The 3-person 4-legged game was a miserable failure due to a lack of practice, and John remained at the academy, promising to play again during the next vacation.
Emily, who spent more time alone in the spacious mansion, was incredibly bored.
That day, she was sitting on the balcony, killing time with nothing to do, when she heard Cezanne, Roxy, and Chili talking in the flower bed below.
“Is today the day you go?”
“Yeah, me and Roxy.”
“I’m in charge of the blackjack table today, but I’d rather just spin the roulette wheel.”
Oh, gambling? That was quite an interesting topic. Emily, who had become closer to the three of them, smiled and called them over.
“Madam... Is there anything you need?”
The three people, startled, asked with awkward smiles.
“Yeah, just a moment! I’ll be down there in a minute.”
They felt uneasy as they watched Emily, who seemed strangely excited.
And soon after, Emily appeared before them. She opened her mouth with a slightly excited expression.
“It’s nothing special, I just thought I heard an interesting story earlier.”
“Um, what are you talking about?”
“I heard you were going to a casino. Is that true?”
At those words, the three looked visibly flustered. They just blinked at each other, looking at each other, until Cezanne mustered up the courage to confess.
“That’s... Actually, we are dealers at the club run by Killian.”
Emily's eyes widened at Cezanne's confession.
“Wow, a dealer? That’s really cool!”
Originally, Cezanne, Roxy, and Chili worked as dealers at the club, in charge of extracting information from the nobles.
Then, after the boss got married, there was no maid to take care of the new wife's grooming, so they were temporarily dispatched, and they turned out to be a better fit than expected.
So, during the day, they helped Madam with her hair, and at night, they took turns working as a dealer.
“Can you take me too?”
“Madam, too?”
The three of them looked at Emily with sparkling eyes and embarrassed expressions.
“Have you ever played a card game?”
“Yeah! Of course.”
In social settings, card games were usually played after dancing. That meant that to dominate the social scene, you had to master a few card games.
“And I’m pretty good at it.”
Emily entered the world of casinos with the sole intention of beating Marlene, and soon became a card game genius.
The three people who were debating whether or not to take Emily reported straight to Killian.
“No.”
When Killian came out of the dining table with a firm attitude, Emily responded bashfully.
"Why?"
Because, in Killian's opinion, gambling clubs are decadent places full of all kinds of entertainment.
Even the most innocent person would come out corrupted if they entered that place. He couldn't allow Emily to set foot in that place.
“Do you really have to go to a place like that?”
“You try staying at home all day. You’ll see how boring it is.”
“If you’re bored, you might as well go shopping.”
Emily narrowed her eyes at Killian's words.
“Is the subsidy unlimited?”
“You can write as much as you want as long as you put my name on it when paying.”
“...Then that’s good.”
Emily accepted Killian's offer more easily than she'd expected. It had been so long since she'd enjoyed a proper shopping trip.
“So, are you patrolling the area today, or are you going straight to work at the club?”
Emily's unexpected question nearly choked Killian. He barely managed to stifle a cough, then gulped down some water and asked.
“Where did you hear that?”
“I just happened to find out. I heard the mafia collects a protection fee from the residents.”
If you think about what Daniel did in the book, you can fully understand what the mafia does.
"Killian, the boss, wouldn't be in a position to do something like that. So what on earth would he do to pass the time?"
Emily tilted her head as she cut the meat.
Meanwhile, Killian looked at Emily with anxious eyes.
Killian thought of Emily as a greenhouse plant. He was anxious that someone might tell her some dirty story about the Mafia.
“...That’s not my main activity.”
He couldn't bring himself to say no, but it was the best excuse he could give.
“And today I have a business meeting with someone, so I’m planning on going out.”
Killian dismissed any financial activity as business. While it wasn't illegal, it wasn't ethical either, so it was difficult to explain to Emily in detail.
"Yes."
Emily decided not to bother asking him what kind of business he was in. She was curious, but also didn't want to delve into it.
He watched Emily's reaction, and when she didn't ask any questions after that, he continued eating with an uneasy feeling.
The very next day, Emily went out into the street with her coachman, Ivan.
Originally a mafia member and temporary repairman, he was demoted for breaking a bathtub, but received a mysterious pay raise and was quite satisfied.
“Madam, where should we start?”
“I want to buy a hat. Do you know where I can buy one?”
