I Ate Meals with Your Magistrate, Went to the Hot Springs, Did It All!
I squeezed my eyes tightly shut.
Yet for some reason, an abrupt, suffocating silence descended upon the parlor. Sensing something bizarre in the air, I cracked one eyelid open to gauge the room's reaction. Every single spectator stood frozen, mouths agape in utter astonishment.
What? What's going on?
Thoroughly bewildered, I looked straight ahead. The Gambler Ghost wore the exact same expression, staring down at the tiles as if he had just witnessed a ghost. Why was he looking at them like that? His hand trembled violently as he placed his tiles face-up onto the green felt.
"A Black Nine!" someone gasped.
"He got a Black Nine?!"
Wait… did I botch my own shuffle? What on earth…
To tell the truth, his accusation had been spot-on: I had dealt from the bottom of the deck. I was supposed to be completely cornered and dead to rights, but had the heavens themselves intervened? They had apparently blessed me with shuffling skills so transcendent that I had managed to fool even myself. Of course, the minor inconvenience was that a Black Nine wasn't the hand I had actually intended to deal.
Well, whatever. Luck is a form of skill, so doesn't that mean I possess a rather impressive talent of my own? …Why are you looking at me with that judgmental face? Ahem.
Meanwhile, the Gambler Ghost snapped out of his stupor, cold sweat drenching his brow as he shrieked in thick southwestern brogue, "I saw it! I swear on me own mother's grave, I saw this little bastard dealing from the bottom! He slipped it right off the bottom, I tell ye!"
He whipped his head frantically left and right, pleading his case, but not a single soul in the room gave a damn about his grievances. As I noted before, these degenerates only cared about sheer, unadulterated thrills regardless of the outcome. The Gambler Ghost's downfall was nothing more than prime entertainment.
Right now, everyone's rapt attention was focused entirely on watching him suffer his gruesome penalty.
I found their bloodthirsty stares nauseating, but such was life. The world of high-stakes gambling is always cold and ruthless… well, not that I actually cared about poetic cruelty. The only thing that truly mattered was that the one on the chopping block wasn't me. Besides, scum who frequent underground dens aren't worth an ounce of sympathy anyway.
You might ask if I'm just as much of a scoundrel for walking into this den in the first place. Nonsense. I'm not a gambler; I merely enjoy it as a modest hobby. You think indulging in a hobby for ten straight years constitutes a problem? ……Anyway.
No matter how it had come to pass, the indisputable fact remained that victory belonged to me. I let out a low chuckle and spoke with supreme confidence.
"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to place a bet unless you're dead certain? What are you waiting for, muscle-head? Take your big bro's wrist off."
The brute named Sam-du stood paralyzed, completely torn over whether he should actually bring down the hammer.
"Uh… b-boss…"
Even the Gambler Ghost, who had acted as though he feared nothing beneath the heavens, proved to be nothing more than a fragile mortal when facing the chopping block. With his ruin set in stone, he unleashed an ugly, desperate squawk.
"You idiot, smash his wrist instead! Take off that bastard's hand!"
"…Y-Yes, sir!"
Sigh, I knew this would happen. This is why you can never trust a damned gambler.
Just as I braced myself to counterattack, a cold blade pressed firmly against the nape of Sam-du's neck. The Gambler Ghost froze, his voice trembling in panic.
"W-What in blazes is this?! Pavilion Master Jeong, what is that lackey of yours doing?!"
The woman stepped forward at a leisurely pace, her lips curling into an amused smirk. "You've gorged yourself quite enough over the years, haven't you? It's high time for your retirement. Hehe."
She exchanged a subtle glance with her subordinate, who immediately bellowed across the chamber, "If you want to keep your head on your shoulders, smash the Gambler Ghost's hand. Now!"
Sam-du's grip on the spiked meteor hammer shook violently.
"P-Pavilion Master Jeong!! Please, I made a mistake—"
Cornered by the threat of death, Sam-du squeezed his eyes shut and blurted out an apology to his master.
"B-Big bro… forgive me!!"
WHOOSH—
CRUNCH—!!
"GWWAAAAAAARGHHHH!"
