Chapter: 71
The Roulette King Tannian didn’t stop. And the fact that he isn’t stopping means he hasn’t reached a level of satisfaction where he could just pack up and go. I swear, I’ve seen him spin that thing about four times now—how long is he planning to throw his fate into this?
I’m starting to feel a bit worried about him. If I’ve seen four spins, he must’ve done more than that behind the scenes! What’s even sadder is that the money Tannian has lost isn’t even 10% of what I just donated to the Imperial Family.
“Take it easy. It doesn’t look good for a priest to be behaving like that.”
“It’s fine! I’m only enjoying it lightly.”
Lightly? Have I misunderstood the meaning of “lightly” all this time?
“Brother, gambling is looked down upon for wagering everything on uncertain outcomes.”
“If you know that, then why don’t you stop?”
It’s even worse because he knows better!
But despite my reaction, Tannian just chuckled and shook his head lightly.
“I’m not gambling on the odds. I’m just paying to enjoy a fleeting hope of hitting it big at once, and the thrill of the game.”
“What?!”
What kind of nonsense is that?
The last bit of sanity in me held back my words to avoid causing a ruckus.
“Don’t you spend money to watch a play or go to a café? I’m just spending a little on a game for a brief moment of joy!”
Whether he realized how crazy he sounded or not, he shrugged with gusto and I stared blankly at him. If I didn’t know that this guy was a candidate for sainthood, I would’ve thought he was just some new-age cultist. This is who they call the next Saint?
Is he just a lunatic??
As if possessed by something, I walked closer to the roulette, ended up tossing in five more great silver coins, and was able to return to the resort with Tannian. I only needed to spend 50, yet here I was squandering extra on taxes too! I never expected to win, but I definitely didn’t expect to lose everything either.
“So you don’t have good luck either, huh, Brother?”
“Yeah…”
If I were lucky, I wouldn’t be here at the Academy with all of you in the first place…
As we stepped into the resort, I noticed students wandering here and there. It’s a pretty big resort so they probably wanted to explore the inside. Heck, even the lobby has lounging spaces and cafés; I can only imagine how the other areas look!
“Oh, what an unexpected pair.”
Tannian’s voice snapped me from my thoughts and I turned to the direction he was looking. There sat Louise and Marghetta together. Now that’s an unexpected duo!
Both of them looked cheerful enough. Considering how Louise had been shaking in her boots after Marghetta had been done with her, this turnaround is nothing short of dramatic. It’s not like Marghetta had any real grudge toward Louise, and Louise wasn’t actually scared of Marghetta—she just felt intimidated by her.
“Ah! Oppa! Tannian!”
As soon as Louise spotted us, Marghetta smiled and waved her hand.
“Shall we go?”
“Sure.”
I nodded in response to Tannian. I had no pressing matters to attend to, so there was no need to dodge them. Besides, Irina was nowhere to be found, so it seemed fine to sit with them.
As we approached, Louise and Marghetta scooted over to make room. I plopped myself down next to Marghetta, while Tannian happily took a seat beside Louise. A soft chuckle escaped Marghetta. Is this what they mean by the happiness of the majority?
After switching her gaze between Tannian and me, Louise tilted her head slightly and began to speak.
“I don’t think I’ve seen you two together before!”
Just like I was amazed by Louise and Marghetta’s pairing, Louise seemed surprised by Tannian and me being together. Honestly, I hadn’t spent much time with the other club members alone anyway.
“We ran into each other by chance outside. We didn’t actually come together.”
“Oh really? If Tannian went straight there, it must be an interesting place!”
Ah.
In that moment, Louise’s bright and expectant voice reminded me of a previous conversation we had.
“The continent’s best casino?”
“There are plenty of other fun places out there, so don’t get hung up on that.”
Now I’m just worried about it. Back then, I had no clue we’d end up hitting the casino at the beginning of the school trip.
I glanced back at Tannian, who was across from me. He nodded with a smile. Yeah, you wouldn’t want to give Louise the impression of a priest who came to the casino for kicks. I trust you’ll handle this well.
“I was at the casino. Brother was also there.”
Shit, I didn’t ask you to volunteer that for me!
Louise’s laughter turned awkward at Tannian’s revelation, and I could feel Marghetta’s sharp gaze boring into me from the side.
“I was there to meet someone. It’s actually safer than most places.”
Casinos are overrun with security tailored for when they devour funds and when customers go wild after losing. Honestly, they’re quite secure—it’s no wonder the Gold Duke wanted to have a meeting in the VIP room.
I only made a call and now look where it’s landed me! I shot an innocent look at Louise, who seemed to understand.
“Tannian, did you go to meet someone too?”
Hah, no. I just went because it’s famous…
Louise appeared surprised by such an honest statement. When someone speaks with that kind of confidence, it’s human nature to accept it without question. I know, because I’m guilty of it too!
