[WN] I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan Chapter 57

 Chapter 57

The Dark Magic family's formal name was the Duchy of Baron.

The castle’s name was also Baron Castle.

As a castle ruled by the Dark Magic family, it was enormous.

If I’m going to prepare to disrupt Marquis Langham’s plan, I’ll need money first.

Chris crossed his arms.

Not just money, but an immense sum.

Well, it doesn't matter. I can get money from other people.

There were many rich people in the world, so all he had to do was empty their pockets.

First, he decided to start with some serious revelry.

Baron Castle also had well-developed entertainment districts.

"Bring me some liquor!"

"B-but?"

"Hmph! Do you not know who I am? It is Christian von Baron, a direct descendant of the Dark Magic family! Soon to be a Young Master! How dare you not bring me liquor at once?"

Chris diligently mimicked a scoundrel.

It suited him surprisingly well.

Since I’m going to play, I might as well play properly.

He didn't feel any surveillance tails.

However, Baron Castle was the Dark Magic family's stronghold. If he showed even the slightest suspicious behavior, it would immediately be reported to Marquis Langham.

I have to play wildly for no one to suspect me.

Actually, that was half an excuse.

He just wanted to play.

If not now, when else will I play? My fate has me constantly training, training! All I wanted was the life of a rich noble loafer! I want to play!

He played to his heart's content.

Except for drinking.

The mages were, as expected, strict about alcohol.

Even if he threatened them with the Dark Magic family's prestige, they absolutely wouldn’t give him alcohol. He wondered how the previous ‘Christian’ had managed to get alcohol to drink.

He had no choice but to play with ginger ale in his hand.

Damn it, I hate ginger ale! I'm sick of ginger juice!

He played like a scoundrel, sans alcohol.

He played with such abandon that he overheard comments like,

"Still a scoundrel, as expected."

"Didn't they say he changed? That he absorbed an immense amount of dark magic during the Sacred Black Ritual?"

"I don't know. I thought he'd changed, but he's the same. A scoundrel's nature never truly leaves him, I guess."

Sounds of tutting could be heard from here and there.

Chris subtly curled the corners of his lips and focused even harder on his playing.

An opportunity to play like this doesn't come easily, does it?!

His favorite was still card games.

He completely immersed himself in the game.

"That young master lost again!"

"Shouldn't someone stop him?!"

Chris, even more excited, shouted,

"Another 10,000 Rupee!"

The game manager wore a troubled expression.

"Young Master, you already owe 100,000 Rupee. How about we stop now?"

"Hey! Don’t you know who I am? I'm Chris. Chris, who will become a Young Master of the Dark Magic Family! And you're bothering me over just 100,000 Rupee?! Another 10,000 Rupee!"

In no time, he lost another 10,000 Rupee.

This repeated several more times.

Chris’s debt to the game house exceeded 200,000 Rupee.

The atmosphere in the game house gradually turned icy.

"That… shouldn't someone really stop him now?"

"…I know, right."

"Are those bastards oblivious? Why do they keep winning? What kind of trouble are they trying to bring upon themselves?"

No matter how much of a scoundrel he was, he was still a direct descendant of the Dark Magic family, which controlled Baron Castle.

But to fleece him for over 200,000 Rupee in one sitting?

This crossed a line.

However, the most anxious person was actually the game manager.

What are you doing? Why do you keep winning?!

The game manager shot a murderous glare at the dealer.

It was customary to let a mage from the Dark Magic family lose a reasonable amount when they came to play.

But to fleece him as if trying to pull out the family’s pillar? He couldn't help but turn pale.

Do you want to die with your neck twisted off?

But the dealer also sent a pale-faced signal.

[It, it’s strange. I don’t want to win, but the cards keep coming out strangely.]

Card games were games of chance.

So, unless it was a rigged game, one side continuously winning like this was impossible.

But who would be crazy enough to cheat a member of the Dark Magic family?

Moreover, this ‘Rudolph’ game house was directly operated by the massive Rudolph Merchant Guild of the Magic Empire, which absolutely never cheated its customers.

The problem was that more and more people were becoming suspicious.

"What, are they really cheating?"

"Hmph, five consecutive sequences? Is it even possible for the cards to come out like that? The probability of that hand appearing is 1 in 170,000."

"Just now it was eight consecutive odd/even? And those rare hands appear twice in a row? The probability of those two hands appearing consecutively is 1 in 800 million, isn't it?"

Chris lost another 20,000 Rupee.

Chris, who had been completely engrossed, tilted his head, then,

"Something's strange. Why are the cards like this?"

The moment he uttered that, the game manager frantically fell to his knees.

"O-Oh, it's a misunderstanding!!"

"We absolutely did not cheat!"

Everyone in the game house turned pale and bowed their heads.

"Then, why? Are you saying I lost this much because I'm an idiot?"

"N-No, absolutely not! We don't know how this happened, but we are truly sorry! Please, Young Master, retract your anger!"

The game managers apologized without even knowing what they had done wrong.

Hmm, I feel a little bad.

Chris thought to himself.

There was only one reason for these strange results.

Chris had cheated.

To make himself lose.

Why?

To frame them.

Well, those employees didn't do anything wrong, but the Rudolph Merchant Guild has many sins.

It was a famous merchant guild.

Seeing its name, he had shouted "Jackpot!"

He had a deep connection with them in his previous life.

"Y-Young Master, all your debts from the game will be nullified! No, we will even offer you compensation!"

