Casino Wizard

The Saintess was coming.

And much faster than expected.

“It seems the Saintess’s party left the Holy Kingdom three or four days ago,” the priest, a regular at the casino, informed me.

Even now, I could prepare if I wanted to.

I could gather information through the priests who had received money from me or set up alarm systems at locations where the Saintess might strike.

Or I could ask Princess Beatrice for extra caution.

But I did none of that.

It wasn’t because I was underestimating the Saintess.

A person who had been holding a grudge for five years before drawing their sword.

I had no idea whether they were preparing for an elaborate attack after years of buildup, or if they were just coming to get a little handout after hearing that we were living well.

I hoped it was the latter…

But either way, there wasn’t much point in preparing now.

If it was the former, it had already started, and if it was the latter, I could easily handle it without preparation.

So I just lived as usual.

The only thing I didn’t forget was growing my assets.

…

First, I worked on increasing the influence of Lady Bonucci.

“Today, we can go ahead and take a little from the table.”

“Huh?”

“I told you about the poker game, right? Just use the balance technique to take what you can. If the others start getting worked up, switch to mini-poker and let them win a little.”

“Are you testing my abilities?”

“That’s right.”

It was a test to see if she could handle a larger-scale game.

Fortunately, Lady Bonucci performed admirably.

She won 30 gold in a poker game with a court baron and a deputy guildmaster, and the men who lost money to her ended up having a heated argument.

Lady Bonucci stopped them and earned points with both sides.

I didn’t ask for the details. I just nodded.

…

Next, I welcomed the half-elf who had been wandering around.

“Uh, excuse me.”

“Yes, Selena.”

“I ran out of money…”

Selena, the half-elf with the clairvoyant ability who had caused a stir at my casino. I had given her 4 gold after she helped send the second prince off, and now, just a few weeks later, she was back, having lost all her money in the gambling halls.

I was amazed that she could lose money despite having the ability to see the future.

“Hero, have the staff clean her up and feed her.”

“Sure.”

“Uh… thank you.”

I helped her get cleaned up from her shabby appearance.

Then, I personally started retraining her.

“Show me your magic. What’s on the front of this card?”

“Spade 7, Clover 5.”

“What about this one?”

“Heart K?”

I was looking for a way to make use of her talents. The answer came quickly.

“If you have even a single magic tool, most magicians won’t be able to sense you. If you can control your expression, even first-class mages will likely overlook you. Of course, anyone who knows your face and abilities will catch you, but…”

“Why…?”

“Your ability is especially useful against people who don’t know you.”

“…?”

“We need to think about how to hide those ears.”

A special bio-lens that could be used once, no matter who the opponent was.

I hadn’t yet found a practical use for it, but I was willing to feed and house her for now.

“If you pull it off, I’ll give you 12 gold next time.”

“Wow…”

“Until then, just stay at the staff dormitory and relax.”

“Sure.”

The half-elf, now in her mid-fifties, nodded with a bright expression.

She was now part of my assets.

…

A week or so passed, filled with training, teaching, and care.

One day, a young guest arrived at the casino.

“Mr. Hyden? The Saintess wants to speak with you.”

It was a shabby-clad priest, about twenty years old—perhaps barely a deacon.

However, he didn’t seem like someone trying to scam me by using the Saintess’s name.

“The one exception.”

“Excuse me?”

“The Saintess asked that, if you have any doubts about my identity, you mention the phrase ‘the one exception.’ She said that would convince you.”

“…”

The One Exception.

It was the title of a piece of scripture.

It likely referred to me.

I had been the only one in the party of heroes that the Saintess hadn’t directly clashed with. Of course, it wasn’t because I avoided confrontation; I just made sure to give the impression that anyone who picked a fight with me would lose.

‘So, she mentioned that herself…?’

I nodded without hesitation.

“Alright. Should I call you Deacon?”

“I’m not a deacon. I’m a member of the Holy Knights. …Mr. Hyden, Saintess Theodora wishes to meet with you in a quiet place.”

The Saintess was a figure who could receive a warm welcome anywhere in the kingdom.

But now, she was staying in a small inn on the outskirts of the capital, preparing to meet with me before beginning official diplomatic engagements.

“Shall we go?”

I hadn’t expected to meet the Saintess like this again.

Though I couldn’t predict her intentions yet, I had no reason to refuse.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Good choice. Of course, safety is guaranteed.”

“Don’t worry. If I get hurt, it’ll be hard for any of you to return alive anyway.”

