"But I wasn't the one who suggested it though???"
Zhan waved his arms around frantically, his face showing pure panic as he tried to explain himself to everyone in the room. His voice cracked with desperation, and sweat started forming on his forehead while he looked around for support. Everyone stared at him with disappointed expressions, making the whole situation even more uncomfortable for the young master.
"YOUNG MASTER, THAT'S STILL THE SAME!"
All of them said at the same time.
—Maria, help me out!
Zhan screamed in his thoughts, his eyes darting toward Maria with a pleading look that begged for her help. He was mentally calling out to her like a drowning man reaching for a lifeline. His face showed pure desperation as he hoped she would jump in and save him from this mess.
"Heh!"
Maria chuckled at his desperate situation, clearly enjoying the show as she decided to help him out with a mischievous grin. She could see how panicked he was getting, and it looked like she had some kind of plan brewing in her mind. Her playful smile told everyone that she was about to say something interesting.
"Y-know what they say? 99.9% of gamblers quit before they hit big!"
Everyone went silent again, looking at Maria.
"MARIA, YOU'RE JUST AS STUPID AS THE YOUNG MASTER IS!"
"Though, it is true. There's a chance we might make big money with it."
Zhan sat back down in his chair, his expression becoming deadly serious as he started thinking about their financial situation. His playful attitude disappeared completely, replaced by the cold reality of their money problems. The weight of responsibility settled on his shoulders as he realized this might actually be their only option.
"I swear... You guys are going to make me brain dead..."
Daer slapped his own face with his palm, letting out a long sigh as he watched his young master and Maria make reckless decisions. His patience was wearing thin, and the stress lines on his forehead were getting deeper by the minute. The loyal butler looked like he was aging ten years just from this conversation alone.
"Guys. I'm sorry. It's just the only way to make money."
The room was filled with chattering.
"Everyone. We should support Zhan with all we've got, he's doing all of this for us!"
Maria defended Zhan with her voice booming like thunder, slamming her fist on the table to get everyone's attention. Her fierce loyalty showed through as she stood up for him against the others who were doubting his plan. The determination in her eyes made it clear that she believed in Zhan completely, even if his ideas seemed crazy.
"Haah... Well, there's no choice. We are desperate to make money right now..."
"Yeah..."
Dae and Gandalon agree with the plan, nodding.
"Alright, Daer, recommend me a place to gamble!"
Zhan jumped up from his seat with renewed energy, pointing his finger directly at Daer with a confident smile spreading across his face. His whole attitude changed from apologetic to determined, like a switch had been flipped inside his head. The young master was ready to take action, and his excitement was starting to fill the room.
"The Black Moon. It's an underground free-for-all fighting grounds where nobles and commoners alike gamble. It's a trusted place."
Daer answered immediately without hesitation, like he already knew exactly what place to recommend for gambling. His quick response made everyone wonder how much he actually knew about these underground spots. The butler tried to keep his expression neutral, but there was a hint of familiarity in his voice when he mentioned the place.
"Seems you've been in that place, haven't you Daer?"
Zhan looked at him with a teasing grin, clearly enjoying the chance to catch his serious butler in an awkward moment. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he watched Daer's reaction to the accusation. The young master was having fun turning the tables and making his butler feel uncomfortable for once.
"N-no I have not, Young Master."
He stutters.
—He certainly has.
Zhan chuckled internally, finding it amusing how obvious Daer was being about his lie right now. The butler's nervous stutter and shifty eyes gave him away completely, making it clear he knew more than he was letting on. Zhan decided to let it slide for now, but he made a mental note to tease him about it later.
"Maria, would you like to come with me and gamble?"
Zhan turned to her with a relaxed smile, casually putting his hands in his pockets as he made the invitation. His confident posture showed that he was serious about this gambling plan, despite all the chaos from earlier. The way he asked made it sound like he was inviting her on a fun adventure rather than a risky money-making scheme.
"What a way to court a woman, Zhan."
Maria grabbed his hand with a teasing smile, pulling him toward the door as she decided to go along with his crazy plan. Her comment made him blush slightly, but she was already dragging him out of the dining room before he could respond. The two of them left together, leaving everyone else behind to worry about what they were getting themselves into.
