Became the Son-in-Law of the Traitorous Family

3. How to live as a grand duke in a fantasy world – 03

The Archduke of YoRHa.

It is not as good as the imperial palace located in the center of the empire, but it is an antique palace that boasts a comparable size and antiquity.

There, too, a woman was sitting in the middle of a place filled with the deepest, most splendid and elegant decorations.

Her name is Karin von Charlotte Johrha.

She is the grand duchess who actually rules the Grand Duchy of Yohrha, and at the same time, she was also a woman who became nominally a married woman by marrying an unknown fallen aristocrat named Reiner Kroyce.

Of course, except for her wedding day, there was no one in the Grand Duchy who didn’t know that he and she hadn’t even personally held her hand.

“So, where did she say he was headed now?”

The little lips of the Grand Duchess open and arouse her question. Her voice was very low, but at the same time she was in a state of coexistence with her inconceivable charm and overwhelming dignity.

“Yes, it has been confirmed that she just boarded the warp gate to the capital of the empire and arrived there safely. And the destination he informed us in advance was no different….”

“Isn’t it different?”

“… It’s called a casino. The Kittilan Casino, the largest casino in the empire, and also an auction house selling stolen property gathered as collateral, where gamblers and lowly merchants coexist.”

There was a blatant dislike for the casino in the expression of the knight who reported her to her grand duchess. No, to be more precise, it would be more accurate to say that the object of his hatred was not just casinos.

“It has also been confirmed that the Grand Duke took the Grand Duke’s black card with him. Her Highness, the Grand Duchess, it’s a good idea to take some action before things escalate… “

At the words of her knight, the Grand Duchess sighed and smiled as if she had heard a funny joke.

“What do you mean by going to a casino? He must have been quite bored since he had been confined to the mansion for the past few days. If he could relieve her stress in that way, it wouldn’t be too bad, would it?”

“… However, if you think about the amount he will waste in the casino, he can’t just sit still… !”

“Kian, you are saying something very funny.”

The Grand Duchess tilted her head as if she didn’t really understand what the knight called Qian was saying.

“Is it a problem that he is wasting money at the casino? This is the Grand Duchy of YoRHa. And he is the grand duke of the grand duke’s family and my only husband. You’re not saying that the grand duchess might be in trouble because they can’t afford a single personal gambling debt, right?”

“… It is not.”

The Grand Duchy of Yohrha is one of the richest countries in the continent as well as in the empire. Rumors were circulating that the dukedom’s annual tax revenue might be equivalent to that of the empire.

However, there was no way that the principality would be in trouble at least because of the money that individuals spent in casinos. If anything, the place where you can buy the casino itself is the principality, so what kind of problems could arise?

“Kian, it seems you don’t like him.”

When the Grand Duchess smiled bitterly and spoke her words, Qian flinched as if he had been stabbed to the point. But even for a while, he nodded his head as if he had made up his mind.

“… That’s right. I don’t like him. Really.”

“Why?”

“I remember when he was just a low-ranking knight before he became a grand duke. And it would not be an exaggeration to say that the present person is a different person from the former low-ranking knight, ‘Rainer Kreuzze.”

“A different person?”

“In the past, Rainer Kroyze was a low-ranking knight due to his lack of natural talent, but he was recognized by everyone for his sincerity. He was the kind of person who ran to the gymnasium before anyone else, swung his sword, and didn’t leave the gym later than anyone else.”

But that kind of Reiner Kreuzse was gone.

“But after he married Her Highness, he changed. He ended up becoming a different person. He no longer swings his sword like the dawn. He sharpens his sword more diligently than anyone else.”

“Hmm, but I heard that he has been wandering around the Knights for the past few days and asking the strong to teach him the sword? Was it a rumor?”

“No, it is true that I asked the knight commanders to teach me how to use the sword. But he said, ‘I have nothing more to learn’ after less than an hour of being taught.”

No more to learn? It really couldn’t have been more absurd nonsense. Those who are in charge of the leader of each order of knights are strong enough not only in the principality but also in the entire empire.

However, it was absolutely ridiculous that such people could master the ultimate swordsmanship in just one hour.

Originally, it is said that a creature called human will reveal its true color when it is driven into a corner or rises to a high position.

Then, in Kian’s eyes, the true color of a man named Reiner Kreuzse could not be the worst.

The fact that such a man was sitting next to his lord he respected made him feel very uncomfortable.

“Even now, it’s not too late. Her Highness, no matter how nominal it may be, I think that marrying such a person would be a great loss to Her Highness….”

“Stop.”

The Grand Duchess cut off Qian’s words halfway through and spoke her words in a firm tone.

“From there, it must be an area you are not allowed to go to? Isn’t it?”

“… Sorry. Her Highness, Princess.”

As Qian bowed her head admitting her mistake, the Grand Duchess also nodded her own head as if accepting his apology.

“No matter what you say, I have already married him, and he and I are in a relationship as husband and wife. So think that serving him is serving me. Disrespect for him is the same as disrespect for me.”

“… All right.”

Qian nodded to herself, and the Grand Duchess sighed softly, drawing a picture of a man in her mind.

The appearance of a man who was judged even if he was handsome, but he was useless in any other way.

“…..”

Suddenly, a thought flashes through her mind.

A small empty lot covered in twilight, a young boy who was playing with him there.

The face of the boy who smiled at her is still vivid in her mind when she closes her eyes.

“… Ugh.”

Useless. And it’s futile. Such a distant memory is nothing but something that is of no help to her now.

Although to this day, I couldn’t completely cut off that feeling, so I talked about a ‘contract’ with Reiner and even got married.

Because it’s much better to keep it by your side and use it than to be swayed by your own emotions.

