Editor : Amethyst00



"Why are you all looking at me like you're seeing Leo show up in a crisis? And who's that really pretty lady over there?"

"A really pretty lady? You've got an eye for people, huh?"

Azonia playfully blew a kiss from her palm toward Carl.

Currently, Azonia was under a perception-reducing spell, so aside from Lunia and Eiran, no one realized who she really was.

As Carl scratched his cheek while looking at Azonia, Lunia approached.

"Carl."

"What?"

"Can you co-sign for me?"

'What's with her eyes again? Did she lose it?'

Carl looked to Eiran.

Catching his gaze, Eiran began explaining.

"So. Basically. She got taken for a ride and got cleaned out?"

"I'm not a pushover."

Lunia scowled deeply.

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

"Why would I do that?!"

"You owe me, remember? Gotta pay it back with your body."

"Ugh!"

Lunia flinched.

"It's been a while since I've seen a beautiful elf dance, you know?"

With a forced smile, Lunia began dancing beside Azonia.

Seeing even the almighty Lunia unable to resist, Carl thought:

"Who the hell is that beastkin?"

"Um… She's a guest of Lord Leo."

"A guest of Leo?"

At that, Carl froze.

Then he gulped.

She gave off a frivolous and reckless vibe, but even so, Celia, Abad, Nella, and Duran were all utterly helpless before Azonia and danced to her tune.

It didn't seem like it was just because of a debt.

'No way…'

Carl, quick on the uptake, instantly deduced Azonia's identity.

'Wow.'

While Carl was staring at Azonia, tongue-tied—

"So? What are we supposed to do?"

Eliana, who had silently been observing the chaos, asked Carl.

She hadn't been caught up in the turmoil.

"Eliana, I'm impressed you didn't get roped in like the rest."

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Yeah. Keh-heh-heh—ugh?!"

Carl answered without hesitation, and Eliana choked him without hesitation.

Eiran, startled, intervened, and Eliana released Carl and crossed her arms.

"Gambling leads straight to ruin."

"You know that? Smart girl."

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?"

Eliana frowned, and Carl chuckled.

"Anyway, we have to get our friends out of this."

"You'll help them?"

"I mean, if my friends are suffering because of gambling debt, I've gotta do what I can."

"Carl, I'm counting on you."

Celia, who had been made to serve Azonia, said with tearful eyes.

She was wearing a revealing dancer's outfit.

It had been forced on her by Azonia.

Same with Lunia and Nella.

Lunia, red to the tips of her ears from dancing, trembled with embarrassment.

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

Luke, who had just returned in a hurry from running errands for Azonia, saw the scene and blurted, "Ack?!" His face flushed red as he quickly lowered his gaze.

"Luke. You got caught too?"

"I, um… co-signed for someone and…"

"…"

Carl looked devastated.

"Our adorable Luke is here?"

Just then, Azonia beamed and patted Luke's head.

Next to her were Abad and Duran.

Seeing his friends being toyed with by Azonia, Carl clicked his tongue.

"We need to get them out fast. Otherwise, Celia and Nella might really kill Abad and Duran."

"Sounds fun. Can't we leave them a bit longer?"

"Eliana, behind you."

"Huh? Hiiiieeek!"

Nella was smiling innocently while raising a morning star.

Eliana screamed and dove behind Eiran.

Bored with the revelry, Azonia returned to the gambling table and began playing with the other shadow guests.

Carl watched her carefully.

'Doesn't seem like she's cheating.'

The issue was that she was overwhelmingly strong at games of chance.

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

It wasn't just luck smiling on her.

She knew exactly when to push and when to fold.

"Mmm."

Carl nodded as he closely analyzed Azonia's gameplay.

"Yeah. I see what's going on."

Celia's face lit up at his words.

"You figured something out?"

"I can't beat her. I'm just going to give up cleanly."

"Hey!"

"I mean, if I really can't win, then what else can I do?"

"Figure out her tricks! Say it's cheating and get it annulled!"

"But she's not using any tricks."

"Then use one of your specialties—tricks or cons or something!"

"How would that even work?"

"Oh my? Are you giving up already?"

Azonia, fresh from a big roulette win, smiled brightly.

"Looks like I'm about to add another cute collectible."

"My sincerest apologies."

Carl grinned slyly.

Azonia tilted her head at him.

'Why does this kid remind me of Lumene?'

Of course, compared to Lumene— who could only be described as born to be a hero—Carl was like a random pebble on the street.

Still, something about him gave off a similar scent.

As Azonia looked at him curiously—

"Hmph. Guess it's time for me to step in?"

Eliana, who had been observing the situation, sat down at the gambling table.

The contest against Azonia was straightforward.

You just had to win more chips than her.

Celia, watching the smug Eliana, spoke.

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

"Of course."

"You might want to have it ready."

"What?! I'm trying to help and you're already acting like I'll lose?"

