After replenishing her water, Saotome didn't rush to close the cup lid.
She intentionally or unintentionally placed the water cup near the card, then, taking advantage of Mikura throwing the dice, pretended to stretch and secretly pushed the water cup towards the card with force.
The water cup wobbled, then fell over with a crash, and the spilled water almost splashed onto Mikura.
"What are you doing?!"
Mikura was startled, quickly patted her uniform, and looked angrily at Saotome Meari: "Do you know you almost splashed me? This is the uniform Senior Juraku personally chose for me!"
"Sorry, sorry…"
Saotome chuckled dryly, apologizing insincerely, picked up the water cup, took out a tissue from her backpack, and quickly wiped the wet part of the gambling table, her gaze secretly glancing at the card.
Saotome Meari secretly exclaimed "lucky." Her luck was good; this card was completely soaked.
As long as Mikura flipped the card over, she would be able to see a completely different answer.
"Seriously, don't pull a stunt like that." Mikura complained, and although very annoyed, she continued her work as the Dealer, standing in the center and throwing the dice.
"The fourth round is… Up."
Saotome Meari stared at the dice with anticipation.
"The fifth round is… Down."
Saotome Meari grew nervous.
"The sixth round is… Up."
Saotome Meari had a bad premonition.
"The seventh round is… Up."
Saotome Meari knew she was finished.
"Game over, [DUU] appeared. Ayanokoji Kiyotaka wins."
Mikura calmly announced the game result and flipped over Ayanokoji's card. The answer on it was clearly [DUU].
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's card had indeed been swapped; this was something Saotome Meari had known from the beginning.
The game was over; there was no need to flip her card anymore.
"…Did I lose?" Saotome Meari murmured to herself, her heart seemingly turned to ashes.
It hurt, it hurt too much.
Saotome Meari didn't know how to face Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
He had given her such great expectations, and she had a three-quarters chance of winning this gamble, but in the end… she still lost.
Yes, she lost.
Saotome didn't know why she lost. She had made all the necessary preparations, but she still lost.
A three-quarters chance, even with a dragon riding on her face, she still lost. Saotome didn't know what to say.
If she had to blame someone… she could only blame her bad luck. Lady Luck was not on her side.
Saotome Meari fell into deep self-doubt, while Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, the victor, seemed to have already anticipated his win.
"Senior Juraku, I've delayed your time, letting you witness our gamble. This is the money Saotome Meari owes your Student Council. I'll pay it for her first."
He stood up, took 250,000 Japanese Yen from his wallet, and handed it to Sachiko Juraku, saying politely.
Sachiko Juraku watched Ayanokoji Kiyotaka without a word. After a moment, she let out a scoff and stood up: "…Interesting, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, I really want to know what's going on in your head."
"I just made a few more preparations for victory, that's all." Ayanokoji said calmly.
"…You are very good, truly very good." Sachiko Juraku stood up, stared at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka for a while, and then suddenly said, "Are you interested in being my dog?"
"Huh?" Ayanokoji was dumbfounded. What was wrong with this person? Why would she suddenly ask someone to be her dog?
Ayanokoji naturally refused: "Sorry, I don't have a habit of being someone else's pet yet."
Although he didn't understand what Sachiko Juraku was thinking, Ayanokoji certainly had no interest in being someone's dog.
She wasn't Kanna or Makima.
"If that's the case, then forget it." Sachiko Juraku seemed to have only mentioned it casually and didn't insist. After Ayanokoji refused, she gave up.
She pulled Mikura's chain and walked out. When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at Saotome Meari, who was still bowing her head and seemed to have lost everything. She smiled slightly.
"Saotome, if I were you, I wouldn't be wallowing in self-pity here, because... this is just the beginning for you."
"Welcome to the world of gambling."
Sachiko Juraku took her leave, and Yomotsuki Runa was also about to leave.
As she walked past Ayanokoji, she suddenly elbowed him hard in the stomach.
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka groaned in pain, covering his stomach and helplessly taking a step back: "Luna, what are you doing...?"
"Hmph, don't play dumb in front of me. Do you really think I can't see anything? I'm an ace Dealer."
Yomotsuki Runa snorted coldly. The next second, she giggled.
"I won't bother you this time, after all, your snacks are delicious. But, there won't be a next time."
With that, she stomped on Ayanokoji's foot again, clasped her hands behind her back, raised her head, and left proudly.
Sure enough, Yomotsuki Runa, this Student Council member, wasn't to be trifled with. She could tell they were cheating even from that far away...
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka shook his head helplessly and looked at Saotome Meari.
The Student Council recovered the one million yen casino usage fee, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka won the casino, and Saotome Meari, an employee working for free. They were all winners.
Togakushi Yukimi, who had left at some point, lost the casino but also lost her debt. She could be said to have neither lost nor gained.
Only Saotome Meari, she was the biggest loser.
Once the outsiders had left, Saotome Meari raised her head and finally spoke.
"...Ayanokoji, did I lose?"
Saotome Meari still had an unrealistic feeling.
More than the "bet" after losing, what she found even harder to accept was that she would lose to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka despite having a 75% chance of winning.
"This is gambling, Saotome, you see? Even if my win rate was only one-fourth, the goddess of luck was on my side, and I still won."
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka sat on the gambling table and said meaningfully to Saotome, "Have you ever thought, if you really borrowed a million from me, and then lost to Togakushi Yukimi in gambling, what could you do then, burdened with debt?"
"...I don't know." Saotome shook her head silently.
Her mind was a mess right now, and she still didn't know why she lost.
She needed time to think.
Ayanokoji sighed lightly and patted her shoulder: "Go back today. After class tomorrow, remember to report here. Don't forget, you're now an employee of my casino."
Saotome nodded silently.
Ayanokoji also left the casino. Now, only Saotome Meari and Hanatemari Kazura were left in the casino.
"Meari..."
Hanatemari had silently watched the entire gambling match from the side. She didn't know how to comfort Saotome.
In fact, from the very beginning, she had been advising Saotome Meari not to gamble, but Saotome didn't listen.
"Hanatemari, you go back first. Let me be alone for a bit." Saotome said, still looking down.
Hanatemari also knew that nothing she said would be of any use. She looked at Saotome Meari worriedly and left the room, looking back three times with each step.
On the top floor of the Club Building, which was the floor where the Student Council was located, Mikura and Sachiko Juraku were walking towards the Student Council.
Aside from the two of them, the corridor was quiet and empty. The setting sun stretched their shadows long.
Sachiko Juraku, walking behind Mikura with a chain in her hand, watched the back of her "pet" and suddenly spoke coldly.
"Mikura, you helped Ayanokoji cheat, didn't you?"
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