Alex stood in the brightly lit hall, holding a pouch of winnings in one hand and touching the edge of his jacket with the other. His gaze slid to the side, and in his thoughts, he addressed Siren:

  "Well, did you notice anything strange while I was playing?"

  Siren was silent for a couple of seconds before replying with a faintly ironic accent:

  "I’ll just remind you that you were also supposed to be watching the surroundings from time to time."

  Alex paused, caught in thought, not quite sure how to respond. But Siren spoke again, this time more gently:

  "That was a joke. I understand. The game was... genuinely important. But no, nothing unusual happened during that time. The guests are behaving as expected — drinking, playing, flirting. The security is calm as well. Everything seems a little too... normal."

  "Thanks," Alex replied mentally. "I can always count on you."

  "That’s what I’m made for," Siren replied with a light smile. "So, what’s the next step?"

  But Alex didn’t have time to answer.

  "May I have your attention, please!" a loud male voice echoed through the hall.

  Alex turned toward the sound and saw two men standing atop a grand staircase. One of them — around thirty years old, dressed in an elegant suit — had a magical artifact in the form of a sphere floating beside his head, amplifying his voice. The other stood calmly beside him.

  It was the Duke.

  Slicked-back silver hair. Deep brown eyes. A confident posture. He looked to be around fifty, but in an outfit of deep sapphire with golden embroidery, he appeared regal — and above all, completely self-assured.

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  As all eyes focused on him, the Duke stepped forward.

  "Welcome, my friends!" he began loudly, smiling. "It brings me incredible joy to see you all here on this festive evening. Thank you for making time in your busy schedules to join me. I hope you’ve already warmed up a little, because this is only the beginning of our night."

  The Duke spread his arms slightly.

  "Tonight will be one to remember. Play, win, enjoy yourselves — make sure your memories of this evening become the best gift you could give me, your birthday boy... and your host. Now, let the real celebration begin!"

  The hall erupted in applause.

  Lorenzo bowed slightly, thanked the guests for their attention, and added:

  "And now, you're free once again to do whatever your hearts desire."

  With that, the Duke began descending the stairs toward the guests gathered below.

  Alex kept a close eye on him — when suddenly he felt a touch on his shoulder. He turned sharply and saw Elizabeth’s familiar face.

  "Sorry," she said with a gentle smile. "Didn’t mean to startle you."

  "It’s all right. No one startled me," Alex replied, relaxing a bit. "How was your little tour?"

  Rogan, wearing his mask, shrugged.

  "Nothing interesting. No hidden doors, no strange rooms. Everything’s... ordinary."

  "As expected," Elizabeth murmured. "I doubt Lorenzo would keep anything important out in the open."

  She glanced at her nephew.

  "And you? Notice anything?"

  "No," Alex shook his head. "Just a luxurious gambling hall. Like all the others, but ten times more expensive."

  Elizabeth smiled again.

  "By the way, if we still have some time, I wouldn’t mind a round of poker."

  Alex gestured broadly with his hand.

  "Straight ahead. There’s a table with three ladies — in black, emerald, and yellow dresses. If you’re looking for a challenge, you won’t find better opponents."

  "Ah," Elizabeth said with irony. "So that’s what you’ve been doing all this time. Well, I won’t judge you."

  She turned to Rogan.

  "Ever played poker?"

  "I have, but… I’m more of an amateur, and—"

  "Enough," his aunt cut him off. "That’s all I needed to hear. Just follow my lead, and we’ll figure out the rest."

  She grabbed the boy’s hand and pulled him along.

  Alex watched them go, then turned his gaze once more to Lorenzo, who was still strolling among the guests, handing out smiles and handshakes.

  And then — he addressed Siren mentally:

  "You asked what I’d do next?"

  He smiled slightly.

  "The answer’s simple — wait for the real game to begin."