"Luck."

Sora winces.

"There was an element of luck," he admits. "If you don't play enough games to form a smooth distribution of scores then you can't assess either player's skill in anything but the broadest strokes. I wagered one nothing against another nothing, it was worth the risk."

"But you knew she was going to play her seven!"

"'Knew' is a strong word – I had an educated guess. Making hot reads is more of an art than a science."

"But the—"

Stephanie is not allowed to finish that sentence. There are other people within earshot. She gesticulates wildly instead.

"I did figure that she would bid nine for the eight of spades specifically because she had a fifty percent chance at a guaranteed win, safer odds than she'd get if she bid ten or seven, but my underbid for the two and the nine at once… I took a calculated gamble."

"Sure is convenient that the two came before the five," Shiro says innocently.

He scowls. "The game involves luck! People like card games because there's an element of chance! Fish can jam under the gun with nothing but air and flop a full house, that's part of the appeal! If I wanted to play a card game where skill is all that matters I would've asked her to play an Ace-Ten game. The Game of Pure Strategy takes thirty seconds to explain and doesn't have a complicated scoring system, everyone loves it."

"All I'm saying is—"

"I saw an opportunity to pet a catgirl and I took it. You'll understand when you're older."

"Oh, is that what you were up to with the fairy? I wouldn't have guessed. Truly your ways are a riddle for the ages."

Stephanie doesn't even know where to begin with that one.

The reward was worth the peril. Her fur was so soft.

Time for a change in subject.

"We've been washed, clothed, entertained and fed. All we need now is some last-minute practice and to get a full night's sleep. Let's go."

They depart. Stephanie asks her question once the trio is alone in a stairwell, with no chance of being overheard.

"Did you use the Nash equilibrium strategy? How did you find the expected value for each move?"

"I did not. Your homework for tonight is to determine why."

Stephanie nods. She had hoped to spend a few hours meditating and sorting out her identity in the evening, but reviewing her understanding of game theory while the lesson is fresh in her mind is as good a use of her time.

What a lazy teacher he is. Shiro approves.

"Behind that door is Juno's suite," Stephanie mentions when they reach their destination, pointing to one of the other rooms down the hall. "That one is Maria Roth, from Elven Gard; that one is Bragi Vettlingatök, from Vvardenfell. All three of them will be in the audience tomorrow, so you'll get the chance to meet them sooner rather than later. The other two suites are empty – one is reserved for visitors from Avant Heim, the other for visitors traveling overseas."

"Do you use either of them often?"

The castle in which they now stand was built during the hegemonic age of humanity in Andalusia, when Elkia dominated commerce and culture far beyond its expansive borders. Visitors from other continents were frequent in Elkia City: merchants, diplomats, evangelists, and players of games alike. Even the Elder Gods in the west paid respect to the monarchs of her line, if not tribute.

Those years are long passed. Modern international intrigues take place in Elven Gard, the nation of a hundred capitals. Elkia hasn't been relevant on a grand scale for centuries, beginning well before its decline accelerated under her grandfather's rule. Only the shreds of their former glory remain – the legion of human works built to stand the test of time now rest in Elven Gard, where only a scant few elves have ever seen them. Their land lost to the Eastern Union has no doubt already been thoroughly colonized by werebeasts. The merchants, diplomats, evangelists, and players of games all have better things to do with their time. Bleh.

"Sometimes. Will you be needing me this evening, or…?"

"Not for the hold 'em practice, but you can stay if you want," Sora offers.

Stephanie finds herself wanting to spend more time with them for the sake of it, but she's committed to giving that desire no weight in this decision. If she stays, she'll catch a glimpse of how the Summoned Heroes develop their poker strategy. If she leaves and finishes her homework early, she'll have some time to herself before bed.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she says, and leaves them there.

"Can we count on her?" Shiro asks, once they're alone in their chamber.

"For the important parts," Sora says confidently. "Everything else is just cherries on top."

"I'm not going to hold my breath. Oh, and speaking of holding my breath, help me get this off. I think the tailor who made this gown underestimated how much oxygen the human brain needs."