Book 1 Chapter 935

935.

"Why are you all staring at me like I'm Leo, who appeared in a crisis? And who's that incredibly beautiful lady over there?"

"Incredibly beautiful lady? This kid knows how to pick 'em, eh?"

Azzonia playfully blew a palm kiss at Kale.

Currently, Azzonia was under a perception-lowering spell, so no one except Lunia and Eiran recognized Azzonia's true identity.

Seeing Azzonia, Kale scratched his cheek, and Lunia approached him.

"Kale."

"What?"

"Be my guarantor."

'Why's her gaze all messed up again?'

Kale looked at Eiran.

At his gaze, Eiran explained the whole situation.

"Hmm. So, you got swindled and completely cleaned out?"

"I'm not a pushover."

Lunia frowned fiercely.

"Lunia. How about you dance a little to make the liquor taste better?"

"Why should I do that?!"

"You owe me. You have to pay me back with your body."

"Ugh!"

Lunia flinched.

"I'd like to see a beautiful elf dance after a long time."

Lunia forced a smile and danced next to Azzonia.

Seeing that even Lunia, of all people, couldn't resist, Kale thought.

"Who exactly is that beastkin?"

"That's… Leo-nim's guest."

"Leo's guest?"

At that, Kale paused.

Then he gulped dry saliva.

She gave off a dissolute and frivolous vibe, but besides that, Celia and Abbad, Nella and Duran, couldn't move and were swayed in front of Azzonia.

It didn't seem to be merely because of debt.

'No way?'

Quick-witted Kale instantly deduced Azzonia's identity.

'Wow.'

As Kale stared at Azzonia, clicking his tongue.

"So? What should we do?"

Illiana, who had been quietly watching the situation, asked Kale.

Illiana was not caught up in this chaos.

"Illiana, unlike them, you cleverly didn't get swindled?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Yeah. Kuh-huh-huh-huh-hok?!"

Illiana unhesitatingly choked Kale, who answered without hesitation.

As a flustered Eiran tried to intervene, Illiana let go of Kale and crossed her arms.

"Gambling is the shortest path to ruin."

"You know that. Smart, aren't you?"

"This is treating me like an idiot, isn't it?"

When Illiana made an angry face, Kale chuckled.

"Then, first, we need to save our friends."

"You're going to save them?"

"If a friend is suffering because of gambling debt, I have to help as much as I can."

"Kale. I'll trust you."

Celia, who was being bossed around by Azzonia, said with a tearful face.

Celia was wearing a revealing dancer's outfit.

It was an outfit Azzonia had forced her to wear.

Lunia and Nella were also in similar situations.

Lunia, whose ears were red from dancing, trembled with shame.

Fortunately, no other students were visible in the gambling hall, only the shadowy figures who had come as guests.

Luke, who had rushed back from running an errand for Azzonia, saw them and exclaimed 'Eek?!' his face flushing deeply as he cast his gaze downwards.

"Luke. Did you get caught too?"

"Well… I stood guarantor incorrectly…"

"…"

Kale made a somber expression.

"Our cute Luke has arrived?"

Just then, Azzonia smiled brightly and stroked Luke's head.

Next to Azzonia were Abbad and Duran.

Seeing his friends being harassed by Azzonia, Kale clicked his tongue.

"I need to save them as soon as possible. Otherwise, Celia and Nella might kill Abbad and Duran."

"It sounds like fun, can't we leave them alone a little longer?"

"Illiana, behind you."

"Huh? Hiiiiiiik!"

Nella was holding up a morning star with a bright smile.

Illiana shrieked and quickly hid behind Eiran.

Azzonia, who had been enjoying the entertainment, seemed to lose interest and sat back down at the gambling table.

And she started gambling with the other shadow guests.

Kale watched her, lost in thought.

'She doesn't seem to be cheating?'

The problem was that she was ignorantly strong at games of chance.

'Poker, sure, but roulette and dice games? Even odd or even?'

It wasn't simply luck smiling upon Azzonia.

She accurately grasped when to go for the win and when to retreat.

"Hmm hmm."

Kale, who had been seriously observing Azzonia's play, nodded his head.

"I see it now."

At his reaction, Celia's face brightened.

"You found a way?"

"You can't beat her. It's better to give up cleanly."

"Hey!"

"No. I don't think we can win, so what else can we do?"

"Find out if she's cheating! Say it was a rigged game and nullify it!"

"She's not using any tricks or skills, though?"

"Then use your specialty, some trickery or fraud!"

"How can I use something like that?"

"Oh? Are you not going to challenge me?"

Azzonia, who had won big at roulette, said with a sweet smile.

"I thought I might add another cute collection."

"I will politely apologize."

Kale smiled slyly.

Seeing Kale, Azzonia tilted her head.

'For some reason, this kid resembles Lumen.'

Of course, compared to Lumen, who it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say was born to be a hero, Kale in Azzonia's eyes was no different from a pebble rolling on the street.

But for some reason, he smelled similar to Lumen.

As Azzonia made a curious expression.

"Hmph. Can't be helped. Is it my turn to step up?"

Illiana, who had been watching the situation, sat down at the gambling table.

The bet with Azzonia was extremely simple.

It was just about winning more chips than Azzonia through gambling.

Celia, watching Illiana make a smug face, said.

"Excuse me, Beastkin-nim. Do you have another one of these outfits?"

"Of course."

"It would be good to prepare it in advance."

"What?! I'm trying to help, so why are you talking like I've already lost?!"

