Casino Wizard

Humans who ruined their lives through casinos had something in common.

They couldn’t leave the casino’s vicinity even after becoming destitute.

Their brains, scrambled by addiction, led to erratic and irrational behavior.

Miriam, who had fallen into my trap and lost everything, was no exception.

Early Evening

When an employee said, “There’s a crazed woman at the VIP room entrance,” I went to check it out. Miriam was squatting at the doorway, mumbling to herself.

“If I’d gone all-in on the banker-pair earlier… main bet and side bet combined, I’d have won 6 gold and 35 silver. With that, I could’ve played 15 more rounds… No, no. If I’d ridden that momentum, I would’ve won even more. I’d have pushed it back up to 50 gold. Why didn’t I do it?”

Her pupils were unfocused, her lips slightly parted, with blood from apparent chewing.

She ignored the staff trying to calm her and continued her monologue.

While I’d anticipated her downfall, I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly.

It wasn’t particularly surprising, though, given the amount she’d lost.

“Boss, should we call the hero to kick her out?”

“Let her be.”

I stepped closer to Miriam, who continued mumbling incessantly.

She was even spilling information I could use.

“I can’t let Paolo… my dear, find out.”

Paolo, “my dear.”

So, it seemed her protector was either her boyfriend or husband.

Might as well catch him too. Casually, I asked her:

“Miriam, why not be honest with Paolo about this?”

“No way…!”

“Is there a need to shout?”

“I brought all his money too…! Sure, he said he made some while hunting monsters, but he got injured so often. Between medical bills and potion costs, we’ve been scraping by. When I grew our funds, he was so happy.”

“If he truly loves you, he’d understand, wouldn’t he?”

“Love? No… He might kill me.”

Now I understood: Paolo was her backer as well as her lover.

He not only provided her with capital but also played bodyguard.

Strange arrangement, but casino loan sharks thrive on connections, not just capital.

She might’ve been the dominant one in their relationship, siphoning funds to gamble undetected.

But now, she had lost not just her own money but Paolo’s as well.

And, apparently, Paolo was already in his 40s. Losing his retirement funds must’ve been devastating.

I decided to leverage her predicament.

“Sigh.”

I let out an exaggerated sigh, ensuring Miriam could hear.

Her blank, tear-streaked face tilted upward to meet mine.

“Wizard… Wizard Hyden.”

“Yes, Hyden here. You seemed to be doing well when I left the VIP room earlier. Lost quite a bit in just a few hours, huh?”

“You took all my money…”

“No, I didn’t. I only took a small commission.”

“Ah…!”

“Your money is likely in the pockets of other players by now. Where there’s a loser, there’s always a winner.”

Hearing this, Miriam clutched at her green hair, pulling violently.

Exactly the reaction I’d hoped for.

The idea that others profited while she lost would deepen her despair—a crucial ingredient in a gambler’s downfall.

With a nod to the staff, I signaled them to help her up.

Her forehead and neck were drenched in sweat, though the evening wasn’t warm. Stress and fear about her uncertain future seemed to be taking a toll.

Good.

Caring for Miriam wasn’t my job—quite the opposite.

“Miriam.”

“My… money.”

“How much have you lost so far?”

“Five hundred and twenty gold.”

“That’s a hefty sum. Even at a high-stakes table, losing that much isn’t easy. It happened because you got greedy. If you’d exercised just a bit of self-control, you’d still have your money.”

If she perceived this as mockery, that meant she still had some sanity left.

But for Miriam, now broken, my words seemed like advice.

“You’re right… I lost control for just a moment.”

“You’ve realized your mistake but have no funds left, correct?”

“Yes.”

“A shame.”

Her eyes slowly regained focus—a sign her mind was becoming active again.

Not that she was thinking rationally.

No, she’d become a full-blown addict, lost in the delusion that gambling was her only way to recover.

“Fifty gold.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’m willing to lend you fifty gold. Not for gambling, but I won’t stop you from using it that way.”

Fifty gold wasn’t a trivial amount, but compared to what she’d lost, it was insignificant.

There was no way fifty gold could offset her 520-gold loss.

Still, Miriam’s expression brightened.

“You’ll really lend me fifty gold?”

“Yes.”

“Why would you…?”

“Call it gratitude. After all, you’ve indirectly supported our business by facilitating loans for customers. Considering the revenue I’ve earned thanks to you, fifty gold seems fair.”

Her face lit up with misplaced hope.

It seemed like they were interpreting my half-heartedly cobbled-together sophistry however they pleased.

Something along the lines of, “Hyden seems favorable toward me. Come to think of it, I did boost sales, so that’s probably why they’re being nice to me.”

