#Victor Yumekuro

[justxprettyxboys]

Victor | Yumekuro

[vanrouchu]

jealous, jealous, jealous!

— "are you two dating?" ft. victor, emilio, merryrose

— VICTOR!

It took Victor a moment to process that question before quickly regaining his cool. He shot his co-worker a smile but in his mind he was panicking, thinking that he was being a little bit too obvious with his feelings. After all, he already said to himself that he'd push aside his feelings and let you meet other people. It made him feel a little giddy though, the thought of being mistaken as your lover gave him butterflies.

"Oh my, do we really seem that close?" He let out a small laugh, "we're really not dating."

"Then you wouldn't mind if I tried to confess to them, right?"

Crash!

"Huh?" It took Victor a moment to realize what was happening. As if ignoring what they just asked him, he chuckled. "Oh dear, I must've been distracted. Seems like I've broken a glass."

"A-Are you alright!?"

"Yes, I'm fine." His mask was slowly crumbling away and his voice suddenly turned deeper. A little bit rougher. He furrowed his brows and looked at his co-worker right in the eyes. "I can take care of this. Just scram already."

They gulped. Slowly backing away before sprinting out. Victor could only stare at their back getting smaller and smaller before letting out a deep sigh and ruffling his hair. "Ugh… I screwed up."

— EMILIO!

"Dating?" Emilio pondered for a second. He was debating between telling his fellow knight the truth or twisting it a little to match the image inside his head but he knew you wouldn't like it if rumors about you and him spread – and you were his priority. So he chose to tell him the truth… with a little bit of something sprinkled on top. "Well, no… but we're very close."

Maybe he did that to show off. Maybe he did that to ward him off because clearly, he was interested in you. He was fidgeting, sweating, and stuttering. If he was asking just for the sake of knowing, he wouldn't be as bothered as he is. However, this kind of situation calls for a different response.

"T-Then…! Could you put in a good word for me? I'm really interested in them so I've been wondering if you could help."

He didn't take the hint, he thought. A straightforward answer should do the trick.

"They're not looking for a relationship right now." Not a trace of guilt can be found on his face after spitting out a blatant lie. It was scary how his voice had gone cold yet his smile never wavered. "You should give up."

"Please? Just a little push is all I need so I can confess…"

Confess? Emilio tilted his head curiously. "You just don't give up, do you? It's an admirable trait for a knight… however," he grabbed his collar and pulled him closer – sending chills down his spine. "Do try to pick opponents your size."

He backed away, acting as if nothing happened. "Unless you want to be gobbled up, of course."

No one believed the knight when he said that Emilio threatened him.

— MERRYROSE!

"No, why?" Merryrose's reply was quick and simple. It was straightforward enough — No, they were not dating. He conveniently left out the 'yet' part and 'I wish we were' part. He thought it would be super embarrassing if anyone found out his big crush on you and right now he's doing his best to keep a straight face when he got asked this question.

"That's great to hear!" His eye twitched. "I was planning on asking them out soon so I had to make sure there really isn't anything going on between you two."

"Oh, really?" It was childish to get jealous, yes. But what's even more childish is the fact that he removed his glove and put his hand on their arm. He never thought he would intentionally charm someone with his ability but he thought it suddenly became useful for once. His pettiness knew no bounds. Sweetly, he asked: "Could you repeat that for me?"

"O-Oh..! I was wondering if you were interested in going on a date with me, Merryrose." It worked, perfect.

He put his glove back on and replied, "I've got plans. Don't go asking anyone else, though."

It was strange. He hated being treated like this but the moment they showed interest in you, all common sense got thrown out the window. It's fine, he thought. It would be bearable if they fawned over him instead of you. If it was you… He might just burst with jealousy.

[vividblaze]

broke: playing yumekuro because TsudaKen's in it woke: playing yumekuro because TsudaKen voices a character who talks like an onee-san

[dark-frosted-heart]

Lagoon’s arm 😩

Victor how dare

[dream-meister-translations]

MAIN STORY : CHAPTER 3 PART 4

━

Every day since coming to the Primus Club, the main floor of the casino had been packed wall to wall with customers. EMMA : (…It seems like they get a lot of business…So far we haven't found anything fishy…We really need to do something quickly…) NAVI : Master~ Let's play~ EMMA : No, Navi! You have to stay in the key for now. EVAN : This place is like a sea of human desires. I don't like it. EMMA : Even more reason to stay in the key. EVAN : What did you just say to me!? EMMA : Nothing!

HIMMEL : Do humans come here with the dream of getting rich quick? These people smell of gloom and perdition…I can feel their dreams dying…Happiness so fleeting…All that is left is sorrow….

