Chapter 14
“Money, you mean?”
I organized my thoughts, looking at the Orphanage Director who was looking back with a bewildered expression.
Our Orphanage, whatever you call it, has unbelievable facilities.
It's the largest Orphanage, gives allowances, and provides such a variety of food and education that a child there feels no different from one in a normal family.
At first, I thought all orphanages were like this and admired the policy, but after being half-forcibly dragged around the Capital City by Linmel, I realized—our orphanage is simply the best.
Of course, that's not to say other places abuse children or anything. I heard there used to be such places, but thanks to the policy, they've all been reformed and can no longer be found.
Anyway. We're the only ones who have a system that cares for each Orphanage Student and even gives the student allowances.
At first, I just brushed it off, thinking, 'Wow, the Princess must really like our Orphanage to give us so much support.'
But the Orphanage Director always sighed deeply when the Orphanage Students weren't around.
It was all just a show of strength.
In other words, the Orphanage Director had no choice but to give in. Not for herself, but for us.
“No.”
“?”
It wasn't.
Instead, the Orphanage Director, who had sat me down, bewildered, crossed her arms with a rare solemn expression and began a long lecture.
“Jereun, I know you're talented. But to use that talent for fraud... that's something you shouldn't do.”
“...No, this isn't fraud—”
“Hmph. Even if it were, it wouldn't be ill-gotten gains. I want the money I use to buy you clothes and food to be clean money.”
Indeed, no sophistry can stand against true righteousness.
“But then, what about our Orphanage?”
Then all I had to do was to make it not righteous.
The Orphanage Director's expression wavered.
“...Did you hear?”
“A little. I could hear it. But even if I hadn't, I would have known. Everyone knew that operations hadn't been going well lately.”
“Even so, that's something I can solve...”
“No, you can't.”
I asserted.
If it were a solvable problem, it wouldn't have come to this.
I whispered like a devil to the agonizing Orphanage Director.
“They're bad people. Have you heard that some of our orphanage students dabbled in gambling and ended up in financial ruin?”
“Th-that's...”
“Orphanage Director.”
As I said before.
The Orphanage Director would give in.
“Please think of it as being for us. So that we can eat well and grow well.”
Because it was for us, not for her.
“...”
After agonizing for a long time, the Orphanage Director finally bowed her head deeply.
“Just once...”
“Yes?”
“Just once. Just enough to pay off the debt and buy your textbooks. And you must not extort from gamblers.”
Bingo.
I replied with a beaming smile.
“Of course. Don't worry, I'll make sure the gamblers approach us first.”
“Haa, I feel like I'm dancing in the palm of your hand...”
We went to Annelin's clothing store, taking the sighing Orphanage Director, and began the fitting.
“Oh, no, Orphanage Director. What in the world is this...”
“...I'm sorry. I'll explain everything later.”
Annelin was horrified by the Orphanage Director's terrible fashion.
A velvet vest stuffed with cotton, a leather belt, and gaudy, unpleasant-looking trousers.
With a fake beard for disguise, she looked like a nouveau riche person straight out of a painting.
“Hold this staff, and from now on, don't speak to me so softly.”
“...Is this alright?”
“You're a bit stiff. Speak softly, as if you're addressing a subordinate.”
“I-I'll do it like this?”
I also corrected her manner of speech.
I, too, dressed in an Attendant's uniform.
As for my face—I didn't really disguise it. Few people would pay attention to an Attendant's face anyway.
“I'll call you Master.”
“...R-right...”
“Don't be too nervous. It'll be over in a flash.”
“Hmm, how is that possible? No matter how much you cheat, you can't earn money that easily.”
I patiently explained to the bewildered Orphanage Director.
“What would happen if we bet 1 silver, turned it into 10 silver, and then 100 silver?”
“I wonder.”
“The answer is 'we wouldn't know.' The moment we make 10 silver, they'll start playing tricks, and if I thwart their tricks, they'll realize we're not ordinary and resort to force. We'd be kicked out one way or another before 1 silver becomes 100 silver.”
And I'm not confident I can overcome that force.
...No, I am a little.
Even if I could, it would be a problem. My goal isn't to escalate things.
For that reason, I never considered winning gradually from the start.
“Then what are you going to do?”
“I've already thought of a way.”
When they cast their bait to fishhook us.
We'll cut the fishhook clean off.
And escape before they can figure out what happened.
“The plan is for tomorrow. We'll finish it in one go.”
By the time they realize they've been tricked at the Gambling Den—
The Nouveau Riche and the Attendant will already be gone from this world.
-Drip, drip.
...
On the day we were to go to the Gambling Den, it was still in the dim pre-dawn hours.
While I was manifesting Magical Perception in the Warehouse, my nose suddenly started bleeding.
