[Event Story] The Promise Between the Butlers
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Chapter 8: Match Outcome
Berrien: Zerasia-sama… What did you do to Muu-chan?
Zerasia: I didn’t do anything. He’s just in a food coma.
> Is that really all you did?
Muu: …………
Muu: … Munya…… fufu… so much chicken…
Berrien: Hm~m… It seems like he really is just sleeping after eating too much.
> Muu………
Hearing him happily sleep talk, I felt relieved that Muu was safe.
Zerasia: If I win… This cat will be mine.
Zerasia: If I lose, then I’ll give him back to you, no strings attached. …Are you in the mood for a match now?
Lucas: ……Hmm, this is a problem.
Lucas: Aruji-sama, I’m very sorry, but… Could I take up some of your time?
Lucas: Don’t worry. I’ll definitely get Muu-chan back.
> Okay… I leave it to you, Lucas.
Lucas: Thank you, Aruji-sama.
Zerasia: Glad to hear that. Then that means you’re accepting my challenge, right?
Lucas: No…
Lucas: My apologies, but… I will be declining.
> Huh? Declining…?
Zerasia: ………
Lucas: Like I said earlier… The most I would bet on would be a cup of tea.
Lucas: I cannot agree to gambling with high stakes…
Lucas: Not to mention, Muu-chan is an important comrade…
Lucas: I could never treat a comrade as something to bet on.
Zerasia stared at Lucas without batting an eyelid.
I couldn’t read a single thing from her expression. Neither irritation nor impatience…
Lucas: Fufu, besides……
Lucas: My victory has already been decided.
Zerasia: …Why do you think that?
Lucas: Because your underhanded tricks… I’ve already dealt with them ♪
Lucas: This casino is no longer under your control… It’s under mine.
Lucas: These past few days… I wasn’t just having fun at the casino.
> The casino’s under your control…? > Lucas… What do you mean?
Lucas: Let me explain from the beginning.
Lucas: Since Zerasia-sama was bribing people under the Grovaner family… She already knew from the start that we would come here.
Lucas: You’ve been wanting to gamble with me for a while… So you must have made a plan about how to get me to have a match with you.
Lucas: While you kept us waiting at the hotel… You searched for a weak point that you could use to your advantage.
Zerasia: ………
Lucas: At first, you thought about using Aruji-sama as a hostage, right?
Lucas: If they were in danger, then us butlers would have no choice but to listen to you.
> A plan like that…
Lucas: However, we never leave openings when it comes to protecting Aruji-sama……
Lucas: That’s why as a second resort… You decided to take Muu-chan.
Lucas: And if I accepted the match… All you’d have to do is get the manager to deal you good cards.
Lucas: After all, if the dealer is on your side, you’d never lose at poker.
Zerasia: ……Geez. So you already knew all that, Lucas.
Lucas: Yes. I saw through all your moves like the back of my hand.
Lucas: That manager over there… He did well as my pawn.
> Huh, pawn…?
Manager: …Zerasia-sama, I’m very sorry.
Saying that, the manager set down the cage Muu was in and unlocked it.
Muu: Munya, munya…..n?
Muu: Uwaa! Why am I in a cage…
Muu: …I mean… Nya, nyan, nyaa~n……
> Muu, it’s okay for you to talk now.
Berrien: Yes. Come over here, Muu-chan.
Muu: I-I don’t really get what’s going on, but… I’m glad things seem to be okay.
Lucas: Fufu. Do you feel anything strange with your body, Muu-chan?
Muu: N-No… I’m just really full…
Lucas: I see. I’m happy to hear you’re okay.
Knock, knock……
???: Manager. I’ve brought the two from the Devils Family.
> (By that does he mean…)
The door opened, and Nac and Haures came in with a man with a strong build.
Berrien: Oh? Nac-kun, Haures-kun. Why are you here?
Nac: We were attempting to secure the ledger, but… Something slightly unexpected happened.
Nac: The guard took us here.