A bloodcurdling shriek of sheer agony reverberated through the hall, but the onlookers only cheered and roared in delight. Without lingering, I swept all the wagered silver and banknotes off the table into my robes and moved to stand, but her voice called out from behind.
"Hey there. What's your name?"
"…Jeong Ho-yeon."
"A prime position just opened up. How would you like to work for me? In practical terms, you would become the next Gambler Ghost. What do you say?"
I glanced down at the writhing, half-conscious wreck on the floor. Suddenly, the principles Master Paeng had beaten into my skull during my training flashed through my mind.
—Ho-yeon, there are only two things you must engrave into your bones when learning this trade. First, there is no such thing as a safe gambling den in this world. Therefore, you must remain vigilant at all times.
—Hmm, isn't that totally obvious?
—Yet fools plunge headfirst into peril precisely because they forget what is obvious.
Hearing it put that way, the old man had actually made a fair bit of sense.
—Oh, look at you, Master! Handing out actual nutritious advice for once. I guess as people get old, their heads finally—
WHACK—!
CRASH—!
—Aargh! Can't you just use your words?! Now I have to rebuild this damned training dummy…!!
Master Paeng had walked over with heavy, deliberate thuds, looking down at me as I groaned on the dirt.
—And the final principle: in this underworld, there are no eternal friends, nor are there eternal foes. The glitter may tempt you at first, but the end is never glamorous.
For some ungodly reason, he had smacked his lips with a predatory gleam in his eye, sending a violent chill down my spine.
—Haha, is that so? Well, I'll be taking my leave then…
—Where do you think you're going? The lesson has only just begun. Your task today is to survive against this master for a single ke. Simple, isn't it? Hehehe.
—Hahaha… you're joking, right? Please tell me you're joking.
Crack, crackle—
Horrifying pops echoed as he flexed his knuckles.
—W-Wait a second—!
BAM! POW! CRACK! CRUNCH…
In the end, I was beaten black and blue without a second's reprieve until the fifteen-minute mark ran out. …Come to think of it, looking back on that makes my blood boil all over again. If he didn't want to teach me, he shouldn't have started! What did I even say to deserve a beating like that? Ridiculous old bastard.
Still, through ten years of drifting in and out of gambling parlors, one truth had cemented itself in my head: just as Master Paeng had warned, men die because they ignore the obvious.
"It's obvious I'd end up just like him, so do you really think I'd accept? The end of greed is always pathetic."
I turned on my heel and sauntered away.
"Hehe, I knew you'd say that."
Even I had to admit that sounded pretty damn cool. Ah, no wonder women fall for me.
Pleased with myself, I began ascending the wooden stairs when a sudden uproar erupted from above.
"Hm? What's that—"
"By order of the magistrate, arrest every single degenerate in this building and haul them to the yamen!"
"……God damn it."
Around that same time, Jegal So-yeong sat across from a guest, her expression sour with undisguised irritation.
"What are you even doing here? Weren't you supposed to be locked away in successor training or whatever?"
"I simply came because I missed you after so long."
"Shut your mouth. You're giving me goosebumps. You should've just stayed where you were."
Despite her venomous tongue, the young man merely offered a slick, unbothered smile. "Haha, feisty as ever. Though I suppose that sharp edge is part of your charm, isn't it?"
"And you're as greasy as ever. Obnoxious on top of it. Hmph."
Acting entirely unfazed, he lifted his teacup and took an elegant sip. "…The fragrance is truly exquisite. Putting that aside, have you given any thought to our betrothal? You said it yourself when we were children, didn't you? That once we both came of age, we would officially be engaged."
At the mention of betrothal, So-yeong grimaced as if swallowing a mouthful of ash and snapped, "Shut up! I'd rather die ten times over than marry someone like you. Besides, I already have…"
In that split second, Ho-yeon's face flashed vividly in her mind.
"Eep…"
She whipped her head to the side, but she couldn't conceal the deep crimson flush creeping across her ears.
"……"
In an instant, the young man's serene mask warped into a hideous scowl. He looked like a spoiled child whose favorite toy had just been snatched from his grasp. A low, frigid murmur spilled through his clenched teeth.
