Chapter 211

Just spacing out.

I managed to kill time, which I called meditation—a name that served as an excuse—for about 30 minutes, even if I couldn’t completely clear my mind.

The 24-hour news channel was on the TV in front of me, but… as could be expected, I wasn’t concentrating at all.

Instead, I focused on churning out my self-reflection, self-blame, and disappointments, which were swirling inside me.

I wanted to emphasize that I was busy yet relaxed in my own way… Of course, I hadn’t lost my conscience to the point of claiming this was a productive activity.

“Ugh…”

– You should really get your act together. Wasn’t it from the very beginning that you understood the revenue model would have many challenges in sustainability? I believe there’s no reason to be so shocked now. –

As soon as a groan, distant from proper words or sentences, escaped me, Zero, who had been casting worried glances at me as I fused with the furniture, expressed some concerns.

I understood the sentiment to infuse some energy or even urge me up if my cohabitant was sprawled out like the sky was falling after an unexpectedly disappointing experience that had previously been amusing.

But suddenly losing the goose that laid golden eggs! I could not accept the encouragement to either come to terms with it, as I was somewhat prepared for it, or to just brush it off since it had already happened.

Well, in this case, it wasn’t like I personally wielded the knife in the slaughter, and it was more akin to the goose activating an auto-destruct protocol when it sensed something was off. Ahem, anyway.

To briefly explain why I was rambling on like this.

Thanks to Aaron’s not-so-considerate consideration last time, I felt like I had wasted energy disproportionately and unwittingly left a lasting impression on Lagus. I didn’t want to just bury this event as merely a summer memory.

More precisely, the Rendezvous Casino had gone through a ruthless closure process, and all the chips I earned honestly evaporated into thin air.

Not to mention, I felt my wallet shrink dramatically through the humbling process of returning a debit card whose balance I was too scared to check… So, it seemed I had no choice but to actively utilize the lessons learned and factors from that day.

Thus, I was forced to go through with the splendid debut of a living-giving poker player, Anastasia Valentine!

…Honestly, while half of it was a joke, the other half was quite serious.

Having been entangled with two burdensome mega-corps, I figured it would be better to derive some income by creating a new job like before rather than constantly accepting dubious requests that could lead to unsavory individuals.

Considering the chip value I had gained and lost that day, it seemed I could pull in amounts that dwarfed the meager salary of a civil servant, making it look easier to replace the irregular mercenary income I had.

“…Profit! Those damn scoundrels…!”

However, the idea that I could just play along and come out unscathed turned out to be far too simplistic.

I had underestimated how audacious it was for those running such establishments to be unflinching when faced with money.

First of all, I greatly overlooked the organic information-sharing networks among commercial casinos and the whispers circulating within the industry.

It wasn’t just about winning; simply having a high win rate and betting large attracted immense attention. Specifically, when I visited the third casino, I received a separate guide right at the entrance to get straight into the high-stakes tables.

Ah, until that point, there hadn’t been any major problems. It felt more like I was gaining benefactor treatment and basking in the fame of a somewhat named player.

However, the most critical second issue quickly revealed itself.

That was when, by around the seventh outing, nobody wanted to play cards at a community table alongside me.

I mean, seriously. Without exaggeration, it was like encountering some end-of-the-century overlord; everyone would panic and collectively stand up when I sat down.

Whispering about the Black Death behind a perfectly normal person was just too rude.

I learned that gambling ultimately depended on individual choices, wins and losses!

Either way, since others no longer played properly with me, I had no choice but to change my main game accordingly.

No longer engaging in head-to-head games but rather competing against the casino itself to win their money through regular poker and baccarat… and occasionally slot machines for good measure.

In fact, even by that point, I had weighed the slight embarrassment and the countless security checks and constant monitoring against the benefits. Why? Because after all the fees and taxes, I was making not just decent… but unbelievably good money!

Ahem! While I can’t go into too many specifics, let’s just say that the life savings account, which had barely ten million credits left, now had an additional zero and significantly different numbers in front of me.

Now that the brief and sweet “good times” had abruptly ended when the establishments started rejecting me due to accumulated losses, I was left in a position where I wasn’t forcibly driven out nor threatened but was politely shown the door.

Even though repeated investigations could not reveal any wrongdoing, they ultimately couldn’t continue business with me as a target and decided to just lie down, essentially cutting me off.

So that was what I was throwing shade about when I said they had thick skin.