He'd memorized all the famous boutiques under Killian's direction yesterday. Ivan confidently pulled out a pamphlet and pointed to it.
“They say this place is hot among ladies these days.”
She looked through the hats introduced in the pamphlet, and they were all unique and beautiful.
“Yes. Let’s go there.”
It wasn't difficult for Emily to spend her money to her heart's content in Portua District 3.
In the store, if you just say "Madam Starr," people will take you to the VIP room and give you a catalog and a drink to quench your thirst.
They showed Emily coordinated items that would suit her, and also showed her secret products that are only available to VIPs.
As she did so, at some point, Emily's hands were full of shopping bags.
“I think I’ll have to store my things in the carriage and come.”
Ivan, who also served as a porter, said as he carried Emily's shopping bags.
“Then, in the meantime, can I look at some teapot sets at Gallery Molineux?”
Ivan was amazed that she still had something to buy after all that shopping.
“Yes, please take your time and enjoy. I’ll be waiting out front.”
"Yes."
Unlike Ivan, Emily, who wasn't tired at all, entered the Gallery Molineux. In the main lobby, a tall, handsome employee was handing out pamphlets.
“Welcome, Madam.”
Emily, who had accepted the pamphlet without thinking, opened her eyes wide when she saw what was written on it.
< Gallery Molineux! Casino Open! Congratulations! >
'Card game!'
Emily's desires, which had not been quenched by shopping, began to stir.
'Should I call Ivan?'
But she soon shook her head. She felt a bit guilty calling him, who looked so tired. But she couldn't quite bring herself to go into the casino alone.
As Emily was walking along the path she had originally intended to take, an employee noticed her feelings and spoke to her.
“Madam, would you like to visit the casino?”
“I’m curious, but as you can see, it’ll be difficult to go alone.”
"You don't have to worry about that. Because this casino is directly operated by Gallery Molineux, security is tighter than anywhere else. All guests undergo identification checks and baggage searches."
“Hmm, but still...”
As Emily was still hesitating, the employee pulled out a hidden card.
"The Lady of Huppert has already entered. And since noblewomen are allowed to enter with self-defense equipment without restriction, you feel even more reassured!"
“Marlene is in the casino?”
"Yes!"
That was a truly stimulating remark.
“Where can I get here?”
The friendly staff member guided Emily to the basement, offering to take her there herself.
The bright building, built in the Robertian style, would have been hard to mistake for a gambling establishment were it not for the people with bloodshot eyes and busy hands.
The staff working inside kept bringing food to satisfy the customers' hunger so that they would not leave their seats.
Emily wandered around the casino looking for Marlene.
“Emily!”
Fortunately, Marlene noticed her wandering around aimlessly and approached her first.
“As expected, you and I are destined rivals.”
Marlene looked very happy to see Emily here.
But Emily looked at Marlene, who was tying her together with the word fate, with a trembling expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, no.”
Emily quickly fixed her expression. After all, Marlene was the only one she could rely on here.
“Are you here to play games?”
“Then did you come here to eat?”
“I’m talking nonsense. I was looking for another person, so follow me.”
Marlene spoke sharply and led her to an inner table. There were two other men at the table.
The clothes were luxurious, but judging from the fact that she had never seen them at a banquet before, they seemed to be either not nobles or low-ranking nobles.
"I've rescued someone, so let's start the game right away. Don't ask who it is."
Unlike Western department stores, Gallery Molineux was not only for the aristocracy, but also attracted the middle class, so commoners could also come in.
Although it was a place where commoners also came, because it was the most recently built modern building, young people flocked here, as there were many more things to do and see, excluding the old, old-fashioned nobles.
Perhaps the arrogant Marlene also came to this gallery for that reason.
The two men sitting at the table looked at Emily with rapt expressions and immediately pulled out their chairs. When the men tried to speak to Emily, Marlene drew a sharp line.
"Don't ask useless things like names or ages. If that's not a concern, find another table."
Emily noticed Marlene's efforts to avoid unnecessary scandal. She immediately took the card.
“Shall we play Seven Card Stud?”
People agreed with Emily's suggestion.
“It can’t be bad.”
“Yes, I like it too.”
“Then I’ll check the card first.”
Emily checked the status of the cards so quickly that no one else could complain.
“Everyone is in order. I’ll pass out three cards at a time.”
The gazes of those around her, who had been watching her hand movements with disbelief, became serious.
