Casino Wizard

A cozy villa in the Rajani district of the capital.

One of the hideouts where Baroness Bonucci occasionally hosted poker gatherings.

It was also the place where the two actors had received their dividends—400 gold and 600 gold, respectively—before leaving with bright smiles.

Now, only a man and a woman remained.

“Just answer comfortably, Oppa.”

Lucy, the hospitality manager of the Hyden Casino, smiled without pressing further.

She simply stared at the man in front of her.

Hyden.

A bastard without even a family name until just a few weeks ago. But now, a newly risen noble with the surname Sadie and a title to match.

And not just a noble in name—he had been granted land as well.

Though he didn’t rule it directly, he was, in any case, a lord.

That was why Lucy had acted now.

Not because she wanted to erase her past.

But because she knew Hyden would soon be on the market.

And by “market,” she meant the marriage market. The highest tier of it.

A proper noble would never wed their well-bred daughter to a bastard from Mantova.

No matter how wealthy Hyden was, no matter how tall and handsome he was, taking after his biological father…

That alone wasn’t enough for an esteemed family to take the initiative in proposing a marriage.

At least, until now.

But wasn’t the situation different now?

Hyden was a noble.

A baron, no less, personally recommended by two direct-line aristocrats.

Regardless of how it happened, he had taken down the archmage of the Dragon Kingdom, proving his magical prowess. Through his clientele, he had demonstrated political influence as well.

Wouldn’t some noble families be tempted?

And if they came knocking, would Hyden refuse?

Lucy wasn’t sure.

The Hyden she knew would calculate the gains and losses. If he decided, This marriage could secure my safety, my business, and even my comrades’ well-being, he might just accept.

After all, he was a businessman.

So Lucy didn’t delay. She made her move. She had to.

She wasn’t sure if this was the perfect timing.

All she could do now was wait for his response—and do her best to steer it toward the answer she wanted.

“Lucy.”

Hyden finally spoke.

His tone was calm. Was he deliberately hiding his reaction? Or had he anticipated this moment all along? Either was possible. He was excellent at masking his emotions.

Still, she had expected him to be at least a little surprised.

“Go ahead.”

“Since when?”

Since when? At least he was willing to hear her out.

Lucy slowly withdrew her hand from his shoulder—trailing it down across his chest as she did.

“It started with the Saintess.”

“Theodora?”

“Yes. It might sound strange, but…”

“No, I understand.”

The days when the Saintess tormented their party…

Even now, it was horrifying to recall.

The Saintess, forcing Lucy into a strict, virtuous mold.

The Pierrot, meekly enduring and catering to the Saintess’s whims. Jerome, too preoccupied with his fear of blood to resist.

Help from the outside?

Impossible.

The royal family, the nobility—they were either enemies or indifferent bystanders.

Even Marquis Tripolia, the chancellor, felt like an ally just because he wasn’t actively harming them.

The Saintess’s tyranny, the nobles’ ridicule, the baseless accusations—through all of it, the only one who had resisted was Hyden.

Lucy had been a teenager back then.

Whenever she was cornered, she would instinctively move closer to Hyden’s side.

“You never pushed me away, Oppa.”

“Well, that’s because—”

“Because we were comrades? Still, I was grateful.”

A handsome older comrade who held the party together when the so-called hero couldn’t.

How could she not develop feelings for him?

Of course, she had hidden them back then.

Their party’s situation was too miserable. It wasn’t the time for shy confessions—it would have only given their enemies more ammunition.

She had thought, I can wait until after the war is over.

But…

“For us, the real struggle only began after the war, didn’t it?”

Hyden hesitated for a moment—then chuckled.

Yeah. Now, he could laugh about it.

But back then, it had been suffocating.

A hero’s party that didn’t even get to participate in the Demon King’s subjugation?

In the capital, plays mocking the Pierrot and his comrades were performed nightly. The disgrace they had suffered was a favorite topic in taverns. They hadn’t even been allowed to fade into obscurity quietly.

“Yeah. That’s when we started our business.”

“We rented a shabby bar and set up just two tables. The Pierrot worked the door and ran errands, I learned how to handle the cards as a dealer, and you—Oppa, you personally dealt the games, spreading Baccarat and Blackjack.”

“Yeah, that’s how it was.”

“Honestly, those first few months…”

Lucy trailed off.

Was it really wise to say this?

It was all in the past now. Would dragging up old emotions even help?

Maybe it would be better to say something nice and move on—

No. She would be honest.

“Back then, I didn’t think we’d succeed.”

“You just didn’t think we’d make it?”

“I’ll be even more honest. In the early days… an older sister I was close to came to see me. An adventurer. She warned me to run away as soon as possible.”

“…….”

Hyden remained silent, simply listening.

The temptation to lie surged again, but Lucy resisted.

“I almost left.”

She decided to tell the truth.

That, in the early days of their business, she had considered running.

That she had thought about disappearing into the City-States or the Empire’s frontier, where fewer people would recognize her, and living as an adventurer.