“How can God’s servant discriminate against any place? That place is a gathering spot for God’s children, after all!”
Just like that, Louise’s expression turned into a nod, albeit one filled with disbelief. He was surely blabbering nonsense, but coming from the next Saint, it had a sort of offbeat persuasiveness.
“It was fun! I even lost quite a bit because I got too into it.”
Of course, he had to pile on unnecessary details like that! Louise and Marghetta coughed awkwardly upon his casual declaration.
“Really? That must have been rough…”
Louise cast her gaze around nervously, clearly unsure how to respond. The implication of “sorry to hear that” was glaring.
Next time, you might hit the jackpot? Wouldn’t that mean another trip to the casino?
Don’t worry too much? A priest gambling? That could be the ultimate question mark. Poor Louise stuck in such extreme ambiguity!
“To be honest, Brother must be feeling down too. You lost just as much as I did.”
“Huh?”
“Excuse me?!”
You little…
Tannian’s well-meaning but innocent jab hit me squarely. I could feel the two scrutinizing me like I had betrayed them.
“Junior, do you know how much Carl spent?”
Oh no…
“I’d guess it was about five great silver coins.”
Upon hearing that, Marghetta fell silent for a moment before pivoting her body toward me.
“Carl, can I have a word with you for a second?”
“Uh, yes.”
Marghetta’s gaze turned piercing.
—
This is bad. I never imagined this could happen.
“I was going to hand over the finances to Carl once we got married.”
My assumed future was starting to show cracks. Carl had worked at the Ministry of Finance—I naturally believed he was more diligent with finances than I was!
“What should I do…?!”
I know no one is perfect! I’ve accepted that there could be flaws in Carl that I hadn’t spotted yet and promised to embrace them. But gambling? Isn’t that one flaw too much?
I’ve heard Carl has amassed quite the fortune over time, and the title of Earl he’s set to inherit belongs to a prominent family situated in the capital region. With the power of the Valenti Duke, he could probably purchase a few casinos for himself, for all I know!
But that can’t happen! If Carl is a gambling addict, what’s to stop our children from turning out the same? They might even end up looking down on their father. That cannot happen, absolutely not!
“Carl.”
“Yes, Mar.”
Seeing Carl lower his gaze as he answered hurt my heart, but I can’t allow this to slide. For both our happy future and our kids’ futures, I need to resolve this firmly. He might throw away a few silver and gold coins today, but I can’t overlook what may occur tomorrow.
“Is what Junior said true?”
“Yes…”
I gripped my fan tightly. That was Carl’s last opportunity to deny it, but he fessed up instead. Still, I do respect his honesty.
But wait, that’s not the point!
“Carl, nobles must always uphold their dignity. Even if things are tough, we should walk the upright path and not wish for shortcuts!”
I understand the frenzy that happens in casinos and the kinds of people who attend them. They’re wretched places. I’m honestly surprised that such a massively popular casino stands in the city where the Gold Duke resides—especially given how noble he is!
But just because the Gold Duke acts out of character, it doesn’t mean Carl can do the same!
Regardless of the surroundings, one must push forward obstinately. A role model for everyone—that is the essence of nobility.
“I truly believe Carl is an exceptional noble.”
“Thank you, that means a lot.”
“And I believe you will continue to be one.”
Warily, I extended my pinky to Carl, needing reassurance.
“While my views won’t change, can you promise me one thing?”
Promise me you won’t go back there anymore!
—
A wave of embarrassment washed over me as I watched Marghetta tense up and extend her pinky. I don’t have a gambling habit or anything! It was a moment of weakness, purely due to some external influence…
But no matter how you spin it, the fact remains that I did roll the roulette today. Trying to pass it off as just a one-time experience would be as pathetic as the feeble excuses of an addict…
I can’t just opt out of going!
I regrettably had to head to the casino, even if I felt bad for Marghetta. The reward for taking down the Kraken will be disbursed there, and I’ll have to pop back often to deposit or withdraw afterward.
Marghetta would probably be understanding if I explained all this to her, but the fact that the Boyar Duchy’s casino doubles as the Imperial Family’s ATM is a closely guarded secret.
The casinos attract tourists from all over the continent! What chaos would ensue if rumors spread that “the money you spend here bolsters the Empire’s military might”? The casinos would plummet, and the Emperor would surely hunt down the blabbermouth!
“Carl…?”
As I wavered, Marghetta’s voice trembled. Her eyes glimmered, looking like a sorrowful maiden just discovering her lover is a severe gambling addict.
This is going to drive me insane!
I had no choice. It was all about being careful not to get caught!
Since I quietly linked my pinky with hers, Marghetta finally beamed with delight. Louise across the room let out a sigh of relief, and Tannian quietly clapped, seeming pleased with how things turned out.
Is it a virtue of the future candidate Saint to speak the truth? That little rascal! I probably would’ve tossed him into the sea if he meant it maliciously, but clearly, he didn’t.
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