"..."
So my luck is really this bad?
Staring at the two cards left in his hand, Roland fell silent.
Fourth loss in a row. He hadn't won even once.
"It's okay. You were just unlucky this round."
Smiling as the victor, Mirajane soothed him with gentle grace.
It felt oddly like she was humoring a child.
"Why don't we switch to another ruleset?"
Seeing the gloom on Roland's face, Levy poked his waist and couldn't help suggesting it.
"Works for me."
Roland gathered the deck on the counter, shuffled, and began explaining the rules of Dou Dizhu.
No way he wasn't winning three today.
['All right, I'm playing cards today!' complete. Please claim your reward.]
Once they swapped to a familiar game, Roland went from four straight losses to three straight wins, and his tense mood loosened.
Quest done at last.
"So, do you two want to keep going?"
Riding the win streak, the gloom vanished from his face, replaced by that warm smile everyone knew.
Look at him, getting cocky after a few wins.
Levy shot him a speechless glance and peeled the sticky notes off her face.
They'd decided midway to add a little spice by betting something each round. Mirajane had innocently proposed that the loser of the most rounds get plastered with sticky notes.
"Hey, can I join?"
A curious female voice chimed in. Roland turned his head on reflex.
First to meet his eyes were the twin-horned headpiece and a lovely face. The newcomer wore a tiger-striped bandeau dress with a high-slit skirt that bared long legs, even down to tiger-claw shoes.
Altogether, she looked like she was deliberately playing a tiger—wild and striking.
Worth noting: a tiny bird in a black top hat perched on her head.
"Miki, back from a job?" Mirajane blinked, then introduced her to Roland. "This is Miki Chikintiger, captain of the Young Million Dead Squad."
"Young Million Dead Squad?" Roland echoed, expression a touch wry.
Strange team name.
He also noticed how intently Miki was staring at him.
He'd seen that look too many times already—the same look women on the street had given him.
Another one pulled in by the tear mole...
"Nice to meet you, Miss Miki. I'll be in your care."
He tossed the stray thoughts aside and greeted her politely.
"Mhm. Likewise!"
Miki didn't even blink as she watched him, interest written plain on her face.
Catching that unabashed attention, Levy's sense of crisis spiked. Her amber eyes fixed warily on the suddenly appeared, sultry tigress.
"Roland, how about we go check the guild library? I've got time right now!"
Under the table, she tugged his hem as if the idea had just struck her.
One rival in Cana was already a headache. She didn't need another.
Reading the look she threw him, Roland played along and nodded with a small laugh. "Then I'm in your hands."
"Mira, we're heading to the library. If we have time tonight, let's play again."
Before Roland could say his goodbyes, Levy jumped in and briskly led him away.
Guarding her meal, through and through.
"Why'd they leave so fast?"
Watching the two backs recede, Miki asked, puzzled.
She looked like she was scared of me?
But I didn't do anything weird.
"No idea~"
Mirajane shook her head lightly and went back to polishing glasses.
The guild library wasn't large, but the shelves climbed a dozen tiers high.
Biographies, the history of Ishgar, ancient literature, even tomes on magic cultivation filled the stacks—
"Plant Magic: Training Methods?"
Seeing the book Roland pulled from the shelf, Levy pushed up her pink Gale-Reader glasses and read the title aloud.
"So you're into plant magic?" she asked, surprised.
"Not into it, exactly. I just want a spell or two to quickly grow a sea of flowers."
Roland sat beside her and opened the cover.
The Shadow Battalion had gone out to trade with a dark guild again today. If nothing went wrong, another large haul of cash would arrive tonight.
At this pace, he could probably buy a manor soon. Naturally, he'd want plant magic to decorate the grounds.
"I see."
Levy tapped her chin with a quill and went on, "I think Droy studies that kind of magic. If you get stuck, you could ask him."
"Given where things stand between us, do you think Droy would teach me?"
Roland rubbed her head twice, deadpan.
If he didn't get tossed out, it would be a miracle.
"...You've got a point."
Between the boy she liked and the childhood friend she'd grown up with, Levy felt a headache coming on.
Why couldn't they just get along?
While Levy slumped over the table with a sigh, Roland sipped a hot coffee and leafed through the magic text at his leisure.
By the time they left the library, dusk was settling outside.
After a simple dinner, Roland pulled out the same deck from the afternoon and sat down with Mirajane and Levy for another round.
Only—
"Loser eats one of these."
Roland took a glass vial from his pocket, white tablets rattling inside, and gave it a shake under their curious gazes.
Levy eyed it warily. "What is that?"
Looked suspicious. Definitely not something good.
"Honesty Pills. Anyone who takes one can only tell the truth. Lasts twenty minutes."
Roland turned his smile on the stunned Mirajane across from him.
"Mira, want to play?"
<><><><><><>
Read Advanced Chapters on : patreon.com/Kaizo247
~ Every 150 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]