Chapter 236: The Greed Game

New Nellie Castle.

The castle, which is usually referred to only as “The castle,” Is a place I have looked up to ever since I was born.

Few citizens have ever set foot in it. It was at a facility under the castle that I once had a meeting with a high-ranking official.

I might be proud of what I saw today for the rest of my life.

Still, I couldn't help but want to leave as soon as possible.

If you look to the right, you see a dignitary; if you look to the left, you see a dignitary; if you look to the front, you see a dignitary. That's New Nellie Castle, give me a break.

Despite the fact that it was billed as a luncheon, I had no idea what the food tasted like.

With this luncheon, the awarding of the prizes was concluded.”

With these words, the tension in the room eased a little.

I could finally go home. Everyone, including myself, must have thought so.

About a dozen or so of the top scorers of the card tournament had come to the castle. Like me, this must have been their first time climbing the castle, and no matter who I looked at, they were always wobbling and shaking. Sure I was wobbly too.

In the morning, I was escorted to the castle by officials, given a memento by a knight in person, and invited to a luncheon in the castle by dignitaries. .

Hact of the Vayna Chamber of Commerce.”

When he was suddenly called by name, his mind his went blank.

It was painful as if my heart had been seized. I was so nervous that I could not breathe and could not reply.

Fortunately, I was not the only one who was called. One or two more names followed after mine.

…… And finally, Vidardo, from the Holy City of Maguaussee. The four of you who have won the grand prize will now move on to the next room.

Vidardo, the young man I had met yesterday, who was sitting next to me, turned to me.

Is it finally time for the young sama to appear?”

……Please don't say anything else.

I mean, you are from the Holy City. That's not what I heard yesterday at the bar. …… Did you fake it to get attention because you're better known in the Holy City? In the Holy City at one point and I don't think he's going to be ragged, but …… I think it's too late for any more disrespect.

The young man said, “These people will receive a word of praise from the young master himself. Please be mindful of your place in the world and be discreet.”

…… I never thought the nobleman would actually appear.

The air in the room seemed to stir without a sound.

The four of you, this way.

A small voice was heard saying, “Oh,” And the air was filled with a somewhat envious feeling.

They were already on their way home. They are probably looking after us comfortably as if we were someone else's business.

I can't believe we're going to have an audience with a young lord …… Nobleman at New Nellie Castle. I was in such a state that my knees were shaking so badly that I couldn't even stand up .

The eyes of the dignitaries looking at me hurried me to my feet in a desperate attempt to get out of the luncheon room.

Two of the three best men waiting there had grim expressions on their faces.

'An audience this time, huh? I'm looking forward to it.

Only one person, Vidardo, looked the same as yesterday.

Accompanied by the dignitaries, the four commoners, including myself, proceeded down the corridor.

I had no time to look around, my mind was preoccupied with the question of when we would arrive at our destination. I grabbed the memento that was given to me just a few moments ago with both hands, consciously. A gift received directly from a knight.

Before we knew it, we were standing in front of a large door.

The door was made of metal and had a heavy feel to it. Was there an audience room beyond this door?

The dignitary who led us away was called away by an old gentleman who came along the way. The only person related to the castle who is present is a maid who is waiting a little distance away.

An audience is always a terrifying experience. But I'd rather get it over with quickly than be on the edge of my seat waiting in the wings like this. ……The feelings of waiting for a criminal to be sent to the executioner's table might be something like this.

As I waited in silence for a while, a middle-aged man standing next to me looked at me. He had won the grand prize in the seven-aligned category.

I think his name was Tanfa. It is hard to remember his name because he is more famous in the Chamber of Commerce.

'Do you know who it was that took the dignitary earlier?'

Tang Hwa whispered in a low voice.

I think he is referring to the old gentleman I mentioned earlier. Of course, there was no way I could know who he was.

Tang Hwa seemed to have guessed the answer from my attitude and continued.

He said, “This is Master Tesch of the House of Lugon.”

I know the House of Lugon.

Knight Lugon is a knight who is involved in the running of the city, so there is no way that he does not know about it.

Don't you know him?

'No, I know the House of Lugon, but……

I don't want to get angry with the maid in the corner for wasting my time talking about such things.

I don't think you know them by the way you talk. Master Teche's mother is Paulette.

…… Is that the Lady Paulette who served as the Squire of the Five Lords?

The previous great guardian left the city when he was young and went on a journey. The name of the female servant who accompanied him was Paulette.

The story of the area has been turned into a play, and I have seen it several times at the theater in the city. Many of the city's residents know the name Paulette.

