◈ 437. [Side Story] Gamble Club
Beat Violet lightly with poker.
I muttered as I left the mercenary guild and walked forward.
“The completion of the hotel and casino is just around the corner, so name gamblers are coming soon.”
Lucas asked me as I hurriedly caught up.
“Are you saying more swindlers like that woman are coming?”
“Violet is a member of the ‘Gamble Club,’ a gambler’s party. In other words, four more will come.”
The high-level heroes I wanted to recruit even while building a hotel with a casino.
One of them – and the ones I wanted to recruit first.
Gamblers Party Gamble Club.
They were fished up first.
“It’s good. As soon as you come… .”
I grinned.
“I’ll have to destroy it, pay off the debt, and make it my subordinate.”
***
A three-way road in a forest, a little away from the Cross Road.
There are skillfully set up camping tents with burning bonfires.
In front of the campfire, a middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman, a young boy and a young girl, each with a tired complexion.
At first glance, it looked like an ordinary family, but they were all glaring at each other with sharp eyes.
That would be too… … What they hold in their hands is a gambling card.
At this point in time when these men and women of all ages are playing a game while sharpening each other while holding gambling tools similar to mahjong tiles on Earth- “
Wowaaaa! I’m pissed off!”
Violet jumped out.
Dressed in a well-dressed fedora and coat suit, she appeared with light purple hair flying and suddenly threw the fedora that she was wearing on her head to the floor.
Upon her return, the four people playing mahjong were immediately delighted.
“Violet!”
“The leader has returned.”
“How was the reconnaissance? Does Crossroad smell delicious?”
“Is it worth it for us to come all the way and rob it?”
Violet gnashed her teeth at the four people who asked while pecking like chicks.
“… I did.”
“what?”
“Damn I got robbed!”
The haoche way of speaking that was used to gain weight for no reason had already been beaten, and Violet sat down on the floor in annoyance.
And he ran a rough sweep through his sweat-soaked bangs.
Surprised by her words, four people surrounded her.
“What are you talking about? Are you robbed?”
“Crossroad lord, that crazy 3rd prince! I got to play a round of poker, and that guy… … My illusions didn’t work at all. It’s a total dog hair!”
Everyone was surprised at the news of Violet’s defeat.
That’s also true, because Violet may have the worst gambling skill among the five people here- but her ‘skill to cheat’ is the strongest.
That’s why he was nominated as the leader of these gamblers’ parties, albeit nominally.
“… I have never seen such a man.”
Violet bit her lower lip.
“You destroyed my genjutsu at once and played with me with bluffing. like… It was like cutting open my belly and exposing my insides?! Oh damn it’s embarrassing… … .”
Laid on the floor, Violet screamed and struggled with her limbs.
Looking down at Violet, the other four made serious faces.
“Hmm, since there is a casino in a rural town like this, I came here to try to rob it lightly… .”
“To the point of making Violet like this. Don’t you think it’s normal?”
“Isn’t this a big deal? Why don’t we just run away?”
“… It can’t be.”
The last one to speak was the youngest of the four – a girl wearing a red cape hood.
“How hard did we come this far?”
When the girl opened her mouth, the rest of the gamblers shut up at once. The girl spoke quietly.
“I don’t know how Violet’s magic was destroyed, but the four of us’ skills are still valid. If the five of us work together, we can play with any opponent.”
It’s because the gambling association was formed for that purpose.
The girl muttered a little and glanced at Violet.
“Right, Violet?”
When the girl asked for consent, Violet jumped up.
“That’s right. of course! I don’t know alone, but you… … And if we move together, we can rob anyone!”
“Then it is a decision. Wake up.”
Violet hurriedly stood up, picked up the bowler hat she threw on the floor, and put it back on her head.
The girl smiled thinly and nodded.
“Come on, Violet. like a leader Please instruct us to regroup vigorously.”
“Yes… !”
Violet looked at the girl’s eyes and raised her arm.
“Okay let’s go! Gamble Club! Avenge this disgrace! Let’s rob that man or the city… … !”
When Violet looked at the girl again, the girl nodded. Violet grinned.
“If the five of us get together, we can even rob the Imperial Central Bank! It’s not even a job in a rural town like this!”
At that, the other gamblers laughed and packed their bags.
Middle-aged man Lime.
Middle-aged woman Orange.
Boy Cobalt.
Girl Scarlet.
And the leader – Violet.
These five gamblers, everyone nicknamed by color, are the gamblers party gamble club.
Checking each one’s ‘skill’, the five gamblers started heading for the crossroads.
To play a big ‘hit’, as gamblers always do.
***
The day after Violet was defeated by me.
Five gamblers from the Gamble Club came to my mansion.
“I didn’t know you would come to the front, did you? Take me to the drawing room.”
“… Are you really okay, lord?”
Lucas broke out in a cold sweat.
“The opponents are professional scammers. Are you really going to get entangled?”
“A swindler is a human swindler.”
My main enemy is a monster.
“If you say that these guys are after me, it’s money.”
Monsters seek our lives.
How cute are these scammers by comparison?
Considering their shallow goals and small tolerance, there is no reason to be afraid. Rather, it is just a toy for me to play with.
Upon entering the drawing room, five gamblers all bowed to me. People of all ages are very diverse.
“Yesterday you were very rude, Your Highness Prince Ash.”
