Casino Wizard

“The game begins at midnight. The location will be my casino.”

They moved inside the tavern to negotiate terms with the magician.

Dragon Ear was enjoying even this part of the process.

“Fine. I’ll be there on time.”

“I’ll say it again—if you get caught using techniques, it’s your right arm.”

If caught using any techniques, the right arm would be cut off.

Though whether “cutting off” was the correct expression was debatable.

“I’ll prepare a warhammer.”

Since the magician had declared that he would use a hammer as his tool of choice, technically, it wouldn’t be a clean cut.

“A hammer? When you have magic?”

“If you don’t like the hammer, I’ll slice it off with magic.”

“No need. I’ll bring a guillotine.”

“Fine.”

A warhammer, and even a guillotine cutter used in kitchens to chop meat with the bone still attached.

If the magician was as skilled and clever as he thought, he wouldn’t have suggested this kind of punishment out of fear of Dragon Ear’s cheating.

Either he was confident he wouldn’t get caught using magic, or he was certain he could catch Dragon Ear in the act.

Either way, Dragon Ear welcomed the challenge.

Now there was the added thrill of playing around with the risk of losing his right arm and the fun of catching the magician’s tricks.

“Good. But where do we draw the line with ‘techniques’?”

“We’ll decide now. No magic, no bottom-dealing, no false shuffles, no fingernail markings…”

“I get it. But what if someone refuses to admit they were caught?”

“We allow a limited number of spectators. That will make it hard to dispute.”

“Sounds good. But I’ll be bringing my own audience.”

Spectators were allowed.

That was another aspect of the fun. It was the setup Dragon Ear had wanted from the start.

And there was one more thing.

“A game between just the two of us would be boring. Let’s each have one partner.”

The magician suggested that they each bring a second to the table.

Dragon Ear agreed without hesitation.

Not because he was pleased to hear the word “fun” coming from the magician’s lips.

Rather, because he knew that man was no gambler who prioritized enjoyment. That made it all the more interesting.

…

“Then, I’ll see you at midnight.”

The magician left as soon as the deal was sealed.

Dragon Ear sat alone in the sparsely populated tavern.

Was he lost in thought, savoring the moment now that the gambling match he desired had finally been arranged?

Of course not.

He was already plotting how to win.

That way, even if he lost, there would be no regrets.

In his only remaining hand, he held a deck of cards.

Unlike the ones he had used in the Dragon Kingdom or the City Alliance, these were of a simpler design and relatively cheap.

If he lost to the magician, he might never get to hold these cards again.

“I have to win. That’s the only way.”

Just as Dragon Ear muttered this, someone approached him.

“Sir… Are you gambling with Mr. Hyden?”

The green-haired Miriam, who had been hiding in the kitchen to avoid the magician.

She had spent over two weeks following Dragon Ear around like his personal assistant.

She was usually a diligent worker who quietly collected her tips, but today, her expression was unusually stiff.

Dragon Ear knew why.

“You have a grudge against the magician. Is that why you were hiding?”

“Huh? Oh…”

“I don’t know the details, but I do know you lost 520 or 540 gold at baccarat on the VIP room’s opening night and fell into debt. The gamblers here talk when they’re drunk. I also heard you borrowed money from the magician and lost that too.”

“……”

“Facing your creditor is never comfortable. But that’s not all, is it?”

Miriam blinked in surprise at how much he knew about her.

In truth, Dragon Ear had picked up the information naturally.

Many of the tavern patrons overlapped with the casino clientele, making it easy to gather rumors.

Normally, he wouldn’t have paid much attention, but today was different.

“I have something for you.”

“Wait, sir. Actually, about Mr. Hyden—”

“I know. You’re worried he’ll find out what you told me, aren’t you? The magician was eager to get rid of me, and it’s true that, in the end, you hindered his plans. If I speak up, you might face consequences.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep quiet.”

At his words, Miriam let out a relieved sigh.

‘She trusts me. She’s not cut out for gambling.’

Given how generously Dragon Ear had been tipping her, maybe it was only natural for her to trust him.

Ten silver for delivering a sandwich. Another ten silver for doing his laundry.

He had been tossing her tips that were worth a carpenter’s daily wage without a second thought.

But this would be the last time. Probably.

Dragon Ear slowly opened his pouch.

He was about to give Miriam her final tip—more accurately, a reward.

“Take this.”

This time, it wasn’t silver, but gold.

Ten gold coins.

Even someone as shamelessly used to taking huge tips like Miriam was visibly startled.

It was too much money. A barmaid who usually received tips in copper, sometimes silver, would never dream of holding this much gold.

“Sir…?”

“You’ve earned it.”

“Earned it? But I only—”

“Because of your advice, I managed to get the magician into a gambling match. Honestly, even ten gold isn’t enough of a reward, but I need to conserve funds for the bet. If I get the chance later, I’ll give you more.”

Miriam stared blankly at the ten gold, her mouth slightly open.

Her face seemed to say, Did I give advice?

She didn’t even seem to realize she had helped him significantly.

“Take it. And someday, return to the casino.”