EMMA : Are you okay, Himmel? MATEO : Hey! Is Sion here? EMMA : He's not around, sorry Mateo. Do you guys sense any trouble here? NAVI : I sense restlessness… I'm not sure what to call it…It's strange… EMMA : Is that the presence of another Black Fairy? NAVI : I don't know. All the other Black Fairies are feeling it too…

?? : Hey, what are you doing out here? EMMA : Everyone hide! Hearing a sudden voice, I rushed to hide behind the nearest pillar. Eavesdropping on the conversation going on. YMIR : Come with me. I'll upset the girls if I am late. GRANDFLAIR : Why must I come to work with you? YMIR : Because, you look like you have a strong arm. You will make a splendid bodyguard. You see, many people have grudges against me. They're always complaining about how I steal their girls, when I'm simply trying to do my job.

YMIR : People are the worst. GRANDFLAIR : …… YMIR : On top of that, there has already been a lot of commotion today. GRANDFLAIR : Commotion?

YMIR : You might be new here, but don't play stupid. You know that this casino is owned by a dangerous underground organization. GRANDFLAIR : I'm not sure what you're talking about.

YMIR : Haha, you don't have to lie to me. It's common knowledge here in Graveland. According to my information, that nefarious organization has been smuggling in a lot of illegal things as of late. Dangerous things. YMIR : That is why everyone is so on edge. Even I am scared. I don't want my perfect face to be mangled, that's why I need you to protect me. YMIR : Oh, my apologies. Was that insensitive? Your scars look wonderful on you! It just wouldn't suit my brand. How did you get them anyway? Did you go to war? If so, why did you retire? GRANDFLAIR : I retired for a variety of reasons. YMIR : Ah, I see. I'm sorry. I shouldn't pry. As I listened in on their conversation I couldn't help but fixate on the part about smuggling in illegal things. Could they be talking about the gun? Before I could think much on it, another voice echoed through the hallway. LEN : Why do I gotta take care of the little shit!? SION : Who are you calling a little shit? At this rate I won't learn anything. Sheesh…This guy is worse at teaching than Est. LEN : What the hell did you say?

CAMUS : Len, Sion's position is on the billiard floor. That is your area. If anyone is going to teach him, it should be you. LEN : Well I don't wanna! Get someone else to do it! CAMUS : It is part of your job as a member of Primus Club to ensure these newcomers are not accidentally exposed to danger. I won't tolerate any dereliction of duty. LEN : Ha! What are you gettin' all pissy about? That's not like you. CAMUS : ……… LEN : Whatever has crawled up your ass, don't take it out on me. You might be the Bloody Lady's former executive, but no matter how much you slap me around, I ain't gonna do it. CAMUS : Len, do I need to sanction you? LEN : Ugh! Fine! I get it! I'll take care of this little shit! CAMUS : Does this seem like a good arrangement for you? SION : Yes. I'm sure I can learn a lot from this little shit. LEN : HEY! I'm not a little shit! EMMA : (The Bloody Lady's former executive, huh? So he left the Bloody Lady to become a manager of Primus Club?) As I thought about it, I suddenly heard someone's footsteps and looked up to see Seven standing there, staring at me.

SEVEN : ……….. EMMA : Seven! What are you doing here?

━

ITSUKI : Emma and the others infiltrated the Primus Club four days ago…I'm getting a little worried. I hope they will be alright. ITSUKI : I could easily serve customers, I wonder why they didn't bring us along? CROW : They said that we would mess up and cause too much trouble. NOAH : I don't understand. I could do it. CROW : Nope! They said you would mess it up too. NOAH : I will be king one day. I can deal with some pesky humans. CROW : I think you kinda just proved their point. KAI : I don't get it. If Sion can do it, I can do it even better! ITSUKI : By the way, has anyone seen Rouge? NOAH : Don't worry about that idiot. KAI : Idiot? That's a little harsh, isn't it? CROW : Anyway, we should continue to gather intel on the Bloody Lady from outside. MAN IN BLACK : Hey, you assholes, take us to the Bloody Lady. CROW : Hmm?

[gachagachaart]

[nirvanainline]

𓊘 𓄹 『プリムスクラブ：𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝘂𝘀𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯』

❑ カミュ; Camus

❑ ヴィクトル; Victor

❑ ユミル; Ymir

❑ レン; Len

ー　TBA

❑ セブン; Seven

[baeshijima]

Lowkey want to play the yumekuro game even if I dont understand a lil thing about it since it is only available in japanese :') I stalked the account who post the illustrations and. OH. MY.GOD. they are all so pretty and breathtaking????? I think this is the prettiest and most gorgeous artstyle in gacha games I've ever seen. I'm really shocked not gonna lie.

