episode_0014

A building with a gorgeous exterior revealed its majestic appearance before my eyes.

A place that contains all the joys and sorrows of people.

I have never been to a place like a gambling house or club before.

Is that why?

Even though it was midday, the place where many people came and went seemed like a den of evil that threw people’s lives into the gutter.

But I rather like it.

Because I didn’t come to this place to make money.

If you are moderately defeated and lose everything, it’s over.

“Then, let me help you exchange money.”

A woman dressed as a bunny girl exchanged cash for chips at the reception desk.

I quickly put all the accumulated chips into a special pocket and looked around to see what game to play.

But my eyes keep going to other things than the game.

Everywhere you look, there are bunny girls, bunny girls, bunny girls.

Pantyhose, a figure-revealing leotard, and a rabbit-shaped headband and tail.

It’s definitely sensational.

I heard that in the original world, most bunny girls disappeared due to sexual exploitation, and it certainly fits the story.

“Ugh, the women’s outfits are so burdensome…”

Yuna started complaining about their outfits.

Well, it’s definitely hard to see if you’re not familiar with it.

···I say this and try to find as much composure as possible, but the truth is that I have nowhere to put my eyes.

This is strange…

It was definitely okay when the maid washed me.

Rather, wearing this kind of sex-appealing outfit was more burdensome than showing it off openly.

Is it because of that cozy atmosphere?

“Sister, sister! There’s a strange piece of metal over there. It looks like something made by the Ministry of Magic. What is it used for?”

As I kept trying to turn my gaze to the bunny girl, Yuna, who was excited about seeing things for the first time, asked me a question.

At the location Yuna pointed to, there were square boxes with levers lined up in a row.

···Slot machine?

Why is that there in the fantasy world?

“That’s a slot machine. You put money in, pull the lever, and when the same pictures come out, you get paid.”

“Oh! That’s an amazing item! They say the technological prowess of ancient civilizations is amazing!”

“Ancient civilization?”

“Didn’t you know? The items made in the Kingdom of Darkness are items that reproduce the technological capabilities of ancient civilizations! Wow, that’s amazing!”

Normally, if you asked me something I didn’t know, I would have explained it in detail.

I guess I really wanted to try slot machines.

···I thought it was just a limitation of the Tsukkur game, so I thought there were things that were out of date like that, but a strange setting popped out.

When will the creators of Tsukur games realize that the stuff they say about ancient civilizations is boring?

As I was looking for the game board, leaving Yuna alone who started putting chips in, saying it was interesting, someone spoke to me.

“Miss. Are you looking for a game to play?”

He was an impressive man with neatly slicked back blonde hair.

Looking at his casual clothes, does he seem like he’s not a dealer but someone who’s come to have fun?

“At the moment, there’s only one person at our table. Would you like to play poker with us? If you don’t know the rules, I’ll teach you.”

As I was wondering why someone who wasn’t even a dealer suddenly started talking to me, he said,

Um, is this an invitation?

There was no reason to refuse, so I nodded.

Poker.

I’ve played online games before, but this is my first time actually playing them.

I don’t know if the rules I know are correct.

***

“Um, what on earth is that girl?”

“Was the slot machine… that good of a machine?”

“It’s happening! I’m going to do it too! Everyone get out of the way!”

Yuna sighed as she felt the weight of her heavy bag.

…I didn’t plan on doing this.

There’s just something that looks like it was made in the famous country of magic.

And I only used it briefly because it was being used in a casino.

My eyes were taken by the pictures spinning brilliantly in the square box, so I inadvertently turned the lever several times.

After spinning it several times, three identical pictures are matched, and chips pop out accompanied by cheerful music.

I experienced this several times, and when I lost interest, I suddenly found myself with several times more chips than I originally had.

I need to use up all the chips, but instead the chips are increasing.

Sister, don’t you want to be angry…

My sister is a pretty and respectable person.

The hero who saved my life, recognized as a hero in the village of beginning.

I was happy to go on a journey with the warrior with the help of the village chief.

I was a little depressed that I couldn’t do something as easy as losing a chip.

“Sister, where are you…?”

Slot machines were so amazing and fun that I didn’t even realize I had separated from my sister.

