Casino Wizard

From now on, an indefinite closure.

For the first time since founding the casino, I was taking a break with no set return date.

It was a break for surgery, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of being adrift.

“Shall we start with some charity work?”

Fortunately, Lucy had made plans on my behalf.

The goal was to make it seem like I was seriously considering shutting down the business—like I was surrendering to external pressure and preparing to close the casino for good.

“Where should we start?”

“The Rajani Orphanage.”

“That’s under the First Prince’s influence.”

The first step was a donation.

The recipient was an orphanage indirectly managed by the First Prince.

He didn’t interfere in state affairs, but he had once held an honorary title—‘The King’s First Overseer of Charity.’

A donation to an organization he managed?

Not a bad idea. It would make it seem like I was showing goodwill and seeking his mercy.

“Do you think the prince will take it as a provocation? If so…”

“Lucy.”

“Hm?”

“It’s fine. Just do it.”

Things were quiet for now, but that wouldn’t last.

The gamblers who had once been contained within my casino were now out in the world.

Some only indulged on weekends, while others rushed in as soon as they got off work, treating the casino like a second job.

Some even lived there.

Now that the casino was closed, how many would actually quit gambling?

Almost none. Quitting was harder than becoming a professional.

“The First Prince won’t be able to avoid this, no matter what. Whether I donate or not.”

“That’s true.”

Lucy nodded with a grin and then suddenly added a comment.

“But, oppa, you’re wrong about one thing.”

“Hm?”

“I’m the one making the donation, not you.”

I almost retorted, With my money, but stopped myself.

Her expression was too bright.

Not just her face—her entire outfit was lighter.

Gone was her uniform, the dealer’s suit, or the long-sleeved dress perfect for tucking a card up the sleeve.

Instead, she wore a simple dress, as if heading on a picnic, with a wide-brimmed hat. She still had a belt for carrying her quiver, but she looked more like a hobbyist hunter than a serious adventurer.

Well, I did overwork her.

Normally, she’d be busy preparing for the casino’s opening.

But today, we were following an unusual schedule.

“Please use this for relief funds.”

“Excuse me, but—”

“Yes, I’m Lucy, a scout from the Pierrot Party, and this is the mage, Hyden. We hope this is put to good use.”

After making donations,

“The City Guard HQ has been talking. What’s your plan?”

“The plan is to ignore all the talk and quietly disappear, Jerome.”

“You won’t even tell me?”

“If you knew, you’d have to cover for us. Just pretend you don’t know for now.”

We met with a knight and gifted him a box of wine and a bribe.

I also sent instructions to Lady Bonucci via a trusted messenger.

By the time everything was wrapped up, half a day had passed.

The final step was leaving the capital.

“It’s time to go.”

“Where to?”

“Somewhere nearby. It won’t take long.”

A carriage was already waiting for me.

If I disappeared from the capital, it would truly seem like I was shutting down my business. Not revealing my destination would only add to the illusion.

“Of course, I have a contact ready. We can return anytime.”

“Good. Let’s go.”

For the first time since founding my casino, I was stepping away from work.

The capital’s streets remained peaceful—for now.

****

In a Grand Mansion in the Capital

A middle-aged man lay on a lavishly decorated bed, looking like he had lost everything.

Dressed in pajamas, his face was gaunt.

He was Marquis Tripolia, a high-roller in the casino’s VIP room.

Despite his sickly appearance, he wasn’t actually ill.

“Why isn’t the casino open?”

He was simply depressed over the sudden closure of Hyden’s Casino.

His daily routine was always the same.

Wake up late in the morning.

Bathe and refresh himself before eating.

Handle administrative documents from his domain.

Exercise and take a stroll in the garden.

Then, head to the casino.

It wasn’t a monotonous cycle—it was a wheel of guaranteed happiness.

“The casino is where I belong…”

He muttered absentmindedly.

His wife, a plump woman, entered the bedroom, worried about her husband, who had been skipping meals and lying in bed.

“Dear, are you feeling unwell? Should I call a priest?”

“…The casino.”

“The casino?”

“The casino is closed.”

Just saying it out loud made it feel even more devastating…

That was how much the casino meant to him.

His wife, who didn’t understand gambling, simply tilted her head. In fact, she seemed almost pleased that her husband was home instead of at the casino.

Marquis Tripolia finally closed his eyes.

He desperately hoped this was all a bad joke.

That someone would knock on his door and tell him the casino had opened on time, just like always.

“Are you really that disappointed?”

“……”

“Why don’t we take the kids hunting? Or… go see a play with me?”

Hunting? A play?

The marquis merely laughed.

As if those could fill the void.

He had handled business, socialized, and entertained himself all at the casino.

His friends, his business partners—they were all there.

“My dear… you see…”

“Yes, tell me.”

“I actually invented a new betting strategy. It’s called Reverse Betting on Human Misfortune.”

His gambling friends would have found this fascinating, but his wife only frowned.

“You pick the unluckiest person at the table and bet the opposite of them. Instead of betting against recorded odds, you bet against them. It works shockingly well, though I do feel a little bad for them.”

“Yeah, I bet it works. You probably lost again.”

“I won 12 gold yesterday…”

“Oh.”

Marquis Tripolia was known as a skilled baccarat player.

Truthfully, over the long run, he was in the red.

But his losses were small.

