CH 34

Located on the empire’s borders was the city of Manoka, the greatest embodiment of luxury, pleasure, and desire on the continent. In Manoka’s biggest casino and hotel named Bessia, a commotion was taking place.

“All in.”

At a gaming table in the center of the hall inside the casino, a woman leisurely called all-in, pushing all the chips in front of herself onto one number.

“Ooh!”

“All in!”

The spectators around the gaming table clapped and cheered at her words. At the same time, the faces of the dealer as well as the manager of the hotel standing behind him turned ashen. They could not be blamed for looking as such; the chips piled on the table amounted to an unprecedented sum in Manoka.

‘Who’d have imagined a platinum chip being used when they were made to be symbolic!’

Cold sweat trickled from the manager’s forehead as his gaze darted between the gaming table and the platinum shining on top of the piled chips. The woman had bet everything on a single number. ‘If she gets it right again…’

The odds were 35 to 1 in the case of betting on a single number and winning. The manager did not need to count the sum of the chips to know— the casino would go bankrupt if the woman won again. The casino of Bessia that boasted history and tradition would fall into the hands of an unknown woman who suddenly appeared overnight. The spectators who did not care a rat’s rear end about the manager’s circumstances happily chatted behind the woman.

“Amazing! How many games is it already?”

“I don’t know. They say she’s been winning ever since she sat down!”

“Looking at the manager’s face, it doesn’t seem to be a rigged show either… Who the hell is that woman?”

A languid smile spread across the saintess’s face as she lifted the glass of champagne in front of her, listening to the background chatter.

‘Who, you ask? The noblest person alive who is closest to and the most beloved by God, that’s who.’

The saintess looked at her hand as she answered in her mind. A blue light, invisible to others, fleetingly circled her hand before disappearing; it was the light of the blessing. She, who was the embodiment of holy power, was able to use this light however she wished to. In other words, it was all too possible to carry out the simple feat of manipulating a roulette ball.

Meanwhile, the dealer rang a bell to perfunctorily announce that there was little time left for the final bet of the game. The woman had long since dominated the gaming table. As the saintess awaited the final call for bets, which would happen soon, she noticed a hot gaze while taking a sip of champagne. Unawares to her, a neatly dressed man had been standing to her right with a deep look in his eyes. The saintess swiftly scanned the man and processed the results.

‘Face: 8 points; Body: 8 points; Style: 9 points; and bonus 5 points for the sensuous looks. A pass with a total of 30 points.’

After pressing the pass stamp on the scorecard in her heart, she smoothly winked in return to the man’s gaze. She raised her glass as if telling him to try and seduce her, to which the man responded by drawing in close and beginning to make his play…

“I haven’t seen you around here before.” The man casually stated.

That was only natural, seeing that she was living in the holy kingdom until recently. She called the waiter, asked for another glass of champagne, and handed it to the man before replying.

“I don’t much like being probed that way,” she echoed the line of the main character in a spy movie she frequently watched before entering this ‘book’. I must’ve watched it so much knowing a day like this would come, she thought.

“Ah, if my curiosity toward your beauty has offended you, I would like to give a sincere apology. Would you give me the honor of doing so?” The man smiled, undaunted by her refusal.

Well, well. He was smoother at talking than she expected. The saintess slowly held out a hand, and the man gently kissed the back of it before cleanly taking his leave. But as the man was about to go, she called him back with a beckoning finger and whispered by his ears, “I like a warm bed. Understand? Room 1801. 10 o’clock.”

The believers of the kingdom would have fainted if they heard such words from her, but that was not of her concern. They were not here, after all. The man went on his way with a satisfied face at the whispered message. The saintess watched his receding back as she ordered a stronger drink from a waiter passing by. She felt the need to warm up in advance to burn the night away.