ALSO WARNING long ramble ahead since some hot guys caught my attention while looking huehuehue >:D

this victor guy caught my eye first especially the fourth picture LIKE DAMN i wish i was the gun lol AKJSAKA

this howl-lookalike looks so cute too and the type of guy who will tease you nonstop

AND THIS ALEX GUY because for some reason he reminds me of xiao

THIS GUY TOO i REALLY have a feeling he's part of a mafia BECAUSE LOOK AT HIM im really weak when it comes to mafia boys in a game he's so hot plsssssss

AND LASTLY THIS ONE absolutely breathtaking i cant stop staring at him and this card illustration BECAUSE WOW.... i really have no words. The artist/s behind the art production is really really talented

IM FINALLY HOME AND ON MY COMPUTER SO I CAN ANSWER THIS !!! and dw i feel u on that 😭 ive been wanting to play for so long but the constant switch from my region to jpn region would be too much.... jpn enstars i can manage bc i rarely requires updates but idk how often yumekuro updates 😭 might try it and see... for my beloved cyrus and kuchen.....

bUT YES THEIR ART STYLE IS LITERALLY THE PRETTIEST AND THATS WHAT FIRST DREW ME TO IT 😭🫶 literally screaming crying throwing up all over again while going through the links bc i remember first seeing those cgs an dhhhmfhmds i want a global release... but at the same time.... how good will the translations be.... head in hands....

[yumekurotl]

~ Yumekuro Prologue ~

---Welcome. To a world where all dreams come true.

Well, what kind of dream will you see?

For example, a dream about eating the most delicious food in the world.

Oscar: Delicious!!

Kuchen, Cui, Riche: ___!!

Oscar: A charming appearance that triggers intense hunger, and a mouthwatering texture that will make you feel like floating on cloud nine.......

Oscar: Next comes, the savory, savory, savory emitted from the ingredients- the exquisite ingredients that have been carefully picked out and put together in harmony.

Oscar: It’s like... It’s like a gastronomic festival filled with all kinds of delicacies from around the world!

Oscar: ... This is what the ultimate ingredients and the ultimate chef can do. My dream of what looks like the ultimate gastronomic experience has now been fulfilled!

Cui: Hooray... Hooray! I finally completed it!

Kuchen: Haha, Hooray for you, Cui! Well, we all knew the outcome, didn't we?

Riche: Ahh... Cui-Oniisan, you’re the best! So cool! Also, Kuchen-Oniisan is a genius!

Oscar: We dominated this world’s Gastronomy. Guild Gastronomy has now become the ultimate gourmet guild. 

Oscar: Each of you, do your best in the future. All for the sake of gastronomy---

Kuchen, Cui, Riche: Okay/Yes!

For example, a dream about striking gold at a casino.

Seven: ...........

Ymir: Is it coming....?

Seven: .............

Victor: Ahh, god! My heart is racing to the point I feel like dying!

Seven: .....................

Ren: Get him, Seven!

Camus: 6-4, Player Win.

Victor, Ren: IT CAMEEEEE!!!!

Ymir: Huuu-

Victor: Unbelievable! Ten billion gold!!

Ren: Haa, what a ridiculous amount of money! I can’t stop laughing-!

Camus: Next game, bet please.

Seven: ................

Camus: -Will you continue? or pull out? It’s already an amount enough to play with for the rest of your life and more.

Seven: ......Don’t be ridiculous.

Seven: Ten billion gold. I will bet the whole amount.

Ymir, Victor, Ren: HUH?!!!

Camus: Fu... That’s how it should be.

For example, a dream about a normal everyday life.

Kai: T-h-a-t’s w-h-y! Mine was definitely bigger!

Shion: Is your eyes just for decoration? No matter how you look at it, mine is bigger than yours.

Gii: B- Both pumpkins were very big~..... Let's call it a tie and stop fighting~.....?

Kai: The winner of growing pumpkins is me.

Shion: Haa, you went and competed on your own, and when you lost, this happens. You’re too single-minded, it brings tears to my eyes.

Kai: What did you say, you bitter bastard?!

Gii: C-Can you hear what I’m saying~....?!

Est: Both of you did amazingly! You have exceeded my expectations. Fufu, as your teacher, I’m so proud of you.

Gii: S-Sensei... Please stop laughing~....

Est: It’s okay, Gii. They say the more you fight, the better you get.

Kai, Shion: Only against this guy... I will definitely win.

Gii: Fufu... That’s right!

This world is full of dreams.

.....attain.

This world is filled with white hope.

Wrong... Weird.

You’re thinking why are you seeing this happiness? This is because... In this world-

They don’t exist.

??: ....Emma. Hey, are you okay?! Get a hold of yourself!

Crow: Thank god! you regained consciousness, Emma!

Emma: Was it... a dream?

Crow: Did you see a bad dream? But then again, it's only-

Noah: If we are talking about bad dreams, then I think that's what's in front of us now.

Itsuki: Eden....

Granflare: Eden! Why-

Crow: Eden is trying to make his dream come true. But it's the same for us too.

Rouge: Yes, yes. Everyone is selfish, right?

Crow: Right. Let's both give it our all-

Crow: For our selfish dreams, Eden!

Eden: Took you long enough. I'm tired of waiting.

Crow: For how long do you think I will be swayed...?! I won't be satisfied if I didn't get to punch you at least once.

Eden: Haha. That's fine, come at me.

Eden: Because I prepared for you a big-ass one.

Granflare: Uuh... We can't back out here.

