Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Chapter 4. Uruun, the Land of Entertainment and Culture
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Judah could feel the stares of passersby piercing into him as he boldly stepped into the gambling hall.
"Why are they staring like this?"
"It's because you exude such elegance, sir."
The porter following behind must have overheard his mutter and responded as if it were a question.
"While you do look young, that's part of it—the clothes you're wearing and your overall aura make you seem like you're captivating everyone around you."
Judah shrugged at the words, which felt more like flattery than anything else. No one dislikes a compliment. Half suspecting it might be empty praise, he glanced around. Every time he walked through the crowd, people stole glances at him and whispered to their companions.
The porter wasn't lying.
He still looked youthful, but his handsome face, well-proportioned build, and luxurious attire gave him an innate nobility. He was perfect, the kind who wouldn't be outshined even among nobles.
After wandering around and taking in the sights, Judah's interest was piqued by roulette among the many games—it seemed the one most up to pure chance. He didn't know the rules well, but from what he could tell, it involved a wheel numbered from 0 to 36, and you bet on where the dealer rolled the ball.
'Dealer wins if it lands on 0 or 00.'
Having grasped the basics, Judah sat at an empty table.
"Oh my?"
The woman seated next to him looked startled upon seeing him. It was probably his youthful face that caught her eye first. The other players at the roulette table reacted the same way as the noblewoman.
"Will you place a bet?"
He exchanged 100 gold coins for chips but hadn't used any yet. Each coin was worth nearly 1 million won, so rather than blowing through all 100 chips, Judah planned to use only about 20. His goal here wasn't to win money—it was solely to meet Roxin and lend him a hand.
Watching the others bet, Judah placed five chips—worth 5 gold—on 15 and black. As the dealer pressed a button, the ball rolled onto the spinning wheel. The white ball drew everyone's eyes before slipping neatly into one slot. When the wheel stopped, it landed exactly where Judah had bet.
"...15, black."
Right from the start, a huge payout.
"My goodness, you're lucky, little one. How old are you?"
Seeing the dealer push the chips toward him, the noblewoman beside him smiled and asked. With a face that seemed to say he should be sucking on a lollipop, Judah looked at her and honestly stated his age.
"Fifteen."
"Fifteen?"
Those around him were stunned, but soon the dealer asked if they wanted to bet again, and they started placing chips. Overflowing with capital, they excitedly scattered bets everywhere. He watched them spread their money across various spots.
'Not feeling great about this one.'
Something made his chest itch uncomfortably. Whether it was his luck at work or not, he tested the waters with a small bet. He won, but the payout wasn't huge. Starting to get a feel for how to wield his luck bit by bit, Judah began enjoying the roulette.
But in an instant, the faces of those enjoying the game twisted.
They were regulars here, betting on the numbers that usually hit for this wheel. Judah, however, bet against them. Astonishingly, the ball kept landing where he bet. He hadn't used any magic or stirred his mana.
Yet the ball went where Judah bet. The nobles who had been watching him fondly at first lost their composure as he swept up the chips, jumping to their feet and pointing at him like they wanted to flip the table.
"This bastard—isn't he a cheat!? Hey! Dealer, call management!"
A mountain of chips piled up in front of Judah, drawing all eyes in the room. It wasn't strange that they suspected fraud. The game naturally halted, but with nothing to fear, Judah calmly waited for management.
Even when they arrived, they found nothing suspicious. They swapped the dealer and the wheel, but Judah kept winning steadily. He lost sometimes, sure, but far less than he won.
In the end, management concluded it was just his luck. Judah could see why people chased one-shot riches at casinos. His 100 gold had ballooned to 5600 in moments—from 100 million won to 5.6 billion. When management asked to see his ID, he showed the silver adventurer's badge from the guild and the Lava family crest from Viscount Jenner. They bowed politely, urged him to play in moderation, and left.
'Time flies when you're having fun.'
The porters trailing him had increased from one to three. The chips were too heavy for one person, so five of them were carrying them divided up. Even after cashing in 5000 for gold coins stored in his <Bag>, 600 chips remained.
Puffed up with pride like a victorious general, Judah paraded them around, sipping casino drinks while watching the games.
"Uwaaaah! I'm wiped out!"
