CH 47

Cassius and the Demon King’s First Gambling

The uncle at the reception told me about this gambling place called “Arch Qi”, which is a nice place that has recently become popular.

“So nervous ……”

Since I had no experience in gambling at all, I felt that my steps were very heavy.

But if I could multiply it like this, I’d be able to keep Celestia and the others’ salaries for a few months, including my own.

I’m a demon king.

I do not know the word fear. Even a crisis will be turned into an opportunity for me……!

Having made up my mind, I walked towards the building, which was completely different from the one on Earth and at first glance looked like a large western-style building.

I did not pay attention to the sight of the very strong-looking doorman standing at the door, nor did I glance at the courtyard with many carriages parked, just blindly walking on the road in the middle…

I walked towards building, which was glowing for a moment in the darkness of the night.

Then ……

“Ooh. The shop is quite clean. The tables, the quality of the staff and the customers are all quite to my liking ……”

Inside the shop, which was filled with calm tones and a high class feel, Prince Cassius was standing there while looking around.

And our eyes met each other exactly.

…..I see.

I thought of the way I could get the highest chance of winning on my first attempt.

This man, acting so blatantly, must be a regular gambler. If I imitate him, then at least I won’t lose.

I could not help but smile at the thought of my overly brilliant game plan.

“Fufu!!”

“Hmm!?”

The moment he saw me, he was startled, and then his face was filled with anger. He walked through the tables with all kinds of games going on and headed deeper …..

I, too, scrambled to get ready as quickly as possible.

“…… don’t you have to exchange it for tokens or something?”

It looked like they were gambling directly with cash.

There aren’t a lot of games either, mainly based on guessing the points of cards and rolls like dice.

“Damn…”

I can’t go on like this, I need to keep up with Prince Cassius.

♢♢♢

On the first floor of the [Arch Qi], there was a manager’s room deep in the hallway reserved for employees.

From the middle of that room came the somewhat pleasant thump, thump of a tiny sound.

A somewhat gruff man, without hesitation, knocked at the door of that room.

“Oh, come in.”

After the knock, the heavy sound echoed as if it were about to shake the single door.

It wasn’t very loud, but the man naturally straightened his spine at the sound of the low voice.

“Excuse me. …… Gerald Aniki, the Prince of Kujaro is here.”

“…… What did you say?”

In front of the man’s eyes, a man in his late thirties, thickly muscled in armor, was relaxed.

The man had his feet up on the table in the centre and was throwing a flying knife at a target hanging on the wall.

His face and body were heavily scarred, his long green hair was tangled behind him, and he had an incredibly mature beauty brewing around him while creating a dangerous atmosphere.

“…… Okay, then let’s follow the scheduled steps to enforce it.”

“Understood”

He caressed the wound on his face and drank the rest of the red wine he had poured into his glass.

The bottles on the table were already all empty.

“……”

“I’ll get it right away.”

“Sorry about that.”

With that, he narrowed his eyes and watched as the Young Brother who had gone to get the wine left.

“What a monster.”

He began to think about Celestia’s instructions that had come through Mary.

Even Gerald was surprised to encounter instructions that could see the actions of others to such an extent.

He shot his flying knife at the target with force, causing it to jab away.

Like the knife, Cassius’ sight at the moment looked terrifying as if it had been viciously sharpened.

♢♢♢

“One more and the game can begin.”

The operator said across the table to the three people sitting there, including Cassius.

The other two were wealthy men dressed in the finest quality clothing comparable to that of Cassius, who was a prince, and both were regulars here.

“- Hmph!!!”

The rich man’s bodyguard used a special hammer to crack open the hard shell covered nut.

“The Gurumi nut is very tasty, but it’s really hard to eat because of its hardness.”

“As you said, it would not have been so easy to get without a strong guard like us, who are known for our strength.”

Eating the nut handed to them by the guards, the rich men waited contentedly for the game to begin.

“So, this is the Gurumi nut?”

Cassius, who was also waiting for the game to begin, also looked at the free supply of nuts that were placed on the plate in front of him.

Since the number of plates was exactly the same as the chairs, the one in front of him must be for himself.

“I haven’t eaten of this stuff, but …… Kelly.”

“Haa!!!”

Kelly took one out of Cassius’ plate and held it in both hands, crushing the shell of the nut with strength in a flash.

“Eh!?”

“This, what power is this ……”

“Is this really something that a human being can do?”

The rich man and the guards looked back and forth with astonishment at the nut and Kelly who had cracked it without using tools.

It’s just this level and they was so surprised…

Cassius, who looked bored, gave Kelly an order.

“I don’t think I should have to say more but …… keep an eye on him.”

