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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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Chapter 19
The laws of the Magus Empire were both free-spirited and strict.
Severe punishments were dealt for crossing the line, but outside of that, a considerable amount of freedom was guaranteed.
This was to efficiently control the unruly demons, and in that regard, gambling was not illegal in the Magus Empire.
In fact, it was encouraged.
Rather than letting their bloodthirst boil over into violence, they preferred for it to be released through “wholesome” amusements like gambling.
After all, card games had historically been a form of entertainment enjoyed by people of all ages.
Each major city had multiple legal gambling halls, and gambling was a pastime unrestricted by status or age.
“T-This is a gambling hall? I can’t believe such a place exists in this world.”
[Ohohoho… W-What a marvelous place.]
Teren and Banshee, who had accompanied Chris, widened their eyes like country bumpkins seeing the city's dazzling gambling hall for the first time.
Seeing Teren’s reaction (since Banshee was invisible), the gamblers chuckled.
The gambling hall had a rule: everyone had to wear a mask upon entry to conceal their identity and focus solely on the game. However, even with his face covered, it was obvious to everyone that Teren was a total novice.
“Well, it’s a nice place to have some fun. Since we’re here, what do you think, Teren? How about a little bet with me?”
Chris smirked.
“Let’s see who can win more money.”
“You mean… you and me?”
“Yeah. Didn’t you say you wanted to beat me? Gambling and card games follow the same rules, so even if it’s your first time, there’s no real disadvantage.”
As long as money was on the line, card games were gambling.
“……”
But now that he was about to gamble, Teren hesitated.
Chris dangled bait he knew Teren couldn’t resist.
“If you win, I’ll call you ‘big brother’ for a whole month.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Yeah. I swear on my late mother’s name.”
It wasn’t his own mother anyway, so swearing on her name didn’t bother him.
“But if you lose, for the same duration, you have to address me as ‘Respected King Emperor Majesty Big Brother.’”
“……”
“Well, if you’re scared, just forget it.”
Chris’s taunt made Teren hesitate, but provoked, he took the bait.
“…You better keep that promise.”
Chris grinned.
And so, the match began, drawing a large crowd.
All of them gathered—
Around Teren.
Recognizing him as an easy target, seasoned gamblers swarmed in, eager to fleece him.
‘There are quite a few professional scam gamblers here too.’
Chris observed while winning and losing just enough to stay balanced, keeping an eye on Teren’s play.
As was cliché, Teren won at first.
Initially nervous, he grew more confident with each victory and began placing bold bets.
And then—
He lost everything.
“A-Ah, no?!”
Teren's face looked like he had lost his homeland.
During a brief break, Chris approached him and whispered.
“So much for showing me what you're made of. That was nothing.”
“!!”
“How about you just go home and play some card games instead?”
Teren’s face turned red.
“You’re losing too, aren’t you?!”
“Well, I’m doing better than you. I’ve only lost 500 Lupe.”
“I’ve only lost 1,000 Lupe!”
“So, are you going to keep playing?”
“I will! Give me more money!”
The same thing kept happening.
Chris egged Teren on, making sure he kept losing money.
With clever provocations, he prevented Teren from giving up, while the professional gamblers eagerly took advantage of him.
They were so excited that they made mistakes—mistakes that true professionals should never make.
Their tricks became too obvious.
They had underestimated both Teren and Chris, assuming they were just easy prey.
‘Bingo.’
Chris watched their blunder and smiled.
They were caught.
Just then, Banshee quietly approached him and whispered.
[Young Master… I found the ones you mentioned.]
“Good job.”
[Should I take care of them?]
“Yeah, take care of it.”
Banshee grinned.
Chris silently got up from his seat.
Then, leaving behind Teren—who was now completely dazed after losing a staggering 10,000 Lupe—he slipped out of the gambling hall unnoticed.
‘He’s not a kid. He’ll figure something out. He can work it off or something.’
Chris deliberately didn’t give him any money to pay off his gambling debt.
Why?
Because the place he was headed now—
He had to go alone.
Teren would only be in the way, so Chris left him behind on purpose.
‘With 10,000 Lupe in debt, he won’t be getting out anytime soon. And knowing Teren, he’ll be too embarrassed to reveal his identity just to escape a gambling debt.’
Teren was still only thirteen, rarely left the mansion, and hardly anyone knew his real face.
Even if he removed his mask, as long as he didn’t reveal himself, no one would recognize him.
Chris could already picture Teren’s pale face, completely flustered and stuck in a dilemma.
He chuckled to himself.
[This is the place, Young Master.]
They had arrived at a mansion in the bustling part of the city.
“Yeah, open the door.”
[As you command.]
Clank.
Banshee unlocked the door using its ability.
The soldiers inside were startled and raised their guard.
“Who goes there?!”
Chris removed his mask.
“There isn’t a single person here who doesn’t know who I am, is there?”
“!!”
The faces of the mansion’s people turned pale upon seeing his face.
“Y-Young Master! We greet you!!”
Unlike Teren, who rarely left the mansion and was hardly recognized, Christian’s face was well-known throughout the castle.
“W-What brings you here?”
“Bring me your master.”
“Huh? Ah, y-yes! Right away!!”
The soldiers hurriedly brought a man before him.
A middle-aged man with the plump, round appearance of a pig-like teddy bear.
