HSRD 07

Chapter 7

Let’s rewind time.

The moment the first game began—and I received my cards from the dealer—

A new window appeared before my eyes.

You have joined the game!
The effect of <Victory Guaranteed! Winning Strategy!> is activated!

Warning! There is no guaranteed winning strategy in this game.
<Victory Guaranteed! Winning Strategy!> is searching for a new method. Please wait.

No winning strategy?

The moment I saw that, Lishian’s earlier words came back to me.

“There’s actually a game that’s been bothering me… I think it might be rigged. I don’t have solid evidence yet—could you help me?”

‘A rigged game!’

Of course, I was using something just as unfair—but at least I wasn’t trying to scam people out of their money.

‘A rigged game in the capital’s casino…’

If this were exposed, even a noble would be thrown straight into prison. Whoever was behind it had guts.

I glanced at Lishian with a hint of impressed disbelief.

He seemed busy engaging in a silent battle with the others at the table.

“Hmm… interesting.”

As Lishian suspected, this game was definitely rigged.

There was no way to win against a table set up by professionals.

So what kind of method was <Victory Guaranteed! Winning Strategy!> going to come up with?

I smirked slightly—and then felt someone’s gaze.

Pretending to check my cards, I looked toward it.

My eyes met a pair of sharp green ones.

A man with blond hair gleaming under the yellow lights.

I hadn’t been formally introduced, but I knew who he was.

‘If this were a romance fantasy, he’d definitely be a male lead candidate.’

A young businessman skilled in magic, pushing forward multiple ventures.
A rugged, masculine appearance paired with unexpectedly gentle manners.
The sole heir of the prestigious Mayville ducal house.

And above all—

One of the most handsome men in high society, alongside Duke Lafmen and Lishian Sein.

‘The Young Duke of Mayville.’

Of course, I had no personal connection with him.

But the moment I saw him, I felt an odd discomfort.

Not just him—but also the Duchess of Mayville gave me a similar feeling.

The reason was clear.

She was the one who had sealed Radon.

‘And I carry the blood of the Evening Glow Nymphs who served Radon.’

What she did was for the Empire.

If she hadn’t sealed him, monsters would have run rampant, and a massive drought would have devastated the land.

I understood that logically.

…but my heart couldn’t accept it.

To me, the Mayville family felt like enemies.

‘Even if it didn’t happen in my generation…’

It was instinctive.

Like something etched into my DNA.

Scary—this early education written into nymph blood.

I calmly hid my discomfort and lowered my gaze back to my cards.

‘Is the Young Duke of Mayville part of this scam… or just another victim?’

Someone of his status didn’t seem like the type to cheat.

Well, it didn’t matter. I just needed to help Lishian.

There was no point focusing on a rigged game anyway.

So when it was my turn, I kept folding—waiting for the strategy to find a new solution.

Soon, the text in the window changed.

<Victory Guaranteed! Winning Strategy!> has prepared a comeback plan!
Please act according to the following script.

Below it… was a script.

Not just my lines—but everyone else’s as well.

‘W-What is this?’

It wanted me to act?

I wasn’t even good at acting—I’d already gotten on Lily’s bad side for it!

Right then, Lishian whispered beside me:

“Have you noticed anything unusual?”

I could only smile awkwardly.

‘Yes… apparently I’ve been thrown into a situation where I have to act.’

I couldn’t exactly say that out loud.

Seeing my expression, Lishian turned back to his cards.

This was… overwhelming.

I had to help him to get the reward.

‘…Alright. Don’t think of it as acting.’

I read through the script carefully and nodded.

Fortunately, it didn’t require much.

‘Just maintain a knowing smile and speak.’

Thankfully, keeping a poker face was my specialty.

I quickly regained my composure and waited for the right moment.

And then—

The final round arrived.

(Just before the dealer distributes the final card, Aigle stands and grabs his wrist.)
Aigle: Stop right there. Are you stacking the deck?

Good. Now!

Following the script exactly, I shot to my feet and grabbed the dealer’s wrist.

“Stop right there. Are you stacking the deck?”

The dealer stared at me.

At the same time, the casino erupted.

“Stacking the deck?”
“Isn’t that cheating?”
“My god! Cheating in a casino?”
“They know that’s a serious crime, right?”

A crowd had already gathered nearby to watch the game.

With two famous figures present, that was only natural.

And now, with such a shocking accusation, all attention turned to us.

As people murmured excitedly, the middle-aged man with the cigar spoke.

“What nonsense is this?”

He stubbed out his cigar and looked at me dismissively.

“You don’t even seem to understand the game. Don’t disrupt things, young lady.”

“Do you have proof?”

The dealer spoke coldly, twisting his wrist free from my grip.

“Accusing a dealer without evidence violates casino rules. Depending on the situation, the Imperial Guard may be summoned.”

Lishian lightly touched my shoulder.

“The dealer’s right. Without clear evidence, you could be the one investigated.”

He frowned.

“And stacking the deck… that’s a sleight-of-hand trick. It’s nearly impossible to prove.”

At his words, the dealer smirked.

The murmurs grew louder.

Meanwhile, I was internally amazed.

‘My god… what kind of script is this?’

Because—

Every single line that had just been spoken was written in the script.

Exactly.

As if everything had been planned.

Watching people follow it perfectly, I couldn’t help but admire the strategy.

‘Still… Lishian’s right.’

Stacking the deck left no physical evidence.

So there was only one way to prove it.

“I do have proof. I know exactly what cards the dealer gave to everyone.”

Silence fell instantly.

All eyes turned to me.

Even the Young Duke of Mayville, who had seemed uninterested, looked over.

I looked down at the dealer.

His lips trembled.

“T-That’s impossible. You know all the cards?”

Impossible?

No—it was entirely possible.

Because they were all written in the script.

Even his whispered reaction.

“Let’s start with the gentleman with the blond hair.”

I pointed to the Young Duke of Mayville.

As I recited his cards, he chuckled and revealed them.

“Correct.”

Gasps spread through the crowd.

And as I continued identifying card after card—

The excitement grew.

People crowded closer.

Even the guards stopped intervening.

The casino buzzed hotter than ever.

At the table, reactions varied.

Some looked shocked. Others amazed.

Lishian—

He clenched his fists every time I got one right.

“Amazing, Miss Atlas!”

He looked completely exhilarated.

Like someone who’d just had the most refreshing drink of his life.

Even I found it surreal.

Everything was unfolding exactly as written.

I revealed my own cards as well.

“Now, the only one left is…”

I turned to one man.

Baron Beko—his face flushed for very different reasons.

Still smiling, I recited his cards.

When he refused to reveal them, someone from the crowd flipped them over instead.

Gasps erupted.

“With this hand, Baron Beko had a huge advantage!”
“I knew he was acting suspicious earlier!”
“Is he the one behind the scam?”
“How did he bribe the dealer?”
“What else—money, obviously. Disgusting.”

The casino had turned into chaos.

The dealer lowered his head, as if giving up.

“Only one card remains.”

Baron Beko, sweating, chugged his drink and slammed the glass down.

“What does guessing cards prove?!”

He shouted angrily.

“If you’re wrong, you lose! I won’t forgive you for tarnishing my honor!”

What nonsense.

Ignoring him, I looked at the final card.

The one the dealer had been about to give him.

“This is the Ace of Spades.”

The final line of the script.

I slowly reached for the card—

And just as I was about to flip it—

A new window appeared beside the script.