“Three men have been sent.”

“Humph, good job. That’s one of the reasons why I keep you by my side. ”

“It’s a great honor …… but it’s not clear what kind of reason that person has for approaching Cassius-sama. Just in case, please also pay more attention.”

The nut shells were placed on a separate plate while Kelly warned Cassius.

“It’s ridiculous.”

“……”

“I didn’t expect to see someone better than Jick. I don’t know what the purpose is, though..”

At that moment, the last seat was filled.

“……”

The one who appeared in front of Kelly and Cassius was the teenager whose face was covered with a hat and mask.

He placed the bag with the gold coins on the table and waited leisurely for the game to begin.

“Let’s rob it all.”

“Ha!”

As if to say that he only wanted to make the game more enjoyable now, a smile appeared on Cassius’s face.

Gambling and such is ultimately a matter of probability. I can’t believe I’m wasting my hard-earned reward. If I hadn’t come here, I would have been able to live a good live for a long time. (Chrono)

The circle around the proprietor was filled to capacity, and after confirming everyone’s bets, the game began.

“All the guests are here. So, let the game begin.”

The game at this table was a simple rat race in a ring behind the manager, in which the first place was guessed from among four rats.

The game is popular among the rich and famous because it is a game with a big payoff if you win, depending on the multiplier decided by the operator.

“First …… I will pick ‘Aigachu’.”

“Hmm, I’ll go for ‘Joanie’ then.”

Without hesitation, the two tycoons staked out the pile of gold coins on the table and confidently bet on the rat in front of them.

“This one is called ‘Moumchu’ isn’t it? Let’s bet on this one first.”

Cassius was just as early as the others and had put up a large sum of money.

Can’t you see the state of the rats, these guys. So these guys are really not smart enough to win this game. (Chrono)

Cassius looked at the mouse “Moumchu” who was throwing his head around like a rock star, as if he was bored.

“I’ll go with ‘Moumchu’ too.” (Chrono)

“……”

Seeing the boy say that while plugging in the same amount, Cassius’ eyebrows twitched slightly in response.

He looked at the boy with a somewhat surprised expression, but the boy himself looked very calm.

“Then, the game begins.”

At the operator’s signal, the first match for the rats kicked off.

………

……

…

“What, what’s going on ……”

In front of the sight of the dumbfounded Cassius was the figure of the rat 『Moumchu』 who continued to toss his head like a rock singer even when all the other rats had already run to the finish line.

Needless to say, the money was collected.

“Oh, hahaha, I didn’t expect that there would be such a big gap.”

“It’s ‘Joanie’ this time. Congratulations.”

The winner was allocated the gold coins.

“Tch ……”

“……”

In contrast to the boy who sat there quietly as if nothing had happened, it was Cassius’ side that was further ignited with anger.

♢♢♢

(Nah, it’s okay, it’s only the first time …… still have plenty left on hand. All it would take was one shot of reversal. If I win, I can get it back. He will do it for me, for sure ……)

♢ ♢ ♢

But ……

“……”

“……”

In the second game, again, the rat chosen by Cassius and the boy did not advance and one of the tycoons won big.

“It was close…”

“Hahahaha, oops that was dangerous–”

–clack, grunt, crunch ……

An unusual sound rang out.

The eyes of the tycoons and Cassius rightfully looked that way.

Then their eyes widened.

“Crunch, crunch, crunch ……”

The boy put the gurumi nut into the mouth under the mask… and ate it along with the shell.

The nut of the gurumi, which looked like it was encased in rock ……

‘I lost again… ah, I better snack first… anyway, it’s the first time I’ve eaten this nut …… but it’s really delicious… …especially the shell part.’

Crunch, crunch, crunch!!

One by one, the boy took the nut into his mouth, which was hidden under his mask, and bit into it.

“……”

“Then, I’m looking forward to the next game.” (Chrono)

“Eh, ah, okay.”

Contrast with the surrounding response, he seemed to decide to concentrate on the game, pretending not to see the abnormality in front of him.

The guards behind them watched as the boy in front of them tasted the nut as if he was biting into a rock, and their greatly opened mouths became completely closed.

“…… It’s getting unpleasant, isn’t it?”

♢♢♢

“……”

At this point, Cassius was already silent and speechless.

The third game, after which Cassius also suffered successive defeats, and the teenager who had taken the same action as he had, did have less money in hand.

‘Apparently imitating others to bet would definitely lose …… and ……’ (Chrono)

“……Fufu.”

“Hm?”

The boy who had suffered the same successive defeats as him was still smiling through his mask.

The plate in front of him was devoid of any nut, and even the shells were gone.

