Casino Wizard

Hilde was clearly being treated as a criminal.

Knights took turns watching over her, and a shackle bound her only remaining foot.

For Hilde, it was a particularly fatal restraint.

It was made of cold iron, which interfered with magic concentration—like forcing a warrior to wield a weapon five times heavier than usual.

Considering her magical abilities, it wasn’t excessive. Now that the pain had subsided, given enough time, she could eliminate her guards and escape.

Still, the treatment itself was humane.

“Is there anything uncomfortable?”

“……”

“I’ll take that as a no.”

Healing through holy magic.

Diligent care without any personal conversation.

A clean environment and proper meals.

‘Why?’

Hilde began searching for answers to the questions occupying her mind. With her foot severed and herself imprisoned, there wasn’t much else she could do.

Had someone helped her?

That possibility… was slim.

There were certainly forces that would want to keep her alive. Or maybe this incident had escalated into a diplomatic standoff between the kingdom and the Dragon Kingdom.

But that was just speculation.

For now, the available information was too limited.

“Where am I?”

“Do you need anything?”

The caregiver responded with a question.

Hilde narrowed her eyes into slits and glared at them.

Magic might be difficult to use, but she was a Dragonian. She still had more than enough strength to harm a mere human woman.

But what would be the point? At this stage, killing someone would only provide ammunition for those targeting her.

She refused to be a pawn in someone else’s game.

‘Enough.’

Hilde turned her head away and stared blankly at her severed ankle.

Unlike her brother, who had laughed even after losing an arm, she couldn’t be so composed.

Her foot was gone.

She would never be able to stand properly again.

Had she lost it in battle against demons, she might have at least received some respect, but that wasn’t the case.

‘At least now I have something in common with my brother.’

They had both lost limbs after challenging that casino magician.

But there was nothing sentimental about it—just misery.

She did wonder, though—what would her brother, Felix, once known as the Dragon Ogre, think if he found out?

Would he grieve for his maimed sister?

Or would he feel guilty, knowing that his reckless gamble had led her to this fate?

She hoped for the latter.

After all, she had ultimately been fighting for him.

“I just failed.”

The words slipped weakly from her lips.

Silence followed.

It was hours before she was pulled from her thoughts.

“Magician?”

A man’s unfamiliar voice.

Something was beginning.

Hilde swallowed dryly and reminded herself: Don’t be deceived. Don’t trust anything. Don’t make any moves that could be used against you.

No matter what enticing bait they dangled, she must not take it.

This was the only resistance she could offer.

“Magician.”

“……”

“You should be able to move around at least minimally now. If your restraints are removed, you’ll regain your full magical abilities.”

As expected, he was dangling bait.

Was he seriously suggesting she escape?

When she turned to look, a middle-aged man in uniform stood before her.

Judging by his aura and build, he was likely a knight.

The guards who had been watching her treated him with a semblance of respect, so he probably held a decent rank.

“I am Enrico, formerly of the Royal Guard.”

“……”

“I once served as the chief bodyguard for the deposed Second Prince. Not just as his guard, but as his right-hand man. Back then… everyone wanted to get on my good side, since I was serving the one closest to the throne.”

“And?”

“I have since been demoted to a regular knight. Now, I serve the First Prince. A different faction from Hyden’s. You’re aware of that, aren’t you?”

It was so blatant that it almost seemed sincere—but she quickly dismissed the thought.

‘A mere knight wouldn’t be involved in this.’

Whether he realized she had lost interest or not, he continued baiting her.

“The First Prince sent me to you.”

“……”

“I’ll be direct. If you cooperate, His Highness will help you.”

“A prince of this kingdom wants to help me?”

“Yes.”

Hilde closed her eyes.

She could already see the trap.

They were prodding her, trying to make her attempt an escape.

And if she agreed, they’d likely push her into killing someone.

If she fell for it… her status as a hero, as a member of the hero’s party, wouldn’t matter—she wouldn’t survive.

Her home country would probably abandon her completely, leaving her fate in Alvinia’s hands.

“What will you do?”

“Did Hyden put you up to this?”

“I truly serve the First Prince.”

His response was awkward.

His acting was clumsy, as expected.

Compared to that wretched Hyden, he was nothing.

The way Hyden had incited the villagers… that level of acting was just beyond comprehension. Even Hilde had been momentarily at a loss for words, dumbfounded.

As the memory of that humiliation resurfaced, shame raised its head once more.

Hilde let out an involuntary scoff.

“Pfft… ha.”

“Ma’am?”

“How much of a fool do you take me for, to say something like that?”

Her desperation for revenge still remained.

First, she had to escape from here. Then, she wanted to ride the wyvern she had personally tamed and rain fire upon Hyden’s casino.

She wanted to burn that vast estate down to ashes—leaving nothing behind.

