Casino Wizard

Chapter 53



Dragon Ear has a close connection with the hero party of the Dragon Kingdom.

That connection is likely blood-related.

That was my conclusion.

Judging from the expression of the Dragon Kingdom’s ambassador, it didn’t seem like I was completely off the mark…

“Dragon Ear is not a member of the hero party. He never was.”

“When did I ever say that?”

“I just wanted to make sure.”

The reaction was somewhat peculiar.

‘Could it be that they don’t know I was part of the hero party?’

Unlike Leandro’s party, the achievements of the Pierrot party I belonged to were indeed modest.

Although we fought together on the front lines against the Demon King’s army, there wasn’t much direct interaction, and the difference in strength was so great that we never really collaborated.

Still, after more than two years of activity, it’s hard to believe we never met.

I was at least acquainted with the hero Leandro and his comrades.

“Ambassador. Is there a reason you’re emphasizing that Dragon Ear was not part of the hero party?”

“……”

“You don’t have to answer.”

The Dragon Kingdom’s ambassador, Regina, stiffened her expression, perhaps thinking she had misspoken.

I couldn’t let go of the initiative I had seized.

After all, I only had one advantage.

Even if it was just a suspicion without concrete evidence, I had the ability to confirm the truth behind that suspicion.

Whether that truth was a disgraceful secret of a heroic party member or just a family history they wanted to hide out of shame, I could use it.

“If Dragon Ear just leaves, I’ll forget everything.”

Despite my request, the Dragon Kingdom’s ambassador remained silent.

Does that mean Dragon Ear is that much of a troublesome figure? In any case, there was no turning back now.

“There were two dragonians in the Dragon Kingdom’s hero party.”

“……”

“First, the hero Leandro. I heard he’s now the captain of the Dragon Knights and the head of the Detoledo family. They say there’s no dragonian more noble and esteemed than him, except for the king himself. His life can’t be easy, though.”

“…The mage.”

“Yes. And then there’s the mage Hilde.”

Hilde, the mage of the Dragon Kingdom’s party.

Among the four mages who were part of the hero party, she was the most powerful dragonian mage.

Her exploits during the war were legendary. Even now, they’re still talked about.

She could cast high-level spells without incantations, ride a wyvern while flying and rain down the highest-level fire spells on the demons…

Thanks to her achievements back then, she’s still recognized as the representative mage of the Dragon Kingdom.

“At first, I just passed it off, but Hilde looks remarkably similar to Dragon Ear.”

At these words, a look of despair appeared on the Dragon Kingdom ambassador’s face.

“Similar. Is that all?”

“Fortunately, that’s not all now. You’ve confirmed that it’s a credible suspicion.”

“Just with this…”

“If you think about it, there’s more than one or two suspicious circumstances.”

“……”

“Dragon Ear probably wandered around for years, running gambling dens. Sometimes he might have been satisfied with a 1-bronze game, but other times he might have bet his hands or horns. Given his talent, he probably won more often than he lost. And overwhelmingly so.”

If he had been doing that for at least a few years, he should have gained some notoriety.

Dragon Ear is usually polite and well-mannered, but once he gets into gambling, he ignores even his own safety.

Yet, Dragon Ear was wandering around comfortably.

It could have been luck or his own strength, but there was also the possibility that someone was backing him.

“Are you saying Hilde was the one who cleaned up after him?”

“I don’t know. She might have just stood by.”

“……”

“But there’s a way to find out.”

Whether Hilde and Dragon Ear are parent and child, siblings, or cousins.

And whether Hilde has completely cut ties with Dragon Ear or has been using her influence to support him so he can play freely…

If I put my mind to it and spent some money, there’s nothing I couldn’t find out. The ambassador knows that too, which is why she can’t just kick me out.

“Dragon Ear leaving the capital. Is that all you want?”

“Yes. And he must never return.”

“Then what about the baseless suspicions in your head…?”

“I’ll erase them completely. And I’ll live the rest of my life without paying any attention to them.”

The Dragon Kingdom ambassador looked at me suspiciously.

Her face seemed to say, “Are you really going to go that far?”

To kick out one troublesome guest, I was willing to touch on the family history of a great mage (possibly the most powerful on the continent). I understand it might seem like a bluff, but I wasn’t just trying to get rid of a freeloader.

“Because of Dragon Ear, we managed to push through a rule change in a few days that could have taken five years, and we’re retraining the dealers. Training one dealer is as hard as training one soldier.”

That’s why I dragged Dragon Ear’s family into this.

Because I don’t know how long Dragon Ear will keep up his current antics.

What if even this doesn’t work?

Then the only option would be to face Dragon Ear across the gambling table.

If I lose, it’s a disaster, and if I win, I might have to personally cut off the hand of someone presumed to be related to the mage Hilde.

To avoid that, this was the best way to handle it.

“Have Hilde take Dragon Ear away. That’s all I want, Ambassador.”

Fortunately, the Dragon Kingdom ambassador didn’t refuse.

“I’ll send a familiar. Right now.”

