The coin hovered in Dante's fingers, glinting faintly gold beneath the pale light of the office that floated in the void of his dream-universe.
Beatrice's pulse thudded in her ears as she straightened her posture, brushing the loose strands of violet hair from her face.
Dante then said.
"Heads or Tails Lady Beatrice!?" Beatrice cough into her hand, trying to calm herself down as she responded back to him saying.
"Let's go with Heads." She said firmly, causing Dante to smiled faintly, and replied back by saying.
"Alright then, if that is your choice, let get this game started." With that he flicked the coin upward. It spun rapidly in the air, glimmering with faint trails of light as if mocking the silence between them.
Then, with a soft metallic ring, it landed neatly in his palms.
And close it before anyone of them reveal it.
"Are you ready Lady Beatrice." Dante asked, but Beatrice nodded slowly.
"Yes, I am ready." With her confirmation, he began to lift his hand slowly, revealing the winning side, and what they both saw was...
Beatrice froze, when she saw what the winning size was. "Ahhhhh." Dante murmured, almost playfully.
"Seems that lady luck isn't with you today." In that moment, the air around them shimmered faintly, and a cold, mechanical voice echoed through the dream-space.
Strangely to Dante and Beatrice suprise the voice was none of than Virgil, Dante could sense this, but Virgil didn't have his or maybe her own unique voice.
Because the voice that echoed back into the space, was Beatrice own voice, as she said.
[The participant Beatrice Artabell has lost. Thirty seconds of her lifespan have been deducted and gifted the Spirit of Administration the winner of this game. Collection complete]
In that moment Beatrice's breath hitched. She felt a faint tug in her chest, like something unseen had plucked a thread from her soul. It didn't hurt, not physically, but her heart stung a bit for a second within the process of it.
She then looked up sharply, and said with a sad face.
"It's done already!?" Dante leaned back in his chair, hiS expression unreadable. "Virgil doesn't waste time. Efficiency is one of his or her few charming qualities I guess."
Dante said out aloud, Beatrice didn't know who this Virgil is, but she deem unimportant, so she didn't ponder further.
Dante then began fold his arms behind his head and tilted it slightly. "So… do you want to play again?" Beatrice blinked, caught off guard, as she said "I can?"
"Of course you can!" He said, tapping the armrest of his chair. "You can play for up to two more times, before you leave her, as I can play 3 games a day with anyone I want. Think about it, Lady Beatrice, you only need to win once. One victory and you'll walk away with something extraordinary. Something you didn't have before. And that something is power 100% assure, no contracts behind them either. It will all yours, and your alone."
She bit her lip at Dante's words, as she squeeze tight at the hem of her dress and mentally said. 'Only once... I only need to win once.'
Her mind raced. Heads or Tails was fifty-fifty… but this wasn't a normal game. He was an Outer Spirit, reality itself might bend for him. What if the coin always obeyed him, no matter her choice?
Was this pheraphs a losing game from the start she wonder, but there was also the fact, that if she leaves her empty handed, she was good as dead.
For that reason, she came to a quick decision. As her gaze lifted back to his. "I want play again." She said quietly. "But not Heads or Tails this time around."
"Oh?" Dante raised a brow. "Then what do you suggest?"
Beatrice exhaled, steadying her trembling hands. "Rock, Paper, Scissors."
A small smirk tugged at Dante's lips. "The Classic's egg...I like it." He crossed his fingers together, resting them beneath his chin. "Then tell me, human… what are you wagering this time?"
Her eyes flickered downward, but she already knows what she going to wager off. "My left eye."
The smirk vanished. Dante's gaze sharpened, as he repeated back in shock. "Your... left... Eye!?" She nodded. "If I lose, take it. I don't care."
He sighed and leaned back, studying her closely. "You realize if you lose, you'll literally lose your left eye. And it will hurt like a bitch when it's pulled out the socket right!?"
"I know." Said Beatrice, and something in her tone silenced Dante, a quiet conviction wrapped in desperation, but Dante just sighed and said. "Very well then." Dante said at last. "Let it be written."
A soft chime rang out again as Virgil's text appeared across the screen:
[Bid acknowledged. Wager: Participant Beatrice Artabell left eye. Prepare to play Rock Paper Scissors with the Player]
The void itself seemed to still.
Beatrice raised her trembling hands. Her heart pounded, but her expression hardened into determination. She only needed to win once.
Dante straightened in his seat, smirk returning. "Alright then, prepare yourself, we draw on the count of three."
"Sure." Responded Bearing as knuckle her right hand into the palms of the left, and Dante did the same as well.
"Readyyyyy........One...
"....Two.....
"....Three.... SHOOT!!"
Their hands shot forward at the same time.
Beatrice:
Dante:
A sharp gasp escaped her lips before a smile broke across her face.
"I-I....WONNNN!!! HAHAHA I WONNNN... Dante blinked once, then laughed softly, clapping his hands once, the sound echoing through the void. "Congratulations, human. You've just won yourself a chance to a random ability."
Beatrice's eyes widened, disbelief mixing with the thrill of victory. "I… I actually did it."
Virgil's screen flickered again, lines of cold text typing themselves rapidly.
[Participants victory confirmed. Would you like to manifest the Wheel of Dreams]
Dante smirked and replied silently in his mind. 'Yes.'
The next line appeared, right after.
[Now manifesting the Wheel of Dreams]
Behind Beatrice, the space began rippled. As gray and red light began swirling around and forming a new shape, into being, a quickly a colossal wheel manifested behind her. Ten meters wide, and made of interlocking gold and red gears. Its surface shimmered with countless ever shifting sigils, each representing a skill.
"Now then Lady Beatrice, go ahead spin the wheel and collect your reward."