3
In the south of Orario, the Casino Strip of the Shopping District was filled with places to gamble. The various venues established by several foreign countries and cities also had hotels attached to them. Many buildings had been designed to emulate the aesthetics of different cultures and climes. For example, there was one that resembled an oasis in a desert. Buildings more than three stories tall towered over the elliptical plaza on every side. Yashi trees from the south were growing here and there. In the center, a breathtakingly giant fountain launched sprays of water into the air almost like a giant wave at sea.
The moment Lyu and Syr passed through the giant arch to enter the Casino Strip, a flood of light greeted them. The highest quality magic stones the city had to offer sparkled in red, blue, purple, and gold, illuminating the casinos in the darkness. Unlike Guild Headquarters at the Pantheon or Babel, even the exteriors were vibrantly glowing. Viewed from the sky, there was no mistaking it. As twilight settled on the Labyrinth City, the Casino Strip was the brightest spot for miles around, shining like a sparkling, nightless castle protected by countless guards. This was a different world, set apart from the normal districts of Orario crowded with adventurers and regular citizens.
“There’s a lot of people, isn’t there?”
“Yes, all of them are extremely wealthy patrons hailing from outside the city.”
Syr and Lyu walked through the Casino Strip.
After explaining the situation to Mia, the pair had just barely managed to secure a day off. And now they were slipping into a crowd of privileged elite who were strutting around as if they owned the place. Wearing an expensive tuxedo and evening gown, respectively, they linked arms under the pretense that they were a foreign noble couple.
Deep down, Lyu could not completely suppress her surprise and slight embarrassment as Syr clung to her arm. She was going to have trouble keeping up this masquerade all night. It was difficult to tell whether the platinum-haired girl realized what she was doing, but her shoulders seemed to be quivering in amusement.
“So where is Anna?”
“The El Dorado Resort. That building over there.”
Whispering, they faced a building that stood out even in this plaza. Its sumptuous, gorgeous, shining facade could trick one into thinking it was a massive mound of gold. It seemed to have a magical ability to raise the spirits of anyone who looked at it. Statues of deities who symbolized wealth or success were installed around the entrance, either as a perfunctory show of respect or to share in their favor and blessings. A billboard lit up by magic-stone lamps displayed the words T HE G OLDEN C ITY in Koine, the universal language.
El Dorado Resort. Financed and established by the Paradise City, Santorio Vega, this was Orario’s number one gambling establishment, the Grand Casino.
It was also run by the man who had stolen Karen and Huey Kreiz’s daughter, Anna.
“Wooow, amazing!”
Passing through the foyer, they were greeted by employees of El Dorado Resort and stepped out into an enormous hall. Syr’s cheeks flushed with excitement at the spectacle unfolding before her eyes. The first thing that came into view was a breathtakingly large magic stone chandelier, followed quickly by the luxuriously vibrant and elaborately patterned carpet as well as the variety of tables where people were playing all kinds of attention-grabbing games.
Cards glided from dealers’ hands as though they moved along a flowing river. Colorful dice danced through the air while roulette wheels spun madly, their balls bouncing wildly around. Employees in stylish uniforms and guests in dazzling outfits alike gathered around each table like butterflies flocking to flowers. At every game, stacks of chips were being built, wagered, and paid back out. Around the tables, sighs of despair mixed with thunderous cheers, combining into a never-ending din. The casino was in full swing.
“You’ve been to places like this before, right, Lyu?”
“I’ve slipped into gambling halls countless times, yes…but it is my first time in one so large.”
The pair looked around, passing countless wealthy demi-humans in the narrow space as they moved through the hall. Guests walking around with armfuls of chips were trying their hand at all of the various games. Just one of the chips they were betting equaled a full day’s pay for a normal laborer in Orario, but the players could lose that in a single wager.
It was a scene that would make someone with financial struggles feel faint. Obscene amounts of money were being thrown around like nothing. Expediting the free flow of money in the form of enormous bets was the casino’s raison d’être as well as the source of its enormous profits.