“Tsk, what is this?”
I'd slept enough, so what was it?
This isn't a world with tissues. I roughly caught the dripping blood in my hand and wiped it with a rag nearby.
In the process, my hand became heavily stained with blood.
To wash my hands, I'd have to go to the Well. Annoyed, I was frowning when a new idea suddenly struck me.
“Could this work?”
I made my blood *perceive*.
Then, like a drop of milk in water, the blood spread out into the air.
“Ohh...”
It was a very mystical sight. As I stared blankly at the small cloud made of blood—
[~~~~~~~~~~~~!]
The Current became extremely violent.
It began to shake as if it had lost its mind.
Wondering what it was, I looked up and saw the Deep Sea Fish, which had been quiet until now, writhing as if searching for something, swimming around at unimaginable speeds.
What they were looking for was clear.
“Oh, no.”
I immediately realized and let the blood fall.
Thud-thud-thud—the blood in the air fell, affected by gravity, and soaked the floor.
Soon after, the surroundings instantly quieted. The Deep Sea Fish quickly fled, and only a much smaller number remained than before.
Something was strange. The Deep Sea Fish seemed to be scurrying away.
I manifested Magical Perception inside the Warehouse.
“....................”
And.
I sensed an indescribably massive creature.
Even with Magical Perception, which could now sense things tens of yards away, I could only detect a tiny fraction of this creature.
Tens of thousands of Serrated Teeth, made to tear apart creatures larger than themselves. It was like a blender for a mouth.
It opened its mouth and held the 'Orphanage' inside.
I couldn't even breathe.
If it closed its mouth like that, I would—
[Whoooosh...]
Fortunately, it didn't close its mouth and disappeared.
...It hadn't truly vanished.
It had simply moved beyond the range of my Magical Perception.
It was probably still lurking nearby.
This was absurd. I scratched my head and wiped the blood-stained floor with a rag, just in case.
“Is this more important than Water Pressure...?”
Like water pressure, or drowning.
Dying like that seemed like it would be the most agonizing way to go.
Ah, now I get it. When I used the Current, there was no problem other than a slight twitch, so I just left it alone. These guys simply can't see me.
No matter how much they feel a strange Current, they don't notice my presence, so they just think, 'What is this? Why is this happening all of a sudden?'
But if I shed blood like this, they notice.
And that's how things can get *fucked*.
*I probably can't use this...*
Even if I sprayed blood, floated it in the air, and sent it towards an enemy, the enemy would only chew on empty air.
I exist in both this world and that world, so I might get eaten.
But people who only exist in this world won't be interfered with by the Deep Sea Fish.
I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.
“J-Jereun?”
As I was washing my face at the Well, the anxious-looking Orphanage Director approached me.
“Is something wrong? You look a bit unwell.”
“Me? I'm fine. My condition is top-notch.”
It wasn't a lie.
For some reason, Magic Training has become incredibly smooth over the past two days.
The movement of the normal Magic Current had become fluid.
To the extent that, I felt like I could even fly a little by combining it with simple Wind Magic.
It's a shame I can't attend classes and learn new magic, but overall, it's going smoothly.
“Let's get ready. How much money have you prepared?”
“Hmm, this much. It should be enough, right?”
I looked at the amount in her pocket and, startled, asked in return.
“?? Why did you prepare so much?”
“Even so, I couldn't use the Orphanage's assets for gambling, could I? I borrowed against the Field.”
“The Field? You don't mean *that* field, the one passed down through your family for generations?”
“Oh, you know about it?”
“No, that's a bit much... Why did you do that? We don't need that much.”
As I stared in shock, the Orphanage Director scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed.
“It's a bit strange to say this on the way to a Gambling Den... but I trust you, Jereun.”
“...”
“Even if things don't go well today, don't be too disappointed. Your intentions have been conveyed.”
“...Yes.”
*Was the Orphanage Director a Mage too?*
She seems to have learned magic with a burden that kills people.
The Gambling Den was, of course, not a legal establishment.
Naturally, that meant there weren't many people, and it was a different caliber than a flashy Casino.
The Gambling Den I actually visited was an unpleasant warehouse located near the Outskirts Forest.
If it weren't for the menacing Bouncers blocking the entrance, I would have thought it was just any abandoned building.
As I tried to walk in naturally, a guard who had been chuckling and chatting nearby spat on the ground and blocked the entrance.
“I have never seen your face before.”
“...”
I waited behind, steadying my breath.
*Shall we see the Orphanage Director's Acting Skills?*
“C-can't I be here?”
I didn't have high expectations, but aside from a slight tremor in her voice, she was fine.
She had a face full of irritation, swaggering legs, and a subtle dissatisfaction that she deserved better treatment than this.
