CHAPTER 8

Mir told elder Lan:

“Elder, this one, we win everything at once.”

Elder Lan nodded and looked at everyone else. Elder Lan was the last to speak and the first was his old rival Din Joris. He had in his hands a nine of spades and a queen of clubs. He was confident on this one. He said:

“Let’s not doodle around anymore or we won’t be going anywhere for days. I’ll bet a third of what I own. 3.5 million golds.”

It was the biggest amount seen yet. Next to him was elder Tin Jar. He had an eight of spades and a king of clubs. He was confident too. He followed. Next was Arbi Brid with an eight of diamond and a jack of clubs. He followed. And so on. they all followed. Truth is, they all had a chance at this one. There were still two cards to show on the table and they could possibly get either a full house, a flush or even a straight. To all the players, the odds were in their favor. Elder lan followed as well as if it was obvious. His rival, Din Joris, didn’t miss that for the first time Quin Lan went on. so, he said:

“This seems to be the final round my friends. I shall bet all I have. The remaining 6.5million golds or so.”

This was enough to startle all the players. Sure, the possibility of them winning existed but…It was nothing set in stone yet. After all, no one could know the two cards left unturned on the table. Except Mir. The five-year-old kid that was smiling brightly while sitting side to side with elder Lan. Even elder lan frowned once before dismissing that attitude and getting his poker face back. He had faith in Mir. The kid had proved his abilities. The elders took their time before all ending up following. The prince played as well and the businessman joined in. So, did elder Lan obviously. One more card was revealed, an eight of hearts. There was only one last card left to uncover. And everyone had placed all they had on betting. However, before the kid could uncover the last card, elder Joris stopped him:

“Stop! I want to bet more!

-Joris, this isn’t a game where you can add after you played everything!

-Then, let us bet between ourselves, outside of your casino rules! This should be fine, old sack. My dear elders, prince and businessman. I wish to bet my biggest treasure on this one. Is there anyone willing to join me?

-Interesting, what are you planning on betting elder Joris?

-My greatest weapon: The Wide green bow! A rank 4 weapon!”

This left people speechless. If 10 million golds were the equivalent of a rock, then a rank weapon was a mountainside. It was priceless. One must know that there aren’t a single rank 4 martial artists in the continent of the five kingdoms. However, a few rank 4 weapons exist. Needless to say, the worth of such item for a martial artist isn’t small. So, him betting this is not something trivial. It could very well place his whole school in danger. After all, it is not like conflicts do not exist between schools and factions. As everyone was hesitating, the prince was first to speak. He said:

“Since it is a bet outside of the casino rules, there is no need to wait for our turn to speak, right?

-Of course not, ninth prince. Go ahead if you have something to say.

-Then, Elder Joris, I will be taking you on in this bet. My bet will be, let’s see… A rank 4 item… This golden sparrow armor!”

Their breaths were accelerating. This was unprecedented. Betting rank 4 items, priceless treasures, on cards! As elder Joris was rejoicing, the business man spoke. He had, in his hands, a six and seven of clubs. With a bit of luck, he might just win it all. He said:

“I don’t have a rank 4 item unfortunately but I am willing to bet my company, the Bolores International, to replace it. How about it my friends?

-Of course! It is more than enough; this bet is welcome!”

While it is true that a company is far from having the value of a rank 4 weapon. The dolores company is big and earns incredible amounts of money daily. Because both the prince and the elder believed in their hands, to them, this was only one more piece of meat for them to eat. That’s when the other elders, one after another, started betting as well. They got greedy and forgot the possible losses. This made Mir incomparably rejoice. Elder Lan saw the kid smile. An evil grin that came from his heart. It made elder Lan smile in the same way as he said:

“I shall bet as well! My Burning Sea Gantlet, a rank 4 item!”

Seven rank 4 items, Ownership of one of one of the three biggest companies, 80 million golds. That was the bet of the century. At that time, everyone had placed their items on the table. It was a sight to behold. Everyone on the third level stopped playing and went to witness this final showdown between great figures. Nine of hearts, nine of clubs, eight of clubs, eight of hearts and finally, the disciple was uncovering the last card…Ten of hearts! Every player had a different facial expression, it was impossible for them to keep their poker faces. The first to speak was elder Joris. He was rejoicing and jumping around with his full house. From here on out, they all had either a full house, a flush or a straight except the businessman, he had nothing. And finally, it was time for elder Lan. With the biggest smile of all, feeling like a scammer who successfully deceived all, he revealed his cards and the only straight flush. The winner was decided. It was elder Lan. He took his spoils of war and was going to leave with Mir and Boras when Elder Joris screamed:

“You must have cheated! You old bastard!”

Angry, Elder Lan refuted:

“Fuck your old eyes mongrel! What a sore loser! If you didn’t want to lose, then don’t play in the future!”

It also made the prince angry:

“I saw no cheats whatsoever, as a respected elder of a great school, you should accept defeat in the same way as wins, with humility!”

The Imposing Thunder Mountain school elder was greatly enraged too, it was, after all, organized by him:

“Do you dare to say that my casino is prone to cheatings?!”

