Chapter 133: Royal Straight Flush (2)

Even if hell existed, it probably wouldn't be as noisy as this place.

“Let’s gooo!”

“The... The money for my daughter’s medical bills!”

“No way! How can I lose seven times in a row!!!!”

“Aaaargh!”

The moment they stepped into Red Siren, their eardrums were assaulted by screams and shouting.

“Let’s head to the top floor.”

Even Ultima grimaced and picked up his pace. He walked swiftly and surely, as he knew exactly where to go without even needing to look around, which Keter noticed.

Either he has been here often, or he has done a lot of research.

Keter noticed that the floors of the casino were divided by social class.

The ones screaming on the first floor of this noisy hell were all dressed like commoners. And the games they played were so simple that even a monkey could probably do it: there was a game where the person who rolled the highest dice won the pot, a game of guessing heads or tails of a coin, and a random lottery-type game. Simple didn’t mean that it was boring, and it certainly didn’t mean the games weren’t addictive.

The minimum bet was just one bronze coin—cheap enough that even commoners who weren’t gamblers could join for fun.

Of course, the people screaming weren't just losing a few bronze coins. The tables had piles of gold coins, even a few platinum coins scattered here and there.

To Keter and Ultima, platinum coins were pocket change. But for commoners, struggling to survive day-to-day, even a single platinum coin would be worth killing for.

These idiots would flip out even for just one gold.

People wept after losing everything and clung to strangers, begging for loans. To those desperate gamblers, Keter and Ultima probably looked like prime prey.

“P-please, my lord! Could you please spare a single silver, no, even just a single bronze coin! I beg of you!”

The man, in a complete mess, stood in front of Ultima and began begging.

He picked the wrong person.

Without a word, Ultima kicked him aside, like brushing a stone off the road.

If you’re that clueless, you deserve it. And these idiots actually think their bad luck was to blame for losing. If you’re dumb, you get culled. That’s just how it works.

Gamblers disguised as commoners colluded with the dealers to rake in all the money. It wasn’t even subtle. Anyone paying attention would notice the same guy getting lucky every single time.

But these fools were too obsessed with their losses to see clearly.

“This is a scam! How can he roll a six seven times in a row?!”

And the even dumber ones would cause a scene right there.

Tsk. If you say that, did you think the dealer would go, 'Oh dear, you caught us! Here’s ten times your money back!'

“Do you have proof?”

“P-proof? That dice! The dice is rigged!”

“What’s wrong with this dice?”

Of course it was rigged—it was weighted so six came up more often. But it was impossible to tell just by watching it roll. Since the dealer swapped the dice after every roll, the die they would give the gambler to inspect would be totally normal.

“The dealer’s in on it too!”

The only thing dumber than a fool was a half-wit who thought he was smart.

Sure enough, before the dealer even gave a signal, a bouncer stepped forward and grabbed the screaming man by the throat.

“K–kek!”

The poor man was dragged off somewhere. The surrounding gamblers froze for a moment and seemed to escape the heat of the gamble.

That was when the dealer lightened up the mood.

“Sorry for the interruption! To make up for it, I’ll personally add ten gold coins to the pot! Anyone else want to join?”

The dealer tossed ten coins onto the table. Seeing the glittering gold, the crowd instantly forgot the man who had just been dragged away.

Honestly, they were probably fish in their past lives. They are so stupid that they would bite the hook again and again, no matter how many times they got caught before.

Keter now had a rough idea of what kind of person ran this place.

Someone who would squeeze water from dry bark... but he’s not without a bit of flexibility.

This man was capable of giving

the

Ultima trouble, so he wasn’t someone just reliant on noble support.

“Ah, Mr. Ultima! Back again, I see.”

In front of the elevator leading to the upper floors, a huge bouncer recognized Ultima. Though he spoke politely, his smile was full of mockery.

“Open the door. We’re going to the top floor.”

“Haha, how much have you brought this time? I remember you losing ten thousand gold in just thirty minutes last time. Hope you stay a little longer today.”

Ultima flushed red. Keter knew him well. It wasn’t the money loss that angered him—it was his own failure to spot the scam.