“Sir…”

“I’ll give you one piece of advice. Don’t trust people who are nice to you or say good things about you. Anyone who praises your intuition is either jealous or trying to deceive you. And anyone who smiles at you only wants your money.”

“……”

“Keep that in mind, and you’ll suffer fewer hardships.”

It was advice he could give because he had once gambled solely to win—or at least, to avoid losing—before he learned the true thrill of the game.

Miriam finally picked up the gold.

Instead of thanking him, though, she hesitated before asking:

“Can I… come with you tonight? I want to watch.”

It seemed what she truly wanted was to be a spectator.

There was a mix of unease and anticipation in her expression.

Dragon Ear hesitated for a moment.

She had been cowering in the kitchen, hiding from the magician—yet now she wanted to watch?

If she had any sense, she would have realized this wasn’t an ordinary gambling match. And she had to know it wasn’t in her best interest to be seen by the magician.

‘I forgot she’s crazy.’

His gaze toward Miriam softened again.

Even now, his gambling instincts were calculating how to use her as a spectator and how the magician would interpret her presence.

It was all second nature to him. The magician was likely doing the same.

“The place is the casino. It’ll be closed for business, but… I heard you’re banned.”

“If I can’t get in, I’ll just wait outside.”

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

Whether it was something to be grateful for was unclear, but Dragon Ear gladly allowed her to tag along.

“We’re moving out.”

He set off for what might be his final game.

First, he stopped by the barn where he had left his carriage and retrieved the safe containing the valuables he planned to wager.

Then, he headed to the poker table set up in an unclaimed mansion in the Rajani District of the capital.

Even now, more than ten nobles were engrossed in a heated poker game.

“Oh! Master Dragon Ear!”

The nobles greeted him as if they had been eagerly waiting for his arrival.

Dragon Ear scanned the group before making an announcement.

“I’ve arranged a match with the magician Hyden at the casino at midnight. I’ll spend some time with you all before heading there.”

At the mention of Hyden, the nobles’ eyes gleamed with interest.

Playing for just over three hours, Dragon Ear effortlessly won 200 gold from them.

A warm-up before the real game.

Then, he placed half of his winnings back as a goodwill offering and spoke bluntly.

“You should come watch, too.”

Not a single noble refused.

They all seemed to consider it as exciting a spectacle as gambling itself.

****

The game against Dragon Ear was set to begin at midnight.

The venue was my casino’s VIP room.

Sitting in my office, I was contemplating how to approach the upcoming showdown.

“Oppa, here’s the money.”

Clank. Lucy had her staff bring in the gambling stakes and dumped them in front of me.

It was more than enough to cover both Dragon Ear’s cash and valuables—including a dragon’s heartblood, a relic of sacred significance, and land deeds—while still leaving plenty left over. The total exceeded five thousand gold.

But preparing the money alone wasn’t enough.

‘That man even proposed that we each bring a partner.’

A condition allowing each of us to have one accomplice at the table.

At first glance, this seemed like a disadvantage for Dragon Ear.

I was a businessman operating in the capital, whereas his public identity was merely that of a wandering merchant from the Dragon Kingdom.

Yet, he had accepted the condition.

Was it just for the fun of it?

More likely, he didn’t see it as a disadvantage. If his partner was weak or predictably loyal to his side, he could use that to his advantage instead.

If he placed a disposable player at the table, even my most carefully crafted strategy could be disrupted.

Of course, I could do the same.

Now…

“Oppa. I’ll play with you.”

Lucy’s voice came from behind.

When I turned around, I saw my youngest sister pressing her lips together in determination.

The match against Dragon Ear was scheduled for after the casino’s closing hours anyway.

As the head of customer service, Lucy’s involvement wouldn’t impact business. But I knew she was volunteering because she was worried about me.

“Oh. I know what you’re thinking.”

She hesitated before continuing.

“Actually, when Dragon Ear played in the VIP room, I dealt for one of his games… and he kept trying to read me. He must have realized I’m not just some dealer who shuffles and deals cards. …Still.”

“Alright. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Huh?”

“I was already planning to ask you.”

For a brief moment, doubt flickered across Lucy’s face.

In terms of pure skill, she was better than me. Her eyesight was probably sharper, too.

Using her as a decoy was almost too good of a move. Dragon Ear would be wary of her. After a few rounds, he would figure out her level.

But that was exactly why I wanted her in.

“Because you’ll be under scrutiny, that’s precisely why I need you.”

Lucy wasn’t the only piece I needed.

I turned to Maria Bonucci, who was awkwardly sitting in my office.

“Mrs. Bonucci? Watch the game from up close.”

“Watch?”

“Yes. But I don’t mean just as a bystander. I won’t ask anything too complicated of you, though.”

I planned to have Bonucci as an observer.

“And bring her in, too.”

“Her?”

“Selena.”

That half-elf loafing around in the employee quarters, wasting bread.

The only thing useful about her was her ability to use clairvoyance magic.

Still, she would be put to use this time.

“It’s time to prepare. Dragon Ear will be here soon.”

It wasn’t as if I was looking to lose an arm.