Swordsmaster Fox-girl

-”I don’t trust you.”

Eric the Hero crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. In contrast to how he treated an Otherworlder like Ihwa, he had nothing but disdain for Emelia and I even though we three joined at the same time.

-”Ahahaha! I hope you can forgive him.” Ohjin pulled us aside to avoid Eric’s eyes. “He…. Well, he had nothing but bad experiences with natives of Astoria like you despite being a pure Astorian himself. But he isn’t a bad guy at heart.”

Seeing Emelia still frowning over Ohjin’s words, I quickly decided on what to do. ‘Let’s help him out here. It wouldn’t hurt to have this guy look at me favorably.’

-“My lady, may I have a word?”

Emelia turned toward me and nodded. “Please do, Nova.”

-“As your servant for more than two years, I implore you to give him a chance. He might’ve disrespected you while knowing that you’re the Saintess, but I also believe he isn’t a bad guy.”

-“Yes! Yes! What he said!” Ohjin jumped at the chance to clear Eric’s name.

-“Very well.” Emelia sighed. “I shall talk to him, alone. I must find out what wounded his heart so much.”

Well, I knew that this was going to happen. Emelia was the most gentle person I’d ever met, so her even doing this for someone who insulted her wasn’t out of her character.

‘Heh, that’s why I love her.’

 With me now alone with Ohjin and nothing to do, I placed a hand on his thick arm and pointed my chin at the tavern across the street.

-“Hey, Ihwa invited me to go drink with her there. Do you want to come?”

Ohjin smiled. He smacked my back with so much force that I nearby coughed out blood, but I kept quiet since it was clear that he didn’t do it intentionally.

-“Well, aren’t you a sociable fellow? Let’s go! I hope you can hold your liquor!”

-”Khahaha! I’ll even have a drinking contest with you!”

-”Are you sure?” Ohjin lightly jabbed my arm, which hurt like a bitch. “I grew up in Germany, you know?”

-”...And how is that special?”

Ohjin laughed again. “Haha, forgot you aren’t from Earth. Nevermind then. Let’s go!”

That night, I couldn’t enjoy myself at all. Ihwa was pouting and giving me death glares and frustrated glances all night for some reason.

And at the end of it, she stormed off angrily while leaving me alone with Ohjin.

The man himself looked at me apologetically. “Well damn, I’m sorry for being here. Must’ve made her really mad.”

“...What do you mean? How could she be angry at you when you’re here with me?”

Ohjin simply put his coat back on and waved me goodbye. “It’s exactly because of that. Well…. I think it’s better if you figure it out yourself. See you tomorrow!”

I leaned back in my chair and waved back. “You’re gonna try and go after Ihwa?”

“Naw, man.” Ohjin shuddered. “I’ve slept with other people quite enough to know not to stick my dick in crazy. She’d burn anyone trying to touch her but you.”

“....What?”

“Nothing, man. I’d give you the same advice, but I think Ihwa’s gonna kill me if she finds out.” 

—-

 

“So he’s in the VIP lounge….”

“Indeed!” The woman standing in front of me sipped her drink. She had luscious black hair and two horns protruding out of her head. A Demon, but I’d gotten used to seeing them by now. No use being hostile when the Demon King was long dead.

Still, I couldn’t help but feel something was wrong about her. Maybe a bit familiar, even.

“Can you take me with you?”

“Hon, must as I want to take you up and ravage you, I can’t. Sorry….”

I sighed. “It’s fine.”

The Demon blew me a kiss before waltzing her way upstairs.

“Well, that’s that.”

My disappointment is immeasurable. Of course reaching Ohjin wouldn’t be easy. 

I certainly could brute force my way up, but I didn’t know if I could reach Ohjin before getting tossed out.

And to reach it, I…. I had no way to do so other than making Ohjin interested in me. No, I couldn’t do it by causing a fuss since I was pretty sure Ohjin would just send the security to kick me out instead of meeting me personally.

“Well, I am in a casino.”

So, I turned to the dozens of tables inside a large room. Poker tables, that was what they were. I had experience playing this in my past life, especially when I lost all my money to Ohjin since I couldn’t keep a cold face.

But now….

[«Ice-cold Beauty» is activated]

“No one can beat me.”

—

 

There was a rumor. That a Winter Fox was winning every match of poker she played. No matter the opponent, she could correctly guess when to fold, when to raise, or when to call every single time.

Worst of all, the staff couldn’t figure out her trick. 

{Because she has me}

And she’s the best poker player ever.

{...}

At least agree with me, dammit.

I wanted to sigh, but my Skill didn’t let me do so. But at least I finally found a use for this useless Skill after so many years.

