Casino Wizard

Dragon Ear appeared in my casino at 12:10.

True to its Draconian nature, it stood over 2 meters tall, and its prosthetic arm seemed to be a nuisance, as one sleeve flapped loosely due to the lack of it.

From a distance, I couldn’t read its expression, but even from afar, its presence was undeniable.

First, there was the mana.

I wasn’t the only one who noticed.

The mages playing at the hold’em table awkwardly got up and glanced over at the Dragon Ear, while a golden-plated adventurer who had been leisurely playing chess in the lounge also stepped out for a quick peek.

It was worth checking to see if it was someone I might know.

Being a Draconian, it was easy to dismiss, but it didn’t seem like someone you could just overlook.

The Dragon Ear didn’t immediately sit at the table, but instead took a look around the casino.

It seemed like just sightseeing.

It probably wasn’t stunned by the size of the gambling hall.

It seemed lost in thought.

If it was trying to figure out how to win money, that was fine.

After all, most customers who visit here believe they can clean out the casino. At the very least, they believe there’s a way to win.

But if there was another reason, then that would be a problem. It would mean the creature was truly crazy.

I decided to treat it as a tourist and left it alone.

‘I decided to treat it as a customer.’

The Dragon Ear moved only after more than 30 minutes had passed.

It boldly came up to the second floor where I was.

Then, it walked straight up to me.

Was it about to challenge me to a game of chance?

Before long, a deep, gruff voice came from diagonally behind.

“Mage?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’ve been watching from a distance, and it seems you often engage in conversation with gamblers. If you don’t mind, I’d like to say a few words.”

“Please, go ahead.”

Surprisingly polite, the Dragon Ear asked for permission before speaking.

What followed was a somewhat unexpected compliment.

“Your casino is bigger, more luxurious, and cleaner than any gambling den I’ve encountered in my travels.”

“Thank you.”

“One of the attendants was standing around the casino, and she gave me honey wine for free. It looked like she was startled by seeing a Draconian for the first time. I think she was being considerate, worried that her behavior might have been offensive.”

“Were you satisfied with the service?”

“Very.”

I was relieved to hear that. Lucy had really done well with the customer service training.

“All of the staff here are like well-trained soldiers.”

“…”

“There are staff members in charge of maintaining order throughout, and the dealers ensure that gamblers don’t get too excited or depressed. The attendants carrying trays moved with grace without bumping into any of the customers.”

It didn’t seem like he was genuinely impressed. I had a feeling but decided to let him speak. Engaging in conversation would only fuel his competitive spirit.

“Your casino is optimized for making money.”

“…”

“There are no drunks causing trouble, no idiots throwing punches because they lost at gambling, and no accidents where people win money but can’t take it. If a fight breaks out among customers, I assume the casino will step in to resolve it.”

“Yes, of course.”

“This is my first time seeing such a gambling den.”

At this point, the Dragon Ear paused for a moment in silence.

He didn’t look back.

It seemed like the Dragon Ear wasn’t staring at me but at the main gaming area, the place I had been quietly observing.

“This is the scene you often watch.”

“It happens quite often.”

“I understand it’s not just for the pleasure of watching the gambling tables. There are too many tables for that… It seems like you’ve invested a lot of time in ensuring the safe management of your gambling kingdom.”

The Dragon Ear was sizing me up.

It was a slightly unfamiliar experience for me, but at least he seemed like a more dignified person than I expected.

“I’m a bit disappointed.”

What?

Why did he suddenly express disappointment after speaking to himself for a while?

For once, I felt uneasy and turned to look at the Dragon Ear.

It glanced down at me with a bitter expression.

Although young-looking, Draconians have unusually long adulthood periods, so it was hard to guess their age. Up close, I felt like it resembled someone, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

“Mage. When I eventually sit across from you at the gambling table… I’m sure that will happen. But when it does, you won’t enjoy the gambling itself and will only see me as a hindrance. Even if you beat me at gambling, you will feel relief rather than satisfaction.”

“…”

“The one thing I love, the thing I truly care about, is just a business to you. That’s truly unfortunate.”

I stared blankly, trying to make sense of his words when he quietly turned away.

“I’m sorry for taking your time.”

“It’s alright.”

“To make up for it, I’ll promise this: I will never demand that you play a game of chance with me.”

With that, the Dragon Ear informed me unilaterally and headed back down to the gaming floor.

Now that I looked at it, even its attire was optimized for gambling.

It wore something akin to a laborer’s outfit, with shoulder-length hair neatly tied back, and a narrow belt carrying a small cloth pouch.

I knew Draconians liked jewels and gold, but this one didn’t seem to care for that at all. I had no idea what it spent its gambling winnings on.

“Crazy bastard.”

The crazy bastard headed for the blackjack table.

Blackjack. A game where you try to get as close as possible to 21 without exceeding it, and beat the dealer.

Unlike baccarat, a player’s skill could actually affect the outcome of the game.

‘It’s not because the line is shorter than baccarat’s, is it?’

