(A/N): Special thanks to Mrderp27 for the constructive criticism, and lots of love to my Canadian viewers~~
"Right this way!" says one of the members of the Traditional Research Club. She instructs Mary and I to take off our socks before entering the warmly lit room. The sunset penetrates the room, giving it a wonderful orange glow. Already sat down is Nishinotouin Yuriko.
"Welcome, visitor," she says with a happy expression, her eyes affixed as two slits. Her countenance can be described as joyful yet tranquil.
"Hello, Nishinotouin-san," I reply. "My name is Kokoro Akari."
"I've heard things about you!" Nishinotouin responds. "Come and have a seat. You, too, Saotome-san."
I take a seat on the pillow directly in front of her. Mary sits behind me and to the left, setting her two large suitcases down beside her.
"Let's cut to the chase," I respond. "I-"
"You want to gamble with me?" Nishinotouin interjects. "Well why didn't you say so? I assume those suitcases are proof you have funds to gamble. I'll take your word on it. Are you okay with playing the Traditional Research Club original game?"
Why the hell did I become a housepet?
I look back at Mary and she nods. We've prepared for this game. "Yes. I'm fine with that."
Nishinotouin claps twice. A black-haired girl hastily walks into the room and brings out the game boards. There are two boards and a circle with slits on it. She also brings a large cup with a number of metallic swords.
"Let me explain the game," Nishinotouin announces. I've already heard the rules from Mary, but I listen anyway just to be polite. "This game is like Roulette. Each board has a number from one to thirty for placing chips, and the circular board has slits ranging from one to thirty.
"First, we each decide on the number of chips we'll be playing with in a given round, and then my assistant will throw the swords into the cup and place the cup on the circular board.
"Then, we will place on the numbers corresponding to where the swords will land. What differs from roulette, though, is that the swords can either land face up, which is life, or face down, which is death. If the sword lands on life on a predicted spot, you win thirty times your bet from your opponent, but if it's death, you lose thirty times your but to your opponent. Got it?"
"Yes," I respond. "Let's do this."
"How much are you playing with?"
"700 million."
"That's fine. Kamagusu, please bring us 140 ten-million yen chips."
I interject. "Actually," I respond, "I was wondering if I could play with 700 one-million yen chips."
The assistant, which I now know as Kamagusu, is deeply annoyed at this. "We don't have 700 chips of that type."
Mary opens up the two suitcases to reveal hundreds of chips, each with the distinct "100 man" (A/N: one million yen) on the front.
Kamagusu sighs, "if Lady Nishinotouin accepts this, there is no other reason why this can't be arranged, as long as we make sure that's 700 chips."
Nishinotouin nods at Kamagusu, who gives her seventy ten-million yen chips.
Once inspecting the chips, Kamagusu permits me to stack the chips next to me. I have twenty-three stacks of thirty chips, with an extra ten chips on the side. "Let's use thirty million yen this round," I suggest." Nishinotouin nods in confirmation.
"Now that we got that settled," announces Kamagusu, "let this game begin!"
She throws the swords into the cup and slams it on the circular board. "Betting has now begun! You have ten seconds."
