko watched with keen interest, finding the raw tension intoxicating. There were no visible signs of cheating. Was this truly a battle of pure luck?
Kirari finally stopped, resting her pale hand flat against a card. She looked up, her eyes locking onto Yumeko.
"Yumeko... a moment ago, I might have only been somewhat serious about this match. But now..." Her voice dropped to a freezing, absolute whisper. "I will absolutely not let you win against me. Absolutely."
With a flick of her wrist, she turned the card over.
The World. Value: Twenty-One. Representing Kirari's position.
Itsuki and the others broke out in a cold sweat. Drawing the highest possible value on the first turn was a devastating opening move.
Unfazed, Yumeko casually reached out and flipped her own card.
The Magician. Value: One. Representing her position.
Ren let out a quiet chuckle. "In that case, you either need to pull The Fool or The Judgment." He shifted his gaze toward the sweating young man standing behind Yumeko. "You over there. The pressure on your shoulders shouldn't be too heavy."
The young man flinched, his eyes darting nervously toward the table.
Ren's smile deepened. "Fate can always be manipulated, can't it?"
The young man's breath hitched. Runa burst into a fit of giggles. "Hahahaha! As expected of Mr. Ren! How incredibly sharp!"
Trembling under the weight of the moment, the young man ultimately ignored the subtly marked card he had spotted earlier. Instead, he reached toward a completely different section of the circle and flipped a card blind.
The Judgment. Value: Twenty.
The young man collapsed to his knees, gasping for air as the crushing tension left his body.
Yumeko pressed a hand to her chest, letting out a euphoric sigh. "Oh! President, we both survived! We get to share a grand feast! Isn't that right, Mr. Ren?"
Ren nodded, his gaze drifting back to Kirari. "Don't look so withdrawn over there, Kirari. Wasn't a draw exactly what you wanted to see?"
Kirari sighed, stepping away from the table. "I originally swore I would never lose to anyone but you... But now, ending in a draw right in front of your eyes... I feel a little disappointed in myself."
"You'll just have to practice your acting skills a bit more," Ren teased gently. "Now, as the President of this academy, you don't mind acting as my tour guide, do you?"
Her disappointment vanished instantly. "Of course! Sayaka! Let's go!"
Watching Kirari happily cling to Ren's arm as they walked out of the hall, Yumeko and the others finally turned their attention back to the table, intending to inspect the marked card. Before they could touch it, Runa swiftly snatched it up.
"Well then, everyone! See you all later!" Runa chirped, waving the card. "Yumeko! Remember to call me when you go for that big meal! Bye-bye!"
"Bye-bye!" Yumeko waved back cheerfully.
"That cunning little..." Itsuki and the others cursed under their breath.
Left standing by the ruined gambling table, Jabami Yumeko slowly stroked her flushed cheek, her breathing slightly ragged. Her crimson eyes stayed locked on the doorway where Ren had disappeared.
"Hmm... So that is the stake? True love?" she whispered softly to herself, a dark, euphoric thrill lacing her words. "How wonderful. I really, really want to win him..."
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