Luck.
This was the Development Ability Bell chose when he upgraded. Even the Goddess Hestia didn't know its true effect. Bell decided to test it with a single token first, just to see how far this ability could really go.
A hostess girl stood behind the black-and-red roulette wheel, smiling as she welcomed the two of them. This game only required placing a ball onto the tablecloth and waiting for it to fall. If it landed on the corresponding color or number, the customer would earn tokens with different payout multipliers.
Bell didn't hesitate at all and casually tossed a token.
The hostess was certain that even the boy himself didn't know what exactly he was betting on. She had seen many customers like this—down to their last few chips, leaving everything to fate in the desperate hope of turning things around. But the results were almost never in their favor.
Feeling a bit sorry for the silver-haired boy and his beautiful girlfriend, she kept her professional smile, spun the wheel, and released the glowing ball.
The token had been placed on black, the lowest payout tier. The small ball, radiating a faint strange glow, bounced across the wheel before finally settling into one of the black pockets.
"You win..."
Syr exhaled and smiled happily.
Bell's expression didn't change. As if he had expected this, he picked up the two tokens he'd won and tossed them right back onto the betting table.
"..."
The hostess couldn't help frowning. It was a coincidence, nothing more. One extra chip wouldn't change a thing. The white-haired boy was being far too arrogant, and the human girl trailing after him seemed pitiful in comparison.
The wheel spun quickly.
A moment later, the spot the boy bet on won again.
"Yay, won again!"
Syr beamed with delight.
Bell collected the eight tokens, didn't even look at them, and tossed them straight into the betting area.
"..."
The hostess froze.
What on earth was this human boy thinking?
This reckless, all-or-nothing gambling method was far too abnormal. Everyone knew luck couldn't stay on someone's side forever. At this rate, he'd lose everything sooner or later.
She hesitated briefly, then spun the wheel again.
Numbers blurred before her eyes, forming a nervous arc that mirrored her own uneasy feelings. Then, once again, the boy's chosen row hit. With the multiplier applied, he won ninety-six tokens.
The hostess's smile stiffened.
In this game, there was no room for cheating at all. She had never seen anyone like this boy before.
Bell took the tokens, didn't even count them, and placed them all on a single number.
"...Sir?"
Out of professional duty, the hostess shouldn't have spoken, but she couldn't suppress the excitement and curiosity building inside her.
"Are you really going to bet all these tokens on one number?"
The highest payout came with the lowest probability.
The hostess could already picture the tragic scene of the boy losing everything.
"Yeah, this is fine."
Bell still kept one token in his hand. Even if he lost this round, he was confident he could win it back. More importantly, he wanted to see just how far his Development Ability, Luck, could carry him at this roulette table.
The hostess blinked, then shifted her attention to the lovely human girl beside him, deciding to ask her instead.
"Miss, you must be his lover... Are you truly okay with this bet?"
From her observations, the boy's clothing wasn't particularly luxurious. Converting nearly a hundred tokens into money would amount to a substantial sum. Continuing like this would only make it all vanish.
Syr smiled politely, held Bell's arm, and replied softly:
"Thank you for your concern, but I always listen to my dear."
The hostess glanced at the affectionate pair and knew nothing she said would change their minds.
She let out a faint sigh and spun the wheel once more.
Black and red blurred together as the wheel turned, the glow of the ball locking the hostess's gaze.
"This... how is this possible..."
"He bet all his chips on one number and actually... won?!"
She murmured in disbelief, staring at the impossible sight before her.
She had worked in this business for years and never witnessed anything this absurd.
A staff member brought over a massive pile of tokens, their shining glow catching the attention of everyone nearby.
"Someone actually won that much at roulette?!"
"How lucky can one person be?!"
"Hey, isn't that the fastest adventurer, the Little Rookie?"
"Bell Cranel..."
"No way! I'm gonna try that too!"
"Lucky Little Rookie, can I shake your hand?!"
