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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Pay Your Dues (1)
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When cheaters are caught in the act, they tend to react in one of two ways.
They either drop to their knees and beg.
"Bo-bottom dealing? Wh-wh-what… what are you talking about?"
Or they lose their minds and try to deny it to the very end.
It just showed how desperate he was, but once you're caught bottom dealing, you can't get away with just flat-out denial.
"You don't know what I'm talking about? You've laid out all these cards underneath and you're telling me you don't know? How am I supposed to understand that?"
"Th-that, well, this is…"
"Looking at it like this, I can see exactly how you were trying to rig it. You were going to give me a straight and that guy a flush, weren't you? Wow, how fascinating. You just shuffled the cards, and it turned out like this? What a remarkable coincidence. Isn't it?"
The moment Wellesley finished speaking, his men, who had been positioned nearby, swarmed the table.
"What, he was bottom dealing?"
"These crazy bastards… this was a crooked gambling den?"
"Look at that hand. It's a dead giveaway."
"Wow! These sons of bitches deserve to be beaten to death…"
As the situation threatened to erupt into a major commotion, and other regular patrons began to crane their necks to see what was happening, the panicked owner quickly intervened.
"P-please, wait a moment! This is… I apologize! It is entirely my fault for having a dealer with such sticky fingers in my club. I will investigate this matter thoroughly and…"
"What nonsense are you talking? You should be investigated right along with him. Surely you're not going to claim you knew nothing about this now?"
"Lord Wellesley! It's a misunderstanding! I swear to God, I have never been involved in such an absurd affair."
It seemed they had at least coordinated on how to cut their losses if they got caught.
Even though he was about to take the fall for everything, the dealer simply bowed his head with a grim look on his face, offering no rebuttal.
Well then, shall I give him a little poke to put him in the mood to tell the truth?
"*Cough! Cough!*"
Feigning shock at the commotion before me, I let out a loud, theatrical cough to signal Wellesley. He then had his butler step forward and asked.
"As it happens, my butler also has a law license. Let's ask him. He says this dealer bastard here is the main culprit. If we drag him off and throw him in jail right now, what kind of punishment would he receive?"
"Ordinarily, common theft might result in a prison sentence, but it's a different story when the victim is a nobleman. Moreover, since this case also involves fraud, he could face a penalty comparable to robbery, not just simple theft. The death penalty is a distinct possibility. An accomplice or accessory might get a reduced sentence, but there will be no mercy for the mastermind."
"Is that so? That's not bad. I have many acquaintances at the court, so I'll make sure that bastard's head rolls on the execution block."
As Wellesley muttered with a chilling smile, loud enough for him to hear, the dealer's eyes filled with terror.
"What? D-death penalty? What do you mean… wasn't it just a prison sentence?"
"Prison, my foot. Did you really think you could get away with just that? I don't know what idiot told you that, but you just tried to swindle a nobleman. Did I look like an easy target because I'm the second son and won't inherit the title? Did you think I couldn't use my father's connections to put a single man like you on the gallows?"
"W-wait a moment! It wasn't me! It wasn't me!"
Whether he could actually be sent to the gallows was another matter, but when a man with Wellesley's background made a threat, it didn't sound like a mere intimidation tactic.
It was less a threat and more a prophecy of an inevitable future.
What good was a lifetime's worth of money if your own head was going to be lopped off?
As Wellesley made a move to stand, the desperate dealer grabbed his trouser leg and clung to him.
"A-actually, I'm not the main culprit! I was just doing as I was told! He said he'd share the money if I did what he said, so I just went along with it! It's true!"
"Told? Who told you?"
"What is this bastard talking about! Lord Wellesley! You mustn't listen! That man is spewing lies because he doesn't want to be dragged away!"
If someone starts freaking out before they're even pointed at, what does that make them?
As if on cue, the dealer pointed at the owner, who was practically screaming his guilt, and personally demonstrated the immutable truth of all ages: in the face of death, loyalty and honor mean nothing.
"That bastard owner is the mastermind! I just did as I was told, and I have proof! I can bring in other dealers as witnesses. I've also kept a detailed record of the money he gave us!"
"You son of a bitch! How dare you run that filthy mouth! Shut it this instant!"
"You're damn loud. Both of you, shut up. We'll find out who's telling the truth once we look at the evidence anyway."
In fact, just looking at the current situation, it was perfectly clear who the real mastermind was and who was the accomplice.
Wasn't it obvious from the way Jack's face grew paler and paler, while the dealer wore a grin of pure bliss, as if he'd just returned from hell?
"L-Lord Wellesley! It's not true. It wasn't me! This is…"
"So you're going to deny it to the end. In that case, I have nothing more to say to you, other than to spout that same nonsense in court."
