Ch.347[Episode 347] Event: Gambling… No, Cheering.

“How much money did you spend?”

When Sir Dominic stared at Captain Elang, the captain awkwardly scratched his cheek.

“I didn’t spend that much. I didn’t do anything stupid like my friend who blew his entire month’s salary… probably.”

Sir Dominic looked at Captain Elang with horrified eyes.

That “probably” suggested he had spent an amount equivalent to a month’s salary.

Sir Dominic didn’t know how much Captain Elang earned monthly, but he began to worry about the man’s livelihood.

“You should save your money. If you spend your entire month’s earnings, how will you survive?”

Sir Dominic sincerely advised Captain Elang.

Captain Elang pondered Sir Dominic’s words for a moment.

Had Sir Dominic’s sincerity reached him?

“It’s fine. I live with my parents, so I don’t have much to spend money on anyway!”

Of course not.

Captain Elang answered Sir Dominic with a bright expression.

“That’s not what I meant… You need to save some money.”

“Thanks for the advice. Wow. People said this would be generous even before it was released, but you’re really looking out for me. Truly generous.”

Sir Dominic stared blankly at Captain Elang who was using words he didn’t understand.

“Oh, I meant it has good value for money.”

“After spending a month’s salary?”

“…? Well, spending a month’s salary on games is normal these days, isn’t it?”

Sir Dominic was beginning to worry about Captain Elang’s mental state.

In Captain Elang’s eyes, there was a similar madness to that of the protesters who had demonstrated in front of the Black Company.

“That can’t be normal. You should save sometimes and pursue other hobbies…”

“Don’t worry. I’m accumulating wealth in Gachaland. Gachaland is my hobby.”

Oh my. Sir Dominic was speechless at Captain Elang’s response.

Captain Elang was even stranger than he had imagined.

…

After parting with Captain Elang, Sir Dominic headed to the agreed location for race practice.

‘Anyway, I’ve bet my entire fortune on you, Sir Dominic, so please win first place.’

‘…Betting your entire fortune? Are you out of your mind?’

‘Sir Dominic is the strongest person I’ve ever met. You’ll definitely win first place.’

‘Hey, are you listening to me?’

“Haah…”

Sir Dominic sighed as he recalled his final conversation with Captain Elang.

Captain Elang had really spent his entire month’s salary to bet… no, to support Sir Dominic.

To Sir Dominic, this was absolutely absurd, but Captain Elang had been cheerful about it.

What kind of life had Captain Elang lived that he could remain so calm after betting his entire fortune?

As Sir Dominic was lost in philosophical contemplation, Hime, who had arrived at the meeting place first, spotted him and waved.

“Sir Dominic! You’re early?”

“Ah, Lady Hime.”

Sir Dominic waved back at Hime.

“Oh right. The race schedule is out. It’s in two days. So after today’s practice, we’ll rest tomorrow and compete the day after.”

Hime said she had already completed the registration.

However, none of this information registered in Sir Dominic’s ears.

“…Lady Hime. Have you seen the support we received?”

“Support? I haven’t seen it yet… What is this!”

Hime was shocked when she opened the support window at Sir Dominic’s prompting.

There were tokens amounting to 100,000 in support.

“A commander named Captain Elang invested… no, supported me with his entire fortune.”

“…My goodness.”

Hime was speechless at Sir Dominic’s words.

Although Hime came from a noble family and considered herself quite generous with money, this Captain Elang was on a completely different level of spending.

“…We absolutely must win now.”

Hime said.

“Indeed we must.”

Sir Dominic replied.

Sir Dominic and Hime stared blankly at the 100,000 tokens.

They couldn’t even imagine what to do with all these tokens.

“Oh, by the way, I brought a marksman this time.”

Hime deliberately changed the subject, as just thinking about the enormous amount of tokens was giving her a headache.

“She’s a maid who’s been working under our butler for a while, and she’s quite skilled with throwing stars.”

“Pleased to meet you. I am Koume the kunoichi.”

As soon as Hime finished her introduction, a girl jumped out from Hime’s shadow.

She was wearing strange clothes that were half maid uniform and half ninja attire, with black hair, hollow eyes, and an average build.

“Despite appearances, Koume is a 3-star. She’s one of the top kunoichi. She was also among the First Hundred with me recently.”

Sir Dominic nodded slightly in greeting as Koume bowed to him.

When he raised his head, he confirmed that the First Hundred title was indeed glittering above her head.

“I’ve heard a lot about Sir Dominic. The one Lady Hime is in love with—”

“Urghk!”

