Casino Wizard

Casino Loan Shark.

Also known as “Kongji Boss.”

(TL Note :- The term “Gongji Sajang” (꽁지사장) could be translated as “Kongji Boss” or “Kongji Manager,” but it is important to note that “꽁지” (Gongji) is a colloquial term in Korean, possibly referring to a specific type of person or a nickname for someone in a certain context.)

It was a term used to refer to loan sharks who play games in casinos, much like Miriam with her green hair.

There were tales that this used to be a “blue ocean” business in a past life.

My client had shared several legendary stories.

One involved a person who went to Jeongseon with 40 million won and, in just one year, multiplied it 30 times, only to lose it all in a single day in Macao.

Another person made 13 billion won in two years but was tragically stabbed by a debtor before they could even spend it, ultimately meeting a tragic end as a former gangster.

There was also a story of someone who made a lot of money but was eventually drained by his family and relatives, becoming an alcoholic.

Though their ends were somewhat tragic, the key point was that they made a lot of money.

‘Miriam, that woman must be the same.’

I still didn’t know when she started the business or how much capital she was managing.

However, there was one thing I was certain of, even without checking:

“She’s not alone.”

“oppa?”

“Think about it… let’s say you borrowed 3 gold at 10 percent interest per day. 3 gold. Honestly, it’s a decent amount, but in a 30-silver table, it could be lost in an instant. The more impatient you are, the more reckless your bets become.”

“Yeah, people who borrow money to gamble don’t consider the risks.”

Those who borrowed money for gambling and lost it? Their mental state wouldn’t be normal.

“If it were you, would you want to pay back that money?”

“No, absolutely not.”

“It’s impossible for a woman to collect money by herself.”

It wasn’t that ordinary women couldn’t be casino loan sharks.

In fact, it could be an advantage in terms of customer service.

However, it was absolutely impossible to do it alone. She would need someone to handle collections, like an uncle.

This world had no debtor protection laws.

There was no distinction between regular loans and predatory lending, and while there was a tendency to condemn high-interest rates, loan sharking itself wasn’t illegal.

It seem like a favorable environment for loan sharks, but it is radical to the debtors.

In my opinion, Miriam with her green hair was working with an organization.

“Isn’t it pointless to catch them on the spot?”

“Probably.”

“What about catching them and torturing them?”

“Torture? Do you want to do that?”

“Uh… that’s a bit much.”

The female archer smiled awkwardly, trying to cover up her embarrassment.

Back when we were in the Hero Party, we had once captured minions of the Demon Lord’s army and used advanced interrogation techniques on them.

That was during a time when I was desperate to contribute in any way I could, due to lack of skill.

But these weren’t demons.

It would be overkill to get our hands dirty. There was no need for that.

“I do have an idea, though.”

“What is it?”

“What I was thinking…”

Just as I was about to explain to the female archer, someone appeared in the casino.

The casino was a place bustling with people all day long.

But the person who appeared this time stood out.

A towering figure, nearly two meters tall, with a bodybuilder’s physique and a face resembling Agrippa.

Just by standing still, he had an overwhelming presence.

Though weapons weren’t allowed in the casino, this person was so strong that he could break someone in half with his bare hands.

Jerome, the Shield Knight.

His combat skills were more than enough for him to be the tank of the Hero Party, but his phobia of blood made him ridiculously weak in actual combat.

He seemed to be here to upend tables and extort money, but in reality, he was just here for fun.

He would sip wine while watching games, chat idly with the middle-aged hero, and receive allowances or gifts.

I had seen him around four times a week, but today, I was especially glad to see him.

Because he was a very useful piece for handling Miriam.

‘No need to delay.’

I decided to use Jerome and immediately went downstairs to the first floor.

…

“Ah, Hyden. You came a bit early today.”

As soon as he saw me, Jerome waved lazily to greet me.

Instead of greeting him back, I clicked my tongue.

It didn’t feel like a warm greeting; it was as though his visit bothered me.

I knew I had to let him know that I wasn’t truly rejecting him.

“Shield.”

“What?”

“Do you think it’s appropriate for the city guard captain to be coming in and out of a casino? …I know why you’re here. You’re probably sniffing around to make a request from me since this is your jurisdiction.”

“Ha!”

Jerome’s face froze at my sudden provocation.

From the way he stood, it looked like he might strike me, but soon after, his eyes subtly twitched.

He realized it, of course.

The reason I called him “Shield” wasn’t to insult him.

We had developed the habit of addressing each other by our roles in the Hero Party.

In the heat of battle, I couldn’t exactly shout, “Jerome, help me buy time!” so I would just yell “Shield!”

Despite our lack of skills, we never fully slacked off during wartime.

