Casino Wizard

“Unni, that old man’s timing was seriously… How did he show up right then? It’s still amazing when I think about it.”

Malena Muti chattered excitedly.

Madam Bonucci simply looked at her fondly.

A girl who could, in a way, be considered her junior.

They came from different backgrounds.

Young Malena was a fallen noble in name only.

With no family wealth, she couldn’t secure a good match in her hometown and had come to the capital, determined to maintain a noble-like lifestyle—by finding a wealthy lover.

On the other hand, Baroness Bonucci was a commoner who had been relatively well-off…

But to enter high society, she had faked a marriage to launder her status before moving to the capital.

If not for gambling, she might still be living as someone’s mistress.

Seeing Malena’s innocence brought many thoughts to mind.

“Unni?”

Malena tilted her head, sensing something was off.

She had been talking excitedly about the “40-to-1 payout grandpa” and how Mario had suffered because of him, but now, her expression slowly hardened.

“Could it be… it wasn’t a coincidence?”

“What do you think? Was it really a coincidence?”

“Uh…”

She was too naive, but Madam Bonucci had no intention of scolding her.

After all, Malena wasn’t a seasoned socialite.

She hadn’t even been touched by a man yet. If a young lady fresh from the countryside was already that experienced, that would be the real surprise.

“So… it wasn’t a coincidence.”

Of course, it wasn’t. Malena had just been kept in the dark for security reasons.

The 40-to-1 payout old man causing a ruckus was orchestrated by Hyden behind the scenes.

And that wasn’t all Hyden had done.

He had recruited customers who had previously been swindled at that gambling house.

He had also whispered to Mario’s disgruntled subordinates.

At the same time, he was spreading bad rumors about “Coboli Casino,” another target for a takedown.

Hyden remained hidden behind the curtain, pulling the strings.

Had his influence suddenly grown just because he became a baron?

That played a part, but…

‘Hyden Baron had simply been holding back until now.’

And now, he had decided not to hold back anymore.

For Madam Bonucci, this was a great opportunity.

Two gambling houses taken down in one go—there was sure to be a hefty reward.

“Malena, don’t be too scared.”

“Yes, unni.”

“Hyden is a scary man. But he’s not someone who cheats people out of their money. He’ll make sure you walk away with a good sum too, Malena.”

Once the job was done, Hyden would pay them, and Malena could return home and live a happy life.

Or, like Bonucci, she could stay and become part of Hyden’s circle—an actress in his grand play.

“I’m not planning to leave the capital, unni.”

“Is that so?”

“It’s really fun, this.”

Seemed like she preferred the latter.

But first, they had to succeed in their operation.

“Prepare yourself.”

Madam Bonucci lightly tapped Malena’s hand with the end of her fan.

It was time to make Mario go broke.

The exact amount he had left was unknown.

But whatever it was, they had to take it all.

****

More than ten days had passed since Mario got roped into the scam.

So far, he had spent 750 gold on “expenses.”

And it wasn’t just Malena draining his money.

Disgruntled customers who had been cheated out of their winnings kept showing up, and silencing them cost money too.

Expenses were higher than expected.

A disheartened Mario sat blankly at the counter.

“Boss, we’re out of money.”

“…….”

“Boss? The liquor supplier is here for payment, but the safe is empty.”

His subordinate’s voice nagging him about the lack of money.

Mario absentmindedly shook his head.

These weren’t real employees—they were just kids he let hang around, covering their drinks and pocket money.

If he officially hired them, he’d have to pay head tax. Damn tax collectors. Always taking without giving anything back.

“Ah, Mario, the money!”

“Huh? Oh, right.”

Mario snapped out of his thoughts and fished out some coins.

Liquor was necessary for business.

But as he handed over the gold, his hands trembled slightly.

The money was drying up.

“Boss, are you sure we’ll get it back?”

“Of course.”

“But still…”

“It’s an investment, dumbass!”

Mario snapped irritably, and his subordinate backed off with a reluctant apology.

Why did they keep talking like that?

It was all an investment. He’d worked so hard to rebuild after that crazy old man ruined everything.

Why were his “brothers” so pessimistic?

“You’re just spoiling the mood. You don’t know a damn thing!”

Mario forced down the rising anxiety in his chest.

He repeated to himself—

Be patient.

If he got impatient, the budget would spiral out of control again.

And then Malena really might run off.

He had to stay calm and wait.

But the longer he waited, the harder it became.

…

Day 11 of the Operation

Following Madam Bonucci’s advice that losing too much would look unnatural, Mario managed to recover 60 gold from Malena. He felt slightly relieved.

But on the 12th day, he lost again—this time, a significant amount.

And then came the 13th day.

That’s when Malena’s behavior became strange.

“Maria, don’t you think this is a little weird?”

“Malena?”

“There are plenty of gambling dens in the capital. Why do you keep coming to this one? Are you friends with the owner?”

“Why? Don’t you like it here?”

“The smell of alcohol is too strong.”

Malena frowned at the sight of drunkards sprawled across the floor in a state of intoxication. Then, she left.

The next day, she didn’t show up at all.