"Are you telling me to take a few coins and get lost?"

"Th-That's absolutely not it!!"

"Bring me the person in charge."

"…Yes?"

Chris coldly curled the corner of his lips.

"You’re not trying to just gloss over such a huge mistake, are you? I will personally demand accountability from your person in charge."

He was escorted to the VVIP room on the top floor of the hotel connected to the game house.

"P-Please wait a moment, the branch manager will be here."

"It would be best not to be late. My patience isn't deep."

"Y-Yes, I understand!"

The game manager hurriedly disappeared.

Chris sat cross-legged on the plush, highest-grade sofa.

"Typical of the Rudolph Merchant Guild. Everything is top-tier."

Chris grinned widely.

"Even if I fleece them, it won't even show."

Isn't that too much?

Nonsense.

The Rudolph Merchant Guild had a deep, deep connection with him in his previous life.

Mostly on the bad side.

I was screwed over so many times by the Guild Master.

Chris gently frowned.

She was an amazing merchant.

Chris had been betrayed by her multiple times.

Of course, I paid her back several times over later, though.

In fact, it wasn't just "several times over"—he had completely made her his cash cow.

She practically became his money pouch.

—How long are you going to keep leeching off me, you villain?!

—Until the world ends?

The Guild Master's screaming voice seemed to echo in his ears.

He had indeed fleeced her until the world ended, but Chris still hadn't let go of his past grudges.

He was petty. If he was betrayed once, he would never forget it.

Since we’ve met again, it’s fate, so I should make her my cash cow once more.

Coincidentally, he had just been feeling the need for a personal money pouch, so this worked out perfectly.

First, a drink.

He poured the liquid from an antique glass bottle into a cup.

Everyone had been so stiff, so he had eagerly taken a quick drink, but,

…Damn it, it was ginger ale! These cursed bastards.

They had brought him ginger ale because he was underage!

He frowned deeply, and then the door opened.

A truly handsome young man appeared.

"Greetings to the esteemed Young Master Christian von Baron Khazar of the Dark Magic family. I am Rubid, the Guild Master of the Rudolph Merchant Guild."

Chris was slightly surprised for a moment.

Unexpectedly, the Guild Master appeared?

No, that wasn’t the reason.

Look at this.

The owner of the Rudolph Merchant Guild he knew was a woman.

But the person who just appeared was a man.

How could this be?

Interesting.

Chris, who already knew the Guild Master's "secret," smiled faintly.

The features of Rubid, who introduced himself as the Guild Master, came into view.

Dark brown hair, blue eyes.

A pleasant, bright impression.

His facial features were delicate, giving him a strong androgenous feel, a handsome young man. He could almost be mistaken for a woman at first glance.

With an amused expression, he tossed back the ginger ale in his cup.

"So, you've heard the story, haven't you?"

"Yes, frankly, I don't know what happened. A fraudulent card game against the Young Master? It's baffling."

"So, it wasn't your fault?"

"No, absolutely not. However, a distinguished guest’s mood has been soured, so we cannot claim to be entirely blameless."

Guild Master Rubid offered a single envelope.

"As an apology, all the debts the Young Master incurred at the game house will be nullified. And please accept this small gift."

He opened the envelope, and inside was a Rudolph nose emblem.

"If there is anything you desire, please tell our guild. We will procure any item at cost."

The Rudolph Merchant Guild operated auction houses.

Thus, they could easily obtain all sorts of rare and valuable items.

"Hmm, can I tell you what I need now?"

"Please speak."

"Ruina."

"…Yes?"

"Bring me a woman named Ruina."

For a moment, a faint line appeared on the Guild Master's face.

The Guild Master then, as if by magic, smiled again.

"What do you mean by that?"

"You know who Ruina is, don't you?"

"Of course… I do. Isn't she a famous merchant from the Alliance side?"

Gypsy Ruina.

She was one of the most prominent merchants of the Alliance, operating the 'Dear Merchant Guild'.

"Even if it’s our guild, we cannot simply bring a Guild Master from the Alliance…"

"Is it truly impossible?"

Chris stared intently.

Staring at the Guild Master's face.

More precisely, at the delicate, androgenous facial features that made him believable as a woman.

"I think it's possible."

"!!"

Did Rubid sense something in Chris's tone?

Rubid's face hardened.

Rubid, who had stumbled back, offered an awkward smile.

"W-What do you mean… I don't understand."

"You don't understand? Then, if I call you by this name instead of Rubid, will you understand?"

Chris said in a deep voice.

"Guild Master Ruina."

"!!"

"You've disguised yourself well. Is it the power of a sacred relic?"

That’s right.

The person before him was both Rubid and Ruina.

More precisely, she was a woman disguised as a man, living a dual identity.

On the magic side, she was the Guild Master of the Rudolph Merchant Guild.

On the Alliance side, she was the Guild Master of the Dear Merchant Guild.

In an instant, Rubid’s, no, Ruina’s expression shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions.

Realizing Chris knew everything, paleness, shock, and a sense of crisis flashed across her face, followed by a murderous intent.

As if to silence him by killing him, Ruina’s hand moved toward her breast, but then—

"If you take that out, you die."

"!!"

"If you don't believe me, then gamble on it."

For a fleeting moment, a frantic struggle crossed Ruina’s face.

She bit her lip tightly, looking at Chris’s face, and finally.

"…How did you know?"

She raised a white flag.

Paat!

With an afterimage like static, her appearance changed.