Volume 6 Chapter 22 There Was A Bunny
To be honest, Rouza was a big gambler, and he used to sneak out of the castle at night and go to the gambling houses in the town below. Mikage and Getsuya would go with him too, and they would often be scolded by the king.
"Rouza, you really like gambling. You went to the casino right away."
This shop was an exclusive casino that only allowed members or their guests to enter, as the man at the entrance said. Most of the customers were nobles, merchants, or well-paid mercenaries.
The card Kyunei took out of her chest earlier was a membership card. She got it when she visited with a previous regular customer. It had been a long time, but it was good to know that it was still valid.
We didn't bring Aina because there might be people in the room who knew her. Some of the nobles who visit this shop also go to the castle. It would be a hassle if they got involved for some reason.
There was also a bar in the shop, and there were expensive-looking wine bottles on the shelves. In addition to the male employees in suits, there were beautiful women in revealing clothes with rabbit ear decorations on their heads walking around the shop with trays of glasses. The main attraction was the games, but...
――I really want Aina to wear that costume too, but that's just between us.
"I know you just thought about wanting Aina-chan to wear that costume too."
"I wish you'd stop reading my mind as if it were obvious."
Kyunei, who had been nearby, whispered in my ear.
Suddenly, a man who seemed to be from the casino approached us. He was dressed better than the other staff who were walking around the room.
"This is the floor manager of the shop. He's the second most important person after the manager. Be careful."
I nodded to Kyunei's whisper and ―― I think I heard him mutter something strange. Before I could ask him about it, the man came up to us and bowed respectfully.
"This is Kyunei-sama. It's been a while."
"You still remember me. It's been a while since I last came here."
"I would never forget the beauty of Kyunei-sama. However――"
The man in charge of the scene glanced at us once.
"You have an unexpected company. According to rumors, you've quit your job――"
"Yes, that's right."
Saying that, Kyunei wrapped her arms around my arm with a charming smile.
"He insisted on me quitting. I can't refuse my beloved."
The feeling of her full breasts between my arms is always heart-pounding. But I couldn't just blush.
"I see."
The initially friendly man's eyes turned sharp as he looked at me.
"I heard rumors that you're close to a young mercenary. I see, so you're Black Blade. It's an honor to meet you."
Behind his seemingly kind smile, there was a hint of a cold blade. His sharp gaze seemed to be scanning me from head to toe. The pressure he exuded was comparable to the man who was waiting for us at the entrance.
I held back my breath, but the man soon lost his sharp aura and smiled.
"Then, Black Blade. And your companions. Please enjoy the casino to the fullest."
After bowing again, the man left. Only after he disappeared into the crowd did I finally swallow my saliva.
"What was that? He was much scarier than any mercenary I've met."
"Good boy. You did well holding back."
As I patted my chest in relief, Kyunei stroked my head.
"That man was a pretty big deal in the underworld before he was recruited by the casino boss. You shouldn't show weakness to people like that who are close to the dark side."
It was a pressure that I wasn't used to, like being entangled. I'd rather fight monsters outside.
"If you're going to continue being a mercenary, you're going to encounter more people 'like that' in the future. It's not a bad idea to practice now."
Requests from Upper Ranks of the 3rd Rank increase, but mercenaries often conduct their own screening. There might be jobs with shady dealings involved. She's talking about that kind of thing.
"Then you could have at least told me beforehand, couldn't you?"
"It's better practice if you do it out of the blue. Well, I knew you'd be fine, Yukina-kun."
"You..."
It's nice to have unwavering trust, but it's really bad for my heart.
I checked with Kyunei beforehand, and apparently the store itself is operating with government permission, regardless of the employees' past backgrounds.
And I've kept it a secret from Rouza, but there are apparently illegal casinos in the royal capital that don't have government permission. Kyunei has never been there, but she seems to have learned the location from a customer during her time as a pr**titute.
Anyway, as I was half-heartedly watching Kyunei having fun, I realized something.
"──Hey, where did Rouza go?"
Rouza had disappeared at some point. He was supposed to be right next to me just a moment ago.
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