Fortunately, Jerome didn’t disappoint.

“You think I can just ignore that, Mage?”

With a stiffened expression, Jerome strode toward me.

I feigned a flinch and stepped back but quickly regained my ground, silently thankful.

“If you’re not ignoring it, what are you gonna do?”

“Don’t forget, Mage. I’m in charge of security in the capital of Mazanti District.”

“…”

“If I want, it’s easy to interfere with your business.”

Jerome, giving me the threat typical of a public official.

I didn’t hide my displeasure but avoided his gaze.

Then, I looked around.

‘She’s watching, as expected.’

Miriam with her green hair was staring at us, murmuring in curiosity.

It was, after all, quite a spectacle. A verbal spat between the casino owner and a high-ranking member of the city guard who also served as a military officer.

And both were from the Hero Party.

She must have been wondering what kind of rivalry we had, curious whether it would escalate into a bigger conflict.

I let out a sigh, pretending to suppress my growing frustration.

Then, I spoke in a more relaxed tone.

“Sorry for the provocation, Shield. …But.”

“But what?”

“The VIP room is really difficult. I know many people want it. So, you probably sent someone to apply pressure. But… a casino isn’t just for rich nobles and merchants.”

Jerome twitched his brow in a face that screamed, What nonsense is this?

His reaction was enough.

The murmuring among the crowd began.

…

The new VIP room with high-stakes betting was something our customers had long wanted.

Currently, the betting limit for Blackjack and Baccarat was 30 silver.

To wealthy customers, that was probably a trivial amount. Even in my past life, people who couldn’t be satisfied with 300,000-won tables in legal casinos would flock to underground ones.

This standoff between Jerome and me continued for a while.

I nodded with a frown.

“Alright.”

“What do you mean, ‘Alright’?”

“I’ll show some good faith to respect you. Be satisfied and go back.”

“Hmm.”

“As an experiment, I’ll open a VIP room for 3 gold tomorrow. Just for one day.”

Jerome still had a sulky expression as he glared at me.

At this point, his reaction didn’t matter anymore.

“Waaaah!!!”

“Finally… finally!”

“Just like the Hero Party!”

Our customers were already reacting excitedly.

Miriam, with her green hair, was no exception. She was gleaming with excitement at the thought of reeling in some easy prey.

‘It’ll be good for her for now.’

She had no idea that the VIP room opening the next day was a trap set just for her.

After business hours—

The Hero Party, including myself, sat in a quiet office.

Me, the Shield Knight, and the female archer.

The middle-aged hero, probably tired due to his age, went home. Honestly, he wasn’t needed anymore.

“Thanks earlier, Jerome.”

“I was just casually stopping by, but you suddenly started a fight. What would you have done if I hadn’t realized it and really hit you?”

“Well, that would have been fine too.”

“Crazy bastard.”

My goal was to make it seem like I was ‘reluctantly’ introducing the VIP room.

What if Jerome had cursed me out and left? I would have fixed it with more acting.

It would’ve been troublesome if he actually struck me, but Jerome wasn’t that kind of guy. Aside from his fear of blood, he was well-rounded.

Anyway, he helped, so I had to thank him.

“Here.”

“3 gold… not bad.”

“There’s a box of Amaroné wine too, take it with you when you leave.”

“Thanks. That’s exactly why I came.”

Jerome accepted it gladly.

He had the demeanor of someone responsible for the capital’s security.

The female archer was nervously watching us.

“Uh… Hyden oppa?”

“Yeah?”

“Weren’t we discussing how to catch that loan shark earlier?”

“Right. That’s why I set the bait.”

“The VIP room is the bait?”

The female archer still didn’t get it.

A VIP room with ten times the usual betting limit.

She was probably confused about why that would be the bait for catching a loan shark. To her, it seemed like I was just setting up a lucrative business.

I smiled and explained the plan. It wasn’t complicated.

“I plan to seat Miriam at the Baccarat table in the VIP room.”

My plan was to put Miriam, with her green hair, at the Baccarat table in the VIP room and turn her into a beggar.

Ultimately, I intended to reduce her to a debtor.

“Is that even possible?”

“It will be, starting now.”

“I’m not so sure about this, oppa.”

“You will be.”

I was confident.

Loan sharks in casinos who lend money to gamblers? Most of them end up losing everything because they get sucked into gambling themselves.

It may seem strange that someone who witnesses the destructive nature of gambling would fall into it, but that’s the reality. They believe, ‘I’m the one controlling the game,’ which makes them vulnerable.

And this was a trap I, the casino host, designed. The police were even on my side.

“Let’s finish it tomorrow.”

“Got it, Hyden.”

“Alright, oppa.”

The Hero Party was back together.

Our target? Miriam, the casino loan shark.