Casino Wizard

[Tl Note:- sry for not uploading Yesterday was a little busy]

…..

Dragon Ear was nowhere to be seen at the casino.

For the past 12 days, he had been a regular, showing up without fail to enjoy blackjack.

Today was his first absence.

“I asked the lobby staff, and they said he didn’t show up at all, oppa.”

“Really?”

“Maybe he’s already left?”

If that’s the case, then there’s nothing more to hope for.

Dragon Ear had been a customer who had won nearly 300 gold so far.

Even if the losses were manageable, the impact wasn’t insignificant, considering we had to add decks to all the blackjack tables and pay training allowances to the staff.

This isn’t a world where cards are mass-produced, and there’s no casino department in the academy.

“Has he really left?”

It feels too soon, but if Mage Hilde had actively intervened, it wasn’t impossible.

Hilde of the Crimson Flame.

Now simply known as “Archmage Hilde,” the face of the Dragon Kingdom. With her power, quietly escorting Dragon Ear away wouldn’t be too difficult.

Among dragonians, lineage is important, but the stronger one’s combat prowess, the more respect they command. And at this point, there’s no mage more powerful than Hilde.

“Oppa. Should I send someone to check?”

“To see if he’s really gone?”

“Yes. I heard he’s been staying at a pub called Baladin’s Pub lately. I didn’t go out of my way to find out, but our staff overheard some customers talking about it. A dragonian just sitting at a pub, playing with cards—it’s bound to get around.”

“……”

“Should we… check?”

After a brief moment of hesitation, I decided against it.

“No, Lucy. There’s no need to give him any reason to act.”

“Reason to act?”

“If Dragon Ear is still here, he’ll be looking for an opportunity until the very end. If he hasn’t left yet, it’s better not to risk tipping him off by snooping around.”

If Dragon Ear were the type to use force to drag me to the gambling table, I would have been under strict surveillance.

But Dragon Ear isn’t that kind of person.

He’s not the type to worry about cleaning up after himself, but he is the type to worry about the thrill of gambling diminishing.

If he threatened to kill me or cause a scene at the casino to force me to play cards, where’s the fun in that? That’s not gambling.

So, I decided to lay low for now.

“He’d actually be pleased if I tried to restrain him.”

This wasn’t carelessness.

If this method fails, there’s only one outcome left.

****

“I really want to play some damn poker.”

This was the muttered complaint of Baron Bove, a 33-year-old court baron.

He was the head of a family that had served the royal family in the capital for four generations.

A noble with an impressive academic background, having graduated from the academy’s political science department with honors, a vast network of connections, and a personality with no rough edges.

But he had one critical flaw.

“Darling, if you go to the casino again, I’ll really kill you.”

“I’ve been holding back for four months now…”

“If you can’t hold back, I’ll really kill you.”

He loved gambling so much that he squandered his fortune.

Before the casino appeared, it was dice, chess, and rummy.

After the Hyden Casino took off, he developed a taste for baccarat and roulette, happily donating his money.

Even after his family made it difficult for him to visit the casino, he still wandered around poker tables every day.

Fortunately, he stopped before he got into debt, but Baron Bove still occasionally struggled with the itch to gamble.

‘Hold back. You have to hold back.’

Baron Bove was living somewhat frugally.

Though a baron, he had no servants, no carriage, not even a single horse for commuting. He had even sold off the expensive antiques his father left him, so there was nothing left in his hands.

The only saving grace was that he still had his job.

His position was Chief Librarian at the Royal Library, responsible for managing the collection.

The baron spent his day at work as usual, bored out of his mind.

And then, in the afternoon.

“Are you that beggar?”

A dragonian suddenly appeared, picking a fight.

Over two meters tall, with a clean-cut appearance for a dragonian, but still an intimidating figure.

“Did you just call me a beggar…?”

“Yes. I called you a beggar.”

Even for a dragonian, picking a fight with a noble like this was unheard of.

As Baron Bove was both angry and bewildered, the rude dragonian bluntly added,

“I heard about you in the casino VIP room.”

“VIP room? I know of it.”

“So you haven’t been? I heard you’re too scared of your wife to even go near gambling tables, but I guess that’s true.”

“……”

“It’s a gaming hall where high-stakes betting is possible. I’ve played there too—they even had a cot and a bar.”

Wow, I’m really jealous.

Baron Bove almost blurted something out but bit his tongue.

Even if it was their first meeting, he couldn’t show his shabby side. And he had no idea what the dragonian’s intentions were.

Above all, Baron Bove was in a position where he had to avoid gambling.

Even if he went bankrupt from gambling, his title would remain.

But would the royal family look kindly on a debt-ridden noble?

They might not strip him of his title, but they could easily find excuses to deny his heir the right to inherit. Meaning his son might not get the title… With no wealth to pass down, losing the title too would be the worst.

No gambling.

Baron Bove tried to ignore the dragonian and walk away.

“I’ll give you money.”

“What?”

“I’m tired of blackjack and want to play poker, but I don’t know anyone here. I was lucky enough to join Lady Bonucci’s poker gathering once, but the stakes were too low.”

The dragonian’s words were too sweet.

But no. Baron Bove forced himself to shake his head.

You can’t just listen to some random guy who shows up out of nowhere. If the other person weren’t a dragonian, he wouldn’t have even paid attention.

But the dragonian wasn’t just talking.

