Deformed stories

Chapter 10: Honest Person's Battle Cards — Part 3: Whereabouts of the Promissory Note

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Warning: This content may contain explicit or mature themes and is intended for viewers 18 and older. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

Translator's Note: Promissory Note—IOU;Debt Agreement 

Volume 1: Witch Carly Arc

Chapter 10: Honest Person's Battle Cards 

— Part 3: Whereabouts of the Promissory Note

After hurling a barrage of insults, the four finally gave up and left the inn. Only Aurelius, Magnolia, and the owner remained.

"KUKUKUh, that was amusing.

I never thought anyone would dare challenge Aurelius to a duel with 'battle cards.' It's like a child without any weapons going up against a fully armed adventurer.

There was no way he could win."

Magnolia seemed entertained as well.

"Really, you were a big help. Even though I knew they had no right, I didn't know what to do when they took the promissory note, and I was feeling pretty lost.

And I never expected her to have tricked us all.

Women can be terrifying."

"What was that?"

Magnolia pretended to glower at him but quickly broke into laughter.

"But, Aurelius, why did you lay the cards out first in the second round?

I understood your trick of playing them in order from the top during the first round, but in the second one, you started from the edges.

There's no way you could know the exact order from the beginning. You could've changed your mind partway through."

"Umm. I used magic for that. How about you sit right in front of me, Magnolia."

The cards were still on the table. Each of them had a set of eleven. Magnolia held her cards, while Aurelius arranged his face-up. He pushed the "Slave" card forward from the far-right end.

"I'll show you clearly with the cards face-up. Magnolia, play the 'King' for your first move."

Magnolia played the "King" as instructed, and Aurelius, winning the round, placed two cards on the far-left end.

"Pick any card you like for the second move."

"Alright, I'll choose this one."

Magnolia placed a card face-down. Aurelius had the "Great Sword" on his right end. If he played it as-is, he would likely lose.

Aurelius moved his hand from the left side toward the right. Somehow, the already used "Slave" card appeared among the face-up ones. When his hand reached the right side, the "Great Sword" card had changed into "Armor," and he played it forward.

When Magnolia revealed her card, it was a "Dagger," which meant Aurelius won again.

"Yeah, how did you do it? Did you swap the cards? But how?"

"When I realized Magnolia had drawn the 'Dagger,' I placed the 'Slave' card in my palm with my left hand first. Then, I switched it with the 'Armor.' Finally, I swapped the 'Great Sword' with the 'Armor.'

I used wind magic to make the switches.

That way, it looks like I used the first card I placed.

It makes the opponent feel like everything they did was anticipated.

Well, once you know the trick, it's not that impressive."

"No, it's incredible! First, you have to memorize the exact position of your own cards. Then, you need to switch them. And most importantly, you have to know what your opponent played.

I could never pull that off."

The owner, having seen the trick up close, was moved and excited.

"Then, about the promissory note, can you—again?"

The owner took the promissory note, checked its contents, and immediately headed to the kitchen. It seemed he was going to burn it on the stove.

"Magnolia,"

"What is it, Aurelius?"

Taking advantage of the moment, they spoke quietly.

"Today, you can say your prayers if you like.

The owner lost the woman he cared for."

"Eh, um, I see.

Well, yes, that makes sense.

If you're okay with it, Aurelius, I don't mind."

"Hopefully, the owner will come to terms with it."

Magnolia's face turned red with embarrassment. After all, they would be in the same room, looking at each other.

Soon, the owner returned to the dining hall.

"Thanks to you, I was truly saved.

I can't thank you enough.

It's not much, but here's a token of my appreciation."

The owner brought out some alcohol and light snacks.

"We'll happily accept."

Magnolia, for some reason, received it with a delighted expression. It seemed that just one drink wasn't enough for her after all.

After that, Magnolia was the only one drinking, and the owner took a seat.

"If you're truly grateful, how about fifty gold coins?"

When Aurelius said that, the owner was shocked, but ultimately accepted that it couldn't be helped.

"Eh, Yes, Umm, of course."

He trudged to the back of the inn and retrieved a box of hidden money.

It was the money he had secretly saved for his wedding.

After counting again, with some silver coins included, he just barely managed to collect fifty gold coins. All that remained was a handful of silver coins.

"I guess this is the cost of hiring a mage-sama. 

Geez, this is all I have left. Even if you ask for more, I don't have a single gold coin left."

The owner placed the fifty gold coins on the table.

"It seems there's a bit of a misunderstanding. That's because Aurelius didn't explain it properly."

"No, it's because he went at the back before I had the chance to explain.

What I was trying to say is that I have something I'd like to sell, and I wondered if 50 gold coins would be acceptable.

