Chapter 85
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Volume 2 + Chapter 85: The Gambling Den
The Ascension Casino summoned an attendant, who presented a fine wine before him.
“Young master, please enjoy.”
The young master of the Elvin family lifted the goblet, gently swirling it as he observed Serra through the shimmering liquid.
The Cavendish family truly had no sense of propriety.
Disdain simmered in his heart.
Times had changed. In the entire city of Corolle, the Cavendish family was the only relic of the old era. The city no longer had a place for them.
In the eyes of the new merchants’ alliance formed by the rising nobility, the Cavendish family was nothing more than a rotten, antiquated relic—stubbornly clinging to tradition, revering the royal family to the extreme, operating strictly within the bounds of imperial law, and upholding loyalty above all else.
Everyone knew that the most profitable ventures nowadays were those that bypassed the dragon royal family’s oversight.
The dragon royals, far in the north, had never concerned themselves with southern affairs, let alone offered governance or aid. They couldn’t possibly fathom the blood and sweat the new nobility had poured into the city’s rise.
And yet, despite doing nothing, the dragon royals still reaped immense benefits from it all.
It was utterly unacceptable.
Why should they?
Originally, the new merchants’ alliance had sought cooperation with the Cavendish family. With their assistance, circumventing the dragon royals would have been far easier.
It was a proposal where everyone stood to win big—yet the Cavendish family had refused.
All because of some ancient honor bestowed upon them by the dragon royals. To think they’d go so far for such a thing.
How utterly unreasonable.
But it didn’t matter. The influence of the Cavendish name in Corolle was waning by the day.
The head of the Cavendish family was nothing but a worthless fool who thought only of indulgence, squandering the family’s wealth. Sooner or later, he’d run the entire house into the ground.
As for the two young heirs the Cavendish family once had—they had long since vanished without a trace.
Though the Cavendish family had never openly admitted it, everyone had already guessed: those two heirs were likely dead…
The decline of the Cavendish family was inevitable. The only question was when they would finally collapse.
Watching Serra, Oba grew increasingly amused.
Did this woman really think the Cavendish family was still what it used to be? That merely invoking its name would intimidate others?
The times had long since moved on.
“You’ve violated Corolle’s laws. That makes our self-defense entirely justified,” Oba said leisurely. “The Cangqing Gang gang members can be a bit rough. I can’t say for sure how heavy-handed they’ll be.”
More and more dragons appeared, clad in black suits, the same gang emblem pinned to their chests, armed to the teeth.
Some carried greatswords, others wielded massive axes, and a few even held magic staves…
They were the very picture of suited brutes.
“Miss, you’d best surrender quietly. Save yourself the unnecessary pain.”
A hulking member of the Cangqing Gang stepped forward, intending to subdue Serra.
Serra swatted his hand away, twisted his arm with a grappling technique, and slammed him face-first into the ground.
“What?!” The brute’s shock was palpable.
The humiliation burned. He tried to rise, muscles straining with explosive force—but under Serra’s grip, he couldn’t budge an inch.
“What are you doing? Dazzled by a pretty face?!” an Cangqing Gang member shouted.
“N-no… I—I can’t move!” The brute’s expression darkened further.
The gang members quickly realized something was wrong. They’d underestimated this red-scaled beauty. Several of them rushed forward at once.
Serra kicked the brute square in the torso, sending him flying like a human cannonball. The impact bowled over a crowd, sending bodies crashing into gambling tables. Wood splintered, and patrons shrieked.
“Still as pathetic as ever, Cangqing Gang. Just like old times—can’t take a hit,” Serra remarked.
“Damn you! How dare you look down on Cangqing Gang?!” The brute scrambled to his feet, glaring at her with fury.
“Interesting,” Oba mused, stroking his chin. “This Cavendish woman has some skill. Let’s make things more entertaining! You—come here!”
He summoned a servant, had them bring a notepad, wrote something on it, and then the servant nodded in understanding before rushing to the back of the main stage.
The lights in the center of the casino abruptly went out, and a booming voice echoed through the darkened gambling hall.
“Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, welcome to the Ascension Casino’s triennial celebration! Please, do not panic—for what follows is a special, impromptu event in honor of our festivities! Behold!!”
A spotlight flickered on above the central stage, illuminating Serra.
“This beautiful lady has defied Corolle’s laws, scorned this city’s rules, and become an outright criminal! As proud members of Corolle, the Ascension Casino cannot stand idly by—we will fight this lawbreaker to the end! Place your bets now: how long can this criminal resist before the constables arrive?”
The host continued his impassioned commentary:
“This is tonight’s special celebration event! The highest winner of this wager will receive the Ascension Casino’s Golden Tree as their prize!!”
At the host’s announcement, the nobles grew excited.
“Someone actually dares to challenge Corolle’s laws? Has she grown tired of living? Her life is now just a prop for gambling!”
“That lovely lady seems somewhat capable—she took down a few Cangqing Gang members.”
“Those were just small fry. Don’t forget, the Cangqing Gang’s boss hasn’t made a move yet. He’s here overseeing things during the celebration.”
“Once the Cangqing Gang’s boss steps in, this criminal is done for, right? That man’s no joke. We’re probably in for some bloody spectacle.”
“The Elvin family is practically handing us free money! The only question is whether this criminal dies sooner or later!”
The nobles chattered loudly, their words dripping with arrogance.
Just listening to them made Xia Yi’s skin crawl.
But Serra, the center of attention, remained expressionless. Having grown up in Corolle, she was long accustomed to the nature of its people. None of this surprised her.
“One minute left to place your bets! Time is short, esteemed guests—if you wish to participate in this special event, place your wagers now!!”
The nobles hurriedly began betting, most predicting how soon Serra would be beaten to death.
However, there was one exception.
Upstairs, a certain dragon who had witnessed everything called over a server. “Place all my chips on her. I bet—”
After hearing the request and seeing the staggering amount, the server’s face twisted in shock. This person had to be insane.
“Sir… are you serious?!”
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[Author’s Note: There will be one more chapter update, but it’ll be posted later than usual. I was feeling a bit drowsy this afternoon, so I decided to take a quick nap before dinner—only to wake up past 10 PM. Absolutely wrecked. 😩]