Itsuki: I don't want to give up.

Eden: Not so bad.

Eden: That damn kid... He sure grow up.

Crow: Hey, Eden. I don't care what you have become. As I thought, for me, you will forever remain the same.

Crow: But there's one thing I can never forgive you for.

Crow: Don't make Emma cry, you old bastard!

Eden: ....I see. I made you cry again.

Eden: But I can't apologize.

Eden: Emma...

Crow: .....I'll definitely make it happen.

Crow: Even if you're gone from this world.

Eden: Yes. It's fine this way.

Eden: Then- Go on.

Crow: This world is overflowing with sparkling dreams.

Crow: This is what we seek, despite also knowing the pain of not reaching it.

Crow: But so what? I'm never gonna let go of your hand.

Crow: Let's go, to realize our unyielding dreams.

~ End of Prologue ~

_________________________________________

Hope my translation of the prologue is good, if there's any mistranslation with the names or there's something wrong with wording, do tell me to fix it! I hope you enjoy my translation, and see you in chapter 0 soon!

If you like my translation, please buy me a ko-fi 💓

[majunju]

OMG YEEES FELLOW YUMEKURO FAN SINCE PRE-RELEASE ALERT 🚨🚨🚨 who r ur favs hehe? i love aoi and victor!! 🥰 and absolutely cannot wait for alma to be added 😮‍💨 like yes pls give me more two-faced sunshine assholes!! 😩👌🏼

HECK YEAHHH!!!! and wheeze... my favs r emilio, crow and cuit. yes i kno. very predictable LMAOOOO

oh i love victor n aoi!!! king's game event just made me love victor even more tbh. he's such a sweet character with an interesting past, i can't wait til we get more aoi content bc his voice is so...... (redacted). anyway s .!!! I CANT WAIT TIL WE GET ALMA AS WELL AHHHHH i think we will be getting hollow in ch5 so i am .shakin in excitement

[kewlraki]

Hey any Yumekuro players wanna help me out, I really wanna cosplay a couple of characters but unfortunately I joined the game a little late and wasn’t able to get the characters full body images. If any of you are able to DM me any of the images that would be fantastic!!! Here’s my list (please for the love of God my DM‘s are open and even if you think someone might’ve already sent it, please send it anyway)

Heath-his only event card

Kent-nostalgic days 

Victor- all events

Ymir- all events

Aoi- all events

Elma- all events

Sion- all events

Est- all events

Rosemary- all events

Adel- all events

Please help!

This is the image style if you’re able to help

All details please🥰

[justxprettyxboys]

X | Victor | Yumekuro

[vanrouchu]

yumekuro

masterlist!

— gastronomy

➸ cuit: dating hcs

➸ kuchen: ideal type

— magia seminar

➸ sion: shy confession

— primus club

➸ len: bunny boy

— niji no kanata

➸ towa: falling in love

— yume tsumugi

➸ adel: a canvas embroidered with feelings

— various

➸ victor, emilio, merryrose: jealous, jealous, jealous!

[vividblaze]

Doodle of Victor to celebrate completing the amusement park event~

[dreamingofyouthemanyone]

When They Wonder Why You Chose Them - 9

WOOOOOOT!! IT'S PART 9!! HAHAHA, another late post but <333 I really got so carried away today. Anyways! We're so close to the end AND the release of the game!! Give yourselves a pat on the back for waiting this long! Hehehe <333

----------------------------------------

Featuring: Members of the Casino Guild | Primus Club

Type: Headcanons

Prompt: Each character musing over why did you pick them to be your first partner in this journey

Warning: Pre-Game Launch Character Assumptions

----------------------------------------

With the ball rolling into his park, Camus is free to do whatever he wants with it.

He can ignore it, use something sharp to pierce through its core and make it pop, or even take it in his hands and never let go.

He does none of those things, because not one of them leads to the best outcomes. And, If there is one thing he greatly despises, then it would be his very own plot laid to rest because of a single rash decision—the cards that he’s meant to control backfiring on him and now it’s him being manipulated by the cards, his mind panickedly yearning for thoughtless power.

So, in the end, his response is to nudge the ball back to you with his foot, letting you interpret it for what it is. When your eyes brighten at his response, he can’t help but lean back into the pleasing feeling that at the very least, you have a keen eye.

He gives you a personal tour of the casino, since this is where the two of you will end up spending the most time at. He’s a busy man, and already he’s testing the very limits of his time management skills just by accepting a contract with you, but he can see that helping you out would eventually reward him with a great boon.

He’s courteous to you the whole, giving you the bare necessities of each component of this casino as well as the opportunity to learn more on your own. He’ll not have you slack off just because you have him in your arsenal now. You’ll have to prove yourself entirely as much of an asset, because his line of work isn’t for the weak and easily tempted.

To his utmost smugness, you do, and oh how beautifully you flourish under not only his care but also because of your efforts.

It takes quite a lot of time for the both of you to come to some sort of relationship above the contract, but it’s an opportunity he allows to happen because you’ve become something valuable to him—in all aspects.