In order to cater to the tastes of various races, there were many special games that used crystals and jewels, spinning tops, or other tools instead of cards. The elves sampling a different culture and the dwarves cutting loose fit in right alongside the deities. One god tried to casually pocket a handful of someone else’s chips, but vigilant Ganesha Familia guards stopped the culprit before leading him off to a back room somewhere with a smile. With the help of Orario’s adventurers, the establishment’s antifraud measures were out in full force.
The dealers at each table added their own flair to the games. A delightful symphony unfolded as they seamlessly shuffled and dealt cards, instantly split chips before sliding them across the table, or rolled dice made of rare crystal only found in the Dungeon. The skillful performance was merely one of many techniques the casino workers used to mesmerize the guests. The dealers were predominantly women, and all were beautiful. They watched with a smile as the guests swung between the extremes of joy and sorrow.
A wealthy prum groaned as his mountain of chips was taken away, while the booming laughter of an Amazon who had just won big rang out from another corner.
“Do you think it would be okay to take one of those chips home? Chloe and the rest really, really wanted to come to the casino, so that could be a nice souvenir…”
“Syr…if you brought that back, I think they would be even sadder at the waste of money.”
Syr seemed to be enjoying the vibrant atmosphere in the casino, but her constant wide-eyed staring did not fit her aristocratic appearance in the formal evening gown. Unlike her, Lyu was stealthily glancing around the hall while carefully maintaining the composure befitting a count. She noted the layout of the building as well as the number and position of guards around the room.
“By the way, Lyu…Getting inside is good and all, but what should we do now?” Syr whispered as they walked along the full-floor luxurious rug.
“First, we need to draw attention,” Lyu responded simply.
“?”
“We’ll make a show of being wealthy. Once people think ‘this might be a good customer,’ they’ll come to us on their own before long.”
Lyu’s confidence came from the experience she had gained during her time with Astrea Familia . Casinos were always looking for potential regulars. A guest who consistently bet piles of money whether they were winning or losing was assuredly wealthy. When management noticed, they would welcome the guest personally—and most likely ask, “Would you like to play a higher-stakes game?”
“I looked at the letter, and this was the first time the count and countess have received an invitation. Being rural aristocrats is convenient for us. Taken another way, it means the casino doesn’t have much information about us. We have the advantage.”
If a rural aristocrat had more money than expected and spent more money than predicted, that would be a pleasant surprise for the casino. It was their best chance at infiltration. They would pretend to be first-timers enjoying themselves at the casino until management came to welcome them wholeheartedly—unsuspectingly inviting the pair into their inner circle.
“So in other words…just spend a lot of money and get noticed?”
“Yes. But needless to say, the funds we have are limited. It would be best to simply keep winning.”
By amassing a large enough number of chips, they could wow the people around them, becoming a focal point of envy and attention. If they then exchanged those chips for expensive drinks, food, and services, management would not be able to ignore it. Even if they were spending chips that had been won at the casino instead of hard currency, customers with open purses were crucial.
Our current goal is to get inside that door.
Lyu had already made a mental note. At the back of the main hall, past countless tables, was a dignified set of firmly shut oaken doors. Only special guests could enter. Two sturdy guards stood on either side of the door, like gatekeepers.
The VIP room. Every casino had one. A place set aside solely for high-stakes games and gamblers who were very free with their bets.
“That reminds me, how much money do you have, Lyu? I brought as much as I could, but…”
“About one million valis. It’s pocket change compared to everyone else here. If I had more, this would be a lot simpler…”
Combining her savings with what she had gathered by selling off her tools and items during breaks at work, one million valis was the most she could collect for her war chest. If they could not grow that into a significantly greater amount, that would be the end. For a normal person like Syr, getting rich in one night was just a dream, even at a gambling paradise. But Lyu would not find it much easier, despite the training and experience she had to her name. Either way, they just had to try. In the worst case, there was still the option of a more violent extraction, but she would try the simpler way first. She headed toward one of the tables to exchange her money for chips.
