Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Our Casino is Open for Business - 2
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Among the information Maribel had brought, there was a list of facilities operated by the Nidhogg Cult.
The funding streams necessary to maintain their cult as a force.
If they wiped them all out, it would shake the pillars of the organization, but provoking the cult more than necessary didn't seem like a good idea.
So, with the single-minded intent to smash just one of the most profitable establishments, he visited the casino.
The stated purpose of the visit was preliminary scouting for building his own casino.
"Young Master, how about just one hand?"
"Didn't I say I wasn't going to gamble?"
"Come on, don't say that! If you're going to draw customers to your casino, don't you need to capture the gamblers' hearts and eyes first?"
He had no interest in gambling, but he couldn't resist the staff's persistent urging and ended up stepping into the game.
It was clearly their scheme to turn him into a gambling addict, but no chance.
Even when he'd swept up money playing Go-Stop during holidays, he hadn't felt much thrill.
He didn't know the fun of gambling and had never even thought about making money from it.
So he'd planned to participate in a few hands and call it quits.
'But was gambling always this easy?'
For some reason, every table he joined, he won hand after hand, raking in money.
At first, he thought the staff were deliberately letting him win.
It was a common tactic: let them win small pots to show them a good time, then crush them when big money was on the line.
Stimulate their psychology into thinking they needed to make it back after losing their previous winnings plus their original stake.
But he didn't care. No matter how much he lost, it would be pocket change to someone as ridiculously rich as him.
Even if he took a financial hit, he'd gain by lowering the cult's guard and exposing the casino's corruption in the meantime.
That is, if he hadn't been on an unbroken winning streak.
"Bet."
"Raise."
"Call."
"Raise."
"C-call."
"Raise."
"Ahem!"
"If you're scared, fold."
"...Call."
"Straight flush."
"Four of a kind. I lose...!"
How long did they plan to keep letting him win?
Even as the pot grew substantial, his winning streak continued.
Every hand he was dealt turned out, astonishingly, to have a better combination than his opponents'.
Of course, he occasionally got bad hands, but in those cases, Maribel would expose the dealer or gambler's cheats and mercilessly sever their wrists.
It was a bit extreme, but thanks to his image as Altesia's wastrel, no one dared come at him.
'I've already recovered all the funds I used for the elixir. Is this really okay?'
At this point, he started thinking his streak had nothing to do with the casino's rigging.
Heinz, born an idiot with less brains than a chicken into the wealthy Altesia house.
His luck with money might just be the strongest in the world.
Looking back, even when Heinz lost his life, he'd never lost money.
His illegal drug business had been a massive hit, hadn't it?
The fact that Altesia's downfall only began after Heinz's death added credibility.
'This is insane.'
His suspicions about Heinz's financial luck grew, and after drawing a royal straight flush in the next hand, it became conviction.
The Ketchup Young Master was the kind who could conquer the world with money as long as he stayed alive.
He finally realized that drawing in money was Heinz's talent.
If he'd only had the brains, he could've been the ultimate enemy or the greatest ally—no surprise there.
It was so absurd he couldn't help laughing.
'And my possession has even patched up his lacking intelligence to some extent.'
He started to feel a bit scared of himself.
What would happen if Heinz's financial luck combined with his game knowledge?
Assuming he could survive intact, that is.
"Hmm."
He tossed his royal straight flush onto the table like a victory declaration and looked at Maribel.
She was burning the hands of the cheater gamblers so they couldn't be reattached.
Flames flickered in her palm, so unlike Kizen, she had magical talent too.
She was lacking compared to Kizen or Lena for now, but her potential seemed on par or better.
And her loyalty surpassed them both.
"Sir Heinz? Do you need something?"
"My throat's a bit dry. Get me something to drink?"
"Right away!"
The air in the casino wasn't great, with so many smokers alongside the gamblers.
Just talking a little dried out his throat, so he needed regular hydration.
When he asked Maribel for a drink, she headed straight to the bartender.
The game was on a break anyway, so as he caught his breath—
Someone sat in the chair next to him, still warm from the bankrupt loser.
"You noticed I was watching you and immediately sent your guard away—thank you for the consideration."
"..."
The man who'd sat down started rambling out of nowhere.
Eyeing him? Consideration? What was he talking about?
Thirsty, he'd just sent Maribel for a drink. Talk about a wild misunderstanding.
But he kept quiet without revealing the truth.
The vibe screamed "trouble incoming."
At least the guy seemed open to talking it out.
"If you want to talk to me, state your identity first."
"My apologies! I'm Colonso, humbly managing this modest casino."
"So you're the owner. Here to accuse me of cheating my winnings?"
"Heavens no! I believe you haven't used any tricks at all, Young Master."
"If you're not here to suspect me, why approach? Bringing all those thugs along."
Colonso gestured for his escorts to fall back.
Insisting no threat intended, he grinned and got to the point.
"I simply wanted to witness your miraculous gambling prowess firsthand."
"Prowess? It's just luck."
"Haha...! So humble."
Not humble—it was the truth—but the guy clearly didn't buy it.
His own misunderstanding, his own problem. He brushed it off and cut straight to it.
"So what do you want from me?"
"If it's alright, would you play a game with me?"
"One-on-one gamble, huh. What's the stake?"
"I'd like you to return the money you've won here."
Return it? Like he'd deposited it or something?
The attitude of claiming his legit winnings as his own nearly made him curse.
But calming down, he reached an amusing conclusion.
He's lost so much he desperately wants it back, huh?
Grinning on the outside, but seething within.
He held the advantage.
"And if I win?"
"I'll hand this casino over to you."
"Deal. What game?"
"How about Joker Draw?"
A card game too ambiguous to call straight gambling.
The mood dipped a bit, but it wasn't bad.
Not just luck—you had to maintain a poker face and read your opponent's psyche.
Especially the tension with one card left was no less than any gamble.
"Simple and good. Let's do that."
"I'll prepare the setup."
Colonso had a staffer bring an unopened deck of cards.
With practiced flair, he shuffled them dazzlingly and passed them over.
He shuffled plainly, then handed them to the dealer to reshuffle.
For fairness, the dealer was a random customer who'd just walked in.
"I'll deal the cards now!"
The dealer began dealing one card at a time from the top, alternating between him and Colonso.
They left their cards face down until distribution was complete.
One-on-one took time, and in the meantime, Maribel brought his drink.
As he reached to take it gratefully, she muttered low enough for only him to hear.
"Sir Heinz, the man in the back is suspicious. He might be signaling your hand."
He glanced back at her report.
A guy playing poker, but definitely shady.
Betting before even checking his dealt cards.
"Should I handle it?"
"Nah, leave it."
The old him would've told Maribel to rip his head off.
But now, he didn't feel the need.
With money on the line, he wouldn't lose.
Once the cards were dealt, Colonso checked his and started pairing matches.
He skimmed his, then tossed the entire fan of cards onto the table.
"Owner, tough luck, but the game's already over."
"...Pardon?"
All eyes, including Colonso's, went to his thrown cards.
Spade 6 and Club 6, Heart 9 and Diamond 9...
13 perfect pairs, machine-precise, without a single odd card.
"Thanks for your hard work. Now get lost."
End credits before hitting start.
Silence hung over the casino.