Thud!

Ultima punched the bouncer straight in the gut. The man clutched his stomach in pain but still laughed mockingly.

“Ow, ow. I guess your wallet hurts as much as your fists do. I truly hope you win something today.”

Ultima ignored him and stepped into the elevator. As Keter followed him in, he casually kicked the bouncer’s knee.

“Gah?!”

The man who had withstood Ultima’s punch toppled over, grabbing his knee.

“Urghh! I can’t stand up. W-what did you do to me?!”

Would you understand if I explained to you that I shattered your pressure point? Probably not. Also, who the hell did he think he was, mocking my little Ultima?

As the elevator doors closed, Keter flipped him off. He could feel Ultima staring at him. When he turned, he saw Ultima with a wide grin.

“What are you looking at?

Tsk

. Stop staring.”

“...You’re crazy.”

Despite cursing, Ultima obediently looked away.

Ultima's best when he's knocked down a peg.

* * *

Unlike the first floor, which was like a chaotic marketplace, the top floor was a completely different world. From floor to ceiling, the space was dark, with countless stars twinkling as if one were walking through the center of the universe.

The games had changed too. The main attractions were poker, Texas Hold’em, and Blackjack, which were played with cards.

The space was wide, but there were few guests, maybe a dozen or so. However, the amounts they were betting were beyond imagination.

“Call.”

A middle-aged man, who looked like he enjoyed dressing up, placed five thousand-gold bills on the table. The table was piled with platinum coins. There was not a single gold coin, and bundles of bills were stacked alongside.

The middle-aged man revealed his cards and said, “Full house of kings.”

Across from him sat a young man in his mid-twenties, wearing a violet uniform reminiscent of lilacs.

He smiled apologetically and said, “Well, I’m terribly sorry about this, Count.”

He laid down his cards. It was another full house, but an ace full house. It was a crushing defeat by the smallest margin, yet instead of flipping the table, the count laughed heartily.

“Ah, as expected, I can't beat Sir Philip’s luck!”

“Hehe, didn’t I tell you? You shouldn’t have followed.”

He didn’t even bat an eye, even though he just lost thousands of gold. That wasn’t bravado; everyone here was wealthy enough to use tens of thousands of gold as entertainment.

“Is that the person you’re looking for, Lord Keter?”

Ultima respectfully addressed Keter, conscious of all the eyes on them.

“Hey, you. You know that guy?”

Keter pointed at Philip. Ultima glanced at him and shook his head.

“No. First time seeing him. Why do you ask?”

“He’s been staring at you. Thought maybe you knew each other.”

“Probably just knows I’m the owner of a merchant company. Everyone in this business knows me.”

Ultima shrugged it off, but Keter rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Hm... That guy doesn’t feel human for some reason.

In Liqueur, there were many non-human races, such as elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and even monsters that were intelligent enough to be social. Based on all the different beings Keter had seen and fought, he could tell Philip was not human.

Maybe a shapeshifted beastfolk?

Still, Keter wouldn’t usually care about something like that. The only reason he cared now was that Philip had been oddly conscious of Ultima.

Even if he recognized Ultima as a merchant company owner, a glance should’ve been enough. Why keep staring?

It was something small that could be easily dismissed, but Keter decided to remember Philip’s face, his speech, the way he smirked with his right lip curled when confident, the way he smiled without showing his teeth.

If I see him again, maybe I’ll peel off his skin and check.

With that mental note filed away, Keter followed Ultima to a large wooden board. It was covered in names and numbers.

—Rajis Garcia, the Sword Dragon: 3.7-fold

—Pashian, the Red Wolf: 4.2-fold

—Maxid Ereal, the Unyielding Knight: 5.5-fold

—Regan, Commander of Count Zepirus’ knights, Regan: 9.2-fold

—Gillion Blitz, second-eldest of Count Blitz: 12.5-fold

—Jordic, the Spear Dragon: 18.6-fold

—Polka, four-star knight of Marquis Garcia, Polka: 25.7-fold

...

...

—Norman, two-star knight of Baron Shadabon, Norman: 52-fold

—Everyone eliminated: 100-fold

It was the betting board for predicting the champion of the Sword of the South Tournament. It was a list of the top fifty likely candidates.