“Here’s your share of the stake.”

“Huh?”

“It’s not a loan, it’s a gift. It’s your money now.”

The dragonian actually gave him money.

Counting it, it was roughly 10 gold.

A mix of 1-gold coins and 10-silver coins. Too much money to give to someone you just met without any strings attached.

Baron Bove’s attitude suddenly became respectful.

“May I ask your name?”

“Dragon Ear.”

“Mr. Dragon Ear. Why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s my sincerity. In return, guide me to a place with high stakes.”

Baron Bove couldn’t bring himself to refuse this offer.

“Where should I guide you?”

I already told you. Dragon Ear spat out the words and turned away first.

“Where there are cards and money.”

“The game is Texas Hold’em, right?”

“Doesn’t matter. Preferably a table with nobles and merchants. If it’s too early to find a decent poker game, you can set one up yourself. If you, known as a fish, suggest playing poker, there will surely be people willing to join.”

I get money, and I get to play poker?

I have no idea why he’s making this offer, but Baron Bove couldn’t bring himself to say no.

Money is money. And his desire for cards had already been rekindled.

“Why me? And who are you?”

“Ask your friends who frequent the casino about me. I’m just an ordinary, healthy person who loves cards like you. …If you don’t believe me, I’ll leave my travel pass issued by the checkpoint with you as collateral.”

“Fine. Let’s do it.”

“That’s the spirit.”

Baron Bove decided to set up a poker game for Dragon Ear.

There was no reason to refuse.

…

‘He’s a good guy.’

Dragon Ear watched Baron Bove walking ahead with a light, almost flying step.

A noble who had just received free stake money, excited to play poker after so long.

Dragon Ear had naturally learned of Baron Bove’s existence in the casino VIP room.

“Is Baron Bove still like that?”

“That guy’s a beggar.”

“Tsk. It was fun fleecing him at mini-poker and then using that money to play at the casino. He must be stuck in the library these days, bored out of his mind.”

“He was the charity of the poker table.”

Baron Bove, known as the charity of the poker table, praised as the tree that gives without hesitation.

Dragon Ear hadn’t sought out this information.

He just remembered everything he heard, whether he wanted to or not. He didn’t have the ability to forget.

‘Baron Bove, Chief Librarian at the Royal Library, borrowed money from the 1st Prince during tough times and is considered part of the 1st Prince’s faction. …He’s supposedly quit gambling, but in reality, he’s just holding back.’

No one truly quits gambling.

That’s why Dragon Ear sought out Baron Bove.

To use him as a stepping stone to lure out the mage.

Time was short, but that’s why he wanted to set up the gambling table with sincerity.

He had no intention of making Baron Bove any poorer.

In fact, Dragon Ear intended to do the opposite.

“Baron. You’re going to be rich today.”

“…That would be nice. But social poker games aren’t that intense, you know? They’re mostly for networking.”

“But for you, it’s not a social activity. Unfortunately, there are nobles who call you a charity.”

“Who would say such a terrible thing?”

Baron Bove flared up for a moment but then laughed. Dragon Ear continued,

“Luck will be on your side today.”

“Haha…”

“You don’t believe me. But you will soon.”

Baron Bove, still feeling awkward, just laughed awkwardly. Of course, he still set up the poker table as Dragon Ear instructed.

But a few hours later.

The disbelief on the Baron’s face had vanished.

“I have two pair. Guess I’ll take this…”

“What are you talking about? I have two pair too. But mine’s higher.”

“Huh?”

“Oh my. How much is this?”

The Baron, known as a fish, was sweeping up the pot.

Chuckling as he collected the money, Baron Bove left the other nobles, who had eagerly accepted his invitation, with sour expressions.

Dragon Ear was, of course, part of this poker game.

With only one hand, he managed to shuffle the cards and keep a straight face, but his performance was lackluster.

Naturally, this was the result Dragon Ear wanted.

“Blackjack is different. It seems I need to adjust.”

“Well… you’re still playing well, though? Are you tired of blackjack now?”

“You could say that.”

He responded curtly, as usual, and joined the next round.

But he wasn’t just playing.

Every time he shuffled the cards, Dragon Ear was subtly scratching the backs with his fingernail.

So subtly.

Tiny, almost imperceptible marks—in inconsistent places.

Marks that would be meaningless to a human.

“Let’s continue.”

But he wasn’t an ordinary human.

Not that Dragon Ear was using these marks to fleece the fish.

In fact, he was deliberately losing money as naturally as possible.

“Baron. Invite other nobles. The higher their rank and the more disposable income they have, the better. That way, I can recover my losses.”

“Uh… are you sure? You’ve lost quite a bit.”

“It’s fine. My luck will turn soon.”

True to his words, over the next few rounds, he recovered his losses—

Only to start losing again, this time to new faces.

“Ahem. May I join?”

“Oh my! Countess!”

The money he let go of became the spark that grew the poker game.

Both the stakes and the social status of the players.

The lesser nobles had long since left.

Though he had lost most of the profits he had made at the casino, Dragon Ear didn’t care at all.

“I can read the cards, but reading expressions is harder.”

“Blackjack’s different, right? From what I see, Mr. Dragon Ear, you need to learn poker from me.”

“Sure. Teach me.”

Dragon Ear was setting the stage.

A stage to invite the mage.

The nobles who were happily winning now were just bait and audience to lure the mage.