The Game's Conclusion (Part 2)

All of the players returned to their seats. Jenny came up with an excuse for Dravisha's absence, hinting that she had a bad stomach. It elicited a few disgusted expressions. A new dealer dealt them their hands. The first few rounds of betting went well for Jenny, and she built up her chip stack. Silver Locks was the only other player with a decent pile; the others were nearly drained. Soon enough, all remaining players went all-in.

Jenny noticed subtle non-verbal cues between Aldric and Hugo. It seemed the Inquisitor was helping Aldric strategize. Adjusting her plan, Jenny began deliberately bluffing with frequency, knowing Hugo would pick up on her fake tell. Both she and Silver Locks were losing steadily.

After a few more cards, Jenny shoved all her chips into the middle. The community cards lay on the table: a jack of spades, an ace of hearts, a five of clubs, and a ten of clubs.

"All in," she declared.

Hugo studied Jenny carefully. She leaned forward slightly—a tell he'd identified earlier. It was unnoticeable at first, but it became obvious over time. He nodded to Aldric to accept the all-in.

"Call," Aldric said confidently.

"Fold," Silver Locks tossed away his cards.

The dealer revealed the final card—a gleaming ace of diamonds. Its sharp edges caught the dim light, casting faint reflections across the polished surface.

Aldric flipped over a king and queen—a straight. He smirked, confident in his win.

Jenny nodded, her expression calm. She flipped over her pocket jacks—a full house sealed by the final ace. Relief washed over her as she stood, smiling. "Chin up—you haven't lost yet." She reached across the table and pulled the fat stack of chips toward her. With this victory, she now possessed around seven hundred gold marks' worth of chips.

Aldric glared at Hugo, who simply shrugged.

Hugo's lips twitched into a wry smile, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of irritation. He prided himself on his ability to read people, yet the silver-haired woman had turned his own methods against him. Fascinating—and infuriating. He would keep a keen eye on her.

The game didn't take long to finish from there. With Jenny being so much in the lead, she quickly outplayed her opponents and won. 

Silver Locks nodded at her with deep respect, studying her with quiet admiration. "Well played… Lady Seris, right?"

Jenny nodded, accepting the compliment with a faint smile.

"I hope to see you around," he said, handing her a card. "Visit my shop if you're ever in the mood for rare antiques—or allies." The words carried weight, suggesting more than mere business.

Jenny took the card, glancing at the fine print: 'Silbersee Antique Seller and Auction,' along with various locations. "Thank you," she said, tucking it into her hand bag.

Turning to Aldric, she adopted a cheery smile. His face glistened with sweat under the dim light of the chandeliers, his handkerchief damp and crumpled in his trembling hands. Each wipe seemed futile, as though the perspiration was a physical manifestation of his mounting despair.

"Good game, Lord Nachtdorn," she chirped, her tone laced with mockery.

He glared at her with undisguised contempt.

"Now don't be a sore loser." she added, offering him her hand. Inside, she reveled in his humiliation, savoring the knowledge that she had planted the seeds of his undoing. Still, she reminded herself to stay focused. There was much work to do before her revenge was complete.

Reluctantly, Aldric shook her hand, his grip weak and clammy. "We will meet at midnight sharp today."

"Of course," Jenny replied, her grin widening. "I can hardly wait."

After exchanging her chips for coins, Jenny made her way to the privy chamber and softly knocked on the door.

"Are you able to walk now?"

Dravisha crawled toward the door, summoning every ounce of strength to lift herself up enough to open it. She collapsed into Jenny's waiting arms, unable to stay upright any longer.

Jenny caught her, swinging the demoness's arm around her neck. She pulled hard to steady her, but the effort proved futile as both of them tumbled to the ground.

"Can you walk?" Jenny asked.

"Maybe… I think so," Dravisha groaned.

Jenny got to her feet again, helping Dravisha up. She swung the demoness's arm back across her neck and began taking small, cautious steps forward. With each step, Dravisha groaned in pain. They barely reached halfway across the room before collapsing again, gasping for breath.

"Y'know what? This isn't working," Jenny said, her voice strained. She glanced at Dravisha's miserable form and smirked with sadistic glee.

"What are you thinking?" Dravisha asked, a hint of anxiety creeping into her voice.

"Oh, just a bit of payback for earlier."

Jenny ducked down and hauled Dravisha up by the waist, slinging her over her shoulder like a sack. The weight was surprisingly manageable, likely due to Jenny's newfound superhuman strength.

"I see," Dravisha muttered with a resigned sigh.

The pair made their way to the carriage like this, drawing curious stares from passersby. To Jenny's annoyance, the demoness didn't seem to care what others thought.

As the approach the carriage, the waiting chauffeur looked at them with a raised eyebrow.

"Her drink got spiked by a creep," Jenny said as an excuse and Dravisha acted purposefully delirious to sell the story.

The chauffeur nodded looking apologetic and got down. He opened the carriage door, allowing Jenny to get in. She dumped Dravisha's body on the soft leather. The Demoness groaned in pain. Her back arched out as she adjusted. Jenny got in beside her and took out a suit case from under her seat. Her normal clothes were inside. Her bodice, blouse, skirt and great coat. Her saber was also there inside its scabbard. She changed and then notified the chauffeur about the location they needed to go.