TL/ED – Miso
“Mo-money?”
I organized my thoughts as I looked at the Director nim, who repeated my question with a bewildered expression.
Our orphanage, the Orphanage, whatever you call it, the facility is unbelievably good.
It’s the largest orphanage, they even give pocket money, and there are so many kinds of meals and education that it felt like there was no difference between us and children from ordinary families.
At first I thought every orphanage was like this and admired the policy, but after being dragged by Linmel to the Capital and seeing things half against my will, what I learned was that our orphanage was simply the best.
Of course, that does not mean other places practiced abuse. I had heard that there used to be such places, but thanks to the policy they were all overturned and could no longer be found.
Anyway. From the system that cares for each ward to giving pocket money, we were the only ones doing it.
At first I just passed it off like, “Wow, the Princess must really like our orphanage and supports us a lot.”
…It was all just a show of strength.
In other words, the Director has no choice but to give in. Not for themselves, but for our sake…
“No.”
“?”
It wasn’t like that.
Director, who had was dumbfounded, sat me down and, with a rare stern expression, crossed his arms and began a long lecture.
“Jern, I know you are excellent. But to use that talent for swindling…that is something you must not do.”
“…No, this isn’t a swindle-”
“Ahem. Even if that were not the case, I want the money I spend dressing you and feeding you to be clean money.”
“…”
As expected, true righteousness allows no sophistry.
“But then, what about our Orphanage?”
“…”
Then it just needs to be made not righteous.
The Director nim’s expression wavered.
“…Have you heard?”
“A little. I did hear. But even if I hadn’t, I would have known. Everyone knew the operation has been in poor shape recently.”
“Even so, that’s something I can-”
“You cannot.”
I stated it definitively.
If it were a problem that could be solved, it would not have come this far.
I whispered like a devil into the Director nim’s troubled ear.
“They are bad people. Have you heard that some of the residents got into gambling and were ruined?”
“Th-that is…”
“Director nim.”
As I said before.
The Director nim gave in.
“Please think of it as for us. So that we can eat well and grow up well.”
Because it was for us, not for himself.
“…”
After brooding for a long time, the Director nim bowed his head deeply.
“Just once…”
“Yes?”
“Just once. Just to pay off the debt, and only enough to buy your textbooks. And do not extort from people who gamble.”
Bingo.
I answered with a beaming smile.
“Of course. Don’t worry, we’ll make the crooks approach us first.”
“Haa, I feel like I’m dancing in the palm of your hand…”
Taking the sighing Director nim, we went to Anelin ssi’s clothing shop and started fitting.
“Ah, no, Director nim. What on earth is this-”
“…I am sorry. I will explain everything later.”
Anelin ssi shrieked at the Director nim’s dreadful fashion.
A velvet vest stuffed with padding, a leather belt, trousers that only glittered unpleasantly.
With even a fake beard added for disguise, he looked like the caricature of a nouveau riche.
“Hold this cane, and in the future do not speak to me gently.”
“…Will this do?”
“You’re a bit stiff. Speak gently, like addressing someone beneath you.”
“L-like this?”
I corrected his tone of voice too.
I also dressed in servant’s clothes.
As for my face, I did not bother with a disguise. There are few people who would pay attention to a servant’s face.
“I’ll address you like this. Master.”
“…A-alright…”
“Don’t be too nervous. It’ll be over in an instant.”
“Hmm, how is that possible? No matter how much you swindle, you can’t make money that easily.”
I explained step by step to the puzzled Director nim.
“If we bet 1 silver, make it 10 silver, then 100 silver, what would happen?”
“I do not know.”
“The answer is ‘we can’t know’. At the point of making 10 silver, those guys will pull tricks, and if I break through those tricks, they’ll realize we’re not ordinary and use force. Before 1 silver becomes 100 silver, we’ll be kicked out in some way.”
And I was not confident I could overcome that force.
…well, I was a little confident.
But doing it would be a problem. Escalating things is not the goal.
For that reason, I had never considered winning step by step in the first place.
“Then what do you plan to do?”
“I already thought of a way.”
When those bastards throw bait to hook us-
I’ll snap the fishing line along with the hook.
And before they can grasp the situation, we flee.
“The operation is tomorrow. We end it in one go.”
By the time they realize they were tricked at the gambling den,
the nouveau riche and his servant will no longer exist in this world.
*
-Drip, drip.
…?
On the very day we were supposed to go to the gambling den. The sky was still dim with dawn.
While I was manifesting the flow current inside the warehouse, a nosebleed suddenly trickled out.
“Tsk, what’s this?”
