"M-money, you mean?"
With a bewildered look on my face, I collected my thoughts as I looked at the Director asking the question again. Our orphanage, our care facility, whatever you call it, was unbelievably nice. It was the largest orphanage, and they even gave us an allowance.
The food and education were so plentiful that I felt we were no different from children from ordinary families. At first, I thought all orphanages were like this and was impressed by the policy, but after being half-forced to wander the capital with Linmel, I learned something—our orphanage was simply the best.
Of course, it wasn't like other places abused children or anything. I heard such places existed in the past, but they were all shut down thanks to a new policy, and you couldn't find them anymore.
Anyway.
We were the only ones with a system that cared for each and every child, even giving us pocket money. At first, I just thought something like, ‘Wow, the princess must really like our orphanage to give so much support.’ But the Director always sighed deeply whenever the children weren't around. ...
It had all been just for show. In other words, the Director had no choice but to give in. Not for himself, but for us...
"No." "?"
I was wrong. The Director, now seeing my own dumbfounded face, had me sit down. With a rarely seen solemn expression, he crossed his arms and began to lecture me.
"Jern, I know you are exceptional. But to try and use that talent for a scam... that is something you must not do."
"... No, this isn't a scam~" "Ahem. Even if that were so, it is not honest money. The money I use to clothe you and feed you, I want it to be clean money."
"..."
A truly righteous argument cannot be swayed by any sophistry.
"But what about our orphanage then?"
"..."
Then all I had to do was make it no longer a righteous argument. The Director's expression wavered.
"... Did you hear?"
"A little. I could hear it. But even if I hadn't, I would have known. Everyone knew that things haven't been going well lately."
"Even so, that's something I can handle..."
"You can't." I stated it as a fact.
If it were a problem he could solve, it never would have come to this. I whispered to the agonizing Director like a devil.
"They're bad people. Did you hear that some of the former children got into gambling and ruined their families?"
"Th-that is..."
"Director."
As I said before. The Director will give in.
"Please think of it as being for our sake. So that we can eat well and grow up well."
Because it is for us, not for himself.
"..."
After agonizing for a long while, the Director finally lowered his head.
"Just once..."
"Pardon?"
"Just once. Let's do it just enough to pay off the debt and buy your textbooks. And, you must not extort from people who are gambling."
Bingo.
I smiled brightly and answered.
"Of course. Don't worry, I'll make it so the sharks approach us first."
"Haa, I feel like I'm a puppet on your strings..."
Taking the sighing Director with me, we went to Ms. Annelin's clothing store and began to get him dressed.
"N-no, Director. What in the world is all this..."
‘... I’m sorry. I’ll explain everything later.’
Ms. Annelin was horrified when she saw the Director's terrible fashion choices. A velvet vest stuffed with cotton, a leather belt, and disgustingly flashy trousers. Once he put on a beard for the disguise, he looked like a caricature of a tacky rich man.
"Take this cane, and from now on, don't speak to me so gently."
"... Like this?"
"A bit stiff. Be softer, like you're addressing an inferior."
"L-like this, I will?"
I corrected his speech as well. I also changed into a servant's uniform. - I didn't do much to disguise my face. Few people pay attention to a servant's face anyway.
"We'll use these titles. Master."
"... R-right..."
"Don't be too nervous. I'll finish this in an instant."
"Erm, how is that possible? No matter how you scam them, you can't earn that much so easily."
I explained it step by step to the bewildered Director.
"What do you think will happen if we bet 1 silver, turn it into 10 silver, and then into 100 silver?"
"I'm not sure."
"The correct answer is ‘we don't know.’ By the time we make 10 silver, they'll start pulling tricks, and if I break through those tricks, they'll realize I'm not ordinary and use force."
"We'd be thrown out in one way or another before 1 silver becomes 100 silver."
And I wasn't confident I could overcome that force. ... Well, maybe a little, but. Doing so would be a problem.
Escalating things wasn't my goal. For that reason, winning bit by bit was never an option.
"Then what are you planning to do?"
"I've already thought of a method."
When they cast their lure to hook us. I'll cut the line, fishing hook and all. And run before they can figure out the situation.
"The operation is tomorrow. We'll finish it in one go."
By the time they realize they've been tricked by the gambling den— The tacky rich man and his servant will no longer exist in this world.
-Drip, drip. ...? On the day we were supposed to go to the gambling den. In the still dim dawn.
While I was manifesting Tide Sense in the storeroom, my nose suddenly started bleeding.
