The Art of Investment
The heart of the entertainment district in the Imperial Capital Orellion.
Specifically, the third-floor terrace of the Crimson Sapphire, the most ostentatious and grand casino in the area.
"Heh."
Gustavo, the manager of the casino, sipped his drink while looking down at the lower floor. It wasn't because he was some kind of sadist who enjoyed using other people's misfortune as a side dish.
He had clawed his way up from the very bottom to become the manager of this casino. How much effort had that taken?
In the end, he was simply deeply satisfied to be sitting here on the top floor of the empire's finest casino, looking down on everyone else.
"...I've really made it."
Just pocketing the crumbs that fell from the casino's table was enough to ensure he lived in luxury for the rest of his days.
Gustavo was humming a tune, about to refill his glass, when—
Bang!
Someone burst through the door.
"What is it? I told you to knock before coming in!"
"I-I'm sorry, Manager. But... the situation is urgent..."
"Urgent? Is someone causing a scene?"
Gustavo clicked his tongue in disapproval.
"You fools, you run a casino and call me over a single incident? If someone's causing a scene, just have the guards throw them out. That's what we pay them the big bucks for."
"It's... it's not a riot... A guest... won money."
"They won? Well, that's fine. If people only lose, we'll run out of customers. You have to let them win occasionally."
"The thing is..."
Unlike Gustavo, who spoke dismissively, his subordinate's face was pale as paper. He hesitated before continuing.
"A guest... won a thirty-six-to-one bet on the roulette."
"...What?"
Gustavo frowned.
Winning money at a casino was as common as losing it. But roulette—specifically, a single-number bet with those odds—was a different story.
"How much was the wager?"
"Three hundred and fifty thousand livres."
Three hundred and fifty thousand livres.
At thirty-six times the payout, that meant twelve million six hundred thousand livres.
"...What in the world?"
Gustavo set his glass down.
The amount itself wasn't the only issue. There was a much more fundamental problem.
"How is that even possible? Our machines are designed to automatically avoid landing on high-wager bets."
"That is true, but... it failed to avoid it this time. Or rather, it was as if it couldn't avoid it..."
"Stop spouting such convoluted nonsense! Explain exactly what happened—"
At that moment, a massive roar erupted from below the terrace windows.
Gustavo rushed to the window and looked down. A massive crowd had gathered around the roulette table like a swarm of clouds, and across from them, the dealer stood frozen, his face completely drained of color.
"...Son of a bitch."
The roulette wheel was rigged so that winning was an absolute impossibility. A two- or three-fold payout might be tolerated, but winning the maximum payout was physically impossible. Unless, of course, it was an inside job.
How dare they pull a stunt like this in my territory.
Furious to his very core, Gustavo barked at his subordinate.
"Bring those bastards up here right now! How dare they cheat in my sacred casino? I'll make sure they pay dearly for this!"
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Not long after his outburst, the door to the private room opened, and three people walked in.
One was a shabby-looking man sweating profusely and fidgeting nervously; another was a gray-haired young man with an indifferent expression; and the last was a woman with her hood pulled down low.
"Whew."
Gustavo took a deep breath, putting on his most menacing expression. He sat back arrogantly on the sofa and glared at them.
"Welcome. I am Gustavo, the manager of the Crimson Sapphire."
Though his words were polite, his voice carried a heavy, threatening weight. It was a form of intimidation—a trick he had picked up over his long years of running the establishment.
"Let me get straight to the point. You used tricks in the casino I manage. I believe you signed a pledge before entering. A pledge stating that anyone caught cheating here would face the harshest penalties under imperial law."
Normally, this was the point where the other party would lose their nerve and confess.
However, the gray-haired young man merely leaned back comfortably against the sofa.
"I don't know about that. It seemed to me like you guys were the ones cheating."
"...What did you say?"
"What, did you think I wouldn't notice the cheap trick you pulled on the roulette wheel?"
"......"
Gustavo froze, caught off guard by the man's bluntness.
When Gustavo remained silent, the young man continued nonchalantly.
"Looking at the wheel, it's designed to avoid wherever people bet the most money. You probably rigged it with some basic gravity magic. It was so sloppy I could see it clear as day. Have you been stuffing your pockets with such crude tricks all this time?"