A short while later, the Dragon Kingdom ambassador sent a familiar to her homeland. Of course, with a letter tied to one leg.

A means of delivering messages much faster and safer than carrier pigeons…

There are mages (usually twins) who can exchange messages over long distances using unique magic, but if not, this is the fastest method.

“Are you sending it to the mage Hilde?”

“Yes. It will be as you wish.”

That was exactly what I wanted to hear.

I just hoped the Dragon Kingdom’s great mage would come to collect her gambling-addicted family member as soon as possible.

****

Four days later. At Baladin’s Pub, where Dragon Ear was staying.

There was a visitor looking for Dragon Ear, who was preparing for his usual outing.

A small visitor who entered through the half-open window, not the door.

A fairy.

A 30-centimeter-tall fairy with two pairs of butterfly wings. Dragon Ear, who had been playing with cards, glanced indifferently at the doll-like fairy.

“Want to play a round of poker?”

“I have a message for someone of dragon blood.”

“For me?”

“It’s a letter from the Ambassador.”

The fairy carefully dropped a rolled-up piece of paper and left.

Dragon Ear continued playing with his cards for a while before finally unfolding the letter.

The content was brief, so reading it didn’t take long.

But even after finishing, Dragon Ear couldn’t put the letter down, just blinking his eyes. Occasionally, his left wrist twitched.

“Guest. Your meal is here.”

At that moment, green-haired Miriam entered.

Having seen her for over ten days, she now entered without knocking, set down the meal, and took her tip without a word.

Dragon Ear spoke to her without even looking.

“Green.”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any siblings?”

“Siblings, older sisters, older brothers. I have them all. I don’t know if they’re dead or alive.”

“Have you ever had something taken from you by those siblings?”

It was very rare for Dragon Ear to ask personal questions…

But Miriam, grateful for the generous tips, readily opened up.

“Yes. When I was young, my older brother would take all the breakfast, saying he had to go to work, and the ring my grandmother left me was taken by my older sister when she married into another village. I got nothing.”

“I see.”

“What about you?”

Dragon Ear neatly folded the letter and answered.

“I had my chance at success taken by my only younger sister.”

“Success? I didn’t think you cared about that.”

“I didn’t back then. …I competed with my sister for the honorable position of fighting the Demon King’s army alongside the Goddess’s apostle, and I lost that position due to her schemes. Looking back now, it’s nothing, but at the time, it felt like the whole world had betrayed me.”

Dragon Ear paused here.

He seemed too tired to continue and handed the letter delivered by the fairy to Miriam, telling her to read it.

[Your sister will visit soon. I know you’ve been distant. I’ll arrange a place for you two to meet comfortably.]

The content was too ordinary. As Miriam tilted her head in confusion, Dragon Ear spoke.

“My sister will come soon. And she’ll forcibly take me away.”

“The sister who took your chance?”

“She probably can’t stand me anymore. Maybe she’s been watching me all this time, trying to ease her conscience. …Humans don’t have such shallow feelings as guilt. Especially when the object of that guilt is a gambler.”

“That’s not exactly written here…”

“Even if it’s not written, I can tell.”

Dragon Ear looked at the playing cards with sunken eyes.

Because the future he feared the most (a future without gambling) was approaching.

His rambling to the green-haired waitress was purely out of that fear. The severed part kept itching.

“If I return to the Dragon Kingdom this time… I might never be able to gamble again. I’ll end up in a situation similar to yours.”

“Oh my. That’s too much.”

“If I’m lucky, I might still enjoy gambling within the Dragon Kingdom, but it won’t be as thrilling as before. I’ll have to live reminiscing about the regret of not settling things with the mage.”

Truly depressed.

The fact that he would have to leave without settling things with possibly the most outstanding gambler he had ever faced was too bitter.

“There’s still time, but the mage will ultimately refuse.”

If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have needlessly provoked the mage…

Of course, that would have gone against Dragon Ear’s beliefs. The mage might have seen him as a nuisance, but Dragon Ear had always done his best for the ultimate game.

It was just disheartening that his efforts had come to nothing.

Noticing Dragon Ear’s troubled expression, Miriam suddenly spoke up.

“When is your sister coming? A month?”

“Probably in a few days. My sister can use flight magic. She’s also a wyvern rider.”

“So there’s still a few days?”

So there’s still a few days.

Miriam left with the tray after these final words, but Dragon Ear remained frozen.

“Yes. A few days.”

There was still time.

The little time given until his sister Hilde literally flew in. Whether it was three or four days-

If he could just lure the mage Haidin to the gambling table by then, that would be it.

Of course, there was no guarantee of success.

“That’s why it’s worth trying.”

That’s what gambling is all about. Dragon Ear, regaining his vigor, raised the corner of his mouth.

Dragon Ear didn’t go to the casino.

He decided to find a new way to lure the mage to the gambling table within the limited time.

Naturally, he wasn’t going to be picky about the means.

There was only one thing driving Dragon Ear now.

The desire to enjoy what might be the last gamble of his life as spectacularly as possible.

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