(040) Beginner’s Luck/Cheating in the gambling parlour

Translator: Tseirp

The Philanderer job is a terrible job with high luck stat but every other stat is lower than that of the Commoner job.

The skill I confirmed this morning was also weird.

Flute player 【Philanderer Lv5】

Able to play magic flutes.

Can whistle well.

I gave it a try and tried to whistle, I see, I really can clearly distinguish between musical scales and dynamics.

Incidentally, magic flutes are a kind of magic tool that can apparently elevate the status of your allies if you blow it or conversely decrease the status of your enemies.

When I moved it to the separate page using 「Skill Organization」, it was moved under the section for equipment skills so it seems to be a skill that allows me to equip magic flutes.

As to why my Philanderer level increased, I’ll leave it unsaid. The reason why the level increase gap was so small … I’ll also not talk about it. (TL: LOL! XD)

After we finished having our breakfast, I had tentatively planned to aim for the labyrinth.

However, a serious problem occurred then.

According to Haru’s 「Olfactory Sense」, she caught scent of Oregeru to the east of the main street, in other words, he was heading toward the direction of the labyrinth.

So, if we head to the east today, there’s a chance we would b.u.mp into that plump n.o.ble.

Of course, the probability of encountering him is low since the town is large and we can travel using the back alleys, but I wish to avoid doing any unnecessary activities.

For that reason, we’re heading toward the shops for now.

The labyrinth here is a 25-floor labyrinth without transfer circles so a round trip capture apparently takes about 5 hours.

Tentatively, I have bought preserved food and stored them in my item bag but I wish to purchase the food we want to eat today.

After walking for a little bit, we arrived at the slave dealership.

Quince, with tobacco … no, a pipe in her mouth, was there. She was cleaning up with a broom.

“Good morning, Quince-san.”

“Hmm? Ah, yesterday’s boy. What’s up? Have you decided to buy a second slave?”

“No, we’re just pa.s.sing by … erm, is Carol doing alright?”

Recalling how she said she wanted to die yesterday, I inadvertently asked.

It’s not like I intend to do something after I hear about it and to Carol, it should be none of my concern.

“That child has work today since morning as well. She is actually highly popular. Especially among the high-level adventurers who hunt the monsters around the town.”

Certainly, with such an ability to attract so many monsters, she would most likely be popular among adventurers with actual ability.

Although, I know the fate of those who misinterpret their own competence.

“If you 2 wish to hire that child for work then you should make a reservation now. Well, I don’t recommend purchasing her though.”

“Is it entirely due to her ability?”

“Yeah. Since you can’t have her stay in a room that is not airtight at night. But, she would suffocate if you lock her in a sealed box. You’ll have to prepare a sealed room with a certain width but a normal inn won’t have such a room. Furthermore, that child can’t enter the labyrinth in the town. If she enters the labyrinth and the pheromone is blown out the town by the wind, the monsters would be attracted to the town. Don’t you think that would be a disaster?”

It’s true that the labyrinth is located on the outskirts of town so there’s a high chance she will attract monsters.

The anguish she feels from obtaining an undesired ability most likely far surpa.s.ses my imagination.

While I was thinking about Carol’s case, Quince blew smoke onto my face.

I unconsciously choked on it.

“What’s wrong what’s wrong, such a dark expression. It’s not like it is your responsibility. Rather, you should be glad that you could safely bring Carol back. So, where are you 2 headed? Surely you’re not heading toward the gambling parlour during the daytime? By law, you can no longer redeem your chips with gold so I totally have no intention of going there.”

“Eh? What do you do with it if you can’t change the chips to gold?”

“You exchange them with items. Those who still want to change it to gold no matter what exchange for items with high conversion values like those with gold or precious gems but you’ll still lose a margin through the intermediary conversion. So I don’t recommend it.”

… Isn’t that similar to how casinos in games work?

“Furthermore, to partic.i.p.ate in the gambling, you must purchase medals. The tax for medals is 25%.”

“Eh? The tax cost a quarter of the price?”

“That’s right. Though, everyone should know about it. In other words, even before you join in the gambling, you start with a loss of 25%. Well, even so, the gambling parlour is state-owned so it’s not as terrible as those run by illegal guilds in other towns.”

After that, Quince continued chatting with us while sweeping.

She was talking to me but I felt that she wasn’t only looking at me but was watching the town as well.

She was observing the flow of people and goods. I unconsciously thought that it was the behaviour of exceptional merchants.

I felt bad to be too much of a hindrance so I thanked her and left.

Then, I once again continued walking.

“Hey, Haru, I want to go to the gambling parlour, is it alright with you.”

“The gambling parlour? But as mentioned by Quince-sama it’s not really recommended … ah, for that?”

“Yeah, it’s for that.”

” … But, is it really okay?”

Haru once again confirmed with me.

My goal was not to enjoy gambling but to pay the taxes and level up my Commoner job.

In contrast, the fact that she once again confirmed with me meant that she saw through my intentions.

About redeeming Carol.

“Carol might be unwilling, but she is who she is and she’s needed by a lot of people.”

” … Is that so.”

“Leaving that aside, I wonder what’s there at the gambling parlour. It’s got to be dice after all, right?”

There were odd-even dice games set up, though I don’t know which side is odd which side is even. (TL: Cho-han dice game is a traditional j.a.panese gambling dice game where the dealer shakes 2 standard six-sided dices in a cup and overturns it onto the floor. The players then bet on whether the sum of the dice faces is odd or even.)

“Apparently, it is mainly cards and roulette but the magic tool machines called slot machines seem to be popular lately.”

