We ended up talking for a while.
Well, it was more of an argument than an actual talk, however, Krüger seemed to be enjoying it, and that's why I left.
Meeting people I know isn't easy here.
Due to my purple hair, which is a hereditary trait in my family, many nobles have been approaching me. In order to talk to me, it's been tiring, lying, I mean.
Spending my time in this garden is good enough for me.
Though, there's a large empty field of emerald-green grass over there which seems kind of odd. It looks like it's been defiled by people. Those sunglasses guys are blocking it like bodyguards.
What's more is...
I sense residual mana over there. Can't exactly pinpoint what type or when it was from.
Maybe a battle? No, but a battle on Olympus?
No one would dare start one up here on the Emperors' property. Unless it was the Emperors themselves. No, not possible. The damage to that field of grass is too little.
I'd expect an Emperor to blow that field away.
The time is...
"8:32 am?! Talking to all those nobles consumed some time."
I've got about an hour of free time left. Better use what's left wisely. Well, we do have another period of free time after the banquet, so I don't have to do anything specific.
I just don't want to go and stay in my room. I'm afraid of oversleeping. Typical, isn't it?
Anyway, the real question now is to decide what I should do.
"Actually,"
I got up from the bench that I was sitting on and walked back into the building. I entered the building and reached the elevator.
I pressed the '9' button and the elevator slowly took me up to the ninth floor.
"I wonder what Akane's doing."
After getting off, I went to room 802 and knocked on the door. As I did so, the door moved slightly.
It was unlocked.
"Uh, sorry for the intrusion."
I went into the room.
"Bam!"
Akane slammed the short table in front of her.
"UNO!"
"One card left already, Lady Akane?!"
Yumeko looked surprised.
"What?! How?! I still have 18!"
"That's just your bad luck, sis."
Akane, Yumeko, Sebastian and Calira were sitting around a short table and playing UNO.
Despite how much fun they looked to be having, they looked stupid since they were in formal wear.
The card that had been placed was a blue 7.
I could see Yumeko and Akane's cards from here.
Akane had a +2 red card on her. Meanwhile, Yumeko had a +4 and 3 red.
If played well, Yumeko could win.
It was now her turn.
"Okay,"
She placed the +4 card down.
"UNO. I change the colour to red."
Calira grimaced.
"You..."
She held her anger in and began to draw 4 cards. It skipped her and went to Sebastian, who had seven cards.
"Finally."
He said, placing down a +2 red.
Now, it was Yumeko's turn. With that, she had won--
"Oops, I don't have red. Guess I better draw. Not that it would matter."
She said.
Yumeko drew a card.
She doesn't seem very pissed. Meaning... She didn't want to win.
At last, Akane placed down her card. Then, she won.
I was expecting her to cheer out loud but she seemed to be more adult now. I feel like she's reverted ever since we left Altheria. I was thinking she seemed a bit too... mature there.
Akane smiled wholeheartedly.
"Oi, you made me draw so many cards!"
Calira said, jabbing her finger at Yumeko's collarbone.
One would think that Calira isn't that competitive but it's the opposite.
"Hm? Me? Whatever do you mean?"
Yumeko acted nonchalant.
"Don't play dumb with me! Each time I got more cards because you would throw a +4 or +2 at me!"
"Hey, hey, you can't be blaming me! You have to blame your dear old twin for that. He's the one who started it. I merely tried to protect myself by adding on to it."
"You..."
"That's enough!"
I clapped, making them realise my presence.
Calira sat back into place instinctively.
"Calira, you're not a sore loser. Stop making excuses for your own loss."
"Ah, y-yes..."
She put her head down in apathy.
Yumeko chuckled.
"Exactly."
She muttered under her breath.
Calira heard this and was ready to act out. I moved first though.
"Yumeko. Don't laugh at her. You easily accepted defeat to let your master win. Don't look down on your master like that."
The girl broke into a cold sweat.
"Y-yes..."
Now Calira began laughing. Without saying anything, I glared at her and she kept her mouth shut.
"Anyway, have you guys just been playing UNO the whole time and haven't even tried to go outside?"
"Yeah. We figured that outside would be packed and we would lose each other."
Akane said.
That's not what I expected to come out of Akane's mouth. Especially since she's the one who always wants to go out. The only reason she doesn't like being kept inside is because of her family.
Speaking of which, I wonder if the Kabura clan are here.
"You guys are..."
I sighed.
"You all haven't seen the Garden of Eden have you?"
"No? I kind of want to see it now though."
Akane stood up.
When she was going to walk past me, I put my arm out to stop her.
"Too late."
I told her.
I softly pushed her and set her back down. I closed the door and sat down, grabbing the cards on the table and reshuffling them.
"Lady Anastasia?"
Calira said quizzically.
Once I finished reshuffling them, I handed out the cards equally, faced down. Seven should be good, right?
I then put the remaining cards on the edge of the table.
"Let's play UNO until the time for the banquet comes around."
"Sure."
Akane said, picking up her cards.
They all did the same.
I smirked.
"Just to warn you, I've never lost a game of UNO."