Ultima quietly whispered, “As you can see, Keter, since you haven’t even formally entered, your name isn’t here. Neither is Sefira’s. Even if we go to another casino, it’ll be the same.”

Ultima looked at Keter, hoping to see disappointment. Even though they were on the same side, it was obvious he wanted to see him fail and be in despair.

But Keter responded casually, “Who do you think will win?”

“...If you’re asking about the most likely winner based purely on skill and background, it would be Rajis Garcia. He’s a Master-level swordsman, and the third son of the Masters of Swords Garcia family. Red Wolf Pashian, an Orichalcum-class mercenary, has better battlefield experience, but his mercenary background will hold him back...”

Ultima gave a textbook answer, but Keter was only half-listening. Something felt off.

The ninth Sword of the South. Why isn’t his name here?

Keter, who had lived through a previous life, clearly remembered who had won the ninth Sword of the South Tournament.

Dopema. That was the name.

When Burgundy had mentioned the Sword Dragon participating, Keter thought Dopema might be that Sword Dragon. But here, the Sword Dragon was listed as Rajis, not Dopema.

Burgundy said three Masters would be competing.

Two of them were revealed: Rajis and Pashian. That meant the third must be Dopema.

Then why isn’t Dopema’s name on this list?

It didn’t make sense that the organizers wouldn't know. They knew about Rajis and Pashian, but how could they be unaware of Dopema?

There’s something I don’t know here...

Normally, a mystery like that would cause worry. But Keter smiled.

The reason people loved tournaments was the thrill of guessing who would win, and the pleasure of seeing the person they rooted for succeed.

However, Keter, who knew the future, knew who became the ninth Sword of the South, but for some reason, Dopema, who was supposed to be the champion of this year’s tournament, wasn’t listed. He didn’t know why, and he loved that.

“This just got interesting.”

Ultima, unaware of what Keter was thinking, leaned closer and whispered, “What are you plotting now? At least give me a heads-up.”

“Doesn’t concern you. Probably.”

“That’s a relief. So what now? If you’re done, let’s leave.”

“What do you mean? We’re at a casino. Time to gamble.”

Keter approached the receptionist.

“What’s the maximum bet I can put on the tournament?”

“You may bet up to ten million gold.”

“If I bet that much on Norman, who’s at fifty-two-to-one odds, and he wins, you’ll pay me five hundred twenty million gold, right?”

“...!”

Whether by chance or fate, the musicians stopped playing, and everyone heard Keter.

“Who the hell is that? He’s talking about ten million gold like it’s pocket change...”

“That’s a huge amount, but I’ve never seen him before.”

“Wait, isn’t that Ultima next to him?”

“Heh, lost miserably last time and still has the guts to show his face?”

Nobles crowded around Keter. Ultima, now surrounded, was incredibly uncomfortable.

However, Keter, not caring at all, raised his voice confidently.

“Answer me. Can you pay five hundred twenty million gold?”

It was an outrageous sum that a mere merchant company could not handle. It was equivalent to the military budget of the Lillian Kingdom for ten years.

“I-I’ll check with the master right away.”

The receptionist hurriedly disappeared behind the curtain.

With a fake smile, Ultima said, “Haha, Lord Keter. You’re not really planning to bet on Norman, are you?”

“I’m not betting on Norman. But I am betting ten million gold. They said that’s the maximum.”

“Even betting on Rajis, the favorite, isn’t safe. This tournament isn’t about pure strength. And besides...”

Ultima lowered his voice.

“...You know this bet is strange.”

As he said, this bet on the winner of the tournament was strange, especially the odds. Even though multiple bets weren’t allowed, the odds were fixed. This meant that the organizers would lose massive money if the favorites won.

Seven hundred thirty thousand gold was on Rajis, five hundred fifty thousand on Pashian, and three hundred twenty thousand gold on Maxid. Excluding these three, the bet on the other people was less than two hundred thousand gold altogether.

What this meant was that the casino would suffer a huge loss if one of Rajis, Pashian, or Maxid won, as they would have to pay more than what they got. This kind of gambling was unheard of, as casinos and merchants never operated at a loss.

