The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 213 - The House Always Wins, But Sometimes...

Chapter 213: Chapter 213 - The House Always Wins, But Sometimes...

The crowds may have dispersed from the center of the competition grounds, but a significant portion of them headed right to the merchant camps. More specifically, the Fairweather Commerce group - the only mercantile association permitted to legally handle large scale gambling.

"Almost sixty large wagers were placed right at the limit. All were on the Yecine heir. That’s more than I remember seeing for any single other contender this cycle or last."

The old man at the largest of their collection stations spoke without looking up from his ledger. Warm afternoon light fell across the pages filled with neatly ordered names, amounts, and odds. Behind him, his assistants managed lines of people eager to collect their winning bets or place new ones..

"That’s normal for a favorite though. Especially a regional one. Last year we were posted at a smaller competition."

His companion traced a weathered finger down another column in his own books as he responded. The man was always looking for problems!

"I read the ledgers for this area’s last Descent. The pattern this time isn’t normal. Varied districts and regions of origin, different dates... but too many at the exact ceiling we allow."

He scoffed and closed the ledger.

"Are there so many rich folks here suddenly? Then there’s this number of linked bets on the cousin but not the other Yecine."

The first merchant pulled out another sheet that he had been cross referencing the whole matter on.

"The real winnings for half of these people are all coming from riskier odds. Like guessing that Navuill er Yecine would break the top five."

A third merchant was carrying a basket of coin purses to replenish the payment supplies when he overheard the complaints.

"The families always think they can beat us by spreading out their bets through proxies. But they usually get impatient, bet too much at once."

"No. You don’t understand. The ones that didn’t bet on *both* Yecine didn’t just cover other possibilities for Navuill. They chose the top five on the slip - or they didn’t bet on him at all. This wasn’t impatience. This was..."

His voice trailed off as a very elegantly dressed woman approached their station. Her purple silk dress whispered against the wooden counter as she knocked lightly on the table. Her dark jade hair was arranged in elaborate coils that suggested distant northern nobility.

The cold beauty of her sharp features drew stares. Though none could completely place her heritage, her golden eyes carried an edge of calculation that the merchants found familiar in their line of work. That didn’t mean it wasn’t unsettling to deal with nobility each time.

"House Aarengraf extends its appreciation for your establishment’s lovely management of the *fun* part of this morning’s events."

The cadence of her words rolled with the accent of someone who was raised far outside the continent. The mature foreign beauty withdrew a sealed leather case of betting slips. A well kept catalogue of her gambling accomplishments.

"I see you’ve visited many of our sister establishments on the continent."

The lead merchant’s voice was careful as he began checking each slip from the current event. Meanwhile, his companion studied how she stood. The particular way she held her shoulders suggested military training beneath the courtly manners she used.

It was particular for a noble woman from that northern expanse, but not unheard of. After all... the Frozen Duskblade herself was supposedly from that distant land.

"Many roads led me here. Though I confess, this region proved rather profitable to study this time."

A smirk played at her painted lips as she watched them calculate all of her winnings. The third merchant couldn’t help but notice how her gaze occasionally darted to the other collection stations. As if marking their positions... or perhaps the length of the lines?

"Will you be placing any wagers on the upcoming duels, my lady?"

"Perhaps. Though I usually find it best to observe before committing to any... particular strategy."

Her fingers traced the pouches of coins they had counted out for her. The actual gain was not that substantial, but the seed money from the initial bet was quite a lot. That subtle smirk returned as she separated a portion of them and slid it back across the counter.

"However, since the Yecine heir brought such fortune today... I see no reason not to place a series of modest bets on their upcoming matches."

The lead merchant’s eyebrows rose as she dictated her wagers. Each one sat just below the maximum for an individual duel. The total would compound across multiple victories, but more importantly, she would lose more than she would possibly gain if even a couple of these bouts were lost.

"You seem quite confident in their continued success."

The odds were estimated in the nobles favor, especially after the Yecine’s placement at the tower. But it only took a few underdogs to turn the tables and the ’safe’ bets could become dangerous to spread with this much money.

"One should always nurture their profitable observations, should they not?"

She gathered her remaining winnings with elegance, the leather case disappearing beneath flowing silk along with the pouches. Her golden eyes swept the pavilion one final time before she glided away through the crowd.

The afternoon had thinned the outer row of collection stations. These tables, set further from the main pavilion, drew those seeking shorter lines over the status of standing with the richer members waiting in line. Only those looking to hobnob or show off their earnings went there.

Two merchants quietly discussed their day’s tallies when a young man in a pristine green trade coat approached. His fingers drummed an excited pattern on their counter as he produced his betting slip. The crisp edges suggested he had guarded it rather carefully since placing the wager this morning.

"You lot probably get tired of hearing it... ah, but I’ve got to share! This is my first real win!"

The old merchant’s lips turned up at the corners as he verified the slip. The youth’s earnest enthusiasm was a refreshing change from the usual jaded collectors.

"That’s quite the insight, betting on the cousin to place so well."

"Oh yes! Been studying the contestant list all month. I remember thinking ’if the heir shows up and actually wins, the cousin has to at least make a solid showing, doesn’t he?’. Though I nearly fainted when he actually broke into the top ranks!"

His words tumbled out as he bounced on his heels. Several others in line smiled at his hardly restrained joy because they could recognize their own first ’financial victories’ in his manner.

"Care to try your luck on the duels? Your eye for talent-"

"Oh! No, no. I couldn’t risk losing this. I really shouldn’t have bet in the first place. And honestly? My heart couldn’t take the stress of watching more fights while having money on them!"

The younger merchant chuckled while counting out his winnings. The boy’s hands shook slightly as he collected the coins, as if still processing his good fortune. Or rather, the prevention of ’bad’ fortune.

"I have a feeling that one will be back. The very moment he guesses right a few more times *without* placing a bet."

The next customer commented and the merchant staffer shrugged before they started helping her.