Bab 189: Chapter 189: Double Fortune!
Chapter 189: Double Fortune!
The two mice that were targeted split up and ran away, while the black and white dog yelped in pain and retracted its paw after striking too forcefully.
It seemed to be in agony... Alice felt a twinge of regret for her actions, wishing she hadn't intervened.
At that moment, the experienced black dog suddenly leapt up. This time, however, its target was not the mice, but its rival.
Alice's pupils constricted as she saw the dog's trajectory. Without thinking, she inflicted more misfortune on it.
As a result, the muscular black dog's front leg cramped up, turning its pounce into a roll on the ground.
The black and white dog noticed its enemy's hostility. Its previously dopey expression turned fierce as it arched its back slightly, dug its claws into the ground, and bared its teeth with a threatening growl.
Under Alice's instigation, the game of dogs chasing mice had transformed into a showdown between the two canines.
The gamblers hadn't yet grasped the gravity of the situation. Spurred on by the most excited bettor, they became fired up again: "Go for it! Tear it apart!"
The dogs seemed influenced by the atmosphere. They lunged at each other, becoming entangled in a fierce fight - exchanging swipes and bites in an evenly matched brawl.
Alice pondered for a moment, then sidled over to the bar to watch the dogfight.
With similar size and strength, the black dog was clearly more experienced and aggressive, with greater explosive power.
Unfortunately, it carried more misfortune, making its fighting efforts unsuccessful. Surprisingly, the two dogs were evenly matched.
The mice squeaked and scurried away from the center of the cage, leaving the battlefield to the two dogs.
The evenly matched fight initially captured Alice's interest, but she soon found it lacking in drama and excitement.
After some thought, she decided to act as an impartial mediator in this battle, metaphorically holding a bowl of water without spilling it despite swaying left and right.
As a result, the gamblers' emotions fluctuated along with this metaphorical bowl of water. When the water finally spilled, everyone's suspense came to an end - the two dogs on stage, while not necessarily dead, were certainly in no condition to chase mice anymore.
In this game of dogs catching mice, both dogs caught zero mice.
What a wonderful number, Alice thought gleefully as she savored the expressions of each defeated gambler.
Some looked lost, others dejected, while some demanded refunds. But wait... why was that one smiling?
Alice frowned as she looked at the gambler who had been the most animated throughout.
He happily collected his stake and winnings... Ah, of course - he had bet on zero catches!
"It's Warren again..." "So lucky, how many times has he won now?" "Don't know, it's like he's been kissed by Lady Luck herself..." "Yeah, incredibly fortunate..."
Murmurs of admiration, envy, and regret for not following his bet drifted through the air.
From the surrounding chatter, Alice understood that this gambler named Warren was visiting for the first time today and had won big on every bet he placed.
Others had wanted to follow his bets, but this time his prediction seemed too far-fetched - he had wagered that neither dog would catch any mice. In the Brave Man's Tavern, where gambling wasn't particularly prevalent, the other bettors hesitated and ultimately decided against it.
As Alice observed Warren's face growing redder with excitement from his winnings, her brow furrowed gradually.
But why... was he about to die?
Alice watched as he excitedly counted his money over and over. On the third count, he suddenly collapsed.
Chaos erupted immediately.
Such incidents didn't seem uncommon in the tavern. Quickly, staff appeared to handle the situation and calm the patrons.
Soon after, as a new round of the dog-and-mouse game began, the previously subdued atmosphere livened up again. Regarding Warren, only occasional comments remained.
"Such bad luck..." "Indeed..."
Alice considered for a moment, then moved to the bartender and leaned in to ask, "Hey, do you know anything about that Warren fellow?"
Alice felt she should offer some money for information, but being new to this, she wasn't sure how much was appropriate. Besides, she didn't have much money on her...
Alice fingered the 5-sou note in her pocket, thinking about the hundreds or thousands of pounds she had dealt with at the Tarot Club.
The bartender looked at Alice and chuckled, "Oh, it's you?"
Alice asked, puzzled, "You recognize me?"
"You made quite an impression," the bartender explained. "It's rare to see a girl like you... um, seeking out merchants."
Alice tilted her head, understanding the bartender's implication. Without commenting on his words, she probed, "So, about Warren..."
The bartender pushed forward a drink menu.
Alice carefully perused it from top to bottom, then looked up and said, "Minors can't drink alcohol."
This statement silenced the bartender momentarily. Then, drawing on his vast experience, he produced a glass of orange juice and asked with a complex expression, "...Don't your parents look after you?"
Alice blinked twice and answered truthfully, "I'm the only one in my family."
The bartender fell silent again. After a while, he changed the subject: "That Warren guy was kicked out of the Osborne Tavern a couple of days ago."
"Why?" Alice asked curiously.
The bartender chuckled, "Because it seemed like Lady Luck had suddenly kissed him. He's been winning non-stop for the past three or four days."
Alice was slightly taken aback.
"Who wasn't envious of his luck back then? But now..." The bartender shook his head with a smile.
Alice took a sip of orange juice, then asked puzzledly, "Was his luck bad before?"
The bartender shook his head, "How many gamblers have consistently good luck? They're all the same - win occasionally, then pour even more money in, losing everything."
Alice lowered her head thoughtfully for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Isn't this bad for business?"
The bartender looked at her and replied, "Minors can't gamble either."
Alice opened her mouth slightly, then closed it again. Changing the subject, she said, "For a gambler like Warren, the best outcome would be either striking it rich or dying, right?"
"Although if he got rich, he'd probably just gamble it all away... but you're not entirely wrong," the bartender shrugged.
Alice frowned, asking in confusion, "Then... if both good outcomes happened at once, why are you all saying he's unlucky?"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone