Chapter 4. Gambler’s Den (3) Part-2

Halsem stretched his limbs with a joyful expression. He had entered the Golden Casino in the morning, but right now it was late in the evening.

"Whoo! I lost everything today, but even so I feel incredible! I'm happy that I could meet such a big shot! Oi, brother Holy Knight. When are you going again? The casino! Let me join as well when you go!"

Halsem seemed in a good mood and had even changed the way he addressed Tom, which drew out a smile from the young man.

"It's only until I meet that Kelvin."

"Then that means you're going tomorrow too? Haha! That's too much for me. I've become too worn out today."

Ellin was at the back, carrying a bundle of bags containing the gold Tom had won today, following along unsteadily.

"Eh? Mister! Is it fine for me to be carrying the money? I might take it and run off you know?" she grumbled with a dissatisfied face, seemingly tired.

Tom had asked Ellin to carry his winnings in exchange for letting her tag along.

"No. You won't do that."

"… On what rationale?"

"Because I believe in you."

Ellin was stunned by Tom saying something like that so easily, causing the young Holy Knight to chuckle at her reaction.

"Well, not like you'd get far even if you wanted to with such a heavy load."

Coming to realize the dumbfounded look she was currently wearing, Ellin yelled as her face reddened.

"You're too much! Carry some for me! It's heavy!"

"Yes, I shall do that."

Tom took a share of the gold bags, after which Halsem waved his hand at the two.

"Then I'll be off now! Let's meet again at the casino!"

"Yes, let's do that." Tom replied and nodded, then suddenly spoke up. "Halsem."

"Hm?"

"Do you have any thoughts of trying out a different occupation?"

"Ha? Me? What could a gambler like me do? Even if I wanted to, I don't know how to do anything else. Is there something you can recommend?"

Tom answered immediately.

"Merchantry."

"Huh?"

"How about giving up gambling and trying merchanting?"

"Ha, you think an idiot like me could earn money doing that?"

"Yes. It's very much possible. Didn't you draw 5 merchant cards during our showdown?"

Realizing he was serious, Halsem looked at him incredulously. "You're kidding right?"

"I'm being serious."

Halsem stared at Tom, taken aback by his sudden suggestion. He found himself nodding involuntarily upon meeting Tom's mysterious golden eyes. Besides, he saw that Tom was speaking out of sincerity.

"Well, I'll do that. Haha! I can't continue gambling anyway, after all. Well then…"

Halsem waved once more and headed off. After he'd gone, Tom looked up to the sky and licked his lips nervously.

"It's already night. I have to find an inn…"

Hearing this, Ellin thought her moment had come and spoke up.

"Then come to where I'm staying. All the other inns are closed anyway. Moving this bundle of money is tiring too…"

Tom looked at Ellin as he considered her suggestion. Truth be told he was reluctant to close the distance between them, but the problem was that this area was part of the fief where Kelvin resided. According to Halsem, Kevlin had bought out the Holy Knight who was acting as the lord here, so this land itself more or less belonged to Kelvin. Tom could roughly guess that there were over hundreds of soldiers under Kelvin's influence, and he felt uncomfortable leaving a girl incapable of protecting herself alone in this sort of place.

'… I should try contacting Karakul later.'

"Yes, let's do that."

Ellin walked right by Tom's side, all smiles for some reason.

"By the way. You've got good luck don't you, mister?"

Tom glanced at Ellin.

"Luck… you say?"

"Mhm, you won heaps at the casino!"

"Ah, if it's about that…" Tom gazed at her with a refreshing smile. "I used the easy way out."

"… Eh? Ehhhh? You used tricks? You cheated? How?"

"Well, it's not quite right to call it a trick. I know how to read the future, you see. It's not at the level of a prophecy that foretells the days ahead, but at the level of 'Ah, I'm getting a good feeling!'. It's based on the same principles as tarot cards. Divining destiny."

"What's all that about? Holy Knights know stuff like that?"

"Mmm, I can't explain it clearly myself. Better to call it 'Divine Prophecy', I think. I merely read my past, and my future. First it was the life of a slave; second, a hero; third, a priest; and fourth… All-father Artarrk."

"I can't believe it! What do you mean by prophecy in a card game? No, before that. From slave, hero, priest to Artarrk… What is your destiny?"

Tom did not answer but gave a different reply instead. "But didn't I win?"

"And what was that about Halesem become a merchant earlier?"

"Because I feel that he'll make it big as a merchant."

Ellin put some distance between her and Tom as they walked, apparently fed up with him.

"… Are all Holy Knights touched in the head like you? You're really off your rocker!"

"Haha! Can't say. I'm sure everybody's different. Yes, there are truly strange people in the world…" Tom's eyes turned cold. "… And there are people with minds broken to peculiar extents too."

Ellin gazed at Tom dubiously for a moment before opening her mouth to speak.

"It can't be that you did that prophecy or whatnot during all the gambling, did you? But not all the games you played involved cards right? There were dice games… and things like that."

"No, no. It's uncertain to use it for everything. I merely prevented my opponents from using improper methods to win, and the rest of the games were pretty much based on luck. In fact, Halsem's help played a rather large part. Yes, that bottom dealing technique of his was surprisingly easy to use. Apparently I have talent in this aspect myself. No one seemed to notice."

"… You cheated?!"

"I wouldn't have won this much otherwise."

Tom lifted up a bag of gold and rattled it unashamed.

"Are you really a churchman? You're way too evil!"

"I can't be sitting still when my opponent tries to cheat first. Though, well, I ended up doing the cheating since they gave up trying first. Fufu!"

The sight of Tom laughing struck Ellin as sinister.

'This guy, is he really a churchman?'

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