It was because Emily's hand movements seemed to rival those of a professional.
Emily, who spent more time alone in the spacious mansion, was incredibly bored.
That day, she was sitting on the balcony, killing time with nothing to do, when she heard Cezanne, Roxy, and Chili talking in the flower bed below.
“Is today the day you go?”
“Yeah, me and Roxy.”
“I’m in charge of the blackjack table today, but I’d rather just spin the roulette wheel.”
Oh, gambling? That was quite an interesting topic. Emily, who had become closer to the three of them, smiled and called them over.
“Madam... Is there anything you need?”
The three people, startled, asked with awkward smiles.
“Yeah, just a moment! I’ll be down there in a minute.”
They felt uneasy as they watched Emily, who seemed strangely excited.
And soon after, Emily appeared before them. She opened her mouth with a slightly excited expression.
“It’s nothing special, I just thought I heard an interesting story earlier.”
“Um, what are you talking about?”
“I heard you were going to a casino. Is that true?”
At those words, the three looked visibly flustered. They just blinked at each other, looking at each other, until Cezanne mustered up the courage to confess.
“That’s... Actually, we are dealers at the club run by Killian.”
Emily's eyes widened at Cezanne's confession.
“Wow, a dealer? That’s really cool!”
Originally, Cezanne, Roxy, and Chili worked as dealers at the club, in charge of extracting information from the nobles.
Then, after the boss got married, there was no maid to take care of the new wife's grooming, so they were temporarily dispatched, and they turned out to be a better fit than expected.
So, during the day, they helped Madam with her hair, and at night, they took turns working as a dealer.
“Can you take me too?”
“Madam, too?”
The three of them looked at Emily with sparkling eyes and embarrassed expressions.
“Have you ever played a card game?”
“Yeah! Of course.”
In social settings, card games were usually played after dancing. That meant that to dominate the social scene, you had to master a few card games.
“And I’m pretty good at it.”
Emily entered the world of casinos with the sole intention of beating Marlene, and soon became a card game genius.
The three people who were debating whether or not to take Emily reported straight to Killian.
“No.”
When Killian came out of the dining table with a firm attitude, Emily responded bashfully.
"Why?"
Because, in Killian's opinion, gambling clubs are decadent places full of all kinds of entertainment.
Even the most innocent person would come out corrupted if they entered that place. He couldn't allow Emily to set foot in that place.
“Do you really have to go to a place like that?”
“You try staying at home all day. You’ll see how boring it is.”
“If you’re bored, you might as well go shopping.”
Emily narrowed her eyes at Killian's words.
“Is the subsidy unlimited?”
“You can write as much as you want as long as you put my name on it when paying.”
“...Then that’s good.”
Emily accepted Killian's offer more easily than she'd expected. It had been so long since she'd enjoyed a proper shopping trip.
“So, are you patrolling the area today, or are you going straight to work at the club?”
Emily's unexpected question nearly choked Killian. He barely managed to stifle a cough, then gulped down some water and asked.
“Where did you hear that?”
“I just happened to find out. I heard the mafia collects a protection fee from the residents.”
If you think about what Daniel did in the book, you can fully understand what the mafia does.
"Killian, the boss, wouldn't be in a position to do something like that. So what on earth would he do to pass the time?"
Emily tilted her head as she cut the meat.
Meanwhile, Killian looked at Emily with anxious eyes.
Killian thought of Emily as a greenhouse plant. He was anxious that someone might tell her some dirty story about the Mafia.
“...That’s not my main activity.”
He couldn't bring himself to say no, but it was the best excuse he could give.
“And today I have a business meeting with someone, so I’m planning on going out.”
Killian dismissed any financial activity as business. While it wasn't illegal, it wasn't ethical either, so it was difficult to explain to Emily in detail.
"Yes."
Emily decided not to bother asking him what kind of business he was in. She was curious, but also didn't want to delve into it.
He watched Emily's reaction, and when she didn't ask any questions after that, he continued eating with an uneasy feeling.
***
The very next day, Emily went out into the street with her coachman, Ivan.
Originally a mafia member and temporary repairman, he was demoted for breaking a bathtub, but received a mysterious pay raise and was quite satisfied.
“Madam, where should we start?”
“I want to buy a hat. Do you know where I can buy one?”
He'd memorized all the famous boutiques under Killian's direction yesterday. Ivan confidently pulled out a pamphlet and pointed to it.
