157 - 24 Hearts

Chapter 157: The Land of Entertainment and Culture, Ulun The dealer at the table looked at Judah and Loxin, and smiled awkwardly. These two had recently gained quite a reputation at the casino "Avalon." Usually, the dealer should be raking in more money, but it was mind-boggling how a young man presumed to be visiting for the first time amassed such enormous winnings, and even managed to team up with someone who was always losing money to walk away with a massive win. The incident of that one day was so famous that there wasn't a dealer who didn't know about them. What lucky individuals they were. The dealer felt an unnecessary sense of competitiveness. Not only the dealer, but also Count Seronic, seated at the table, recognized Judah and Loxin. The Count was the type who visited the casino only one day a week to unwind, and he remembered seeing them the last time. He's not one to usually remember what happens at the casino, but it was amusing how Loxin dived among the casino chips as if swimming and threw them into the air – a scene striking enough to stick in his memory. "Hey, dealer." "Yes, Count." The Count, who had been silent, called the dealer to confirm something. The dealer politely bowed his head and responded. "Are these the ones who realized their dreams last time?" "Yes, they are." Judah, listening quietly, glanced at the Count. The Count smiled and extended his hand. It was evident from the look in his eyes, which found the casino wearying, that he was intrigued. "Nice to meet you. I am Count Seronic. The dream achievers." "Dream achievers?" Judah asked back as if he didn't understand what the Count meant but then slowly nodded with understanding and smiled. "Indeed. From others' perspectives, it could be seen as achieving a dream." "Why? That sounds like you haven't achieved it?" "Well, I wouldn't say it's unachieved. It's an accomplishment of sorts in life." Something like '[Gambler's Dream] Achievement Unlocked! Acquired a 500% profit at the casino!' might be a way to explain it. The Count found Judah's words amusing, chuckling with a peculiar laugh, "Ha ha ha." "A delightful fellow. Perhaps it's his youth; he's full of spirit." Few would address the Count so casually. Judah spoke as if either he had no social standing or regarded himself as equal. The dullness eating away at him seemed to wash away. "An accomplishment, you say. Then it seems you have another true dream?" "Yes. It's this person here who achieved his dream, not me." As Judah glanced at Loxin and spoke, Loxin, receiving the attention, nodded to the Count. Judah continued speaking. "And my dream is not to win lots of money through gambling but to visit all the kingdoms and empires of the world." "A world tour! So, that's your dream? In that case, Ulun is merely a stop on your journey." "As expected, Count, you're right. Gambling and entertainment here are part of Ulun's culture, so I came to enjoy it." "Ha ha. Those who enjoy it outperform those enslaved by gambling. So, would you care to join me for a game?" Judah laughed as if he was enjoying himself. "Remember, I'm not to be blamed." "I'll do my utmost. But try to let me win a little." Whether that would go as planned, Judah couldn't say. Instead of speaking further, he silently joined the game. However, his luck was significantly lower than Judah's. And the result? Suffice it to say, Judah and Loxin were victorious. Though the Count lost money willingly without feeling too bad, suddenly, a flow of magic was sensed. On suspecting something unusual, Judah looked toward the Count and saw a faint shimmer around the cards. It was just a fleeting moment, but Judah noticed it. Then, inexplicably, he began to lose. 'I’m losing oddly frequently?' He only won when victory was unavoidable. Even as the game count increased, identical results or narrow victories occurred much more often. Of course, Judah won more games, and the total winnings were greater, but the outcome still seemed unsatisfactory. 'He's cheating, isn't he?' It was thanks to his high sensitivity to magic and Valentine that he spotted even the faintest magic, otherwise, he wouldn't have known. No matter what trick he used to deceive the casino's artifacts, it was certain that the Count used magic. With each game, Judah's suspicion was confirmed. Though his first impression of the man wasn't bad, as soon as he started losing, the Count employed dubious tactics, getting on Judah's nerves. While he wanted to expose him publicly, Judah, lacking magical talent, couldn't catch him red-handed. Furthermore, being a Count of Ulun, he likely wielded some influence within the casino, so acting rashly was out of the question. Judah thought it best to end the games on this table and stood up after the round. The victory was the Count's. "Not playing any longer?" The Count said with a smile. "Your hands are quicker than the eye, making it difficult. I'll try another game." "…!" "Still, it was fun. Let’s meet again." Whether he understood the meaning behind Judah's words, the Count frowned slightly as Judah, with a playful grin, rose with Loxin. His fortune apparently spoke otherwise about the Count's magical methods that led to Judah's initial loss. At another table, in different games, they steadily won money. Around 3 a.m., observing