“Ooo, you won again! You’re on fire today, Guild Chief!”
“Gah-ha-ha-ha! What do you mean? The goddess of luck always grants me her blessing! That’s because I work myself to the bone day and night for the sake of Orario!”
On their way to exchange chips, they heard a loud laugh from one corner of the hall.
“Ah, that elf—I’ve seen him before.”
“Royman Mardeel. Current head of the Guild.”
Lyu unconsciously furrowed her eyebrows at the man’s vulgar, roaring laughter and pitifully obese torso.
Royman Mardeel. He was effectively the most powerful person in the Guild. Corrupt, rotund, oozing money and power—he was the exact opposite of the typical elf, a race famous for their physical beauty. Royman was loathed by the other elves living in Orario, earning him the moniker “the Guild’s Pig.” The rumors that he wallowed in debauchery in the Shopping District for days at a time appeared to be true. Even if he was just another influential person relaxing at the end of the day, it was hard for Lyu to watch a fellow elf behave like him. She gave him a sidelong glance as his belly wobbled with laughter before heading in the other direction.
“There could be other people like the head of the Guild who might recognize us. Since normal people can’t get into the casino, we need to be careful so that we aren’t recog—”
While they walked, Lyu was urging Syr to be careful when a loud voice cut her off.
“Wait! Please wait!! I’ve had enough, so please let me go!”
They heard a pitiful young man’s voice.
““……………””
Lyu and Syr quietly looked at each other as they heard a voice that was extremely familiar. They both slowly turned their heads. They immediately noticed a white-haired human. He was wearing a hastily prepared formal suit that was a couple levels below Lyu’s. Hair as white as virgin snow flopped to and fro like rabbit ears. On the verge of tears, he was the very image of a scared little child. Seeing the boy’s face appear in the crowd, they exchanged glances again and nodded. Turning around, they maneuvered themselves behind him as he pleaded with someone.
“Like I said, I haven’t finished moving in yet! And if my goddess or the others find out, I…I…!”
“…Mr. Cranell.”
The boy, Bell Cranell, was startled as he suddenly heard Lyu’s voice behind him. His shoulders trembled violently as he turned slowly, half-frozen. His rubellite eyes went wide as he recognized Lyu and Syr.
“L-Miss Ly—gmph?!”
“Refrain from doing anything that could give away our identities.”
Lyu quickly put her hand over his mouth as he started to raise his voice.
Bell looked confused for a moment at her warning before suddenly turning red, then nodding like his life depended on it. Removing her fingers from his lips, Lyu took a step back.
“Umm, Miss Lyu, right? And Miss Syr, too…”
“Good evening, Bell. What a coincidence that we meet in such a place. You really surprised me there.”
“Mr. Cranell, why are you here?”
“I…well…um, how do I explain it…”
Before the thoroughly confused boy could grasp the situation or give an answer, a deep voice interrupted from behind him.
“Hey, Little Rookie, what are you doing? Our talk ain’t over yet.”
“M-Mord…”
Following Bell’s gaze, they saw a human man with a rough-looking face who was clearly an adventurer. A pair of humans accompanied him. Both Lyu and Syr recognized him as the adventurer named Mord. He had picked a fight in The Benevolent Mistress once and gotten thrown out. On another occasion, he had set a trap for Bell on the Dungeon’s eighteenth floor. His ratty, poorly fitting tunic and open collar were hopelessly out of place in this setting. With an appearance like that, the nobles and wealthy patrons in the hall would only see a disreputable person from the moment they laid eyes on him. Given he was an adventurer, this was no surprise.
The other two men who approached appeared to be his friends.
“Don’t talk about leaving after all the work we did to convince the casino staff to let you come in with us!”
