Saotome and Togakushi Yukimi had both submitted their answers.
Ayanokoji believed in Saotome Meari; after all, she had studied hard for several years to get into this school. Although the probability problem was a bit beyond the scope, she should still be able to solve it.
Moreover, besides expected value, there were other ways of thinking. As long as Saotome thought about it a little, she would definitely choose one of the four answers.
As for Togakushi Yukimi, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was not familiar with her, but she looked like someone who had read many books, so this problem probably wouldn't stump her.
In other words, it still came down to luck in the end.
After confirming the content written by both of them, Mikura flipped them over and placed them beside her, then began to place bets.
"The first round is… Down."
"The second round is… Up."
"The third round is… Down."
One probability had already appeared. Mikura had already seen the sequences of both of them. Since she didn't stop rolling the dice, it meant neither of them had written that particular arrangement.
Saotome exhaled a sigh of relief, pulled out a thermos from her bag, and took a sip of water, seemingly trying to stay calm.
Her water bottle had a cartoon polka dot pattern and looked like it had been used for a long time, with many white marks on it.
"You even brought a water bottle," Togakushi Yukimi didn't miss this opportunity to strike at Saotome Meari. "You've used this cup for a long time, haven't you? You're so reluctant to even change your cup, yet you dare to gamble with one million yen?"
"Is it wrong for me to be nostalgic!?" Saotome Meari retorted, not to be outdone, glancing at Ayanokoji, seemingly embarrassed that he saw her unrefined side, and quickly put the cup away.
"This isn't the time to be concerned about that!"
Ayanokoji looked at her as if she were his disappointing child: "We are gambling right now, focus."
"Yes…"
Saotome smiled sheepishly, shifted her gaze to Mikura, and watched her roll the dice intently.
Even so, she couldn't change the outcome of the dice. Ultimately, she could only watch helplessly.
Mikura seemed accustomed to her role as the Dealer. Her dice rolls were very regular, with the dice almost always landing in the same spot.
The dice were quickly rolled six times. Saotome Meari and Togakushi Yukimi both remained silent, their expressions tense as they stared intently at the dice.
"The seventh round… Up."
Saotome was still waiting for Mikura to make the eighth throw, but at this point, she stopped.
"Game over, Togakushi Yukimi wins." She flipped over Togakushi Yukimi's card, which read [DDU], meaning Down Down Up.
"Huh?"
Togakushi Yukimi and Saotome Meari were both stunned.
It was over?
Saotome Meari hadn't reacted yet.
She lost? Her one million yen just went down the drain like that? How could this be…
"As previously agreed, ownership of the casino belongs to Togakushi Yukimi. Meari, you owe me two hundred fifty thousand yen."
Sachiko Juraku looked at Togakushi Yukimi. She seemed overly shocked, her pupils contracted, staring in surprise at her card on the table that read [DDU].
"What's wrong, Togakushi? You won, you know. Why aren't you happier?" Sachiko Juraku's lips curved into a smile: "What's wrong? Do you have any questions?"
"No…!" Togakushi Yukimi snapped out of her daze, shaking her head quickly, her voice still tinged with uncertainty: "I can continue to use this room, right?"
"That's right. Your debt to the Student Council is wiped clean. However, if you default on next month's venue fee again, we will come back."
Mikura leaned in close to Togakushi Yukimi, her face grim, seemingly with a hint of threat: "You won't default on the venue fee again, will you?"
"I won't!" Togakushi Yukimi finally seemed to realize she had saved the casino. Her face instantly brightened, and she cheered: "That's great, I won! And I don't have to pay the Student Council for the venue fee anymore!"
Unlike Togakushi Yukimi's joyous cheering, Saotome Meari's face on the other side was terribly grim.
"Meari…" Kazura Hanatemari was more worried about Saotome Meari than the five hundred thousand yen she had lost. "Are you alright…?"
"...I'm fine." Saotome Meari shook her head, stood up, and pleaded with Sachiko Juraku: "Senior Juraku, could you give me another chance?"
Sachiko Juraku tilted her head, asking curiously: "What, do you still have money?"
Saotome Meari fell silent, then slowly shook her head.
"If you don't have money, don't even think about gambling. It's better for you that way." Sachiko Juraku yawned as if bored, and reminded softly: "Oh, and remember to send the two hundred fifty thousand yen you owe me to my office tomorrow."
"Tomorrow already!?" Hanatemari exclaimed in surprise, "That's too soon!"
"Well, since you didn't specify a repayment deadline before, I'll just pick a time that's convenient for me." Sachiko Juraku leaped lightly from the desk, pulling the iron chain in her hand, and was about to lead Mikura away.
"The show's over, so I should go too…"
Yomotsuki Runa stretched, then turned to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka and smiled: "Oh, if you have more snacks, you can find me in the Student Council's lounge!"
Yomotsuki Runa still couldn't forget the taste of that bag of potato chips.
Everyone was about to leave, and Ayanokoji Kiyotaka was also preparing to depart.
"Wait, don't leave yet!"
Saotome Meari suddenly shouted, attracting everyone's attention.
She left the gambling table, stumbled towards Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, and said urgently: "Ayanokoji, lend me some money! I can win it back! I'm sure I can win the next round!"
Saotome Meari wanted to borrow money from him… Ayanokoji wasn't surprised.
She was completely in a gambler's mindset now—believing that her loss in this game was due to bad luck, and that if she just tried again, she would definitely make a comeback. She was willing to pay any price to go all in…
Saotome grabbed Ayanokoji's hand and continued to plead: "No matter how much I win, all the money will be yours in the end! Just lend me one million first!"
Ayanokoji sighed lightly and pulled Saotome Meari away.
"I understand what you're thinking—that you lost this time only because a low-probability event occurred, and that you'll win if you try again next time. But have you considered what would happen if another low-probability event occurred? How would you repay such a large sum of money?"
He could pay the two hundred fifty thousand yen she owed the Student Council for her, but Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wasn't going to lend Saotome Meari money for gambling.
He wanted Saotome to calm down and truly taste the bitter fruit of this failure.
However, Saotome Meari seemed unwilling to think that way.
Seeing that Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wouldn't lend her money, everyone else also began to prepare to leave. Saotome Meari, in a moment of desperation, directly lunged at Ayanokoji, putting her entire body weight on him.
Ayanokoji, caught off guard, was pinned beneath Saotome Meari.
Fortunately, the floor of the room was covered with soft soundproof carpeting, so he wasn't injured.
Ayanokoji felt a bit displeased. What was Saotome doing? Even if he didn't lend her money, she couldn't assault him…
Ayanokoji looked up and saw a pure and lovely face occupying his entire vision. Saotome Meari was hunched over him in an extremely alluring posture, staring at him with an anxious expression.
Feeling the softness pressed tightly against him, Ayanokoji remained completely unmoved. Just as he was about to loudly scold Saotome, he saw her boldly lean down directly in front of everyone and bring her face close to his ear.
"Mikura cheated! Give me another chance, I can win!"
Saotome Meari whispered anxiously into Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's ear.
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