"So, what's it gonna be?"
Both of them stared at each other in a charged silence for a moment.
Then Cedric looked away, exhaled, and smiled. "Every time you speak, you make people appreciate your silence."
He closed his eyes and shook his head mockingly. "Let's make a deal."
Leon arched a brow. "A deal? I'm listening."
Cedric opened his eyes and said in a sly, calculating tone, "Unlike your summon, which has been around for almost a month, mine has barely existed for two days. To make things interesting for me, especially since I would be operating under such… unfair terms, let's set a price. If I win, or even if it's a draw, and we succeed in getting back to the Empire, you will owe me… two hundred and fifty gold coins."
"What?!"
"Huh?!"
Evelyn and Audrey blurted simultaneously, while Dion leaned back and whistled. "Now that's something interesting."
As for Leon, the smug grin on his face faded into a frown that he tried to hide, and his cheek twitched.