‘Do you want to say that this level of loss is nothing…! Or are you saying that I’m not good enough!?’ (Cassius)

“I’ll bet the rest of my money on ‘Sankechu’.” (Cassius)

“Ooh!”

“Is it time to let go of the money and decide on the winner?”

Cassius plugged in the rest of his huge sum of money …… then, as before ……

“So do I.”

“……”

Desperately trying to hold back the churning sensation in his stomach, Cassius simply stared intently at the boy while he waited for the outcome.

The corners of the boy’s mouth beneath his mask rose slightly as well, returning the same look straight back at him.

I can feel the eagerness. If we lose, we’ll suffer the same. I’m not going to put the blame on this guy. I’m not going to blame him for it, but I’m going to have to go through with it. Until the end, I’ll just have to trust him. ……! Please, Prince Cassius

You’re the first person to have gotten me to this point. ……!

“- Then, the final match begins.”

♢♢♢

The next morning, the figure of Cassius appeared on the top floor of the high class inn.

From the open door and window, the sunrise entered the room along with a cool breeze blowing through the room, and Cassius’ long, flowing hair was slightly blown up.

“I’m really sorry.”

“……,”

The bathrobe-clad Cassius sat on the bench and looked coldly at Kelly, who had bowed his head deeply before him.

“The kid got lost, didn’t he.”

“Yes. ……”

He took a graceful sip of his cup of black tea, then exhaled gently with the feeling of anxiety …… he tried to keep himself calm, and continued.

“…… phew …… well never mind. But, when you get back, you and your men will have to work out together again. Is that clear?”

“Un, understand!”

Kelly’s mind conjured up a worst-case scenario, but it seemed like they could still be useful.

“For starters ……”

With a cold look at the two women lying bored on the bed, Cassius gave his cruel instructions.

That was the end Kelly feared most.

“…… I’m tired of playing with those and I’m going to use them in my experiments when I get back home so lock them up for now.”

“Eh ……?”

“No, don’t!!!”

The two women rushed to escape.

“Take away them now.”

“No, no, no, no!”

“No! Stop it!”

At Kelly’s command, the two women were quickly led out of the room.

“That’s a wicked thing to do.”

“Hmm? Ah, if it isn’t Archbishop Amanda’s dog.”

In front of Cassio’s eyes, at some point, there had appeared the figure of the Envoy of the Angel Cult, Bishop Yang, who had come to visit as a subordinate of Archbishop Amanda.

Being called a dog, he could not help the veins that sprang up on his temples.

“…… you’re just a prince of a small country, so don’t be arrogant.”

“Did it make you feel uncomfortable? I’m really sorry. But you’re just a messenger, aren’t you? I’m afraid you’ll be scolded if you act in such a rash manner.”

Cassius, who at first glance seemed to be in a good mood, provoked the other man again.

“…… hahahaha.”

“……?”

The bishop, who was red in the face and clenched his teeth, suddenly smiled.

“It seems that you are full of irritation, Prince. Dumped by the princess, set upon by the mercenaries, and then losing your hand in the casino —- huh!?”

Bishop Yang’s body floated up.

“–so noisy you.”

“Gaah!?”

Cassius, who had been sitting in the chair until just then, suddenly grabbed Bishop Yang and lifted him up by the throat.

“Gahhhhhhhhhhh!”

A pair of wings called ‘Gospel’ like Bishop Lionel’s grew on his back as he struggled in pain.

“So, this is called Gospel?”

“What magic is this…”

The men naturally prepared themselves and desperately endured Yang’s magic power.

Then Yan, in turn, used an unnatural wrist force to try to escape from Cassius’ grasp ……

“Cough-cough, why….”

Bishop Yang was clearly Lionel-like in all aspects of strength, but Cassius’s arm remained motionless.

“What is it, a bishop is just a bishop after all and it is no more than that. Did I expect too much from the Angel Cult?”

“You b*stard!”

Hearing the insult to his entire religion, Jan used all his strength to fight against Cassius.

“……”

Cassius was silent as he watched the agitated Yang, who was fluttering his arms and legs.

He lost interest in Yang, who had tried his best to make himself serious, and threw him to the ground like a piece of rubbish.

“Gah! Cough, cough ……”

‘Why, why …… should his magic power be less than one-thirtieth of mine? …… Why is there such a big difference ……’

Passing by Yang, who was still in pain, Cassius regained his chair.

Crossing his legs, he looked over the side with a very obvious look down to Yang and struck up a conversation.

“Tell Archbishop Amanda that even though our interest are the same, this level of assistance would be tantamount to nothing.”

He pondered for a moment then continued.

“I hate this country, and I have to sever ties anyway……. so why not just destroy it?”