episode_0094

Episode 94: Free City (3)

It took 30 minutes to deal with the criminals who tried to kidnap us and their organization.

We arrived in front of a hotel.

“Is it here?”

“Yes!!”

The boss of the organization we just turned over answered in a booming voice. I glanced inside from the entrance.

Splendid decorations and a golden feast. It’s a hotel that looks quite expensive at a glance.

I put my arm around the man’s shoulder and said.

“It looks expensive… Did you bring me to the right place?”

“You will definitely be satisfied!”

His bulging muscles trembled in tension. He was terrified of getting beaten like before.

“Don’t be so nervous. Everyone’s staring at us.”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

“Okay.”

Even though it’s a lawless zone full of all sorts of crimes, ordinary citizens still live there, and it’s a city with many visitors. So if you show a scene like this on the street, you’ll attract attention.

I led the group inside. And since this hotel was the only place in the city with rooms left, I hurried to check in.

Fortunately, we had enough rooms for the four of us. Of course, two people per room, like on the train.

“That will be 280,000 gold in total. How would you like to pay?”

40,000 gold per night… It’s damn expensive after all.

Of course, it was the combined price of two rooms, but it was still expensive.

At the employee’s words, I looked at the boss standing next to me. He was just standing there blankly, so I said a word.

“What are you doing? You have to pay quickly.”

For reference, all hotels in the Free City are prepaid.

Because with the characteristics of having a casino, they never knew when the guests would run out of money, and also because there were many criminal organizations spread throughout the city, guests would suddenly disappear.

Then the boss was flustered.

“Me, are you talking about me…?”

“Or should I do it?”

“Ah, no…”

When I glared at him slightly, he paid the hotel fee himself.

‘This is why criminals are good.’

Criminals are called non-recyclable garbage, but it’s not like they’re not helpful at all. It’s easy to pass something on to these gangster bastards, just like now.

The method is simple. In their world, power is everything, so if you press them down with enough force, they’ll grovel.

Then isn’t there a possibility of retaliation? That’s because you don’t know these guys.

The place commonly called the underworld is a place where all sorts of infighting takes place. If you show a gap, they’ll pounce on you right away.

In that situation, if they attack me to kill me? They’re more likely to die.

Well, I’ve completely killed any thought of that from the start, so there’s no possibility.

I received the key from the employee and said.

“Go on. Tell your guys about us. If you mess with us again… you know, right?”

“I will definitely deliver the message!”

He said that and hurried away from my side.

Then Evan exclaimed in admiration.

“Your skill at ripping people off is amazing, hyung.”

“Then watch and learn.”

“Haha, I don’t think I have the personality for that.”

We had a trivial conversation, unpacked our luggage in the room, and gathered again in the lobby.

“But Kyle. What are you going to do now?”

At Lana’s question, I put up a barrier around us and answered.

“Actually, we don’t need to do anything separately until the auction. We can just rest and have fun like on the train.”

“Is that okay? Wasn’t it an important matter?”

“It is important. But we can’t just sneak into the auction house.”

The security of the place where the auction items are stored is famous for being good, so it’s not easy to break in. They thoroughly block access from the start so that you can’t even try.

Of course, there’s no problem. I know exactly how the auction will proceed, and I’ve already made a plan. I have all the information related to the auction.

“So you just need to work hard on the auction day. That will be the busiest time.”

“Okay!”

Lana answered cheerfully.

“Then what should we do for the remaining week? It looks like there’s a lot to enjoy.”

Evan asked. Even if it wasn’t for the casino and auction, the Free City had many things to enjoy for tourists. Right outside the city was a desert, and there were also several ruins.

Then Ruina said.

“I want to go to the casino.”

“Would you like to look around there?”

“Yes. I want to see the machines.”

Ruina showed interest in machines like slot machines in the casino.

The gambling machines in the Free City used magic engineering. Magic engineering was a technology that was not well used on the continent, so it was perhaps natural for an alchemist to be interested in it.

Even if that wasn’t the case, I was planning to go to the casino as soon as I came to the Free City. Because I have something to do there.

“Is it okay to go when I’m not even an adult yet?”

“It’s legal in the Free City, so it’s okay.”

They even sell slaves at the auction, so why wouldn’t they be able to enter a casino. Most illegal things are legal here. It’s not for nothing that the word “free” is attached.

Of course, they are preventing heinous acts that will be condemned on the continent, and they are also responsible for the consequences themselves. The Free City is a normal place in strange ways.

“Oh, then of course we have to go.”

“I want to go too!”

“Then let’s fill our stomachs first and go.”

With our next destination decided, we finished our meal and headed to the casino.

***

The Free City’s casino, [Letan], was extravagant from the way there.

The signboard decorated with gold and jewels as a base sparkled with light, and magic embroidered the streets from the ground to the sky, arousing curiosity.

And at the end of the road.

The casino, which can be said to be the height of splendor, with casinos and hotels stacked on top of each other, resembling a castle, was visible in the distance.

