Jack spoke up curiously after hearing Brian's ominous declaration.
"Ah, they get to keep it, right?"
Brian turned to Jack with a little bit of surprise.
"Ah... it appears you already know. That is quite true, I must say. If the person in question does not provide compensation, naturally the house doesn't force them and allows them to keep it."
Jack smiled brightly.
"Thankfully, they don't die! Dying would be bad, but everyone dies so it can't be helped."
Brian smiled while his eye filled with space was open, which oddly made him look more charming than anything else.
"Of course, I must agree. After all, death is such a short and unfulfilling thing compared to what else could happen."
He turned back to Donald, who was frozen in place. After a bit of thought, Brian released his hold ever so slightly. But only around the mouth. Almost immediately, Donald spoke out.
"Please release me. I'm sorry for trying to attack. I will provide the compensation and play the game."
There was a clear sense of fear in his voice, though every word was spoken clearly. In response to his pleas, Brian only kept the smile that he always had on his face.
"Oh? Is that so? But how can I know that you aren't lying to me and will try to attack?"
Donald grit his teeth.
"I won't! Do you really think I'll dare try to do anything when you can do something like that?"
Brian let out a helpless sigh, though it was clear how fake it was from the smile that formed on his face right after.
"Unfortunately I find it hard to believe you. After all, it's hard to know whether or not you are lying when you just tried to attack someone out of the blue! That kind of person isn't really trustworthy."
Donald's breathing began to become panicked.
"Please... please release me. I'm sorry, just give me another chance, I swear I won't do anything."
It was clear he understood the consequences of being unable to provide compensation and was terrified by it. As for Brian, he rested his face against his fist and let out a hum.
"I dunno~"
Jack pouted while pressing the tips of his fingers together.
"Can he really not be freed? I think he was just upset because he lost a lot."
Brian turned to him with a smile.
"But what if he injures you or even worse kills you once I release him?"
"I won't do that! There's no way in hell I'd dare anymore!"
Donald was practically screaming, but it was suddenly cut off as his mouth was shut tightly. Though from the fervor that came from his stare, it was almost like he was still screaming those words still.
Jack scratched the side of his head.
"Well... I don't mind. I don't think he will hurt me, and even if he does I can forgive that!"
Brian put on a sad face.
"But what if instead of going for you, he comes for me?"
Jack let out a small gasp after hearing that.
"Ah! I didn't think of that..."
A troubled expression formed on his face.
"Aw, I'm sure he regrets what he did and really wants to continue playing! But... maybe this way is better. My dad always told me that it would be bad if people die! So a way for everyone to live is the only choice."
Brian let out a chuckle after hearing that.
"Then I suppose we will wait these ten minutes, so that way... everything can go on as it is supposed to. Unfortunately, as I have to restrain him, our friend here can't talk. But the two of us still can."
That was obviously a lie since he had just let Donald talk not too long ago while restraining him. However, Jack didn't bat an eye when he heard Brian say that.
"Ah, alright!"
Jack spoke up right after, which seemed to be a burning question in his head.
"Mister um... Brian, did you still have fun despite dealing the cards to us?"
Brian let out an amicable chuckle.
"Oh, it was fine. Although I do prefer to be a player, it's not unenjoyable to do this once in a while. Besides, you were the one that gave me such a nice tip that made it that much more pleasant. Once again, thank you for that."
Jack let out a giggle while scratching the side of his head.
"Oh, no problem! Thank you for dealing with us even though playing is more fun!"
Brian waved his hand dismissively.
"Haha, it's truly not big of a feat. Besides, I'm sure in the future you will become a very great dealer similar if not better compared to me."
Jack scratched the side of his cheek.
"Eh? Do you think so? But... I don't really have much experience dealing for other people."
Brian reached over with a laugh and patted him on the head.
"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll become a great one. Although you're playing right now, as you go through your future, you will surely also become a dealer, and give lots of fun to other people. And I'm sure the cycle will continue, continuously bringing joy to many people."
Jack let out a long gasp.
"Wow! That sounds so cool! So that's why you're a dealer? I wanna become one too!"
Brian nodded a few times.
"Yes, it is quite cool. I highly recommend that you also become a dealer in the future as well. It's a fairly... inspiring job. To say the least."
