The One-Armed Tamer.
From the moment Ryuu heard those words, there was no other choice for her besides accepting.
It had become something not even worth considering.
And I knew that very well, which was why I had provoked her like this.
"I accept. What's the game?"
"Nothing too special. We'll keep it familiar and play poker."
That would be better for you, too.
At my relaxed taunt, Ryuu frowned and ground her teeth.
She did it loudly enough for everyone facing her to hear.
If she kept that up, she'd only hurt her own teeth.
Though that wasn't something the one doing the provoking should worry about.
"As for the dealer... yes, to keep things fair for both sides, let's have that lovely lady over there do it."
"Wh-what?"
"M-Magus!?"
At my suggestion, everyone in the VIP room looked utterly shocked.
The owner and his gang, Ryuu in front of me, of course.
Even Syr, who had been singled out, was stunned.
"Listen, Magus! P-please think about this again! That's insane! You didn't see what happened earlier, but that woman is...!"
"I know. That's precisely why it's fair to both sides."
"No, what kind of nonsense is that supposed to be!?"
At my bold, yet unwavering answer, the owner looked dumbfounded.
But I didn't care whether he did or not.
Whatever the reactions of the people around us or the parties involved.
I pushed my own idea forward without the slightest concern.
No, this was the only way to make the game interesting!
"Are you serious?"
"Of course. Do I look like someone who gets fooled easily?"
"I'm asking again because the opponent is you."
"If that's how you want to take it, then I guess so."
"Ugh, you...!"
"So. Are we doing this or not? Just make that clear."
I ignored Ryuu and turned my gaze to Syr.
She looked back at me as well.
What her eyes seemed to say was probably a very reasonable suspicion of, "What in the world are you doing?" mixed with a little curiosity.
That little bit of curiosity was more than enough to hook her.
"All right. I'll be the dealer, as you suggested."
"Syr!"
"It's fine, Ryuu. I'm only going to deal the cards fairly."
"GOOD! Yes, yes. Exactly. Fairly."
"Tch, Magus! What exactly are you plotting...!"
"Now then. The game has been decided, and both the players and the dealer are set."
One-on-one poker.
The rules remained the same.
The chips each person could use were limited to six.
The buy-in and exchange cost were one chip per round.
Cards could be exchanged only once per hand.
After that, the one who formed the higher-ranking hand would win!
"OK, OPEN THE GAME!"
Screeech, shuffle-shuffle-shuffle!
Ignoring Ryuu, who seemed ready to argue with me about something.
I unilaterally declared the game open.
With no choice, two chips rolled onto the table with a clink.
Along with that, Syr shuffled the fresh, sealed deck in her hands.
Then the face-down cards were dealt one by one to the two of us.
"Hmm, I see. In that case... I'll change two cards."
"I'll change three."
Two chips rolled across the table once more.
If I could, I'd like to take a chance like this and play around with Yu-Gi-Oh! as a true romantic at heart.
Unfortunately, this world didn't have that kind of card game.
That meant I couldn't just make cards and rules on my own and lead a new gaming culture.
Why not?
Because, as a Magus, or rather just plain and simple, it would be a pain in the ass.
The process itself wasn't fun, either.
So, with tears in my eyes, I gave up on the Yu-Gi-Oh! route.
I had managed to recreate a few card effects with some Magecraft tools, though.
Instead, I'd make up for tonight's romance points in another way and enjoy myself to the fullest.
Besides, the flow of the game was moving in a way very similar to what I remembered.
"Come to think of it, there was one thing we hadn't decided yet."
"What are you talking about?"
Taking my eyes off the cards in my hand.
At Ryuu's question, sharpened with vigilance, I answered lightly, as if it were nothing.
"If you win, I was going to tell you the information you wanted about the One-Armed Tamer. Right?"
"That's right."
"Then what if I win? I don't think we've properly talked about that yet."
"Are you asking me to overlook Ted's crimes? Birds of a feather. Pathetic."
"No, that's the owner's problem. So dealing with and resolving it is the owner's responsibility."
"Then?"
At my words, everyone around us, just like Ryuu, wore puzzled expressions.
No, the owner had gone a little pale in the face.
Don't worry, our sucker.
At least I'm not planning to lose just yet.
"You took that girl as the loot from the previous game, didn't you?"
Then, as the owner's proxy, I'd have to pay back that debt in his place.
"If I win, I'll take that girl back. How about it? Isn't that truly fair?"
"I see. So that was it, you piece of trash."
"What, this much?"
After hearing Ryuu's answer, I turned my gaze and looked at the kidnapped princess, the heroine.
I looked at poor Anna, cast in that role.
Anna seemed a little startled by my sudden gaze, then looked back at me in confusion.
"So, I have a question."
"Eh?"
"I don't like proceeding without the person involved's consent. So, about that condition from earlier. Do you also agree, lady?"
"Uh, well, that..."
At my question, Anna couldn't answer right away.
But then she looked at the dependable face of the white knight who had come to save her.
Seeing Ryuu's face, she steeled herself and nodded, saying she understood.
"Yes, I agree."
"By your soul?"
"Yes."