This was turning into a heated argument. But it was comprehensible. After all, the losses were high. The only one who wasn’t screaming was the businessman. He had lost his everything on a card. He was unable to accept it and was on his knees. While everyone was screaming, Mir talked to elder Lan:

“Elder Lan, I would like to make a deal with that businessman, would it be alright?

-Hmm! Sure! You are the one who let us win so much, little Mir, after all!”

He was so glad he won, he would agree to nearly anything Mir wanted. Elder Lan went to the businessman and asked him to follow to a private room, ignoring the other losers. There, elder Lan, Mir, Boras and the businessman were discussing. Mir was going to make a deal. He said right away:

“Bolores Dreco, I will go straight to the point, let us make a deal.

-What kind? You are the owner of my Bolores International already…

-I will give back that ownership in exchange for two things.

-Name your conditions.

-One, I want you to send 5000 golds to my father here, every month and you to guarantee my family’s protection.

-Agreed.

-Two, one day, I will ask you to get something for me and you will get it however the cost.

-Agreed.”

This surprised elder Lan. He didn’t think the businessman would agree so quickly. He said:

“Aren’t you agreeing too quickly? You don’t even know what he wants.

-It is better than losing it all. 5000 golds a month is easy. As for a single item, whatever it is, it is more than worth my company. I agree to those conditions.

-Mir, you should have requested more.

-No, it is enough. I will secure my family’s lives and earn a favor from a successful businessman. And we both know, elder Lan, that we wouldn’t have the time nor the ability to manage such a company anyway. It is better this way. Let’s make a contract.”

And so, a contract was made. From now on, every month, Mir’s parents would get 5000 golds without having to work. Also, they would be relocated in a mansion near the Bolores’s one, in the capital city. Boras was already out of it. He was no more than a standing pole of flesh. He couldn’t comprehend the situation anymore. After that, they exited the room. All the elders had long disappeared. The shame was intense after losing a priceless artefact. What’s more, it took some long minutes to make the contract. However, the prince was still there, waiting. He smiled upon seeing elder Lan. The businessman left in a hurry. He swore not to bet again. The prince walked towards elder Lan and said:

“Elder Quin Lan from the Burning Sea school, congratulations on winning tonight. I didn’t introduce myself previously as I thought everyone knew me but…Let me do it as a form of politeness. I am the ninth prince of the Sea Walker Kingdom, Mare Reg Nio. I would like to invite you to a second game during the sixth night of the tournament.

-We refuse.”

Said Mir. This stunned everyone. They didn’t think the five-year-old kid would speak on behalf of the elder who had lived hundreds of years. However, the elder smiled and nodded. The prince kept insisting:

“Why would you want to refuse little friend?

-We won big time tonight. You want to get your stuff back but why should we bet again? It is not worth it for us. It is better to stop on a win than keep playing and losing it all.

-Wise words coming from a young man. Then, what if I placed an even higher bet then? I will be betting two rank 4 items and you will be betting the one I lost, how about it? The odds are even and you could earn triple. Why not play a round of poker?

-No. We won’t play poker again.

-That’s… Elder Lan, what do you say?

-I only played to entertain my little friend here. If he wants to stop, then we will not continue I am afraid.

-…I see. What’s your name little friend?

-Mir.

-Young friend Mir, is there a game you would be willing to play against me with the bets I proposed previously?

-No.”

It was obvious the prince wanted the armor back. It was no doubt important and valuable if he was willing to bet two more rank 4 items against this single one. And so, Mir was playing him. It wasn’t easy to beat this fool of a prince in a bet. However, if there was only a single round, poker was out of question. It would be depending on luck and the cards. Mir would never make a bet he is not 100% sure to win. This was placing the prince in a tight spot. However, to the prince, this was just a child throwing a tantrum. So, he pushed:

“Then little friend Mir, is there something you want?

-I don’t know.

-Then, let us do it this way. In two days’ time, I will send an envoy to elder Lan. Just name something you want and we can bet on it, how about it?

-Hum…No. I don’t want to play poker anymore, it is too long!

-I see…Then, how about a different game? Why not play martial dice roll?”

At those words, both Borias and Elder Lan understood Mir’s scheme. Though they couldn’t believe such a young child was that wick, they knew that the prince was being made a fool by the child. And it didn’t miss, the child said:

“Humm…Alright! Uncle prince, let’s play a round of dice roll later then. I will think of something I want today and tell you tomorrow!

-Good! Can you promise this uncle you won’t lose the armor until we play again together?

-Sure! I promise, uncle prince!

-I shall be promising as well. As an elder of the Burning Sea school, you have my words, ninth prince.

-This makes me relieved. Then, I will be awaiting your answer little friend Mir. Let us meet again for a game later. Good bye little friend Mir, elder Lan.”

And so, the prince had been baited. After he disappeared, Mir laughed like a mad man and elder Lan couldn’t help coughing a few times to prevent himself from laughing as well. They both knew the prince was bound to lose on this one.