I had slept plenty, so why?
This is not a world where things like tissues exist. I caught the dripping blood roughly with my hand and wiped it with a rag nearby.
In the process, blood smeared thickly across my hand.
To wash it off, I would have to go all the way to the well. Feeling too lazy and frowning at the thought, a sudden new idea popped into my mind.
“Can this work?”
I made myself aware of my blood.
Then, like a drop of milk falling into water, the blood spread into the air.
“Ohhh…”
It was an astonishingly mystical sight. As I stared blankly at the little cloud made of blood-
[~~~~~~~~~~~~!]
the currents began to shake violently.
As if out of its mind.
When I looked up to see what was happening, the Deep Sea Creatures, which had been quiet until now, writhed frantically as if searching for something, swimming around at unimaginable speeds.
It was clear what they were searching for.
“Shit.”
I realized immediately and let the blood drop.
Plop, plop, plop- the blood that had floated in the air fell under the pull of gravity and soaked into the floor.
Before long, silence returned in an instant. The Deep Sea Creatures quickly fled, and only far fewer than before remained.
…Something felt strange. It looked as if the Deep Sea Creatures had bolted in fear.
I manifested the flow current inside the warehouse.
“………………..”
And then.
I sensed a massive creature beyond description.
Even with the flow current, which now let me sense things dozens of meters away, I could only perceive the tiniest fragment of that being.
Tens of thousands of jagged teeth, made to gnash at creatures larger than itself…a mouth like a blender.
It opened that maw and held the orphanage inside.
I could not even breathe.
If it closed its mouth as it was, I-
[Uoooooh…]
Fortunately, the thing did not close its mouth and instead disappeared.
…Not that it truly vanished.
It merely went beyond the range of my flow current.
It was likely still drifting nearby even now.
Unbelievable. I scratched my head and, just in case, wiped the bloodstained floor with a rag.
“Is this more dangerous than water pressure…?”
Pressure, or Drowning.
none of that compared to how horrifying dying like that would be.
…Ah, now I understand a little. Other than the slight twitching when I use currents, there had never been much of a problem, so I had left it alone. The truth is, they simply cannot see me.
No matter how strongly they sense the strange currents, they cannot notice that I’m there, so they just think, huh? What’s this? Why is this happening all of a sudden?
But if I let blood flow like this, they notice me.
And then I could be completely fucked.
‘I can’t…use this, can I?’
Even if I scattered blood into the air and sent it toward an enemy, the creatures would only gnash at the air.
Since I exist in both this world and that world, I would be devoured.
But people who exist only in this world cannot be interfered with by the Deep Sea Creatures.
Whether that is fortunate or not, I do not know.
“J-Jern?”
As I washed my face at the well, Director nim approached, looking worried.
“Is something wrong? Your face looks unwell.”
“Huh? I’m fine. I’m in peak condition, actually.”
That was not a lie.
For some reason, these past two days, refining magic had become remarkably easy.
The movements of the regular magical currents had grown smooth.
To the extent that if I combined it with a simple wind spell right now, I felt like I could even float slightly in the air.
It was a pity that I could not attend classes and learn new spells, but overall, things were going smoothly.
“Let’s get ready then. How much money did you prepare?”
“Hmm, about this much. It won’t be lacking, right?”
…
I looked into the pouch and, startled, asked back.
“?? Why did you prepare so much?”
“No matter what, I couldn’t use the orphanage’s funds for gambling. I borrowed it with the field as collateral.”
“The field? You don’t mean that land your family has passed down for generations, do you??”
“Oh, so you knew?”
“No, but…why would you do that? We don’t need nearly that much.”
While I was aghast, Director nim scratched his cheek shyly.
“It feels a bit strange to say this on our way to gamble, but…I believe in you, Jern.”
“…”
“Even if things don’t go well today, don’t be too disappointed. Your intentions alone are enough.”
“…Yes, sir.”
So Director nim was a wizard too.
He must have learned a spell that kills people with sheer pressure.
*
The gambling den was, of course, not a legal place.
Naturally, that meant it was not crowded, which also meant it was nothing like a glittering casino.
The gambling den we visited was an unpleasant warehouse located near the forest on the outskirts of the city.
If not for the rough-looking muscle men blocking the entrance, one would think it was just an abandoned building you could find anywhere.
As we tried to walk in casually, a guard who had been chatting and chuckling nearby spat to the side and blocked the entrance.
“Never seen your faces before.”
“…”
I waited behind, steadying my breath.
Time to see how well our Director nim could act.
“Di, did I come to a place I shouldn’t?”