It’s no rare sight to see you seated at his private table during work hours, conversing over important matters in hushed tones and mundane ones with evident zeal glowing upon both of your faces. It’s at a time like when you tell him that he’s surprisingly fair for a man who runs a business that is supposed to be designed to have its patrons lose.

The snort that escapes him is entirely accidental and he covers it with a cough. He looks at you with an amused eye, playfully lamenting over how you just realized that now. Still, he can’t help but impart a piece of knowledge to you—there is a difference between suffering from your actions alone and suffering because you are helpless. The casino targets the former but never exploits the latter.

As you listen to him, that smile on your lips continues to grow wider. You shake your head, the earrings he’d given you gleaming on your ears, and tell him that he truly is a good person. He raises a brow at you and inquires if you’d seen that when the two of you had first met, if that’s the reason for why you’d chosen him.

You meet his gaze, your features softening, and your ankle bumps against his underneath the table before you launch onto an honest elaboration for your basis of him. He stays quiet the entire time and for a few more minutes after up until the both of you are being called for something at the bar. Your concerns over his reaction are short-lived when he offers his arm to escort you, keeping you snuggled close to him with his fingers entwined with yours for the first time. What couldn’t be done verbally could, after all, be done through actions.

“Are you interested in playing just one round with me? I promise you that the reward will be worth it. Ah, but that depends if you win against me, fufu. Don’t worry, I won’t mess with the cards. I want to see whether or not I’m fated to receive a kiss from you tonight.”

----------------------------------------

In regards to the entire ordeal, Seven is completely apathetic.

From across the room, he merely meets your gaze and says nothing. He finds no reason to accept or reject your offer, since you’ll be learning soon enough how much of a mistake you’ve just made and break things off with him.

So, with that already decided, he gets up and leaves the room, intending to get some shut-eye in whatever room he feels like sleeping in.

However, a handful of hours later, he suddenly feels the tremors of a rather violent earthquake. Prying his eyes open, he’s dumbfounded to see your face, but he realizes soon enough that rather than an earthquake, it was you shaking him awake. He narrows his eyes, because just what do you want now? Did you really have to come and find him for the sake of informing him that you’ll be switching meisters? And ruin his sleeping? (Not dreaming, never dreaming, not after—)

His mind quiets itself when you finally speak up and, for some strange, strange reason, it’s about a request that you need help with…? He’s confused now. Weren’t you going to end whatever partnership you wanted with him? It’s probably because he’s too busy trying to sort out his thoughts that you’re able to pull him up to his feet and usher him out of the guild, yelling at Len that you’ll be borrowing him quick!

Somehow, in some way, the both of you miraculously finish the job and you turn to him, offering to treat him out for dinner since this is the first request that the both of you have finished together.

He shrugs. It isn’t as if he’d brought his wallet and working the entire day after months of doing nothing had taken a toll on his body. After slipping into the seat across from yours, he slumps over the table and tells you to wake him up when the food arrives.

It becomes a routine of sorts from thereon. You come every other day to wake him up, he radiates as little enthusiasm as you drag him out, the two of you finish up a request, and you take him out for dinner. Occasionally, the two of you would talk, more on your part than his, but whenever you have a question for him, he’ll answer them. Sometimes, he’d wake up to your fingers running through his hair and, for some reason, he always feigns sleeping just to have you pet him longer.

It puzzles him, this willingness of him to cooperate with you that seems more and more likely with each day spent by your side. He mulls over this for quite some time, and his agitation shows through how his fingers inch closer to where he keeps his last deck of cards thrown haphazardly beneath his bed. It takes a lot of willpower just to dig through the mess and pluck each card out, but when finally has the entire collection in one hand, it comes to him. This feeling he has for you—he wants to know more about you. He wants to know just why do you put up with him, for however long does he have left with you?

The next day, he seeks you out, the corner of his lips quirking up when he sees how stunned you look to see him. He doesn’t waste his time, while he’s still feeling motivated, and he asks you to play with him. You look confused but you agree nonetheless, asking him what the stakes are, and the smile that blooms on his face is entirely helpless because the guild really must have grown on you for you to ask that first.

After explaining the rules to you as well, he plays a quick game of blackjack with you. The first to five wins gets to ask the loser a question, the entire thing really up to fate, but he remembers being loved by the cards, by the risks, by the gamble of it all, and he wins five-to-four.

You don’t look surprised by his win; if anything, you’re beaming brightly at him, having clearly enjoyed playing against him. Your eyes do widen when he asks you what has been weighing on his mind, but you give your answer to him freely. Your hands over his feel warm and he notices, for the first time, how he doesn’t feel as empty on the inside as he did before meeting you.

"...What? Is it morning already...? Oh. The food's here. Thanks. Hey...I'm still feeling really tired from carrying all those stuff a while ago. Could you feed me?"

----------------------------------------

The makings of a scheme have already been brewing in the back of Ymir’s head even before you make your decision.

