Book 1 Chapter 935

"Why are you all looking at me like I'm Leo appearing in a crisis? And who is that incredibly beautiful older woman over there?"

"Incredibly beautiful older woman? You have good taste!"

Azonya blew a kiss to Kal playfully.

Currently, Azonya was under an illusion magic that lowered perception, so no one except Lunia and Eiran realized Azonya's true identity.

Seeing Azonya, Kal scratched his cheek as Lunia approached.

"Kal."

"Why?"

"Can you put up bail for me?"

'What's wrong with this one's eyes now?'

Kal looked at Eiran.

At that gaze, Eiran explained the situation.

"Um. So. You got scammed and cleaned out?"

"I'm not a sucker."

Lunia scowled.

"Lunia, wouldn't you dance a little to make the drinks taste better?"

"Why should I do that?!"

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

"Ugh!"

Lunia flinched.

"I want to see a beautiful elf dance after a long time."

Lunia forced a smile and danced next to Azonya.

Seeing the mighty Lunia unable to do anything, Kal thought.

'Who is that beastkin, anyway?'

"She… she's Leo-nim's guest."

"Leo's guest?"

At those words, Kal froze.

Then he swallowed hard.

Though she seemed wild and frivolous, Celia, Abad, Nella, and Duran were completely at Azonya's mercy and were being manipulated.

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

'Could it be?'

The quick-witted Kal instantly deduced Azonya's identity.

'Wow.'

As Kal clicked his tongue and looked at Azonya.

"So? What should I do?"

Iliana, who had been quietly observing the situation, asked Kal.

Iliana had not been swept up in the chaos.

"Iliana, you're the only one who wasn't taken for a fool, unlike them?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"Yes. Kahaahahahahaha?!"

Kal, who answered without hesitation, had his neck choked by Iliana without hesitation.

When the flustered Eiran intervened, Iliana released Kal and crossed her arms.

"Gambling is a shortcut to ruin."

"You know that? You're smart."

"Are you calling me an idiot right now?"

As Iliana made a resentful expression, Kal chuckled.

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

"Will you save them?"

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

"Kal, I'm counting on you."

Celia, who had been ordered around by Azonya, said with a tearful face.

Celia was wearing a revealing dancer's outfit, which Azonya had forced her to wear.

Lunia and Nella were the same.

Lunia, who had been dancing and her ears turned red, trembled with shame.

Fortunately, there were no other students in the casino, only shadowy guests.

Luke, who had rushed to run an errand for Azonya, saw the scene and exclaimed, 'Eek?!' with a flushed face and lowered his gaze.

"Luke, you got scammed too?"

"Um… I foolishly co-signed…"

"…"

Kal had a look of despair.

"Oh, my cute Luke is here?"

At that moment, Azonya smiled brightly and patted Luke's head.

Beside Azonya were Abad and Duran.

Kal clicked his tongue, seeing his friends being teased by Azonya.

"We have to save them as soon as possible. Otherwise, Celia and Nella might kill Abad and Duran."

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

"Iliana, behind you."

"Huh? Hiiiiiik!"

Nella was smiling cheerfully and raising her morning star.

Iliana screamed and quickly hid behind Eiran.

Azonya, who had been enjoying herself, seemed to have lost interest and sat back down at the gamble table.

And she started gambling with other shadowy guests.

Kal, watching her, fell into thought.

'She doesn't seem to be cheating…'

The problem was that she was unbelievably strong at gambling.

'Poker is one thing, but roulette, dice games, even guessing odd or even?'

It wasn't just luck smiling on Azonya.

She accurately judged when to play and when to back down.

"Hmm hmm."

Kal, who was seriously observing Azonya's play, nodded.

"I see."

At that reaction, Celia's face lit up.

"You figured something out?"

"We can't win against that. It's best to give up cleanly."

"Hey!"

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

"Find out about cheating! Say it was a fraudulent gamble and it's void!"

"She's not using any techniques."

"Then do something with your specialty, tricks or scams!"

"How can I do that?"

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

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

"I thought I'd get another cute collection."

"I apologize sincerely."

Kal said with a sly smile.

Seeing Kal, Azonya tilted her head.

'For some reason, this kid resembles Rumern.'

Of course, compared to Rumern, who was born to be a hero, Kal was no different from a stone rolling on the street in Azonya's eyes.

But for some reason, he smelled similar to Rumern.

As Azonya looked puzzled.

"Heh. I can't help it. Is it my turn to step in?"

Iliana, who had been watching the situation, sat down at the gamble table.

The bet with Azonya was extremely simple.

She just had to win more chips than Azonya through gambling.

Celia, watching Iliana with a smug look, said.

"Excuse me, beastkin. Do you have another one of these outfits?"

"Of course."

"It would be good to have it ready in advance."

