Volume 27 - CH 5

「Way to go, Alec.」

Hannah smiles. A red coin came out of the machine, but it looks like it's going to be a pain to pick up.

「Congratulations. Excuse me for a moment.」

A man appeared beside me to help me put the gold coins into the basket. His face was hidden by a cloth hanging from the top, so he didn't look like an ordinary dead man. He seems to be an attendant here, so I'll leave it to him.

「By the way, are there any bunny girls here?」

I'm curious, so I ask the attendant.

「No, sir. We don't have any, sir, because dead people here don't have a sex drive.」

「What? That's boring.」

「Yes. But it seems to be different in the heavenly realm. Well, I've never been there, so I don't know for sure.」

The heavenly realm ...... is probably a place like heaven. Then again, this is hell, isn't it? The reason Fianna wanted to come here was to look for her childhood friend, Dillmud. ...... If he's not here, it's a complete waste of time. It's probably better if we don't see him.

「Now, sir, do you still want to continue playing slot machines? That was the third prize, so you can try to win more, but this casino recommends roulette and blackjack!」

「Hmm. Well, it depends on the prizes, but I guess I'll try those first.」

I was just going to take a peek at this casino, so I don't have to go that hard to win.

You can try something different.

I came to the blackjack table.

I don't sit down right away, but first I watch the guys playing.

「One more card!」「And this one! 」「All right, here's a good one!」

Three guests are excited about the cards in their hands, but it seems to be the usual rule to draw cards to get the highest total of 21.

Jacks, queens, and kings are counted as tens.

Aces can be counted two ways, as 1 or 10.

If the total exceeds 21, you lose. It's burst.

However, the dealer is obligated to draw if his hand is 16 or less, and he cannot draw again if his hand is 17 or more. Knowing this also changes your chances of winning at blackjack.

「Unfortunately, sir, it's blackjack.」

「Wha!?」「No way!」「......!」

So the dealer rolls 21 and the customer loses total. He seems to be a tough dealer, but I don't think he'll be able to get 21 in a row. I'll take my chances here.

「Put my chips on the table. Hundred chips.」

I get to my seat and tell the attendant who's carrying my basket.

「Are you sure, sir? I think that's a little too big a bet.」

「That's fine. If it's not enough, take it out.」

It's not like you're going to win if you bet too small.

「I understand.」

The dealer deals the cards without saying a word.

First came an eight. It's not a bad number. Even if the next biggest card is a 10, it won't exceed 21, so I can draw a second card without worry.

「One more card.」

「I'm going to stay here, ...... No, let's not do that, I'm going to draw.」

Two of the other players didn't draw, but only one of them did.

Blackjack is not a game where you just have to have courage.

Sometimes it's better to stay with a slightly weaker number, like 17, because the dealer wants to burst, and it's a game that requires a bit of thinking.

The cards are dealt, and damn, it's a seven. This brought my total to 15, but it was hard to beat the dealer. However, this is not enough to beat the dealer, because according to the rules, the dealer will always draw cards to make it 16 or more, ready to burst.

I looked at the cards on the table and saw that most of them were big numbers, with only one small number, a 3.

Then, of course, there was one more card.

「One more card.」

「Oh, shit, there's a nine!」「It's burst!」「Damn it.」

The other customer drew a big card and lost, but these guys seem to have terrible luck.

「Here you go.」

The dealer dealt me my cards.

I got a 3.

That gives me a total of 18......, which is not a bad hand. If I try to get more than that, I'll only be allowed 1, 2, or 3, which is a pretty bad bet.

「That's enough. Stay.」

「Well then, I'm going to open the parents' cards, 19, and you lose, sir」

「Damn it!」「Another 19!」「Ahh ......」

Hmm, if this dealer isn't cheating, he seems to have a lot of luck.

If I want to beat him, I'll have to aim for at least 20.

「I'm already out ot money, I'm out.」「I'm out, too」「I'd much rather be spinning slot machines than doing this.」

The other customers have all gotten out. It's a battle between me and the dealer.

「Do you want to get out too, sir?」

「No, thanks. Just hand it out.」

「Very well.」

First three came in. No luck. Then I draw a queen, making it 13.

I draw another card, and I'm up to 19.

「What do you do now, sir?」

Well, here it is. In normal blackjack, I'd stay here, but that's no way to beat this guy.

「One more card.」

「Wait a minute, Alec, you can stay at 19, but if you go over 21, you're out!」

Letty, who had been watching the game for some time, said.

「This is my game, don't interfere. Anyway, Letty, did you make any money?」

「Not at all. I'm broke from roulette, so give me your chips, Alec.」

Letty reaches out her hand as if to ask me to give it to her, and I slap her hand lightly.

「No」

「You stingy!」

「Oh, you're in luck, sir. Here's the ace.」

The dealer smiled and said, ...... At the same time, I had a strong premonition.

He's going to give me a blackjack next.

「One more card.」

「Haaaaaaaaaaahhhh? 20 is already enough, so stop it, Alec. You'll definitely burst!」

「Shut up and watch, Letty.」

「Now, one more. Ohhhh!」

To the dealer's surprise, another ace came in. Now it's blackjack.

「Now, I'll open the parents' cards. This is also blackjack. It's a tie.」

The dealer says this with a cool face, but he must be a very strong player.

You recommend this?

I looked back at the attendant with the basket, but he nodded twice, urging me to try again.

Now, ...... well, it's just for fun, you know. You have nothing to lose if you go broke here.

So, let's give it one more shot.