The first preliminary rounds were a clean sweep. Vanitas, who was known in the underworld by his alias, James Moriarty, had already begun to establish himself as a competent and formidable player.
"I believe this is the first time we've met?"
A man approached and extended a hand toward him. Vanitas recognized him immediately.
A man who worked in Irene's intelligence department. More importantly, a lunatic with a dangerous obsession toward Aetherion's first princess.
"I'm Leonard Gustav. A pleasure to make your acquaintance…?"
"James Moriarty," Vanitas responded and accepted the handshake.
Though Leonard wore a courteous smile, Vanitas could read between the lines. He could tell Leonard didn't like him one bit.
And it wasn't hard to guess why.
His recent and increasingly visible relationship with Irene had likely stoked more than a few flames of jealousy.
'Then you should've played better last year.'
