Around the same time, in a small city of the Soma Alliance.
Inside an underground casino at the center of the city, amid the clamorous shouting and the clatter of dice and cards, countless red-eyed gamblers stared tensely at the gambling tools on the tables before them, engaging in either high-stakes games or rotten bets.
Among them, the game at a large black square table at the very back of the casino drew the most attention. Chips were piled high in the center of the table, an intimidating amount of them. The onlookers barely dared breathe as they nervously awaited the reveal.
However, even more eye-catching than the game itself were the two people taking part in it.
One was a tall man with powerful muscles, a faint scar across his face, and tight-fitting clothes—the standard attire of a mercenary. People like him were used to licking blood from the edge of a blade, a life that had shaped their love of risk and gambling. They were regulars at casinos.
That was why the spectators were not surprised by him.
The person who truly drew their attention was the figure seated opposite the mercenary: an extraordinarily beautiful woman—or rather, a girl.
She appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen. Her fair cheeks were flawless, like perfect white jade, while her eyes seemed carved from gemstones, enough to deeply enchant anyone who looked at them.
At a glance, she did not seem like a beauty of this mortal world at all, but more like an elf stepped out of legend.
Her origins were exceedingly mysterious. As far as the spectators knew, the only thing they knew about her was her name... Bi Bi.
Yes, Bi Bi. A very strange name.
According to some rumors, Bi Bi had suddenly appeared in the