“No, but I…I still haven’t finished moving in yet…! And I don’t have any money! And the deposit on these clothes…”
“Don’t worry, it’s my treat! Thanks to you, I won a ton betting on the War Game! Ha-ha-ha, I’m paying you back, so just accept it like a man!”
So that’s what’s going on .
Lyu could guess Bell’s situation as she watched Mord wrap his arm around the struggling boy’s shoulder. He probably had run into Mord by chance and been dragged here. Someone as timid as Bell would have had trouble turning him down. Or maybe he had been brought here on false pretenses.
She wondered what had changed Mord’s heart so much that he was laughing and wrapping his arm around Bell, when he was the one who performed an adventurer’s “baptism” on the boy in the past. Lyu looked on with a gaze that seemed to disapprove of the delinquent adventurers dragging Bell into the city’s nightlife.
“Can I help you, Mr. Aristocrat? If you’ve got a problem, instead of staring at me like that…Huh?…You seem familiar…”
“M-Mord!”
“Wasn’t she at that bar?!”
“Geh! That Bene—”
“Stop talking.”
“““—Gah!”””
Lyu had kicked Mord’s and his friends’ shins so fast none of the guests around them even noticed, ensuring they did not give away her true identity.
“Sorry, I overdid it.”
“““Guaaaaaaaa!”””
“Augh…don’t be so quick to start a fight, Lyu!”
Syr scolded her as the three adventurers hunched over in pain after being on the receiving end of a low kick from a Level 4. Lyu started to look uneasy as their moaning drew attention. Bell started to sweat.
“Anyway, why are you two here? And why are you wearing an eye patch…?”
“In order to infiltrate the casino, I am pretending to be a certain count. It wouldn’t have been possible to get in otherwise.”
“I see, and that’s the reason for the gown…Miss Syr is wearing…”
Ignoring Mord and company, who were busy groaning in pain, Bell peppered Lyu with questions. His voice tapered off as his gaze shifted to Syr. Her slender shoulders and white back were bare. A deep valley between her barely concealed breasts was also showing. His rubellite eyes were transfixed by Syr’s beautiful figure in the alluring gown.
Noticing Bell’s gaze as he instantly turned red, Syr blushed. She smiled with a mixture of happiness and devilish amusement, quietly covering her chest with both hands.
“Eh-heh-heh, Bell, are you enchanted by my dress?”
“Uh…umm…sorry!”
As he apologized, face shifting into an even brighter shade, Lyu moved a hairbreadth behind his back.
“ Mr. Cranell. Refrain from staring at Syr with such ill-mannered eyes.”
Lyu’s sky-blue eyes narrowed sharply, and her tone was chilling. Recognizing the murderous intent dripping from her warning, Bell apologized for his transgressions, looking like he had seen a ghost.
“I-I-I-I’m sorry!”
The elf stared at him for a while as tears welled up in his eyes, before she finally sighed. She should not have been so bothered that he had gone head over heels for Syr, but for some reason she couldn’t let it go.
Why can’t I overlook it?
Pondering if it was due to the elf value of propriety, she eventually decided the reason was that his gaze had been too lascivious when he looked at Syr.
“Anyway, Mr. Adventurer, why are you all here? I’ve heard this is the biggest casino in Orario, but…”
“Ho-ho-ho…That’s a good question, miss.”
Feigning curiosity, Syr turned to Mord’s group. The three men who had been groaning rose to their feet unsteadily and started to smile.
“Because we have this here Gold Card! It’s a pass only given out to guys who drop a ton of money in the Casino Strip, and it’s good for entry at every establishment here!”
With excessive pride, Mord held up a garishly sparkling gold-colored metal card.
“Unlike the other places on the strip, El Dorado Resort is the Grand Casino. And today we were finally able to get in!”
“From Bronze to Silver…and finally Gold. It was a long road to get here. Do you know how much money we had to spend in order to be acknowledged here?”
“We’re probably the only third-tier adventurers to have this baby!”