Oh, that Paulette, “She said. The Lugon family, it seems, has been entrusted with the personal affairs of the Grand Master's heir because of his travels in the west.”

It was genuinely interesting to see the events of plays and stories connected to reality in this way. After all, commoners and nobles live in different worlds.

I was amazed that he even knew such things. Tang Hwa is the owner of one of the best merchant stores in the city, but he may be involved with the upper echelons of the city on a regular basis.

I envied him that a little. The desire to do business on such a large stage still smolders in the back of my mind.

In other words, if Tesh-sama is moving, does that mean it's a foregone conclusion that the young lord will make an appearance?

'…… That's what I mean.'

When I said the line ahead of time, Tanfa looked bored and then looked up at the ceiling.

I was interrupted by the old man's boast of knowledge.

But it was all right. Let's be careful not to be rude to each other. From what I've seen on ……, You seem to be doing okay.

What, is this what you really wanted to say?

The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should not be afraid to use your own personal computer. Worst case scenario, the whole family will be sent to the executioner's block.

I don't care if it's my own failure, but I don't want other people to get involved.

I seem to be doing all right?

Ah. The young man who was sent to the other room looked dangerous.

The young man who was sent to the other room was …… Vidardo.

Apparently, Vidardo wanted to hand the gift directly to the young lord, so he went directly to a high official. As a result, he was separated from us during the transfer and taken to a separate room. He has not returned to this place even now.

Maybe …… Already got rid of him.”

Tangfa's joke is not very funny.

It is not very funny, because he might really have been disposed of.

Tang-Hwa, it's not funny.

The other best visitor, an elderly woman, interrupted.

Oops. Oh, I beg your pardon, Mr. Selef.

The old lady was rich, judging from her appearance.This was evident in the way Tanfur acted as if he was dealing with a customer.

It is somewhat of a joke that the city's richest man would win the grand prize in the millionaire category of a card tournament.

However, it is just as well. Only a small percentage of people in the city were in possession of playing cards at the time the tournament was held. Most of them are probably merchants or wealthy people who reached out to the government officials to make themselves more memorable or to flatter them. It was inevitable that the top performers would be merchants like me and Tanfa, and rich people like Seref.

I'm not sure about …… Vidardo. I think I bought that one just because it looked interesting.

While I was thinking about this, I heard footsteps in the distance.

Tanfa and Seref kept their mouths shut as if nothing had happened. I followed their example, straightened my posture, and waited for their arrival.

Several dignitaries returned, but Vidaldo was nowhere to be seen.

We have now entered the audience chamber.

The heavy doors were opened and we entered with trepidation.

The young lord was not there yet. I guessed that he would come from now on.

Following the high official's instructions, we checked our standing positions, and I, Tanfa, and Selef lined up side by side at equal intervals, both knees and hands on the floor.

With our posture to greet the nobleman, we just kept our mouths shut and waited for the young lord to appear.

…… Knees don't hurt.

It was only after a while of kneeling that I noticed such a trivial thing. Normally, my knees would have gone numb from the cold, hard floor, but here, with the expensive-looking carpet, it didn't bother me at all.

I felt a dignitary moving behind me, but I couldn't turn around, so I kept the same posture.

In the survey, I felt a distinct change in the air in the room.

The young master is coming. Get down and welcome him.

Tension rose to a fever pitch.

I was already prostrate, but I stiffened my posture with the intention of getting down to my heart's content. I kept my eyes on the floor, trying not to look at the young lord who was about to arrive.

I heard the sound of small footsteps.

I stare at the floor and wait for his voicehis.

'Waka-sama. These three will be the participants in the New Year's Eve card tournament, and they will be the best of the best. The one who has the most victories in each category…….”

I heard a ministerial voice in response to the words of explanation spoken by the dignitaries.

It was a boyish voice. Was this the owner of this voice the young lord?

From right to left, the winners of millionaire's game, seven in a row, and Bubba's game.

Who won the top prizes in poker and neurasthenia?

While we were holding back, it was explained that the awarding of prizes had been completed during the morning and that lunch had been served.

When all this was over, the voice of a high-ranking official turned to us: “Raise your face.

Raise your mask.

Slowly, we moved our heads with great care so as not to be impolite.

The view from the floor gradually turned toward the front of the room. There, sandwiched between the dignitary and the old gentleman, sat a boy.

…… Is this boy the young lord, Mr. Quardenze Wilk?

I'm not sure if you guys had fun at the card game?”

I didn't expect a word from you out of the blue. ……! He is trying to hear the words of a commoner, too.

But I cannot answer. It can be frightening, but an easy answer could be taken as familiarity or rudeness.

