Three Cheats

ʜᴇ sʟᴀᴍᴍᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʜᴀɴᴅs ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴏᴜɴᴅ ʀᴇᴠᴇʀʙᴇʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɢᴀʀᴅᴇɴ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴜᴘᴘᴇʀᴡᴀʀᴇ sʜᴏᴏᴋ, ᴄᴀᴜsɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀ ᴛᴏ sᴘʟᴀsʜ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ.

ʜᴇ ʀᴀɪsᴇᴅ ʜɪs ғɪɴɢᴇʀ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ sᴄʀᴇᴀᴍᴇᴅ, "you are obviously cheating!"

ʀᴀʏᴀ ʜɪᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴜᴛʜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʟᴍʟʏ sᴛᴀᴛᴇᴅ, "that's a baseless accusation."

"For you to win four times in a row? That's just unnatural!"

sʜᴇ sɪᴍᴘʟʏ sʜʀᴜɢɢᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅᴇʀs, then, do you have any proof?"

"That is," ʜᴇ ɢʀᴀsᴘᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʜᴇᴀᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ɢʀɪᴛᴛᴇᴅ ʜɪs ᴛᴇᴇᴛʜ, ʜɪs ᴇxᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴘᴀɪɴᴇᴅ.

"It must be that lady luck is smiling upon me," sʜᴇ sᴛʀᴇᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅs ᴏᴜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʟᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ʜɪɢʜ, "she too, couldn't bear seeing evil go unpunished, so she blessed me with this game. Or is it that I just know you so well, that I can read all your actions?"

"Agnes," ᴍᴜᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴄᴇʟᴇsᴛɪᴀ, ᴀs sʜᴇ ᴛʀɪᴇᴅ ᴄᴏᴍғᴏʀᴛɪɴɢ ʜɪᴍ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴏғ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴜsᴇ, sɪɴᴄᴇ sʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ɪɴ ɴᴏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀ ʙᴇᴛᴛᴇʀ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs. ɪғ ɴᴏᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴀᴍᴇ, ᴡʜᴏ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪғ sʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴄʀʏɪɴɢ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ.

"Don't fuck with me," sʜᴏᴜᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴇᴘ, ɢᴜᴛᴛᴜʀᴀʟ ᴛᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴜᴅᴅᴇɴʟʏ ɢʀᴀʙʙᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴘʟᴀʏᴇᴅ, "there has to be something I didn't see, there has to be."

ʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇʟʏ sʜɪғᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sᴄʀᴜᴛɪɴɪᴢᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜɴʟɪɢʜᴛ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ʜᴇ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴀ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀsᴇ ʜɪs ғʀᴏᴡɴ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ғᴀᴄᴇ sᴄʀᴜɴᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴜᴘ. ʜᴇ ɢʀᴀʙʙᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʜᴀɪʀ, ᴀɴᴅ sʟᴀᴍᴍᴇᴅ ʜɪs ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ʜɪs ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴛʀᴇᴍʙʟᴇᴅ.

"Did you find anything," ʀᴀʏᴀ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴄᴏᴍᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛ, ғᴜʟʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴsᴡᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ. ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ sᴇᴇɴ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴇʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ. ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ sʜᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘᴏᴛ, sʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ ʀᴇɢʀᴇᴛs.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ɢɪɢɢʟᴇᴅ, ғɪɴᴅɪɴɢ ʜᴜᴍᴏʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴜᴅᴇ ᴀᴄᴛ ᴅɪsᴘʟᴀʏᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ʏᴏᴜɴɢ ᴡᴏᴍᴀɴ, —ᴍᴇ— ɪɴ ғʀᴏɴᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʙᴇʜᴇʟᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴅɪsᴀsᴛʀᴏᴜs ᴄʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴡᴀs ᴅɪᴍᴍɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛɴɪɴɢ sᴛʀɪᴋᴇ ʜᴇʀ, ᴜʟᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇʟʏ sɪɢɴɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴇɴᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ sᴛɪɴɢs ᴀɴᴅ sᴛᴀʙs ғʀᴏᴍ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ ᴇʏᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴏɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ᴛʜᴇʏ ғɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴍʏ sᴏᴜʟ.

ʜᴇ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇᴅ ʟᴏᴜᴅʟʏ ᴀs ɪғ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ᴡʜɪғғ ᴏғ ᴀɪʀ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴀɢᴏɴʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪs ᴘᴀʟᴇ ғᴀᴄᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴏʀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ sɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ.

