Chapter 579 A Wager Worth Winning
"I accept!"
Rowan didn’t hesitate for even a heartbeat.
His answer exploded through the guild hall the instant Tatiana finished speaking. His face lit up with excitement as though he had already won. In his eyes, this wasn’t even a gamble anymore—it was a formality. He had seen Liam yesterday. He had seen the white-haired young man get sent flying by a single kick. There wasn’t a single part of him that believed today’s outcome would be any different.
He slowly turned toward Liam with an arrogant grin plastered across his face.
"Well?"
"You’ve heard the terms."
His smile widened.
"Unless you’ve changed your mind."
The entire guild became silent again.
Every adventurer present looked toward Liam, waiting for his answer.
Liam merely sighed.
One long, tired sigh.
It was almost as though the entire situation was exhausting him more than amusing him.
"...Fine."
He shrugged casually.
"I accept."
The words had barely left his mouth before Rowan burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"I knew you’d bite!"
He spun around immediately, pointing toward the entrance.
"Let’s go outside!"
"I’ll show everyone what happens when a weak pretty boy overestimates himself!"
Several adventurers stood up from their seats, already eager to watch the fight.
Even the bartender leaned over his counter.
Free entertainment was hard to refuse.
But before Rowan could take another step—
"Wait."
Liam’s calm voice echoed through the hall.
Everyone paused.
Rowan frowned before slowly turning around.
"What now?"
Liam looked at him with an expression that was almost puzzled.
"You seem to be in a hurry."
"I am."
"So..."
Liam folded his arms.
"...what exactly do I get if I win?"
Silence.
Complete silence.
A mug slipped from someone’s hand.
Another adventurer almost spat out the wine he’d just taken a sip of.
"...Did he just say..."
"If he wins?"
"No way..."
Some people even began rubbing their ears, wondering if they’d misheard him.
This young man...
The same young man who had been kicked across the guild yesterday...
Was seriously asking about the reward for his victory?
The irony was almost unbelievable.
If Rowan had fought the massive brute who had kicked Liam yesterday...
Most people believed Rowan would have defeated that man in a single exchange.
The difference in strength was simply that enormous.
Yet Liam...
...was talking as though victory was genuinely on the table.
Rowan folded his arms confidently.
"You really want a reward?"
Liam nodded once.
"Naturally."
Rowan smirked.
"If I lose..."
"You keep the girl."
"And I leave you alone."
He spread his hands confidently.
"There."
"Happy?"
Liam stared at him.
Then...
He slowly shook his head.
"No."
Rowan frowned.
"No?"
Liam sighed.
"I think..."
"...you’re forgetting something."
This time even the guild members looked confused.
Forgetting what?
Was there something else being wagered?
Rowan narrowed his eyes.
"What exactly am I forgetting?"
Instead of answering immediately...
Liam turned toward Tatiana.
She looked back at him curiously.
Before she could even ask what he was doing...
Liam’s arm slipped gently around her waist and drew her closer until she rested naturally against his chest.
Tatiana blinked.
"Hm?"
The guild watched in silence.
Liam looked into her emerald eyes.
She looked back into his.
Then...
Without another word...
He leaned forward and kissed her.
It wasn’t rushed.
Nor was it hesitant.
It was the kind of kiss shared between two people who had already accepted one another.
Tatiana froze for the briefest moment.
Then the surprise melted away completely.
Her eyes slowly closed.
A beautiful smile formed against his lips as she wrapped both arms around him without caring that dozens of people were watching.
She kissed him back just as naturally, holding him close as though the rest of the guild had ceased to exist.
Around them...
Nobody spoke.
Several adventurers simply stared.
Someone quietly whispered,
"...They’re actually lovers..."
Another nodded absentmindedly.
"So it’s true..."
Across the room...
Rowan’s face twisted beyond recognition.
His fists clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug deep into his palms.
A thin line of blood trickled between his fingers.
He barely noticed.
His eyes remained locked on the two figures before him.
That bastard...
That weak, pretty-faced nobody...
Had actually kissed the woman Rowan had already claimed in front of everyone.
It felt less like affection...
...and more like a slap across his face.
Only after a few moments did Liam finally pull back.
Tatiana remained against him, her arms still loosely around his waist as she looked up at him with a content smile she couldn’t suppress.
Liam smiled back before turning toward Rowan again.
"As I was saying..."
He gestured casually toward Tatiana, who was still comfortably standing against him.
"...you’re forgetting something."
He shrugged.
"She’s already mine."
"So tell me..."
"If I win..."
"...what exactly do I gain?"
He tilted his head.
"I get..."
"...what already belongs to me?"
His expression became almost thoughtful.
"That doesn’t sound like much of a reward."
The guild fell completely silent once again.
One by one...
The adventurers began looking at each other.
Then back at Liam.
Then back at Rowan.
"...He’s..."
"...actually right."
A middle-aged adventurer scratched his beard.
"The girl isn’t Rowan’s to begin with."
"So if Liam wins...he doesn’t gain anything."
Another slowly nodded.
"When you think about it...that’s a terrible bet."
Rowan’s confident smile slowly stiffened.
For the first time since this entire argument had begun...
He realized...
Liam actually had a point.
Rowan stood there for a few seconds, his jaw tight as he silently cursed Liam.
The bastard...
He had backed him into a corner.
There was no denying it anymore.
Liam wasn’t wrong.
Tatiana was already his woman.
If Liam won, he simply kept what already belonged to him.
That wasn’t a wager.
That was charity.