It wasn’t exactly the picture of unwavering devotion. There had been a moment of weakness.

Maybe this confession wasn’t the smartest move.

She didn’t have to be this honest just because they were familiar with each other. The normal approach would be to show her best side and appeal to him.

But she chose honesty.

Because he would find out anyway.

Or maybe… he already knew.

After saying it, she felt a bit lighter.

But if she left it at that, it would just be a confession.

So Lucy subtly shifted her posture, crossing her legs to draw Hyden’s gaze.

As expected, his eyes dipped downward.

A relief. And also… curious.

Hyden clearly had desires. He had no issue watching the gamblers’ antics in the casino with amusement.

So why was he still single?

He didn’t even have a mistress.

Not that she would have liked it if he did.

“Oppa?”

“Speak.”

“You need me, and I need you. I’m not doing this just to be called ‘Baroness.’”

…Actually, she wouldn’t mind being called that.

But this wasn’t about wanting to be a mere lover or mistress. If that were enough, she wouldn’t have gone this far.

“I want to stay by your side. Not as a comrade—something more.”

Lucy pressed her lips together.

Now, it was time to see his reaction.

****

At first glance, Lucy still seemed composed.

Her straight legs swayed lazily.

The faint smile she had worn throughout the conversation never once faded.

Even her gaze, locked onto mine, remained steady.

But amidst it all, there was one thing—her right hand trembled ever so slightly.

A one-handed shuffle. Except without any cards.

That, too, was a habit she must have picked up because of me.

Even now, despite her high rank, Lucy still personally worked as a dealer.

There were plenty of dealers, sure. But to handle those who could lose 200 gold in a single night and still brush it off with a casual, “Ah well, luck’s not with me today,” experience was key.

And Lucy was the best dealer in the casino.

A colleague I absolutely needed.

She had been until now, and going forward, even more so.

But she’s not just good at her job.

I often overlooked it because I had grown used to her, but Lucy was beautiful.

Her skin was a warm, golden brown—probably around shade 24 in foundation terms.

In a world that valued pale, porcelain-like skin, her complexion wasn’t particularly sought after.

But I didn’t care for those biases.

To me, she was simply a radiant beauty, exuding health and confidence.

I wouldn’t be surprised if some patrons came to the casino just to see her face.

And more than anything…

Lucy was someone I could trust.

I had trusted her before, but over the past few months, that trust had only deepened.

She had sat at the gambling table with me, risking losing her arm just like I had.

She had fought a life-or-death battle against Hilde Rakae.

And yet, what had I given Lucy in return?

A salary. A few short vacations. That was it.

If I couldn’t trust someone like her, I’d be an idiot.

And I had no desire to trample on the feelings of someone who had given me her unwavering loyalty.

Even so, I couldn’t easily accept her feelings.

Of course, I trust her. As a colleague.

But if we became something more than colleagues… I couldn’t predict how our relationship would change.

Still, I didn’t want to leave her hanging when uncertainty had already started creeping into her expression.

So, I spoke.

“I had a colleague once. A long time ago.”

“At the Mage Tower?”

Not the Mage Tower. The other world. But I didn’t say that.

“One day, that colleague called me, asking for urgent help. I dropped everything and ran to them. But…”

“It was a trap?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. And now, I never will.”

I had been shot to death the moment I arrived. And now, I was living this life.

But sometimes, the memory surfaced.

The Philippines. The job my most trusted colleague had introduced me to.

Giving my name and destination to the airport taxi desk for safety. Double-checking everything before getting into the car.

And yet, the taxi took a strange route.

And then, it stopped in an isolated place.

I was still deciding whether to handle it with money or connections—when they pointed a gun at me.

And then, bang.

That was the last memory of my past life.

I had never really dwelled on it.

All I had hoped for was that my family wouldn’t risk themselves trying to uncover the truth.

I didn’t want my parents or my sister to get hurt because of me.

But now, because Lucy had opened her heart to me, the memory resurfaced against my will.

Would Lucy ever betray me?

I didn’t think so. I trusted her.

And yet…

“Hyden Oppa.”

A warm hand caressed my cheek.

When I lifted my gaze, Lucy’s face was close enough that I could feel her breath.

A smile adorned her lips.

In her blue eyes, emotions swirled—too many to count.

Was she trying to read my feelings?

Or was she a little pleased? Because I was taking her seriously?

“I would never turn my back on you,” she said.

“…….”

“But I’ll give you time to think about it. Not because I’m afraid of being rejected.”

Her words were laced with meaning.

“I just know that if I try a little harder, I’ll get the answer I want.”

With that, Lucy pulled me into a light embrace.

Soft warmth surrounded me, her scent filling my senses.

I didn’t pull away.

Instead, I raised my arms and gently held her in return.

“Alright. Soon.”

Because Lucy’s embrace was warmer than I had expected.

“You’ll fall for me too, Oppa. I guarantee it.”

Her voice, whispering into my ear, brimmed with confidence.