"ᴇɴᴏᴜɢʜ, ᴊᴜsᴛ ɢᴇᴛ ᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪᴛ." ɪ sᴀɪᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sɪɢʜᴇᴅ ɪɴ ʀᴇsɪɢɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.

ʜᴇ ʟᴏsᴛ ʜɪs sᴛʀᴇɴɢᴛʜ ᴀs ʜᴇ sʟᴜᴍᴘᴇᴅ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴏɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀɪʀ. ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ ᴡᴏʀᴅs, ʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀᴄᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅs ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀɴᴅ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄᴇʟᴇsᴛɪᴀ, ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʀᴇsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴏʀɴᴇʀ. ᴀ ʟᴀɴᴇ ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʀᴏᴡᴅ ᴏғ sᴘᴇᴄᴛᴀᴛᴏʀs ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ sᴘᴀᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴀss.

ᴄᴇʟᴇsᴛɪᴀ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ᴛɪᴍɪᴅʟʏ, "what should we do now?"

"I don't know, just play the card you feel is right."

ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴠᴇʀsᴀᴛɪᴏɴ. ɴᴏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛɪɴɢ sᴛʀᴀᴛᴇɢʏ, ɴᴏ ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴇɴᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇᴍᴇɴᴛ. ᴏɴʟʏ ʜᴀʟғ ᴀ sᴛᴇᴘ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀᴠᴇ ᴀs ʜᴇ ᴡᴀᴠᴇᴅ ɢᴏᴏᴅʙʏᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪs sᴇɴᴛᴇɴᴄᴇ.

ᴀs ɪғ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴘʀᴏᴠᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ʀᴀʏᴀ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴘᴀʀᴛɴᴇʀ. ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ʟɪᴋᴇ sʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ. sᴜᴘᴇʀɪᴏʀɪᴛʏ, ᴘʀɪᴅᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢʟᴇᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀʟʟ ʀᴇғʟᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ʜᴇʀ ᴇʏᴇs. sʜᴇ ɢᴀᴢᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ᴏᴘᴘᴏɴᴇɴᴛs, ᴀs ɪғ ɢᴀᴢɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ ᴏғ ᴍᴇᴀᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀs ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ғᴏᴏᴅ.

ᴀɴ ᴀʀʀᴏɢᴀɴᴄᴇ sᴏ ᴀɴɴᴏʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜɴᴄʜ ʜᴇʀ. ɪᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴍᴇ ғᴜʀɪᴏᴜs ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ, ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ɪᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏ ɴᴀɪʟs sᴜɴᴋ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍʏ ᴘᴀʟᴍs ᴀs ɪ ᴛɪɢʜᴛʟʏ ʙᴀʟʟᴇᴅ ᴀ ғɪsᴛ.

ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇsᴛ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴄᴇᴇᴅᴇᴅ sᴍᴏᴏᴛʜʟʏ.

ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀʟᴡᴀʏs, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅs ᴡᴇʀᴇ sʜᴜғғʟᴇᴅ. ᴄᴇʟᴇsᴛɪᴀ ᴛᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅs ᴛʜᴀᴛ sʜᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sᴏ ᴅɪᴅ ʀᴀʏᴀs ᴘᴀʀᴛɴᴇʀ.

ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ, ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴄᴀʀᴅs ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʟᴇғᴛ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴀʙʟᴇ. ᴀɢᴀɪɴ, ʀᴀʏᴀ ɢᴇɴᴇʀᴏᴜsʟʏ ᴏғғᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴏᴏsᴇ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ.

ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴀᴍᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇɴᴅ.

ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ɪᴛ ɪɴsᴛɪɴᴄᴛɪᴠᴇʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇʟᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴍɪss ᴀ sɪɴɢʟᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ᴀʀᴇᴀ ᴡᴀs sɪʟᴇɴᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡɪɴᴅs ᴡᴇʀᴇ sᴛɪʟʟ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʙɪʀᴅs ᴅᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ sᴀʏ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀs ɪғ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ʜᴀᴅ sᴛᴏᴘᴘᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴀ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ; ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ғɪɴᴀʟ ʀᴇᴠᴇᴀʟ.