"OK, GOOD!"
Good, the deal was now safely established!
The conditions were also fully met.
Now then, shall we proceed exactly as the original flow dictates?
"That expression is scary. Did you get a good hand or something?"
Here, if I were being cautious, I'd only put one chip in... as if I would!
For the sake of speed, I'm going all the way to the end!
From the start, the outcome was basically decided the moment the game began.
"Let's see... with this, all in."
"What!?"
"Why? Is there a problem?"
"...No, call."
"Ryuu."
"It's fine, Syr. Leave it to me."
My sudden all-in declaration had been completely unexpected.
Ryuu, momentarily flustered, checked her hand and then, leaving the worried Syr behind, steeled herself and accepted my challenge.
And so, from the very first round, all twelve chips were piled onto the table for the final game.
Seeing that, I smiled deeply.
"Good. It's a showdown, Hero."
At the same time as her, I revealed my own hand.
And the hands we showed were...
[Ryuu: Two pair, 8s and 9s]
Oh, that's a pretty strong hand.
If I remember correctly, the odds of getting that are less than 5%, right?
No wonder she'd be confident enough to face me head-on.
Which made this even better.
"Sorry about this."
[Magus: Two pair, Jacks and Queens]
"Ugh...!"
"Danger, danger. I almost lost there."
Our hands were close.
Mine was just a little, slightly higher.
Well, it was all the result of my obvious cheating, of course.
Still, I lied without the slightest shame.
And the temporary dealer, Syr, who had heard me from right beside me, probably noticed my lie immediately.
But didn't one of the famous lines from the original say it?
After all, "If you don't get caught, it isn't cheating."
Indeed, that was exactly right.
"I suppose that makes one win for me."
"Kuh...!"
"Hoh hoh hoh."
Ryuu ground her teeth in frustration.
Anna looked at her with an anxious face.
Then Ryuu lowered her head and apologized to her with guilt in her voice.
"I'm sorry, Miss Anna. Because of me, you've been dragged into this again..."
"N-no, it's fine. If not for the count, I would have..."
Anna looked at Ryuu with a complicated, mixed expression.
Hm? Could this be...?
Indeed, this has yuri potential! Yuri potential!
Midway interference from a blonde tan, hypnosis app, denied!
But before that, I should get done what needs to be done.
"A tearful farewell scene is nice and all, but could you please carry out the contract now?"
"Ah...!"
To reassure Anna, who was looking at me with frightened eyes, I gave her a kind smile with all the sincerity I could muster.
No, maybe that only made things worse.
Then again, anyone looking at me would see the villain's position clearly, so if I smiled, from the victim's point of view it would be genuinely terrifying.
Good grief, her face is going pale... at this rate she might end up with a heart attack.
In that case, I'd have to say something to calm her down, at least a little.
What can I say? I'm a man who, despite appearances, is rather kind to beauties.
"There's no need to be so frightened, lady. This won't be your only chance."
"What do you mean?"
"As I said earlier, the stakes are six chips per person."
That meant that every time you bet one person's share, you could keep the game going in succession.
"To explain it simply, my share is the information about the One-Armed Tamer and Lady Anna. So that makes twelve chips in total."
"Then this side..."
"Well, Count. No, Ryuu. You can challenge me again with just yourself on the line, for six chips. Or you can go for twelve chips by betting the share of this dealer lady as well."
"I see. So that's how it works."
"Well, more or less. What do you think, Owner? Are these conditions satisfactory?"
At my question, the owner in the back flashed a vile smile and nodded hard.
Then, with greedy eyes, he looked at Anna and Syr, while glaring at Ryuu, the source of all this trouble, with murderous intent.
He was probably imagining all sorts of ways to humiliate, torment, and toy with them in his head.
Well, fantasizing in your own head is a person's natural freedom and right, so I didn't particularly feel like saying anything about it.
"Then let us carry out the contract. Yes, the 'contract of the soul.'"
"Wha...!"
Had he sensed something ominous in my words?
Ryuu hurriedly tried to say something back.
But one step ahead of her.
Murmur...
"Eh?"
A strange wisp of smoke drifting from behind my back moved at tremendous speed and wrapped around Anna's body, swallowing her whole.
And from within it, a bizarre arm shaped like a frog sprang out...
"Miss Anna!"
"A-aahhh...!"
It pulled a pale, hazy something from her chest and took it away.
Syr, who witnessed the entire scene, sucked in a breath and couldn't hide her shock.
And no wonder.
Even she, having seen all sorts of things, would never have expected to witness such a phenomenon in the Lower World.
"That just now... could it have been Miss Anna's soul!?"
"Exactly! That's right!"
Thud!
"Miss Anna!"
Ryuu hurriedly caught Anna's body as it lost all strength and collapsed limply.
But the breath of life had already been completely severed from her fallen body.
In other words, Lady Anna was already completely dead.
"Ma, gus...!"
Was it because an innocent, blameless person had been killed unilaterally because of her defeat?
Ryuu's expression twisted into something almost demonic.
With genuine killing intent, she glared at me as if she wanted to kill me on the spot.
Hah, that's a little scary.
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