From the way they were fidgeting with their hands, it looked like they wanted to receive 50 gold coins right away.

But I wouldn’t lend her the money for free.

“First, one question. Where is Paolo?”

“Paolo…?”

“Your adventurer boyfriend. Where can I find him? No ulterior motive, just a small favor to ask. If you tell me, I’ll lend you the money immediately.”

Miriam hesitated, torn between loyalty and desperation.

Her doubt didn’t matter—I simply showed her the gold coins and a prepared loan agreement.

“Money…!”

She reached out instinctively, but I pulled back.

I wasn’t handing it over just yet.

Growing desperate, she finally spilled:

“He’s at the tavern… Not far from here.”

“There are plenty of taverns around here. Which one?”

“Madam Prioli’s tavern.”

That was all I needed.

I immediately lent Miriam the money.

With a grateful expression, she spread her palm to receive it.

Then, she signed the promissory note as well.

Just a minute ago, she had been in despair, but now she even managed to wear a smile.

That was because, for her, this money wasn’t merely 50 gold.

It likely appeared as seed money that could rapidly multiply into 300 gold, 500 gold, or more.

“Are you planning to try again? Baccarat?”

“Yes…!”

“Then, I’ll add one more clause to the promissory note. Write it down yourself, Miss Miriam. A condition that you must repay it by the end of the day. Also, include that you will bear the penalty interest if you fail to meet it.”

“Yes, yes.”

Miriam nodded confidently and followed my instructions.

Then, she returned to the VIP room, looking thrilled at the thought of betting again.

She didn’t seem to realize that it would be the last bet of her life.

…

Now, all that was left was to wrap things up.

I gave instructions to the shield knight who had been idling around in the casino.

“Jerome, go to the location written here and bring back a man named Paolo.”

“Right now?”

“Right now.”

The shield knight silently nodded, probably because he owed me too much to refuse.

Sure, he had a weakness—his fear of blood made him less effective in actual combat.

But that only mattered when facing high-level opponents. Against someone like a bottom-tier adventurer or a lackey for a sleazy boss, there was no chance he’d lose.

The only thing missing was a proper justification for the arrest.

While this city operated under a system where the captain of the city guard could lock up ‘troublesome’ individuals without much fuss, things got a bit tricky when it came to seasoned adventurers.

If the Adventurers’ Guild decided to step in and protect its members, it could turn into a hassle.

So, I decided to create just enough of a pretext for the arrest.

“Tell that guy Paolo that we’ve figured out what Miriam’s been up to.”

“Won’t he just try to run off on his own?”

“If you add that Miriam blew all the money, he’ll lose his temper and make a scene. That’ll give you the justification you need.”

“Ah, I see what you mean.”

The shield knight Jerome set off immediately, with his subordinates following behind.

This was exactly why I went out of my way to bribe and keep the shield knight in my pocket.

Having the police act as errand boys made running a business so much easier.

****

Before I knew it, midnight had arrived.

The VIP room wrapped up its business for the night amidst roaring cheers and jeers.

“Complete victory! What a win!”

“Stop scratching it in. That was all luck, and you know it.”

“Still can’t admit it, huh? How about round two nearby? Mini poker?”

“Tempting… no, wait. If I play you now, I might end up stabbing you.”

Depending on the person, reactions ranged from elation to dejection.

The winners basked in their glory, while the losers, though beaten, didn’t seem too devastated. They carried themselves like veterans—more like they’d been stung by a bee than bitten by a dog.

But there was one exception—a person completely, utterly crushed.

Miriam.

She had lost everything: the 520 gold she had brought, as well as the 50 gold she’d borrowed from me.

Just a few hours ago, she could at least still form sentences.

Now, she was tearing at her hair, letting out incoherent groans like ugh, ah, ugh between sobs.

For the time being, I left her to it.

I only spoke up after the shield knight brought in Miriam’s boyfriend, Paolo.

The man looked to be in his early to mid-40s, his eyes already wild with rage.

“Hey, honey.”

“Miriam, you crazy wench! I heard you blew through all my money too—!”

“Shut up and sit down.”

The shield knight shoved Paolo roughly into a chair.

The moment had finally arrived—these two, the pair who had bled my casino dry in the past, now sat before me, united by their own ruin.

As I watched the two, each furious for different reasons, I casually dropped a line. Business hours were over, so there was no need to sugarcoat anything.

“Before you two start tearing each other apart, how about telling me how you’re planning to pay me back?”

“P-pay you back?”

The couple, now reduced to debtors, turned to me with dumbfounded expressions.

They still didn’t seem to grasp the depth of their downfall, but that didn’t matter.

“You’re both debtors now.”

I intended to make it very clear to them—starting now.