"......"
Gustavo blinked in disbelief.
It was exactly as the man said. The roulette wheel in this casino was indeed magically rigged.
But how could he possibly have known? If they had used magic, the detection stones on the ceiling would have sounded an alarm. And since everyone was thoroughly searched at the entrance, bringing in any magical artifacts was out of the question.
Therefore, there should have been absolutely no way to figure out the machine's algorithm without getting caught.
"...What's the matter? Did I hit a nerve?"
The young man sneered as Gustavo struggled for words.
Gustavo ground his teeth. If logic wouldn't work, he would have to resort to brute force.
Slamming his hand on the table, he roared.
"You arrogant brat! Do you have any idea where you are? This establishment is the finest casino in Orellion, backed by House Cornell!"
House Cornell, one of the most influential noble families in the capital.
Just mentioning their name was usually enough to make most people turn tail and run. The sole reason Gustavo had been able to rise to the position of manager here was because he had House Cornell backing him.
As always, Gustavo intended to use his backing to crush them with sheer intimidation.
But instead of shrinking back at Gustavo's threats, the gray-haired youth let out a scoffing laugh. He then turned to the woman sitting beside him.
"Hear that? Cornell, was it? Ever heard of them?"
"Hmm..."
The hooded woman tilted her head, then offered a soft giggle.
"I think someone from that family came to pay their respects to my father when I was little."
"Are they famous?"
"Who knows? So many families visited back then that I can't really remember. Oh, but I think they were closer to the bottom of the list than the top."
What on earth were these people talking about?
Suddenly, a cold shiver crept down Gustavo's spine. It was an instinct honed over years of survival. The fact that they weren't even slightly intimidated by the mention of House Cornell meant...
...No way.
The worst-case scenario flashed through Gustavo's mind.
But before he could even move, the woman pulled back her hood.
——Rustle.
Cascades of golden hair spilled down, revealing a pair of mysterious purple eyes.
"...Ah."
There was only one family in the entire empire with such noble, distinct features.
The prestigious magic family, House Benheim.
Gustavo's legs gave out, and he collapsed back onto his seat.
From the moment Raygan revealed their identity, everything proceeded smoothly.
Gustavo, the casino manager, immediately tucked his tail at the mere mention of House Benheim.
"I'll keep quiet about you rigging the roulette wheel, so just hand over the winnings."
"Yes! Yes, of course! Thank you so much for your immense generosity!"
Faced with Raygan's threat, Gustavo had no choice but to comply submissively.
No matter how influential House Cornell was in the capital, they were nothing compared to House Benheim, a titan of the empire's magic world.
"Carrying all that cash is too much of a hassle. Give me about two million in checks, and put the rest on a promissory note."
"Understood, sir!"
"Also, keep the fact that House Benheim was here strictly confidential. If word of this gets out..."
Raygan left the threat hanging, but Gustavo understood perfectly, bowing his head repeatedly in frantic agreement.
By the time they wrapped things up and stepped outside the casino,
Viktor held a promissory note worth a staggering ten million livres in his hands.
"......"
Viktor was utterly dumbfounded.
It was an amount of money he had never even dreamed of touching in his entire life. An astronomical sum he had never laid eyes on even during his days as a researcher at the Yellow Clay Magic Tower. And yet, such wealth had fallen into his hands from a single game of roulette.
"Why the long face? I told you I'd invest in you."
"Just... how did you do it?"
"Do what?"
"The roulette. Is... is that even possible?"
It was Lunia, standing beside them, who answered Viktor's question.
"Raygan has very sharp eyes."
"But surely that's not something that can be solved with just sharp eyes."
"It is."
Raygan replied flatly.
"The casino was the one cheating first. The wheel was magically rigged. Whenever people placed bets, the ball would naturally be guided toward the pocket with the lowest payout."
Only then did Viktor realize.
The reason Raygan had asked him to pick a number twice.
It had been a preliminary test to observe how the machine reacted and where it guided the ball.
Viktor swallowed hard. Raygan wasn't just experienced; he was downright cunning.
