21. Gambling
I lifted the heavy mug with my right hand and brought it straight to my lips, pouring the beer down my dry throat.
Since I was craving moisture right now, I figured even beer would feel good. With that expectation, I took a long drink. After a few seconds, I slowly lowered the mug and let out a big sigh.
(Whoa… this is delicious!!!!?)
A refreshing sensation I had never felt before, a smooth finish, and a perfectly balanced malt flavor.
It was completely different from the canned beer I drank when I turned twenty.
“I guess I really did grow up without realizing it…”
Sitting alone in the tavern, I almost teared up at my own growth, but I held it back at the last second and turned my attention to the stew.
This was even better than anything I had ever made back in my original world. The thick white broth was packed with vegetables I didn’t recognize, yet every one of them had a rich, natural sweetness. The depth of the soup combined with the gentle sweetness of the vegetables made it feel like the ultimate stew.
With the taste of the stew still lingering in my mouth, I took another big gulp of the large mug of beer to wash it down.
“Pwahhh—! So good!”
I had gone through so much since arriving in this world, and I had been starving. That was probably why this meal felt like pure happiness.
I was more than satisfied.
“Thank you for the meal…”
I put my hands together in front of the empty wooden plate and the large mug, saying the usual Japanese phrase. It probably didn’t exist in this world, but I still wanted to thank the ingredients that had given me such a good meal.
I would have loved another mug of beer, but I didn’t have that kind of money right now.
Tomorrow I’d ask Lorraine to find me a quest with a better reward. I made up my mind.
But there was something even more important I had to think about right now.
(Where am I supposed to sleep tonight…?)
I had no place where my exhausted body could rest properly.
For now, sitting here in the tavern was fine. But once the night grew late, even the tavern would close. Then I would have nowhere to sleep.
The only options I could think of were a stable or curling up in an alley, but that would make it impossible to move properly tomorrow.
Besides, I wanted to wash the clothes I was wearing. I had been running around all day and was covered in sweat. It felt gross.
“If only I had more money…”
In the end, even in another world, money was still my biggest obstacle.
Money makes people suffer no matter where you are. Damn it, if only there was an easy way to make some cash…
“Alright! That’s ten silver coins for me!”
A loud male voice suddenly rang out from the corner of the tavern, followed by cheers and groans of disappointment.
From where I was sitting, people were blocking the view, so I couldn’t see what was happening.
Just then, the waitress who had brought me the beer walked by. I called out to her.
“Excuse me.” “Yes? How can I help you?” “What’s going on over there?”
She looked in the direction I pointed and answered.
“That’s where people gamble.” “Gamble…?” “Yeah. They play card games, and the loser pays the winner.” “What kind of games exactly…?” “Right now they’re playing poker. There’s also blackjack and baccarat.”
I knew those. So this world had card games too.
And maybe… I was feeling lucky.
“Thanks.”
I stood up from my seat and started walking toward the crowd.
“Um… are you going to join?” “Yeah. I’m pretty confident with gambling…” “You really shouldn’t. I don’t know much about it, but I’ve seen plenty of people get ruined…”
The waitress’s words weren’t just casual advice. It was a clear warning. She had seen the harsh reality with her own eyes and was trying to stop me from making a mistake.
I appreciated her concern, but I didn’t have the luxury of listening right now. I wanted to order another beer, but I didn’t have the money.
I turned my back on the waitress and headed into the crowd.
“I’ll be fine. If it gets dangerous, I’ll stop.” “…If you say so…”
Leaving behind her disappointed voice, I pushed through the wall of people and finally got a clear view of the poker game.