Casino Wizard

Even without the middle-aged hero, the casino continued to operate as usual.

But it wasn’t quite the same as before.

“It’s a bit overwhelming. Should we have a glass of wine? Oppa?”

It was Lucy’s request after a long day of running around the casino floor.

“She must be tired too.”

The middle-aged hero wasn’t the only one responsible for casino security. There were more than one or two security staff.

However, the absence of the middle-aged hero, whom all the casino’s “regular” customers knew by face, was felt more deeply than expected.

Several people asked where the hero had gone, questioning how they could allow a pitiful old man, with barely any hair, to leave the casino.

The one who had to handle the aftermath was, of course, the youngest.

“Alright. Let’s drink.”

“Good. Oppa.”

After business hours, in a casino now only populated by the cleaning staff, the two of them shared a drink.

Though they saw each other almost 350 days a year, opportunities to spend time together privately were rare.

Usually, it was all about work.

She thought of taking a brief break to acknowledge Lucy’s hard work and enjoy a glass of wine together.

“Oppa. Do you think the Pierrot uncle will survive in the Demon Realm?”

“We’ve got quite a bit of time before he reaches the Demon Realm.”

“That’s true…”

Lucy was indeed exhausted. She had barely had a glass of wine, but her eyes were already drooping as she looked at me.

Come to think of it, I had done something terrible to her. A beautiful girl was spending her prime years in a casino.

“Bonus…”

“Oppa, I told you I don’t have time to spend money.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“No, there’s no need to apologize. If it weren’t for the casino, I’d probably be working as an adventurer for the City Alliance or the Empire by now.”

For once, they shared some casual conversation over wine.

But that didn’t last long.

“Hyden… boss!”

A woman was rushing toward them, crossing the main gaming area.

Baroness Bonucci.

Considering the broader context, it was acceptable for her to seek them out, but the sudden appearance was a bit much. The rise in the Baron’s reputation had mostly been due to rumors that she had beaten me, the creator of Hold’em.

“Why is she here?”

Lucy frowned, probably not thrilled either.

“Don’t worry, Lucy.”

“No prior notice…”

“I prefer communicating through messengers. It’s less of a hassle.”

Still, I didn’t intend to reprimand Baroness Bonucci.

For some reason, her mouth was wide open, and the back of her neck was drenched in sweat. That signified something had happened.

“Do you know… Dragon Ear? It’s a nickname.”

It was the first time I’d heard of the nickname.

But the panic on Baroness Bonucci’s face was real.

“Please sit down for now.”

…

After two glasses of high-end wine, costing two gold coins per bottle, Baroness Bonucci started to speak.

“Did you get caught using balance techniques by a Draconian with only one hand?”

“No, I didn’t get caught…”

“Right, you only reached the stage where you were suspected. That was good. If you had been caught cheating in front of regulars, or worse, if suspicions had been publicly raised, it would have been difficult. But at least the fact that you were found out is true.”

“Yes, yes. That’s why I came.”

Baroness Bonucci nodded frantically, her words jumbled due to panic, but I understood the general idea.

Lucy, now with a stern expression, was already refilling her glass.

“So, you’re saying you came to face off with the person named Dragon Ear?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“Then the nickname…”

“Obviously, the Dwarves gave it to him.”

It seemed like it was a nickname he had gotten while gambling with the Dwarves.

Whether it was due to his dragon-like earlobes or another reason, I wasn’t sure.

But one thing was clear: he was someone obsessed with gambling.

“Yeah. Not money, but gambling.”

If money was his primary goal, he would have come straight to the Alvinia Kingdom long ago.

There were plenty of gambling halls on the continent, but none were as large and organized as mine. I even worked out holidays with the church. Taking holidays during ritual days had earned me the favor of cardinals.

But Dragon Ear wasn’t in a rush.

Even after arriving in the capital, he had first sought out Baroness Bonucci’s poker game instead of coming to me. That meant…

“He’s playing for the fun of it.”

“I don’t know who he is, but why would someone live like that?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t care to know.”

He was someone beyond my understanding.

And fortunately, he was someone I didn’t need to deal with.

If I ignored him, that would be the end of it.

“Whether he wins or loses, there’s nothing to gain.”

There were plenty of fools in the world.

Given that Baroness Bonucci’s lies had been exposed so quickly, I thought Dragon Ear could have lived comfortably, winning money while enjoying the gambling scene in the Dragon Kingdom.

But no, he preferred to avoid fools and specifically sought out skilled players, traveling all the way to the distant Alvinia Kingdom.

He had nothing to gain, even if he won.

Fortunately, it seemed that Dragon Ear wasn’t the kind of gambler who caused trouble.

If he were a gambler wrecking aristocrats?

People would have heard about him through the VIP channels.

Even though the information spread slowly, and even though he had been active in the Dragon Kingdom, major incidents would inevitably circulate.

If a one-handed Draconian had been making a name for himself, it would have become widely known.

To me, it seemed that Dragon Ear was the type of gambler who avoided embarrassment. Just the fact that he hid his real name spoke volumes.