I guess he didn’t throw it away because he didn’t like it.

As I was trudging along with that thought in mind, feeling like I was sinking like a heavy bag, I realized that a table had become noisy.

Since there are so many people gathered around, my sister might be there too.

With that in mind, at the table I squeezed through the crowd, there was my sister, as expected.

Three men sitting at the same table and one dealer standing and dealing cards.

It seemed like he was playing a game with those people.

“Haha, what should I do with this, girl? I think you’re almost out of chips already.”

“It doesn’t matter. Turn the card.”

“It looks like you’re having some unlucky days today… I wonder if it’s okay to end here…”

“I said it didn’t matter.”

“I can’t help it… Hey, turn your hand.”

At the urging of a frivolous-looking man, the dealer turns the hand.

In the meantime, the man’s mouth did not stop speaking.

“You lost so much money and still keep doing it… I guess you’re the daughter of a rich family somewhere.”

“···.”

“You have a pretty face, so you must have been treated with a lot of love. It’s understandable that you’re not used to the game.”

“···.”

“Well, there is no reason for you ladies to be good at games like this. Your skills are still lacking.”

Ahahaha!

Those playing the same game laughed together at the nerve-wracking provocation.

Yet, my sister is sitting there without a change in her expression.

Listening to the story, it seems like most of the chips have already been lost.

He is much better than someone like me who tried to be stupid and won several times.

“Okay, then the result is… Oh my! You lost again. Do you want to do more?… By the way! There are no chips left!”

“···.”

“Oh my, weren’t you just planning to go back to the city where the crabs lived? That’s a shame.”

“···.”

“Next time you come, improve your skills! Haha!”

A tone of voice that makes me furrow my eyebrows even though I’m not even listening to it myself.

It seemed like my sister was intentionally creating the appearance that she had even stolen travel expenses.

As I was approaching my sister who was getting up from the table, I caught a glimpse of a card on the wrist of the dealer behind her.

···Trickery?

It seems that she didn’t notice because she split the cards in her square.

I guess it doesn’t matter since I came here to lose money anyway.

While I was thinking about that, his voice pierced my ears.

“Isn’t there anything you can’t return for the travel expenses you mentioned earlier, if you use that body?”

bang!

He trudged over to the table and roughly put down his heavy pocket.

“I think there’s one seat left. Can I come in?”

The man smiled greedily, probably guessing the number of chips in his pocket.

“As much as you want.”

***

Ah, sit-pal!

He’s a really annoying guy.

Obviously, I was lucky at first.

Just when I was thinking, “If I earn too much, it’s going to be a problem,” I thought it was fortunate that I lost once in the middle and continued playing again.

The way he spoke was so annoying that I played the game with the intention of winning from the middle.

But I can’t win!

There are subtly many things in the opponent’s hand that are better than my hand, so even if I try to win, I end up losing instead of winning.

I wondered if there was a trick like in the movie, so I changed the cards and the dealer, but the result was the same.

At some point, losing streak makes me feel really bad, but I keep getting bad losses.

In the meantime, that word choice that connotes the meaning of ‘You’re not good at it’!

His face is so obnoxious and his voice so obnoxious that I want to hit him on the head.

I got angry and admitted defeat and stood up from the table, but the table hit me! A voice was heard.

What’s going on?

He quickly turned his head, and Yuna asked him to participate in the game with a very angry expression.

···?

Why is Yuna so angry?

What did that man say while I was getting up earlier?

I don’t know because I was so annoyed that I didn’t listen properly…

“Okay, since there’s a new player in the game, let’s switch dealers. Hey!”

“It doesn’t matter. You can just go ahead.”

“···Is it okay? Sometimes there are people who suspect fraud. It would be better to change it just in case.”

“are you okay.”

“You seem confident. Well, if you say so.”

Burning, burning eyes.

It’s the first time I’ve seen that naive Yuna look so angry.

It hasn’t been long since we met, but he didn’t seem like he would get that angry.

Yuna, who seemed like an innocent puppy, got angry, and her previous self was no longer there.

There is only a girl who looks at the other person with cold eyes instead of a warm smile.

But, didn’t Yuna actually win the money?

···That pocket looks much heavier than when I first got it.

I felt something unknown and defeated.