I needed reassurance as well.

****

A few hours later.

I arrived at the inn where the Saintess was waiting.

It was a shabby place, a simple structure built beside a barn—likely the kind of place poor adventurers or failed merchants would stay.

It was surprising that the Saintess was staying here, even for a short time.

As I entered the inn, I saw several people in monk robes gathered around an old table.

“Please show your respect to the Saintess.”

Ignoring the urging of a young knight, I strode over to them.

I approached the person sitting in the most prominent seat.

“You wanted to see me?”

“How dare you—!”

“Enough.”

I stopped the outraged knight and pulled back the hood of the woman in front of me.

It was a familiar face.

‘She hasn’t changed. Even after five years.’

Her youthful appearance showed no signs of wear despite traveling for days.

Even though she wore a loose robe, her undeniably ample chest couldn’t be hidden.

It was Saintess Theodora.

“Long time no see, Hyden.”

“Yeah, Theodora.”

I spoke casually to the Saintess.

Not because we were close, but because it was the opposite.

This was the result of the petty power struggles that had unfolded throughout the formation and dissolution of the hero party.

Even now, I could feel the Saintess’s icy gaze.

‘It’s been a while. This petty game, too.’

The Saintess extended her hand, offering me a seat.

It was an uncomfortable chair with one leg shorter than the others.

I bet she deliberately chose it, and I’d put 100 gold on it. Even after all this time, she hadn’t changed.

“You’re still the same, Theodora.”

“What do you mean, Hyden?”

“Exactly what I mean. Still blinking your eyes and telling obvious lies.”

“…”

Someone from another table dragged over a chair and sat down.

“Speak.”

I was eager to get to the point.

The Saintess only tilted her head slightly, confused.

Dragging out time and then accusing others of rushing things was her usual tactic—one that specialized in irritating people. And she used it on purpose.

‘Maybe it’s a good thing she hasn’t changed.’

I sat quietly, observing her face.

Except for her sharp eyes, she had a perfect face, with white hair.

She still seemed out of place walking alongside the middle-aged hero, and many had pitied her for being with an old adventurer.

Of course, no one could think that after experiencing the Saintess herself.

“Bring it.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

A knight or deacon, at her command, brought something over—a pair of concave dishes, each containing two dice.

“This is a popular game in the Holy Kingdom. Can you guess what it is?”

I had a good idea.

“I’m guessing it’s a game where two people compete to see who wins, judging by the two dishes. With identical dice, bets on pairs or ties are possible. It’s quite similar to baccarat.”

“You got it right.”

“Of course…”

“Yeah. You created this game, after all. Baccarat.”

It was a modified version of baccarat.

In the Alvinia kingdom, especially in the capital or major cities, playing cards were more popular.

But in countries outside the kingdom, dice games were still prevalent. The spread across the continent was too short a time for it to become widespread.

Dice baccarat was a transitional game, though the gambling fun wasn’t much different from regular baccarat.

“You didn’t come here just to play dice with me, did you?”

Instead of answering, the Saintess just blinked.

“You don’t know? Why did I bring out the dice?”

“I have an idea, but I’m not playing along.”

I gestured for her to speak this time.

She didn’t respond, but she reached for the two dice on the right side.

“Hyden?”

“Say it.”

“Five years ago… I heard rumors that you rented a tavern and started a gambling business. It wasn’t something I wanted to hear, but I couldn’t avoid it. People kept coming to tell me, so I had no choice but to listen.”

She rolled the dice. The result was 3 and 5.

She stared at me intently, so I reluctantly rolled. I got 3 and 6.

“I lost.”

“Whoever gets closer to 9 wins, right?”

“Correct. Want to take money for it?”

“No. I’m not as rich as you. Instead, I’ll give you the right to ask any question. I’ll answer as honestly as I can.”

That didn’t sound too bad.

“You came here because of us, didn’t you?”

“It’s not unrelated. Honestly, up until four or five years ago, I didn’t have bad feelings toward you. I thought that the people who ruined my life were now living according to their level, selling pitiful goods. It was a relief to think the world was finally turning the way it should.”

“But?”

The Saint smiled, as if asking if I didn’t understand.

“Your business did too well. While I live humbly, keeping the faith, you’re living in abundance.”

So, this was it.

I didn’t understand why she was revealing her true colors now, but I didn’t mind. I picked up the dice. At least with this, I could talk to the Saintess.

I could tolerate it as a consultation on pricing.