Though I hadn’t expected much, aside from a bit of stuttering, he did well.
A face full of irritation, a swaggering leg, and a subtle dissatisfaction as if he deserved better treatment.
The guard chuckled dismissively and let it go.
“Don’t get so riled up. Just a formality. Anyone can enter our shelter.”
“Shall I open the door for you, sir? Hehehe…”
He was openly disrespected, but that was fine.
Better to be seen as a plump mackerel than a massive fish too big for the net.
“Let’s go in.”
I opened the door in place of the still-hesitant Director nim and stepped into the gambling den, and, uh, well.
It looked more legitimate than I had expected.
“Fuuuuck!!!!! How the hell does this make sense?! It’s rigged, rigged I tell you!!!!”
“Hey now, you have to accept the results. Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Do you know what dream I had today? The reaper hooked his scythe around my neck and pulled.”
“Then why the hell did you even come here to gamble, you moron?”
“Because I kept losing until yesterday! The reaper killed my weak, pathetic past self. It’s a sign of great fortune!”
At a glance, there must have been at least a hundred people crammed inside.
A flashy chandelier that did not belong in a warehouse, floors laid with crimson carpet, dealers and workers in proper uniforms, and even a band playing lively music at the bar and around the hall.
Of course, there were a few rough edges, but overall, everything one would expect was present.
Even if it was just for show, it was surprisingly elaborate. Whistling, I looked around when a waiter approached, wearing a fixed smile.
“Hello, sir. I don’t believe I’ve seen you before, is this your first time here?”
“Tch, tch…”
As planned beforehand, the Director nim scowled and waved dismissively, so I stepped forward.
“Apologies. My master…does not enjoy unnecessary conversation. If you have something to say, please say it to me.”
“Uh, ah, yes…”
The waiter glanced between me and the Director nim with a hint of confusion, but as a professional, quickly regained composure and explained to me.
“Our ‘Shelter’ aims to provide a place of vitality for all those weary from their hard daily lives. It is our goal to create a place where everyone can enjoy themselves.”
“Ah, yes. That sounds wonderful. Where do we exchange money?”
“…Do you see that bar over there? You can do it at the side counter. There is a small exchange fee, but compared to other places, it’s quite reasonable, so please check for yourself!”
“Are there any restrictions on the ‘games’ we can play?”
“Haha, of course not! Anywhere, anytime, you can join if you wish!”
The waiter was speaking to me, but he had adjusted his voice so that all the details could be heard clearly by the Director nim.
The character imprint seemed to have ended successfully.
After treating us with a fawning smile until the end, the waiter left.
“…”
Before we came in, I had already told the Director nim what to do. Soon enough, with stiff movements, she began scanning the gambling tables one by one.
I followed along, keeping an eye on the surroundings as well.
“Please, under 10, please…!”
The most common game was cards.
Could I interfere with it…? It wasn’t impossible.
But it was too high a difficulty. Even the slightest mistake would make it likely they’d catch on that I was up to something strange.
“Six, six…and one! You busted!”
“Khahaha, you bastard. Even if you had pulled that, you were done for.”
Next most common was dice gambling.
Better than cards, but still just as impossible for us.
But as a test, it was perfect. I gave a signal. To be precise, I tapped the Director nim’s shoulder with the current.
“…Ahem.”
The Director nim, halting, pulled out a fake cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth. I stepped back a bit and manifested the flow current to observe the table.
“Any more participants for this round? The current roll belongs to Player 1.”
“Luck’s fucked today. I’m out.”
“Heh, you strutted around all smug, and now you’re just leaving after losing?”
“Shut your damn mouth…”
Watching the gambler slump off with his head hung low, I let out a hollow laugh.
Because I sensed through the current that the man who disappeared toward the bathroom was chatting and laughing with another dealer.
“What, nobody else joining? Just when I started making some money! Someone, come on over! Hahaha…!”
That guy who only lost was the shill. This guy who only won was the sucker.
The blissful sucker showed not the slightest intention of moving his butt.
They had trained him well. Even if I went over right now and told him the truth, that he was being worked over, he would probably get angry and tell me to shut up with the bullshit.
After circling around and confirming with the current a few times, I found out this act was happening at every single table.
Usually, in normal gambling dens that earn money through real commissions, crooks gather to hunt for suckers.
But not here. Here, the gambling den itself was the giant crook, designed to fish for suckers.
‘…That’s good, actually.’
I suppressed the smile creeping onto my lips.
It had just become easier. With things more or less figured out, I sent a signal to the Director nim again. This time, I tapped the opposite shoulder.
“Ahem!”