I can't respond lightly when I ask him, “…… You there, in the middle, the guy with the seven lines. How about that? That's an order.

Okay, not me.

And I'm sorry for Tangfa, but this is better. I'm sure he can speak up without hesitation, because it would be rude not to answer after being told this much.

'Haha, I will answer your question. It's a card tournament. …… That was a lot of fun. No, I can say that it was not only me, but all the participants and all the citizens who came to I don't remember such an exciting event in my memory. Moreover, it was a great honor for the Midonno Chamber of Commerce to have been given this opportunity to visit the castle.

The praise is not sarcastic, and his voice is well controlled.Tang Hwa's speech was light, indicating that he was accustomed to dealing with the nobleman.

I see. Then how about that bubba next to you?”

Me?

I'm …… Yes! And I enjoyed it very much.”

I wonder if I am speaking properly.

Am I saying the right things?

My head and my words are so staggered that I don't know what I'm saying.

While I was regretting my words, the same questions kept flowing toward Selef.

I thought that one question from a nobleman would be the end of it. But as soon as the young lord heard Selef's thoughts, he immediately asked the next question.

The second question came from Zeref, me, and Tanfa, and the third question came from me, Tanfa, and Zeref.

As we talked in this way, the exchange changed from a question to an almost conversational exchange. Of course, because of the difference in status between the nobility and the commoners, the conversation did not turn into what could be called a discourse.

As we talked, I got the impression that the young lord was interested in how the cards were being treated by the citizens.

He said, “Ho. “Oh, they are playing with playing cards? That's interesting. How do you do it? Tesh, keep it in mind.

When I told him about a popular game in the union, he unexpectedly took me up on it. ….., But when I saw how interested the young lord was, I had no choice but not to talk about it.

Even though he is a nobleman, he seems like an ordinary boy when he talks like this.

I don't know if my nervousness eased or if I was too nervous and went over my limit, but I think I was able to explain well without stuttering.

'…… I see, there's a new play going on under the castle that I don't know about.'

Then the young lord looked at the old gentleman, Tesh-sama, standing nearby.

A new game is an exciting one. You who have shown yourselves capable of it at the card tournament will understand. I have prepared a new game for you.

As the young lord said this, the dignitaries who had been waiting behind him began to move.

A large desk and two chairs were set up between us and the young lord, and a maid placed something on it. We, kneeling on the floor, cannot see what it is.

What is the hsiung? What in the world is about to begin?

Silence.”

One of the dignitaries stood next to the desk and pointed his palm at us. He was blackmailing us, as if he were trying to get us all to calm down.

Those of you who have performed well in the card tournament will be given a chance to try your hand at it,” He said.

Stand up, “The official motioned with his hand. We quietly lifted our knees off the floor and stood up.

Our eyes were raised, but we could not make out the identity of the object on the desk.

This is a game of wits. Depending on your cleverness and inspiration, you may even be rewarded with an even greater prize.

The maid stepped closer to the desk and put her hand on the cloth as if to match the high official's words for her.

The maid takes a step closer to the desk and touches a piece of cloth.

The maid removes the cloth.

The maid takes the cloth away, “——– —- Greed game.”

On the desk was a beautiful box without a lid and a pile of dazzling gold coins.

I couldn't help but gaze at them. The words of the official, who explained that the game meant play, barely registered in my mind.

There are a hundred Kiris gold coins in this place right now.

I gasped.

All these gold coins piled up on the desk were all Cirith gold coins, he said. Nobles, knights, and big store owners might be familiar with this amount of gold, but it is too much for a small merchant house like ours to handle.

Get ready.”

Following the high official's instructions, the maid carefully places the gold coins on the desk into the box. The sound of metal scraping against metal echoed well in the quiet hall.

Finished.”

The maid steps back with these words.

'Now this box contains one hundred Cirith gold coins.

The dignitaries turn the box at a slight angle so that we can see its contents. The gold coins, shining like gold, were there. Subconsciously, I nodded.

The challenger comes this way.

Then another dignitary appears. Is he acting as the challenger?

The official sat down on a chair facing the desk with the box on it. The official who is explaining the situation sits in the chair facing him. The two officials were facing each other across the desk.

The challenger takes gold coins from this box.

As he said this, the official playing the role of the challenger took three gold coins from the box and showed them to us.

When the other player took a gold coin, we would take turns.

The official who was explaining the game put his hand in the box, took out the gold coins, and showed them to us.In his hand he was a Kiris gold coin.

You must take at least one gold coin from the box.

The two officials placed the gold coins in their hands on the table.The official playing the challenger had three coins in his hand, and the official playing the explainer had one in his hand.

