* * *
A while later.
“This can’t be happening! Ughhhhh, this can’t be……!”
The chancellor cried out, still clutching the hwatu card he hadn’t finished putting down.
“If only I had one more…! Just one more, I would have won… … !”
The bald man’s cries were, honestly, too pitiful. Having suffered an early defeat, His Majesty the Emperor seemed amused by the Chancellor’s display.
In fact, isn’t that the way the human heart is? It’s maddening when you’re so close but don’t succeed, much more than when you never had a chance.
I smirked slyly and pulled back my chip.
“So, how will you handle the payment for your loss?”
Gambling is scary for no other reason. When you lose, you may owe double, triple, or even more, depending on the rules.
I tapped the table with my chip and put pressure on it. How often does one get to pressure a country’s chancellor? I intended to enjoy it to the fullest with my mask on.
“Ugh, I don’t have that kind of money. It’s all because of you!”
The chancellor cried bitterly and eventually grabbed His Majesty by the collar. Just when it looked like he might hit him, the Emperor laughed hollowly and patted him on the back.
“Don’t worry, my friend. I’ll cover the debt.”
“… … ?!”
“You’ll just have to work for me without pay for about five years!”
“… … !”
Wahahaha!
The people burst into laughter along with His Majesty the Emperor. The only one with a somber face was the Chancellor.
“Five years of unpaid labor! Are you even human? You did this on purpose!”
The Prime Minister screaming in despair was quite an interesting sight to see. I munched on the cookies Lasius brought and enjoyed the scene. Of course, I didn’t forget to say what I needed to.
“I’m curious about the estate you’ll give.”
“There is a really nice uninhabited island called Shay Island. How about a village near the island? It is a fishing village where fish are caught in abundance.”
“You must think I love fish. You specifically mention a fishing village.”
“Hehe, let’s leave it at that. It’s hard to find land without an owner these days.”
As the conversation progressed to this point, people seemed to have some idea of His Majesty’s true identity. I smiled triumphantly and stood up.
“Very well, I’ll leave it at that.”
“Great! I’ll have it ready for you within 15 days.”
The Emperor chuckled and patted the back of the Chancellor, who was resting his forehead on the game table. I glanced at him with pity but shrugged it off quickly. There was something more important now.
“By the way, what would you say if I told you that there was a chance for a loser to have a comeback?”
“Oh?”
“It’s a brand new game. It is also a secret game that has never been known before.”
I lowered my voice and attracted the attention of those around me. The Emperor’s ears perked up, and others showed interest too. I looked around and continued in a suggestive tone.
“It’s called Yutnol, and they say that far, far away across the sea, this is what families do when they get together.”
“A gambling game?”
“No money, but the stakes are pretty high here.”
It’s really been a long time since I played Yutnori. I think the last was when I was in elementary school. Quickly brushing off the nostalgic thoughts, I wooed them with a coy tone until the very end.
“Four days from now, let’s meet back here. And since this will be our first game, if I lose, you get to keep the chips. If I win, I don’t win anything.”
My words caused an uproar.
‘Really? You’re not going to take anything?’
‘Then we just have to win, right?’
‘We won’t lose anything?’
‘It doesn’t make sense; it must be a trick.’
‘Still, let’s give it a try.’
‘How can you believe it?’
Such opinions gather and then disperse in a heated manner. After giving them enough time to discuss, I placed the chip between my fingers and flicked it. Even such a simple movement causes people to stop talking. The bait has already been thrown, and they have bitten.
I threw the chip in the air and snatched it back with a grin.
“As the general manager of all the casinos in Makarten, I guarantee you, I’ll see you back here in four days.”
… … !
It’s a bit cringy, but leaving coolly amidst the commotion is always stylish. As soon as I finished speaking, I walked away hand in hand with Lacius. Like the miracle of Moses, the crowd split apart, and a path was created in front of me.
* * *
“What a show-off.”
A slimy chalice filled with sparkling water.
It’s an antique that honestly doesn’t even look like it could be used for washing your face. But in a greenhouse that seems to have gathered all the fine and beautiful things in the world, the basin exuded an oddly out-of-place presence in front of a beautiful young lady who seemed like something out of a fairy tale.
“You must be having a blast, huh?”
Peridot looked expressionlessly at the red-haired woman reflected in the basin.
Krazen’s chalice. She didn’t believe it at first when the suspicious man brought it to her, saying it was the dragon’s treasure. But Peridot was soon forced to believe. As soon as Peridot touched Krazen’s emblem on the basin’s edge, her consciousness was sucked into a strange and distant world.
Though her body was in the greenhouse, it felt like someone grabbed her by the throat and plunged her into the depths of the ocean. Not to mention that intimidating feeling she felt when she faced Krazen. A feeling of fear that gives you goosebumps. After overcoming all of that, Peridot received Krazen’s approval and was able to use the chalice.
“Enough of this; show me where the prince is.”
At Peridot’s command, the red-haired figure floating on the chalice disappeared. The water rippled as if alive, and after a few seconds,
The image of the prince arriving in front of the Duke of Crisiona’s mansion appeared in the basin. He’s smiling like a man madly in love, a bouquet of flowers in his arms. He was just as much of a show-off.
“A guest has arrived, so we should prepare to welcome him.”
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