Ayanokoji Kiyotaka had carefully considered the rules of this game several times. Aside from the terms "Tycoon" and "Pauper" that made Ayanokoji want to complain, the game's rules were actually quite complete.
At least in the first game, there was no loophole where simply getting one side would guarantee a high probability of winning.
At the start of the second round, although becoming the Tycoon allowed one to take the largest card from the Pauper's hand, significantly increasing the Tycoon's win rate.
However, this also reduced the Tycoon's chances of getting the smallest card, "3," allowing the Pauper to find opportunities to win against a stronger opponent.
Once the Pauper found an opportunity, they could also become the Tycoon.
Just like in Animal Chess, even a mouse can eat an elephant.
Neither side knew the other's hand, and both had a chance to become the Tycoon. In the end, the winning rates of both sides should not have a big difference; the win rate would ultimately remain at fifty-fifty.
Of course—this is assuming no one is cheating.
Unlike Ayanokoji and their casino, where everyone fought for themselves, after hearing that the two were going to gamble, the other classmates in their class stopped gambling and gathered around their gambling table, watching them with interest.
Saotome cautiously drove away the others before the game began, only allowing Ayanokoji and Hanatemari to stand behind her, to prevent anyone from secretly signaling behind her back.
Behind Aiura Kokoro, however, stood a group of people. She seemed to enjoy the atmosphere of being watched by everyone and started the game without dispersing the people around her.
The first game was the most crucial. If one won this game, they could seize the initiative.
Saotome played her cards very cautiously. From Ayanokoji's perspective, with his rich "Landlord experience," Saotome's plays were always optimal.
However, she was still one move short, allowing Aiura Kokoro to win and losing the chance to become the Tycoon.
"Saotome, I thought you'd have some good strategy, but it turns out you're just here to give me money again." Aiura Kokoro couldn't stop smiling. "I like idiots like you the most!"
Saotome seemed to have anticipated this outcome. Her expression was calm as she spoke indifferently, "Aiura Kokoro, your Dealer is too much of a nuisance. Let me deal the cards next time, okay?"
Saotome and Aiura Kokoro's gamble, like Ayanokoji's, had a Dealer standing in the middle to deal cards. However, the Dealer in front of them did not have a "livestock card" on her chest.
Ayanokoji nodded inwardly. Saotome's mind was indeed agile.
Knowing that the opponent was cheating, her first thought was to eliminate the Dealer as an extra variable.
If Aiura Kokoro and this Dealer were colluding, she would definitely refuse this request.
"Are you worried she's biased towards me? That's fine."
However, Aiura Kokoro did not refuse; she very easily agreed to Saotome's request.
She waved her hand, and the Dealer put down the cards in her hand and retreated behind her.
Saotome Meari also didn't stand on ceremony. She directly picked up the poker cards and, as the Dealer, dealt cards for both of them.
Ayanokoji noticed that Saotome's way of taking cards was different each time.
Sometimes she covered them with her hand, sometimes she laid them flat on the table after looking at them, and sometimes she didn't even look at them at all, playing cards randomly.
She was trying to find out Aiura Kokoro's cheating method.
In "Short-Term Monopoly," each person only has five cards per round, and whoever finishes their cards first wins, which makes the game progress very quickly.
Soon, Saotome Meari and Aiura Kokoro had already played more than ten rounds.
However, after winning the first game, Aiura Kokoro did not give Saotome any chance in the subsequent games, firmly holding the position of "rich person" and preventing Saotome from winning a single round.
The rich young lady opposite maintained a relaxed posture, lounging in her chair with her legs crossed, lazily playing her cards, and occasionally mocking Saotome.
"A commoner is just a commoner, this identity suits you very well."
"Anyway, special admission students like you are all a bunch of arrogant paupers, you must have studied desperately to get into this school, right?"
"Don't even think about it, someone like you will be a commoner for life, a livestock at the bottom of society!"
Aiura Kokoro's words had too much AOE power; Ayanokoji felt like he was being subtly targeted.
His gaze swept over the crowd in the casino; most people had smiles on their faces, as if Aiura Kokoro's words were exactly what they were thinking.
And those people wearing "Stray Cat" and "dumb dog" tags around their necks, who were also among Aiura Kokoro's targets of ridicule, clenched their fists when they heard these words, their faces showing unwillingness.
However, they seemed to have grown accustomed to such words; their clenched fists quickly relaxed, and they quietly cleaned the casino in the corner.
"And you, Saotome Meari, do you think that just because you can get into this school, you can cross social strata and become a young lady?"
Aiura Kokoro saw Saotome continuously losing, and a wild smile appeared on her otherwise pretty face as she mercilessly mocked Saotome:
"Let me tell you, that's impossible. A pauper like you, who doesn't even have gambling money, will be poor for life! Hahahahaha...!"
"So noisy."
Saotome spoke.
Ever since she entered the casino, her expression had been indifferent. Even when she lost, her expression remained unshaken. This was the first time she had spoken out to retort Aiura Kokoro.
"What did you say?" Aiura Kokoro blinked, her smile fading.
"I said, you are so noisy!" Saotome sneered. "Do you think you're very smart? Do you think you can always win against me? I'll show you how I, as a 'commoner,' defeat you, the 'rich person'!"
"Do you think you can win this hand?" Aiura Kokoro's gaze swept over Saotome's cards, and she smiled sweetly: "Then let's try."
Saotome's hand in Landlord was incredibly luxurious—[K, K, K, K, 8].
A bomb plus a single card. Even if she exchanged her largest K for one of the opponent's 3s, it was still a good hand.
No wonder Saotome had the confidence to challenge her this round.
The commoner plays first.
Saotome played a 3. This card was exchanged from Aiura Kokoro's hand and was the smallest card, so it naturally had to be played first.
Aiura Kokoro immediately followed with a 6.
Saotome did not follow with an 8 but directly played a K.
"Oh, you still have a K. I won't play this round."
Aiura Kokoro seemed surprised that Saotome still had a K. She clicked her tongue in annoyance, then waved her hand impatiently, indicating for Saotome to play first.
She's not playing? Saotome was stunned for a moment, then a surge of joy quickly filled her heart.
If the K Aiura Kokoro received was her largest card, then she had already won this game!
A slight smile appeared on Saotome's lips, and she played another K.
Aiura Kokoro still passed.
She probably didn't expect Saotome's cards to be so good. She glared at Saotome, gritting her teeth and looking at her, as if she wanted to tear her to shreds with her gaze.
Now Saotome only had a K and an 8 left, while Aiura Kokoro still had four cards.
Saotome had actually hesitated whether to play the 8 first. If she did, she would definitely win.
But when she thought of her goal, she took a deep breath and played a "K."
Hanatemari Kazura stood behind Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, looking at Saotome with excitement, eager to witness her victory.
Even she could see the current situation.
Aiura Kokoro's largest card was a K. Meari playing this card meant she definitely couldn't beat it! In that case, Meari could play her last 8!
"An A."
As if to shatter Saotome's fantasy, Aiura Kokoro casually played an A from her hand, even yawning.
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