That sinister gambling den, designed to scrape away both money and souls to their very core. The wretches who hovered around it like homeless vagrants, desperate to enter. All of them. And Hyden, who had likely reopened the casino by now, pleased with himself.

But if she let that desire drive her into a reckless escape attempt?

‘The outcome is too obvious.’

She would only end up repeating past mistakes.

Was it even possible to fall further than she already had? Hard to say.

When her brother lost his horns in a bet, she had thought that was the end of it.

Then he lost his left hand.

Even then, she’d told herself, At least he won’t throw away his right hand just to keep gambling…

But there was always another rock bottom waiting beneath the last.

Hilde didn’t want to chase after some faint hope, only to play right into Hyden’s hands.

“Ma’am. Are you refusing?”

“……”

“This is a good opportunity. You might even get the chance to take revenge on Hyden.”

“That’s bold of you.”

“Hah… I didn’t come here just to follow the First Prince’s orders…! To tell the truth, I also lost half my fortune gambling against Hyden. It was money I earned while enduring all sorts of filth as a knight in the royal guard.”

Persistent.

Was this bastard promised a reward by Hyden? Maybe he was trying to trick her into taking action so he could profit from it.

Humans had always been particularly weak to bribery.

Even those gamblers she had once hired… No, she didn’t want to think about that.

Hilde’s gaze turned chillingly cold as she looked at the knight.

“Just leave.”

“Uh…”

“I’ll be holding you accountable for this later. A royal guard using the First Prince’s name to push for an escape?”

“Escape? What are you talking about?”

The knight blinked, then quickly added:

“I’m not suggesting you escape. Why would His Highness take such a risk?”

Then what was he getting at?

“His Highness is proposing an official pardon effort. No matter what anyone says, you are one of the heroes who saved humanity. The Dragon Kingdom would surely see you as a valuable asset.”

“So the First Prince…”

“He’s asking you to live. Give and take, as equals.”

“……”

She understood the words, but she still couldn’t believe them.

“Are you refusing?”

Hilde remained silent.

The knight asked the same thing over and over again.

His Highness is sincere.

You just need to give one statement in his favor.

You know that the Princess is behind Hyden. We’re on the same side.

The more nonsense she heard, the more a strange thought took root.

What if the First Prince—the foolish prince she had once deceived so easily—was actually being manipulated by Hyden?

In the end, Hilde said nothing and kept her mouth shut.

“You really… refuse? I can’t believe it.”

“Yes.”

The knight finally gave up and left.

Hilde let out a sigh of relief.

She hadn’t fallen for it.

If she had accepted that offer, she would’ve been dragged even deeper into ruin.

“Right?”

But as time passed, an ambiguous question began to drift through her mind.

Had the First Prince really been trying to deceive her?

Now that she thought about it, he was probably cornered himself… What if his offer had been sincere?

She should have at least heard the details before turning it down. Maybe she had just thrown away a chance to survive.

“…I should have listened.”

Regret flashed through her mind.

Had she rejected him too many times to expect him to reach out again?

With a solemn expression, Hilde stared at the firmly shut door.

A door she could have once blown open with a flick of her hand.

But now, it felt impossibly solid.

“Forget it.”

She couldn’t.

Her obsessive nature wouldn’t let her. Once she fixated on something, she couldn’t stop until she saw the result.

That trait had once allowed her to achieve great things quickly.

But in her current situation, it was no help at all.

…

Suspicious events continued to unfold.

“The guard detail is to be replaced. By order of Her Highness the Princess.”

The princess was switching out the guards?

One night, Hilde had woken up to the sound of a dispute outside over body searches.

It seemed something was happening between the royal siblings.

The princess was likely trying to crush her brother completely while she had the chance.

If she eliminated her only rival, she’d secure her position as the Crown Princess…

“Right. An opportunity.”

The words opportunity and rival lodged themselves in her mind.

Hilde felt her expression grow colder.

Because she was starting to believe that the First Prince’s offer might have been genuine.

It wasn’t until much later that he reached out to her again.

This time, his messenger was a terrified maid.

Afraid of the knights loyal to the princess, she only let Hilde glimpse a brief message before hurriedly crumpling the paper.

But Hilde managed to take in the contents.

…Tomorrow, Beatrice will be questioned publicly. They’ll want you to refuse the claim. If Hyden framed you, this is your chance to refute it. Don’t waste this hard-earned opportunity.

This time, Hilde couldn’t just brush it off.

****

It seemed the First Prince had done his part.

The princess and Hilde hadn’t been idle either.

“The truth is already out. I don’t see why you all need to attend the questioning.”

“We want to observe. We can’t blindly trust the kingdom’s claims.”

“…As you wish.”

Now, it was time to hear Hilde’s honest account.