"…Is that how it is? How dare anyone touch what is mine…"
Grind—
Meanwhile, I was sitting on cold, damp stone, iron shackles clamped around my ankles alongside dozens of miserable bastards.
Argh, why the hell do I have to be crammed in here with these clowns?!
The sequence of events was disgustingly simple. Right before I arrived at the parlor, some sore loser who had blown his life savings marched straight to the local authorities and ratted the place out. Thanks to that wretched timing, the raid swept in right as I was leaving. Naturally, all my belongings, silver, and gear had been confiscated on the spot, leaving me with zero means of sending word outside.
In short: I was utterly, hopelessly trapped.
"Haah, my luck is truly rotten to the core."
As I racked my brain trying to devise a clever escape, a spark ignited in my thoughts.
"Oh! Right! I have that, don't I?"
I immediately lunged toward the wooden bars and shouted at the constable on duty.
"Hey! You! There's a medallion among my confiscated belongings. Go tell your superiors to check it right now. Hurry!"
The constable bristled, marching over with an ugly sneer. "Who the hell do you think you're talking down to, you little punk?! Sit your ass down and keep quiet while I'm still asking nicely, got it?!"
Damn it, what do I do? If I can just get someone to see that token, I'm home free…
Screw it. Throw caution to the wind and bluff till the cows come home.
"Your magistrate lives in that massive tile-roofed manor over on North Street, doesn't he?!"
"What business is that of a convict like you—"
"Listen here, you little runt! I ate meals with your magistrate just yesterday! We soaked in the hot springs together! We did everything under the sun, you hear me?! And a flea-bitten bastard like you dares to yap at me?! Who the hell do you think you're barking at, you dog?!"
When I roared at the top of my lungs with righteous fury and absolute conviction, the constable's face drained of color.
"I-Is… is that true, sir?!"
Holy crap, it actually worked!
"I did it all with him, you idiot! So get your ass moving, find that medallion among my things, and present it directly to your magistrate! Do you understand me?!"
"Y-Yes! Right away, sir!"
"What are you standing around for?! Run!!"
At my thunderous bellow, the constable scrambled out the door as if a demon were snapping at his heels.
"Whew, thank god."
Feeling a strange prickly sensation on the back of my neck, I turned around. Every single inmate in the cell was staring up at me with sparkling, starry-eyed reverence.
"…What are you staring at?"
Before my words could even settle, an ear-splitting cheer erupted through the dungeon.
"WOOOOOOOOO!!"
"As expected of the legend who took down the Gambler Ghost!"
"Did you see that guard run with his tail between his legs?! Hahaha!"
What the hell was wrong with them? Why were they celebrating like this was their victory? Did the whole lot of them secretly ingest poison or something?
Not a moment later, the cellblock door crashed open, and a middle-aged official who looked every bit the local magistrate burst in, completely out of breath.
"R-Release him this instant! Unshackle him immediately, you fools!!"
"Y-Yes, Excellency!"
"Aiya, finally! Freedom!" I stretched my limbs as the irons clattered to the floor.
As I prepared to stroll out, the degenerates crammed behind the bars erupted into uproarious laughter.
"Bwahahaha! You bastards, didn't you hear the lord?! Hurry up and unbar our door as well!"
"That's right! Unlock our chains too! Hurry it up!!"
Only then did the reason for their earlier cheering dawn on me.
"Pfft, you guys are hilarious. Who on earth said I was taking you with me?"
Instant, tomb-like silence swallowed the cell.
"W-What did you say?!"
"H-Hey, you've gotta break us out too, brother…!"
I casually kicked the dungeon door wide open, tossing a mocking grin over my shoulder.
"Rot in here for the rest of your miserable lives, boys! This big bro is heading out for some fresh air! Hahahaha!"
Watching his brazen swagger from the shadows, Pavilion Master Jeong—or rather, Jeong Ye-rim—could only marvel in utter disbelief.
'Do I know Jeong Ho-yeon? Out of all the gamblers I have ever crossed paths with in my life… he was by far the craziest bastard of them all.'