Anyways, I found Jeanne right before I got to a table and asked her to carry Nira around while standing behind my opponents.

Since the link between Nira and I wasn’t magical in nature, the Magic-jamming couldn’t do anything, and the staff couldn’t detect anything.

“You lost.”

Two simple words. The man playing against me slammed his hand down in anger and rushed out. All the while, the crowd surrounding the table was laughing at him in mockery.

Let’s see, I earned maybe around eighty Golds?

If it wasn’t for the fact that the dealers were getting frustrated with me constantly winning since all the players they planted had failed, I would’ve seriously considered throwing the Mercenary life away and playing in the casino until I got enough money.

Regardless, I should be able to attract Ohjin’s attention if the dealers kick me out. 

Ohjin was a righteous one. He could tell whether or not a person was omitting the truth from him. So when his staff inevitably go up to him for a report, he would know about me and how I was kicked out.

The staff were running frantically around the casino and whispering to each other something inaudible to me. I could see their face paling a lot whenever they heard the whispers.

Is this related to me or not? They’re acting too scared for just someone like me winning a whole lot.

By the way, why is everyone acting so strange?

Every time I won, it was like they went crazy. Some couples made out openly, flinging saliva onto even the table. Some people’s faces crumbled when I won; others cheered loudly even though I had nothing to do with them.

If it wasn’t for my Skill, I was pretty sure I’d get caught up in the atmosphere.

The sound of someone plopping down on the chair opposite of me took me out of my thoughts. I smiled and extended my hand to my next opponent.

“How much do you want to w— Y-You!”

It was the Lightning bitch! She put her left elbow on the table while resting her cheek on her palm. Her right hand’s fingers drummed on the table as she glared at me coldly.

“It’s good to see you again.”

My Skill quickly ate away at my emotions. What was left was only coldness and rationality.

Wait, didn’t it say it wouldn’t make me emotionless?

Did my Skill upgrade without me knowing?

But I didn’t have time to think. I had to figure out what this bitch want—

“Play with me. If I win, you give me Kirion.”

Well, I didn’t have to guess all that much now that she bluntly stated it. Everyone knew my Sword’s name was Kirion, but only my Ihwa knew that Kirion had a red blade.

Maybe…. I narrowed my eyes a bit at Eclair. Maybe she’s Ihwa? Did she reincarnate just like me?

Heh, what an outlandish theory. Rather than that, it would be more probable that she had some kind of Inspection Skill. Or Ihwa found an apprentice or something after my death and, well, told them about me through reminiscing stories or something.

Yeah, that has to be the case. We both promised to do so, so that our daughter can know who we were even if the whole party is wiped out.

But Eclair doesn’t seem that much older than me. I’ll say, three years. An apprentice of an apprentice?

That must be the case. I didn’t know what her master told her but it must’ve made her a fanatic of me.

—

 

“I win.”

“H-How….”

As expected, I won.

Eclair stood up in shock and staggered back. She dropped to her knees and gulped painfully as she slid five Golds across the table.

We’d done this maybe twenty times already, so she had given me roughly a hundred Golds.

Then, Eclair stood back up again. With a determined expression that she had made twenty times already, she slammed her money back on the table.

“Again!”

“”Uwahhh! She’s going again!!!!””

I ignored the crowd’s headache-inducing cheers and stood up. I deactivated my Skill. “Look, I have a proposal. You’re gonna lose again and again—and you know it.”

Eclair bit her lip. She knew I was right. So, she relented and sighed dejectedly.

“What do you propose?”

I grinned. “How much money do you have on you?”

Probably knowing what I was going to demand, Eclair gritted her teeth and threw a pouch at me.

“300 Golds. Is that enough?”

That definitely wasn’t enough, but who was I to say no? I needed all the Gold I could. And this would take me, like, one-sixth of the way there.

“Take it.” I smiled amicably and handed Aerin over to her.

{M-Master!?}

Bye, Aerin!

{Uwahhh! You’re really selling me!?}

{She indeed is. I’ll take good care of Esther in your stead}

{NOOOO—!}

Well, I would have to explain my plans to Aerin soon—but not now.

I ignored Nira’s laughter and Aerin’s screams of denial and shook Eclair’s hand. “Pleased to do business with you.”

“I can’t say the same.”

My smile faltered a bit before I fixed it again. I promptly turned my back to Eclair and made my way to the exit. I need to cool down a bit after all that.

Just ten minutes though. Then back to winning money it is.

But as soon as I got out, a force field was erected around the casino.

I tried to turn back and banged on the invisible wall, but nothing ever came of it.

“This…. Isn’t it Ohjin’s power?”

Why is he doing this?

And my question was immediately answered by footsteps that shook the whole city.