Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: The Underground Gambling Den
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At first glance, it might seem that way.
This is the empire's capital, one of the most species-discriminatory places on the continent, brimming with human supremacy, so maybe Luna the beastkin could be the spark for trouble.
Or perhaps hot-tempered, violence-addicted Rachel might start something, or we could get dragged in because of Riph, who can't speak in others' eyes.
Like a bomb whose fuse has just started burning.
'But if you dig deeper, the bombs among us are me, Cain, and Zero.'
I'm currently in a state that's like a gourmet spot only for those in the know.
A child disowned by my family, yet strangely carrying massive interests—a moron who seems easy to handle at first glance.
But since this is partly by my design, as long as I don't suddenly get kidnapped or die screaming, it's a dud—no risk of exploding.
'Cain, that guy... honestly, even if he sneaks around behind my back, I wouldn't know.'
A human-distrusting, human-hating guy stuck in a human-centric, human-superiority city.
Even to my eyes, which overlook a lot thanks to a sense of affluence, this place is twisted. How irrational must the imperial capital seem to Cain, who sees and hears even more?
He must know how full it is of ugliness and cruelty.
It was inevitable, but when I sent him to help Fayan, he came back after killing all the dark district organization executives in one go.
"So Cain, you stay at the inn for a while. I'll only take Zero as my guard."
"What? Me!"
"For the arena gathering, I'll bring Rachel along too."
Rachel looked satisfied at my words, but Cain was expressionless.
"Is that an order?"
"A suggestion. Shall we call it a vacation? There's nowhere you want to go besides the inn, right?"
The doppelganger potion he used on me seemed wasteful to the Heretic God Cult, so their attacks stopped. In the early days, I kept Cain with me constantly while being cautious and gauging the atmosphere.
Now that I know the level of checks and attacks coming in, it's better to let him rest before his human hatred worsens in this imperial capital.
Seeing Cain's blank face, which seemed to show a hint of dissatisfaction, I added more.
"What do you think would happen if you, me, and Zero all got caught up in trouble at the inn?"
The cult might twist things indirectly instead of directly to hassle us.
For example, framing us as criminals.
In that scenario, without me, Cain, or Zero?
Luna has no voice as a beastkin. Riph is silenced by physical limitations. Rachel tries solving it with her fist before her mouth.
Obvious, right?
"I'll stay at the inn."
"Good thinking."
"Then does that make me Adelrian's dedicated guard for the time being?"
Zero, who had been watching Cain and me talk, asked, and I nodded lightly.
"Isn't it an honor?"
"Why an honor?"
If you don't get it, fine.
Truthfully, making Zero my guard was necessary, but also because he's the biggest bomb.
The labyrinth owner and the cult—no, the Heretic God Cult clearly teams up with them since they use doppelganger potions.
They kept Zero and his subordinate doppelgangers locked in the labyrinth's hidden layers, kidnapping and imprisoning them.
Kidnapping and imprisonment might sound too mild.
Breeding fits better.
At set times, they'd insert intelligent beings to keep the doppelgangers' instincts sharp and make them play a hunting game.
Ensuring Zero or the other doppelgangers couldn't kill outsiders—only stirring strife among themselves to make them kill each other.
The sacrificed doppelgangers would be offered on altars, their cores left behind, and Zero would revive them using the dead as sacrifices.
Over and over.
They must have made potions from those offered doppelgangers and used them effectively.
Plus, hiding it so meticulously suggests reasons beyond just potion ingredients. Ones I don't know yet.
'But I took them all out.'
Killing every last one.
Even the labyrinth owner couldn't monitor everything in real-time, so they couldn't stop me, and with no bodies or Zero left, they probably think they revived.
Since they didn't pursue me afterward.
But now the doppelganger progenitor Zero is here?
'In my opinion, they'll definitely come out swinging.'
Whoever the labyrinth owner is—the cult, or some other force just holding hands—they have no choice but to come for Zero.
Tell him all this and lock him up?
'As if I'd tolerate the cliché where he leaves a melodramatic note like "I can't burden my comrades with my existence" and vanishes.'
I prefer keeping不安 elements close.
Like with Cain when Gadia came.
This time, I have no choice but to keep Zero by my side and watch.
"Preparations to head out done?"
"Yes. I'm ready too."
"Young master's outfit looks nice today."
—Style is perfect too.
I checked my hair, touched by Riph, and the loosely tied necktie Luna had done, in the mirror.
Formalwear toned down for a freer noble uniform, hair slicked back neatly with perfume? No—instead tousled just right without looking messy.
'Yeah. I look like a good-for-nothing playboy living off daddy.'
Exactly the face I want.
I set the mirror down on the table and grabbed Aegis, which had been orbiting me invisibly like a satellite.
I don't know which of the three invitations is the trap, but if they're prepared properly, Aegis might get spotted before I can use it fully.
Better to keep autonomous defense off, carry it compact, and deploy if urgent.
