Toby learned how to gamble well from his father, but not through trickery.
In a world where countless strong individuals lurk, deception will inevitably be caught, but pure skill provides victories without the risk.
“Listen closely. There is skill in gambling. However, to have skill, a few prerequisites must exist.”
His father said that if a fair environment without trickery and a long match instead of a one-shot game could be created, gambling becomes fair.
Once luck might strike.
Winning twice, thrice with luck is possible.
But if it becomes ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, then ultimately, the one with skill will prevail.
This is where the casino’s secret to making money is based.
A customer might win once or twice, but in the end, the casino will be victorious.
“What if someone could maintain their luck to the end? That would be skill, wouldn’t it?”
His father claimed such a thing was impossible; if one was worried, it was better to focus on their misfortune. Yet Toby realized there was an exception to his father’s words.
The girl who sat at the gambling table had never lost even once. She was the exception itself.
“…What is this?”
“What do you mean, what? It’s proof that you’re an idiot.”
Giggling, Lucy swept up the chips, and spotting the trembling person with bloodshot eyes, tossed a coin in front of him.
“Here~ Since you’ve given me a lot, I’ll share a little~ Ahaha. I’m really kind, you know?”
As her companion grabbed the girl, who was about to leap out of her senses, Lucy merely smiled mischievously, unfazed by her opponent who struggled as if it were a fight to the death.
In her rage, the woman pointed at the dealer.
“Hey! This is cheating!”
“Absolutely not, ma’am.”
“If this isn’t cheating, how can such hands appear?!”
Toby understood why the woman was furious. Lady Allen didn’t just get lucky with her hand.
She had precisely the hand needed at that moment.
He still remembers the man flinging his chips in a rage and the comically bewildered Lady Allen who refused to run away in the face of it.
By the end, the man was drenched in cold sweat.
It was clear he placed everything on a false bet.
Thus, when the man revealed an 8 pair, Toby wasn’t surprised. It was expected.
But when Lady Allen revealed a 9 pair, Toby was left in shock.
He could understand the man’s desperate plunge.
Having been beaten by Lady Allen before, he must have been overwhelmed with emotions.
It’s common for someone in a gambling hall to act irrationally when their mind is clouded.
However, the opposite was different.
Why did Lady Allen maintain a 9 pair and risk everything?
It was only one number different. Just one higher digit secured the victory.
Usually, that’s a losing hand. How could someone who wasn’t certain the opponent was bluffing accept their madness?
There was no way to explain it unless someone had tipped her off.
Soon enough, the same situation repeated, only adding to his suspicion.
If this were a mercenary group, someone’s wrist would’ve gone flying by now.
But here was a casino.
“Our dealers cannot cheat in the casino. We’ve sworn an oath to that effect.”
The dealers in the casino uphold their integrity due to their pledge.
The moment they break their vow, they’re marked as trash that cannot even roll in the back alleys, so dealers never cheat.
Unless their lives were threatened, the person suspected of cheating wouldn’t ever do such a thing.
After all, she was the Holy Knight Lucy Allen, the one who saved the continent from the Evil God and the daughter of Lord Jushin.
“So what is it? That’s luck?!”
“It may be hard to believe, but it seems that way to me.”
“See, Auntie? Don’t be ugly and just scram.”
“You filthy girl! Just be honest! What did you do?!”
The woman, having lost everything, trembled and yelled at Lucy.
She couldn’t accept that her opponent simply had better luck.
It had to be cheating.
That was the only way to hope to retrieve her lost money.
“I’m sorry, Lady Allen. We’ll have to expel her from…”
“No need for that.”
Waving her hand, Lucy walked directly towards the woman and grabbed her chin.
The woman tried to shove Lucy’s hand away, but shaking off the power of a knight was impossible for an ordinary woman.
“Do you want me to speak honestly?”
“Y-yes! Exactly! This doesn’t make sense!”
“Then you should be honest too. All this fuss is over money, isn’t it?”
“Of course it is! You cheated, and I lost my money!”
“Would you like it back? If you speak nicely, I might tell you how.”
“W-what do you mean?”
“Get down on the ground and apologize. Say you’re sorry for doubting and for being foolish. Then ask me to return your money, please. I’ll return half.”
“…Really?”
“Swear to Lord Jushin?”
As soon as the Apostle of God mentioned the Lord, the woman buried her head into the ground.
“I’m sorry! I lost money because I was foolish! And despite that, I attempted to frame you as a cheater! I confess all sins, so please forgive me! Please! Please return my money!”
Seeing the woman devoid of any pride, Toby expected Lucy would burst out laughing, but instead, she lightly patted the woman’s head.
“Remember. I can only save you this once. There won’t be a next time.”
Toby, Avery, and even the casino employees, all sensed the end of this place as they witnessed a divine being saving a madman.