Surrounded by cheering patrons and eager requests, Syr maintained a gentle smile as she effortlessly turned away the girl asking for a handshake.
In the heated atmosphere, Bell and Syr walked toward the next gaming table together.
The hostess watched their perfectly matched silhouettes fade into the crowd, a hint of regret settling in her thoughts.
"I didn't even recognize him... I should've asked for an autograph while I had the chance..."
...
After verifying the effect of Luck, Bell didn't get hung up on pure games of chance. He made full use of his public image, letting everyone believe he was just a nouveau riche riding a streak of good fortune. Sometimes he would intentionally play poorly at poker to bait opponents into calling. Other times he would see through cheating tricks and turn them to his advantage.
With his exceptional memory, Bell managed his chips with precision, winning match after match.
And it wasn't just the victorious youth drawing attention—Syr at his side captivated onlookers as well. In a place filled with goddesses and nobles, the tavern girl's smile didn't falter in comparison. If anything, it stood out even more, bright and enchanting.
Syr often greeted gods who had visited the tavern before. As the establishment's poster girl, her connections were shockingly extensive.
Before long, the entire casino was abuzz with talk about Bell and Syr.
Just as the two became the center of the room's attention, an elderly man in formal attire spoke softly:
"Gentlemen, our proprietor wishes to meet you. Would you kindly step this way?"
Gotcha.
Bell gave a small laugh and happily accepted the invitation.
They were brought before a rough-looking dwarf.
"I'm Terry Cervantes. Truly delighted to meet the legendary Little Rookie."
He cast a glance at Syr, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
Bell caught the look immediately and sensed the filthy intent hidden behind that smile.
So this was the kind of smile he used to trick people...
Bell didn't expose him. Instead, he held Syr's hand a little tighter and answered with a pleasant smile:
"I've just been lucky. It's an honor simply to be here at Orario's most luxurious casino."
Seeing the gesture, Terry drew back his lecherous stare and continued.
"Not only did you defeat a Minotaur to level up, now you're sweeping through the casino as well. This Little Rookie's luck is something else... Would you care to enjoy our VIP room?"
Bell followed the man's gaze toward the heavily guarded door, deliberately putting on a conflicted expression.
Terry quickly added:
"No need to worry. Inside, you'll find higher-stakes games and special services. As you know, El Dorado Resort is funded by the Entertainment District. Everything here is fully permitted by Orario."
"Well, if you say so... I guess I'll give it a try. I'm getting bored of the games out here anyway."
Bell replied slowly.
"Excellent! Let's not waste time—opportunities don't wait!"
Terry let out a hearty laugh and led them toward the entrance.
As they approached, Bell spoke up. "Right, I still owe some gambling debts to friends. Since I won so much today, could you give me a moment to pay them back?"
He pointed toward Mord and his group waiting in the lounge.
"That's no problem at all."
With Terry's approval, Bell took Syr by the hand and walked over.
Mord stared at the shimmering pile of chips in front of him, stunned speechless.
"...Little Rookie, all this is for us?!"
"Yeah. I told you I'd repay you with interest. But to accept it, you'll have to agree to one condition." Bell said quietly.
"Say it. There's nothing we can't do."
The temptation of money shattered any adventurer pride Mord might have had. For a fortune like this, he'd happily be the rookie's underling.
"Well... later, you'll need to..." Bell whispered instructions too quietly for anyone else to hear.
"...That's it? Leave it to us."
Mord blinked, then answered immediately.
He split the unexpected fortune with his companions, and as they watched Bell and Syr disappear toward the VIP area, they silently prepared for the moment to come.
...
"Boss, sorry to keep you waiting."
Bell returned to the large door at the back.
"No problem, let's hurry inside," Terry responded eagerly.
Once they passed through the doorway, the casino's noise vanished, replaced by quiet.
The interior was surprisingly spacious, no smaller than the main hall outside.