The Dragon Ear seemed to be waiting for a seat, standing with its hands behind its back.

The words it had just spoken echoed in my ears.

“I will never demand that you play a game of chance with me.”

It meant it would create a situation where I would initiate the game.

By any means.

And no matter how long it took.

It seemed the beginning would be blackjack.

****

The Dragon Ear, who had been waiting for a seat, slowly closed its eyes.

It was to block the flow of information entering through its vision.

A casino.

To fully savor this dazzling playground filled with passion for gambling, this was the right approach.

It wasn’t particularly boring. Even the waiting itself was a pleasure for the Dragon Ear.

“Joker! Hit! That’s 40 times the payout!”

“Kyaaaah!!”

Cheers erupted from the Big Wheel, a giant spinning wheel used to select winners purely by chance.

The Dragon Ear felt a swell of emotion in its chest.

The Big Wheel was a game that relied entirely on luck.

Still, it couldn’t be ignored.

The sighs of those narrowly missing a jackpot, the cheers of those hitting the 40x payout—all of it sounded sweet to the Dragon Ear.

The next moment, a more intriguing conversation reached its ears.

“Hey, follow my lead. Bet on the person who wins with a natural. If they lose? Bet on them again! If they lose twice in a row? Then just sit out and wait for another person who wins naturally.”

“And if I keep doing that, I’ll win eventually?”

“Yeah, bro. This is what we call spreading the luck. I only just learned about it recently.”

Gamblers whispering about baseless betting techniques.

The corners of the Dragon Ear’s lips twitched.

It wasn’t because the humans sharing such a method, which had no impact on the odds, were laughable.

It was imagining how deeply immersed they would become in gambling by relying on such things that made it chuckle.

If a string of coincidences led to a win, they’d believe they’d discovered a surefire strategy. If they lost, they’d search for even more plausible techniques.

That was one way to enjoy gambling, too.

They were genuine gamblers in their own right.

‘I should’ve come sooner.’

For a moment, regret flickered across the Dragon Ear’s face but quickly faded.

The journey to the casino had been enjoyable enough.

Being among people who each enjoyed gambling in their own unique way was also an important form of amusement for the Dragon Ear.

Calling it amusement might sound lighthearted, but that wasn’t the case.

Nothing was more important to the Dragon Ear than gambling.

“Customer? Thank you for waiting. Please take your seat.”

Before it knew it, its turn had come.

The Dragon Ear slowly opened its eyes and took a seat at Blackjack Table #5.

When it joined the game, other gamblers flinched and greeted it with nods, while the female dealer smiled with her mouth but wore a faintly tense expression.

The game began.

“Would you like to place your bets?”

“One silver.”

“One silver received.”

The betting began.

“Cards will be dealt. May the blessing of the goddess Gaia be with you.”

The first cards were dealt.

Each player received one card face-up, as did the dealer.

The second cards followed shortly after, face-up for the players and face-down for the dealer.

In Blackjack, the game wasn’t played against other players but against the dealer—or more precisely, the casino itself.

The goal was simple: get a total closer to 21 than the dealer without exceeding it.

If you wanted more cards, you could say “hit.” If you wanted to stop, you’d say “stand.” To split your cards and increase your bet, you’d declare “split.”

“Stand.”

“Hit.”

“Stand.”

Players requested more cards or stayed put, based on the dealer’s visible card.

Some signaled their intentions by tapping the table lightly with their finger or showing their palm instead of speaking aloud.

The pace of the game was brisk.

Perhaps because of that, everyone seemed absorbed in watching their own cards and the dealer’s open card.

But the Dragon Ear was watching everything.

Every card laid out on the table.

A, 3, J, 9, 9, 7, 10, 2, K, 6…

Not just watching but memorizing all of them.

It didn’t turn its head or mutter to itself. It simply scanned with its eyes and memorized.

“Hey, Dragonian. There are plenty of good prosthetics available. Why are you going around like that?”

“One hand is enough.”

“Did you lose it on the battlefield?”

“Something like that.”

Meanwhile, it even chatted casually with an old man.

Those who had been glancing at the one-armed Dragonian soon lost interest.

…

But it didn’t take long for the Dragon Ear to draw attention again.

“Double down.”

“Y-Yes! Confirmed.”

It was because of the money piling up in front of it.

Slowly but surely.

Though, in truth, not that slowly.

“Miss Dealer. You won’t get scolded just for losing some money. There’s no way the mage doesn’t already know what I’ve figured out in just a few days.”

“Customer?”

“Up until now, he must’ve been loose because there was no need to be cautious.”

Encouraging the visibly uneasy dealer, the Dragon Ear looked up at the second floor.

There, it saw the mage calmly conversing with customers. It seemed the mage already had a countermeasure in mind.

“I’ve come to the right place.”

The Dragon Ear felt a twinge at the stump of its wrist and refocused on the Blackjack game.

Its bright smile, curving its eyes, was radiant.

To it, this place was heaven.