ʀᴀʏᴀ ᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴇɴᴛʟʏ ʟɪғᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅ ᴜᴘ. ɪᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ᴀ ʙᴇᴀᴜᴛɪғᴜʟ ᴄᴜʀᴠᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴡɪᴘɪɴɢ sᴏᴜɴᴅ ғᴇʟᴛ sᴏ ʟᴏᴜᴅ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ.

ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ʀᴇᴅᴅɪsʜ ᴄᴀʀ ᴅᴇᴘɪᴄᴛɪɴɢ ᴀ ʜᴏᴛ ᴄᴀᴠᴇ; ᴛʜᴇ 'ʜᴇʟʟ' ᴄᴀʀᴅ. sᴏ ɪғ ʜᴇ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ ᴄᴀʀᴅ, ʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ғᴏʀ.

ʜᴇʀ ᴏɴʟʏ ʀᴇᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴀs ᴀ sʟɪɢʜᴛ sᴍɪʟᴇ, ᴀs ɪғ sʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜɪs ᴏᴜᴛᴄᴏᴍᴇ. ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ʟᴇғᴛ ᴡᴀs ғᴏʀ 'ᴀɢɴᴇs' ᴛᴏ sʜᴏᴡ ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɴᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ғɪɴᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʟᴏɴɢɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜᴏʟᴇ ᴛɪᴍᴇ.

ɪ ᴡɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄʟᴏsᴇ ᴍʏ ᴇʏᴇs, ʙᴜᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛɪᴏɴ, ᴏɴᴇ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ʜᴇʟᴘ ʙᴜᴛ ʟᴏᴏᴋ. ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ sᴇᴄᴏɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴀssᴇᴅ, ɪ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ʟᴜɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴍʏ ᴄʜᴇsᴛ. ɪ sᴛᴀʀᴇᴅ ᴀᴛ ʜɪs ғᴀᴄᴇ, ᴀᴅᴏʀɴᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ ᴇxᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ sɪʟᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴘʀᴀʏᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ᴍɪʀᴀᴄʟᴇ- ᴀ ᴠᴇʀʏ ᴜɴᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀɪsᴛɪᴄ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ.

ʜᴇ ʟɪғᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ sɪʟᴇɴᴛʟʏ ᴡʜɪsᴘᴇʀᴇᴅ, "I'm sorry, but there won't be a miracle from god," ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴅ ᴛᴜʀɴᴇᴅ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ, ᴀ sʜᴀᴅᴏᴡ ᴏʙsᴄᴜʀᴇᴅ ɪᴛs ɪᴍᴀɢᴇ, "but if you asked the devil he might be willing to lend a hand," ʜᴇ ᴛʜᴇɴ ɢʀɪɴɴᴇᴅ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴄʟᴏᴡɴ, "of course, that is for a price," ᴀ ɢʀɪɴ sᴏ ᴍᴀɴɪᴀᴄᴀʟʟʏ, sᴏ ғᴜʟʟ ᴏғ ᴇxᴘʀᴇssɪᴏɴ, ʙᴜᴛ sᴛɪʟʟ sᴏ ɪɴʜᴜᴍᴀɴ.

ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ 'ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴ' ᴄᴀʀᴅ.

Raya jumped up, and her eyes bulged out, almost leaving their sockets. The poor chair stood no chance and crashed towards the ground.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing, her mouth was wide open, and I felt like I could stuff an egg in there if I wanted to.

The person behind her, her partner, almost lost consciousness on the spot. If not for the table supporting him, he would be kissing the ground. His ashen face was shrouded with despair.

I laughed loudly, the sound leaving straight from my belly, "looks like lady luck has just left you."

"How, how, how," Raya stumbled through her words, "how is this possible?"

"What, why is that so unbelievable for you," I slapped the table, "if you win four times, then surely I should be able to win once, right?"

She shrunk away, and all the composure she had, left leaving only a complicated expression, "no, but, it is not possible," she muttered with incredulity.

"Of course it is," I pointed at the table, "it just happened."

Celestia, although happy, was not sure what had occurred and asked me, "uhm, how did we win this round?"

"That's a good question, let me tell you that. It's because she cheated."

Raya flung her arms, "don't say things with no proof," she yelled.

"Huh," I moved towards her and grabbed her chin, "alright, you want proof, I will give it to you."

"What," her mouth twitched.

I ignored her question and began, "first, let's start from you and me choosing cards."

She shouted furiously, "I let you choose the card yourself, how did I cheat when it was your own choice?"

"ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴀʟsᴏ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ," Agnes inquired.