“…?”

Sir Dominic was startled by the strange sound that he never expected to come from such a refined woman, and looked at Hime.

Hime’s face had turned red with embarrassment, and her ears and tail were shaking violently.

“Th-there was a bug, that’s why.”

Hime made an excuse when Sir Dominic looked at her.

“Lady Hime. If you love Sir Dominic, showing such behavior—”

“Aeeeeeee-!”

Sir Dominic was startled again by a sound one might hear in a voodoo ritual and looked at Hime.

“Bug! There was another bug!”

Hime smiled awkwardly under Sir Dominic’s gaze and approached Koume.

She put her arm on Koume’s shoulder, covered her mouth, turned around, and whispered something in Koume’s ear.

“If you keep being so tactless, I’ll tell the butler about that mistake you made last time.”

“!”

Koume glared at Hime as if accusing her of being underhanded, but Hime’s gaze was straightforward and resolute.

Realizing there was no room for compromise, Koume sighed and nodded once in understanding.

“What’s the matter?”

“N-nothing important! Just some marksman advice, you know…?”

Hime smiled brightly as she responded to Sir Dominic.

“Anyway, today we’ll train with our marksman. I’ve set up some scarecrows along the way, so let’s practice until we knock them all down!”

Hime tried her best to change the subject.

Her effort seemed successful, as Sir Dominic nodded at her words.

“Understood.”

Phew.

Hime breathed a sigh of relief at Sir Dominic’s response.

She was prepared to confess to Sir Dominic, but not so suddenly.

She wanted to confess when her preparations were more perfect.

Some might ask what more she needed to prepare if she was already prepared, but Hime was indecisive by nature.

That day, Sir Dominic, Hime, and Koume practiced racing until late into the night.

Until Hime’s worries disappeared.

…

Two days after the final practice, at the Gachaland train station.

After a day of rest, Sir Dominic arrived at the train station.

“I think we were supposed to meet here.”

Sir Dominic muttered as he looked around.

Then he found Hime and Koume who were already waiting nearby.

“Lady Hime! Lady Koume!”

“Ah, Sir Dominic!”

Sir Dominic, Hime, and Koume met in the station plaza.

“When is the race scheduled?”

“We have a test run in 30 minutes. We need to get in by then. We almost had a big problem if you were a little late.”

Hime said, looking at her sundial-shaped wristwatch.

Then she turned and entered the train station.

She was heading to the waiting room for the test run.

Sir Dominic and Koume followed her.

At that moment, cheers erupted from the station lobby.

Sir Dominic turned his head toward the source of the sound.

There, on a platform, were a man and woman grabbing each other’s collars—a rabbit beastkin wearing a beret and a hamster beastkin in a suit.

“This time our Red Arrow will win, you coward.”

“Ha, what did you say? I can’t hear anything from someone who’s lost to us two years in a row.”

Sir Dominic watched the two middle-aged people arguing like children and somehow felt their appearance was familiar.

“The Red Arrow Bunny Gang will never forget this humiliation, King Pin Shark!”

“Ha, you dare challenge Iron Shark? Do you want to lose again, Donna Carota?”

Ah. Sir Dominic finally realized who they were.

They were Donna Carota, the boss of the Red Arrow Bunny Gang, and King Pin Shark, the boss of Iron Shark, who had appeared in Story Mode.

Now that he thought about it, he could see traces of their younger selves, but time had changed them both considerably.

“You rat who only knows how to play dirty!”

“Act like a proper rabbit and cower in fear instead of pretending to be brave!”

The level of provocation kept rising, and as it did, the cheers from the crowd grew louder.

The two teams were the oldest and most famous teams in the steam locomotive race, as well as the biggest rivals.

It was no wonder they attracted so much attention.

“There’s a widespread rumor that these two will be the next pickup characters.”

Koume volunteered information beside Sir Dominic without being asked.

“They say this event is preparation for the next pickup. Something about using this race to raise awareness of Donna Carota and King Pin Shark.”

Sir Dominic nodded at Koume’s words.

Considering Gachaland’s business tactics, it seemed plausible.

“Sir Dominic! Hurry up! We need to do the test run!”

“Ah, understood.”

Hime called out to Sir Dominic and Koume from a distance.

Sir Dominic acknowledged Hime and then turned to run toward her.

As he ran, Sir Dominic briefly glanced back.

Donna Carota and King Pin Shark were still engaged in their war of words.

As if trying to announce their existence to everyone.