” … There’re slot machines as well huh.”

If so, although it might be false rumours, I set Philanderer and Hunter as my job and raise my luck stat.

Naturally, I didn’t forget to set Commoner as my job as well.

The gambling parlour was right next to the statue of Torerul.

Built luxuriously like a certain museum and theatre, it took my breath away.

It had tighter security even compared to the town entrance and there was a vast gambling facility there after we dove into the door.

There was an atrium at the center and I could tell that there was a second and third floor.

“Welcome, customer. Is this your first time here?”

As expected, even though there weren’t any bunny girls, a skimpily-dressed red-haired lady welcomed us.

“Ah …. yes.”

“If that’s the case, this way please.”

We were brought to the counter.

Within the gambling parlour, they used medals exclusively.

It cost 100 sense for 75 white medals. Basically, 1 sense = 1 medal but 25 medals worth was collected as tax.

A blue medal equals to 10 white medals; a yellow medal equals to 100 white medals; a green medal equals to 1000 white medals; a red medal equals to 10,000 white medals; a black medal equals to 100,000 white medals, so, in other words, a single black medal equals to 10 gold coins huh.

What an indescribably extravagant medal.

Exchange of item is possible starting from 1 medal. (TL: Author didn’t specify the medal type)

The second floor and above is exclusively for VIPs and apparently only those with more than 10 black medals can enter.

I guess that’s where the high-rollers gamble.

“Well then, for now, please give me 400 sense worth.”

I said and handed over 4 silver coins.

Then, I was given 30 blue medals.

【Ichinojo Level up】

Nice, Commoner leveled up by 2 to become Lv38.

Shall we play with this amount today?

… Ah, s.h.i.t.

I had forgotten something important.

“Are those items for the item exchange?”

I stared at a certain item on the shelf.

“Yes, that’s right. Would you like to exchange something?”

“Then, 1 scarf please. The one for 1 blue medal.”

“Thank you. Would you like it to be wrapped?”

“No, I’ll take it as it is.”

I received the red scarf and wound it around Haru’s neck.

It precisely covered the slave collar.

“Sorry, I wasn’t attentive.”

“No it’s alright, thank you, but is it okay for me to have such an expensive item?”

“Nah, they’re medals that are going to disappear anyway. It’s better if it is exchanged for something concrete. Here, Haru’s medals, let’s have some fun together today.”

I pa.s.sed 10 blue medals to Haru.

” … Thank you. I will definitely increase it!”

” … No, there’s no need to be in such high spirits. Let’s play leisurely.”

Tentatively, we decided upon a place and time to meet and began by exploring separately.

Maybe I’ll casually play a few rounds, casually lose some and we’ll watch a play or something at the theatre within the gambling parlour with the remaining medals.

Thinking so, I went toward the slots corner.

Regarding card games played in casinos, I only know poker and black jack but my knowledge of them is only to the extent of playing together with my friends.

I’m not really interested in roulette.

Standing in front of the slots corner, I first tried to observe the people playing.

Doing so, I noticed that percentage-wise, more Philanderers were winning big compared to the people holding regular jobs.

So the effect of luck is more prominent in slots huh.

However, there were Philanderers who lost as well so it’s not a guaranteed event.

Slots is a kind of game where a person inserts 1 to 3 medals and can increase their medals by getting matching patterns.

Instead of the usual b.u.t.tons on those machines in game centres, it seems here, one only have to pull a lever.

Looks like there are machines that support white, blue and yellow medals though.

Three yellow medals, in other words, 30000 yen a round. Who would play such a game? (TL: About 300 USD)

Or so I thought but in actual fact, there were a number of people seated there.

They look rich judging from their appearances but even they can’t go to the VIP area huh.

For the time being, I exchanged a blue medal for 10 white medals at the slots reception desk.

After inserting 3 white medals, the lights for 3 lanes lit up.

I pulled the lever next to me.

Apparently, it’s good if the ‘7’s line up but naturally, it’s not so easy to hit that, I only lined up 3 watermelons. (TL: “only”)

Within 10 seconds from starting, my 3 white medals had instantaneously become 100 white medals.

However, I only thought that it was beginner’s luck.

The following 20 rounds, I only hit 1 small win so my medals were all swallowed up and I thought that it really was a case of beginner’s luck.

Yup, I was only lucky at the start.

However, during the 22nd, 23rd and 24th rounds, I consecutively won and without noticing, my medals had exceeded 600.

The attention I was getting from the surroundings was getting troublesome so I exchanged the white medals for yellow medals.

A once in a lifetime gamble using 3 yellow medals … it’s 30000 yen … I wondered what items could I exchange for using 3 yellow medals.

A gamble using 30000 yen, if it was the previous me in j.a.pan, I wouldn’t have believed it.

Though Miri was gambling using yen in the billions for investment, I wonder if she possesses a heart of steel?

I ended up thinking about that.

Then, the slots drum spun and stopped.

The ‘7’s didn’t stop on any.

In exchange … those symbols aligned.

Plums.

Ten yellow medals came out.

Well, that’s all a luck stat of 88 can do huh.

I subconsciously thought what if ‘7’s suddenly aligned and I won 100000 yen, I would have been totally overjoyed.

Well then, I wonder how is Haru doing?

There was still some time before the gathering time we set so Haru was not at the gathering place yet.

Hmm, if I was Haru, I could have tracked Haru using Haru’s nose.

While thinking incoherent thoughts, I walked around the gambling parlour and noticed a crowd around a roulette table.

Then … seated at that roulette table was Haru with a large amount of medals piled up.