The Gambler’s Debut and a Holy Mission

Crunch.

The girl’s pearly teeth crunched down on a fist-sized magic stone. Her eyes, brimming with mischief, fixed intently on the busy figure outside the cell.

Various sundries piled high in the corners of the room. At the man’s command, the necessary items would automatically float from the chaotic heap into his hands.

Just as he held his breath, poised to execute the most critical step of his experiment, a sharp shriek suddenly erupted beside his ear.

He tried to regain control of his mind, but it was too late. A slight tremor in his arm ruined days of meticulous effort. The girl, the mischievous culprit, laughed triumphantly, watching the disheveled man with an air of haughty satisfaction.

With a long sigh, the man turned to face the girl. “Teacher,” he said softly, “this is the eighth time you’ve pranked me this month.”

The girl nonchalantly crossed her legs, her fair, delicate foot swaying gently in the air. “Because I’m bored, of course. There are so many interesting things happening in the south, yet I, your teacher, am trapped here by you, my unfilial disciple, in league with outsiders.”

The man remained silent, his gaze fixed on the girl. After a long moment, she suddenly grinned. “Oh, look! A new heretic has appeared.”

The man’s expression shifted instantly, his voice sinking to a low tone. “Where?”

The girl playfully twirled a strand of her hair, speaking airily. “In the Reyn Rheinhebo family’s territory. Its name is The Gambler. It has found a humanity that does not belong to it, attaching itself to another. Its authority allows it to acquire others’ time through a gamble.”

“If it’s a gamble, can one refuse?”

The crystal ball on the table suddenly lit up, revealing an aged face. The girl watched the face in the crystal ball with an amused gaze, speaking with a faint smile. “Your Holiness, it seems you’ve aged quite a bit more, haven’t you?”

The old man regarded the girl with a serene expression, his voice steady. “Answer me, Gate.”

The girl tugged at the corner of her mouth, her tone lazy as she slowly replied, “Refusal is not an option. The terms of the gamble are decided by The Gambler. Extraordinary abilities can be used, but if caught cheating, all one’s time will be lost.”

“What is its scope? How many people can participate in a gamble at once?”

“That depends on how large the casino it opens is.”

****

Pope Pro ended the remote communication. He stood silently by the window for a long time before a young, blond knight pushed open the door behind him.

The knight knelt on one knee, respectfully and solemnly stating, “Arthur Haim, I have come at Your Holiness’s summons.”

Pope Pro slowly turned, looking down at the kneeling knight. “Bishop Carlos has returned to the embrace of God,” he said softly.

Arthur’s eyes instantly turned cold. “Is it the Reyn Rheinhebo territory? Are we to carry out a judgment?”

Pope Pro shook his head. “You are to go there, find someone, and bring them back safely.”

Arthur’s expression wavered. “Your Holiness,” he murmured, “has a new light appeared?”

Pope Pro silently looked out the window once more, only speaking slowly after a long pause. “I don’t know. Perhaps it is a new light, or perhaps it is a deeper darkness.”

A bewildered look crossed Arthur’s face. “Your Holiness, did God not speak?”

Pope Pro sharply turned his head, his gaze icy as he stared at Arthur. “Knight, are you questioning God?”

Arthur immediately lowered his head, his voice trembling. “Father, I was merely curious.”

Pope Pro’s eyes widened in anger, and he spoke in a deep voice. “How many times have I told you? Address me by my title during work!”

Arthur bowed his head even lower. “Yes, Your Holiness.”

Pope Pro’s expression gradually softened, and he spoke slowly. “You only need to follow God’s guidance; the answer lies ahead.”

“Thank you for your instruction, Your Holiness.”

Arthur stood up. Just as he was about to leave, Pope Pro suddenly spoke. “The newly appeared heretic, The Gambler, is also there. Do not enter its casino. Exercise extreme caution in all matters.”

Arthur paused, turning his head with a complex expression. “Yes, Your Holiness,” he said softly.

He departed from the sacred grounds of the church and made his way to a holy ship docked in the harbor.

The knights remaining on the holy ship straightened their backs at Arthur’s arrival. “Captain!” they exclaimed.

Arthur gave a slight nod. “We have a mission. Set sail. Our destination is the Reyn Rheinhebo territory,” he stated calmly.

The holy ship began to slowly leave the harbor. Arthur stood silently at the bow, gazing at the receding holy land. Only when the holy land was no longer visible did he begin to unfasten his heavy armor.

“Damn it, I was suffocating!”

Arthur, uncharacteristically, cursed as he tossed the battle armor, a symbol of the Holy Church’s glory, onto the ground. He then summoned the knights stationed on the deck. “Open the barrels! Let’s drink!”

The Holy Knights, usually so disciplined and law-abiding, immediately broke into grins and scurried to the underground storeroom, hauling up barrel after barrel of wheat juice. In a blink, the deck was filled with grills, barrels, and pre-smoked meats.

Arthur himself lifted a barrel and chugged directly from it. Amidst the knights’ cheers, he set down the still mostly full barrel, roughly wiped the ale from his lips, and let out a satisfied burp.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, watching the knights drink their fill, then suddenly clapped his hands forcefully, using magic to create a ripple that instantly silenced the scene.

The three-tenths of intoxication vanished from Arthur’s face. He looked at the knights, his voice low. “A new light has appeared, in the Reyn Rheinhebo territory.”

Upon hearing this, the knights’ expressions instantly turned solemn.

Arthur’s second-in-command, Wilson Carl, wiped a piece of meat from his thick beard. “Is His Holiness preparing to abdicate?” he asked in a low voice.

Arthur immediately sneered. “That old dog has killed who knows how many people for that position. How could he possibly give it up so easily?”

Wilson dared not curse along with his captain. He cleared his throat before continuing. “Then why would His Holiness entrust this mission to us? If it’s to nip a nascent, weak light in the bud, hasn’t that always been the responsibility of His Holiness’s personal guard?”

Arthur nodded. “That’s precisely what puzzles me. Before I departed, the old dog even feigned concern, telling me to be extra careful on this journey. It suggests that our destination in the Reyn Rheinhebo territory presents a significant problem.”

Wilson shook his head, not entirely convinced. “Under the Holy Light, heretics have nowhere to hide. No matter how dangerous it is, His Holiness wouldn’t send you, Captain, on this matter.”

Arthur gave a cold laugh. “Either my usual acting has fooled the old dog, or he intends to use this opportunity to get rid of me!”

“But Captain, if His Holiness truly wanted to eliminate you, why go through such trouble?”

Arthur shook his head. “You don’t understand. That old dog is a master at squeezing every last drop of value from others. If I’m not mistaken, the problem in the Reyn Rheinhebo territory is so bizarre that the old dog is unwilling to send his personal guard. That’s why he called for me.

“Should I die there, even if the mission isn’t accomplished, he would still gain some information, making it easier to handle next time.”

Wilson chuckled. “Captain, aren’t you overthinking it? If even His Holiness’s personal guard can’t resolve it, wouldn’t that mean an SSS-rank heretic entity is truly there? If that were the case, wouldn’t we be doomed? Hahahaha.”

Arthur looked at the laughing Wilson and couldn’t help but laugh out loud himself. “An SSS-rank heretic? And its true form? Wilson, if that situation truly arose, we’d have no choice but to take our own lives and return to heaven.”