As I sat down on the sofa in the drawing room, Violet stepped forward and opened her mouth.
“Since I came to live in a foreign country, I never thought that a member of the royal family would rule such a remote city. Please understand with an open heart.”
When I asked why the way of speaking had changed, was it polite to be in front of the imperial family?
“Don’t worry, Miss Violet. By the way, did you bring your friends this time?”
“yes. These are my loving parents and younger siblings.”
I smiled in front of those who greeted me again.
Is it a family setting that you did? Would you believe that, you scammers?
“From what I experienced yesterday, Your Highness is quite good at poker.”
“I tend to do it like everyone else.”
In fact, it’s just normal people.
“He was also famous for enjoying taste in the imperial capital.”
“Well, I played as much as everyone else played.”
“Besides, he even built a casino in a luxurious hotel in the city, so it seems like he doesn’t have a lot of affection for you.”
It is said that Ash, in his days of madness, lived madly with alcohol and gambling.
To be honest, since you’re a gambling addict, aren’t you building a casino in the countryside?
Violet looked at me. I beckoned.
“Stop procrastinating and get to the point. Miss Violet.”
“… Aren’t you bored until the casino is completed, Your Highness?”
Violet pointed to her teammates.
“Until then, how about enjoying some ‘play’ with us?”
Hey you gambler addict. we’ll play Let’s roll all night together.
In that sense, they approached me.
I rolled up the corner of my mouth with a smirk.
‘Look at these guys.’
I’m going to start working on it before the casino is built. You want to take off the prince’s wallet and eat it?
“It’s good.”
The sea I longed for.
I wanted to recruit you as soon as possible and use them as subordinates. I clenched my hand.
“I don’t know if you guys can handle me. Shall we loosen our hands right now?”
“What sport would you like to play?”
“That’s poker.”
I actually don’t know the rules of other games.
I gestured aside. Then Ader, who was waiting, immediately brought me a pack of trump cards.
good! good!
Shuffling the cards in my hand, I glanced around at the gamblers.
“Sit down? Didn’t you say you would play with me?”
As if waiting, five people sat on the chairs around me.
And the poker game began.
***
We played poker for hours.
During that time I have won a lot.
Of course, it’s not because I’m good at it. It’s because they adjusted it so that I could win and feel good.
I bluffed a lot and they passed. In poker for pennies, I had a winning streak and kept making money.
In the meantime, they figured out my skills. The idea was obvious.
– This kid’s poker skills are mediocre.
– I am addicted to bluffing. Continue betting big on low hands.
– Uses reckless tactics worthy of wealthy royalty.
– The fact that you beat Violet yesterday was actually just a result of your big bluff.
The gamblers could be seen exchanging glances with each other. I snorted inwardly.
It’s time to start playing in earnest.
“Hey, it’s fun, it’s fun. It’s nice to play with someone I don’t know for sure. Everyone in this town is tired of memorizing each other’s styles after knowing and playing for too long.”
After bluffing again and sweeping the stakes with a low hand.
Shuffling the cards again, I shrugged.
“When you’re in a remote area like this, your hands are always itchy from boredom. That’s why I was making a casino… … It’s nice to have people like you who are having fun before opening.”
“By the way, Your Highness. Aren’t you getting bored?”
Coming in too.
I twitched my eyebrows.
“huh? Are you boring?”
“To play with these pennies. Isn’t that an amount that is too nerve-wracking for someone like Her Highness?”
“haha. I know. I was just about to get sick of it because it’s like kids’ pennies.”
“After playing for a long time, the tension is relieved. How about raising the stakes a little in the sense of a fresh start?”
Little by little like this. gradually.
It must be the intention of gradually taking away my property while raising the stakes as if getting my clothes wet in the drizzle.
But-
“Why raise it a bit? Let’s make Raise hot.”
Do players need to do that?
Let’s get right into this game. these cubs
I gestured aside. Then Ader, who had been waiting, whimpered and appeared, dragging a cart loaded with boxes. I opened the handmade box.
sudden-!
A dazzling golden light came out of the box.
“… ?!”
gold bar.
It was a box full of gold bars the size of a child’s forearm. The eyes of the five gamblers widened.
“All of you will take turns from now on and play one-on-one with me.”
I glared at those five in turn and grinned.
“If even one of you beats me, I’ll give you this box of gold bars.”
Tapping the gold bar with my hand, I glared at them.
“But if even one of you can’t beat me. That is, if I destroy all of you.”
“… .”
“Your life and death rights are subordinate to me. In other words. Your life is mine.”
A look of bewilderment passed over the five faces.
To them, at most, it would seem that the young prince, who had been playing a little in the ecliptic and dabbled in gambling, was fearless in front of a professional tazza.
please don’t be so mistaken
‘Cause I’ll hit you all
“How would you like to try it?”
“… Please make one thing clear, Your Highness.”
Violet, who swallowed dry saliva at the sight of the gold bar, looked at me.
“I’m worried that Your Highness will change his mind after the match. Are these conditions really valid?”
“You don’t have to worry about that. This contract will be sealed with notary magic. In case of violation, the price must be paid.”
You guys must have tried to suck my money out of me by trapping me.
But it’s the other way around.
“Now how about it? The only way to get out is now, friends.”
I took out a gold bar and waved it in my hand, smiling wickedly.
It’s not me who fell into the trap… …
It’s you, you idiots.