“Wow… I saw it briefly earlier, but it’s even more spectacular when you see it up close.”

“I’ve never seen anything like this before…”

Lana and Evan’s open mouths didn’t close for a long time. If you see that scene where they poured money, you can’t help but admire it.

On the other hand, I wasn’t very impressed. Because I’ve seen the scene many times in the game.

Well, Ruina didn’t seem interested either. Unless it was the design of a magic tool, she wasn’t the type to focus on appearances.

Perhaps she was frustrated with walking slowly while looking around the streets, Ruina grabbed my sleeve and said.

“It’s boring. Let’s go quickly.”

“Should we?”

“Yes.”

In fact, there are more things to see inside the casino. So there was no need to look around outside.

“Let’s go in.”

“Yes, hyung.”

“Okay, Kyle!”

That’s how we entered the casino. The staff greeted us grandly, and the casino’s scenery came into view.

Machines and tables installed on both sides around the central path. And countless guests filling the seats.

They were enjoying gambling to the fullest, and hope and despair went back and forth with a moment’s choice, and they shouted with joy and screamed.

It was truly a scene dyed with madness. As a result, the casino was full of heat, but it was never a normal atmosphere.

‘Well, that’s normal when you get addicted to gambling.’

The thrill of the result that is divided depending on what decision you make at every moment was more addictive than drugs.

But considering that this is the first stage… there is still room for rehabilitation.

“Enjoy this moderately. It doesn’t matter if you lose it all.”

I handed the exchanged chips to the group.

In terms of money, it’s about 100,000 gold.

If you look at it normally, it’s a huge amount for a student, but I have so much money that even if I give it to the three of them, my wallet is fine.

However, the three of them stood there blankly even after receiving the chips and didn’t scatter. And then they said.

“Hyung, this is our first time in a place like this, so please tell us a little bit.”

“I don’t know much either. I’ve never played a game in my life.”

“Teach me.”

Ah. That’s right.

I belatedly realized that these three had nothing to do with gambling.

Evan came from the countryside, so he wouldn’t know how to do it, and Lana wouldn’t even know the rules.

Lastly, Ruina was obvious without saying anything.

“Then should I teach Ruina first?”

“Yes.”

Ruina was more interested in the machines that performed the gambling than the gambling itself, so I guided her first.

“This is called a slot machine. You know what it is, right?”

“I know. I’ve heard of it.”

“That’s a relief. The way to do it is to put in a chip and press this next to it…”

I pressed the button while looking at the picture on the screen.

Click! Click! Click!

A total of three times in a row. The slots stop and the same pictures line up in a row.

It seems like I pressed it randomly, but to superhumans like us, it looks like it stopped.

Babbabam!!!

The slot machine made a congratulatory sound and spewed chips down below. A box was filled with chips.

“That’s how you do it.”

“Can I disassemble it?”

“Um… please refrain from that. And you probably can’t.”

“…Okay.”

After that, Ruina started playing the game and observed the machine. Her interest was completely gone from me.

‘I’m a little worried… but she won’t do anything strange.’

For now, I had no choice but to trust Ruina.

Next is Evan.

“What game do you want to play?”

“I want to play a card game.”

“Then Baccarat would be good.”

Evan is not familiar with gambling. So that would be better than poker, where he doesn’t know the rules or the combinations.

I headed to the table where the round had just ended. And I sat Evan down and taught him the simple rules and how to play.

When I helped him a little from the side, he won money in the first round. After that, I gave him advice a few times and Evan seemed to be getting used to it.

“Thank you. I think I can do it alone now.”

“Good luck.”

“I’ll definitely win a lot and pay you back!”

“Okay.”

I smiled inwardly at his enthusiastic words and left his side.

That’s a newbie’s mistake. He mistakes what he won with help as his own skill. He’ll probably lose from now on.

Then Lana, who noticed my smile, said.

“Kyle, is it okay to do that? It looks like he’s going to lose everything?”

“I told you it doesn’t matter if he loses. And that’s how you learn.”

Well, he’ll lose everything if he doesn’t learn anything.

“Lana, what game do you want to play?”

“Um…”

Lana fell into thought. But it didn’t last long and she answered quickly.

“I’ll just watch by Kyle’s side. Gambling doesn’t seem to suit me.”

“If it doesn’t suit you, there’s nothing I can do.”

Games are only fun if you play with someone who has the right personality. If you force it, it’s just painful.

“Then where do I…”

I walked slowly and looked at the tables that were playing the game. Then I found a round where a lot of money was going back and forth. The game was poker.

There was only one seat left, and the round had just ended. I sat there.

“A young friend has come.”

“Hey. Do you have enough money?”

“Why don’t you just leave before you get your underwear taken away?”

At those words, I raised my chips and said.

“I came to have fun. I’ll learn a thing or two.”

Someone was sipping a glass of alcohol, and someone was chuckling and laughing. But I didn’t show it and received the cards.

‘Now, where should I start ripping off some money?’

It’s time to return to being a gambler after a long time.