“They say this place is hot among ladies these days.”
She looked through the hats introduced in the pamphlet, and they were all unique and beautiful.
“Yes. Let’s go there.”
It wasn't difficult for Emily to spend her money to her heart's content in Portua District 3.
In the store, if you just say "Madam Starr," people will take you to the VIP room and give you a catalog and a drink to quench your thirst.
They showed Emily coordinated items that would suit her, and also showed her secret products that are only available to VIPs.
As she did so, at some point, Emily's hands were full of shopping bags.
“I think I’ll have to store my things in the carriage and come.”
Ivan, who also served as a porter, said as he carried Emily's shopping bags.
“Then, in the meantime, can I look at some teapot sets at Gallery Molineux?”
Ivan was amazed that she still had something to buy after all that shopping.
“Yes, please take your time and enjoy. I’ll be waiting out front.”
"Yes."
Unlike Ivan, Emily, who wasn't tired at all, entered the Gallery Molineux. In the main lobby, a tall, handsome employee was handing out pamphlets.
“Welcome, Madam.”
Emily, who had accepted the pamphlet without thinking, opened her eyes wide when she saw what was written on it.
< Gallery Molineux! Casino Open! Congratulations! >
'Card game!'
Emily's desires, which had not been quenched by shopping, began to stir.
'Should I call Ivan?'
But she soon shook her head. She felt a bit guilty calling him, who looked so tired. But she couldn't quite bring herself to go into the casino alone.
As Emily was walking along the path she had originally intended to take, an employee noticed her feelings and spoke to her.
“Madam, would you like to visit the casino?”
“I’m curious, but as you can see, it’ll be difficult to go alone.”
"You don't have to worry about that. Because this casino is directly operated by Gallery Molineux, security is tighter than anywhere else. All guests undergo identification checks and baggage searches."
“Hmm, but still...”
As Emily was still hesitating, the employee pulled out a hidden card.
"The Lady of Huppert has already entered. And since noblewomen are allowed to enter with self-defense equipment without restriction, you feel even more reassured!"
“Marlene is in the casino?”
"Yes!"
That was a truly stimulating remark.
“Where can I get here?”
The friendly staff member guided Emily to the basement, offering to take her there herself.
***
The bright building, built in the Robertian style, would have been hard to mistake for a gambling establishment were it not for the people with bloodshot eyes and busy hands.
The staff working inside kept bringing food to satisfy the customers' hunger so that they would not leave their seats.
Emily wandered around the casino looking for Marlene.
“Emily!”
Fortunately, Marlene noticed her wandering around aimlessly and approached her first.
“As expected, you and I are destined rivals.”
Marlene looked very happy to see Emily here.
But Emily looked at Marlene, who was tying her together with the word fate, with a trembling expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh, no.”
Emily quickly fixed her expression. After all, Marlene was the only one she could rely on here.
“Are you here to play games?”
“Then did you come here to eat?”
“I’m talking nonsense. I was looking for another person, so follow me.”
Marlene spoke sharply and led her to an inner table. There were two other men at the table.
The clothes were luxurious, but judging from the fact that she had never seen them at a banquet before, they seemed to be either not nobles or low-ranking nobles.
"I've rescued someone, so let's start the game right away. Don't ask who it is."
Unlike Western department stores, Gallery Molineux was not only for the aristocracy, but also attracted the middle class, so commoners could also come in.
Although it was a place where commoners also came, because it was the most recently built modern building, young people flocked here, as there were many more things to do and see, excluding the old, old-fashioned nobles.
Perhaps the arrogant Marlene also came to this gallery for that reason.
The two men sitting at the table looked at Emily with rapt expressions and immediately pulled out their chairs. When the men tried to speak to Emily, Marlene drew a sharp line.
"Don't ask useless things like names or ages. If that's not a concern, find another table."
Emily noticed Marlene's efforts to avoid unnecessary scandal. She immediately took the card.
“Shall we play Seven Card Stud?”
People agreed with Emily's suggestion.
“It can’t be bad.”
“Yes, I like it too.”
“Then I’ll check the card first.”
Emily checked the status of the cards so quickly that no one else could complain.
“Everyone is in order. I’ll pass out three cards at a time.”
The gazes of those around her, who had been watching her hand movements with disbelief, became serious.
It was because Emily's hand movements seemed to rival those of a professional.
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