We'll only be staying in this town for two more days at most, so I was thinking about what to do with it."

Aurelius then placed a promissory note worth 500 gold coins, which he just obtained through the wager, on the table.

"Since I went to the trouble of getting this, it'd be a waste if I left it unused, so I thought about selling it.

So, I asked if owner would buy it for 50 gold coins.

Whether you choose to collect on it or sell it to someone else is entirely up to you.

You won't be at a loss, especially since you live here in town. But if you do take a loss, that'll be on you."

"Eh, u-umm—

I see. In that case, I'll take it."

The owner thought of a few people who might be interested in purchasing the promissory note. Although he couldn't get the full 500 gold coins, he figured he could easily get at least 100.

There was no way he could lose on this deal.

After the owner took the promissory note, Aurelius also secured his gold and silver coins.

Then, they sat back and enjoyed a leisurely conversation.

"But surely, no one can beat Aurelius-san at 'Battle Cards,' right?"

"No, that's not true. It's not impossible to win."

While the owner was marveling at Aurelius's skill, Magnolia made a surprising remark.

"Eh, isn't he so strong that no one can even come close? Even you, Magnolia-san, were completely beaten after the second round, weren't you?"

"That's true, but it's not impossible to win. Though, the odds are only about 30%."

"No, I'd say a chance of 40%.

Owner, how about playing 'Battle Cards' with me?

It's no fun if there's nothing at stake, so how about we wager 50 gold coins?"

"But I don't have that kind of money."

"Then if I win, I'll stay here at your inn for one more day. During that time, you can sell the promissory note and get the 50 gold coins ready.

Of course, I won't pay for my stay. That's part of the bet too.

So, what do you say? Are you in?"

"Well…"

The owner fell into thought.

He probably couldn't beat Aurelius, but it was an enticing offer. He wanted to challenge someone that strong, even if just for the experience. Plus, it would make for a great story to tell for some time.

Besides, the promissory note could be sold for 125 gold coins—about a quarter of its value—easily. There was no way he could lose anything.

"Alright, let's try it once."

He started the "Battle Cards" game with high spirits, but something felt off.

No matter what the owner did, it seemed to be dodged. He could win a little, but lose just as easily. And strangely, there were many ties with the same cards. After the seventh match, he finally realized—it was the exact same match as before.

The owner had won when "Soldier" faced "Citizen," and "Magus" faced "Soldier," but he lost when "Slave" faced "Magus" and "Citizen" faced "King."

Before he knew it, the ninth match was also a draw, with only "Knight" and "King" left. Aurelius still had the same "Knight" and "Slave."

"Alright, this will settle it. Please play your card."

Aurelius spoke casually, but the owner, feeling cornered, was at a loss. His heart throbbed painfully as if someone were squeezing it.

At that moment, Magnolia chimed in playfully.

"Fufufuh, it's no use thinking about it. The more you think, the more Aurelius can predict you.

Want me to tell you how to beat him?

Don't be afraid of losing. Don't aim for victory. That might just be where victory lies.

After all, you wouldn't mind losing, right? Not like him."

"Ah, Magnolia, you're giving away too many clues.

But come to think of it, I haven't decided what to do if I lose. Earlier, I bet Magnolia, didn't I?

Well, then, to take responsibility for giving away hints, I'll lend you Magnolia for the night."

"Eh, what?! No, no way!"

The owner was stunned. Magnolia was indeed beautiful and had a great figure, an attractive woman. If she didn't have a lover and she was willing, he would be thrilled. But wasn't she Aurelius's lover? Even for one night, could this really happen? Was it truly okay?

"Aurelius, are you serious?"

"Is one night too long? How about just for short while—an hour, and of course, nothing that Magnolia dislikes. Does that sound reasonable?"

"So, you're sure you'll win?"

"Of course. That's my intention. But victory is always a matter of luck.

I'm not planning to lose."

"Alright, I'll trust you.

If Aurelius is okay with it, I have no issues."

It seemed both of them were serious. The owner realized he needed to give it his all.

Certainly, he did want to hold Magnolia freely, but more than that, he had a deep desire to defeat Aurelius when he was this serious.

No matter how much he think about it, he probably can't win. It seems that everything is revealed through eye movement. Even if he close his eyes now, it wouldn't change anything.

It's not about which card to play, but rather about how to win.

The owner contemplated the meaning behind what the two had said. Magnolia had told him not to fear losing, don't try to win. But you can't play "Battle Cards" without aiming to win.

Aurelius claimed that the outcome of a match relies on luck. In "Battle Cards," luck probably doesn't play a significant role, especially against someone who can read you entirely.