Haures: Geez, I was completely fooled.
Haures: So…… Lucas-san, where’s the ledger?
> Huh? Lucas…?
I was confused by the twists that kept coming one after another.
Then, Haures took out a piece of paper.
“I’ve already taken the ledger. Sorry.”
Haures: …This note was inside the safe.
Lucas: Fufu… Sorry for keeping quiet.
Lucas: Look…… The ledger’s right here ♪
As if it was no big deal, Lucas took out the ledger from his inner pocket.
Muu: W-What’s going on…?
Muu: Weren’t Haures-san and Nac-san supposed to get the ledger…
> I can’t keep up with this conversation…
According to Lucas’s explanation…
Apparently on the first day we came to this casino, he bribed the manager.
Lucas: Fortunately at this casino, only a few know about the owner’s existence.
Lucas: Meaning that the one who can give orders to the employees is not Zerasia-sama but the manager who most believe is on top here.
Lucas: So if I could get the manager on our side… We could move freely without any obstacles.
Berrien: Hmm… That check you gave him on the first day…
Berrien: Was that when you bribed him?
Lucas: Yup, that’s right ♪
Lucas: Well, I didn’t actually give him a check… It was a threatening letter.
> …Threatening letter…?
Lucas: Yes.
Lucas: “The plan to overthrow Finlay has already been leaked to the Grovaners…”
Lucas: “If you cooperate with us, we’ll put in a good word for your acquittal.”
Lucas: If you offend the head of the Grovaner family… Who knows what terrible crime you’ll be charged with.
Lucas: For the sake of his own safety, it can’t be helped that he betrayed the owner.
> So something like that was written on that paper…
Nac: Nevertheless… Why keep it a secret that you secured the ledger?
Nac: If you had retrieved it, couldn’t you have just told us?
Lucas: Fufu… Well, I could have, but…
Lucas: “Play your cards close to your chest”... It’s one of the essential rules for winning at gambling ♪
Lucas: If I let my guard down around Zerasia-sama… She might pull the rug from under my feet.
Lucas: I’m sorry to everyone, but… That’s why I acted on my own this time.
Zerasia: …………
Zerasia: … So that’s how it is~ I lost before it even began.
Zerasia: Fufu…! As expected of you, Lucas. I’ve completely lost again.
> (She’s taking it pretty well…)
Muu: Hm~m… She looks pretty happy for someone who lost.
Zerasia: I mean, it’s been a while since I’ve had such a fun cat and mouse game ♪
Zerasia: It’s frustrating, but… There’s no greater feeling than this! Thanks!
Lucas: Fufu, I should be thanking you for the exciting match.
Lucas: By the way about this ledger… May I take it to Finlay-sama?
Zerasia: Hm? He wants to see the ledger? I don’t mind.
Zerasia: I’ll make sure to bill him for the rental fee!
She let us take the ledger far more easily than I expected… I was dumbfounded.
Other than gambling, maybe she really didn’t care about anything else.
> (What an unusual person…)
Zerasia: Hey, Lucas. You really are suited for gambling!
Zerasia: I know you made a promise with Berrien, but… It’s such a waste not to use that talent!
Lucas: Fufu… It’s an honor to be complimented by you.
Lucas: But… My skills are nothing much.
Lucas: After all, my promise not to gamble…
Lucas: Was the result of a bet I lost with Berrien a long time ago.
Lucas: My skills are nothing compared to his ♪
Berrien: Lucas-san… You’re going to cause a misunderstanding if you say it like that……
Zerasia: What!!?? Berrien, are you that strong!?
Zerasia: You actually won against Lucas… Maybe I’ll have Berrien gamble with me next.
Berrien: What……?
Lucas: Fufu… That seems like it’d be an interesting match ♪
With a pleading gaze begging for help, Berrien looked at Lucas, who was smiling mischievously.
Halfway through I was left behind with all the chaotic developments, but… It seems like everything worked out in the end.
> Case closed… I guess….?