Count Seronic still lingering in the casino, Judah and Loxin exchanged their chips for gold coins and stepped outside. "Wow, just how much did we earn?" Loxin mumbled, a grin spread across his face like he was about to burst into laughter. The amount of gold coins draped over his shoulder was enormous. Even though he had shared some with Judah, it was a fraction compared to what he had previously lost, yet he was overjoyed at having finally won money. "Is that enough for you?" "More than enough. Don't worry too much; I'll support you actively while we're in Ulun." Judah asked as Loxin beamed with energy, seemingly unfazed by the late hour. "Isn't there something you'd like to eat? We did have something at the casino restaurant, but it probably wasn't enough to fill you up, right?" Loxin suggested they grab a bite, mentioning the many eateries open until five in the morning. But Judah shook his head and declined. "No, thanks. If I eat more, I'll just feel bloated. This is perfect." "Perfect?" Judah smiled slyly as they wandered the empty night streets. "Perfect time to infiltrate Count Seronic's mansion. I'm heading straight there, so keep that gold safe somewhere and wait for me." "What? Are you insane? You plan on doing it now, with everything going on?" "Yes, precisely because it's now. If I keep pushing it off, the opportunity will slip away. See you later." With a light push off the ground, Judah ran off, quickly disappearing from Loxin's sight. Left standing with the bag of gold coins over his shoulder, Loxin sighed in exasperation, kicking a small stone that clattered down the road, breaking the silence. The sound quietly echoed as his physical form melted into the shadows. "You damn fool..." What a troublesome guy to deal with. + + + The Seronic family's grand mansion had ramped up its security due to a recent spate of thief raids targeting elf slaves. Patrols that used to occur every twenty minutes were now down to five, and mages from the Seronic family's magical brigade stood guard. Even previously inactive magical defenses were now fully operational. If even a mouse slipped in, they were prepared to execute immediate punishment without question. Guards even patrolled the grounds outside. Soldiers from the Ulun Kingdom's defense force were drafted to patrol the vicinity of noble estates known to house elf slaves. Facing such stringent security, Judah sighed from his shadowy perch. 'Seems harder than I thought.' Sneaking in unnoticed seemed daunting. "Tsk, if only I’d become a Spirit Sword Holder, I'd have gotten in so easily." "Spirit Sword Holder? Dream on." "!" Startled, Judah turned to see Loxin standing beside him without warning. Standing in a dark alley with no light, Judah felt his heart pounding. "Geez, you scared me." "If not going in, what are you doing here? You confidently went ahead alone, and yet here you are, just watching." Loxin leaned over to take a peek. The number of patrolling guards was significant, hinting that a full alert had been issued due to the attempted theft at a noble's mansion. If security outside was this tight, inside would be even more rigorous. "Looking spooked." "I'm not scared... I just realized I might not be able to sneak in quietly as I thought." "Same difference, isn't it?" "Be quiet." Loxin cast a knowing look at Judah, realizing he was someone who usually acted on impulse. Yet, it appeared that wasn’t entirely the case. Judah scratched his head and sighed lightly, suggesting they move as if to abandon the plan, lightly tapping Loxin’s shoulder. They retraced their steps down the quieter road back toward Count Geneur's mansion. "Loxin." "What?" "On Sunday, we’re planning to attack Count Seronic's mansion." "Wait, attack?" Wasn't it supposed to be an infiltration, not an attack? Loxin muttered, puzzled, and Judah nodded in agreement. "Yes, an attack. We mean to strike outright. So, I need to ask you something." "What now?" "Nothing much. You know my associates, right?" "The Blue Spearman? Or the Priestess? Which one? Or both?" "The Priestess, Arhil." He couldn’t take Jeanne. She needed to return to the Byron Empire. Feeling another pang of reluctance, Judah frowned before continuing. "Move her along with the elves we’re currently sheltering to Ulun’s north gate around...3 a.m.? A place not easily seen by others. We intend to steal Count Seronic’s elves and leave Ulun then. I’ll inform Arhil, so there’s no need to worry about convincing her." "……." "After that, our deal’s over. As I mentioned before, if the Count’s house wants my information, cash in big before you spill it. It doesn't matter to me." As they neared Count Geneur’s estate, Loxin paused, intending to turn back. Judah called to him as he looked back. "Oh, and just a heads up—not because I don’t trust you—if anything happens to the elves I entrusted to you, or if you sell my info too soon... you should brace yourself. Because I’ll be taking every bit of gold you’ve safeguarded and the elf-made fruit ale you owe." And your life is a bonus. Loxin chuckled at Judah’s thinly veiled threat. "Just don’t forget the fruit ale." A reassurance. Loxin, without further words, waved and melted into the alley's shadows. ---------= Epilogue ---------= Gender-bending, huh. Alright, leaving everything to your imagination (sigh).