Gambling Scam (4)
I handed over a massive sum of money to Noxbell Seladrin just like that.
It was pocket change to me, though.
"Since you're Noxbell, I'll waive the interest this time. Including living expenses and such."
Click. The briefcase popped open, revealing stacks of cash. Greed flashed in Noxbell's eyes for a split second.
Hmm... looks like she's properly hooked.
"Of course, this money isn't exactly free..."
"I know! I'll pay it back for sure. A dark elf has nothing left but her credit."
Dark elves as a race might have pride, but this woman? I knew she had zero credit.
What credit do gamblers ever have, anyway?
"Well then..."
Noxbell left for the day, but she'd be back soon. If gambling could be quit by sheer willpower, no one would ever go bankrupt from it.
"Hmm... Morgana?"
"Yes~?"
"What happened with that bank bond acquisition I ordered before?"
I'd planned to squeeze her harder by buying up her debts, but things weren't going smoothly.
Hmm... someone's interfering. I'm no expert on imps, but those guys sniff out profit like sharks.
From the bank's perspective, someone paying off the debt should be a godsend.
Someone's pulling strings behind the imps, that's for sure.
"It seems the heavenly faction is blocking it."
"Ah, right... the angels."
Angels, one of Terranium's upper races. They say they descended from the heavens.
They mostly work in the legal world—prosecutors, judging sinners.
"Aren't angels supposed to be a merciful race? Why prosecutors?"
"Well... from their view, it's saving sinners."
When people die and face the divine judgment, those with earthly sins are doomed to hell. Angels preemptively judge and punish them here, letting them atone early so they don't end up damned later. A sort of preemptive salvation.
"Then demons must be on the other side."
"Yes, most of them are lawyers."
They defend sinners to pack hell as full as possible. Everyone scheming their hardest to ruin one person's life—beautiful.
"Whoever's interfering—guy or girl—did you dig up their info?"
"Yes, we have their profile. Name's Arkael. She's the new chief prosecutor. Hobby: gardening."
"Skip the trivia."
"Right. Here's her photo."
The ID photo on the document showed the angel's face—the one I'd been dying to see.
She was a woman, first off. A stunning beauty that perfectly fit the angelic image.
"This city sure puts women in high places, huh."
Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, shimmering with a mix of silver and gold that shifted colors in the light.
Her eyes were especially striking—deep, blue, and filled with a compassion that didn't suit a prosecutor.
If even a woman like this could rise to chief prosecutor, racial discrimination runs deep but gender bias isn't so bad? What a contradiction.
"Bribes won't work, right? She's an angel, after all."
"Yes, Terranium's prosecutor's office is famous as the cleanest public institution."
"Yeah... figured as much."
"Anyway, with her in the way, acquiring the bonds seems impossible."
"Hmmm."
Time for Plan B, then. Hook Noxbell, and turn this angel into another notch on my bedpost.
"Heh, don't tell me you're adding this angel to your collection?"
"Obviously. No one interferes with my business. Not even the prosecutor's office."
"I know. To satisfy your lust... your ambition, you'd topple even a god."
Morgana grinned and plastered herself against me, wriggling seductively with a sultry smile. I stroked her ass, enjoying her playful act. Beauty makes everything better.
"You'll help, right? More sisters for you."
"Of course. Someday you'll have the power to impregnate women of other races too. Your superior seed needs to spread far and wide."
Was she serious? Well... someday I might gain that ability. I'm looking forward to it.
Gambling-mad Noxbell returned to the casino like it was her commute.
"You sure about this, Chief Noxbell?"
"Card games are all about momentum. Wins and losses come in streaks. Don't underestimate me."
Her eyes sparkled. The dead gaze from yesterday's losses now burned with life.
She was fueled by revenge now, determined to crush this casino that dared take her money.
"Shall we start? And don't you dare run."
"Understood. We'll do as ordered."
But Noxbell was missing one key fact.
The casino's professional gamblers had no intention of going easy on her anymore.
"Raise."
"Call!"
"Hmm... looks like I win, Chief?"
"Kuh! N-next round! I'll shuffle this time."
Unfortunately, the pros didn't wait. They smashed head-on into her charge.
"Call!"
"King-two."
"Raise!"
"Club seven-two. Tough luck."
"Aaaargh! Why'd that card end up in my hand?!"
"Um... Chief Noxbell, sorry, but you've lost all your chips."
"What?"
Before she knew it, Noxbell's chips were gone. She stared at the gamblers in stunned panic.
"Uh... th-this..."
"No chips means no more games."
"Wait~ hold on! Let me make a call."
Moments later, Amodeus arrived at her call and plunked down a bundle of cash.
"This should let you keep playing."
"Mm, thanks a ton."
"Of course, this isn't free either. If Morgana finds out I gave you this, I'm dead."
"Got it! I said I'll pay it back. Stop whining."
Amodeus dropped the money and left. He was in the next room, of course.
"Wine."
"Yes."
Noxbell had no idea Morgana—the one just mentioned—had long been Amodeus's woman.
And they waited until the roar from the next room...
"Um..."
Until her call came. Amodeus hummed cheerfully, bundle in hand, and entered the room.
"Chief..."
"I get it! I'll pay it back!"
"That's already 100 million. You could keep playing, but maybe show some restraint now."
"Oh come on... this is fine! Win it back and we're square."
In reality, Amodeus hadn't lost a dime. The gamblers handed winnings straight to him. Then he'd lend it back to her. She'd gamble...
"King-three."
"Ah...?"
And lose.
A devilish cycle that would make even demons whistle. Noxbell's debt piled up relentlessly.
'This is bad.'
By now, Noxbell was genuinely anxious.
The endless losses... the mounting debt squeezing her tight.
'...If the mayor finds out, I'm screwed.'
The recently reappointed mayor had declared war on illegal debts.
If Morgana snitched to her underlings? Noxbell would be fired on the spot.
She couldn't let that happen. Not when the position let her suck sweet honey.
'I'm fucked.'
With her last chips gone, Noxbell's hands trembled. She had nothing left to pay.
Intimidation via her chief position? Impossible now.
She needed another way.
'What can I offer...'
The noble dark elf unconsciously recalled last night's dream. Amodeus had erased the memory, so it wasn't crystal clear.
But the hypnosis he'd planted beforehand triggered it.
"Ah... right, imps love sex."
Then she still had one payment method left. Noxbell stood up.
'Pledge my body as collateral for now. Win it back and pay up.'
She still believed she'd win at gambling. Blissfully unaware it led straight to ruin.