The same process is repeated in turn until there are no more gold coins left in the box.

Again the dignitary playing the challenger took a gold coin from the box and placed it in his hand.This time he took out two coins.The turn then went to the official who was playing the role of explanation.

One, two, three, two, three, two, three, two, one, three ……, The two officials took gold coins from the box and placed them in their respective hands. Was shown slowly, but it gradually became faster and faster, and gold coins were taken out of the box one after another.

After a few dozen turns, the dignitary playing the role of the challenger stopped moving with his hand in the box.

He who takes the last one ……, That is, the 100th Kiris gold coin, is the one who is truly greedy.

The dignitary playing the role of challenger took out three gold coins and turned the box upside down.

Not a single gold coin fell to the floor; all 100 must have been removed from the box.

The truly greedy, that is, are the winners of the game of greed.”

With the 100th gold coin in his hand, the official playing the role of the challenger placed his hand on the small pile of gold coins he had collected.

The winner then gets all the gold he has secured.”

I was getting thirsty.

He was saying that the winner would get the gold coins …… That we were given the opportunity to try.

Could it be that I might get that much gold……?

The dignitary playing the role of challenger, who had no way of knowing my expectations his, calmly counted the small pile in his hand.

'Fifty-four, fifty-five, fifty-six……. I took fifty-six Kyris gold coins from the box. If I were a real challenger, I could leave the castle with 56 Kiris gold coins in my hand.”

I am immensely impressed.

Fifty-six Kilis gold coins. That's a hell of a lot of money. With that much, I could reach out to a much larger business than I have now.

Is there any danger at ……? Maybe for the winners, but what about the losers?

Then the loser, the high official in charge of explaining the situation, got up from his chair without touching the gold coins piled up in his hand.

The loser will leave the castle with nothing.”

If there was nothing in particular to be punished for, that was good.

If he had to pay a fine for the gold he lost, his life would be over.

“That's all over……Any questions?”

You and your opponent take turns taking 100 gold coins. You can only take three at a time, and you must take at least one. If you get the last 100 coins, you are the winner and you get the gold coins you have taken so far…….

It is simple and not so difficult.

Both Tanfa and Seref seemed to understand.

The young lord, who had been watching happily until then, opened his mouth again, as if he had received that there were no more questions.

How exciting, isn't it? I'll give you a hundred gold coins.

Indeed, my heart was excited.

It was as if a sleeping ambition had begun to gestate.

We then had to wait elsewhere until the game was ready, but my heart was still beating strongly.

The dignitaries led us to a small waiting area in the corner of the audience hall. It was a simple structure enclosed by a curtain, and did not seem like a space that would be permanently set up.

The waiting area was not too small for the three of us (myself, Tanfa, and Seref), but the curtain prevented us from seeing what was going on outside.

Why are we waiting in this place?

The first challenger, Selef.”

A high official's voice came from outside the curtain.

The order of the challenge was: Selef, Tanfa, and me, in that order. Before we moved to the waiting area, we were asked who would challenge first, but we were so reserved with each other that no one spoke, and then the young lord decided that we should come out in order from the right.

I was glad that I was not the first, but I was a little nervous about being the last. I would have preferred to be second.

Come.

The dignitary appeared through a gap in the curtain at the entrance to the waiting area, and Selef was led out.

I did not know what was behind the curtain, but I could sense his nervousness in him.

One hundred Kiris gold coins is another bold……

As if to insist that his voice would not be heard in this place, Tanfa pointed to the curtain and whispered, “You may not be able to get to all 100 coins, but you can get to the other side of the curtain.

Even if we can't get all 100 coins, we might be able to get 50.”

I leaned closer to Tang Hwa and responded in the quietest voice possible.

I was more eager to succeed in this challenge than I was to get angry when the higher-ups found out. Right now, anyway, I wanted to exchange views with Tangfa.

'If we can take three big pieces each in the early stages and adjust well at the end of the game, we might win big.

I see.

That's why it's called a game of greed.

Like playing cards, the young lord seems to be fond of new games.

When I said this, Tang Hwa looked at me curiously.

I said, and Tangfa looked at me with a curious expression. What, you didn't notice? Your opponent in the greed game is that young lord.”

I thought I was playing with a high official.

I didn't think so, with a nobleman?

But Tang Hwa seemed convinced of that idea.

He said that the reason why they had built this waiting area and separated it with a curtain was so that no one but themselves could see the commoners and nobles playing together at the same table.

The “…… Please ……… Please ……..”

…… Oh, I'll be entertained.”

And as if to prove it, I heard Seref and a young boy's voice from behind the curtain. Tangfa and I shut our mouths without exchanging a word, and together we listened.