Then, raising her voice unnecessarily to draw attention, the Director nim looked at me with a grave expression.
I went over to the chip exchange I had seen earlier and dumped all the money from the bag.
Clatter, clatter… The sheer amount of it made the other gamblers turn and stare in surprise.
“…What? Why would someone that rich come here?”
“Leave it. Rich folks often enjoy eccentricities.”
Naturally, eyes were drawn to us.
What game would such a wealthy person come here to play?
Blackjack? Poker? Or perhaps…
“…?”
“W-what is that?”
We betrayed every one of their expectations.
We headed straight for the roulette, a game that no one was playing.
The dealer running the roulette looked at us in confusion.
“Will…will you be joining the game?”
“Yes. Number 21, straight bet.”
The Director nim placed a single chip.
“…I will spin it.”
The bewildered dealer spun the roulette, looking as if it was just some fortune test.
Tock, tododok…
The ball stopped on black 35.
As I looked at the result, I activated the flow current.
Now, let’s see what kind of trick they had set up…
…Huh?
“Number 21, again. Straight.”
The result was utterly unbelievable.
No, is this real?
I could not believe it, so I signaled the Director nim to confirm it again and again.
“I’ll spin it.”
But every time I checked the roulette with the flow current, it showed me the exact same information.
Watching the spinning roulette or rather, the ball I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
“…Ha.”
I quickly covered it up.
But probably, it was going to end much faster than I thought.
*
On the second floor of the casino.
In a space overlooking the every move of the gamblers, the manager hurriedly came up.
And, facing the massive bald man savoring wine at the center, he stood at attention.
“K-Krain nim!”
The man called Krain rolled the dice resting on a luxurious wooden table and answered with an irritated look.
“What is it. I told you not to come up while I’m working.”
“A big fish has been hooked.”
“…A big fish?”
Krain tilted his head.
“No one has attempted any play recently. What are you talking about?”
A big fish, that is, a wealthy sucker, must of course be coaxed into pouring out everything they have.
Because they aren’t complete fools, they don’t just shove in their whole fortune at once.
The manager replied with a baffled expression, as if he himself didn’t understand.
“I don’t quite know…they just suddenly showed up today and started testing roulette.”
“…?”
Roulette?
Krain rose from his seat and walked to the railing overlooking the first floor.
There, a man dressed like a nouveau riche was placing a single chip at a time on the roulette, with a servant in tow.
Behind him sat a mountain of chips.
Krain frowned.
“…He exchanged all that money just to play roulette?”
“Yes…I don’t know why.”
“Tsk, he’ll lose soon enough. No need to bother, just let him…”
But as Krain was about to dismiss it, his gaze shifted to the servant behind the nouveau riche.
“…!”
Clatter- Krain’s jaw dropped as he stared at the servant.
and then he bared his teeth in a broad smile.
“Heh, hehahaha…!”
“Krain nim?”
“This is incredible. A Natural Body…! They must not even know he’s a wizard, bringing him into a place like this…”
The manager seemed not to understand-
but this was not a matter of just catching a big fish.
It was as if a golden fish had crawled straight into the pot.
“Prepare the men. Don’t let them leave.”
“Y-yes!”
While the clueless manager set things in motion, Krain gazed down with a smile spreading across his lips.
It had been a long time since he’d landed such a big score. He would cook them slowly, so they wouldn’t even realize they were trapped in the pot until it was too late.
At least a month, and in that time, that servant would be offered up, with pleas for just one more chance…
“21. Straight.”
“…Hm?”
But something was strange.
The sucker kept betting on the number 21, placing single straight bets.
Setting aside how stupid that was, he was only putting down one chip each time.
Surely he didn’t plan to keep betting like that.
…Did he notice something?
Krain snapped his fingers to call the manager.
“Is the roulette rigged?”
“Yes. It’s been set perfectly.”
“Any chance they noticed?”
The manager answered confidently.
“The ball is filled completely with highly purified water, indistinguishable no matter how you shake it. No matter how it spins, it will always move to the predetermined slot by weight.”
“Hmm, good.”
It was a perfect arrangement. Reassured, Krain sprawled out openly on his chair.
It looked like it would take some time before the sucker was ruined…
“21, I’ll bet everything…uh, I mean I’ll go all in on 21.”
“?”
If not for that last line he overheard.
“O-all in?”
“Yes, are you deaf?”
After placing small change on the same number three times, suddenly, an all-in with the entire fortune.
A move with no room for dopamine release,
“…?”
“W-what is that bastard doing?”
And the gambling den immediately erupted into murmurs.