Huh? I’m also a customer! I’m a well-known VIP famous for paying designated fees diligently, yet the managers knelt and begged me not to return!?

How cowardly it was to treat me like a thief…

If I could have gone to a large casino, I wouldn’t have cared, but those places were all under Paradise, and my branch manager would come to “receive” me, meaning I ultimately had to lay down my dream of being a gambler.

– If it was such a loss to have your income source cut off… why not do an interview at the request of that poker journalist, or at least publish a simple memoir of your tips? –

“…No, I won’t do something so embarrassing!!”

I enjoyed earning credits comfortably; I didn’t want to be fodder for gossip or be permanently enshrined in yellow journalism!

While it seemed like he bought me plenty of bizarre components according to his wishes, now he wanted to outline a business model using me, which was troublesome.

I understand that becoming a complete public figure might be more useful in protecting personal safety than quietly hiding, but until the original work begins, I just want to lay low.

“Haaah…”

First, I tucked away my disappointment in a corner of my heart.

I straightened my limbs, which had been sprawled out, and sat upright on the sofa.

The ease of living had hit a snag, and the previously hard economic conditions were finally easing up, so I needed to prepare for the future.

…Oh, right. It’s too early to purchase materials for the dimensional rift interference device since it would tie up too much capital without any clear interest. But perhaps I could start calculating estimates for the exoskeletal gloves I had given up on due to a lack of money and resources in the past.

Or, given the ample empty space in my home, it might be exciting to browse through a catalog of useful auxiliary facilities!

[Kwang——!!]

“Eek!?”

The sudden sound of an explosion and vibration abruptly brought my soaring imagination to a halt.

For the entire building, designed with shock and quake resistance, to tremble like this, it would mean there had to be an earthquake or some war going off beneath my feet. I hurriedly checked outside, but… the usual view was as hazy and bleak as ever due to smog.

I couldn’t see any roaring flames or chaotic accident scenes.

…What was that? What was it?

– …The origin point appears to be very close. Considering the margin of error, it is believed that a heavy object fell in our floor hallway or an adjacent room. Please hold on; I will check quickly. –

“Uh, okay? Sure.”

Although it had startled me somewhat due to the noise.

If that was the first inter-floor noise since I had started living here, I thought there was no need to complain about it intentionally or be picky about it, but I did agree that at least a ‘check’ was necessary.

Now, I wasn’t worried about house prices; since I was no longer a wandering nomad, it wouldn’t hurt to learn about the living environment around me.

And being a nasty neighbor by being overly confrontational was foolish… Oh? Come to think of it, didn’t the person living in the opposite room just move out?

That’s right. I vaguely remember seeing them move out while I was roaming about, jumping from game to game in a perfectly healthy manner.

Thus, the noise I heard a moment ago likely wasn’t just a metaphor but a genuine mistake made while moving a heavy moving box that had dropped.

Perhaps if I just peeked out my front door, I might quickly see the identity of the new neighbor.

If so… since I was going to encounter them anyway, I decided to greet them, but as I turned to Zero.

Sigh, beyond being just brash, there looked to be a fool heading to the hallway with a drawn sword and open gun barrels, oozing with malicious intent…

“Hey, what are you doing!? Are you crazy!”

– …Besides the dull noise, I perceive the presence of multiple beings outside the door. It could be a scheme to draw us out with ill intentions, so it’s best to prepare thoroughly before moving. –

“From appearances alone, you seem to be the most suspicious one in this building! Can’t you just approach a little more personably for the sake of considering other possibilities?!”

– Of course not. –

“Why is that an immediate no?!”

This really felt like a pointless banter.

Even if I stuck close to stop him, I worried about falling or getting hurt, thus hesitating only to subtly adjust Zero’s stride and movements while he left an incredibly poor first impression.

So, what do I do?

If I had just sent Zero to scout and ended up in a fight, someone would have to look on dispassionately like a “dangerously safety-conscious owner” and moderate.

Clack…

Well, even though I pretended to have made some grand resolution, it was ultimately the same as sticking my head out from the crack in the door to assess the situation.

If I were the supreme authority on finances in this household, then Zero would consistently handle the practical combat role, so I ought to respect that judgment.

“……”

“…Huh?”

But then, if the first sight to greet me was a familiar-looking robot, a suspicious figure with a hood pulled deep, and a wall where fragments were still spilling down, how should I react?

At least, there wasn’t an entry in my common sense dictionary regarding that… what to do now?