"Tsk, what is this."
I got enough sleep, so what could it be. This wasn't a world with things like tissues. I caught the falling blood in my hand and wiped it with a nearby rag.
In the process, my hand got heavily stained with blood. To wash my hand, I'd have to go to the well. Annoyed, I was scowling when a new idea suddenly came to mind.
"Will this work?"
I made my blood aware. Then, like a drop of milk in water, the blood spread out into the air.
"Ooh..."
It was a truly mystical sight. As I stared blankly at the small cloud made of blood— [~~~~~~~~~~~~!] The currents started moving violently.
They began to shake as if they had lost their minds. Wondering what was happening, I looked up and saw the deep sea creatures, which had been quiet until now, writhing as if searching for something, swimming around at an unimaginable speed. What they were searching for was clear.
"Oh, dear."
I immediately realized and let the blood fall. Drip-drip-drip-drip— The blood that was in the air was immediately affected by gravity and wet the floor. Before long, the surroundings instantly became quiet.
The deep sea creatures vanished in a flash, and far fewer of them remained than before. ... Something was strange. It looked as though the deep sea creatures were fleeing in a hurry.
I manifested Tide Sense inside the storeroom.
"..."
And.
I sensed a creature so massive it defied description. Even with my Tide Sense, which could now detect things dozens of meters away, I could only perceive a tiny fraction of the creature. Tens of thousands of saw-like teeth, made for tearing apart creatures larger than itself... its mouth was like a blender.
It opened its mouth and placed ‘the orphanage’ inside it. I couldn't even breathe. If it closes its mouth like that.
I— [Uooooo...]
Fortunately, the creature disappeared without closing its mouth. ... It didn't really disappear. It had simply moved beyond the range of my Tide Sense.
It was probably still wandering nearby. It was absurd. I scratched my head and wiped the blood-stained floor with the rag, just in case.
"Is this more important than the water pressure...?"
More than water pressure, or drowning. Dying like that seemed like it would be the most painful way to go. ... Ah, I think I get it now.
When I used the currents, there weren't any major problems aside from a slight writhing, so I just left them be, but these creatures simply can't see me. No matter how strange the currents they feel, they don't notice my presence, so they're just thinking, ‘What? Why is this happening all of a sudden?’
But if I shed blood like this, they notice. And I could be screwed like this.
‘I can't... use it, can I.’ Even if I scattered my blood, made it float in the air, and sent it toward an enemy, they would just bite at empty air.
I exist in both this world and that world, so I would be eaten. But people who only exist in this world are not interfered with by the deep sea creatures. I wasn't sure if that was a relief or not.
"J-Jern?"
As I was washing my face at the well, the anxious-looking Director approached me.
"Is something wrong? You look like you're in pain."
"Hm? I'm fine. I'm in top condition."
It wasn't a lie. I didn't know why, but for the past two days, my magic training had become incredibly smooth. The movement of the currents for normal magic had become fluid.
So much so that I felt I could even fly a little if I combined it with a simple wind magic right now. It was a pity I couldn't learn new magic because I couldn't attend class, but overall, it was going smoothly.
"Let's start getting ready. How much money did you prepare?"
"Erm, about this much. It won't be too little, will it?"
I looked at the amount in the pouch, startled, and asked back.
"?? Why did you prepare so much?"
"Still, I can't use the orphanage's assets for gambling. I took out a loan with the field as collateral."
"The field? You don't mean... the land that's been passed down in your family for generations??"
"Oh, you know about it?"
"No, that's a bit... Why did you do that? We don't need that much."
As I stood there in shock, the Director scratched his cheek, looking slightly embarrassed.
"It's a bit strange to say this on the way to gamble... but I believe in you, Jern."
"..."
"Even if things don't go well today, don't be too disappointed. Your heart has been received."
"... Yes, sir."
Was the Director a mage, too? It seems he learned magic that kills people with pressure.
The gambling den was, of course, not a legal establishment. Naturally, that meant there weren't that many people, which also meant it was a different breed from a flashy casino. The gambling den we actually went to was a creepy warehouse located near a forest on the outskirts of the city.
If it weren't for the tough-looking brutes blocking the entrance, I would have thought it was just another abandoned building you could find anywhere. As I tried to walk in naturally, one of the guards who had been laughing and talking nearby spat on the ground and blocked the entrance.
"Never seen your face before."
"..."
I held my breath and waited from behind. Shall we see how good our Director's acting skills are?
"A-am I in a place I'm not supposed to be?"