He’s been expecting you to choose someone else because, from a realist’s perspective, there were plenty of other meisters who are wealthier, more powerful, or of a higher status than he is. He’s been prepared to leave an impressionable mark on you in the future then keep his distance, letting him dangle himself in front of you like a carrot to a donkey so he could reap favors from you.

However, much to his surprise, you chose him, throwing a wrench into his plans. And oh, what a pretty wrench you’d given him, all served up on a golden platte. You’d practically eliminated all the other problematic variables in his plans, making everything infinitely easier for him.

To reward you, when you stretch your hand out for a bland handshake, he uses the opportunity to pull you in close, his other hand snaking around your waist before splaying itself across your back. He grins at you, hiding his teeth behind a dazzling smile, and tells you in a coy voice how he can’t wait to get to work with you~

He takes pride in his ability to turn your cheeks a pretty red, and he lets go of you before you could get your voice working, resisting the urge to whistle a jaunty tune.

Much to his delight, the two of you get along extremely well with each other even after completing just a handful of simple requests. You have proven a number of times how professional you can be with your job, respecting both the boundaries he’s set up as well as his usual schedule at the guild and with his clients. Still, that doesn’t make you antagonistic towards his behavior, even if you do narrow your eyes at him when he starts invading your personal bubble. You’re open to him in your conversations, and you always turn to him to ask for suggestions in regards to important decisions.

He appreciates your attempts at inclusivity, because people tend to forget that beneath his charming smiles lies a box of ideas sharper than any knife in the kitchen. In response to such thoughtfulness, he gives you his honest opinion and he has to put up an effort to ignore the pleasure that curls in his gut whenever you incorporate them into your plans.

He doesn’t know exactly when or how his frame of mind towards you shifts. You’re still a stepping stone, don’t get him wrong, but he knows something’s...off when he catches sight of you from across the guild’s parlor.

Nothing about you seems particularly different than usual. Neither your hair nor your outfit look out of the ordinary, but there’s a certain radiance that you give off that ensnares his attention every time, keeping his gaze trained on you rather than the person he’s supposed to be escorting.

At first, he thinks you’re under some kind of magic spell, but that doesn’t appear to be the case when he checks. He has his hands on your cheeks, squishing your face, as he stares at you for one long moment, pondering, before it hits him—he’s attracted to you, which shouldn’t feel like a world-shattering realization to him. He feels like an idiot, because out of everyone else, he’s spent the most time with you and enjoyed it so of course he’d feel this way towards you.

He doesn’t bring it up to you, because attraction is just a normal part of life, but he does start to become more active with fishing for compliments from you. It’s during one of his attempts when he asks you, a thought that has been weighing on his mind ever since his realization, just what made you pick him? Was it because he was the most handsome one there?

You give him a deadpanned look, to which he responds by feigning a gasp with a hand over his heart, but your apathy melts off to one of amusement. You place your hands on his cheeks, and he lets you with a wrinkle of his nose. He’d seen you eat a sandwich with those hands, so you better be grateful! His concern over getting any pimples disappear, though, when you begin to tell your reasons. With each second that passes, he can feel a strong flush rise to his face and oh, how he regrets letting you cradle his cheeks because there’s no hiding the heat of his blush there!

“Hey, can you come a little closer? I just want to try something quick… Hm. Hmmmmm. Yeah. I really do have impeccable taste. You look adorable in my jacket. It’s too bad that I don’t have a spare, but then again, you’re better off looking this cute only when we’re in private, ne?”

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Call him arrogant or what not, but Victor has been anticipating your decision.

Although he doesn’t have any solid basis for his belief, there’s this familiar tingle that never fails to make its presence known whenever something distinct is about to happen to him. And ever since he’d met you, that sensation has only grown stronger than ever until it’s practically buzzing quietly in his ears.

Nevertheless, when you look towards him with such soulful eyes, how can he reject you? It isn’t in his principle to turn away any grieving customer, and he’ll hardly start now.

He does give you a warning that mornings are usually when he’s mostly available, considering that he’s the only barista of a guild whose own version of a rush hour is when the stars come out to play.

He can’t resist the urge to ruffle your hair when you tell that you understand and that you’ll work around it. He’s only known you for less than a day, but your commitment to your work rings endearingly to him. He assuages you, though, that he’ll try to squeeze in afternoons as well once he gets Camus’s permission so that you won’t have that hard of a time, and he says this because seeing someone try so hard makes him want to support them even more.

Eventually, the two of you are able to finalize your schedules. You’ll seek him out every other day just before lunch time, work on some jobs in the afternoon, and join him in the casino at night where you’ll get to understand the workings of the guild and summarize your reports.

Over the course of a few weeks, he’s able to see first-hand how you acclimate to the rather different atmosphere of the guild. He appreciates the questions that you ask him about this game or that person’s role or even about the system of chips used. Your curiosity is a wondrous thing, and he sees that whatever misconceptions you had of the guild are cleared with a much deeper understanding of the morals and business set here.