"Well, it's a pretty easy trick, but is quite genius if done correctly. Say, was I really allowed to choose my own card?"

Her lips trembled when I said that, but she replied defiantly, "of course! Everyone can vouch for that!"

"Since you are so insistent, I will break it down for you. Has anyone ever heard of the term 'Equivoque'," I asked the crowd, but they shook their heads, "alright then I will demonstrate, Celestia step forward please."

"Huh, me?" She flinched but still came obediently.

"Yes, you will play my beautiful assistant today," I then took the two cards from the last round and placed them on the table, "you will now choose between one of those cards, and I will make you lose. I want you to pay close attention to my words."

"Make me lose," Celestia covered her mouth in surprise.

"Yes, now tell me which card speaks to you," I repeated Rayas actions.

She pointed at the the left card.

"This is a verbal technique, I pretend like you have a choice. If you listened closely, I didn't ask you to choose a card. I asked you which card spoke to you. It's an ambiguous statement. you pointed at the left card, but truth be told, I want you to have the right card," I told her, "so I simply say, 'I will remove the card you pointed at then' and give you the right card."

She opened the right card I gave her, and revealed that it was 'hell', as opposed to my 'heaven' card. Everyone around her exclaimed in shock.

"Now, if you had pointed at the right card, I would have simply given it to you. Do you see how no matter what choice you make, you will end up losing?"

Raya stayed silent but she was unnaturally pale.

"That was her first cheat. Next, I would like you to take a look at the cards," I lifted them in the air.

Everyone gathered around like curious children and looked at the small piece of paper in my hand. But no matter how they scrutinized them, they could not find anything out if the ordinary.

"If you only take a look at them, they would look normal to the naked eye, however," I placed the card back onto the table and gently ran my finger through the backside, "if you gently glide over the cover, you can feel small scratches. They indicate which card was which."

Raya began trembling uncontrollably as I said that.

Everyone gathered around and began touching the cards fervently, "she is right, she is right," some shouted in excitement, while others were confused, "I can't feel them?"

"I was wondering why you kept hovering over the cards every time you chose, but now I understand. You used your long nails to feel the thin scratches. That is also why you designed the game in such a way. The less I touched the cards, the slimmer the chance I found out." I stared at her with could eyes, "you knew, no one except a servant was willing to help me in this game. Naturally they had to keep their nails short as not to interfere with house works," I grasped Celestias hand, "that is second cheat. It's too bad you chose to mark the cards. Only a monkey wouldn't think of such an easy trick."

I was suddenly interrupted, "audacious! If what you say is true, then how would we have lost the game," her partner screamed in fury. His face was bright red and his eyebrows furrowed, "I can't vindicate us from your claims, but how would we have lost the round? You didn't do anything at all, but still won! Everything was pure luck."

"Huh, you just want to know how I did it, right?" I felt like I was addressed by an idiot, "well, I will entertain you. Truthfully, you were the third cheat, sending signals between each other so brazenly, do you think I am blind?"

He didn't answer.

"ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴇᴅᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ sᴋɪʟʟs ᴀʀᴇ ᴀs ᴍᴏɴsᴛʀᴏᴜs ᴀs ᴇᴠᴇʀ," Agnes said dazedly.

I simply shook my head, "it's a pity, if she had trusted you, she might have won. But instead, she tried to do everything her own. Let me give you a riddle. I had known before we began how the two of you were cheating. It took 4 rounds to find out which sign was which. So, keeping that in mind, what action of mine is unnatural?"

He thought about it and couldn't answer. Instead Celestia had to jump in, she shouted, "after the fourth round! Why did you act so desperate when you knew exactly what they were doing? That doesn't make sense!"

"Great observation," I patted Celestias head and spoke to her, "you remember, while I acted like I was on wits end, I took the cards right? At that moment I had changed the scratch with my hand, confusing Raya and her partner. Her partner didn't know that the scratch changed, while Raya only relied on the scratch to tell the cards apart. Ultimately she trusted herself more and then lost," I then pulled Celestias head to my shoulder, "on the other hand, I knew that you would play the 'heaven card', you had my full trust. Our bond would never be beaten by their shallow compromise. That's why she lost."

There were only two cards whose scratches I was able to change, if neither of them were in play, I would have lost.

But I believed Celestia, because I told her to play the card that most aligned with her. Seeing how her sister had died recently, it was only natural that she played the 'heaven' card.

Raya who didn't say anything, seemed to have wilted away. A small push and she would have fallen over.