Chapter 182: A Minor Commotion (1)

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In the dim space, dazzling lights shimmered brilliantly—thanks to the enormous chandelier. Beneath it, the vibrant colors of chips, cards, and dice laid out on each table were dazzling.

The air was thick with the chaotic mix of cigarette smoke and perfume, exuding a decadent atmosphere.

Well-dressed gentlemen and ladies watched the tables with tense expressions, while cheers erupted from somewhere else. Some, like Sugar’s group, hid their faces. Even with a membership system, there were those who wished to conceal their identities. Everyone had their own circumstances.

The jingling of coins. A voice mechanically explaining the rules. These sounds tickled the ears, drawing attention to the bunny-girl dealers with charming ear accessories. Their tailcoats gave them a neat, polished impression.

“Wow… This is my first time seeing it in person… Amazing…”

Ian muttered excitedly under her breath.

The four of them stood in a corner of the central hall, observing the interior. The chandelier’s light only reached the tables, leaving the edges dark, and everyone was too absorbed in their own gambling to pay them any mind.

“Are you saying the casino is amazing, or the bunny girls are amazing?”

“Both…”

So she was the type to pretend otherwise while secretly enjoying risqué things. Sugar glanced at Ian before shifting her gaze to Riley.

Her eyes slowly trailed upward.

“Heh.”

“What.”

“So even Riley likes that sort of thing, huh…”

She said darkly, noticing how his gaze was fixed on a bunny-girl dealer at another table.

Riley neither confirmed nor denied it, simply turning his head away.

‘…Seriously?’

Sugar hurriedly scrutinized the dealer. Rabbit ears and tail. A skin-tight leotard. Pantyhose. Shirt collars and sleeves as accessories—all designed to excite men.

‘And they’re all…’

She looked down at her own chest, then back at the dealers’.

Sugar’s face darkened instantly. After yesterday’s shocking realization, she had a lot of pent-up frustration.

Bunny girls. Bunny girls. Was that what he liked? That shameless, fetishistic nonsense?

‘Come to think of it, Riley once said he liked rabbits.’

So that was it. A personal preference turning into a fetish. Hmph. No reaction to me, but that’s what gets him going? Disgusting. Men are all the same. Utterly useless.

Clasping her hands behind her back, Sugar let out a meaningful smirk.

Of course, Riley’s actual thought was simply, “I’d like to see Sugar in that.” But there was no way she could know that.

“What’s wrong with her now?”

“Just another day.”

Ian and Leon exchanged calm remarks as they watched Sugar.

“Looks like they’re checking membership cards over there.”

The first and second floors were the casino, the third floor housed a cocktail bar and staff rooms, and the fourth floor was the boss’s office—their final destination.

Thanks to the suspicious woman’s help, they had cleared the entrance without issue.

They had also successfully infiltrated the second floor without trouble.

But now, there was a problem: guards were stationed at the stairs leading to the third floor. And of course, the group had no membership cards.

Unlike the table-game-dominated lower floors, the second floor was packed with slot machines. Huddled together, the four of them brainstormed.

Then, Ian calmly spoke up.

“Let’s stick to the plan. When it’s time to distract the guards inside, we’ll split into pairs and play our roles.”

The plan was simple: while two drew attention, the other two would move.

“But about that distraction role… Are you sure you’re okay with it? You’ve seemed really confident since yesterday.”

Ian had declared she would handle it when they first planned this. A little worried, the question was met with her waving her hand dismissively as she dragged Leon along.

She then moved between the slot machines, scanning them as if calculating something. Her eyes swept over each one until she found the perfect spot.

“Here. This is the one.”

Sitting down, Ian pulled out the coins she had prepared earlier.

“Hoo…”

Exhaling, she inserted a coin into the slot with a motion so deliberate it almost seemed reverent.

The patterns behind the glass began spinning.

The three watching held their breath.

Among them, Ian, who had been quietly observing, suddenly widened her eyes and pulled the lever.

First symbol: 7.

Second symbol: 7.

Third symbol—

“Huh? A lemon?”

“Wait for it.”

It seemed like it would stop on the lemon, but it rolled one more space.

Then, the third symbol also landed on 7.

Jackpot.

All the money inside the machine came pouring out.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa—”

“Step back. Get into position.”

“Ah, right—”

At the calm instruction, Sugar and Riley quickly moved away.

Then, Ian cleared her throat and shouted loudly.

“WOOOOW! JACKPOT! IT’S A JACKPOT!”

In an instant, the gazes of the patrons and staff turned toward Ian.

“This is unbelievable! Hey, friend! Come with me! Let’s try another machine with this money! I’ve got a good feeling today! It’s my lucky day!”

“Huh? Oh, uh, mhm…!”

Putting on an all-out performance, she dragged Leon behind her toward another slot machine.

Another jackpot.

“WHOOOAA!!”

