The Odds.

Inside Ivory Crest, the most prestigious tea house in the noble district, the air buzzed with hushed conversations. Nobles draped in elegant silks and enchanted jewelry sat around circular tables, sipping on imported spirit tea while discussing the latest political upheavals.

"The Dragon Emperor has made his stance clear, hasn't he?" Lady Estelle Marquess of Hollowbrook murmured, tapping her lacquered nails against her teacup. "He no longer stands with House Obsidian. But the question is—what is his next move?"

"War, obviously," scoffed Lord Vernon, a lesser noble who prided himself on knowing things he had no business knowing. "Though he hasn't officially declared it, pulling away from the Obsidians is as good as raising his sword against them. And let's not forget, every other faction is watching closely, waiting to sink their teeth in the first moment of weakness."

Across the tea house, another conversation carried a different weight.