Casino Wizard

“Hyden had a showdown with a customer, and that customer accused him of cheating, so he cut off his right arm.”

Rumors began to spread.

“Who’s the guy who got his arm cut off?”

“Dragon Ear.”

“Ah… that Blackjack player.”

“They say he took all the money and left the arm behind. I thought Hyden was a decent guy, but now I see he’s downright ruthless.”

The spread of rumors was driven by two factors: sensationalism and uncertainty.

It needed to be juicy enough to be worth sharing, and with few eyewitnesses, the story could be easily exaggerated.

A draconian wanderer accused of cheating at the biggest casino in the kingdom’s gambling district, resulting in the loss of his right arm…

This incident had both elements.

People reacted differently.

“How can anyone go to a casino now? Cutting off an arm is too much, no matter the stakes!”

“But you’re still going, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

“Even if it was a high-stakes game, spilling blood in front of the Marquis… I get what he was thinking, but that’s too extreme.”

Some criticized the cruelty of the mage Hyden—someone who was always polite to his customers and even showed respect to nobles who had insulted him in the past, hosting private poker games for them.

Without witnesses, Hyden could’ve found himself in a much more difficult situation.

However, not everyone was disgusted.

“I’m telling you, mini-poker is a man’s game.”

“Still, baccarat is the best!”

“But baccarat doesn’t give players much control. Seotda is different.”

“Seotda?”

“They say the two-card rule is called ‘seotda’ in some places.”

Some appreciated the thrill and speed of seotda.

“That lizard bastard. Didn’t he cheat during poker, too?”

“I lost money there, too.”

“But Dragon Ear didn’t win much in poker…”

“I don’t know about Dragon Ear, but someone did win. Baron Bovet, Viscountess Fadelly… and Sir Yulio’s younger brother from the royal guard.”

“Wait a minute…?”

A few people began to feel uneasy about the poker game Dragon Ear had orchestrated, especially since the biggest winners just happened to be acquaintances of the First Prince.

The rumors spread faster and further, reaching the casino lounges, art exhibitions, concerts, debates hosted by noble elites, and even the royal palace.

And then…

“Stay calm as I explain. There’s been an incident.”

The news reached a draconian who had arrived at the Dragon Kingdom embassy just hours earlier.

Under normal circumstances, they would be treated as honored guests, even by the Magic Tower.

“Who lost an arm?”

It was Hilde, one of the key figures in the Demon King’s defeat and a renowned archmage.

****

While nobles in the capital whispered about the events of that dawn, the man at the center of the rumors, Dragon Ear, had just woken up from eight hours of deep sleep.

No writhing in pain from phantom limb syndrome, no feverish tossing and turning.

“We invited two clerics to heal you.”

All thanks to the green-haired Miriam.

She had been the one to help him out of the casino after his arm was severed.

“You must’ve paid them.”

“I used the money from your bag.”

“Good.”

“But there wasn’t much left…”

Not only had he lost money, but also an arm.

Dragon Ear raised his right arm—what was left of it.

Though it had been cut off above the elbow, his shoulder joint didn’t move as smoothly as before, especially inward.

“Guess I’ll have to live like I don’t have a right arm anymore.”

After a brief nod, he looked at his left arm.

Until now, he hadn’t considered getting a prosthetic, but maybe it was time to think more seriously. A good prosthetic might help him move chips during a game.

While he could use magic to levitate objects, Dragon Ear didn’t like casting spells at the gambling table—it always made his opponents turn pale.

Come to think of it, a dwarf he’d played rummy with once promised to gift him a prosthetic capable of holding a pen or a knife…

“There must be a way.”

“A way?”

“A way to keep enjoying gambling.”

He’d already lost his right arm.

As long as he had his healthy legs to get him to the gambling tables, there was no reason to stop.

His bigger concern wasn’t his missing arm—it was the arrival of his younger sister, who might already be in the capital.

He couldn’t imagine her letting this slide when he returned. House arrest was a real possibility.

He’d resigned himself to this being his last gamble before facing the mage, but now that it was over, all his resolve had evaporated.

“Sir.”

Miriam’s voice interrupted his thoughts.

Was she hoping for another tip?

He’d already given her plenty, but he was willing to offer more.

However, that wasn’t what Miriam wanted.

“Did Hyden do this to you? Cut off your arm?”

“Yes.”

“Why? Was it over the stakes?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

She seemed eager to know more about the game.

A promise he hadn’t kept flashed through Dragon Ear’s mind.

He’d said he’d take her to watch a gambling match, but he hadn’t even tried.

He’d thought about settling her debts and hiring her as a shill, but his obsession with outsmarting the mage had taken precedence. He didn’t regret it, but he did feel sorry.

She would’ve loved the show. It was a shame she’d missed it.

“I’m sorry.”

Dragon Ear offered a simple apology before describing his showdown with the mage.

He explained how cunning the mage was, how sharp-eyed he’d been, and how fast his partner Lucy’s hands were.