This venue was not merely a circus of madmen’s desires.
It was a place set up by God to save the madman.
*
The storm named Lucy passed through the gambling hall. Avery gazed blankly at the chips in front of her.
Thinking it was getting boring, the chips Lucy handed over were a staggering amount from Avery’s perspective.
She knew that, given the chance, that person could make as much money as she desired.
She also knew she was likely receiving a hefty sum from the Arts Church right now.
But at this point, doesn’t greed kick in?
Can one throw money around so casually?
“Lady Lumley.”
“T-Toby. W-what should we do?”
She didn’t know what Lucy Allen would demand later.
Given how she usually toyed with her, what would she ask after incurring such a debt?
Ugh. Just thinking about it gives her chills.
“First, look ahead.”
“…Ahead?”
Slowly raising her head, since she recognized the casino’s owner and his subordinates, she flinched.
“You’re the one in charge right now.”
Ah. Right. The table had not only customers but employees of the casino sitting there too.
Originally, they were supposed to be the ones grinding money from suckers, but today was different. Lucy Allen’s mockery had left them dumbfounded.
That means there’s plenty of casino money right in my hands now.
Realizing her advantage, Avery instantly adjusted her expression.
“You understand what my demands will be, right?”
Crap. At this point, there’s no turning back. “I want back Lumley’s treasure.”
If Lady Lucy Allen demands I become her dog, then I’ll just have to become her dog.
*
“Yawn…”
Having heard the casino manager’s plea to return, I quietly exited the casino.
If it had been the moment I entered the VIP room, I might have made all sorts of excuses to stay, but I had already done what I needed to by then.
I was relieved, thinking it was fortunate that it ended like this.
It’s strange, isn’t it? Was gambling always this boring?
I used to be so excited just playing with my phone, not knowing what to do.
Seems like a match that only guarantees a win isn’t enjoyable.
Thanks to that, my plan to visit various casinos is canceled.
Of course, if I had gone according to the original plan, I would have received immense backlash.
Look at those idiots who ran at me without a second thought. Wouldn’t assassination requests flood in if I stomp around and threw my weight around?
If that happened to that extent, my reputation would have surely dropped in various ways.
But, what does it matter? It’s not fun.
To me, gambling is manual labor. Just manual labor.
Repeating something tedious that makes one uneasy is not worth it when I could just greet people every morning.
“Hmmm. I still feel it’s a pity.”
Thinking about going home to take a nap, Joy muttered to herself.
“What is it?”
“The money won at the casino. That amount should be significant even from a noble family’s standpoint.”
“So what? I’m not short on cash.”
Though I spoke as if it was no big deal, inside I felt sick. Money is always better when there’s more of it, right?
I’m regretting! But thinking of collecting it all made me feel guilty.
But really, that amount is too much!
Winning to a point is fine, but when it goes overboard, you feel conspicuous!
Especially after witnessing the crazed gamblers!
It was hard to be brazen enough to say what I should do!
While I internally screamed, I acted calm on the outside.
“And I thought that accumulating debts sounded fun for a good show.”
“Lady Lumley? Is there something amusing about that?”
“Forbidden love between commoners and nobles. Isn’t that interesting? Seriously?”
Avery definitely has her eyes on Toby.
Toby also offered to help that blunt girl and even subtly approached me to share Avery’s troubles, surely showing interest.
Having noticed their goodwill, the next hurdle is their difference in status, but…
Hmph.
If it were just a matter of having retrieved Lumley’s treasure, I could overcome that.
In the worst case, I could just interject.
As the teasing atmosphere came to mind, Joy widened her eyes and exclaimed.
“…Were those two in that kind of atmosphere?!”
“Didn’t you know?”
“No way. That can’t be. Huh? Now that I think about it, it seemed like some subtle currents were flowing?”
Ah, she was too noble-minded for any romantic thoughts to click.
“Now that I’ve built up debts with both of them, I could sneak in and watch.”
Realizing the subtle atmosphere, Joy puffed her cheeks while nodding.
Being too honest makes me want to tease them even more.
“Of course, if you’re not interested, you can just pretend you didn’t hear.”
“That can’t be! I love that kind of thing! Where’s the excitement of forbidden relations?”
“It’s no wonder you keep sticking to me.”
“What? …Huh!? W-why did that come out suddenly?!”
Seeing Joy startled and her face instantly flush, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
As I leaned in closer to her,
“What is it? Huh? What did I say?”
“No, that. That…”
“I wonder what kind of stories you’ve read. I’m curious. Care to share?”
“I… I can’t!”
“Have you read something similar?”
“…Eek. Ugh. Uwaah.”
“Pfft. Hahaha.”
Watching the flustered fool, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Ah~ It’s rare to find someone so fun to toy with like this.
