It was now dinner time, and the princess had already left the mansion, leaving the Boss in charge once again. The three of us, Liam, the Boss, and I, were seated at the dining table, waiting for the servers to bring the food. The atmosphere was relaxed, with the Boss seeming to enjoy the fact that Liam had managed to make it back in time. He was leaning back in his chair, a wide grin spreading across his face, clearly intrigued by the turn of events.
"You were really lucky today, Liam," the Boss said, his voice filled with amusement. "If you had stayed just a minute later, you would have lost. But you took that chance and made it in. Well done! I must say, I'm impressed."
Liam smiled, clearly enjoying the moment. "I thought I had already lost when I saw Gabriel standing by the princess's side when I got back," he said, chuckling. "But I guess luck was on my side today. I was starting to think that I wouldn't make it, but then, you offered me a Life line, and knew I had to push myself to the limit, if I want to win."
The Boss nodded, his expression curious. "Yes, luck can play a big role in these challenges. But it's not just about luck, it's about skill and determination too. And you, Liam, have shown that you have both."
He turned to me, his expression changing to one of curiosity. "What about you, Gabriel? I hope you're not still mad that Liam made it back in time right?. You were looking pretty confident earlier, but I suppose that's all part of the game."
I shook my head, a small smile on my face. "Actually, I'd like to congratulate Liam on managing to get a draw against me," I said, my voice sincere. "It's not easy to do, and he should be proud of himself. But let me make one thing clear: he won't be getting a draw against me again. I'll make sure of it."
Liam's eyes lit up with excitement at my challenge. "Oh, I'm looking forward to it, Gabriel," he said, his voice filled with anticipation. "I'm not going to let you win easily next time. I'll be preparing myself, and I'll come back stronger than ever."
The Boss laughed, clearly enjoying the banter between us. "Well, it seems like we have a rivalry brewing here for sometime now," he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I can't wait to see what happens next. This is exactly what I wanted to see, competition and determination. It's going to be a wild ride, kids."
The Boss leaned forward, his eyes narrowing slightly as he asked Liam, "So, how did you activate the compass on the mechanism I gave you? I'm curious to know how you managed to use it to find your way back here."
Liam's expression changed to one of utter confusion, his brow furrowing deeply as he replied, "What activation, Sir? I don't believe I know what you're talking about, Sir. I didn't receive any compass from you, all you gave me was the detector device that we used to know when the game proceeded. And I certainly didn't use one to find my way back here."
The Boss's eyes widened in surprise, his voice taking on a slightly incredulous tone. "You're trying to tell me you didn't use the compass to find your way back here? That's quite impressive, Liam. The compass was specifically designed to help you navigate the forest and find your way back to the mansion."
Liam shook his head, his eyes wide with confusion. "No, Sir, I didn't use any compass. I just used my own instincts and navigational skills to find my way back. I've been in tougher situations before, and I knew I could rely on myself to get out of it."
The Boss leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Liam's face. "So, are you trying to say you got back here without the help of the compass? That's quite a feat, Liam. I'm not sure how much I believe you, not that I'm trying to look down on you, no, it's just that even me can hardly make it back here without the compass."
Liam nodded vigorously, his expression still confused. "Yes, Sir, that's exactly what I'm saying. I didn't use any compass to get back here. I don't even know what you're talking about."
I couldn't help but speak up, my voice filled with surprise. "But that's impressive, Liam. If not for that compass, I would definitely still be out in the forest until now. It's the only explanation for how I made it back in time. I know I wouldn't have been able to find my way back without it."
Liam turned to me, his expression still confused. "I don't know what you're talking about, Gabriel. I didn't use any compass. Maybe you guys are just mistaken."
The Boss turned to me, a hint of amusement in his voice, and asked, "So, how did you activate yours, Gabriel? I'm curious to know how you managed to get it to work. Was it a deliberate action, or was it just a fortunate accident?"
I chuckled, recalling the unexpected turn of events, and began to explain. "Well, Sir, I happened to find myself in another forest exit, far away from here. I was frustrated, to say the least, and I didn't even notice when the mechanism fell out of my hand. It was quite funny, actually. I was so caught up in my own thoughts, trying to figure out how I was going to get back to the mansion, that I didn't even realize I had dropped it."
The Boss leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with interest, and asked, "And then what happened? How did you manage to activate it?"
I continued, "Well, when I picked it up, I realized that it had turned on. I never expected such luck, and at first, I didn't even know what was happening. But then I saw the compass needle start to move, and I realized that it was pointing me in the direction of the mansion. I couldn't believe my eyes - I had been wandering around for hours, and I had no idea how to get back."
Liam, on the other hand, looked like he was lost in a sea of confusion. His eyes darted back and forth between the Boss and me, his expression a mix of confusion, self-blame, and disappointment. "I...I don't understand," he stammered. "I had no idea there was a compass built into the mechanism. Why didn't I see it? I should have noticed it."
The Boss chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement, and said, "Ah, Liam, you're too hard on yourself. It's not your fault you didn't notice. These mechanisms are designed to be subtle, after all. Besides, Gabriel here was lucky enough to stumble upon it by accident."