"Anyway, I've invested in you. Ten million livres should be more than enough."
"T-This is all for my research?"
"Yeah. You said you needed at least four million. With ten million, you should be able to deliver even better results, right?"
"B-But... isn't this far too much?"
Viktor tried to protest, but Raygan simply brushed the dust off his shoulders and messy hair.
"Then use the leftover money to live a little. Replace those rags with decent clothes, get a haircut, and eat some good food."
"...Ah."
"Am I wrong?"
Viktor stood dazed for a moment before nodding vigorously under Raygan's sharp gaze.
It was true that the burden was immense.
But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
And he had absolutely no intention of letting it slip away.
"Oh, and one last piece of advice."
"Yes! Please, tell me anything!"
"Keep your distance from the Imperial Magic Society. And never let anyone know who your sponsor is."
"Why is that?"
"Just do as I say. Don't ask questions."
Raygan cut him off flatly. Viktor nodded without another word.
"U-Um, how should I contact you...?"
"I'll find you when the time comes."
With those parting words, Raygan departed.
On his way back to his workshop alone,
Viktor felt a strange sense of weightlessness, as if he were floating through a dream.
"...Is this a dream?"
Just in case, he gave his cheek a hard pinch. It stung. It wasn't a dream. This was reality.
He looked down at the promissory note in his hand.
Ten million livres. With this kind of money, he could completely renovate his workshop and upgrade his golem materials to the absolute finest quality.
Yet, the strange emotion swelling within Viktor wasn't solely due to finally securing his long-sought research funds.
"...Raygan von Benheim."
Someone had validated his research.
They had even invested in him.
If so, what reason did he have to hesitate any longer?
"Let's do this, Viktor Otto."
Viktor slapped his cheeks hard, steeling his resolve once more.
"Was that the person you wanted to invest in, Raygan?"
Lunia asked as they walked back to their lodgings.
"You could say that."
"Hmm... He just looked like an ordinary mage to me. Was he really important enough to warrant ten million livres?"
Even to Lunia, ten million livres seemed to be a substantial sum. She smacked her lips, looking slightly regretful. I explained with a bitter smile.
"It's money we won from gambling anyway. Easy come, easy go. If we're going to spend it, it's better off in the hands of someone who can put it to good use. At the very least, Viktor will spend it on something worthwhile."
"He does seem diligent. What is he researching?"
"Golems."
"Ah, I've read about those in books. They're like moving dolls, right?"
In my past life, the golems Viktor created were closer to weapons of mass destruction than moving dolls, but I wondered what they would be like this time around.
"Anyway, his research is well worth the investment. At least, that's how it looked to me."
At my reply, Lunia let out a soft hum and skipped ahead of me.
She spun around to face me, a bright smile gracing her lips.
"Today was fun."
"Fun?"
"Yeah. Thanks to you, I got to visit a casino I'd otherwise never step foot in, and I even got to throw my weight around against the manager. It was a unique experience."
I nodded, feeling a bit uneasy.
I had a bad feeling that Lunia was developing a taste for some rather questionable hobbies.
Actually...
Come to think of it, Lunia had always been a bit of an eccentric in my past life as well.
As I lost myself in thought, I snapped back to reality only to find Lunia puffing out her cheeks. For some reason, she seemed upset.
"What's wrong?"
"Raygan, you're making that face again."
"......"
She was referring to the expression she had pointed out before—the one that looked like I was reminiscing about someone from the past.
"Sorry. I'll be careful."
When I offered a quiet apology, Lunia giggled.
Lunia led the way, and I followed behind. Though there was a difference in our strides, her steps were light while mine felt somewhat heavy, so the distance between us didn't close easily.
Before long, we arrived back at our lodgings.
The moment we opened the door and stepped inside without a second thought, we froze.
"......"
Our eyes locked with a middle-aged man sitting on the sofa.
"You're late."
Stern von Benheim.
It seemed his business at the Imperial Magic Tower was finished, as he had already returned. However, the fact that he was waiting up for us past midnight instead of sleeping meant...
"Lunia, Raygan."
Stern's voice was low and heavy.
"Where on earth have you two been at this hour?"