Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

"Hmph, hahaha... The deep affection between husband and wife is truly poignant and moving. No problem, I agree, my lady."

Ryu was about to lean out, but was stopped by Seele's tender gaze and words.

I wonder how others perceived that conversation. Would they see it as a devoted wife's selfless act? Or would they think she was sacrificing herself to protect her husband?

For Ryū, however, none of the above applies.

Seeing Seele's exaggerated portrayal of the "Count and Countess," Ryu gradually calmed down.

The girl forced a smile so fake it seemed unreal, a smile that would make her bar colleagues roll their eyes, and stood up from her seat, saying:

"Boss, could you please grant me one more request?"

"Go ahead and say it."

"I would like to meet my savior. I hope you can invite this person to the room."

At this moment, Ryuu revealed a look of "Could it be him?"

"Actually, the adventurer who saved my husband and me from danger before has also come here today..."

"..."

"We originally planned to treat him to dinner tonight to express our gratitude, but if I end up having a drink with you tonight, I won't be able to attend. So... I hope I can say goodbye to him in advance."

Listening to Seele's far-fetched lies, Ryu desperately tried to avoid showing any doubt, remaining silent and letting Seele do as she pleased. Facing the seemingly strong-willed Countess—Terry, unsuspecting, narrowed her eyes and answered.

"No problem, I'll grant this person special permission to enter this VIP room."

"Thanks."

After hearing the description of "a certain adventurer" from Seele, one of the bodyguards left the VIP room.

Some time later... the person brought into the room was a white-haired boy with a face full of question marks.

"That white hair... there's no doubt, it's [Rising Star]."

"Bell Craney? The one who stole the show in the war game recently?"

Liu ignored the whispering guests and thought to herself, "Just as I thought."

Young Bell felt lost in the atmosphere of the VIP room, looking around as if he had wandered into an unknown world. Why was he brought here? What was Seele thinking? Ryu was completely baffled.

However, Ryu had complete confidence in Seele.

After all, Seele was so shrewd that her colleagues at the bar described her as a "witch," and her methods far surpassed those of Ryu, who was once an adventurer—to the point that even the gods took notice of her, giving her an essence that "no one dared to provoke."

"I'm so sorry, Lord Crannie, but I have other commitments that I need to make. Please forgive me for having to cancel the dinner I arranged with you."

"Huh! That...that one?"

Having been brought here without understanding the situation, Bell looked even more confused after Seele came to his side and told him about this agreement that he had no recollection of.

In the dimly lit VIP room, one could see Terry with a cold smile and his guests, bodyguards exuding a murderous aura, Ryu sitting at the gambling table surrounded by the opposing side, and several beautiful women in formal dresses.

After surveying his surroundings, Bell nervously shrank back and turned his gaze back to Seele in front of him.

"Miss Xi'er?"

"From now on, please just call me Sirene, Lady Crannie."

Seele leaned close to Bell and whispered, giving him a sly smile like a mischievous child for a fleeting moment.

"Miss Xi, Xirenee... what are you doing here?"

Seele placed her finger on Bell's lips and answered the question with a smile.

"Playing a game that can't be told to others."

"..."

"Listen, Lord Crannie, this VIP room is a place that even the Ganesha Familia are not allowed to approach... Therefore, no one is permitted to enter here. No matter what happens, no one can enter, not even someone as courageous as you..."

Bell stared wide-eyed in surprise at Seele's words, which sounded like a whisper in his ear, yet also like a piece of advice. While everyone else in the room listened to their conversation, Ryu also watched silently from the sidelines.

Finally, Seele reluctantly left with a single sentence.

"It's a pleasure to meet you today... I hope we'll have the chance to meet again someday."

"Xier... Xirenee, Miss."

"May I take this last chance to shake your hand?"

Faced with the girl's tender request, the boy nervously placed their hands together.

Seele held the boy's hand tightly, as if she wanted to get warmth from him.

"Thank you... We'll take our leave now."

After Seele covered her face and turned away, Bell was escorted away by two bodyguards and immediately kicked out of the VIP room.

"Oh dear, oh dear, the lady seems to be a rather amorous woman, Your Excellency Maximilian?"

"..."

After witnessing this conversation, which resembled a tragic love story, with a sly smile, Terry uttered the above thoughts, but Ryu remained silent. After all, Seele's beloved was indeed that boy, and it was only natural that she would reveal an attitude of deep love for him in her conversation—Ryu decided to swallow her words.

"Have you finished saying goodbye?"

"Yes."

Seele walked back to the table, nodded to Terry, and sat down again.

After Seele wiped away her tears and revealed a resolute expression, Terry asked:

"Then the gambling resumes... By the way, madam, do you understand the rules of poker?"

"Yes, my colleagues at the shop... cough cough, at the invitation of the mischievous servants, I often secretly play these kinds of games with them behind my husband's back."

Seeing Seele quickly change her tune, Ryu's expression became quite subtle. Her colleagues at the shop—referring to Anya and Chloe—would definitely meow loudly in protest if they were there and found out they were being treated like servants.

The "husband" referred to here is not Ryu, but the bar owner (Miya).

The shop assistants who secretly played poker behind the shop owner's back also invited Seele to play with them.

"To be honest, I've never played games with overly complicated rules... Could we perhaps switch to a card-swapping game?"

Dribbling poker is a game where you use five cards to complete a hand, and you can only dribble once. It's the most basic type of poker game among the many variations available.

Even if the rules are changed, the chips held by each player will remain the same. Seele, who will replace Ryu, will simply inherit the chips that have been reduced in number. Terry and his team believe this is harmless and accept the request.

"There's one more thing."

