🔊 TTS Settings
CHAPTER 63
The chandelier, covered in layers of old dust, had long lost its shine, and the only light came from candles placed around the round tables.
Even in broad daylight, the curtains stayed drawn inside the Black Rose.
It was decorated like a noble social club, but in truth, it was a gambling den.
Though gambling houses had a bad reputation, there were many in the Natron District who made a living thanks to them.
Gamblers still got hungry, so small eateries selling snacks thrived nearby.
To soothe their nerves, people drank, and when they drank too much, they sought company.
Some, claiming to ease their pain, even turned to drugs.
The Natron District itself was a paradise of pleasure and crime.
In the middle of that district, Stephan was pacing.
He glanced at his pocket watch, then quickly slipped it back into his pocket when he saw someone approaching.
“Hey there.”
When Stephan waved his hand, three men walked up.
He handed each of them one gold coin.
“Do a good job. If it works out, you’ll get ten times that.”
“This isn’t our first day. Just watch—we’ll bleed them dry.”
Stephan turned around as the three men entered the Black Rose.
They were what people called “players.”
Dressed like nobles, they posed as ordinary patrons, found a target, and made sure that target couldn’t leave until every coin was gone.
The “players” didn’t keep their winnings; someone else always provided their capital.
Sometimes, when a gambler was winning too much, the casino itself sent them in.
One of the players, Hans, went in first to scout the place.
An employee of the Black Rose gave him a quick glance but didn’t pay much attention after that.
Everyone was too busy watching their own cards.
Hans looked around the room, searching for the target.
‘Maid’s uniform, noblewoman, forties.’
That was all the information he had—but it wasn’t hard to find someone like that.
The table where the Marchioness of Moulton sat was already full.
Judging from the situation, the Marchioness was on a winning streak.
Hans smirked quietly.
Once someone tastes victory, they become easier prey.
Without rushing, Hans took a seat at a nearby table.
Seeing him settle in, Olive and Chris entered separately and sat at different tables.
They acted like strangers, not even glancing at each other as they began their own games.
“Call! Oh ho ho, I win again this round.”
Unaware of what was happening, the Marchioness of Moulton laughed loudly and swept up the small pile of chips on the table.
She had no idea that a pack of wolves was watching her every move.
The man sitting beside the Marchioness twisted his body in frustration.
“Ah, I guess I’ll call it a night.”
“Oh my, already?”
“I’m out of money for today.”
“Oh, that’s a shame.”
The man smiled faintly and kissed the air near her lips.
“See you again, my lady.”
The Marchioness smiled brightly, clearly used to such things.
People in the casino were closer and friendlier than one might expect.
That closeness sometimes turned physical.
It was even said that a quick romp brought better luck at cards, and the casino had rooms for such purposes.
“Here, take this and come back tomorrow.”
The Marchioness handed him a silver coin like a tip.
He pocketed it and left with a grin.
His seat was soon taken.
Hans sat down beside the Marchioness with a charming smile.
“Good evening, my lady. May I join you for a game?”
The Marchioness returned his smile politely.
“Of course. But I don’t think I’ve seen you before… Are you familiar with the rules?”
“A little. I’ll learn as we go.”
“All right, let’s begin.”
Everyone around knew Hans was lying, but they humored him and continued playing.
“Oh ho ho, I’ve won again. How unfortunate for you.”
“Well, I can’t match your skill, my lady. I’ll fetch some more chips.”
Hans alternated between losing and winning just enough to keep her interest.
In truth, he was taking home more than he lost, but the Marchioness didn’t notice—or didn’t care.
Then a commotion erupted near the entrance.
“You took my money and ran? Huh? Come here! I’ll kill you tonight!”
Everyone in the casino turned toward the noise.
When they saw the man wasn’t anyone they knew, they relaxed and went back to their games.
Hans returned with fresh chips, and by then, one seat had changed.
Olive had taken the empty spot beside him, while Chris remained at another table.
As cards were dealt, the angry man began scanning faces around the room.
“Where are you, huh? Where?”
He was getting closer when one player at the Marchioness’s table began trembling.
“I-I’ll be right back…”
“Hmm? Where are you going?”
“T-the restroom…”
The trembling man got up, sweating, and locked eyes with the enraged gambler.
“There you are! Get over here!”
“Ahhh! Somebody help!”
Before he could run, the man lunged forward.
He grabbed him by the collar and threw him to the floor.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
“You bastard! You borrowed my hard-earned money and wasted it all?
You can’t pay it back anyway, right?
Then die here and now!”
The man’s fists slammed into his face mercilessly.
The victim couldn’t even scream before passing out.
Judging by the sound of the blows, he might have been dead.
Some gamblers frowned at the scene but soon went back to their cards.
“Don’t ever let me see you again, or I’ll rip your throat out!”
The man spat on the unconscious body and stormed out.
“What a mess,” Olive muttered, glancing at the fallen man.
She waved at a nearby employee.
“Hey, clean this up!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
Two attendants rushed over—one dragged the body away, the other wiped the blood clean.
No one cared that the body was taken somewhere other than the exit.
Everyone looked too used to this.
As long as it wasn’t them, they didn’t care.
“Ugh, the cards are already dealt…”
The Marchioness grumbled irritably about the missing player.
At that moment, Chris walked over naturally from another table.
“My game just ended, so I’ll take this seat. You haven’t flipped the cards yet, right?”
“Oh, perfect timing. I didn’t touch them. Let’s continue.”
The Marchioness welcomed Chris gladly, and at last, the trio of players was complete.
Without meeting eyes, but perfectly in sync, they began their game.
Every third round, they made sure the Marchioness won.
It took exactly two hours for her to lose the entire ten billion gold she had borrowed against the Moulton estate.