However, what he respects the most about you is how you stay quiet and try your best to act as disinterested as you whenever a patron comes to his bar counter to wallow in their misery. He’s well aware that this part of his job isn’t exactly in the description, nor is it an easy one, so the fact that you respect each customer’s privacy to their own secrets is enough to make him slip a free drink towards your direction. Private matters, after all, should be resolved privately and by only the involved parties. People like you and him can either look away or merely offer suggestions.

You ask him, as you help him clean up during closing time, why he does what he does—listen to people’s problems and woes. He blinks, having gotten caught off-guard, and he mulls over this without trying to directly tell you that it’s also a side ploy to gain loyalty from the customers. Finally, he settles on the essence of it. He does this because everybody deserves to know that they have at least one person cheering them on, because sometimes people need to be reminded that they’ll always have somebody wanting to see them succeed.

You hum, digesting his words, before you ask him if he could lend his hands to you. Bewildered but not once doubting your intentions, he presents his hands to you and you take them into your own. Then, to his surprise, you tell him that if ever he feels down or worried about something, then he should know that you’re always going to be cheering for him, so if whenever he feels like he needs someone to talk to, he can always turn to you.

Rarely does he hear the words you’d just uttered, and he never expects to because it’s his job to listen, not talk. Regardless, hearing you say them, knowing that you acknowledge his hard work, fills him with pride and validation and the warmth on his cheeks must match the warmth in his heart.

He gives you a shy smile in return, embarrassed to be caught like this. He squeezes your hand, his mind racing as fast as his heart is with thoughts of how fortunate he is to have been chosen by you. The why hangs in the air between the two of you, but he doesn’t entertain it. He can get to know your reasons, piece by piece, as your relationship with him deepens.

“Oh! You’re just in time! Here, try this. It’s my latest concoction… So? What do you think? Does it taste good? ...Ah, I’m glad you liked it! Actually, I got inspiration for it from you. See these layers? I used sweets that resembled your eye color for it, and I knew this was your favorite flavor so… It’s a drink specially made for you!”

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A surge of bashfulness suddenly fills Len when all eyes turn towards him.

He has no idea from where this unexpected meekness of his comes from. As someone used to the spotlight and pressure, it takes a lot more than a crowd looking his way to catch him off guard, even if some of these people are famous meisters.

Becoming partners with you is both an exciting and stressful experience. The former because he gets to travel to all sorts of places and bring back souvenirs for his guildmates, and the latter because—well—there’s a lot of people who have been testing him being vertically challenged and all.

He’s been keeping track of all the people he’s just added to his revenge list, and it makes him grit his teeth that the number of new members is larger than the number of requests the two of you have just finished. Of course, even with irritation churning in the knuckles of his hand, he remembers his manners and apologizes to you for causing you any trouble and you’ve been nothing but kind and accommodating to him.

Nonetheless, although he’s signed a contract with you, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s been traveling the entire time. He’s still needed back at the guild, but his special position allows him to be exempted from the guild’s residency for at most three days a week. He spends them wisely, rarely using the maximum number of absences and only reserving it for particularly tougher quests that lead the two of you far outside of Lecord’s territory.

At times, he’ll complain about getting so many requests, but on the inside, he’s secretly happy that more and more people are depending on the two of you as well as worried about his guildmates, specifically Seven who doesn’t seem to care about taking care of himself at all, and if he really is doing as good of a job he believes he’s doing.

He doesn’t realize he’s been working himself to the ground until you confront him about it, explaining to him how you’ve been observing his sudden erratic behavior as of late and then asking if there’s anything on his mind because, as partners, the least you could do for him is to listen to his worries.

He’s eerily quiet, and you believe for a moment that you’d probably overstepped his boundaries. To your relief, though, he sharply huffs out a breath and runs a hand through his hair. Neither of you speak up for a while until he looks you in the eye and asks—this stays between us? in such an earnest voice.

He waits for you to give him a nod, studying your face the entire time. When he sees no sign of deceit or anything of that sort, he decides to take the risk. He holds his hand out for you and, when yours is above his, he drags you to another room that’s unfamiliar to you in all but the beautifully-crafted pool table sitting at the center.

A smudge of amusement lights up in the back of his mind when he sees how you finally realize just what the two of you are doing here. This time, he can’t quite suppress the laugh that bubbles free from his throat at the look on your face when he tosses you a cue stick. He gives you a pat on the back and tells you that it won’t be a serious game and it’ll be more of freely striking the balls into the holes regardless of the rules. He shares with you that he does this, sometimes, when he’s feeling overwhelmed, when he just wants to lose him in the focus, in the trajectories, and in each clink of the cue balls hitting something.

