31. Lucky Daphne

 “Pretty, isn’t it?”

The interior of the nameless hotel right next to the port was grand, unlike its exterior.

Passing through the floor-height iron gate, there was a square structure with rooms facing each other. In the center of the building, ornamental plants soared up to the third floor, giving the impression of being in a different country.

‘Green everywhere here and there. How annoying.’

Daphne briefly fanned herself in the interior that felt even more humid than outside.

She unfolded the crumpled flyer again. Not only did she pick up something that looked like a loan shark advertisement, but she actually came here in person.

‘I hope they’re not selling organs?’

She unconsciously rubbed her stomach area.

As she was looking around obviously like someone who had never been here before, a young-faced bellboy approached Daphne and kindly gave her directions. She tried to give him a tip, but he politely declined and disappeared.

The underground gambling den she arrived at was very cool and noisy. Shabby pool tables, thick cigarette smoke, and the pungent smell of alcohol. Cheap mechanical sounds were coming from the roulette wheels glowing here and there.

True to being a hotel for travelers, there was a diverse array of hair colors. There were several blonde men that Daphne liked, as well as some with silver, red, and dark green hair.

‘How interesting.’

It was completely different from the casinos where nobles matched their ranks and etiquette. Daphne’s eyes widened involuntarily.

Interest quickly grew. Along with confidence that she could get back what she wanted!

“Come this way, the game with boarding passes at stake is over here!”

“Coming~”

Daphne shook her purse full of gold once. The jingling sound was clear. 

 * * *

 The young-faced bellboy, Colin, after personally escorting Daphne to the gambling den, immediately ran up the stairs to the fourth floor in one breath.

—Red hair, golden eyes.

—Yes.

—I don’t need other newspapers. If you see that appearance or the name ‘Daphne Beaucater’ in any articles, would you sell them to me?

That’s what ‘Sir’ in the suite room had asked. The people who came to this hotel had unclear identities. From petty criminals to illegal residents, or nobles and royalty tired of upper-class society….. That’s why everyone, regardless of gender, was addressed as ‘Sir’.

After taking a deep breath, he rang the bell once, long.

‘Is he sleeping?’

Thump, thump thump!

The sound of a glass bell ringing came from inside. It meant he would come out soon. Colin placed his hand on his chest to calm his excited breathing.

The man who appeared when the door opened still had brilliant looks. If anything had changed, it was that his sparkling golden hair had darkened as if it had lost its light.

“Colin, what’s the matter?”

He always spoke formally to Colin. He was such a wonderful man that he would even put all his gambling winnings in Colin’s tray after visiting the gambling den!

“The lady with ruby-like hair and golden eyes, that is, Miss? Ma’am? Beaucater has arrived.”

“You’re lying.”

Sir’s single word was very heavy.

Colin shut his mouth. The faint smile that had always bloomed on his face was completely gone. Colin froze, unable to say anything else, thinking he had made a mistake.

“……Where is she? Did she come to see me?”

“Ah, well, um, she went to the gambling den……”

Celestian paused. Then he slowly started laughing while covering his mouth. Colin also laughed awkwardly, haha.

Sir laughed beautifully for a while. Even after the laughter subsided, an excited look remained on his face for a while.

“See you later.”

And the wooden door closed mercilessly. 

 * * *

 Daphne is lucky.

As proof, wasn’t she born as a daughter of a wealthy family in this life? Though she got hurt several times, she got up from her sickbed again and again, succeeded in everything she planned, and anyway, she’s been walking on a smooth road until now.

There was no chip exchange counter here. Instead, she could bet not only the money in her purse but all her accessories as well.

Even though royal knights and soldiers guarded the path from third class to first class, Daphne knew the hidden routes well as she had been looking at the blueprints of the ‘Page-René’ for years.

‘I just need a ticket.’

The game was Indian Poker. The rules were easier than other gambling games. Daring to bet all her luck for this month, Daphne stylishly flipped over the two cards in front of her.