I touched the settings hologram that appears when gripping Aegis, canceled autonomous defense, and clicked miniaturize.
Soon, the fist-sized Aegis shrank with clicking puzzle-like sounds from its surface.
Once ping-pong ball-sized and in sleep mode, I pocketed it in my robe, and Zero gave me a subtle look.
"You okay?"
"With what?"
"I might slip up."
He scratched his head awkwardly despite his large frame, making me chuckle.
"Try it. If you slip, just fix it."
"Yeah. If that guy gets dragged off and kil—mmph!"
No, don't jinx it like that.
I covered Rachel's mouth, wiped my sweaty hand on her clothes, and spoke.
"Let's go."
"Take care. Seniors and juniors."
The earliest invitation called me to a gambling den.
An unexpectedly massive scale and bright lights for something underground.
Even after looping around by carriage like last time, pushing through stone coffins and descending stairs, it felt like another world.
'No wonder all sorts of encounters popped up underground in the capital later.'
Beyond sewers, events from who-knows-where hiding spots. The capital's vast size means its underground is no joke.
'Just one layer might be bigger than the Labyrinth.'
Maybe because of gambling's nature, not full perception-distortion masks like last time, but everyone wore half-masks to partially hide faces.
Pointless if acquaintances meet, knowing originals anyway. But when in Rome, do as Romans do.
I bought two masks, shared with Zero, and headed deeper, when a faint sweet scent brushed my nose.
'Is this fragrance common to these gatherings?'
Just enough to dull focus and judgment mildly, so everyone seems fine with it.
No addiction or issues? With magic and priests around, openly using it means it's standard.
'Fayan's traits had compounding, right?'
Might be useful later.
Standard card games or dice are probably rigged anyway. No sign of revealing true colors even at the center—just people gambling and chatting idly.
"Heard the news? Cyclops showed up at the borderlands."
"Hah, bullshit. I said moderate the drugs. If true, the imperial knights would've mobilized, but it's quiet lately."
"I'm telling you, rumors are spreading underground. And they say the border forces took it down alone."
Time for rumors to spread, huh.
But cyclops being a monster whose existence and strength feel unreal to most, they dismiss it as gossip.
'Nothing more to hear.'
No immediate exposure for our party.
I picked a table, sat, and started rolling the ivory dice.
* * *
"Front! Front! Coin heads double!"
"Ugh, knew it was double! Thank you, God Basaha."
"Oh please. Kaldara, Basaha, Halroer..."
I get it. Superstitions are scary.
In this seat, this stream—strengthening works well, items drop good. Play this song, look at this pic.
When desperate: God, Buddha, Jesus, Allah.
Just make it work once, I won't forget the grace?
Pray, forget if it works.
Gambling turns even atheists to believers.
Chips dull money sense further.
One or two rounds, pockets empty.
Hate going home, chase principal.
One big win away, so every god's name flies.
Besides major sun god Kaldara, gambling spot favors coin/two-faced god Basaha and luck/misfortune/fate god Halroer most called.
'Gods actually exist here.'
Ears must be burning.
"3! 5!"
"Ah, wrong again. Big trouble."
My finances are different anyway.
I pushed chips to the dealer, feigned seriousness at loss by propping chin, covered mouth, yawned lightly.
They say gambling highs fry the brain thrillingly.
High risk, high return—brain overload on thrill, adrenaline burst on win?
But after recent dragon meet and cyclops fight, and squeezing gold to limit with gambler Valbus, this bored me to death.
'What... is the trap? Or is this boredom the trap?'
Faking desperation from losses only lasts so long.
After losing one or two more, planning to leave if no approach, I eyed dice when someone sidled up.
"All in on one double."
"One double."
Not just double—all chips on exact 1-1. Gasps around.
"What're you thinking?"
"Ah, that's not how you gamble."
"Truly all on one double, sir?"
"Shut up and roll the cup."
I'm a wastrel.
One corner of mouth up, arrogantly spat; even under mask, hurt eyes crinkled visibly.
Sorry. Don't know your faction yet, but you approached. Had to seem rude idiot to handle.
"Then, opening."
"Gasp, what? Real double? One double!"
"Ah, finally breathing room."
I grinned sleazily on purpose, swept table chips boastfully into arms.
As envious eyes watched, I grabbed a handful casually like everyday, eyed the whisperer.
White robe, deep hood—only jaw visible. Gender unclear yet.
"Hey. Dealer cheating? How'd you know?"
"Th-that's not..."
Female, at least.
"Then good eyesight?"
Leaned whispering sleazily, pretended handing chip, peeked hood inside.
'Huh?'
Color graphics familiar.
No, features ring a bell.
Sky-blue hair, blue eyes. Common combo on natural-colored continent.
But frizzy hair, freckles on nose bridge, girl...
'User's eyes.'
Couldn't hold back, activated User's Eyes.