The staff watched her jump around excitedly with stiff expressions. Two jackpots in a row. Whether it was rigged or not, this was trouble either way.

Soon, more people began gathering on the second floor. Word must have spread—even patrons from the lower floors were flooding in.

“Everyone! If I hit a third one, I’ll buy you all a round of premium drinks! Watch me!”

The crowd roared. The dopamine rush of back-to-back jackpots had them electrified. Even though it wasn’t their win, rare spectacles like this were contagious. Humans couldn’t help but get swept up in the excitement.

Amid the commotion, the guards stationed at the third-floor staircase finally arrived at the slot machine area.

“Miss. Sorry, but could you come with us for a moment?”

“Huh? Why? Wait… Are you accusing me of cheating? How could anyone rig these machines? You just put in money and pull the lever!”

“N-No, of course not. We don’t tolerate cheating here—”

“She’s going for a third one!”

“Let her play! This is fun!”

“Is her luck for real?”

The guards insisted, Ian and Leon refused, and the crowd egged them on. The second floor erupted into chaos—the perfect cover for two figures slipping away unnoticed.

“Damn, Ian’s good at gambling too… Is there anything they can’t do?”

Sugar clicked her tongue as she and Riley moved swiftly.

If Ian had been pulling stunts like this all along, she could’ve made 2,000 gold in no time.

Of course, if that had happened, there would’ve been no need to negotiate with Praline. Song of Silence would’ve gone straight to Raphael. In a way, their lack of funds had been a blessing.

“Third floor infiltration… Smooth so far, but…”

They made it to the third floor without issue.

But as they passed the cocktail bar and reached the two-thirds mark of the long hallway, they spotted a sign hanging from the ceiling: “STAFF ONLY.”

Beneath it, a magical barrier shimmered visibly—no need for a lantern to see it.

Riley tossed a coin at it. Ping! It bounced right off. Past this point, ordinary guests weren’t allowed.

“Disabling it would take too long…”

The hallway was a straight shot. No cover, no time to dismantle the barrier. And with Ian and Leon detained, they were on their own.

“The staff probably have some kind of pass.”

“A pass?”

“This isn’t Steele. Registering every employee’s magical signature would be too tedious. The spell likely just allows ‘living beings carrying a specific pass’ through.”

“And that pass would be…”

Sugar tilted her head, thinking. She could guess—badges, name tags. Now that she thought about it, all the staff wore IDs pinned to their chests.

“Let’s… acquire one.”

“Agreed.”

As if synchronized, the two turned back toward the cocktail bar.

***************

Amid the chaos downstairs, a staff member was polishing the entrance to the cocktail bar.

He’d taken a quick break to watch the jackpot spectacle earlier, but now, anticipating a rush of guests drawn by the buzz, he was prepping diligently. A model employee.

Then, two figures approached him.

One was a man. The other, a petite woman. Both had their hoods up, but that wasn’t unusual here. The employee paid them no mind.

“Excuse me, is there a vacant lounge? It’s not even late, but my partner’s already… tipsy.”

The man spoke up. The employee glanced at the woman, who immediately slurred, “Mmm… feels good… Let’s do somethin’ funnner… Hic…” She clung to the man’s arm, rubbing against him.

“…We’d like somewhere private to rest for a bit.”

“Ah, of course. Right this way.”

The employee led them without question. Empty lounges were plentiful. Whatever they planned to do wasn’t his business—his job was just to assist.

“You may use this room. Now, if you’ll—”

He opened the door and stepped aside. Ah, what an excellent employee I am.

He was about to leave when—

YANK.

In the blink of an eye, he was pulled inside.

…! Wha—

Like a venus flytrap snapping shut. Like stepping into a trap. No time to scream—his mouth was covered, and the lounge door slammed behind him.

—THUD! CRASH! BANG! CLATTER!

After a minor commotion…

The door reopened.

“Phew… Nothing notable besides the name tag. One acquired.”

Sugar wiped her brow, holding up the ID.

“You acted well. I almost believed you.”

“…Never make me do that again.”

Her cheeks burned as she shot Riley a glare.

…She’s the one who wrote the script, though.

Regardless, they repeated the act—”Someone collapsed inside the lounge!”—to lure another employee and secure a second name tag. Two victims in one lounge. A truly productive room.

With the IDs secured, the two passed through the barrier.

Third-floor staff area—infiltration successful.

From here, speed was everything.

A straight hallway. A space only staff could roam. If they ran into a real employee or guard now, they’d have no excuse.

The two immediately sprinted toward the staircase to the fourth floor.

“Wait, wait. Stop here…”

—Peek.

Midway up the stairs, Sugar crouched low, glanced at the floor above, then quickly ducked back down.

“Too many guards… Must be because the boss is up there.”

A straight hallway packed with guards. There was no way they could break through.

“How do we get past that? Sneaking through undetected is impossible.”