The three friends became teary-eyed as they spoke. Standing between Scott and Guile, Mord appeared especially proud.
In other words, the casino had “recognized” them. As Lyu had explained to Syr earlier, they were considered valuable customers because the trio had burned through so much of their own money. They had been granted the privilege to freely use the casino, and so management had issued them a special pass. Bell had been able to enter on the introduction of the Gold Card holder Mord, though it would have been out of the question for a stray adventurer like Lyu, who was on the black list.
Or perhaps it was more likely that Mord and his friends paid their way in as promising new adventurers after the results of the War Game the other day.
“It’s a special privilege available to Orario adventurers—not only the upper-class adventurers! If you spend enough money, you can gain recognition and special services. As long as we mind our manners, even guys like us can get into the Grand Casino.”
Certainly, an upper-class adventurer who could bring back valuable magic stones and drop items from beyond the middle levels was more dependable than a rich person with no skills. Even more so if they were a member of a powerful familia. However, the adventurers and factions that could afford to mindlessly flaun6 that kind of money would normally be limited to those in the first- and second-tier adventurers categories. If a third-tier adventurer like Mord was here, he must have spent an unimaginable amount of money, using up everything he recovered from the Dungeon day after day.
“…I am beginning to understand why you all are still only third-tier.”
“““Sh-shut up!”””
Their passion withered a bit under Lyu’s stare. However, this is convenient. Looking toward the oak door, she whispered to Mord.
“I want to know about the VIP room beyond that door. Know anything?”
“Huh? You want to get in there? That’s hopeless…” Mord shrugged as Lyu tried to probe his experiences at the casino for information.
“Look at the two guys standing in front of the door—they ain’t Ganesha Familia . Same goes inside there, too. Even Ganesha Familia can’t go near the VIP room, let alone get in. That’s controlled by casino management. That’s where you’ll find the real extralegal territory.”
“So anyone who can’t be trusted to keep quiet about what goes on inside won’t be allowed in?”
“Yeah. According to one drunken VIP I ran into, the rumors that they enjoy themselves with high-stakes games are true…and that after, the owner’s mistresses come out. The guy’s a pervert who surrounds himself with crazy-hot women. Likes to flaunt them in front of the VIPs. Tch, always going on about adventurers,” Mord spat back.
Lyu’s confidence increased as she listened to his explanation. If she was going to meet the owner who had purchased Anna, as well as Anna herself, it would be behind that door.
“Also…there are stories that new members going back there get ‘baptized,’ you know? They say he eats them alive. It’s only whispers, but…well, like I said, the owner is a giant pervert…You know what I mean, right…?”
I don’t know why you came here, but it’s better to not stick your neck out —Mord was trying to warn her.
“…I see.” Lyu’s reply came in a low voice, ending the conversation.
“Uh…umm…I guess I should leave now…?”
“Since you already came to the casino, why not play some, Bell?”
“B-but, if I just play by myself, that wouldn’t be fair to the goddess and the others…”
While Lyu was talking to Mord, Syr was beside them inviting Bell to gamble, though his face betrayed his guilty conscience.
“If it’s only a little, then I know your goddess, Lilly, and the others won’t be mad. And you might not get another chance like this.”
“Exactly, Little Rookie, give it a shot. You’re a full-fledged, upper-class adventurer now; there’ll come a time when you’ll regret not enjoying the nightlife. If nothing else, do it for the experience.”
Bell struggled to find some reason to run away as Syr and Mord’s friends were all urging him to play.
“Um, I don’t have any money, though…”
“I’ll lend you some. You can pay me back if you win, and if you lose, I don’t mind.”
“But, um, I don’t know how to play cards…”
“How about roulette, then? That’s famous enough that even I know it. All you do is put the chips down on the table, so it’s nice and simple, you know?”
“…Okay, I get it. Then just a little…”
In the end, his resistance was worn down. Rubbing his cheek, Bell resigned himself as he took enough gold coins from Syr to exchange for ten chips.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login