At that moment, the curtain opened, and a man emerged. He looked similar to a rat.

“Well, well! If it isn’t Mr. Ultima!”

Ultima’s face twisted in disgust.

“Aleron, you’re still alive. I thought you had died from eating shit because you kissed too many noble asses.”

“Hahaha! I’m healthier than ever, thanks to the ten thousand gold you ‘donated’. I hear from my subordinate that you’re here to bet big on the winner of the tournament.”

Technically, Keter was the one betting, but Ultima wasn’t foolish enough to rat him out now.

“Yeah. I’m here to bankrupt you,” Ultima blurted out without thinking.

He couldn’t look weak, especially in front of Aleron.

I’m counting on you, Keter.

Aleron came down to the floor and sat at the receptionist’s seat.

“So, you’re betting ten million gold on Norman? If he wins, you’ll hit a huge jackpot. Five hundred twenty million gold... I can’t even pay ten percent of that amount if I sold my entire company. If Norman wins, I’ll transfer my entire merchant company to you.”

Ultima scoffed.

“Why would I bet ten million gold for someone who doesn’t have fifty million gold? I can bankrupt you with just five hundred thousand gold.”

“Then do that, you coward.”

Good merchants didn’t waste their money, no matter how angry they were, and that went for Ultima as well. He knew that Aleron, though annoying and infuriating, wasn’t an idiot, but Keter had already forced the situation. In this state, backing down wasn’t an option. As such, he decided to bet five hundred thousand gold. That was also a huge amount of money, but it was better than losing ten million.

That was the calculation Ultima had made in his head.

“Fine, I’ll bet five hundred thousand gold...!”

However, Keter cut him off and said, “I’ll bet ten million gold. But you must bet everything too.”

He held out a contract.

Ultima looked at him with panic, but Keter winked in response.

Aleron frowned when he saw the Infinity Bank seal on the contract.

“Who the hell are you to butt in between Ultima and me?”

“Keter. I’m a Solver.”

“Keter?”

Aleron looked confused until a subordinate whispered in his ear.

“Oh! Forgive me, Lord Keter of Sefira! But what is your relationship to Ultima?”

Still, Aleron wasn’t scared of Keter or Sefira.

“Sign it. Put your promise in writing.”

Keter ignored him and held the contract out in his face. Aleron hesitated, but only for a moment. Ten million gold was a huge amount of money, and since it was easy money, he had no reason to refuse.

“If you really can’t trust me, I will sign the contract. If Norman, who you have bet ten million gold on, wins, I will transfer my entire merchant company to Ultima.”

“What the hell are you talking about? When did I say I was betting on Norman?”

“Are you going to say that you were joking, Lord Keter?”

“Write on the contract that if the amount you have to pay out exceeds one hundred million gold, you have to transfer your entire merchant company and assets to Ultima.”

“Oh, that was your plan. Hmm... You got me there.”

Aleron seemed troubled, but he was actually secretly laughing at Keter.

Is he going to bet on Gillion, who has odds of at least ten-to-one, to maximize his chances? What an idiot! And with that pretty boy face of his, too! Hehehe!

It was so hard for him to sign the contract while holding in his laughter.

“I’ve signed. Please check.”

Keter tossed the contract back to Ultima.

“Now, I will bet.”

“Sure, as you please.”

The nobles watching this were captivated. Ten million gold was an astronomical amount that they would struggle to handle, if not find completely impossible. They all wondered who Keter, the bastard of Sefira, would waste ten million gold on.

Everyone held their breath.

“I bet ten million on him,” Keter said, pointing at someone.

Everyone turned towards them.

However, there was nothing but silence. Even Aleron, who had been smirking, froze.

“Surely you’re mistaken? Or do you have bad eyesight?”

“No. I’m sure.”

When Keter confirmed it again, the surrounding nobles gasped.

“He’s insane.”

“What’s he thinking?”

“Am I already drunk...?”

Even Ultima, who was mindful of the people looking and addressing Keter respectfully, couldn’t hold back.

“...You crazy bastard.”