The guard scoffed and waved her off.
“Now, don't get so heated. Just checking. Anyone can enter The Haven.”
“Shall I open the door for you? Hehe...”
Being openly ignored was actually good.
It's best to be seen as a moderately plump mackerel, rather than a big fish that won't even fit in the net.
“Please, go in.”
Instead of the still slightly hesitant Orphanage Director, I opened the door and entered the Gambling Den—oh, um.
It was more plausible than I expected.
“*FUCKING HELL!!!!!!!* Is this even possible?! It's a scam, a scam!!!!”
“Hmph, you must accept the outcome. Don't do anything foolish.”
“Do you know what dream I had today? The Grim Reaper put a scythe to my neck and pulled.”
“Why did you come to gamble, you idiot?”
“I was only losing until yesterday. The Grim Reaper killed that weak past self of mine. It's a Stroke of Luck!”
A bustling crowd, easily a hundred people.
A lavish chandelier unfitting for a warehouse, a floor covered in red carpet, properly uniformed dealers, attendants, and even a band playing lively music at the bar and nearby.
Of course, there were a few ambiguous elements—but overall, it had everything it needed.
Even if it was just for show, it was quite elaborate. As I whistled and looked around, a waiter approached with a fixed smile.
“Hello, customer. I haven't seen your face before; is this your first time?”
“Tsk, tsk...”
The Orphanage Director frowned and waved her hand as we had discussed, and I stepped forward.
“I apologize. My Master, well... doesn't like unnecessary conversation. If you have something to say, please tell me.”
“Huh? Oh, yes...”
The Waiter looked slightly flustered, glancing between me and the Orphanage Director, but quickly composed himself professionally and began explaining to me.
“Our 'The Haven' aims to be a source of vitality for everyone tired of his or her arduous daily lives. Our goal is to be a place where everyone can enjoy himself or herself.”
“Ah, yes. That's wonderful. Where can I exchange money?”
...Do you see the bar over there? You can do that next to it. There's a slight Exchange Fee, but it's a reasonable amount compared to other places, so feel free to check it out yourself!
“Are there any restrictions on the 'games' one can play?”
“Haha, would there be such a thing! You can enter anywhere, anytime you wish!”
The Waiter was explaining to me, but he adjusted his voice so that all the details would be audible to the Orphanage Director.
Character Imprinting seemed to have been successful.
The Waiter served us with a gentle smile until the end, then left.
“...”
Before coming in, I had told the Orphanage Director something in advance. Soon, the Orphanage Director began to survey each Gambling Table stiffly.
I followed along, observing the surroundings.
“Please, 10 or fewer, please...!”
The most common was Card Game.
If you ask if I can intervene... there's nothing I *can't* do, but...
It's too high-difficulty. Even a small mistake would likely reveal that I'm doing something strange.
“6, 6... and 1! You are busted!”
“Hahaha, you bastard. Even if you hadn't, you were finished.”
Next most common was Dice Game.
Even if it's better than cards, it's still impossible.
But it would be perfect for a test. I sent a signal. More precisely, I tapped the Orphanage Director's shoulder with a Current.
“...Ahem.”
The Orphanage Director stopped, pulled out a Fake Cigarette from her pocket, and put it in her mouth, while I stood a little distance away, manifesting Magical Perception and watching the Gambling Table.
“Are there any more participants for this Round? The hand being dealt now is for customer number 1.”
“My luck is *fucking terrible* today. I'm out.”
“Hmph, you put on such a show, only to lose and leave?”
“Shut your mouth...”
I glanced at the Gambler trudging away with his head bowed, then let out a hollow laugh.
My Magical Perception sensed the guy who disappeared towards the restroom, laughing and chatting with another Dealer.
“What, is no one else joining? I'm just starting to earn some money! Anyone, come on, hahaha...!”
That guy who kept losing was a shill. And this guy who kept winning was the sucker.
The Sucker's butt, brimming with happiness, didn't seem to want to move an inch.
They trained him very well. Even if I went and told him the truth that he was being played, he'd probably get angry and tell me to shut up with my nonsense.
After looking around a few times and checking with Magical Perception, I confirmed that this *shit* was happening at every Gambling Table.
Usually, gamblers flock to Gambling Dens that genuinely operate on commission, trying to fishhook Suckers.
Not here. The Gambling Den itself was a massive gamble, designed to fishhook Suckers.
*...Good, actually?*
I tried to hide the smile that crept onto my lips.
It actually made things easier. Now that I had a good grasp of the situation, I sent a signal to the Orphanage Director. This time, the signal was a tap on the opposite shoulder.
“Ahem!”
