Chapter 363: Magic or Luck

Hulim Heyerar tucked the gold Kohl coins into her palm, then turned and handed them all to Alice.

“Huh?”

Alice blinked her big blue eyes, looking up at Hulim in confusion.

“Sister Hulim, what are you doing?”

Hulim smiled softly.

“Didn’t I say I was helping you with the lottery? If I’m doing it for you, then everything we won naturally belongs to you, doesn’t it?”

“Huh? But these are way too valuable—I can’t accept them—”

“Alright, let’s not fuss over trivial things. First, let’s pick out the gift you want to give Arthur. Seven Magic Items—I bet Arthur will be so surprised his jaw drops.”

With Hulim and Eileen helping to choose, Alice soon found herself clutching seven Magic Items to her chest.

Then the three of them wheeled Alice’s wheelchair around and walked out of the shop, leaving behind a shopkeeper who stared at his nearly empty Magic Item shelf with a face devoid of all hope, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

“Hulim—how did you do that back there? I’ve never heard of any magic like that before.”

It wasn’t long after they’d left the shop that Eileen finally gave in to her curiosity, turning to Hulim with wide eyes.

“Hmmm......”

Hulim paused for a moment, then replied with a playful smile,

“A secret~.”

“Aww......”

Eileen’s shoulders slumped in disappointment, but she had no intention of prying into someone else’s secrets.

“Was it some kind of hidden special move of yours, Sister Hulim?”

It was Alice who piped up, her eyes shining with curiosity.

“......You can think of it that way if you want.”

Hulim thought to herself, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

In truth, she didn’t have any hidden special moves at all.

She hadn’t used any magic either.

It had all been pure luck......

Yes, nothing but simple, unadulterated luck.

Ever since she was a child, she’d always had a strange affinity for the number seven. Whenever she’d drawn lots or picked numbers, she’d almost always ended up with a seven.

And this quirk had only become more pronounced as she’d grown older.

No...... Perhaps it wasn’t age that had strengthened it.

It was strength.

Ever since she’d returned from Mirnabith, this bizarre streak of luck had skyrocketed to an absurd degree.

“Still, that shopkeeper was so unlucky to run into you~.”

Eileen chuckled, recalling the shopkeeper’s devastated face, and Hulim nodded in agreement, her tone softening.

“I never intended to go that far. But he was the one who cheated first—I just taught him a little lesson.”

“Huh?”

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Eileen froze for a second, then her eyes widened in realization.

“Hulim—are you saying that slot machine was rigged?”

“It was.”

Hulim nodded firmly.

“Normally, slot machines spin automatically. There’s no need for someone to crank them manually. He modified it that way to shift the blame onto the players—claiming they didn’t crank it right if they didn’t win.”

“If I had to guess, either the odds of hitting the jackpot were way lower than one percent, or it was completely impossible to win at all.”

“What?! That’s so underhanded! Daring to cheat adventurers out of their money—does he really think he can walk out of Bongisto alive? I’m going back to give him a piece of my mind!”

Eileen huffed, turning on her heel as if she were going to march right back to the shop.

“Don’t bother. He’s already learned his lesson.”

Hulim reached out and pulled her back gently.

“I doubt he’ll ever dare to run a scam like that again. Chances are, he’s already packing his bags to leave Bongisto for good.”

Meanwhile, back at the lottery shop—

The shopkeeper had chased all his remaining customers away, and was now packing his wares into crates with a face like thunder, muttering furiously under his breath.

“What a cursed city! I’ve lost everything this time! I’m never doing business here again!”

And just as Hulim had predicted, no one in Bongisto ever saw the unlucky shopkeeper who’d lost seven jackpots in a row ever again.

“......You’re right. It’s not worth wasting our time on him.”

Eileen nodded, dropping the idea of going back to confront him. Then she turned to Alice, bending down to meet her eyes.

“Little Alice—have you decided which Magic Item to give Arthur yet?”

“Hmmm......”

Alice bit her lip, looking down at the seven Magic Items in her lap with a troubled expression. She didn’t know much about Magic Items, and had no idea which one would be the perfect gift for her brother.

“How about this one?”

Hulim picked up a small, ornate box from the pile. When she opened it, a pair of matching rings sat nestled inside, glinting softly in the sunlight.

Strangely enough, even though there were two rings, they counted as a single Magic Item.

Hulim explained, her voice gentle, “These two rings are linked. Anyone who wears them can check on each other—though the only thing it tells you is whether the other person is still alive. It’s a simple function, but I think it’s perfect for you and Arthur.”

With that, Hulim slipped one ring onto her own finger, and the other onto Eileen’s.

Instantly, both rings began to glow with a faint, warm light.

“They’re glowing!”

Alice gasped, her eyes widening in wonder.

“Whoa—this is actually pretty cool!”

Eileen held up her hand, staring at the glowing ring in fascination before sliding it off her finger.

“Huh? Now they’re not glowing anymore.”

As soon as one ring was removed, the light from both faded completely.

“That’s a bit of a flaw, I suppose,” Hulim admitted, tucking both rings back into the box and handing it to Alice. “But for a mid-tier Magic Item, this function is already quite useful.”

Alice stared at the box in her hands, then nodded firmly, a bright smile spreading across her face.

“Then I’ll give this to Brother.”

She closed the box carefully and tucked it away in the pocket of her dress. Then she picked up the remaining six Magic Items and the pouch of ten gold Kohl coins, holding them out to Hulim.

“Sister Hulim—I only need this one gift for Brother. You won the rest of these fair and square, so they should be yours to keep.”

“Alice—didn’t I tell you this all belongs to you?”

Hulim protested, but Alice shook her head, her big blue eyes filled with unshakable resolve.

“No. You’re the one who won them. They should be yours.”

“......”

Hulim fell silent, staring into Alice’s earnest, childish face. For all her fragile appearance, Alice had a strength of will that far surpassed her years. Hulim knew there was no point in arguing with her when she looked so determined. In the end, she nodded in defeat.

“Alright then,” Hulim said, taking the pouch of gold Kohl coins and shaking it, the coins clinking merrily inside. “We’ve still got plenty of time left today. And since this money is basically free—how about we go spend it all having fun?”

Ten gold Kohl coins weren’t an astronomical fortune, but they were more than enough to enjoy a full day of entertainment in Bongisto.

With no more worries about money weighing them down, the three girls melted back into the bustling crowds of the Entertainment District.

“New series card tournament starting soon! Grand prize up for grabs—sign up now at our shop!”

“Need a Banroll residence permit? Authentic and affordable!”

“No thank you.”

“Fluffy Cloud Café—discounts today only~!”

“Freshly acquired goods! Care to take a look?”

“Huh?”

“Obstacle sharpshooter contest happening today! Test your skills—break the record and win big rewards!”

“Adventure group recruiting temporary members! Lucrative job—experienced adventurers only......”

The Entertainment District was a dazzling chaos of sights and sounds, filled with all sorts of attractions and vendors—even a few shady-looking ones mixed in. But none of that mattered to Hulim, Eileen, and Alice as they spent the entire day exploring every corner of the district, laughing and chatting until the sun began to dip below the horizon.

It wasn’t until dusk that the three girls finally left the district, their faces flushed with excitement and their hearts full of happy memories.

“Well, well, well—Arthur! Looks like you’ve been waiting a long time~!”

From a distance, they spotted Arthur sitting alone on a stone bench in the square, watching the crowds go by. Eileen called out to him, teasing as she walked over, and Arthur stood up with a warm smile.

“It’s no big deal. I haven’t been waiting that long.”

He said lightly—but in truth, he’d been sitting there for hours.