Rowan’s face darkened before he finally reached into the inner pocket of his robe.
His movements were slow.
Reluctant.
His fingers lingered inside the pocket for a long moment before finally pulling something out.
A single gold coin.
The instant the coin caught the light...
The entire guild inhaled sharply.
"Hisss..."
"A... gold coin?"
"Is he serious?"
"That’s an entire gold coin!"
Even several veteran adventurers couldn’t hide the shock on their faces.
Gold coins weren’t something ordinary people casually carried around.
For a Rank Two adventurer, it represented a genuine fortune.
One gold coin could comfortably support a family for years.
Even Rowan’s expression twitched as he stared at the coin resting in his palm.
His heart genuinely hurt.
He had earned this through months of dangerous missions.
Fighting beasts.
Escorting merchants.
Risking his life.
Now...
He was about to gamble it away.
"...Tch."
His fingers tightened around it before he finally forced himself to place it on the nearest wooden table.
Clink.
The tiny metallic sound echoed throughout the guild hall.
"There."
He folded his arms again.
"Happy now?"
Despite the pain in his heart...
A confident smile soon returned to his face.
Because in his mind...
The coin wasn’t leaving him.
After this duel...
He would be walking away with both the gold...
...and the woman.
Across from him...
Liam’s eyebrows rose slightly.
Even Tatiana couldn’t stop herself from glancing toward the coin.
The two exchanged a look.
"...A gold coin..."
Tatiana whispered softly.
Liam nodded.
One gold coin...
Equaled one hundred silver coins.
Or...
One thousand bronze coins.
Suddenly...
This duel had become considerably more interesting.
A smile slowly spread across Liam’s face.
Now...
He actually had something to win.
He turned toward Tatiana.
"Wait for me."
Tatiana smiled warmly.
"I will."
Before stepping away from him...
She suddenly stood on the tips of her toes.
Her soft lips moved close to his ear.
Her warm breath brushed gently against his skin as she whispered quietly enough that only Liam could hear.
"...I don’t like his face."
Liam blinked.
Tatiana continued in the same soft voice.
"I find it..."
"...very..."
"...very annoying."
Her nose wrinkled adorably.
"It irritates me."
Liam couldn’t help smiling.
So that was what was bothering her.
Without saying anything...
He gently kissed her forehead.
A tiny peck.
Nothing more.
Tatiana immediately smiled, her ears turning slightly red before she finally stepped away from him.
Liam watched her for a brief second.
Then...
His gaze slowly shifted back toward Rowan.
He studied the other man’s face carefully.
The more he looked...
The more he understood exactly what Tatiana meant.
"...Yeah."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I kind of want to punch it too."
Tatiana couldn’t stop herself from giggling.
She looked incredibly pleased with that answer.
She wasn’t a complicated woman.
Someone wanted to ruin the face of the man she loved.
Then...
The simplest solution...
Was letting Liam ruin theirs instead.
Liam casually gestured toward the exit.
"After you."
Rowan let out a cold chuckle.
"Keep acting confident."
He adjusted the sleeves of his robe before rolling them neatly to his forearms.
His shoulders rolled once.
His neck cracked.
Then he turned and strode confidently toward the entrance.
"I hope you don’t regret this."
The guild immediately erupted into movement.
Every adventurer abandoned whatever they had been doing.
Half-finished meals.
Half-empty mugs.
Unfinished conversations.
Everything was forgotten.
A duel.
Especially one involving Rowan...
Was entertainment nobody wanted to miss.
The crowd flowed outside behind him like a river.
Tatiana lingered behind for just a second.
Her eyes drifted toward the lonely gold coin resting on the table.
Without hesitation...
She picked it up.
She smiled to herself.
Then carefully tucked it away.
After all...
As far as she was concerned...
It already belonged to Liam.
Only then did she walk outside as well.
...
Several moments later...
The guild had become almost completely empty.
Silence settled over the large hall.
Only one person remained seated.
Kael.
The young man continued eating as though none of the earlier commotion had mattered.
Another piece of roasted meat disappeared into his mouth.
Slowly...
Calmly...
Without the slightest hurry.
He chewed.
Swallowed.
Then finally lifted his head.
His long black hair hung over most of his face, hiding his eyes beneath thick strands.
From where he sat...
He looked toward the closed entrance.
Yet...
The wooden walls...
The thick stone...
Even the buildings outside...
None of them seemed capable of blocking his vision.
His gaze effortlessly pierced through every obstacle until it landed on the gathering crowd outside.
His emotionless face remained unchanged.
Then...
His eyes moved onto Tatiana.
For the first time...
A tiny hint of surprise entered his usually indifferent voice.
"...A werewolf."
His pitch-black eyes slowly narrowed.
"...Not just any werewolf."
"...A true Alpha bloodline."
There was no excitement in his tone.
Only quiet observation.
As though he had simply identified an interesting specimen.
Then...
His gaze shifted again.
Toward Liam.
Silence.
A full five seconds passed.
For the very first time...
Kael frowned.
"...Hm."
His swirling black eyes rotated slowly.
Searching.
Analyzing.
Looking deeper.
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
He couldn’t see through Liam.
He couldn’t determine his race.
He couldn’t measure his strength.
He couldn’t even sense the source of whatever concealed him.
The young man simply appeared...
Blank.
Like a page that refused to be read.
Kael’s eyebrows rose almost imperceptibly.
"...Interesting."
He rested his chin lightly against one hand.
His completely black eyes continued watching the white-haired young man standing opposite Rowan outside.
For the first time in a very long while...
Something had genuinely caught his interest.