<-<-<-<-<-<-༒︎->->->->->->
"So... This is the Black Moon..?"
Zhan looked around at the underground arena, taking in all the sights and sounds of this hidden world beneath the city. The place was much bigger and fancier than he had expected, with multiple levels and fancy decorations everywhere. His eyes moved from one interesting detail to another, trying to process everything he was seeing for the first time.
"The place certainly is well-maintained!"
Maria exclaimed with excitement, her voice filled with amazement as she looked around at the clean and organized underground facility. She had expected some dirty, run-down place, but this looked more like a luxury entertainment venue. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she took in all the impressive architecture and lighting systems.
Both of them stood on the floating platform along with dozens of other spectators who were cheering loudly for the fighters below. The fighting ring was perfectly lit, showing every detail of the battle between skilled warriors who were giving their all for the crowd's entertainment. The atmosphere was electric, with money changing hands as people placed their bets on different fighters.
"Hey there young lady."
A sleazy man grabbed Maria's arm with his dirty hands, making both her and Zhan immediately uncomfortable with his unwanted touch. His breath smelled like alcohol, and his clothes were wrinkled and stained from spending too much time in gambling dens. The stranger's eyes had a greedy look that made it clear he had bad intentions toward Maria.
"Hey!"
Zhan quickly slapped the man's hand away from Maria's arm, his protective instincts kicking in as anger flashed across his face. He stepped closer to Maria, putting himself between her and the creepy stranger who had dared to touch her. His voice was sharp and threatening, making it clear that he wouldn't tolerate any more unwanted advances.
"Heh."
The man smiled in a way that showed he was pleased with Zhan's reaction, like this was exactly what he had been hoping for. His grin was nasty and confident, suggesting that he had some kind of plan brewing in his twisted mind. The stranger's attitude made it obvious that he wasn't going to back down just because Zhan had pushed him away.
—What a fucking pervert...
Zhan felt disgusted by this creepy guy's behavior, his stomach turning at the thought of what this man might be planning. The way the stranger looked at Maria made Zhan's skin crawl, and he could feel his anger building up inside him. Every instinct told him that this guy was dangerous and that they needed to be careful around him.
"Say, you guys must be here to gamble? Am I right?"
"You sure are quick to catch on for a pervert."
Zhan replied with a cold smile, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he made it clear that he didn't like this guy at all. He wanted to insult the stranger while also showing that he wasn't intimidated by whatever game this creep was trying to play. His confident attitude was meant to hide the fact that he was actually worried about what this man might do next.
"So, let me make a deal: Down there, is the Mighty Knight Basher, Harold. And the one facing him, is Nut Cracker, Daniel. Whether the one you chose wins, you get anything from your choice, and if the one I chose wins, I... Get to enslave your cute maid."
Zhan felt his blood boil at the disgusting proposal, his hands clenching into fists as he realized what this sick man was suggesting. The idea of anyone treating Maria like property made him want to punch this creep in the face immediately. His protective instincts were screaming at him to get Maria away from this dangerous situation as quickly as possible.
"No th—"
"Yes, he wants to accept."
Before Zhan could refuse the terrible bet, Maria jumped in and accepted it without any hesitation, shocking him completely. Her quick decision left him speechless and panicked, wondering why she would agree to something so risky and dangerous. He stared at her in disbelief, trying to understand what she was thinking by putting herself in such a terrible position.
"Maria!"
Zhan whispered to her urgently, his voice filled with panic and confusion as he tried to understand her decision. He grabbed her arm gently, pulling her slightly away from the stranger so he could talk to her privately. His eyes were wide with worry, and his heart was racing as he realized the serious consequences of what she had just agreed to.
"Don't worry. We'll win this gamble."
"99.9% of the gamblers quit before hitting big."
Maria chuckled with that same teasing tone she always used, but her eyes showed a serious determination that told Zhan she actually believed they could win. Her confidence was both reassuring and terrifying, since she was betting her own freedom on this fight between strangers. The way she repeated her favorite gambling quote made it clear that she was fully committed to this risky plan.