“You don’t think you’ll have to play against him yourself?”

“I don’t think he’s the type to threaten to kill someone unless they play against him. I’ve only heard what Baroness Bonucci told me, so I’m not making any assumptions.”

Lucy nodded knowingly.

At that point, Baroness Bonucci, who had rushed in, looked over at me with a dazed expression.

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, it’s not a bad thing to know in advance.”

“Oh… then I’m relieved.”

She still looked flustered.

I made sure to care for her, who had narrowly avoided a crisis.

“Be careful in the future. The fact that he have revealed his nickname means he have decided to stay in the capital for a while.”

“Should I stop using my techniques?”

“No. It would be odd if you suddenly stopped. Just keep touching as you always have. But stop sharing family history and only adjust the fold timings. Baroness Bonucci has gotten better at it, so she’ll be fine.”

“Okay. I’ll do that.”

Since I was training a madam, I didn’t want things to spread midway.

Baroness Bonucci, her mouth dry, listened to my advice while continuing to sip her wine.

Due to the uninvited guest, we quickly finished one bottle of wine.

Without opening another bottle, I turned my attention to Lucy.

“Lucy. Don’t be overly cautious when Dragon Ear comes to the casino.”

Lucy, with a faint blush on her face, tilted her head slightly.

She was a little tipsy, but it seemed like she got it soon enough.

“If we act too cautious, he might actually enjoy it?”

“Exactly.”

Baroness Bonucci’s warning was probably true.

If we set a trap, he might either enjoy finding a way around it or use it as an excuse to open a new game.

If he was a true gambler, we shouldn’t make the first move.

“Let’s keep an eye on him without giving anything away.”

“Got it, Oppa.”

For now, I planned to treat Dragon Ear as a normal customer.

For now.

****

Two days later, early morning.

At one of the pubs near the casino, Baladin’s Pub.

It was a place for gamblers who wanted to keep going after casino hours, those who had been banned for causing trouble, and workers who worked during the casino’s operational hours to unwind.

“Split, let’s go.”

“That guy always splits. Even with 10 pairs, he’ll split.”

“Let’s keep the cursing down, there’s an important guest here.”

At one of the tables in the pub, drunk gamblers were enjoying blackjack.

With one deck, no side betting, and rotating dealers. The person who had won the most the day before was the dealer by unwritten rule.

Normally, the gambling scene here was loud and unregulated, but today, the atmosphere was under control.

“Is anyone with the dragon’s blood here?”

“Heh. And you don’t need to be polite. It’ll slow things down.”

A Draconian had joined the game.

Dragon Ear.

After Baroness Bonucci’s poker game ended, he had come straight to the pub closest to the casino to grab a seat.

When Dragon Ear first appeared in the pub, some people immediately left, sensing his overwhelming presence.

Now, though, the mood had relaxed, but it was still different from before.

At some point, Dragon Ear had started to win uncontested, and no one was complaining.

“I won again.”

“Congratulations…”

“Buy a beer. It’s on me.”

“Woah…”

Dragon ear took a break from time to time to buy drinks, but then dove back into the gambling.

“Blackjack. I’ve only just learned, but it’s a fun game. Better than baccarat.”

“Huh? Well… I still think baccarat is the best.”

“It’s probably the best for you guys.”

He mumbled words that were hard for the drunkards to understand.

Eventually, they kept playing blackjack until morning…

Even after the others had left, Dragon Ear remained at the table, fiddling with cards, occasionally scribbling something on a piece of paper.

“Excuse me. Would you like us to bring your meal here?”

“Yeah. Something simple.”

“Sure. Here’s a sandwich.”

Then, a green-haired waitress, who had been working all night, came over with a sandwich that Dragon Ear hadn’t ordered.

He nodded gratefully and paid her.

After she finished serving, she stayed by his side, not leaving.

“Are you heading to the casino now? Have you been there before?”

“Yes. I can’t go now, though. But you should enjoy it for me.”

“Thanks. But why can’t you go?”

“I’m in debt. But maybe I can go once I pay it off.”

Dragon Ear, who had been speaking casually, suddenly glanced at the green-haired waitress.

She was paying off her debt to go to the casino?

It sounded crazy, but Dragon Ear gave her a warm look.

Her lizard-like eyes might have looked frightening at first, but now there was a sense of kindness.

“So, you’re one who stuck with it, huh? Sorry I didn’t recognize you sooner.”

“Uh… thanks?”

“From today, I’ll be staying here. I’ll need a clean room, since I’ll be here for a while.”

“We have an empty room. Should I move your things?”

“Thanks. Here’s a tip.”

Dragon Ear gave the green-haired waitress a generous tip before starting to prepare for his departure.

With his one hand, he washed up and changed into clean clothes. Even after staying up all night, he was beginning to look more energized.

“Take care. Have a good trip.”

“Yeah.”

After being seen off by the green-haired waitress, Dragon Ear ’s next destination was, naturally, the casino.

There was a long line outside, ready for the casino to open.

“Opening in 10 minutes! Please maintain order!”

Dragon Ear joined the line, a faint smile playing on his lips.