“Y-Young Master, what brings you to our merchant guild?”
“Merchant Guild Leader Grantel.”
Chris crossed his arms as he called out the man’s name.
A man who had amassed wealth through various illicit means.
“Can we speak privately for a moment?”
“Huh? For what reason?”
“If you refuse, we can talk here instead. Though, that might put you in a rather difficult position.”
The greed-ridden face of the merchant guild leader, Grantel, stiffened.
He led Chris to a quieter place.
“M-May I ask what this is about?”
“Do you have a death wish?”
“…Pardon?”
Grantel’s eyes widened.
“W-What are you suddenly talking about?”
“Are you saying you don’t know?”
“I-I have no idea what you mean.”
Chris smiled faintly.
“You dared to set up a rigged gamble against my beloved younger brother, Teren, the heir to the Khazar Count’s family… and you claim ignorance?”
“!!”
Grantel’s eyes widened in shock.
“T-That… Could it be…?! D-Don’t tell me… The sucker with the tiger mask at the gambling den was…?!”
“Yes, the heir of the Khazar Count’s family, Teren.”
Indeed.
The plump merchant guild leader before him was none other than the owner of the gambling den they had visited earlier.
And the fraudsters who had swindled Teren were his subordinates.
“Do I really need to explain in detail what kind of scam they pulled?”
“B-But…! I merely run the gambling den. What they did has nothing to do with m—”
The merchant guild leader tried to deny it, but it was a futile excuse.
["Ohoho… I saw everything. You two were scheming together, I saw it, I saw it. You're lying, you're lying."]
The merchant guild leader’s face turned pale at the ghostly voice whispering in his ear.
Banshee suddenly widened its eerie, glowing blue eyes and brought its face close to his.
["Do you want to die?"]
“Uwaaaah!!”
The merchant guild leader frantically dropped to the floor and groveled.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Had I known it was Lord Teren and Lord Christian, I would have never done such a thing! Please, have mercy!”
Christian crossed his arms.
“Compensation?”
“You’re not thinking of getting away with just an apology, are you?”
The merchant guild leader flinched.
He understood Chris’s intentions.
He had come to extort him.
‘Did he conceal his identity at the gambling den just to set up a rigged game and take the money back?’
For a moment, he suspected that, but he shook his head. No matter how reckless the man before him was, he couldn’t be that wicked.
“N-Not at all! I will compensate you! H-How much…?”
“I’ll be merciful and settle for one million lupe.”
“…What?”
“One million lupe. Didn’t you hear me?”
The merchant guild leader’s face stiffened.
“T-That’s… far too much….”
If he paid that amount, his merchant guild would go bankrupt.
It was an enormous sum.
“If you commit a crime, you must be punished. You do know the laws on rigged gambling, don’t you?”
The Magus Empire did not prohibit gambling.
But rigged gambling was illegal. And, as expected, the punishment was severe.
“The law dictates that your wrists be severed. Healing magic to reattach them is also forbidden. Let’s see… From my investigation, you’ve done this at least five times… So, even if I cut off both your wrists and both your legs, it wouldn’t be enough. Should I take your manhood too?”
The merchant guild leader trembled like a leaf.
“B-But… I really don’t have that much money. Even if I empty everything, it won’t be enough.”
“Then let’s do this. Two hundred thousand lupe.”
“!!”
“Surely, you can at least afford that?”
The merchant guild leader gulped.
It was as if Chris had known his exact financial limit beforehand.
“…A-And one more thing.”
“W-What is it?”
Chris stated his true reason for coming here.
“Give me Grunade.”
“!!”
Chris continued.
“That treasure is far too valuable for someone like you.”
Grunade.
The name of the broken holy sword once wielded by a fallen hero in ages past.
* * *
“This… this is Grunade.”
Grunade was a faded, rusty sword.
In fact, more than half of the blade was broken and shattered.
It was completely useless as a weapon.
“E-Excuse me, but why would you want such an antique?”
Chris silently stared at the merchant guild leader instead of answering, and the merchant guild leader, realizing he had overstepped, quickly lowered his head.
“I-I'm terribly sorry for asking such a question. H-Here... 200,000 lupe. It’s cash, and it’s a check that can be issued immediately, so you can withdraw it directly at the bank.”
Merchant Guild Leader Grantel swallowed his tears inwardly.
200,000 lupe was the maximum cash his guild could mobilize. It was gone in an instant.
But he had no words left.
He had been the one to commit the first crime by engaging in rigged gambling. It was a stroke of luck that he still had his limbs and life intact.
Chris went to the bank and immediately withdrew the money.
‘200,000 lupe. This should be more than enough.’
Instead of returning to the Count’s residence, he wandered through the bustling district.
He stopped by several shops and bought various items. These were for his duel with Melin.
While he was at it, he bought a small gift for Banshee.
It wasn’t anything special. He had seen Banshee constantly staring at decorations, so he bought something for her.
‘I always wanted to try this. Becoming a wealthy young master and throwing around money to show kindness to those below me.’
Well, it wasn’t exactly generous considering it was a cheap decoration, but Banshee seemed quite touched.
[…Young master.]
“It’s a gift, so you can pass on peacefully and be free from your regrets over decorations.”
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[Translator - Kiteretsu]
[Proofreader - Kyros]
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