Scattered tables filled the room, where servers and brightly dressed women poured drinks for the guests.
Bell and Syr followed Terry deeper in.
The still air was occasionally broken by the playful chatter between men and women.
Everything—the furniture, the wine—was clearly of the highest quality.
Bell studied the surroundings. The wealthy patrons appeared completely absorbed in their pleasures.
The women pouring drinks, though beautiful, had an uncanny, doll-like emptiness to them.
"Here we are."
Terry stopped at a table and introduced Bell and Syr to the group engaged in a card game.
"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to meet you."
Bell had barely finished greeting them and taken his seat when a beautiful girl approached, offering him an extravagant glass of wine.
"Boss, who are they…?"
Bell glanced at the women nearby, testing the waters.
Terry sat down unhurriedly, smiling. "It might sound unbelievable, but all of them are my lovers—the kind of thing men call a harem…"
Bell already understood the truth.
Every woman here had been taken through that carefully rigged gambling scheme.
In other words, Terry had stolen them through despicable means.
At the mention of "harem," Bell forced down the anger rising in his chest and kept his expression calm.
Syr, sensing the turmoil in him, tightened her grip on his right hand and responded gently on his behalf.
"A harem…?"
"Ah, Syr-san might find it hard to accept, but every woman here accepted my sincere courtship and agreed to the current arrangement."
Terry grinned proudly.
Under his boastful gaze, the women wore dazzling jewelry and revealing, beautiful outfits.
Their expressions didn't change at all—empty, stiff, like mannequins. They felt more like rare artifacts than people.
"Why keep them here?"
Bell asked carefully.
For the owner of El Dorado Resort, hiding a so-called harem would be easy.
If these women were only meant to pour drinks, there was no reason for them to be here specifically.
Hearing Bell's question, the men at the table exchanged knowing smiles.
Terry's grin turned vulgar as he bragged:
"With a harem of this quality, of course I want to share them. Little Rookie, besides admiring them from afar, you can even get your hands on them…"
The moment he said it, the surrounding wealthy men burst into louder, cruder laughter.
Their voices echoed through the room—harsh and grating in Syr's ears.
Terry kept repeating the word "harem," yet anyone could see there wasn't even a trace of affection—neither from him nor from the girls.
Those luxurious necklaces were nothing more than shackles.
The glamorous outfits only helped bind them tighter.
These women weren't a harem.
They weren't even treated like collectibles.
To this vile casino owner, they were commodities for profit, tools for indulging desire.
Syr looked at Bell with worry.
She and Bell understood each other without words, and she knew this cruelty had crossed one of his deepest lines.
The boy who once dreamed of harems and heroes would never forgive something like this "harem."
And yet, to her surprise, Bell's expression didn't flicker at all.
...
"I see. That was ignorant of me."
Bell simply raised his head and gave a light smile.
"What's this? Is Little Rookie planning to ditch his cute girlfriend and spend the night with the girls here instead?"
Seeing Bell show no resistance, Terry's tone grew even cruder.
"Since this is the boss's harem, how could I possibly dare touch them? And besides, if I really did something like that, my girlfriends back home would never forgive me."
Bell slipped an arm around Syr's slender waist as he answered with an easy smile.
"Girlfriends… plural?"
Terry immediately sensed something was off.
"Indeed, sir. Aside from Syr, I have two other women who are my lovers."
Bell's smile didn't waver, but beneath it lingered a quiet, chilling anger.
"So we're kindred spirits!"
Terry burst into loud laughter, and the surrounding wealthy patrons joined him.
"Little Rookie, since you're already here, how about a wager?"
Terry finally revealed his true purpose. "We'll use the highest-grade tokens. Win just one round and you'll never have to worry about food or drink for the rest of your life. And even if you rack up a mountain of debt, it's fine… we can draw up a contract. Your girlfriends can pay it back."
"What do you say?"
In the dim light, Terry bared his fangs.