"There's no way you can beat her."

At that, Eliana puffed up angrily.

"What, adding another to the collection?"

Azonia chuckled, and Eliana clenched her fists.

"Prepare yourself!"

As Eliana glared fiercely at the roulette wheel, Carl scratched his head.

"Eliana, I'm not beating her. You're on your own."

"Heheh! Prepare to witness the brilliance of the Gambling Goddess Eliana!"

Azonia laughed while looking at Eliana.

"You know the rules, right?"

"Yes."

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

Thud—!

With that, Azonia stacked a massive tower of chips.

Eiran was stunned.

"That much?"

"It's psychological warfare. It's not like roulette takes chips from your opponent anyway."

Carl scratched his head again.

"She's trying to make her opponent self-destruct. Impatient people get shaken."

"Oh, so when she suddenly raised the stakes against Lunia earlier, that's why."

Eiran looked impressed.

"Ohh!"

Eliana was equally impressed.

"Then I'll go with red."

After placing her bet, Eliana closed her eyes.

Watching her, Carl muttered:

"Hope she doesn't get shaken…"

Eliana's eyes snapped open.

"All in!"

"That idiot…"

Carl covered his face.

"Bold, aren't you?"

Azonia smirked, and Eliana puffed up with pride.

"Pfft—red is the class rep's eye color! He gave me courage!"

'What does that have to do with betting? It's not like Leo can place the ball in red for you…'

Carl scratched his head again.

The roulette ball began to spin.

And landed on red.

"See? The class rep always smiles upon me!"

Eliana beamed.

Even so, Carl sighed.

'You can't keep winning like that forever. Betting recklessly like this will ruin her soon enough.'

Azonia seemed to think the same, smiling calmly.

But her composure didn't last long.

Eliana went on to win five times in a row.

Carl's jaw dropped, and Azonia's face stiffened.

"Ohohohoho! Worship the great Eliana!"

Eliana tilted her chin upward with a haughty grin.

"Wow, Eliana's incredible at gambling!"

"No matter how much you say luck wins out… this is ridiculous."

Carl gaped at Eliana's absurd win streak.

"You, play again."

"Heh! You don't stand a chance against me!"

Just as Azonia jumped up, her competitiveness ignited—

"What the hell is all this racket?"

Leo appeared at the tavern-casino.

"Why are you all dressed like that?"

Seeing his dumbfounded face, the three girls flushed red in shame.

"Sir Leo."

Azonia, with a serious expression, addressed him.

Leo looked puzzled.

"What is it?"

"Can I borrow some money?"

"…."

At her shameless request, Leo silently turned his head.

"You've finally lost it, haven't you? You damned beast. You're asking Sir Leo for money? And now you've stooped to gambling with students?"

Damien cracked his knuckles coldly.

Azonia answered shamelessly.

"They're not from our school."

With that, Damien's punch sent her flying.

Leo watched and muttered:

"Teaching some good lessons, huh."

bl

Chen Xia sat at the fountain in the center of Raysar, silently watching first-year students go by.

Then four male students came into view.

"You were awesome today too."

"Zerev! I wish you were Azonia!"

A party of two Lumene students and two from Azonia.

"Anyway, now that we've cleared the Shadow World… I kind of respect them more."

"Yeah. I really saw how much they've sacrificed for the world."

The Azonia students wore serious expressions.

As they spoke, Zerev was about to say something—

"But still, it scared me a bit."

"…."

A classmate from Lumene behind them spoke, and Zerev paused.

The Azonia students nodded solemnly.

"Yeah. The way they do whatever it takes—honestly kind of shocking."

"They just feel like… people we shouldn't get too close to? Like they live in a different world. You think so too, Zerev?"

"Huh? Ah… yeah."

Zerev laughed awkwardly.

"Anyway, you free tonight?"

"Why?"

"I made dinner plans with those Seiren girls we met."

"Girls?"

"Of course."

"Whoa. Of course I'm free!"

His excited friends buzzed with energy, while Zerev smiled awkwardly.

"Sorry. I've already got plans tonight."

"What? A date?"

"He doesn't even have a girlfriend."

"Guess we really are friends!"

Wahaha—! They burst into laughter.

"Well, we'll head off first!"

"See you at the dorm, Zerev!"

Zerev silently waved at his three departing friends.

"…Was Freyna right? Are shadows really not meant to be with heroes?"

Zerev had felt no discomfort while clearing the Shadow World.

But his friends were different.

His shoulders slumped.

"Why so glum?"

"Ah?!"

A voice from behind startled Zerev into spinning around.

Chen Xia was smiling at him.

"C-Chen Xia-sunbae."

"Want to talk about it?"

"I… couldn't possibly…"

Seeing him cast his eyes down, Chen Xia sighed softly.

"I'm not speaking to you as a school senior."

"Huh?"

"I'm speaking as a shadow."