We listen together. “…… Take it first or take it later. I will let you choose whichever you like.

It was the voice of the young lord.

Apparently, he could choose the first or the second move as he liked.

First move is a bold move,” Selef said. Now, how many cards will you take?

Selef's voice was too quiet to be heard.

He must have been nervous, because it sounded like a roar, but I couldn't tell if it was a word or a roar.

'Hoh …… Three cards in the first hand, isn't that greed worthy of the name of a game of greed?

'I think three cards in the first move is a natural decision since you need to earn gold coins early on.

It's good nerve. Then I will honor your courage and take only one card.

Selef got three coins and the young lord got one Kilis gold coin. Unfortunately, we can only judge by their voices here.

While we were eavesdropping frantically, the fight for the gold coins continued.

Based on the young lord's comments, which we sometimes hear, it seems that Selef is determined to get three gold coins.

How long would it take?

It was a very long game, but the time for the game to end came.

Oh,……!

It was Selef's voice his.

There are only four cards left. Come on, take one, three, whatever you want. I see you've been making some adjustments in the final stages, but it seems to have been all for naught.

Oh my God.

And shortly after, the voice of a high official announcing the end of the game echoes through the room. Following it, a faint clinking sound of gold coins being counted could be heard.

The number of gold coins in the hands of the …… Challenger was sixty-eight.”

Sixty-eight coins! She was quite a greedy old woman.

But the challenger did not get the hundredth gold coin. Only a truly greedy person can be a winner and win the gold coins. The …… Challenge is over. Back off.”

A few moments after the words were heard, Selef returned to the waiting area. Apparently, he had come to retrieve the memento he had left here.

He seemed to be so exhausted from the game with the young lord that he didn't even have the energy to talk to us.

The next challenger, Tanfa.

……Yes, sir.”

This time, Tanpha left.

This time, Tanfa left.

Hi.”

It was Vidardo, who had been sent to another room.

He looked as good as ever.

He moved his face close to mine, covered his mouth with his hand, and spoke in a whisper.

My intention to speak quietly seemed to have been understood, and Vidardo responded in a similar volume.

Vidardo responded in an equally loud voice, “I got your approval to bring in the offerings. At first they looked at me with some reluctance. The officials will bring the things themselves.

No, I didn't mean whether he was okay with it or not, but whether he hadn't been reprimanded……. Well, it's okay.

So, have you heard what we're going to do now?”

I heard from the official in the other room.

Well, that's all right, then.

But Vidardo put his hand to his chin his.

'Even at ……, I'm curious about what the young sama said. I want to know what kind of person he is.”

Tell me what kind of exchange took place in this room, Vidardo said. I told him I would tell him as much as I could about such things after I returned from the castle, but he persisted. Keep refusing to …… Talk to him.

I was so nervous that I only remember parts of it.

So I told him everything I could remember, including my conversation with the young master, the explanation of the game by the dignitaries, and the interactions during the game.

Fortunately, Tanfa seemed to be making a sales pitch for his own business association to the young lord, and the game did not start well.

He said, “Well, you can choose to play first or second. I guess I'll be given the chance to play …….

The first challenger chose the first move. The second player, who is about to start, is …… To choose the first move.

Then a voice came from behind the curtain.

It was called the Greed Game, and I would like to be greedy.

The same as the previous challenger? Let's see who is truly greedy this time.

It seemed that Tanhwa had also chosen to make the first move.

Three cards in the first move. I'm going to limit myself to one card so that I can enjoy this game for a long time.

Vidardo exhaled as he heard the young lord's voice.

The challenger loses.

What the hell is this guy talking about …….

It's still his first turn his, and he's only got four gold coins out of the box.

Don't you see?”

He asked, looking at me puzzled, and continued.

I have a winning strategy for this game.

Vidardo's words made me nod my head.

A winning strategy?

Yes, a winning strategy.

Even as he said this, the challenge behind the curtain continued.

As for me, I'm more interested in how Tanfa fights.I wanted to listen to him, but Vidardo continued to talk without regard to my feelings for him.

What was the victory condition for this game?”

He was so confident that I decided to turn my attention to him for a moment.

'It was to get the hundredth gold coin, wasn't it?

Yes, you win if you get the hundredth piece. In short, you win if you get the zero.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

Vidardo looked satisfied, but I wondered if he thought this was the end of the explanation.

I don't get it at all.

Why?”

'No one can understand what you just explained.

The half-baked explanation made me half-heartedly curious.

I turned my attention completely to Vidardo.