However, such expedients are nothing more than temporary measures. In the near future she will have to make a choice.

Should I stop here, buried in the pitiful past, or would I cut off all my emotions and move forward?

“…I am.”

So forget about it. Because she has work to do. And she has to do it at all costs. Because that’s the only reason she lives and breathes now.

“… Three years from now.”

The Grand Duchess muttered as she quietly put strength into her hand.

“… I don’t regret my choice never.”

That was all she had left. No, there was nothing left but that.

****

Loem, the capital of the Cartesian Empire.

Befitting the capital of an empire that had already occupied half of the continent over an uncountable amount of time, the scenery of Roem was so splendid that it could not be counted in words.

The Principality of Yohrha was also quite developed in terms of prosperity, but it couldn’t compare to the capital of the Empire.

The clothes of passers-by were very sophisticated even to Cirilla, who knew nothing, and the whole city was full of life, and above all, the magnificent palace, which could be seen from afar, caught her eye. Was holding

If she had visited Roem alone, Cirilla would have enjoyed the scenery as she leisurely walked around the city.

But, unfortunately, she didn’t have the time or the time to do that. For now she was accompanied by a load, and it was her duty to take care of it.

Moreover, I couldn’t take my eyes off it even for an hour if that burden was going to walk the path of a prospective gambling addict.

“Boss, it’s not too late now, so can you please think about it again? Yes?”

“What the hell?”

Looking at the boy’s face, who was looking at her in a way that he didn’t know anything, Cirilla threw away all shame and began to feel the urge to grab hold of his trousers.

No matter how you think about it, this is not the case. Even if there is nothing to do in the world, how can you go to a casino to enjoy gambling in broad daylight?

“Gambling is a disgrace. I mean, it’s the end of life! I’ll remember all of this and tell you everything later! What the hell was the young boy doing in the system!”

“… Why are you having seizures like this? Cirilla? What the hell is a casino like?”

As her liner looked at her with her incomprehensible eyes, her Cirilla began to feel like she was going crazy.

Where did this human being eat his words until now? Do you really think that this person was gambling to get people to volunteer for free at the casino?

“Even though I know nothing, I know one thing. A casino is basically a structure where customers cannot win money. Do you know how many people in this world have ruined their fortunes and ruined their lives because of gambling?”

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When Cirilla said that with an expression that looked like she was about to cry, Reiner made a meaningful expression.

“Really? So what if there was a way to earn money unconditionally? Are you going to do the same thing then?”

“… Yes?”

At Reiner’s words, Cirilla made an absurd expression. How to Win Unconditionally Money at a Casino? Where in the world is there anything like that? If there was such a way, all the casinos in the world would have gone bankrupt and kicked a can.

“What is that again… Do not lie. There’s no way there’s such a magical way in the world.”

“Really? No matter how much I think about it, my thoughts are a little different.”

Saying that, Reiner grabbed Cirilla’s wrist and moved her steps without hesitation.

Guided by Reiner’s hand, we arrived at the center of the casino.

It was a poker table where the biggest game in the casino was taking place.

A table where the minimum bet amount is 100 gold and the maximum bet amount is 10,000 gold.

And as soon as she saw the amount, Cirilla involuntarily opened her mouth.

The minimum bet amount is 100 gold. Considering the fact that her monthly salary was 5 gold, 100 gold was a huge sum of money.

The moment she realized that, Cirilla’s legs trembled. As an extremely petit bourgeois from her birth, this kind of environment where eye-rolling amounts of money came and went casually was something she could never get used to.

Unfortunately, however, Reiner seemed to have no intention of granting Cirilla’s wishes.

“Cirilla, see that table?”

“… Do I have to see it?”

Reiner’s voice was relentless, even though Cirilla gave her reply as if she really didn’t like her.

“I won’t tell you to sit down at the gambling table, so just watch quietly for now.”

“… Yes.”

Like that, Reiner and Cirilla just stood one step away from the table and silently watched how the game progressed.

Then, 10 minutes later, Reiner quietly opened her mouth to Cirilla, who was making an expression of contemplation as to why she should be here.

“Cirilla. What do you think the dealer is holding in his hand right now?”

“Two diamonds.”

Cirilla gave an answer to Reiner’s question without a moment’s hesitation.

“Why?”

“Yeah… I’ve counted all the cards I’ve drawn so far, and there are no other cards to come out?”

“Then, what cards have the dealer drawn so far? Which card will come next?”

“Chapter 21. 23 If you count the exchanges in the middle. And the next card will be the 7 of spades.”

Reiner burst into giggling as he saw Cirilla answering in the way that it was not really a big deal.

“… Why are you laughing like that? Did I answer something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. It’s just that I’m a bit insecure.”

I really wasn’t confident. I am confident that I will lose the game or lose my money in this casino.

“Remember? The light hand signal I gave you yesterday. When I send you magic, you just have to respond in some way. How about it, it’s that simple?”

“…No matter how much I think about it, I don’t think I can make money using this method.”

“Really? I think it’s a little different.”

A casino in a fantasy world would have blocked the attempt to cheat through magic, but it wouldn’t have blocked the card prediction technique through modern card counting.

It doesn’t matter much if card counting doesn’t work. Because he knew of a ‘Hidden Peace’ that could only be activated in this casino.

As a result, the conclusion is drawn that the bastard who cannot pick up and put money in this casino is an idiot. Of course, the purpose of coming here wasn’t just to make money.

‘In order to bring that hikikomori out, we must first attract people’s attention.’

Reiner shrugged his shoulders lightly and moved his feet lightly toward the table.

“Then, shall we start lightly with the 100 gold table?”