And when his self-devised betting strategies worked, the thrill was incomparable. His latest technique, Reverse Betting on Human Misfortune, was, in his opinion, a stroke of genius.

But now, he had no place to use it.

“I feel so empty…”

His wife sighed, but he ignored her and continued staring blankly at the ceiling.

…

Shall I Step In?

A sliver of desire slithered into the Marquis’s heart.

The desire to uncover the truth behind the casino shutdown.

The clues were abundant.

A foreign guest from the Dragon Kingdom, the First Prince who had suddenly petitioned for a gambling sin tax, and the King who had ordered the tax officers to assess its feasibility…

If he so wished, he could trace exactly how the casino had become a target.

Because he was a man of power.

A former chancellor, the lord of a wealthy domain overflowing with tax revenue, and a noble with an extensive web of blood ties and strategic marriages.

Digging up some information was nothing. Or so he thought.

‘Still… I can’t just go meddling with His Highness Alfonso over some gambling.’

No matter how much he loved the casino, he couldn’t afford to spark a political dispute over it.

This involved the First Prince and even the Dragon Kingdom.

If handled poorly, the matter could escalate, harming multiple parties. Using political influence despite knowing that would be reckless.

“Fine, I’ll let it go.”

Suppressing his frustration, the Marquis left his house.

His destination was a gambling den relatively close to home.

It was called Tantonia’s Dice.

A licensed gambling hall that doubled as a tavern, with a fairly long history.

Rummy and 31 had been the main games, but now, thanks to the influence of the Hydin Casino, baccarat was also available.

“It’s close to home. That’s good enough… right?”

Baccarat wasn’t exclusive to Hydin Casino.

As long as there were six decks of cards, a table, and a dealer, the game could be played anywhere.

Sure, it wouldn’t offer the thrills of a VIP room, but it was better than nothing.

“Oh… Marquis?”

“You’re here too.”

A gambling den packed with people, some of them familiar faces.

There was much to talk about, but first—game time.

The Marquis took a seat at the baccarat table.

Creak—

One leg of the chair seemed shorter, making for a terrible sitting experience.

Still, he decided to tolerate it. The hall was reasonably clean, and the dealer’s handling of the cards seemed decent enough.

Sure, there was a musty smell, and a drunkard was shaking his head wildly at the same table, but…

At least the game was playable.

Luckily, his streak was decent.

“20 silvers on Banker.”

“Banker wins with 8.”

“20 silvers on Player.”

“Player wins.”

Banker, Player, Banker, Player… Following the alternating flow, he made some steady gains.

‘That guy’s losing.’

Noticing the unluckiest player, the Marquis unleashed his secret technique—betting against the unluckiest guy.

As expected, it worked wonders.

Win after win. The amounts were small, but victory tasted sweet.

‘Yes, this is it…!’

The pain of the shutdown began to heal bit by bit.

Yes. Just like this…

Though not ideal, he could make do with a closer gambling den.

Not being able to visit the VIP room he had worked so hard for was disappointing, but he could endure it for now. Especially with the game going so well.

His luck peaked late in the evening.

“30 on Banker, and a full bet on Banker Pair…!”

A bold bet on Banker Pair.

Another counter-bet against the unluckiest guy. If it hit, it would be a jackpot.

“Player 4, Banker 8. Banker wins. And Banker Pair is a match.”

“Yes! Jackpot!”

A perfect 4-4 pair.

The Marquis of Triphollia clenched his fist in satisfaction.

The pain had almost faded away.

But just then—

“You filthy bastards! You think I’m a fool?!”

A furious shout came from the entrance.

Clicking his tongue, the Marquis turned toward the commotion.

An old man, red-faced with anger, yelling furiously. A bouncer shoving him aside with irritation.

If this were Hydin, such a scene would have been handled in an instant. The lack of proper customer management was bothersome.

Even more troubling was the conversation he overheard.

“Last week! I hit a Perfect Pair!”

“Sir, please calm down.”

“Calm down? You only gave me half my payout! The odds were 40 to 1! You said you didn’t have enough cash at closing, so I took half and waited! I trusted you!”

Perfect Pair. A baccarat side bet.

Both the number and suit had to match, making it an extremely rare win.

Hydin Casino paid 25 to 1, but here it was 40 to 1. The odds were tempting, but apparently, winners didn’t get paid in full.

No way.

The Marquis paused his game and approached the scene.

What he heard next was even more unbelievable.

“My money.”

“Your money? Says who, you old bastard.”

“…What?”

“Got proof? Just leave.”

The old man was eventually dragged out of the gambling hall.

The Marquis’s eyes widened in disbelief.

A gambling den where you could win but not collect?

To someone used to Hydin Casino, this was unthinkable.

If they didn’t want to pay 40 to 1, they shouldn’t have offered those odds in the first place… What kind of operation was this?

“…Is this right?”

The Marquis muttered, his face pale.

If this was happening at a relatively reputable gambling hall, what about the others?

Maybe the only reason the old man even got half was because this place was legal.

Doubt crept in, followed by unease.

A sense that something bad was brewing.

Not the instincts of a baccarat player—

But the instincts of a seasoned statesman.

“It was just a drunk rambling. Perfect Pair, my foot… Please, continue your game.”

The bouncer, having thrown out the old man, delivered a dismissive remark.

The Marquis felt a chill.

With a displeased expression, he returned to the table.

“Would you like to place a bet?”

The Marquis shook his head and stood up.

Baccarat was no longer fun.