I wasn't expecting much, but aside from a slight stutter, he was fine. A face full of irritation, a swaggering posture, a subtle dissatisfaction that said he deserved better treatment. The guard laughed as if it were pathetic and let it slide.
"Hey, don't get so worked up. Just checking. Anyone can enter our Shelter."
"Should I open the door for you? Hehe..."
Being openly ignored was actually better. Rather than a big shot who wouldn't even fit in the net, it was best to be seen as a moderately plump mackerel.
"Let's go in."
I opened the door for the still slightly hesitant Director and entered. The inside of the gambling den was—uh, well. It was more decent than I thought.
"Shiiiiiit!!!!!!! Does this make sense, or not?! It's a scam, a scam!!!!"
"Hey now, you have to accept the results. Don't do anything stupid."
"You know what dream I had today? The grim reaper put a scythe to my neck and pulled."
"Then why the hell did you come here to gamble, you idiot?"
"I've been losing until yesterday. The grim reaper killed that weak past self. It means my luck has turned!"
Roughly a hundred people were bustling about. A fancy chandelier unbecoming of a warehouse, a floor covered with a red carpet, dealers and staff in proper uniforms, and even a band playing lively music near the bar. Of course, there were a few ambiguous elements—but for the most part, it had everything it needed.
Even if it was just for show, it was quite professional. As I whistled and looked around, a waiter approached with a fixed smile.
"Hello, sir. I haven't seen your face before, is this your first time?"
"Hmph, tsk..."
As we had discussed beforehand, the Director scowled and waved his hand, and I stepped forward.
"My apologies. My master, he... does not enjoy unnecessary conversation. If you have something to say, please say it to me."
"Pardon? Ah, yes..."
The waiter, looking slightly flustered, glanced back and forth between me and the Director, but professionally regained his composure and began to explain to me.
"Our ‘Shelter’ aims to be a source of vitality for everyone tired of their arduous daily lives. Our goal is to be a place where everyone can have fun."
"Ah, yes. That's wonderful. Where can I exchange money?"
"... Do you see that bar over there? You can do it at the side. There's a small exchange fee, but it's at a conscientious level compared to other places, so please go and see for yourself!"
"Are there any restrictions on the 'games' we can play?"
"Haha, would there be such a thing! Anywhere, anytime you wish, you can join!"
The waiter was explaining to me, but he was adjusting his voice so that all the details could be heard by the Director. It seemed we had successfully established our characters. The waiter remained friendly with a smile until the very end, then left.
"..."
Before we came in, I had told the Director something in advance. Soon, with stiff movements, the Director began to scan the gambling tables one by one. I followed him, observing our surroundings.
"Please be 10 or less, please...!"
The most common were card games. If you were to ask if I could intervene... it's not that I couldn't, but. It was too difficult.
The slightest mistake would have a high chance of revealing I was up to something strange.
"6, 6... and a 1! I busted!"
"Khaha, you bastard. You were finished even without that."
The next most common was dice gambling. Even if it was better than cards, it was still impossible. But it would be perfect for a test.
I sent a signal. To be precise, I gently tapped the Director's shoulder with a current.
"... Ahem."
The Director, who had stopped, took out a fake cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth. I stood a little distance away and activated Tide Sense to watch the gambling table.
"Anyone else joining this round? The current hand is for customer number 1's score."
"My luck is shit today. I'm out."
"Tsk, you put on such a big show, and now you're leaving after losing?"
"Shut your mouth..."
I glanced at the gambler walking away with his head bowed, then let out a hollow laugh. Because my Tide Sense felt the guy who disappeared toward the bathroom laughing and talking with another dealer.
"What, no one else joining? I was just starting to win! Anyone, come on, hahaha...!"
That guy who had been losing was the shill. This guy who had been winning was the easy mark. The happy mark's ass showed no intention of moving.
They've trained him well. Even if I went over now and told him the truth that he was being set up, he'd probably get angry and tell me to shut my trap. After looking around a few times and confirming with Tide Sense, I could see that they were pulling this crap at every single gambling table.
Usually, in gambling dens that genuinely operate on commission fees, hustlers gather to hook easy marks. This place was different. The gambling den itself was one giant hustler designed to hook easy marks.
‘... Nice.’
I tried to hide the smile that crept onto my lips. This actually made it easier. Now that I had a good grasp of the situation, I sent a signal to the Director.
This time, a tap on the other shoulder.
"Ahem!"