When you take the 96th gold coin, there are four gold coins left in the box, and no matter how many coins your opponent takes, there are 100 left in the box. No matter how many coins my opponent takes, I can still get the 100th coin.”

If the opponent takes one, there are 3 gold coins left in the box. You win if you take 3 gold coins on your turn.

If the opponent takes two coins, there are two gold coins left in the box. You win if you take two gold coins in your turn.

If your opponent takes 3 gold coins, you have 1 gold coin left in the box. You win if you take one on your turn.

Then the 100th gold coin is definitely yours. In fact, Selef was forced into that situation earlier and lost.

……Well, I can understand that, can't I?

That's what I mean.”

No, go on with your explanation.

“……, It's the same thing. You've got to figure out what you have to do to get the winning 96th piece.”

I was tempted to tell him everything, but I was slightly intrigued, so I decided to figure it out myself.

What do I have to do …… To get the 96th one?

Would I have to get the 95th, 94th, and 93rd cards from the other side? That way I can take the 96th card myself, just like the 100th card I just took.

In other words, I should push the 95th, 94th, and 93rd cards to my partner.

…… Means that we can take the 92nd gold coin and give our turn to our opponent.Since you can only take a maximum of three coins, if you take the 92nd coin and hand over your turn, your opponent will be Forced to grab the 93rd, 94th, or 95th coin.

You say, “The ……92 card?”

Yes, that's right. Then how many cards do I have to take to get the 92nd card?”

The idea remains the same: You force the 91st, 90th, or 89th card on your opponent, so you can take the 88th card.

Eighty-eight.

Next.

84, 80, and so on. I soon realized that all I had to do was draw a four.

I am a merchant, so I can do this level of arithmetic without any problem.

“…24, 20, 16, 12, 8, 4, 0.”

Look, if you get the zero card, you win, right?”

That being said, I was stumped. Besides, as I was doing the subtraction, I was not sure what was going on.

What does it mean to take the zero card in the first place?

Let's see, what was it …… In short, in order to get the 100th piece, I had to take the 96th piece.

Let's ignore the “Zero” For now, just take the fourth card, and taking the fourth card should mean the same thing as taking the 96th card.

If taking the fourth card in hand means you win, does that mean ……. That the second hand is a must-win?”

That's what I meant.”

You can't be first to grab the fourth gold coin.

So, you should give the first move to the young lord and ask him to take either one, two, or three gold coins. Then I can take the fourth gold coin.

……Ah.”

Then I understood the meaning of the term “Take the 0th coin.

To choose the later move can be said to be “Not to take the gold coins. In a sense, it can also be said that I “Took the 0th piece.

Suppose I give up the first move to the young lord and he takes one piece. Then I would take three coins. Then I would be the one who took the fourth gold coin in total.

Next, no matter how many gold coins his son-in-law takes, if I move to take the 8th coin, I will be able to take up to the 96th coin …….

When the 96th piece is taken, there are 4 gold coins left in the box. Even if the young lord takes one, two, or three, I can still grab the 100th coin, the gold coin of victory.

…….. Huh? Could this really be a winning strategy?

'Maybe, if we take the back hand, Wakasama will take three cards ahead of us.

Why is that?

To see if you know how this works. If you really know how it works, you know that you win when you get the fourth card. That's why I can only take one card. So, if a challenger gets three cards back, you know he's just kind of choosing the back hand.

That's true.

To grab the fourth card is to win. You can never miss.

The next turn after taking the fourth card, young Sama should take another three gold coins. But in order to get the eighth piece, we can only take one piece. This goes on all the way to the 100th piece. Can someone who doesn' t know how it works stand it?”

I thought that was impossible.

The number of gold coins I took out of the box by myself would be the prize money when I won.No one would be stupid enough to take out one gold coin at a time without a reason when three gold coins were being taken out right in front of his eyeshis.

He humbly chooses to play later and collects only the minimum number of gold coins, one at a time. From the outside, the game is won by such an unselfish person. Greedy game, that's quite a fancy name you gave it.

Indeed.

I think it's more of a twisted name than a pun.

I'm not sure I'd be able to grasp the essence of the game as soon as I heard how it's played……. Despite his appearance, this Vidardo man seems to be quite a wise man.

I lost too.”

It was Tangfa who suddenly called out to me.

It seemed that the game had ended while Vidardo and I were talking. He, too, seemed to be worn out from the challenge to the nobles, and left the audience hall as soon as he collected the memento that had been left here.

The next challenger, Hacto.

I moved to the gap in the curtain as my name was called.

He said that Vidardo would be the last challenger because of his late arrival.I thanked him for teaching me the winning strategy and left the waiting area.