Miriam nodded here and there but eventually wore a somber expression.

“If even you couldn’t beat him, I wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“I doubt the mage would ever gamble with you.”

“The casino and the mage are one and the same.”

“That’s a fair point.”

Surprised by Miriam’s insight, Dragon Ear chuckled.

That settled it. Or… wait.

An idea crossed Dragon Ear’s mind—a spontaneous but interesting possibility.

“I’m heading to the Dragon Kingdom now.”

“Ah… because of your sister?”

“There’s a small city called Asuncion. My sister practically runs the place. I’ll be staying there for a while, whether I go willingly or not.”

“Safe travels.”

“Come with me.”

It wasn’t because he needed someone to take care of him.

He rarely saw someone as determined as Miriam.

A woman trying to rebuild her ruined life in a single day with the sole aim of returning to the casino.

She was worth teaching.

Skill didn’t matter—he wasn’t teaching her to win, after all.

“And you’ve still got both arms.”

Miriam’s gaze fell on Dragon Ear’s missing arm.

Luckily, she didn’t take long to decide.

“I’d like to, but if I don’t pay my debts, Hyden said he’d send someone after me.”

“I’ll pay off half your debt.”

“It’ll just grow again. It’s compound interest.”

“You’re not even asking if I’ll really pay. That’s why I’m offering. If you come with me, the mage won’t chase you.”

They quickly reached an agreement.

“Alright. I’ll learn from you and come back.”

“Good.”

With a new companion, Dragon Ear calmly began packing.

A Elve working under the Dragon Kingdom’s ambassador watched them through the window, looking worried.

“I might run into my sister after all.”

Dragon Ear wanted to avoid being dragged away against his will.

…

Dragon Ear hurried to prepare for departure.

He used the remaining money to pay off Miriam’s debt in advance, and did not forget to hire a Elve working at the embassy as a guard.

This was because, if he didn’t voluntarily restrain himself, his younger sibling might suspect and chase after him.

But… in the end, he couldn’t leave secretly.

“Please wait a moment!”

It was a desperate plea from the Elve, who had been turned into a restraint.

Dragon Ear calmly agreed and followed the Elve.

What awaited him was a familiar Dragonian.

“…Brother.”

A woman with bright red hair, a pair of horns protruding from her hair, and a slightly smaller physique than the average Dragonian, though still larger than a human.

It was the great sorceress, Hilde.

Just looking at her face, she seemed extremely displeased.

‘Am I finally going to be caught?’

Her lips were biting so hard they were almost bleeding, her brows were furrowed, and her fists clenched… her eyes were wide open, and her pupils were dilated in a half-circle.

Dragon Ear silently watched his excited younger sister, then lowered his voice and spoke.

“I know why you’re here. I’ll return home immediately.”

“Brother. I—”

“I will take the quickest route. There will be no deviation from the planned path, and I won’t waste time hanging out with gamblers. I hired the Elve, who works under the ambassador, as an attendant so you wouldn’t have to worry.”

“…Why is your arm—”

Hilde pointed with trembling hands at Dragon Ear’s empty sleeve.

Ah, right. I should address this too.

“Didn’t you hear? The magician, Hyden… I heard you know him too. While we were gambling, I tricked him, and i got caught, so they cut off my right arm.”

“Why?”

“It was the rule. If Haidin had been caught, I would’ve cut off his arm.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. I haven’t recklessly mentioned your name. The magician is smart, so he must have figured it out already, but for his own safety, he’ll keep quiet. If it were to come out that I’m related to you, it would be troublesome for him as well.”

There’s nothing to worry about, you’re safe, and it was just a gamble for fun.

Whether she heard it or not, Hilde only stared helplessly at Dragon Ear’s right arm, which remained only a third intact.

“Brother, why do you have no arm?”

For some reason, she asked the same question, her eyes moist.

It wouldn’t be impossible to guess her emotions, but Dragon Ear decided not to. After all, there was no point in a psychological game when they wouldn’t be gambling together.

However, he intended to use his younger sister’s anxious emotions to his advantage.

“I won’t be a burden to you. I’ll leave quietly, so just pretend you don’t know.”

Hilde froze at the words he forced out with a smile.

Seizing the timing, Dragon Ear left her behind. He could hear her sobbing behind him, but he didn’t look back.

…

Having safely parted with his sister, Dragon Ear retrieved his cart and finished his preparations to leave.

What he lost was his right arm and most of the money he had.

What he gained was an impulsively recruited human disciple, and a Elve guard hired to reassure his younger sister and fellow Dragonians.

And the sense of satisfaction that gambling had provided.

“I’m leaving now. My younger sister might change her mind.”

“The weather’s nice.”

“Yeah. Perfect weather for gambling.”

Dragon Ear thought it was a good time as he set the course toward the Dragon Kingdom.

His only wish during the journey was to find another exciting gambling game.