Then, an idea suddenly struck him.

Moreover, Magnolia stated that the owner could afford to lose. Regardless, there was a promissory note for five hundred gold coins, so the profit would only differ by either one hundred fifty or twenty coins. Since it was money he never had to begin with, having any amount was sufficient.

However, he absolutely could not afford to lose. Losing would render all his careful strategy pointless and tarnish his reputation as a gambler. Thus, he had no choice but to win. And that was precisely why he ended up losing last time.

Then, he conceived the only possible method that might lead to victory.

"I understand,"

The owner placed the two cards face down and shuffled them with both hands.

Now, even he couldn't tell which card was the "King" and which was the "Knight."

Perhaps Aurelius could have tracked them with his eyes.

He then hid the two cards behind his back and shuffled them haphazardly. With this, Aurelius in front of him wouldn't know either.

After mixing them on the table once more, he presented one of the cards randomly.

He had completely entrusted it to chance. Since he himself didn't know, there was no way Aurelius could figure it out. This was the only method with any potential for winning.

Aurelius smiled, looking resigned.

"Well, now it's completely unclear. If I hadn't seen the cards from the beginning, I might have been able to read a bit, but with the last two, it's utterly impossible.

It's a fifty-fifty chance of winning or losing now.

Magnolia's unnecessary comments gave it away.

If I lose, I'll held her responsible."

Aurelius also shuffled randomly and played one card.

When they both revealed their cards simultaneously, one was the "Knight" and the other was the "Slave."

"Alright!"

The owner involuntarily clenched his fist.

"AaAh, in the end I really had no luck.

It can't be helped—it seems I've lost."

Since Aurelius played the "Knight," the owner played the "King."

With this, the eleventh match came to an end, resulting in the owner's record of four wins, two losses, and five draws.

"We have to keep our promise, Magnolia."

"Y-Yeah, that's true. If you're okay with it, then I don't mind."

Although Magnolia felt embarrassed and reluctant, she couldn't completely refuse. If she truly didn't want to, she wouldn't hint at ways to possibly beat Aurelius during the match. Nevertheless, she did wish for Aurelius to win.

Ultimately, luck played a role, and the owner ended up winning.

As agreed, there was no choice but to be embraced. Her body had already begun to anticipate it, throbbing with heat.

"Eh, if that's the case, we can consider something else instead. For instance, just one gold coin would suffice."

"No, we must fulfill the promise. 

If we leave it ambiguous just because we lost and don't want to, then the match loses its significance."

"But both of you don't want to, do you?"

"Even if we don't want to, we lost, so we must go through with it. 

Besides, I don't think Magnolia dislikes it that much."

"Of course I do. 

But I can't let my selfishness embarrass Aurelius. 

It's just how it has to be."

Magnolia turned her face away, blushing as she spoke.

"So, as I said, we will keep our promise."

"But, are you really okay with this? 

I mean, for real—?"

The owner seemed to be asking if it was truly alright to have sex.

"However, there are conditions. Magnolia is my cherish woman, after all. 

The time will strictly be one hour, and I will only allow three times. 

The location will be in the room we're staying in. 

You won't do anything she genuinely dislike, especially not kissing. 

You will either ensure she's comfortable, or I'll be in the room to keep an eye on things. 

If anything unacceptable happens, I'll give a warning, and if you still don't stop, I won't hold back."

"I understand."

The owner thinks for a moment.

"Are you truly okay with this? Is it really fine? 

To be honest, I wouldn't dislike it at all—in fact, I would be very happy. 

I was just worried about whether it would be permissible. 

If it is truly okay, I want to make it a special night for me and a good night for Magnolia-san.

However, that room is too small and not suitable. So, I will arrange a room that is usually reserved for nobles or special guests. 

After all, no other customers should be coming tonight. 

Of course, the price will remain the same."

"Magnolia, it seems we can use a special room. That's great!"

"I don't think it's that great."

Magnolia continued to look away.

"Also, I almost forgot the most important thing. 

It seems we have no luck on our side. 

In times like this, I want to pray for something. 

Can you prepare a charm or ornament to attract good fortune?"

"I have a figurine of a cat with its paw raised for good luck. 

According to legend, people were invited in by cats and avoided disasters. 

It's also said to attract fortune."

"I'd like her to pray with it, so please bring it to the special room. 

As for the time, well, since we both need to prepare, how about one hour from now?"

"O-Okay, that way I can finish tidying up. But are you really sure about this?"

"It's fine. 

You're okay with it too, right, Magnolia?"

Even when Aurelius said that, Magnolia still faced away. However, it seemed she slightly lowered her head and nodded.