Take the chair in front of you.

I followed the high official's instructions and sat down in the chair placed by the entrance.

On the desk was a neatly arranged collection of gold Kyris coins, their golden glow dazzling.

With a winning formula, I could go home with a piece of this ……. The thought made my heart race, which was different from nervousness.

'Two left. You were bubba.'

Tesh-sama pulled out a chair and the young lord sat down with a plop.

Now, let's have some fun. What's your turn?

It's a nobleman. It's a nobleman…….!

Oh, no, I have to speak. I must choose a winning backhand!

“……, The back hand, please…….”

The dignitary standing to my left carefully places the gold coins in the box.

I thanked him and said hello while he did so. I was so focused on choosing the latter that I almost forgot to do so. Watch out.

However, it seems that my mind was a little more relaxed after my earlier conversation with the young lord about playing cards.

One hundred cards have been placed in the box.

A box was placed in the center of the desk.

From this position, I could not see all of the contents due to the angle of the box, but I could not stretch my neck to peek into the box. Well, there is no need to wonder if there are gold coins in the box.

The rectangular box is made of reddish wood and is decorated with flowers and grasses in gold and silver. Even without the gold coins, this one box would be quite a fortune.

If you chose the latter, then I am ahead of you. Then I shall take three pieces of greed, as the name of the game implies.”

…… Vidardo was right!

I crush my body and mind, which are about to rejoice, with a desperate thought.

'Then I will take one, please.

The fourth one.

The fourth card, the one that would lead me to victory, I clutched tightly and placed it on the desk, in front of my belly.

I pushed the fifth, sixth, and seventh cards to the young lord, and I went for the eighth card, the next winning number.

He said, “Oh, you want just one card, you selfless thing. Then I'll take another three.

Three again! It's just as I expected.

I'm starting to sweat. I must calm down.

Now the total number of gold coins taken out of the box is seven.

Be selfless, self.

One Kilis gold coin at a time is enough to get you a lot of money. If I were to get greedy and take three coins here, the young lord would come back to take back his must-win number of coins. So don't be greedy even for a moment.

Abnegation is the winning strategy in the game of greed.

I took one gold coin, careful not to let my fingers slip with sweat.

The eighth gold coin in total was now in my possession.

Next, the young lord takes three gold coins, then I take one, then three, then one, then three ……, And the gold coins are decreasing.

I wonder if Tesh-sama and the dignitaries know that I know the winning strategy.I glance at him, but there is no change in his expression or demeanor his.

I'm sure I'm……Not wrong.

If we keep doing this, we can win.

I grab the 52nd gold coin from the box.

I now have 13 gold coins saved up.

I get the 56th gold coin from the box.

I have 14 gold coins in my pocket.

I get the 60th gold coin from the box.

I now have 15 gold coins saved.

I'm going to …… Lose my head.

At this point, I know that I will receive 15 Kiris gold coins.

Fifteen Kilis gold coins, fifteen gold coins. Fifteen Kilis gold coins! Such a large sum of money for free! And there is still room for more!

With this much money, we should be able to greatly expand our current business. In addition, we can buy thick-haired rabbits, which are considered a rare and precious species. I would like to see the thick-haired rabbits that are used as pets in the western part of Japan.

Suppressing my growing excitement, I took out the 72nd gold coin from the box. Victory was at hand.

As long as the young lord continued to take three coins, I only needed to take one. There was no need to think about anything else.

My dreams and hopes are growing endlessly.

I don't have to do any calculations.

Perhaps it is because I can afford to do so.

Ah……”

I involuntarily looked at the boy sitting in front of me.

The brightly stained outfit made of New Nellie silk stood out.

Beautiful hair as blue as the spring sky that was neatly arranged, and unblemished fingertips that took gold coins …….

Nobility.

Yes, this boy is a nobleman.

A true family of lords who reign even higher …… Than the knights who rule this city of New Nellie, where I live. He is a young lord,…….

A being who can easily obliterate a commoner with a single mood, with a single look.

“What's up? It's your turn.”

“Hahi…… Yes! Sorry to keep you waiting.

Is…… Good?

My body was turning cold.

It was fear.

To hide my trembling fingertips, I clutched the gold coin tightly.

It was heavy.

Just one Kiris gold coin feels so heavy that I can't pull it off with my fingers.

I somehow managed to declare the number of pieces I had taken and handed my turn to the young lord.

I am close to winning.

It's……, But is it really good?

I'm selfless,” He said. Since a few minutes ago, all you've taken is one card.

My chest tightened as if my heart had been crushed.

The young lord has a smile on his face.It is an innocent smile, as if he is enjoying this game.