"There's no way you can beat this person."

At that, Illiana's face flushed with indignation.

"What? Another collection added?"

Azzonia also chuckled, 'Hoo-hoo-hoot,' and Illiana clenched her fist.

"Prepare yourselves!"

Kale scratched his head, watching Illiana, who was staring fiercely at the roulette wheel with a determined expression.

"Illiana. I can't beat that person, okay? You have to handle the consequences yourself."

"Heh heh! Look forward to the performance of the Gambling God, Illiana-nim!"

Azzonia smiled, looking at Illiana.

"You know the rules, right?"

"Yes."

"Where will you bet? I'll bet on black."

Thump-!

Saying that, Azzonia bet an incredibly high stack of chips.

Eiran was surprised.

"That much?"

"It's psychological warfare. Roulette isn't a game where you steal each other's chips anyway."

Kale scratched his head hard.

"It makes people self-destruct. Impatient people get swayed."

"So that's why you suddenly increased the amount when you were playing against Miss Lunia earlier, too."

Eiran exclaimed admiringly.

"Oh ho!"

Illiana looked at that and was impressed.

"Then I'll bet on red."

Illiana closed her eyes after choosing where to bet.

Kale muttered, watching her.

"She shouldn't get swayed."

Illiana's eyes flashed open-!

"All in!"

"That idiot…"

Kale covered his face with his hands.

"Brave, aren't you?"

Azzonia smiled faintly, and Illiana felt smug.

"Hmph- Red is the color of the class president's eyes, after all. The class president gives me courage!"

'What does that have to do with betting? Is Leo going to put the roulette ball on red or something?'

Kale scratched his head hard.

Once the betting was over, the roulette ball started rolling- and rolling.

And it landed on red.

"As expected, the class president smiles upon me!"

Illiana grinned broadly.

Even so, Kale sighed.

'It makes no sense to keep winning anyway. She'll go broke quickly if she bets so recklessly.'

Azzonia also seemed to think the same, maintaining a calm smile.

However, Azzonia's composure didn't last long.

Illiana achieved that unbelievable victory 5 times in a row.

Kale's mouth hung open, and Azzonia's face hardened.

"Oh ho ho ho! Everyone, praise Illiana-nim!"

Illiana tilted her chin up and gave an arrogant smile.

"Wow, Miss Illiana is incredibly strong at gambling."

"Even if luck can't be bought, does that make any sense?"

Kale's mouth dropped open at Illiana's absurd winning streak.

"You, again."

"Hoo hoo hoo! You won't be able to beat me!"

It was then that Azzonia, her competitive spirit ignited, stood up abruptly.

"What, what in the world is all this commotion?"

Leo appeared in the pub's gambling hall.

"Why are your outfits like that?"

Seeing Leo ask with a dumbfounded expression, the faces of the three female students flushed with shame.

"Leo-nim."

Just then, Azzonia spoke to Leo with a serious face.

Leo looked at Azzonia with a puzzled expression.

"Why?"

"Lend me some money."

"…"

At that shameless request, Leo looked sideways instead of answering.

"You've finally gone mad, you damn beast. Asking Leo-nim for money? And now you're even gambling with students?"

Damian said in a chilling voice, cracking his finger joints.

Azzonia shamelessly replied, looking at Damian.

"They're not our school kids."

After that remark, Azzonia was sent flying by Damian's fist.

Watching that, Leo muttered.

"He teaches well."

***

Chen Shia, sitting on a fountain in the middle of Raysar, silently watched the first-year students coming and going on the street.

Four male students caught Chen Shia's eye.

"Today was amazing too."

"Jerev! I wish you were Azzonia!"

It was a party consisting of two Lumen students and two Azzonia students.

"By the way, conquering the Shadow World… what can I say, it makes me think the Shadows are amazing too."

"Yeah. I really understood how they dedicated themselves to the world."

The Azzonia first-years made serious expressions.

As Jerev was about to open his mouth, looking at the Azzonia students.

"Still, I found something scary about it."

"…"

Jerev paused at the words of a fellow Lumen classmate from behind.

The Azzonia students also nodded.

"Right. It was shocking that they'd stop at nothing."

"I guess I just don't want to get close to them? It feels like we live in different worlds. Don't you think so too, Jerev?"

"Huh? Ah… Yeah."

Jerev smiled awkwardly.

"By the way, are you free tonight?"

"Why?"

"I made dinner plans with some Sayroon kids I met."

"Girls?"

"Hmph. Of course."

"Ohh. Of course I'm free!"

Jerev smiled awkwardly, looking at his friends whose mood had brightened considerably.

"Sorry. I have plans today."

"What? Going on a date or something?"

"He doesn't have a girlfriend."

"We're friends, after all."

Wahahahahaha-! Joyful laughter erupted.

"Then we'll go first!"

"Go to the dorm, Jerev!"

Jerev silently waved goodbye to his three departing friends.

"…As Perena said, can Shadows really not get along with Heroes?"

Jerev felt no sense of incongruity while conquering the Shadow World.

But his friends were different.

It was when Jerev's shoulders drooped.

"Why do you look so down?"

"Huh?!"

Jerev, startled by the voice from behind, turned around.

Chen Shia was smiling faintly.

"Ch-Chen Shia sunbae-nim."

"Would you like to confide if you have a problem?"

"How dare I…"

Chen Shia sighed softly, looking at Jerev, who lowered his gaze.

"I'm not saying this as a school senior."

"Yes?"

"I'm saying this as a Shadow."