Then, the Director, who had gathered attention with an unnecessarily loud cough, looked at me with a solemn expression. I went to the chip exchange counter I saw earlier and poured out the money from the bag.
Clatter...
At the enormous amount, the other gamblers looked over at us in surprise.
"... What? Why did a rich guy like that come here?"
"Leave him be. Rich people like to enjoy eccentric things."
Naturally, all eyes were on us. What game did such a rich man come here to play?
Blackjack? Poker? Or...
"?"
"Wh-what is that?"
We betrayed all their expectations. We went to the roulette table, where not a single person was playing. The dealer in charge of the roulette looked at us with a flustered expression.
"W-will you be joining the game?"
"Yes. Number 21, straight up."
The Director bet exactly one chip.
"... Spinning."
The bewildered dealer, looking as if he thought we were just testing our luck, spun the roulette wheel.
Click, clack-clack...
The ball stopped in the black 35 pocket. Watching the result, I activated Tide Sense. Let's see, what kind of trick have they set up... ...
Huh?
"Number 21, straight up again."
An unbelievable result came out. No, is this for real? I couldn't believe it, so I signaled the Director and checked again and again.
"Spinning."
But every time I checked the roulette wheel with Tide Sense, it showed the same information. I watched the spinning roulette—more accurately, the ball—and a hollow laugh escaped me.
"... Heh."
I quickly covered it. It seemed this would be over much faster than I thought.
On the second floor of the casino. In a space where every move of the gamblers could be seen, the manager rushed up. And, seeing the large, bald man sitting in the center savoring his wine, he stood at attention.
"M-Mr. Krain!"
The man called Krain, who was rolling dice on a luxurious wooden table, answered with an annoyed expression.
"What is it. I told you not to come up when I'm working."
"We've hooked a big fish."
"... A big fish?"
Krain tilted his head.
"There shouldn't have been anyone trying to set up a mark recently. What are you talking about?"
A big fish, a rich easy mark, naturally required creating an environment where they would pour out everything they had. Because they weren't stupid either, they wouldn't bet their entire fortune at once. The manager answered with a bewildered expression, as if he couldn't understand it himself.
"I'm not sure either... He just showed up today and is testing the waters at the roulette."
"...?"
Roulette?
Krain stood up from his seat and headed to the railing overlooking the first floor. A man dressed as a tacky rich man, accompanied by a servant, was placing exactly one chip at a time on the roulette. With a mountain of chips piled up behind them.
Krain frowned.
"... He exchanged all that just to play roulette?"
"Yes... I don't know why."
"Tsk, he'll lose it all like that. No need to bother with him, just leave him be..."
Just as Krain was about to dismiss it as insignificant, his gaze fell upon the servant behind the rich man.
"...!"
Clank.
Krain's jaw dropped as he stared at the servant— Then, he bared his teeth and smiled brightly.
"Heh, hahaha...!"
"Mr. Krain?"
"It's a jackpot. A natural body...! Bringing him to a place like this, he must not have even known he was a mage..."
The manager didn't seem to know, but— This wasn't something that ended with just a big fish. It was as if a fish made of gold had crawled in.
"Get the boys ready. Don't let them leave."
"Yes, sir!"
While the clueless manager went to make arrangements, Krain looked down with a wide grin on his face. It had been a while since he had such a big catch. He would use all his power to cook him slowly, so he wouldn't even know he was trapped in a pot.
At least a month, and within that time, he'll be begging for one more chance, offering up that servant...
"Number 21. Straight up."
"... Hm?"
But something was strange. The mark was continuously betting on the number 21, straight up. Putting aside how foolish it was, he was only betting one chip at a time.
Surely he wasn't planning to keep betting like that. ... Did he notice? Krain snapped his fingers and called the manager.
"Is the roulette rigged?"
"Yes. It's been rigged for sure."
"Any chance he found out?"
The manager answered in a confident tone.
"The ball is filled with water of such high purity that you can't tell no matter how much you shake it."
"No matter how it's spun, it will move to the predetermined spot due to its specific gravity."
"Hmm, good."
It was a perfect countermeasure. Reassured, Krain leaned back in his chair openly. It seemed it would take a little time until the mark's downfall...
"21, betting it all... uh, I mean, I'm all in."
"?"
If it hadn't been for that last line he heard.
"A-all in, you say?"
"Yes, are you deaf?"
He had bet spare change on the same number exactly three times. And then immediately bet his entire fortune. An act that left no room for a dopamine rush— "...?"
"Wh-what's with that guy?" —the gambling den immediately started to stir.