But…… Is that really the case?

He said that the greed game is just for fun.

But even if it is just a game, is it really good for me, a commoner, to triumph over the aristocrats,……?

I don't know.

I can't say that there is no such thing …… That I will be accused of rudeness and be beheaded.

Perhaps the other challengers thought about that, and lost on purpose,……? Selef, a wealthy man, and Tanfa, a wealthy merchant,…… It is not surprising to think that they were defeated intentionally .

It's a winning strategy that Vidardo spotted right away, and I'm sure everyone was actually aware of it, just because he's not very smart himself.

I was happy to hear that it was a winning strategy, but is it really …… A good one?

Despite my desire to pause the game, the number of gold coins was decreasing rapidly.

With each move of our hands, the time of settlement was mercilessly drawing nearer.

Why did Vidardo teach me the winning strategy? Perhaps I was a test.

Was I the experimental subject to confirm whether a commoner could triumph over a noble ……?

I am afraid.

If I incurred great dispersion, not only myself but also my family might be thrown out of office.

Should I really risk that and still choose to win?

Right now, I have 20 Kiris gold coins on hand: …….

That's a lot of money. A dizzying sum of money.

But to get it, I must take a gamble.

You must overcome the possibility of ruin in order to grasp the future of hope.

Box.

The fable of Pandora's Box comes to mind.

This box contains hope and disaster.

Is it really something we can reach for ……?

What you get is the hope of a large amount of Kiris gold coins.

If I am unlucky, the disaster of killing my entire family…….

I am …… So willing to take such a terrible gamble.

Can I be “Greedy” ——?

I'm not sure. …………….Ah.”

Sweat dripped on the desk.

“Oh ……, After all, one piece at a time, the prize money is …… Less …….”

The answer is no.

I'm going to be greedy here and take three gold coins,……

I can't be that greedy.

I can't be that stupid or that great a man that I'd be willing to put my life on the line to get three gold coins.

You knew it, I am someone who can't open the box.

It's a game of Abnegation wins, but you're wrong.

You were told that from the very beginning.

That's not me.

“……, I see.”

The 88th piece, which was necessary for victory, is pulled out by the young lord's clean fingers. When I saw this, I felt the sweat on my back suddenly turn cold.

My defeat was now confirmed.

After that, I just kept pulling them out one by one, three at a time. I couldn't help but want to get out of here as soon as possible.

Naturally, it was the young lord who took the 96th card, which confirmed his victory.

I guess I win.”

'Za, I'm sorry.

Then he said in a voice that only I could hear.

I am truly sorry.

It was a disappointed voice.

Perhaps I was thinking too much. Maybe the young lord didn't care about winning or losing,…… Or maybe he wanted someone to notice how it worked.

If so, it is possible that he was more offended by the fact that he lost on purpose.

What should we do?

Should I make any excuses?

But the eyes of Mr. Tesh and the dignitaries were telling me to back off.

I finished my greetings and got up from my chair.

'Um,…… I'm going back to get my souvenirs……'

I ask, pointing to the waiting area.

The dignitary, who was cleaning up after the match, indicated that I should go get it quickly by paying with his hand.

My whole body felt terribly heavy, but I forced myself to move it and returned to the waiting area.

'How could you have lost?

I said, “I'll take it…….”

Vidardo, who was waiting in the waiting area, seemed genuinely doubtful.

I cannot answer it satisfactorily now that I have confronted and escaped from a life-threatening situation.

Things don't always go according to plan.”

“Oh, really? Oh, well. I'm next.

His easygoing tone his never seemed to change.

I was going to give him some advice, but I sensed that it was unnecessary. He would triumph over the young lord without a care in the world.

Oh, go all out,” He said. For me, the greed game is …… Different. It is not a game in which the selfless win. Only the truly greedy can bring home the …… Gold coins…….

I need to leave the audience chamber early because the young lord and Vidarde are going to play a game.

There were three mementos on the chair, so I checked one of them, my own memento, and picked it up.

'I don't know what it is, but the truly greedy win……?'

His voice had an air of a boy plotting mischief.

The first thing to do is to make sure that you have the right tools and the right equipment.

My head was already tired.But Vidardo's comment was the only thing that bothered me.I wanted to know what the man who had come up with the winning strategy was going to say.

What did he mean by “…… Greed?”

I said, “No, it's no big deal. It's no big deal. So I decided to give it my best shot and have fun.”

He seemed to be having so much fun that it was hard to believe that he was preparing for a game with dozens of gold coins at stake.

Then he turned to me and declared, “I'm going to take home the gold coins.

I'm taking home 100 gold coins.