"What?! I'm trying to help you, why are you already talking like you're going to lose!"

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

At those words, Iliana's face turned angry.

"What? Another collection added?"

Azonya also chuckled, and Iliana clenched her fists.

"Prepare yourself!"

Kal scratched his head, watching Iliana stare at the roulette wheel with a determined expression.

"Iliana, I can't beat her. You'll have to deal with the aftermath."

"Heng! Look forward to the great performance of the gambling goddess Iliana!"

Azonya smiled at Iliana.

"You know the rules, right?"

"Yes."

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

*Thump-!*

Saying that, Azonya bet an enormous amount of chips.

Eiran was surprised.

"That much?"

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

Kal scratched his head.

"She makes them self-destruct. Impatient people get rattled."

"So, the reason you suddenly increased the amount when you played with Lunia earlier was for that reason?"

Eiran exclaimed.

"Oh ho!"

Iliana admired the sight.

"Then I'll bet on red."

Iliana, who had chosen where to bet, closed her eyes.

Kal muttered as he watched her.

"I hope she doesn't get rattled."

Iliana's eyes suddenly opened!

"All in!"

"That idiot…"

Kal covered his face.

"Brave, aren't you?"

Azonya smiled faintly, and Iliana looked smug.

"Heh, red is the color of the class representative's eyes. The class representative gives me courage!"

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

Kal scratched his head.

After the betting was finished, the roulette ball began to roll.

And it landed on red.

"As expected, the class representative is smiling on me!"

Iliana smiled broadly.

Nevertheless, Kal sighed.

'It's unreasonable to keep winning. If she bets so recklessly, she'll be broke soon.'

Azonya seemed to think the same, with a calm smile.

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

Iliana achieved five consecutive wins with that unbelievable streak.

Kal's jaw dropped, and Azonya's face stiffened.

"Ohohhoho! Everyone, praise Iliana-nim!"

Iliana said with an arrogant smile, chin held high.

"Wow, Iliana is incredibly good at gambling."

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

Kal's jaw dropped at Iliana's abnormal win rate.

"You. Bet again."

"Hoohoo! You're no match for me!"

Just as Azonya, whose competitive spirit was ignited, jumped up from her seat.

"What is all this commotion?"

Leo appeared in the tavern's casino.

"Why are you all dressed like that?"

Seeing Leo ask with an incredulous expression, the faces of the three female students turned red with shame.

"Leo-nim."

At that moment, Azonya spoke to Leo with a serious expression.

Seeing Azonya, Leo looked puzzled.

"Why?"

"Lend me some money."

"…"

To that shameless request, Leo looked to the side instead of answering.

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

Demian said in a cold voice, cracking his knuckles.

Seeing Demian, Azonya shamelessly replied.

"They're not from our school."

With those words, Azonya was hit by Demian's fist and flew away.

Watching that scene, Leo muttered.

"Teaching them something good."

***

Chen Siah sat by the fountain in the center of Raysar, watching the first-year students pass by without a word.

Four male students caught Chen Siah's eye.

"Today was amazing."

"Jereb! I wish you were Azonya!"

It was a party consisting of two Rumern students and two Azonya students.

"By the way, conquering the shadow world… what can I say, it makes me think that the shadows are amazing too."

"Yeah. We could really see how they dedicated themselves to the world."

The Azonya first-years wore serious expressions.

As Jereb was about to speak to the Azonya students.

"Still, I found something scary."

"…"

At the words of a fellow Rumern classmate from behind, Jereb froze.

The Azonya students nodded in agreement.

"That's right. The fact that they stop at nothing was shocking."

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

"Huh? Ah… yes."

Jereb gave an awkward smile.

"By the way, are you free this evening?"

"Why?"

"I made plans for dinner with some kids I met from Seirun."

"A girl?"

"Heh. Of course."

"Ooh. Of course I'm free!"

Jereb gave an awkward smile, watching his friends get excited.

"Sorry. I have plans today."

"What? Going on a date?"

"That guy doesn't have a girlfriend."

"As expected, we're friends."

Hahaha-! Joyful laughter erupted.

"Then we're leaving first!"

"Stay at the dorm, Jereb!"

Jereb silently waved to his three departing friends.

"…Could shadows really not associate with heroes, as Ferena said?"

Jereb felt no sense of unease while conquering the shadow world.

But his friends were different.

Jereb's shoulders drooped.

"Why are you so down?"

"Hk?!"

Startled by the voice from behind, Jereb turned around.

Chen Siah was smiling sweetly.

"Se-Senior Chen Siah."

"Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?"

"How could I possibly…"

Seeing Jereb lowering his eyes, Chen Siah sighed softly.

"I'm not saying this as your senior at school."

"Yes?"

"I'm saying this as a shadow."