“Ah, damn.”

Daphne looked down at her cards in bewilderment. Three of hearts and eight of spades. A complete bust with no matching numbers or suits.

“This lady’s got nothing again. Her remaining luck must be nothing too.”

‘Should I kill him?’

Not noticing Daphne’s chilling stare, the man triumphantly flipped his cards saying ‘mark’. Next to him, a handsome man with dirty blonde hair revealed his hand with a hearty laugh.

“Pair.”

And he grabbed the two boarding passes that had been bet. Daphne could only helplessly watch as the gloved man’s hand swept away the stakes and tickets.

For the first time in her life, no, for the second time, she thought about wanting to bury a blonde handsome man.

“Ah, this isn’t working……”

Daphne had already lost half her stakes.

The charm of the hotel business was the profit from the casino. However, Daphne didn’t properly know the rules inside. After all, she had enough wealth to use even after death without having to aim for one big win in life.

—If you keep spending like that, you’ll definitely regret it!

At the blackjack table where she sat to tease Psyche who said that, Daphne luckily won twice. Daphne’s eyes went crazy at the quickly accumulated chips, and from the third round she lost everything, and that day she lost three townhouses.

Fortunately, she wasn’t completely ignorant of the rules. However, today’s luck weather was terrible. Not to mention, even the back of her head kept throbbing today.

“Do you want to get on that ship that badly?”

The dirty blonde asked.

“Are you boarding?”

Daphne anxiously asked back.

“Sir Chadwick, you know these things should keep being put up as stakes to be fun.”

The dealer suggested with a friendly smile.

‘Sir Chadwick?’

Daphne looked at the man’s confident face again. It’s a name she’s heard somewhere but seeing for the first time. She thinks there was such a name among the collateral royal family, but she didn’t have time to know as there was no connection.

“I’ll cooperate. I get terribly seasick. Besides, third class? I don’t really want to rub shoulders in that dirty place where commoners ride. What about you?”

“I have to get on. I came here for this in the first place. It’s my friend’s wedding.”

The friend Daphne mentioned meant Psyche.

“Isn’t it that Rodriguez kid getting married on that ship?”

The uncle acting as dealer spat out grumpily while collecting the cards.

“Rodriguez kid……?”

It was the first time seeing someone else badmouth her cousin. Daphne’s eyes grew large with curiosity. And she stroked her slightly stinging hair at the back of her head again for no reason.

“Yeah, that Romeo Rodriguez. Just had his coming of age ceremony and he’s trying to be regent, what does he know.”

‘It’s been 4 years since his coming of age ceremony.’

“He must have some brains to protect the country since he achieved great merit in Libian. What if he has some illness.”

‘He probably won’t die easily……’

Daphne looked once at the cards being elegantly shuffled in the dealer’s hands. Her mouth was itching wanting to refute.

“Is there anyone here who didn’t go to that war? Damn, my gunshot wound still aches when it’s monsoon season.”

At those words, she unconsciously raised her arm and looked down at her side.

‘Will I hurt too now when it rains?’

“If my father was king I would’ve been regent too. Damn, that noble golden blood!”

“That kid must be about the same age as this lady, right?”

Daphne just smiled and shrugged once at the faces all turning toward her.

“A kid who doesn’t know anything about the world is caught up in some love game and says he’s getting married. How long has it been since the rebellion was suppressed and he’s taking all the capital’s forces.”

‘That’s right……’

Daphne nodded her head slowly.

“Teriosa should have succeeded in his rebellion instead. Someone who’s rolled around at the bottom like him would rather understand the hearts of commoners like us better.”

“That’s enough. Look at this lady’s eye color. It reminds me of that vicious Rose Green. What if she’s related by blood?”

Daphne came to her senses when she was suddenly mentioned. Rose Green is the previous queen consort, that is, Daphne’s aunt. Since every last word was correct, Daphne blinked.

