"...Impossible, why would you think I would bet everything in this game with you!?"
Although Aiura Kokoro had already admitted her loss, she still refused to acknowledge that Saotome's gambling skills were superior to hers.
"Even if you got the target hand, I wouldn't necessarily fight you to the death; a gamble would only happen if I believed my hand could beat yours!"
She spoke harshly, like a villain about to exit the stage, saying resentfully: "You just got lucky, that's all, don't think too much of yourself, you damn commoner!"
Saotome burst into laughter as if she had heard a joke. Aiura Kokoro felt belittled and was about to get angry when she saw Saotome looking at her with pity.
"Huh? Do I still need to teach you this kind of thing?"
Saotome said dismissively: "Isn't gambling just like that? Only the lucky ones can be winners. Because I'm lucky, I won against you in gambling, that's all. Don't make a beginner like me explain this to you."
"Saotome, you...!" Aiura Kokoro choked, instinctively wanting to retort but not knowing what to say.
There was nothing wrong with Saotome's words, and that was what bothered her the most; even if she wanted to refute, she had nothing to say.
Saotome reached out her hand, smiling impatiently: "Instead of all that, hurry up and pay me; besides the difference, you still owe me five hundred thousand yen."
This gamble was completed under everyone's eyes, so even if she wanted to deny it, she couldn't.
Aiura Kokoro glared at Saotome resentfully, then reluctantly pulled out one million and threw it on the gambling table: "Here!"
Of that one million, five hundred thousand was what Saotome had previously lost.
Saotome didn't care about her attitude and happily pounced on the gambling table to count the money.
"I didn't expect to earn so much just by winning one game..."
This was the first time she had seen so much money!
"Hmph, just a pauper, so excited over just two hundred and fifty thousand, no experience at all."
Although Aiura Kokoro lost, she still sneered when she saw Saotome's reaction.
"Don't be happy too soon, it's just one million yen, you'll lose it all very quickly! Then you'll lose to others in gambling and become livestock because you can't pay your tribute!"
This one million yen was a huge sum for Saotome Meari, but for a second-generation rich like Aiura Kokoro, it was just pocket money.
The reason she was angry was simply because she lost to Saotome, whom she looked down upon, and she was purely annoyed.
Saotome stopped counting the money. She looked up and suddenly revealed a brilliant smile: "Actually, I'm very grateful to you."
"Aiura Kokoro, you taught me a lot from this gamble, made me accustomed to gambling, and made me understand how terrifying gambling can be. And by the way, you also helped me earn the capital I'll need for future gambling."
Saying that, she walked up to Aiura Kokoro, patted her shoulder, and showed a triumphant smile: "Oh, and you can rest assured, I won't lose to an idiot like you again."
"Saotome, you bastard!" Aiura Kokoro gritted her teeth, rolled up her sleeves, and was about to pounce on Saotome, but she was stopped by the Dealer who had been the Dealer earlier.
"Who's an idiot? Who are you calling an idiot...?" Aiura Kokoro took a deep breath, cursing angrily, "Who are you calling an idiot!?"
Saotome smiled indifferently: "Well then, our young lady who doesn't think she's an idiot, do you want to gamble again?"
As soon as she heard about gambling, Aiura Kokoro instantly cowered.
Even though she was annoyed with Saotome, she had to admit that she alone could not win against Saotome in gambling.
She glared fiercely at Saotome Meari: "Don't think it will end this easily, I will definitely win it back!"
She made her threat and stormed out of the classroom in a rage.
After Aiura Kokoro left, Saotome did not linger in the classroom either.
"Alright, the show's over. Everyone, goodbye."
She collected her money, smiled and greeted the stunned classmates around her, and left the casino with Ayanokoji and Hanatemari.
In a quiet corner of the hallway, she counted out two hundred and fifty thousand for herself, put the rest into her wallet, and handed the wallet to Ayanokoji.
"Ayanokoji-kun, thank you very much for being willing to lend me gambling funds."
Saotome sincerely thanked Ayanokoji; if he hadn't offered to lend her money, no matter how many ideas she had, it would have been useless without gambling funds.
Five hundred thousand was the money borrowed from Ayanokoji, and another two hundred and fifty thousand was the interest previously agreed upon for Ayanokoji.
Actually, Ayanokoji originally didn't want to collect interest, as he wasn't short on this bit of money.
But thinking that Saotome would certainly insist on giving it to him, he didn't refuse and simply accepted it.
"It's nothing," Ayanokoji said with a smile, shaking his head. "I got my interest, didn't I?"
Excluding these loans, Saotome also received two hundred and fifty thousand yen in winnings from this gamble, all of which belonged to her.
Saotome Meari held the two hundred and fifty thousand yen, her excitement still undiminished: "Two hundred and fifty thousand! If I had to work, I'd have to work full-time for a whole month to earn that much... I can't believe I won so much in just one gamble."
Two hundred and fifty thousand yen, converted to RMB, is nearly fourteen thousand yuan.
This was indeed a huge sum for Saotome.
Saotome suddenly felt a little tempted. Perhaps, in this school, she could make a large sum of money through gambling...
"Meari, it's really great that you won!" Hanatemari, who had been silently following beside her, suddenly took a step forward, her smile a little forced: "I'm sorry, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have gotten into this trouble..."
Looking at her former friend, who was forcing a smile, Saotome Meari wanted to say something, but she sighed and reminded her.
"Forget it, I earned money anyway. Oh, and since you have money on hand, you should quickly get yourself out of the livestock status. I'm worried that Aiura Kokoro will double down on ordering you around because she lost to me."
It seemed that because Saotome had won against Aiura Kokoro, Hanatemari looked at Saotome with idolizing eyes and nodded quickly.
"Yes, I will!"
At this time, it was also mealtime, and Ayanokoji suggested: "Saotome-san, shall we go celebrate the victory?"
Saotome Meari had been angry with Hanatemari before, and while gambling was fine, being around her now still felt awkward.
Just as Ayanokoji suggested it, she quickly agreed: "Okay, let's go together!"
She had been playing cards all morning, expending a lot of brain cells and was almost starving. She eagerly pulled Ayanokoji, wanting to go to the restaurant.
Hanatemari suddenly called out to her: "Wait a minute, I know it might sound strange for me to say this suddenly, but Meari... please be my friend!"
"Huh?" Saotome was stunned, turning her head with a blank, foolish expression: "What are you talking about?"
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