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TL: ALT
Chapter 39 – Evaluations of the Three from the Sailor’s Perspective Part 2
Masques stared intently at Wataru, who was sitting across the table from him.
At first glance, he appeared to be an ordinary man you might find anywhere.
He didn’t seem like the kind of man William would take notice of. However, if he invited him to gamble as usual, his true nature would be exposed, and Masques would be able to see through him.
Masques decided to take some time to decide whether he should get more involved with Wataru.
Masques thought Wataru’s tactics were ordinary.
He was reasonably skilled but not particularly impressive.
He fell for his bluffs, and his hand was easy to predict.
“Ah, quadruple.”
“Full house.”
“Yes, straight. I won.”
The chips on the table steadily gathered in Wataru’s hands.
Masques was confident in his luck and had won many bets in the past.
(But I can’t win. What kind of luck does this guy have?)
No matter how lucky a person is, there’s always a chance they’ll lose.
But Wataru had maintained at least one pair since the beginning.
(I wonder if he’s cheating, but I can’t sense anything suspicious. I don’t get it. Is he a genius with incredible luck, or does he have some kind of divine fortune?)
In situations like this, the best thing to do is probe with conversation.
“Wow, you’re strong. I’ve been doing this for a long time, but I don’t often see someone as strong as you.”
“Thank you. I think it’s just beginner’s luck.”
“You said you never gamble, right?”
“Yes, my grandparents told me to stop when I was little.”
“So you never did it at all?”
“Well, I played games where you didn’t bet money, but for some reason, everyone stopped. I got lonely and naturally stopped inviting people.”
He said this as if it were no big deal, but his words implied that winning was guaranteed, leaving Masques at a loss for words.
Just because Wataru is lucky doesn’t mean he always gets the best results.
That’s why he sometimes wins and sometimes loses.
However, the more he plays, the bigger his winnings will be if his winning percentage is high.
(This man’s grandparents probably didn’t want their grandson to become a gambler. If he had gone down that path, he would have made a name for himself in history.)
Despite his natural talent for gambling, he is living without making use of it.
Perhaps meeting his two slaves was also the result of his good fortune.
(Doing business with him is a good idea. In fact, I should develop a close relationship with him from now on.)
(If that’s the case, what direction should I take? He has plenty of money. Suggesting women might upset the other two. He doesn’t drink much, and he’s an obvious gambler. This is going to be difficult.)
He was a tough opponent to win over.
It would be unwise to try to befriend him through trickery.
If he wants to deepen the relationship, he should eat the same food, drink the same alcohol, and confide in him.
They could go to a brothel together. They could take a bath together.
(Come to think of it, the next town is famous for its public baths. Maybe I’ll invite him later.)
You could call it a naked relationship.
Masques thought he would enjoy the bath because the guy was very clean.
As he was thinking about this, the dice were rolled, and Masques held his breath for a moment.
“Hey, I got a good hand.”
“I got a pretty good one, too.”
“I think I’ll pass.”
“…I’ll pass, too.”
“It’s just you and me. Let’s start with six.”
If he let himself be beaten, they would take advantage of him.
At the very least, he had to break even.
The number of dice revealed would determine how much the amount could be raised.
If Wataru dropped out midway through, his winnings would be reduced accordingly.
How could he lure Wataru into the final round?
As Masques thought this, the ship suddenly rocked violently.
“What the…! Wh-What was that?”
“Kyaaa!”
“Mariel, be careful! Are you okay?”
“Ma-Master, thank you. I’m not hurt at all.”
“That’s good.”
Wataru held up one of the slaves who had almost fallen because of the swaying.
To Masques, she seemed happier than frightened.
(They’re quite passionate. And that beastman warrior, Aire, is amazing. Her core is completely stable.)
She has the same level of stability as Masques, who has been trained by years of ship rocking.
Considering the physical abilities of beastmen, her sense of balance is astonishing.
A subordinate shouted through the door from the cabin below.
“Captain, monsters have appeared! There are three maroons!”
“Got it! I’m on my way! Form a line and fight back!”
“Roger!”
“Sorry to leave you in the middle of our battle.”
“It can’t be helped. Your men are waiting for you, so hurry up and go.”
“Should I come with you?”
“I’ll take you up on that, but we’re not so weak that we need to put our guests in danger.”
Besides, if we were running around fighting monsters, trade would be impossible.
Masques and most of his subordinates were skilled fighters.
Without showing any displeasure at having his proposal rejected, Aire nodded.
“That’s true. They’re all skilled fighters. I’d like to have a go myself, if you don’t mind.”
“I’ll pass. I had a good chance to win big. What a shame.”
“If there’s time after this, or maybe tomorrow.”
“It’s a deal?”
“Sure, as long as we’re heading to the capital.”
Masques hid the dice he had rolled, then left the room to defeat the monster that was causing unnecessary trouble.
His mind was already focused on the battle.
The dice he had hidden showed five sixes, perfectly aligned.
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