“Here, Anby.”
“This is…
ice-cold cola!
Cael, you’re such a good person!”
A happy glint appeared in Anby’s eyes.
There it was—the classic “nice guy” card.
“I work at Random Play.
I can at least afford lunch.”
Cael explained as he handed her the drink.
Since they were already eating burgers, it would’ve been a shame not to have cola with them.
So he’d gone to a nearby convenience store and bought two chilled bottles as thanks for the burger Anby had given him.
“Random Play?” Anby was already eagerly twisting the cap off her bottle.
The scent of cola escaped through the glass opening, seeming to chase away some of Sixth Street’s midday heat.
“You’ve been there before?”
“Mm.
I’m a Silver member.
They have a lot of movies, and I like watching all kinds of films.”
Anby took a long drink of the ice-cold cola.
A visibly pleased expression appeared on her face as she enjoyed the chill and carbonation.
Only then did Cael unwrap his burger.
It was the same massive double-beef burger Anby had been eating, and it was so large that Cael doubted he could finish the whole thing himself.
He instinctively glanced at Anby’s stomach.
It was completely flat, without the slightest trace of excess fat.
If anything, faint lines from long-term physical training were visible.
Cael had no idea how she managed to fit two burgers this size inside her.
Not wanting to waste food, he broke off roughly a third of his burger and gave it back to Anby.
The lunch hour passed quickly, and Cael and Anby enjoyed a pleasant meal together.
Even after finishing, Anby continued holding tightly onto her glass cola bottle.
Every now and then, her eyes drifted toward the empty bottle in Cael’s hand.
“What is it, Anby?” Cael asked curiously.
“Um…
can I have the bottle?”
Anby explained seriously, “A glass bottle can be recycled for twenty Dennies.
If I recycle fifteen of them, that’s enough money for another cola.”
…
That was very Anby.
Cael tilted his head back and finished the remaining half bottle in several large gulps before handing it over.
“If you want it, it’s yours.”
Anby accepted the bottle and carefully placed it inside her bag.
“Cael, you’re really a good person.
Want to add each other on Knock Knock?”
“Knock Knock?”
Anby had already taken out her phone and opened the app.
“Sorry, Anby.
I don’t have Knock Knock yet…”
“All right.”
Anby put her phone away.
In her mind, Cael’s status as extremely poor had now been firmly confirmed.
Who lived in New Eridu without Knock Knock?
Unless they didn’t even own a phone.
Cael was helpless about that too.
He could only wait until Random Play paid him, then buy a cheap secondhand phone to get by.
“Once I finish the tape I rented last time, I’ll come back to Random Play.
You can recommend some good movies to me then.”
“Of course.
You’re welcome anytime.”
“Goodbye, Cael.”
“See you around, Anby.”
…
The work at Random Play was simple, and the atmosphere was pleasant.
Cael quickly became familiar with both Wise and Belle.
Business at the store was neither particularly good nor particularly bad.
Unless someone bought a membership, daily income was usually around 20,000 Dennies.
On a good day, they might make 40,000.
But that was about it.
Cael had also nearly finished the tape-sorting job Wise had given him.
During their free time, the three of them sometimes played cards together.
“Since there are three of us, how about a three-player shedding game?”
Belle pulled a deck of cards from a drawer.
“Sounds good to me,” Wise said.
“I’ve got a better idea.”
Cael shook his head.
Both siblings looked at him.
“You know another game?” Wise asked.
“How about Shutout?”
Cael remembered a card game he’d often played with friends in his previous life.
“Shutout?”
Belle and Wise exchanged a glance.
Neither had heard of it, which only made them more interested.
“Is it a game from the Outer Ring?” Belle asked.
“Something like that.”
Cael nodded.
“The basic idea is similar to other three-player shedding games, but the rules are different.
Whoever gets rid of all their cards first wins.
The losers pay based on how many cards they still have left.
“For example, if each remaining card is worth 100 Dennies, five cards means you lose 500.
Ten cards means 1,000.
“But if you don’t manage to play a single card before someone goes out, you’ve been shut out.
That’s an automatic loss of 2,000 Dennies.
“You don’t use the Jokers.
The highest single card is a 3, while the lowest is a 4.
The ranking goes from 4 upward, with 2 below 3.
Full houses and four-of-a-kind bombs work more or less the way you’d expect.”
Belle nodded thoughtfully.
“That actually sounds fun.
So it’s every player for themselves, and whoever empties their hand first wins.
“If my hand is good enough and I shut both of you out in the same round, I’d win 4,000 Dennies at once?!”
Belle was already imagining herself crushing both Cael and Wise and leaving them devastated.
“In theory, yes.”
Cael nodded.
“But since you two are siblings and might decide to gang up on me, we’re adding another rule: Forced Beat.”
“What’s Forced Beat?” Wise asked curiously.
“If you can beat the previous play, you have to.
You aren’t allowed to pass unless you genuinely have nothing that can beat it.
“For example, if Belle plays a pair of 4s, and all you have besides a straight are three 3s, you still have to beat her play if your hand contains a valid response.”
“So you might be forced to waste your strongest cards on something weak…”
“Exactly.
There are a few other small rules, but I’ll explain those as we play.
After a couple of rounds, you’ll understand.
“And obviously, we’ll just practice first.
No Dennies.”
Belle and Wise turned out to be surprisingly talented at card games.
After only two rounds, both had completely grasped the rules.
Unlike team-based games, Shutout required no concern for a partner.
All that mattered was emptying your own hand first.
To make things more interesting, the three eventually agreed to set each remaining card at 100 Dennies.
Playing cards without even a tiny stake was just too dull.
“Four, five, six, seven, eight.
Straight.”
“Eight, nine, ten, Jack, Queen.
Straight.”
“Oh!
Four Kings!
Bomb!”
“Seriously?
Why are you so lucky?!”
“…”
“Three 5s with a pair.”
“Three 7s.”
“Three Aces.”
“I only have one card left, Wise…”
Belle held up her final card with a smug expression.
Wise, who played immediately before her, was already sweating.
But he quickly calmed down and began mentally reviewing the cards that had already been played.
“I don’t have the 3.
Cael already played a pair of 3s earlier, and not all the 2s are out yet.
“So Belle’s last card could be a 3, and even in the best case it’s probably a 2.
“Which means I absolutely can’t play a single card next…”
“Not bad, Wise!”
Belle gave him a thumbs-up and simply revealed her final card.
Sure enough.
It was a 3.
Belle was almost guaranteed to win the round now, because both Wise and Cael still had single cards in their hands.
Maybe the store’s luck was simply against Wise that day.
After several rounds, he’d lost by far the most.
In one round, his hand had been so terrible that Belle, blessed with absurd luck, shut him out entirely.
Then he got hit by one of Cael’s bombs on top of that.
Between the Shutout penalty and the bomb, Wise lost 3,000 Dennies in a single round.
“I’m done!”
Wise threw both hands up and leaned back in his chair, staring into space as he reconsidered his life choices.
Altogether, Wise had lost more than 10,000 Dennies.
Belle was up over 6,000.
Cael had won a little over 5,000.
At least his meals for the next couple of days were covered.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
Just as the three of them were playing, a rapid series of knocks came from the back door.
It really helps the fic grow!