The two of them continued talking, all the while Donald was restrained in his chair against his will. Practically the only thing he could move was his eyes, as he desperately tried to convey both words and emotion through them to both Jack and Brian.
He really hoped that one of them would eventually get through and Brian would either give him another chance or maybe out of a slim chance Jack would convince Brian. Unfortunately, his efforts were completely in vain, as for both of them, the existence of Donald was essentially ignored at this point.
Almost like he never even existed.
Nonetheless, Donald had kept trying. However, strangely enough, the feeling of being completely ignored filled him with a different kind of dread. No matter how loud he tried to communicate things, the words just wouldn't come out.
He couldn't help but recall when he saw others morph into those strange monsters after not paying the proper compensation. His fear grew several times more when he recalled that, and he once again looked between Jack and Brian.
But the both of them only had smiles on their faces as they talked to each other. It was almost as though Donald was just watching a video, and since it was pre-recorded it didn't matter how much he called out, as they would never truly respond to him.
Amidst his blood loss and dizziness, he actually began to believe that something along those lines was happening. That he wasn't able to communicate any of his intentions anymore, that he could only wait here for his inevitable death. No, not even. His transformation into a monster. The despair continued to swirl, only becoming a far greater vortex within his mind.
And the more it did so, the less he could bring himself to struggle. In fact, it did not take that long for him to completely give up on his life, which made a strange feeling swell up within him.
There were some people that said one's entire life flashes by just before someone is about to die. There were also some that said the reason this happened was the mind's way of desperately searching for some kind of solution to avoid that death.
However, for Donald, it didn't flash by. Instead, the most memorable moments in his life played one after another as he remembered the reason he came to The House of Cards in the first place.
Donald was an orphan. He had never seen his parents once and didn't know why they had abandoned him in the first place. But despite that fact, while he could be considered an unfortunate person, he himself didn't think so. The orphanage where he was raised was supported by one of the nicest men he had ever seen in his life. The man tried everything possible to make the living conditions better for the kids he raised, despite the fact the donations given were never enough to keep up with the costs.
When Donald heard other horror stories of orphanages where the owners used the children in various different ways, he felt even luckier. And what's saddening, was that some of them did have good intentions at first, but the piling debt made their actions grow more extreme.
But for this man, no matter how bad the debts became, he was still always that same kind of smiling and benevolent person.
Though he hadn't spent too much time with him, Donald would always remember. When he did eventually grow up, he made a hard decision and left to not become a burden. From there, he became a soldier, joining the grueling army and being forced to live a rather brutal training regimen. However, he didn't have to worry about not having enough to eat or anything like that.
Though, like many others, he was soon drafted into a war. Although it wasn't the largest or most noteworthy of wars on a global scale, it still felt very real to him. Though he wasn't much of a talker, there were still people that made the effort to reach out to him.
And those same people died before his very eyes.
Although he hadn't known him for that long, it still made him feel saddened. Later on, he was discharged from the war and then found himself unable to get any sort of job.
While wandering around homeless, he eventually came across the same orphanage he was raised in, wondering how it was doing. The owner himself was still smiling as always, but was bruised badly.
Donald was able to find out it was because of debt collectors, angry that he still hadn't paid back what was owed. From there, he declared he would go to the House of Cards to raise some money. After all, there wasn't much left of his own life anymore.
Though, the man who raised him practically begged him not to go.
Regardless, Donald did so, and in the process sacrificed all he could just to further himself in this place. Yet, just when his journey was supposed to begin, it appeared to be ending. Suddenly he remembered the words the man who raised him had said.
"I don't want the money that comes from the pain of others, even if it is for the children."
Donald thought he was referring to the pain he experienced, but now he realized that was not the case. The man didn't really care about himself anymore, he just decided to do all he could in order to help the others who needed it without harming another. That was his only goal in life, nothing more.
And if it did cost his life, then so be it. Perhaps it was an empty life to most, but for that man, it was fulfilling.
Donald's eyes glistened. And when he did eventually blink, tears began falling from his face. He regretted his actions. Now he understood why the man told him to stay. It was never about being wealthy or even living to see the next day.
If he stayed, they may not have lived long, and perhaps just been a burden financially, but they would've been able to spread just a little bit more kindness with what they had left.
In his last few minutes, Donald continued to apologize in his head, but unfortunately, no matter how many times he said it, they would reach nobody.