Then, the Orphanage Director, who had gathered attention with an unnecessary shout, looked at me with a solemn expression.
I went to the Chip Exchange I had seen earlier and poured out the money from my bag.
Chwa-ra-rak... At the immense sound, other gamblers looked over, startled.
“...What? Why did a rich person like that come here?”
“Let them be. Rich people often enjoy eccentricities.”
Naturally, all eyes turned to us.
What game would such a rich person come here to play?
Blackjack? Poker? Or...
“?”
“Wh-what the hell is that?”
We betrayed all those expectations.
We went to the Roulette table, where not a single person was playing.
The Dealer in charge of Roulette looked at us with a flustered expression.
“W-would you like to join the game?”
“Yes. Number 21, single.”
The Orphanage Director placed exactly one chip.
“...I'll spin.”
The bewildered Dealer, with an expression that seemed to ask if we were testing the waters, spun the roulette.
*Tok, todo-dok...*
The ball stopped on black 35.
Watching the result, I activated Magical Perception.
*Let's see, what kind of trickery have they set up...?*
*...Huh?*
“Number 21, single again.”
An utterly unbelievable result came out.
*No, is this for real?*
Unable to believe it, I signaled the Orphanage Director multiple times to confirm.
“I'll spin.”
But the Roulette I checked through Magical Perception showed the same information every time.
I watched the spinning Roulette—or rather, the ball—and couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh.
“...Huh.”
I quickly covered it, but...
It seemed it would end much faster than I expected.
The Casino's 2nd Floor.
The Manager hastily ascended to the area where every move of the Gamblers was visible.
Then, he stood at attention, looking at the burly, bald man sitting in the center, savoring wine.
“K-Krein!”
The man called Krein, who had been rolling dice on a luxurious wooden table, replied with an annoyed expression.
“What is it? I told you not to come up while I'm working.”
“A big fish has been caught.”
“...A big fish?”
Krein tilted his head.
“There haven't been any attempts to *work* anyone recently. What are you talking about?”
A big fish, that is, a rich Sucker, naturally needs an environment created to make it pour out everything it has.
Because they aren't stupid, they won't dump all their assets at once.
The Manager replied with a bewildered expression, as if he couldn't understand it himself.
“I'm not sure either... They just suddenly showed up today and are testing the waters at the Roulette table.”
“?”
Roulette?
Krein rose from his seat and headed to the railing overlooking the first floor.
A person dressed as a Nouveau Riche, accompanied by an Attendant, was placing exactly one chip on the Roulette table.
With a mountain of chips piled up behind them
Krein frowned.
“...After exchanging all that money, they're only playing Roulette?”
“Yes... I don't know why.”
“Tsk, they'll just lose it eventually. No need to bother them; just leave them be...”
Krein's gaze, which had been about to dismiss it casually, then fell upon the Attendant behind the Nouveau Riche.
“!”
*Thump*, Krein stared at the Attendant with his mouth agape—
Then he bared his teeth and smiled brightly.
“Hee, hahaha...!”
“Krein?”
“This is incredible. A natural body...! Having been brought to a place like this, they must not even know they're a Mage...”
The Manager seemed unaware, but—
This wasn't just about catching a big fish.
It was as if a Golden Fish had crawled in.
“Get the subordinates ready. Don't let them leave.”
“Yes, yes!”
While the bewildered Manager went about his task, Krein looked down, a wide smile spreading across his face.
It was a big score after a long time. He would put all his effort into slowly cooking them, so they wouldn't even realize they were trapped in a pot.
For at least a month, they would offer up that Attendant and beg for just one more chance...
“Number 21. Single.”
“...Huh?”
But something was strange.
The Sucker kept betting on the number 21 single.
Aside from it being a foolish thing to do, they were only betting one chip at a time.
Surely they weren't planning to keep betting like that.
*...Did they notice?*
Krein snapped his fingers, calling the Manager.
“Have you rigged the Roulette?”
“Yes. It's definitely rigged.”
“The possibility of being found out?”
The Manager replied with a confident tone.
“The ball is filled with water of such high purity that no matter how much you shake it, you won't know what's inside. No matter how it's spun, it will move to a predetermined spot due to its specific gravity.”
“Hmm, good.”
It was a perfect countermeasure. Reassured, Krein openly leaned back in his chair.
The Sucker's ruin would take a little time, so...
“21, I'll bet everything... I mean, I'm going all in.”
“?”
If it weren't for the last line he heard.
“Oh, all in, you say?”
“Yes, are you deaf?”
He had bet on the same number exactly three times, with small change.
And then a full bet of all his assets was immediately made.
At this act, which gave no time for the thrill to even kick in—
“?”
“Wh-what the hell is that guy?”
—the Gambling Den immediately began to stir.