Then, a familiar voice rang out. The area was noisy, but that voice—he remembered it, and had been seeking it. Looking around toward the sound led him to a blackjack table. There, a man was slumped over the dealer's side, slamming the table repeatedly.
A middle-aged man with his long hair tied in a ponytail—it was Roxin.
Judah approached and patted his tear-streaked shoulder.
"What!?"
He whipped around irritably, then gasped upon seeing Judah's face.
"What are you doing here?"
"To try gambling, obviously."
"Forget it—kids who start young pick up bad habits... bad... uh... wait. Hey. Whose chips are those?"
Spotting the mountain of chips held by the attendants behind Judah, he widened his eyes. They glanced back at Judah, who smirked at Roxin.
"Crazy... you really royalty or something?"
"Nah, no way. I won them all. I'm just lucky."
"No way. Even so, a total newbie winning that much here?"
"It's what's left after cashing some out. Didn't you tell me? In Uruun, luck trumps family. Guess mine's overwhelming."
"Hey... could you spot me some cash?"
Judah shook his head firmly. He'd just lose it all anyway.
"How much have you lost? I'll win it back for you."
"Really? Then I'll do whatever you want!"
Roxin's face lit up as he thumped his chest with his fist.
"Don't forget you said that. How much?"
"About 50 gold?"
"Huh—yesterday morning you had nothing, bummed free meals, and now where'd that come from?"
"...I get income somehow. I'm capable, you know."
Sure you are. Judah snorted mockingly and sat beside him. The dealer eyed him curiously and asked if he'd join. Of course. Blackjack was one of the few games in this casino he actually knew. Testing the waters, he bet five chips.
First card: 5.
Not great. Second card: 10.
15. Hit or stand?
Glancing around, he saw others' up cards: 4 and 9, 7 and 9, A and 6, K and 5. Dealer showed 7.
After a moment's thought, Judah hit. A 6 came up, and Roxin beside him let out an "Ooooh" of admiration.
"You're nuts. So you really won all that? Haha!"
Roxin boasted to the other players like he'd won it himself. His gloating was seriously annoying. The game continued; Judah won one, lost one, then abruptly bet 50 chips without hesitation. Everyone around looked shocked, as if asking if he was sure. Roxin gazed at him anxiously, worried about the loss.
"Hey, you really doing this? Not my fault if you lose, okay?"
"Yeah, I know. Just watch."
Roxin's up cards: A and K. Blackjack right away. The dealer looked stunned, like he hadn't seen it coming. "Crazy," Roxin muttered beside him. The other players' hands weren't bad: A-7, K-9, 10-6-4. Dealer showed 10.
The others folded like it was worthless, taking 50% back.
Then the dealer began revealing cards.
Second: 5.
Total 15—must hit under 17. Third: 1. Fourth: 6.
"Ooh! Tie!?"
"Idiot! Can't you add!? It's a win!"
Roxin yelled at the tie comment. Dealer busted at 22 past 21, so Judah won. Satisfied, he collected the chips and handed them to Roxin. He'd enjoyed his first casino visit plenty. Stretching as he stood, Roxin gave him five chips.
"Here. Thanks. Pocket change for you, but it's your pay."
Just 5 gold, but Judah accepted. Even with thousands already, more gold was good—especially pure gold coins, not silver or copper.
"Wait, wanna talk?"
"Talk? Sure, anything for my benefactor."
Roxin, thinking he'd recovered most of his stake, grinned and followed. The casino had a terrace for breaks. Out in the cool night air, Judah leaned on the railing and faced him.
"Alright, what is it? Your Majesty."
"My Majesty?"
"Why not? You got my money back with that insane luck. Treating you like a king right now? Easy. Haha!"
"Witty as ever, Roxin. Are all Shadow Kingdom execs silver-tongued?"
Shadow Kingdom—the words from Judah's mouth froze Roxin's grin. His lax eyes sharpened as he straightened, staring intently. The lighthearted vibe vanished. The air grew heavy fast.
"...Did I mishear you?"
"Nope. You heard right, mister. I clearly said [Shadow Kingdom]."
Roxin clamped his mouth shut. Casino laughter, chatter, and cries filtered in like background music between them.
========== Author's Note ==========
1) Gambling's no good, folks. Tried looking it up, but no clue how to play lol.