Free City (3)
It took just thirty minutes to thrash the kidnappers and dismantle their entire organization. We pulled up in front of a hotel.
"This the place?"
"Y-Yes, sir!!"
The boss of the gang we'd just crushed bellowed his response. I glanced inside from the entrance. Gaudy decorations everywhere, a feast of gold. It screamed high-end prices at first sight.
I slung an arm over the man's shoulder and said, "Looks pricey.... You sure you brought us to the right spot?"
"You'll definitely be satisfied!"
His bulging muscles trembled under his tension. He was terrified of getting beaten again like before.
"Relax. Everyone's staring at us."
"S-Sorry...."
"Yeah."
Even in a lawless den crawling with crime, this was still a city where ordinary citizens lived and visitors flocked. Scenes like this on the street drew eyes.
I led the group inside. This hotel was the only one in the city with rooms left, so we hurried to check in. Luckily, they had space for our group of four. Two rooms, just like on the train.
"That'll be 280,000 gold total. How would you like to pay?"
Forty thousand gold per night.... Filthy expensive. Of course, that was for two rooms combined, but still not cheap.
I glanced at the boss standing beside me in response to the clerk. He just stood there blankly, so I prodded him.
"What're you waiting for? Pay up."
For the record, all hotels in Free City required upfront payment. With the casinos, you never knew when a guest might run dry on cash. And with all the crime syndicates around, guests vanishing mid-stay wasn't uncommon.
The boss panicked. "M-Me, sir...?"
"You want me to do it?"
"N-No, sir...."
A slight glare, and he scrambled to cover the bill himself.
This is why criminals come in handy.
They called them irredeemable trash, but they weren't useless. Pawning off tasks like this was perfect for thugs like him. Simple, too—in their world, strength ruled. Press them with enough force, and they folded.
But what about retaliation? That was for people who didn't get it. The underworld was a snake pit of constant intrigue. Show weakness, and they pounced. Trying to kill me in that mess? He'd be the one dying. Not that I left any survivors with the inclination anyway.
I took the keys from the clerk and said, "Now scram. Tell your crew about us. If they mess with us again... you know."
"I'll make sure they get the message!"
He bolted from my side.
That's when Evan let out an impressed whistle. "Bro, your talent for shaking down marks is unreal."
"Watch and learn, then."
"Haha, not really my style."
We bantered idly as we unpacked in our rooms, then regrouped in the lobby.
"So, Kyle. What's next?"
Rana's question had me throwing up a casual privacy barrier around us as I replied.
"Truth is, nothing much until the auction. We can just chill like on the train."
"That okay? Isn't this important?"
"It is, but we can't exactly infiltrate the auction house."
The auction's storage was infamous for top-tier security—impossible to breach, with access blocked from the get-go. No issue, though. I knew exactly how the auction would play out, and my plans were set. All the intel was in my head.
"So just hustle on auction day. That's when it'll get busy."
"Got it!"
Rana beamed energetically.
"What about the week till then? Plenty to do around here, looks like."
Free City had tourist traps galore beyond casinos and auctions—desert tours outside the walls, ruins to explore.
Ruina-senpai chimed in. "I wanna go to the casino."
"Wanna check it out?"
"Yeah. Wanna see the machines."
Senpai eyed the casino's slot machines with interest. Free City's gambling tech ran on magitech, a rare field on the continent. Natural curiosity for an alchemist.
I'd planned to hit the casino right away anyway. Business there.
"We're not even of age. That cool?"
"Legal here."
They sold slaves at auctions—casino entry was small potatoes. Pretty much anything shady was fair game in Free City. Hence the name. The continent condemned the truly heinous stuff, and you owned the fallout. Weirdly normal in its abnormality.
"Ooh, then we're definitely going."
"Me too!"
"Grab some food first."
Destination set, we ate and headed to the casino.
Free City's casino, Retan, dazzled from the approach. Gold-and-jewel signage sparkled, streets alive with magic from pavement to sky, stoking curiosity. At the road's end loomed the pinnacle: casino and hotel stacked like a fortress castle.
"Whoa... Glimpsed it earlier, but up close it's insane."
"First time seeing anything like this...."
Rana and Evan's jaws stayed dropped for ages. You couldn't not gawk at money poured into that spectacle.
I felt nothing. Seen it a dozen times in the game. Ruina-senpai seemed indifferent too—not her focus unless it was magitech design.
Growing impatient with our slow gawking, she tugged my sleeve. "Boring. Hurry up."
"Shall we?"
"Yeah."
More to see inside anyway—no need lingering outside.
"Let's head in."
"Right, bro."
"Okay, Kyle!"
We entered. A grandiose welcome from staff, and the casino sprawled before us. Machines and tables lined both sides of the central aisle, packed with guests. Reveling in bets, they rode highs and lows on split-second calls—cheers and screams filling the air. Madness incarnate, heat thick, anything but normal.
Standard for gambling addicts, though.
The thrill of outcomes hinging on momentary choices? More addictive than drugs. And this was just stage one.... Still salvageable.
"Have fun with these. Lose 'em all, no biggie."
I handed out chips from my exchange—about 100,000 gold worth. Huge for students, but pocket change for me even split three ways.
They took them but didn't scatter, staring blankly.
"Bro, first time here—mind showing us the ropes?"
"Never gambled. No games in my life."
"Teach me."
Right. Forgot these three had zero gambling experience. Evan from the sticks, clueless. Rana probably didn't know rules. Ruina-senpai? Obvious.
"Ruina-senpai first?"
"Yeah."
She cared more about machines than games, so priority.
"This is a slot machine. Know what it is?"
"Heard of it."
"Good. Put in chips, hit this lever...."
I mashed the button, watching symbols. Click! Click! Click! Three in a row match. Looked random, but to superhumans like us? Child's play.
Ba-bam-bam!!!
Congrats jingle blared, chips spewing out. A box full.
"Like that."
"Can I disassemble it?"
"Uh... hold off. Probably won't work anyway."
"...Fine."
Senpai started playing, studying the machine. Interest shifted off me.
Worrying a bit... but she won't do anything weird.
Had to trust her for now.
Next, Evan. "What game you wanna try?"
"Card game."
"Baccarat it is."
Not poker—too complex for a newbie without rules or hand knowledge. Baccarat was simpler.
I guided him to a fresh table, sat him down, explained rules quick. A subtle nudge, and he won the first hand. A few more tips, and he seemed comfy.
"Thanks. I got this solo now."
"Knock 'em dead."
"I'll win big and pay you back!"
"Sure."
Grinning inwardly at his newbie fire, I stepped away. Classic rookie error—crediting help as skill. Losses incoming.
Rana caught my smirk. "Kyle, he okay? Looks like he's losing it all."
"Told him it's fine. That's how you learn."
Or lose everything if no lesson sticks.
"What game for you, Rana?"
"Hm...."
Short deliberation. "Just watch you. Gambling's not my thing."
"Fair enough."
Forced fun sucked. Personality mismatch.
"Guess I'll play too...."
I strolled, scanning tables. Spotted a high-stakes poker game—one seat open, hand just ended. Sat down.
"Look, a kid joins."
"Hey, got the funds?"
"Why not bail before we strip you to your undies?"
I tossed chips in. "Here to enjoy. Teach me a thing or two."
Some sipped drinks, others snickered. I kept cool, took my cards.
Alright, time to bleed some wallets dry.
Been too long since I played the gambler.