“Lady, are those your real eyes?”

Chadwick spoke to Daphne, probably thinking she couldn’t join in the ‘men’s conversation’.

“These are fake eyes. Want to poke them?”

Daphne replied with just her left corner of her mouth raised. The men laughed, sighing at her joke. The tense atmosphere loosened once like that.

“Then shall I poke them? Look over here.”

The man reached his hand toward Daphne. Daphne’s expression soured like she had stepped in dog poop. The dealer cleared his throat loudly as if to make him restrain himself.

“Let’s continue the game. Check your cards. Raise or fold?”

Daphne pretended to think after checking her cards.

‘The cards are terrible and I have no money left.’

She didn’t have any amount left to bet. Daphne felt like she was often in such predicaments lately. The feeling of having no money wasn’t very pleasant.

“Fold.”

The blonde handsome man sitting on the left said with a low laugh.

“Why don’t you bet your clothes? You’re practically not wearing much anyway.”

The dealer’s expression noticeably hardened. He seemed to be looking somewhere, but Daphne had no time to follow his gaze.

‘Ah ah, this bastard is crossing the line.’

He takes liberties with the line after she smiled a little and responded to his jokes. Daphne just raised the corner of her mouth without answering and tapped the table a couple times. She flipped her cards over without taking it back.

“Want me to lend you money?”

“Don’t talk to me~”

Daphne answered gently. She clearly meant to politely decline saying ‘it’s okay’. She just didn’t put strength in her head for a moment and her true feelings popped out.

“The boarding pass you want is right here.”

Chadwick tapped his chest pocket a couple times. Daphne looked at that man’s face once again.

Just at first glance he could be called handsome, but looking at him for a long time, he just had that typical noble arrogance flowing from his face.

“Touch it if you want.”

Chadwick thrust out his rather weak-looking chest.

‘Ah, should I punch him once and go to jail……’

It seemed difficult to board the Page-René like this anyway. Daphne started making some plans in her head.

Hit him with the chair once, snatch the ticket stuck in that chest and run away to the ship.

‘Even if the opponent is at least a high noble, or…… collateral royalty.’

She is the king’s niece and the crown prince’s cousin, and the best friend of the woman who will soon become crown princess. Moreover, she even has Amber Green as her mother who is at the peak of wealth and power trying to marry her to the crown prince.

‘Can’t I take care of everything after I return?’

Daphne nodded slightly. Everything seemed plausible. Looking at the atmosphere now, it didn’t seem like other people would catch her and do something to her if she hit this man.

As she got down from her chair to put her first plan into action.

“Miss.”

“Yes, yes?”

While she was firmly gripping the round part of the chair, someone called her. When she turned around, it was that young-faced bellboy who had guided her here earlier. To avoid showing her surprise, Daphne straightened her upper body and put her hands behind her back.

“Over there, it seems someone has been staring at you continuously, do you perhaps know them?”

Daphne blinked and slowly turned to where the bellboy was pointing. There seemed to be about seven or eight black-haired people gathered playing group poker with boisterous sounds.

Of course, among them there wasn’t anyone particularly eye-catching.

‘……’

Daphne’s gaze met with the gaze that had been watching her all this time.

Green eyes.

Her eyes lowered automatically. Then she brought her hand to her lips and shook her head. The bellboy waited for Daphne’s answer with an innocent face.

“I don’t know them. Could you please go and ask them to be careful? Tell them it’s f*cking annoying.”

Daphne coldly sat back down. The bellboy who had tilted his head bowed and disappeared. She tried hard to soothe her pounding heart.

“Crazy bastard.”

Even though she only saw him very briefly, the impression that he was handsome today too came out naturally. Chadwick, who overheard the curse, tilted his head.

Daphne put strength in her eyes to suppress her anger that she had momentarily held back, and to not look back again to admire his face.

‘Looking back means completely losing, Daphne Beaucater.’

Just then, a new hand was being scattered in front of her.