“Can’t use magic either. If they realize we’ve infiltrated…”

If Raphael noticed the contract was missing and called in reinforcements, they’d be in trouble if their magical signatures were identified. They were already sweating just suppressing their mana.

“Hm? Wait…”

While they were deliberating, Sugar narrowed her eyes. She stared at the hallway wall with a puzzled expression.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s like… déjà vu…”

Something felt off. She crept up the stairs for a closer look.

And then—

They were spotted.

“Hey! Who’s there?!”

Of course they’d be seen—her white head kept popping in and out against the wine-colored walls.

Riley lunged forward to intercept the responding guards.

“Sorry! Keep them busy for a sec!”

Sugar urgently turned back to the wall, running her hands over it before shining her lantern.

Then, something that hadn’t been visible before began to appear.

A black pattern. Multiple overlapping black stars forming an empty space—an emblem used by a certain group.

One Sugar knew all too well.

“Ha… These bastards.”

How convenient. She hadn’t expected them to show up here.

A scenario formed in her mind.

Chasing traces of heresy, stumbling into a casino. A fight breaks out, and the contract just… disappears.

Perfect.

“Riley! Go all out! They’re Cultists!”

She shouted at the top of her lungs. As if waiting for this, Riley unleashed his mana—Sugar had stopped suppressing hers, so he’d figured it out.

He grabbed an approaching guard’s arm, twisted it to subdue him, then used the man as a shield to bulldoze forward. The guards faltered, and Riley broke through with his magically enhanced body.

Two guards lunged at him from either side—

Just before they could surround him, Riley dropped low.

He’d heard Sugar finish her incantation.

“Gust.”

The moment she swung her staff down, a fierce wind blasted the guards off their feet.

But there were still too many ahead.

More guards and staff were rushing up from below, alerted by the commotion.

“Ugh! How many people are crammed into this narrow hallway?!”

“Jump to me!”

Trapped like a sandwich, Sugar gritted her teeth—then her childhood friend stretched out a hand. She gathered mana in her legs and launched her small frame toward him. Riley caught her effortlessly, pulling her into his arms. A normal person’s organs would’ve ruptured from the impact.

The moment she landed, Sugar felt a strange shock.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Riley perform a simple motion—opening a book.

Yet the force that followed sent the guards collapsing. A crushing pressure invaded the space, shaking and bearing down on them. One by one, they dropped to their knees, clutching their chests before crumpling helplessly. They couldn’t resist.

A deep silence followed.

Riley closed the book once the area was cleared.

“…Since when could you do that?”

“Since now.”

“But is it okay to use the book?”

“You saw it with your own eyes. They won’t even know what hit them.”

The Holy City’s cleanup crew will handle the rest anyway—he brushed off his clothes casually.

Some of the fallen guards had been wielding staves, but they hadn’t stood a chance.

Sugar wordlessly stared at them before scratching her head. She quietly collected the staves and tossed them aside.

The boss’s office was located in the middle of the hallway.

“It’s in the center? Thought it’d be at the end.”

The far end of the hallway was just a dead end.

Sugar happily kicked open the office door. Their goal was right in front of them.

“Come out, you bastard!”

A mustachioed man froze mid-escape through the window.

“Y-You—who are you?! What’s the meaning of this?!”

“You’re Raphael, right?”

“Y-Yes! I’m Raphael, the director of Label of the Skin!”

Despite trying to flee, he puffed out his chest when asked for his name. At least he had pride.

Sugar pulled down her hood.

“Good. Mr. Raphael. You know who I am, don’t you? Not that I came here to chat, but since we’re here—talk. We know everything. What’s really going on here? Who’s pulling your strings?”

“How dare you speak to me like that! Who the hell are you?!”

“You know me. Why play dumb?”

“I said, who are you?!”

“You’re still pretending even after all this?”

“Why would I know the faces of some casino-robbing thugs?!”

“This isn’t working…!”

How dare you pretend not to know your own Saintess?!

Furious, Sugar twitched her hand. Riley immediately seized Raphael, who tried to resist with his staff—only to be effortlessly overpowered.

Sugar swapped the lantern’s light for the Liar’s Eye and stepped closer.

“You really don’t know who I am?”

“No! I don’t! How many times do I have to say it?!”

Raphael’s face didn’t glow red.

He was telling the truth.

Raphael didn’t know Sugar. Even though he plastered the Shadow Cult’s emblem on his damn walls.

“What?! Then what am I supposed to do?!”

“How should I know?!”

“This is really not working!”

She flicked a knife out from her back pocket.

Riley helpfully shoved Raphael forward, and Sugar pinned his wrist to the table.

“H-Hey, wait! What are you—?!”

“Stay still! It’s my first time doing this!”

“What do you want?! If you’re gonna torture me, at least tell me what you’re after! I really don’t know you people!”

“Shut up! I’m stabbing first, asking questions later!”

“AAAAAAAAH!!”