✓𝙍𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡 𝙁𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙝 [ʜ.ʜ.•ʜᴜꜱᴋ]

Flush

The feeling of helplessness weighed heavily upon me, squeezing my non-beating heart with a suffocating sense of sadness. What made it even worse was the apparent indifference of my supposed bodyguard to everything that had transpired.

As we walked, the burden of my thoughts became too much to bear, causing me to halt abruptly in my tracks. Husk paused beside me, his expression unreadable as I turned to face him, willing myself to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes.

"Were you holding back on me?" I finally managed to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.

His brow furrowed in confusion at the unexpected question. "What do you mean?"

"You didn't deny it," I pressed on, my voice tinged with bitterness. "You're an Overlord. Audile knew you. You must have frequented plenty of casinos. Heck, I'd even say you're the type of Overlord who indulges in risky gambles, cheating to get everything you want!"

"I was an Overlord." His sigh was heavy, and his response was blunt. "If you want someone to blame, then blame yourself for not trying hard enough."

The accusation stung, and I couldn't help but scoff, "So I'm not trying hard enough?"

Husk's gruff reply cut through the tension. "You aren't. You're so confident in your luck that you thought everyone plays fair, up until they pull their sleeve on you. That's your weakness, isn't it? Someone who plays dirty gambles to get what they want?" His glare bore into me, his words hitting uncomfortably close to home.

I staggered to the side, my back finding the support of the wall as I slid down, the rough surface staining my dress with grime. Husk's frown deepened as he closed the distance between us, sitting in between me and the trashbin.

My mind flashed back to the grisly scene of the man being torn apart by the electric saw. "I wonder if that guy had a family," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. "If he had someone waiting for him."

Husk's eyes rolled in exasperation. "Why do you care about that?" he retorted, his tone tinged with frustration. "We're all sinners down here, doing enough shit to warrant living in literal hell. That guy was no different from you or me, (Y/N). Maybe he even deserved it."

"We don't know that," I protested, my hands covering my eyes as tears threatened to spill over. I laughed bitterly through my sobs. It's pathetic. "Shit, I'm too sober for this." The memory of why I had turned to heavy drinking resurfaced in my mind, thus, my moments of morality forcibly pushed down by the cold beverages.

Husk remained silent for a moment, his wing extending behind me instinctively before he quickly retracted it. "You can change how the game is played," he began, his voice surprisingly gentle.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, intrigued by his words.

"But you can take control of how the game turns out in the end."

I wiped away my tears, the weight of his suggestion sinking in. "You're saying I should... cheat?" The word tasted bitter on my tongue, but the realization of its potential implications left me breathless.

"To cheat against a cheater would be a surefire way to win. And with your mysterious luck for cards?" Husk chuckled, his gaze fixed on me. "I bet you'd be unstoppable."

His words hung in the air, the weight of his suggestion sinking in. Could I really stoop to such levels? I hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at me. "I don't know if I could..."

"Think of it like a magic trick," Husk interrupted, his hand suddenly producing a card out of thin air. He handed it to me-a pristine ace card. "You just gotta learn how to hide it."

I chuckled at the absurdity of the situation, realizing I was actually considering diving into this world of deception and manipulation. "Isn't that like a trade secret?" I quipped, unable to suppress the amusement in my voice.

"Well," Husk shrugged, "If it's a trade you want, then we can probably arrange that."

"What do you want?" I inquired, curious to hear his terms.

He paused, pondering for a moment before responding. "You don't have anything I want. I have the money, I'm already entangled in the playhouse for the hotel, and I have protection, though I doubt you can provide that."

I weighed my options, realizing there wasn't much else I could offer him. But then, as his gaze lingered down on me, a realization dawned.

Husk sighed, shaking his head. "This is ridiculous-"

"Fine," I interjected abruptly, surprising him. Husk locked eyes with me, clearly taken aback by my sudden acquiescence.

"We'll seal that trade," I affirmed, my voice steady. "I need your help."