As the two of you play your own version of billiards, he quietly tells you about what’s been weighing heavily on his mind lately, feeling himself grow lighter the more he confides in you. And, when all is said and done, he sees you move closer to him until you’re bumping shoulders. You're honest when you tell him, in no uncertain terms, that his guildmates must surely be looking after each other in his absence and would want him to enjoy the experience. The breath he'd been about to inhale gets trapped somewhere along the way when you suddenly raise your hand up to his cheek, a smile blooming unfairly beautifully on your lips, as you tell him that he has nothing to worry about as your partner, that he's been doing exceptionally well, and that you're glad that you chose him in the first place. He wants to ask why, but he curses how his tongue always seems to get tied up in important moments with you. No matter, he can always ask you when the next moment comes.

“Hey...Here, take this. You deserve it after everything you’ve done so far… Huh? Did I make this soup? Yeah, I did, why? … Oi, I know that look on your face. Tch, don’t underestimate me. I do know how to make something as simple as this. So eat it all, ‘kay? Missing meals will get you sick, and that’s the last thing I—w-we want!”

[dream-meister-translations]

MAIN STORY : CHAPTER 3 PART 3

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MAN WITH GLASSES : Hahahahaha!!! I win again! MAN AT TABLE : This has been suspicious for the past couple of rounds. You're cheating! MAN WITH GLASSES : Cheating!? Don't go throwing around false accusations! Where's the proof? The dealers are keeping a very close eye on us, aren't they? DEALER : Yes, sir. MAN WITH GLASSES : Before you go questioning me, you might want to question yourself. You are a man of zero talent, who has the worst luck.

MAN AT TABLE : WHAT THE HELL!? ?? : What is going on here? MAN WITH GLASSES : It's Camus! MAN AT TABLE : That man is the second in charge of the Primus Club! DEALER : It's nothing, sir. Just a few of our guests getting a little heated. CAMUS : I see. Well, let's get things back on track. Switch me in. MAN WITH GLASSES : You sure you can handle the cards properly with only one eye? CAMUS : You needn't worry. I am the dealer's maître d. MAN WITH GLASSES : I ain't worried. This luck isn't gonna leave just cause I get a new dealer.

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MAN WITH GLASSES : The fuck!? How can this be? CAMUS : Is something the matter? You keep folding. MAN WITH GLASSES : You're cheating! CAMUS : Where is your proof? MAN WITH GLASSES : You've gotta be kidding me! You're making this casino look bad! CAMUS : Speaking of cheating. I hear that the trick of putting special ink on cards and using a magical tool to differentiate between them has become quite popular. No matter how hard you look, you can never see the ink. However, if you look through certain glass, it will become visible. CAMUS : Nice glasses. May I take a look at them? MAN WITH GLASSES : What!? CAMUS : Seize him. And the dealer. MAN WITH GLASSES : Let go of me! DEALER : I'm so sorry! My mother is ill and I really need the money! CAMUS : Cheating is permitted under no circumstances. You have ruined the game and made the Primus Club look bad. Take them away.

The blonde haired man with the eyepatch takes a glance around, bowing with an almost condescending air. CAMUS : Ladies and gentlemen. I apologize for the disturbance. I am the manager of this casino, and under my rules, this is a place where everyone can have fun equally. CAMUS : Those who disrupt the peace or break the rules will be punished. And now, I hope that you will continue to enjoy the evening. VICTOR : That's the manager of Primus Club and our guildmaster, Camus. Camus catches sight of us and slowly walks toward us. Head held high. CAMUS : So, you are the new employees. We expect great things from you. EMMA : Right! I look forward to working with you. Um… CAMUS : Yes? I'm just a simple dealer. I skimmed the cards with my fingers. EMMA : I see. CAMUS : To all you newcomers, here is my advice. Our casino attracts people from all walks of life. We have outlaws and criminals. And as you saw earlier, we have hospital patients who are cheaters. You may hear some disturbing stories, but keep your nose out of them. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee your life. EMMA : We will keep this in mind. CAMUS : Very well. Then I'll leave you to it. Victor, a word. VICTOR : Jeez. I hope I'm not in too much trouble… GRANDFLAIR : I think that man was manipulating the card game without anyone noticing. EMMA : But so many people were watching! GRANDFLAIR : Rouge told me about this… There are dealers who can tug the strings from behind the scenes. SION : It would take a lot of work to pull the wool over that Camus guy's eyes. GRANDFLAIR : He is a master of deception. If we are not careful, he might play us for fools. EMMA : (Camus certainly doesn't look like your average person…Is that guy a member of the Bloody Lady?)

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?? : As you instructed. MAM : I am in your debt, and I am willing to help you. I do not know what you are up to, and I am not interested. But don't get in our way, or the anniversary of your death will be right around the corner.

?? : Forgive me for repeating myself, but about the attack on the courier the other day. The items I got for you were very valuable. I hope that they won't go to waste. MAM : They won't be wasted. In fact, we will be able to test them out soon. ?? : I cannot wait to see. ?? : Oh, one more thing. There seems to be a rat sniffing around us. MAM : Don't worry. They're just a cute little rat. If the wee one goes too far, he will make his move.