A cold sweat slides down the side of Raguk's profile. Refusing to play at this point is impossible. Lady Amani knows that none of our two groups can afford to offend her.
As if focusing hard, he squeezes the words out slowly, "I... I..." Raguk swallows hard, "I wanted to be a farmer instead of a guard like my Apa." His hand grips his pant leg, his face looking as if he had taken a bite out of a lemon.
"A guard?" Someone repeats. "Guard what?" The others aren't sure but those who came from Inferis clearly understood his shocking confession.
"Pfft—", Vera starts giggling, trying to imagine someone big and intimidating like Raguk raising crops and animals as an apprentice of Sagitta, wiping the sweat on his forehead with a satisfied look on his face. Even Krael had a hard time keeping his lips in a straight line. This is Raguk after all. Will he glare at the rice and intimidate them into growing?
Somehow, imagining it... it's a bit funny.
While I'm distracted by trying not to smile at the imagined image, Obrecht shows a displeased look as he glances at me and then at Raguk. On the other hand, the flustered Raguk puts on a brave face as his stone lights up until his table had reached two places ahead.
"I confess—I'm really thankful for having Laris save me last time", Theo says next. His stone only flashes briefly, indicating it's the truth. Theo doesn't catch that gleam on Girtro's and Letitia's eyes.
I see. So this can also be a tactic. If you say only truths, you wouldn't need to confess your guarded secrets. However, this would probably result in a stalemate. It's also a possibility to have someone else confess one's secrets or be penalized though, is he aware? Unless one is decided to win, I suppose it's better to say only some truths though.
Next is Tukare. She looks at me and says, "Since I'm quite sure that you won't be winning this, I might as well confess since you'll be forgetting about them."
"Oh~" Lady Amani leans on his propped up hand.
"I seduced the few guards that were targeting you when we were thirteen."
Abruptly, the room quiets down.
"Tukare, you", I trail off. I thought none of the guards at the Lycan Dungeon had the courage to actually pull off sexually harassing me and my sister, but clearly, I was wrong to assume. "And why didn't you tell me at that time?" I bite the inside of my lips.
"And what could you have done if I had told you? Seduce them your way? All my efforts would've been in vain."
"..." Even so, why didn't I know? How much have I not noticed all this time?
"I didn't say all this so you can blame yourself. It's just for a game. If I can use that fact as a bargaining chip or like a chest piece, why hold myself back? Besides, I'm older than you. I'm obligated to shoulder more responsibilities and take care of you. I still think like this way until now. Don't think about it. Hurry up, it's your turn."
"..." Who was it? Which guard? Which fucking Lycan did it?!
Tukare doesn't answer no matter how much my eyes try to interrogate her. It's times like this that I really hate this stubbornness that could defeat any mule.
Taking a breath to control my surging emotion, I keep in mind the task of questioning my sister after this and decidedly confess for my turn.
"I dislike the twins. I find the both of them severely annoying most times. I feel like I have three mothers now if you include Tukare."
As if shot on the heart, Letitia clutches her chest, teary-eyed. Laris points to himself, dazedly. I raise an eyebrow at him—'Yes, even you'.
He takes a hit, as if he got banged on the head by a falling metal basin, and blankly stares at the ceiling. Girtro's amused though, as well the other people around, but I can't say the same for the frowning Tukare.
Well, she started this war. If I don't make her livid by the end of the game, I'm changing my last name—although Wraiths don't really have those.
This successfully livens the atmosphere. I toss a look at Tukare to indicate that we're not over this, however, she continues to ignore me.
I redirect my gaze at the potion on the middle table as I move two places. If that's how it is, I might as well play seriously and win to confront her later on. I catch Amani's gaze. This is clearly what he wants, and I'm slightly unhappy about it. It's a shame he's not a player.
"Right, it's my turn", Virgil cradles his elbow with his palm, touching his cheek the same way a troubled housewife does. "Somehow, I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but I actually readily came with Vera to the surface. I wasn't forced."
"You weren't?" Raguk asks, surprised. "Then why did you come? I knew it, so it's because of curiosity?"
I'm also quite perplexed how Virgil and Raguk ended up coming.
Virgil shakes his head. "A bit, but no, actually, it's entirely because I wanted to find more people to test the efficiency and possible side effects of my potion", he says, his voice getting weaker and weaker per word. "There weren't much willing testers back in Lumea..."
"I wasn't aware of such talent until now. And to have produced a substantial potion at a such a young age! Seldom are those who leave behind what they have to truly pursue their dream. You must be extremely dedicated in potions making to readily leave like so", Lady Amani praises.
Flustered and waving his hands, "Ah, no. No. I'm nothing of the sort."
"And quite humble at that."
Theo looks at Virgil with new eyes. As a person with similar interests, he questions Virgil, "What potion were you making? Is it under the medical field too?"
Virgil studies Theo for a second, "Uh, yes. Your name is Theo, right? Do you also study potions making? What field are you?"
"I'm actually a Healer-kind, so I've been trying to study and make a precise prescription in making a healing potion using my blood. The highest efficacy I've had is around approximately seventy percent healing of physical wounds though... Ah, I'm rambling, sorry."
"No, please continue. As someone from the same field, I'm interested."
Theo smiles. "I plan to raise it to at least around ninety, and research if it's possible for curing mental wounds as well, so you see, I have a lot of work left to do." Although Theo says it like it's a bother, he can't really hide the slight smugness in his voice for accomplishing what he has.
There is a shine on Virgil's eyes, his pupils dilating as he takes in Theo's unexpected revelation. Unexpectedly, there's a pureblooded Healer-kind in front of him; someone who has even purer blood than him.
"Um, well is it, um, would it be alright if—if we share our... findings later?" Shyly, Virgil asks the other, nervously playing with his half-empty plate.
"S—Sure. Let's just have one of the winners remind us." Theo answers, infected by Virgil's nervousness.
"That's good." Looking down on his table, Virgil straightens the utensils impeccably, like a focused housewife with OCD.
Very soon, there is an ambiguous atmosphere in the room that nobody wants to dispel.
Serena clears her throat uncomfortably, a clenched hand covering her mouth. She's unluckily the next player after Virgil, since her full name is Zara Serena Thompson, although she's seems more comfortable with everyone calling her 'Serena'.
"Last month, I told the newly transferred scouting pack members to memorize the map of the north, which encompasses the Lycan Kingdom, Barred Forest, Selkie's Loch and a part of the Great Eastern Forest of Garath. I told them I'll question them about Barred Forest and the Garath Forest so they'd better be prepared."
Bashfully, Serena avoids any eye contact as she continues to retell, "But I was in a hurry that time, and... mixed up the maps. So I... I gave them the map of the west to where Jurell and Isgard Forests are instead. I was going to apologize to them and postpone the recitation the next day, but the new pack members thought I was testing them and they started saying I was really wise and that they've memorized the north and west maps. They gave so many praises that I was too ashamed to say I just... got it wrong." Serena speaks so fast as if to defend herself but then she slows down at the end, sighing and blushing ashamedly.
Chuckling, Laris says, "Thank you very much for working hard."
"Ah, mm." Serena bows her head a little.
"I think Serena needs a vacation", Letitia suggests to Laris.
"Ah, no, that's not needed, my Alphas", Serena refuses instantly. "I'm your Beta. It's my job. I'll be more troubled if you don't give me any work. I might even think you don't trust me anymore—" Serena slaps her mouth quickly to stop herself from talking.
"What, so that's what you really feel, Serena?" Letitia teases. "Then, how about I let you transport important packages from Salciorne? Are you up for such a task? It'll be an infiltration job so it'll dangerous", she says seriously.