Sensing the scent of a runaway, Mario was beside himself with anxiety.

And on the fifteenth day.

Thanks to Madam Bonucci’s intervention, Malena finally returned. But her attitude had changed.

“Sis, are there any other games besides baccarat?”

“Well… blackjack?”

“I think I’ll just go to the Coboli Casino and play chess bets instead. I heard the male staff there are good-looking.”

Even though she had lost graciously, Malena still got bored and decided to visit a rival casino.

Mario was losing his mind.

Would he lose his golden goose just like that?

Feeling his world closing in, he reached out to Madam Bonucci.

“Malena… what’s wrong with her?”

Madam Bonucci frowned as if he were an idiot.

It was frustrating, but they were business partners. If Malena wasn’t fleeced properly, neither of them would profit.

“Once the operation goes off track, it’s hard to get it back in place.”

“Madam Bonucci! Don’t say that.”

“Malena has been acting strangely. She’s been snappy with me, too.”

“What did you do wrong?”

“How is this my fault? Who got us into this mess in the first place?”

Mario had no comeback.

But he wasn’t about to give up.

By now, he had already spent over 850 gold on this operation.

Out of that, about 500 gold had gone to Malena.

The rest had been used to appease troublemakers at the casino—like the old man who kept chasing 40-to-1 payouts.

After investing so much, how could he just give up?

“You son of a—!”

Mario barely swallowed the curse rising in his throat.

Madam Bonucci, however, was already looking at him with disdain.

The way she sneered at his frustration made his blood boil.

Mario glared at her.

“Madam Bonucci, you realize I’m not going down alone, right?”

“What did you say?”

“Oh, you heard me. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll go straight to your poker table and spill everything. I’ll tell everyone that Maria Bonucci scouts gullible rich men to scam them. And that they might be next.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Damn right I am, you selfish witch.

Mario’s eyes burned with determination.

Considering his usual temper, this was actually quite restrained.

One way or another, he had to keep Madam Bonucci from cutting her losses and running.

After a tense staring contest, she finally sighed in surrender.

“You do business like a pig.”

“We keep going. Got it?”

“Fine. I’ll… Oh. I know what to do.”

“You have a plan?”

A faint hint of hope returned to Mario’s face.

“I’ll let Malena’s patron know she’s been gambling lately. And that she’s been getting cozy with young male dealers.”

“If he finds out, she’ll be locked up for a while?”

“Exactly. The old man is insanely jealous.”

“So before she gets locked up, she’ll try to win big one last time?”

“I’ll make sure of it.”

It was a risky plan—but a promising one.

If Malena ran off, Mario would lose his investment anyway. So why not take the gamble?

“Uh… But listen. I have a bad feeling about this. What if we stop here?”

Madam Bonucci’s voice carried a rare note of urgency.

Mario hesitated, then shook his head.

“Stop? Screw that.”

He had spent too much to quit now.

…

Fortunately, the gamble paid off.

Malena had taken the bait.

“Miss Malena? Today is really your last day.”

“Ugh, yeah. How many times do I have to say it?”

“Remember this. If you wander off again, your patron will not be pleased.”

Just as Bonucci had planned, word had reached Malena’s patron.

Several large bodyguards were now stationed by her side.

So she really was the mistress of a powerful figure.

Malena claimed she would only play until the end of the night, but that was fine with Mario.

Because he intended to settle everything today.

“Boss, can you raise the betting limit? I won’t be able to play for a while.”

Music to his ears. At the same time, one of Malena’s bodyguards placed a heavy chest on the table.

A money chest. If he could just take that… right?

Mario felt all his past struggles vanish as a grin spread across his face.

“Hoho. Quite the daring young lady. How high would you like the limit?”

“As high as possible.”

“This isn’t that kind of establishment.”

“Then should I take my money elsewhere?”

“Now, let’s not be hasty.”

Feigning reluctance, Mario set up a table with a minimum bet of 1 silver and a maximum of 10 gold—a thrilling high-stakes game.

But of course, it wasn’t just about adjusting the betting limits.

A special shoe had been prepared.

A carefully rigged deck that would ensure Malena got sucked in and sank deep before she even realized it.

‘It’s done.’

Everything was in place. Now it was time to feast.

“Your bet?”

“Yes!”

The long-awaited moment of reward.

But then…

Malena’s behavior was different from usual.

“Player, 1 silver.”

“1 sil…? Uh, alright. …Banker wins.”

“Player, 2 silver.”

“Banker wins.”

“A banker streak, huh? Alright, I’ll put 4 silver on banker. You’ll give me a nice natural win, won’t you, dealer?”

“Banker… wins.”

Unlike before, Malena was placing small, careful bets.

She clapped her hands with delight when she won, just as she always did.

But something felt… off.

“I have a bad feeling. What if we stop here?”

Bonucci’s warning suddenly echoed in his mind.

“It’s about time I start raising my bets.”

Malena’s voice, which he had always considered foolishly naive, now sounded eerily sharp.

Only then did suspicion creep into Mario’s mind.

What if he wasn’t the hunter?

What if he was the prey?

But by the time he realized it, it was already too late.