章 10: Best of Thre
After the goblin's invitation, the group cautiously steps into the casino. The moment they cross the threshold, they're left speechless.
The hall is enormous, and to everyone's astonishment, every corner seems covered in gleaming gold.
The walls and pillars are intricately carved, and even the hanging chandeliers that emit a warm, incandescent glow are adorned with golden ornaments.
The flames illuminating the lamps are peculiar; they burn steadily, showing no sign of fading.
One of the group members, a curious young woman, asks:
"Excuse me… how do those lamps work? I don't see any fuel source, yet they're burning strongly."
The goblin, visibly pleased, answers with pride:
"Ah, you noticed. Very observant. This fire was created by a goblin mage who designed these lamps. They're special; this fire never dies out. It's one of our most valuable inventions."
The woman nods, still marveling, while the rest of the group exchanges glances between distrust and awe.
Everywhere they look, goblins dressed in various levels of attire—some in full suits, others in partial outfits—observe the group with curiosity.
The humans stand out among these sophisticated goblins, and the sight of such organized, civilized goblins only deepens the group's sense of disbelief.
Some of the group members still feel uneasy, surrounded by creatures they've typically regarded as enemies or mere beasts. Nonetheless, the imposing presence of the goblin leader, with his serious but kind expression, helps keep the situation under control.
The goblin guides them to a reception area decorated with even more golden objects.
From behind the counter, he takes out a tray and hands out several tokens, distributing them equally among the group.
The amount is considerable, and a few of the group members can't help but eye the tokens with a hint of greed.
"What exactly do you expect us to do with these tokens?" one of the more skeptical members asks, crossing his arms.
The goblin, hearing this, smiles and replies:
"Play, of course! These tokens are for you to enjoy our games. There's a lot to be won if luck is on your side."
"We don't have time for this," one of the more reluctant members says, frowning.
"Oh, you might change your mind," the goblin responds with an enigmatic smile. "There are prizes here that could be of great use on your… adventure. Some might be worth more than anything you could find in this dungeon."
Damián, excited at the mention of these prizes along with the rest of the group, turns to Leonar, trying to share his enthusiasm.
'Doesn't anyone see anything strange here…?' Leonar thought, feeling unsettled.
After a few moments of silence, Leonar gathers his courage and directly asks, despite his nerves:
"And what happens if we lose?"
The goblin looks at him with a calm smile and replies:
"You don't have to worry. Just enjoy yourselves. Your time here is meant to be fun."
'Yeah, right,' Leonar thought upon hearing those words.
What kind of casino would make an offer like this?
There was clearly a trap here.
At that moment, a massive hourglass in the center of the hall flips over, and the sand begins to fall rapidly.
The goblin points to the hourglass and announces:
"You have one hour to spend your money and win whatever you can."
While some members of the group linger near the goblin, Leonar activates his skill.
'Ugh… everything's yellow…' Leonar thought with annoyance. 'Oh, wait.'
Something catches Leonar's eye: a set of stairs leading down to a lower level, emitting a different glow, a yellow that almost leans towards gold.
'This is the first time I see this color…' Leonar thought, intrigued.
It was obvious that the goblin's offer was a trap, but without weapons or combat skills…
Leonar's only option was to rely on his skill.
"Can we go down there?" Leonar asked, pointing to the stairs.
The goblin nodded.
"Of course. This casino has three underground levels, each with different games and prizes."
This comment made several of his companions start to mumble, but Leonar didn't have time to pay attention to them.
He needed to find out what that golden glow was that he now saw with his own eyes.
As Leonar headed towards the stairs, Damián, who was nearby, asked,
"Hey, want me to come with you?"
Leonar nodded, and together they descended the stairs, passing a few goblins carrying boxes up.
'What could they be carrying…?' Leonar wondered as they reached the second level.
On the second level, the lights were dimmer, and rows of machines were arranged, each with unique mechanics that caught the two friends' attention.
Damián looked around, surprised.
"I can't believe these goblins built all this here," he said in amazement.
Guided by his skill, Leonar approached a particular roulette.
Several display cases surrounded the machine, showcasing various items.
Among them, a white metallic sphere caught Leonar's attention, as it was the source of the golden glow he now saw.
Curious, Leonar walked up to the roulette and asked the senior goblin attending it:
"What kind of roulette is this?"
The goblin eyed him and explained:
"You have to bet on the numbers before it spins. If you win, you can claim one of these items."
Damián, examining the display cases, frowned and asked:
"Are you really interested in items like these? None of them seem particularly valuable."
Leonar replied calmly:
"While I'm playing here, you can try your luck elsewhere."
Damián laughed and said,
"Alright, alright. I'll leave you to play here, but I'll be nearby in case you need me for anything."
"Thanks," said Leonar as his companion walked away.
Focusing on the roulette, Leonar used his skill and bet on the numbers glowing green, hoping for the usual outcome.
'Please, let this work…'
The goblin spun the roulette, and when the dice settled, Leonar had guessed correctly.
'Great! It's still working…'
The goblin, surprised, quickly said:
"Congratulations! Which prize do you want…?"
Leonar, though hesitant, pointed to the white metallic sphere.
But to his surprise, the goblin suddenly said:
"For that, my friend, you'll need to win three games in a row."
'Huh? He didn't mention that rule before…' Leonar thought, frowning. 'Well, I can still win with my skill… it's not worth arguing with a monster.'
"Alright," Leonar replied as the goblin began to smile.
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