"Th-that's… no. Yes, I mean, it's not that I've been doing this for a long time, but the stakes got a bit high this time, so I had a bad thought just this once…"
"That man claims he has records of you paying him before. How about you put some effort into your lies? This is your last chance. If you lie one more time, I will get up from this seat and go call the police. The choice is yours."
The owner's ears perked up at the word 'chance'. He quickly raised his head and rubbed his hands together in the most obsequious manner.
"If, perhaps, I tell you the truth… will you forgive me?"
"What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I forgive you? I trusted you and consistently enjoyed gambling here. But you betrayed my trust and only thought of fleecing me. And now you're asking me to forgive you? Do you have any conscience at all?"
"That wasn't my intention, it's just… you said it was a chance…"
While Jack stammered, Wellesley's butler approached him and whispered just loud enough for him to hear.
"If word of this gets out, His Grace the Duke may become angry. It might be different at another time, but you must not forget that the general election is scheduled soon. I understand your anger, but you need to be prudent."
The son of the Prime Minister leading the ruling party was involved in a crooked gambling ring while enjoying a game?
Of course, gambling wasn't illegal under current law, and he was the victim, but it wouldn't do his image any favors.
This was especially true now, as the harmful effects of gambling were on the rise, and voices calling for its regulation were growing louder.
In other words, the current situation provided more than enough justification to quietly sweep this incident under the rug.
After hearing his butler, Wellesley seemed to ponder for a moment before clicking his tongue and glaring at Jack.
"Fine. Unlike you animals, I am a man of noble birth, so I suppose I should give you a minimal chance. However, we must settle the accounts properly, shouldn't we? I'll need 1.5 times the money I've lost so far… no. I should get at least double back."
"O-of course! I can check the ledgers and give you that right away!"
"Lest you misunderstand, this is what I am rightfully owed. Now then, I need to think about what kind of chance to give you."
Wellesley's gaze scanned the surroundings before stopping on the deck of cards he had been playing with just moments ago.
"Come to think of it, I came here today to enjoy a fun game of cards. This ridiculous commotion almost made me forget. That's right. Since it's come to this, let's test our luck with cards. Jack, come and sit down. If you follow the conditions I propose and beat me, I'll be generous and let this slide."
"Are you serious? If you'll really let it go, I'll agree to any condition!"
"Well, I suppose it wouldn't be good for me either if this affair spreads more than necessary, so I have no intention of setting overly harsh conditions. First, since we're continuing the game that was interrupted, the stake will be the same one thousand pounds. And how about we play exactly three hands, and the person who has won more money at the end is the winner?"
"If I win more money, I'm the winner?"
"That's right. But I won't actually give you the money you win. You'll be buying your life with it. On the other hand, if I win, you'll have to cough up that much money and be punished as well, right?"
He was facing the gallows if he got dragged away anyway, so who would care about a penalty like having to cough up money?
As expected, Jack nodded his head frantically and, fearing Wellesley might change his mind, quickly sat down opposite him.
"No problem! I'm ready!"
"Wait! On second thought, there is one more problem. It wouldn't make sense to entrust this game to a dealer who cheated right before my eyes, would it? Right?"
"Well… that's true."
"Let's see. Is there anyone suitable here I can entrust this to? I could have my butler deal, but then you might not feel it's fair."
The ultimate reason for this whole ridiculous charade.
Pretending to look for someone, Wellesley smirked as he saw me drinking my milk.
"It just so happens there's someone who seems more than suitable. Let's have that child over there deal. Isn't that the best choice for both sides? You there, do you happen to know how to shuffle cards?"
"…Yes. Well… I'm also very interested in games like this, so I know how… to do it. Shuffling cards… looked cool, so I practiced a lot."
"Then could you come here, shuffle these cards, and deal them to us? Jack, you have no objections, right?"
"I understand. Since we can't bring in another trustworthy dealer, it's probably for the best to have a kid like that do it."
Swindlers, by nature, are fundamentally suspicious people.
Jack was surely worried, though he didn't show it, that Wellesley might set up a dealer who would help him in turn.
That must be why he brightened up and immediately agreed.
In that case, wouldn't it be proper of me to do my best to live up to his expectations?
After all, just as even the most chaotic rampage can be called an assassination if you kill all the witnesses…
If you can't notice it even when it's happening right in front of your eyes, it's not cheating; it's just a fair game.
* * *
Jack felt as if he had fallen to the very bottom of hell and caught a single lifeline.
He had never dreamed a day would come when he would be so grateful for the fact that an election was being held.
'That hypocritical bastard. Putting on airs and acting all merciful.'
He probably said it thinking he wouldn't be heard, but Jack had heard it clearly with his own two ears.
He might want to tear him into a thousand, ten thousand pieces, but the situation simply wasn't favorable for him right now.
If word of this got out, the Duke of Wellington, who was preparing for this year's general election, would surely be furious.
Still, the fact that he insisted on these conditions showed just how badly he wanted to send Jack to the gallows.
—I graciously gave him a chance to get out, but the result turned out this way because God did not wish for that man's salvation.
He would probably use some excuse like that and hand him over to the police.
And he intended to take the money as well; he was nothing more than a greedy pig.
And if Jack won?
Then Wellesley would make a great show of how merciful he had been.
In any case, he would still take twice the money Jack had swindled from him, regardless of the outcome, so he had nothing to lose even if Jack won.
The meaning was clear.
The man simply wanted to play with him and savor the feeling of being a victor.
In that case, there was only one thing for Jack to do. He would win this gamble and survive.
He would cling to life by any means necessary and, one day, he would surely repay this humiliation.
'To do that, I need to focus on the game in front of me. If I lose, it's the gallows… I have to win.'
Wellesley had said three hands, but what mattered wasn't winning two out of three.
The winner was the one who won more money over the three hands, so even if he lost two, he could still be the winner if he won one hand in a big way.
Conversely, even if he won two hands, if his opponent won with a high-payout hand like a flush or a full house, he would be on a direct path to the executioner.
'But something's strange. How did a guy who couldn't even spot bottom dealing right in front of his face suddenly become so sharp?'
Moreover, the fact that he brought a lawyer along proved he had come here today with a clear purpose.
In that case, the dealer he appointed couldn't be trusted either, but fortunately, his thoughts hadn't reached that far.
The kid named Killian, who sat down in place of the original dealer, was a fairly familiar face to Jack.
He was a child who had started frequenting the place more often recently, and for the past few days, he had been enjoying small games, getting a taste for gambling.
Kids like this grew up to become prime customers, and Jack recalled having kindly explained the rules to him.
The dealer was neutral, and it was only a three-hand match. This was purely a battle of luck against luck.
There was no room for any other factors to intervene.
Silently offering a prayer for the first time in his life, Jack looked at the cards in his hand and exulted.
'Yes! A pair of Kings.'
Realistically, this was the best possible start.
As soon as he received two more cards, he completed another pair of tens to go with his Kings. Jack was certain that luck was on his side.
With two pair from the start, there was no reason to hold back on betting.
Continuing to bet until the end, Jack wagered a total of fifty pounds and confidently revealed his hand, but…
"…A triple with aces?"
"Hahaha! It seems luck favors those who live righteously. Fifty pounds doubled is one hundred. So I'm already up by a hundred pounds, am I?"
Seeing the three ace cards laid out imposingly before him, Jack's eyes trembled uncontrollably.
Judging by the exposed cards, there was only one way Wellesley could have made three of a kind with aces.
Two of the first three cards he received had to have been aces.
'I thought he had a pair of aces at best, but to think he had one more…'
Of course, since he himself had started with two Kings, it wasn't an impossible probability.
He could only think that the other side's luck was just a little better than his.
Losing the first hand so emptily when he thought he had the upper hand made his mouth go dry, but there were still two hands left.
With a prayer in his heart, Jack received his next three cards. His hands trembled in spite of himself as he checked them.
'Yes! A pair of Jacks this time! If I play it cool, I can make a comeback.'
Careful not to let his joy show, he put on the most dejected expression he could muster and continued to bet conservatively.
It seemed the heavens had not abandoned him after all. Soon, another Jack appeared, and he finally completed his three of a kind.
If he won this hand with a bigger bet than the last one, he could turn the tables in an instant.
Confidently betting seventy pounds, Jack was careful not to laugh too loudly as they revealed their cards.
"Hehehe, it seems luck was on my side this time. I have a triple of Jacks…"
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I have a straight. Seventy times four is two hundred and eighty pounds. Am I already up by three hundred and eighty pounds? This game is getting so easy it's becoming boring."
This was strange.
Were aces and straights really hands that appeared so frequently?
Seeing Wellesley's cold smile as he swept up the pot, Jack's heart sank.
'No way… is this bastard cheating?'
But how?
This was his establishment, so there was no way any cheating equipment could have been installed.
Besides, the dealer was just an ignorant child. How could he possibly manipulate the game?
'Come to think of it, for a child who knows nothing, his hand movements were a bit skillful. No, that's something you can achieve just by practicing shuffling. Besides, there's no way a kid like that could bottom deal.'
Still, there was always that one-in-a-million chance. It was better to be cautious.
Having lost two hands in a row, if he couldn't make a comeback in the third, his neck would truly be on the line.
Therefore, he had to consider every possible scenario and eliminate any variables.
Thinking coolly, the only person who could manipulate the cards here was, in fact, the dealer.
Jack's eyes widened as he watched the boy shuffle the cards, and to ensure there was no bottom dealing, he even shuffled them once more himself.
And, fortunately for Jack, even as the child dealt the cards for the third round, right up to the very last moment…
He couldn't detect any manipulation or anything unusual whatsoever.