Magician in Type-Moon

Page 406

"Who knows?" Matou Ike didn't give his answer directly, still not looking at the direction of the leather cup, seemingly unconcerned about the progress of the bet.

As soon as the words were spoken, the cup suddenly stopped moving.

“Then, which one is it?” Van Fem asked.

His hand and the leather cup were both in the exact same position as at the beginning.

It was as if those tens of seconds had been blown away, a technique that made it impossible to catch any changes.

“In the middle,” Matou Ike answered slowly, but his gaze never fell on the gambling table; he just kept staring into Van Fim’s eyes.

Van Fem asked:

"Wow? You decided without hesitation? Is that really okay?"

Then he reached out his clean white hand toward the cup in the middle.

Chapter 446 Request

"Please."

Matou Ike didn't make any further moves, simply watching the man in the top hat in front of her quietly.

"Okay okay."

With a smile and a shrug, Van Fem did as instructed.

The leather cup in the middle was opened, and beneath it, a coin gleamed with a dull light.

"Looks like you won."

He said so.

Matou Ike remained silent, then opened the leather cups on both sides one after the other.

Similarly, coins emitting a dull light appeared among them.

Then stack the cups on the left and right sides onto the cup in the middle.

Finally, I tapped the tops of the three overlapping cups with my fingers.

A jingling sound rang out.

From beneath the cup that had rolled down, three brand-new coins now gleamed in the light of the chandelier.

However, unlike Van Fem, these coins were not statutory coins, but chips exchanged from the casino.

There was no magical fluctuation during this time; it was as if it had appeared out of thin air.

"Oh, really. You already knew? That takes away some of the fun."

With a long sigh, as if on purpose, Van Fem took off his top hat and placed it on the table beside him.

"Cup and Ball—it should be called Cup and Coin here. It's a very old form of gambling, and also an ancient trick, which, according to different accounts, is even asserted to be the oldest trick ever."

Upon hearing Matouchi's words, Van Fem raised one eyebrow.

"In China, it is called the Three Stars Returning to the Cave. According to one theory, it existed in ancient Roman times... no, it is said to have existed in the even older Greek times. Some also claim that such a thing existed in ancient Egypt."

Matou Ike spoke slowly.

“Your knowledge is truly vast,” Van Fem smiled. “So, do you know the significance of this trick?”

“You just said this isn’t gambling, but a divine judgment.” Matou Ike shook his head as he spoke, pausing slightly before slowly continuing, “In other words, this isn’t about deciding a winner with me, but has another meaning.”

Matou Ike narrowed his eyes as he stared at a coin that had emerged from the cup.

"Most likely, this isn't a coin you could buy at an antique shop or auction. It's a coin you acquired 2300 years ago, right?"

“That’s true.” Van Fem looked at Matou Ike with great interest, seemingly anticipating what he would say next.

“But the incantation on the coin was only engraved in the last ten years, right?” Matou Ike picked up the coin that emitted a dull light and rubbed it in his hand.

After a second or two, Matou Ike turned and asked:

"You didn't create this technique, did you?"

“Of course.” Van Fim smiled even more broadly, then stood up and took a bottle of unlabeled red wine and three stemmed glasses from the wine rack behind him.

He slowly poured the cups to two-thirds full, then pushed two of them towards Matouchi and Medea.

The liquid, resembling scarlet blood, swirls gently in the glass, emitting only a faint, bloody aroma rather than the aroma of alcohol.

Considering Van Fem's status as a Dead Apostle, it's possible that the blood in it really is involved.

"Please." After doing all this, he picked up a wine glass himself, slowly brought it to his lips, and took a small sip.

Matou Ike didn't pay attention to the smell coming from the cup and took a sip as well.

"It's a very good product."

"I'm glad you like it." Van Fim put down his wine glass and then looked at Matou Ike again.

"Well then, as agreed, you've won, and it's time to pay your reward. You can ask me for some information. What do you want to ask?"

He said so.

Matou Ike didn't speak, but simply took another sip of the blood-red sake in his hand.

"You should not be just some random know-it-all who appeared out of nowhere when it comes to the series of events surrounding Elgo, no, Alexander the Great."

Matou Ike didn't ask directly, but instead talked about other things in a calm manner.

"In other words, from even earlier times—like the alchemists of Kurdlis, Wuzhiqi, and Kiz, you are the one most deeply and directly associated with this experiment of myth reconstruction."

"Hmm, very good reasoning."

Van Fem said with deep feeling.

"But I don't know why I had to use magic."

Matou Ike asked again.

"Ah, it's that simple. It's just that I like this kind of human culture the most."

Van Fem grabbed the coins from the table.

After being twisted and spun, the luster of the gold suddenly turned into silver. This is not a metaphor; the gold coin truly did turn into a silver coin.

"what."

He accidentally let out a laugh.

Van Fem smiled gently and put the coin into his pocket with his right hand—this time, a new gold coin appeared from his left hand.

One gold coin after another appeared, overflowing from his left hand onto the rubber pad, forming a small mountain of coins.

It was a phenomenon so dazzling and incredible, but it was definitely not magic.

"You became a Dead Apostle through magic, didn't you?"

"That's true. As a result, the very foundation of existence has changed. After becoming a Dead Apostle, living for several hundred years is probably not a problem, but at my level, it's a completely different soul level, and my mystical compatibility with humans has become very poor."

Van Fem sighed and continued:

"This casino is basically the work of my subordinates. But for the magician of the Wandering Sea, this is my downfall."

“Kiz?” Matou Ike asked.

“He and I are old friends, so I can guess your route. However, you don’t seem very interested in my ship’s banquet,” Van Fem replied.

"I wasn't really interested before, but after your enticement, I'm starting to want to give it a try. I just don't know if you have enough to tempt me with your stakes."

Matou Ike smiled.

"What if there were a way to reconnect with the gears of the world and time?"

Upon hearing this, Matouchi's expression changed slightly.

Those who know him well know that it's a very striking expression.

"Regarding that method—that is, having us attend Fim's ship banquet, is that what you mean?" Matou Ike narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Well, that's one way to do it."

Van Fem replied calmly.

"However, I have another request this time. I hope you will listen to it first."

"A request?" Matou Ike raised an eyebrow.

“I have someone I want you to find. Although I would like to find them myself, I cannot leave this ship for too long.”

Chapter 447 The Vanished Man

Upon hearing this, Matouchi recalled the scene of his first meeting with this Twenty-Seventh Ancestor of the Dead Disciples.

Even when they almost came to blows, this guy didn't seem to have strayed too far from the giant cruise ship.

Matou Ike gave the man in front of her a deep look, then asked:

"So, who do you want me to ask to go find?"

"It's someone who beat me."

Van Fem said it aloud.

Luvia once said that the vampire who ruled the gambling ship lost.

I didn't expect it to be true.

"Have they gone missing? Who is that person?"

Faced with Matou Ike's question, he fell silent for a moment.

Then, Van Fem told Matouchi and Medea the winner's name.

.........

The ship had somehow docked in the port of Monaco.

For the city of Monaco, this is an unusual dark alley.

This is not a matter of light intensity in reality.