Chapter 19
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Grunade
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The laws of the Magitech Empire were a curious mix of liberal and strict.
While severe punishments were meted out for transgressions that crossed the line, a considerable amount of freedom was guaranteed in all other matters.
This was a means to efficiently control the rough and tumble demonic populace. As such, gambling was not illegal in the Magitech Empire.
In fact, it was encouraged.
The hope was that they would vent their hot-blooded tempers through wholesome(?) pastimes like gambling, rather than resorting to bloodshed.
Besides, card games had historically been a form of entertainment enjoyed by people of all ages and genders.
Every major city had several legal gambling dens, and gambling was a pastime enjoyed by people regardless of status or age.
“Th-this is a gambling den? T-to think such a place exists in the world.”
[Ohohoho… W-what an astonishing place.]
TERN and Banshee, who had come with Chris, stared wide-eyed at the gambling den’s splendid scenery like country bumpkins seeing a city for the first time.
Seeing TERN—Banshee was invisible—the people in the gambling den chuckled.
The rule here was to enter wearing a mask so one could enjoy the games without revealing their identity, but despite the mask hiding his face, everyone could tell TERN was a first-time sucker.
“Well, it's a good place for some light fun. Since we're here, what do you say, TERN? How about a bet with me?”
Chris smiled slyly.
“Let's bet on who can win more money.”
“You and me, brother?”
“That's right. Didn't you say you'd beat me? The rules for gambling and card games are the same anyway, so you won't be at a disadvantage even if it's your first time.”
Betting money on a card game was what made it gambling.
“…”
Still, TERN hesitated, seemingly reluctant to actually compete.
Chris dangled a tempting bait.
“If you win, I'll treat you as my older brother for a month.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. I swear on our late mother's name.”
Since she wasn't his mother anyway, he had no qualms about making such an oath.
“However, if you lose, for the same period, you'll have to call me 'Respected King Emperor Majesty Older Brother' whenever you address me.”
“…”
“Well, if you're scared, then forget it.”
When TERN faltered, Chris provoked him, and the incensed TERN took the bait.
“…You'd better keep that promise.”
Chris grinned.
And so the contest began, and a crowd of people gathered.
Around one of the two—TERN.
They flocked to him, recognizing him as a sucker they could fleece.
‘There are quite a few professional cardsharps here, too.’
Chris alternated between winning and losing moderately, watching how TERN was doing.
As if following a cliché, TERN won money at the beginning.
After repeated victories, the once-nervous TERN gained confidence and started making bold bets.
And then he lost a huge sum.
“W-what?!”
TERN wore an expression as if he'd lost his country.
During a short break, Chris approached TERN and whispered in his ear.
“You said you'd show me a thing or two, but you're not much, are you?”
“!!”
“Why don't you just go home and play cards?”
TERN’s face turned red.
“You're losing too, brother!”
“But I'm doing better than you. I've only lost 500 Rupee.”
“I've only lost 1,000 Rupee myself!”
“So, are you going to keep playing?”
“I will! Give me more money!”
The same pattern repeated.
Chris egged TERN on to keep losing money.
He cleverly provoked TERN, making it impossible for him to give up, and the professional hustlers gleefully fleeced him.
They were so excited that the cardsharps did something they shouldn't have as professionals.
They used tricks that were obviously fraudulent.
It was an act born of underestimating not only TERN but also Chris, who had come with him, as suckers.
‘Bingo.’
And Chris, seeing their ploy, smiled faintly.
They took the bait.
Just then, Banshee secretly approached and whispered to him.
[Young Master… the ones you mentioned… I found them.]
“Good job.”
[Was I… amazing?]
“Yes, amazing.”
Banshee giggled shyly.
Chris quietly got up from his seat.
And then he simply abandoned TERN—who was now dazed after losing the enormous sum of 10,000 Rupee—and secretly slipped out of the gambling den.
‘He's not a kid, he'll figure it out. He can pay with his body if he has to.’
He had intentionally not given him money to pay off the gambling debt.
Why?
Because the place he was heading to was one he had to go to alone.
TERN would only be a hindrance, so he had deliberately left him behind.
‘He's 10,000 Rupee in debt, so he won't be able to get out for a while. Knowing TERN's personality, he'll be too ashamed of his gambling debt to easily reveal his identity.’
TERN was still young at thirteen, and since he rarely left the estate, not many people knew what he actually looked like.
So even if he took off his mask, people wouldn't recognize him unless he revealed his identity himself.
Chris chuckled, vividly picturing the scene of a pale-faced TERN, at a loss and in trouble.
[This… is the place, Young Master.]
The place they arrived at was a mansion on a bustling street.
“Alright, open the door.”
[As… you command.]
*Click.*
Banshee used her ability to open the locked door.
The soldiers inside were startled and went on guard.
“Who's there?!”
Chris took off his mask.
“I doubt there's anyone here who doesn't know who I am.”
“!!”
Upon seeing his face, the faces of the people in the mansion turned white.
“W-we greet the Young Master!!”
Unlike TERN, who rarely left the estate and was thus unrecognizable, Christian's face was very famous in the castle.
“Wh-what brings you here?”
“Bring me your master.”