Seele clapped her hands together in front of her chest and added more conditions.

"If we fold, we have to pay double the ante. What do you all think?"

After deciding to change the rules to the way the servants usually played, Seele made this suggestion with a smile.

To put it bluntly, the burden of forced betting will increase, but...

Faced with Seele's attitude changing from gentle and demure to a bright smile, Terry and the others seemed at a loss.

"...Okay, let's do it this way."

Terry and the other guests exchanged bewildered glances, but still accepted the proposal.

(Although the situation is a bit strange... anyway, it shouldn't have a big impact.)

After giving the dealer a sidelong glance to remind him to start dealing the cards, Terry looked across the table at the person directly opposite him.

Ryu gave Seele her seat and stood at the back. To prevent the unsuspecting girl from having her hand seen, Ryu stood beside her like a knight. The mysterious elf, whose left eye and half her face were covered by an eyepatch, glanced at Terry's drifting gaze.

(This arrogant elf lad... I disliked him from the very beginning. And he even thought he was a knight who would save a pitiful girl.)

Terry shifted his gaze from Ryu to Seele, a sadistic impulse rising within him.

(Watch me steal your partner away and shatter that nonchalant expression on your face.)

Even though she was completely different from Anna, this countess was still a beautiful young woman. Her figure was the complete opposite of her innocent face beneath her light makeup; she possessed a proud bust and soft, supple skin. To enjoy her alongside Anna, whom he had yet to seduce, would surely be a unique and intriguing experience.

As rumored, Terry has undergone countless "baptisms" in this VIP room.

In principle, it involves robbing enemies of their wealth and women in order to force fools with huge debts to submit to their control.

Despite his wealthy, arrogant, and dissolute attitude, which at first glance would seem to make enemies everywhere, Terry is very good at using both kindness and severity. He is ruthless to those who disobey him, but he will treat those who are willing to obey him with kindness and respect.

During the "baptism," the guests who obeyed Terry also benefited. They would feign sympathy for these troubled newcomers and offer a helping hand, employing various means to win them over. Based on past experience, these people understood that currying favor with the wealthy enough to be entertained in this VIP room would ultimately bring them a fortune. Terry, who used this self-serving relationship to increase his circle of comrades, coupled with his unshakeable position, was arguably the true ruler of the gran casino.

Therefore, Terry was convinced that he was the king of this gambling paradise, no, he was the king of Orario.

(Even the guild can't intervene here. And even if my current opponent resorts to violence, I have Fast and the others by my side.)

The human and cat people stood quietly behind Terry as bodyguards. These two were highly skilled individuals hired by Terry at great expense. They were renowned in their fields—top-tier experts who could rival high-ranking adventurers. Anyone who refused to yield to Terry's threats was secretly eliminated by these two afterwards.

Even in the gambling game in front of them, if Ryu and the others were to cheat in secret, they would definitely be exposed on the spot.

Terry, who was an "accomplice" with the other guests, was practically guaranteed to win this gamble.

(I'll make you kneel down in front of me too!)

As the dealer dealt the cards, the players' ante were also gathered on the table.

Terry and the other four guests licked their lips greedily in their hearts, and the next round of gambling was about to begin.

But not long after—

"Wow!! Look, darling!"

Seele cheered, her tied-up pale silver hair swaying with her movements.

"It's four identical cards! It's four of a kind, right?"

The Countess's delighted expression as she held the cards in her hands left everyone speechless, from Terry and the guests to the bodyguards and waiters around her, and even Anna and the other beauties.

Ryu also showed the same reaction.

The elf stood there dumbfounded, his gaze fixed on Seele's hand.

"...Yes, you're right."

To avoid revealing her thoughts, Ryu immediately adopted a calm expression and expressed her affirmation with brief words.

Seele, still like an innocent child, cheered with overjoyed delight, "Yay!"

He openly and blatantly announced the hand he held by repeatedly mentioning the word "four of a kind."

Terry and the guests were stunned for a moment, then gave a wry smile.

This is obviously bragging.

(What a naive lie. Although you intend to pretend to be a naive and inexperienced noblewoman... you are ultimately an outsider who doesn't understand the rules.)

It seems they're planning to gain the upper hand by boasting. The rule of "folding requires paying double the ante" appears to be a clever way to put psychological pressure on the opponent. Getting a top-tier hand of four of a kind without even changing your hand is simply absurd.

"How could I possibly fall for that?" Terry thought to himself, while secretly giving the others a wink.

After receiving the message, the guests exchanged glances, and the old orc gentleman paused for a moment before calling out to the waiter.

"Ah, could you please bring me a glass of 30-year-old Artena red wine?"

Thirty-year-old Yaltena wine – meaning a hand with three cards of the same suit, and a full house with a high number.

He was certain to win this bet. Having pre-arranged a code, Terry and the others exchanged a few insincere boasts before folding their cards. Now, only the old orc gentleman and Seele remained at the table.

"It seems the lady is going to have a one-on-one duel with this old man... What do you plan to do?"

"Then, I'll raise the bet."

"Hehehe, Madam's attitude is really tough, then I'll raise my bet too."

The old gentleman raised the corners of his mouth.

The orc guest, whose attitude was clearly "So what? You can fold your cards now," squinted his eyes smugly.

"Raise."

Seele didn't change her cards and continued to bet more chips.

"...!?"

Despite repeated betting, the smile on the girl's face remained unchanged.

This situation caused the old orc gentleman, even the smirking Terry and the other guests to stop what they were doing.

Could she really be her? A flicker of doubt crossed the old gentleman's face, but he immediately dismissed it as a bluff.

How could I succumb to the clumsy tricks of a little girl like her—so determined of my own will?