“What? Ah, yes! Yes!!”
The soldiers soon rushed back with a person.
He was a portly middle-aged man who resembled a teddy bear.
“T-to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit to our guild, Young Master?”
“Merchant Lord Grantel.”
Chris crossed his arms and called out the man's name.
A man who had gotten rich by amassing wealth through various illegal means.
“Could we have a quiet word for a moment?”
“What? Why?”
“If you'd rather not, we can talk here. However, I suspect that would put you in a very difficult position.”
The expression of the greedy-faced Merchant Lord, Grantel, stiffened.
He led Chris to a quiet place.
“Is there… something the matter?”
“Do you have a death wish?”
“…Pardon?”
Grantel's eyes widened.
“Wh-what are you suddenly talking about?”
“You don't know why?”
“I-I have no idea whatsoever.”
Chris simply smiled.
“You dare to run a crooked game on my dear brother, the heir to the House of Cazar… and you say you don't know?”
“!!”
Grantel's eyes widened.
“Th-that… that's?! D-don't tell me, the sucker in the tiger mask at the gambling den was…?!”
“That's right. TERN, the heir to the House of Cazar.”
Indeed.
The portly merchant lord before him was the owner of the gambling den they had visited earlier.
The cardsharps who fleeced TERN were this merchant lord's underlings.
“Do I have to spell out every single trick those bastards used?”
“B-but…! I only run the gambling den, what they did has nothing to do with me…!”
The merchant lord tried to deny it, but it was a completely useless excuse.
[Ohoho… I saw them all conspiring together, I saw it. He's lying, he's lying.]
The merchant lord's face paled at the sound of the ghost's voice in his ear.
Banshee's eyes flared wide as she brought her face close to the merchant lord's.
[Do you want to die?]
“Aaaaaaaargh!!”
The merchant lord frantically prostrated himself on the floor and begged.
“I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! If I had known it was Lord TERN and Lord Christian, I never would have let it happen! Please, have mercy!”
Christian crossed his arms.
“Compensation?”
“Surely, you don't intend to get away with just a verbal apology?”
The merchant lord flinched.
He realized Chris's intention.
He had come to extort him.
‘Did he come to the gambling den in disguise to induce a crooked game and extort money?’
The suspicion crossed his mind for a moment, but he shook his head. He thought that no matter how much of a scoundrel the man before him was, he wouldn't be *that* wicked.
“Absolutely not! I will compensate you! H-how much…?”
“Out of special mercy, I'll make it one million Rupee.”
“…What?”
“One million Rupee. Did you not hear me?”
The merchant lord's eyes hardened.
“Th-that's… too excessive…”
Paying one million Rupee would bankrupt his guild.
It was that large a sum.
“If you do wrong, you must be punished. You know the law regarding crooked gambling, don't you?”
The Magitech Empire does not forbid gambling.
But it does forbid crooked gambling. And as is often the case, the penalties are severe.
“The punishment is to have your wrists cut off. Reattaching them with healing magic is also forbidden. Let's see, I've identified more than five instances… cutting off both your wrists and both your legs won't be enough. Should I cut off the middle leg too?”
The merchant lord trembled like an aspen tree.
“B-but… I really don't have the money. Even if you take everything, it won't be enough.”
“Then let's do this. 200,000 Rupee.”
“!!”
“Surely, you're not going to tell me you don't have this much?”
The merchant lord gulped.
It was as if Chris had known everything beforehand; the amount was precisely at the limit of what he could pay.
“And one more thing.”
“Wh-what is it?”
Chris stated his real reason for coming.
“Offer me Grunade.”
“!!”
Chris said.
“It's a treasure far too good for the likes of you to possess.”
Grunade.
The name of a broken holy sword used by a fallen hero in the distant past.
* * *
“Th-this is Grunade.”
Grunade was a faded, rusted sword.
Even the blade was broken more than halfway down, just a fragment.
An object with no utility as a weapon.
“E-excuse me, but why are you looking for such an antique?”
Instead of answering, Chris just stared at the merchant lord, who ducked his head with a yelp as if realizing he had overstepped.
“I-I apologize for daring to question your great intentions. H-here… is 200,000 Rupee. It's cash and a check that can be issued immediately, so you can withdraw it at the bank right away.”
Merchant Lord Grantel swallowed his tears internally.
200,000 Rupee was the maximum amount of cash his guild could mobilize. And he had lost it all in an instant.
But he had no room to complain.
After all, he was the one who had committed the crime of crooked gambling first. He could consider himself lucky to have escaped with his life and limbs intact.
Chris went to the bank and withdrew the money immediately.
‘200,000 Rupee. This should be more than enough.’
He didn't return to the count's estate right away, instead wandering through the bustling streets.
He stopped by several shops and bought various items. Things he would use for his duel with Melin.
While he was at it, he also bought a gift for Banshee.
It was nothing special. He bought her an ornament because she kept staring intently at them.
‘I've always wanted to try this. Being a rich young master and generously buying things for my subordinates.’
Well, it was a cheap ornament to be called a generous gift, but Banshee looked quite moved.
[…Young Master.]
“You looked like you had a grudge against ornaments, so it's a gift to help you pass on and disappear quickly.”