Chapter 153: Two Beauties and a Certain Card Game

"...That’s right. Do you know numbered cards?"

"Numbered cards?"

Never heard of it.

"These."

And what she showed was... ah, playing cards.

The number of sheets seems a little many, though.

"Then I know them."

"Right. Then among games with these numbered cards there is one called ’Horse Fishing.’ Do you know this?"

"No, I don’t."

"This is..."

Hearing Lucia’s explanation it seems like mahjong done with playing cards.

I’m good at mahjong.

I used to do it often in the past... I feel like.

There are many numbers and like cards there are four kinds so it is a little complicated, but...

"Well, it should work out."

Actually using my ability I can cheat by looking at the opponent’s hand, but well as a last resort.

"Then let’s start."

She neatly shuffled the cards and showed them to me.

"Is it fine?"

"Ah, wait a moment."

Just in case I’ll put the bottom card on top.

"I won’t cheat."

Lucia said that looking displeased and dealt cards alternately to me and herself from the top.

I looked at the hand dealt to me.

Fumu, pretty good.

"I’ll go first."

...

"Yes, I go out. Etto, five ’sets’ of ’picture cards only.’ Is that fine?"

I held out the cards and showed them.

Lucia who peeked opened her eyes wide.

"...A-a beginner winning without understanding is a common thing. Th-there is no next."

Saying that Lucia gathered the cards.

I see, there is a next.

I did not think this was the end.

Because it is the same as mahjong.

However when Lucia shuffled the cards she said something unexpected.

"Next I’ll bet this."

What she pointed at saying that was the table beside me.

On it clothes that seemed Rosina’s were placed.

"No~. If it’s Hiroyuki-kun’s hand that’s all ours~."

"Why! Your body and heart and soul are enough!"

"That’s three, right~."

Rosina waved a hand holding up three fingers.

"You, what are you doing cheapening yourself!"

"Oh my~, until a moment ago that was the talk, wasn’t it~?"

"Ku! ..."

Ignoring me the two advanced the talk.

"I got it! Then next I’ll change the rules!"

I do not know the details of what the rules were so it is not a big problem.

Or rather not knowing the rules themselves is a big problem.

"The stake is uniformly one gold coin. If you win any points you receive the stake. How about that?"

Lucia proposed that puffing her large chest.

"No, if I can just get Rosina that’s enough for me."

"Oh my~, I’m fine anytime~."

Rosina leaned on me making a pose.

My arm was sandwiched in Rosina’s huge breasts.

Even if I try to shake it off she has it firmly twined with both arms so I cannot undo it.

"Haa."

"Then I’ll deal."

Taking this opportunity Lucia began dealing cards.

"...Haa."

I can only sigh now.

"...Ah, that’s right. Sheena."

I called Sheena who had been standing silently behind me the whole time.

"What is it?"

"I want to ask a message. Can you tell Muriel and the others it looks like I’ll be late?"

"Eh? But Muriel-sama and..."

"I want you to tell them directly. Please."

The communication by Muriel’s magic is still connected.

If I call Muriel will answer.

But I forcibly asked Sheena to tell Muriel.

Because it looks like it will be late I thought to leave Sheena at my house.

Seeing Rosina in underwear I also felt that if it drags on it will become that much more dangerous.

Sheena looked at Rosina.

"That’s right~. Sheena, go to Hiroyuki-kun’s house. Then I’ll have an excuse to go to Hiroyuki-kun’s house~. Ufufu."

Rosina gave permission for a wicked reason.

Even if I win the match and go home being attacked by Rosina is somehow scary.

"Fine. In exchange if I win this match I’ll take Sheena too."

Lucia also gave permission with a condition.

"Understood. Then excuse me."

Sheena bowed her head and left the room.

The escort is... it should be fine.

She was also alone when she came to call me, and outside is still bright.

"Then let’s start the continuation."

...

"Yes, ’one more.’"

I declared that to Lucia.

"One more" seems to be reach.

As the words say I am one card away from completing.

"U~~~"

"Fuffuun"

Lucia raised a groan while looking at her own hand.

Beside her smiling Rosina was looking at such Lucia while humming.

"...Hey, Rosina. What was the trigger that started this bet?"

I thought to ask after it ended, but it does not look like it will end soon so I asked now.

"That’s~, I wanted Ruu-chan’s share~."

"Share?"

"That’s right~. Relief supplies sent from the Anirofe main temple~."

"Relief supplies?"

"That’s right. The order took this opportunity and intervened in the Tres Kingdom’s reconstruction. ...How about this?"

Lucia looked at the discarded card and asked me if it was a hit.

"Un, fine. Pass."

"Hoh. Now, your turn."

Prompted by Lucia I flipped a card from the field.

"If you belong to the same order isn’t it fine to use them amicably?"

The flipped card was not what I wanted so I discarded it in my own "discard pile."

Lucia who breathed a sigh of relief again stretched her hand to the field’s "stack."

"I don’t want to. I gave Rosina the same amount. So why do I have to give my share too?"

Lucia puffed her cheeks.

They are both in their thirties, right.

...A children’s fight?

"Anyway if they are relief supplies you will use them for the people of this town, right? Then..."

"Wrong."

When Lucia discarded one card from her hand she said with a straight face.

"Rosina’s are relief supplies for the town’s people, but mine are different. Mine are..."

"Ah~! That’s a hit~. Ne, ne~."

Interrupting Lucia’s words Rosina raised a loud voice from the side comparing my hand and the card Lucia discarded.

"Nn? Ah, that’s right. Certainly that completes it."

"No way!?"

Lucia looked at the hand I placed on the desk and hung her head gakkuri.

"With this there are no more gold coins~."

Rosina declared to Lucia looking proud.

"But you’re betting relief supplies, right? Why bet gold coins?"

"One gold coin is one box of relief supplies~."

"I see."

Gold coins are chips for gambling.

And Lucia no longer has gold coins.

In other words Lucia’s share of relief supplies is gone.

"Hey, Rosina. You don’t need to take it all, right."

I confirmed with Rosina.

I thought receiving only the needed amount was fine.

"No~. Because I won I receive that much~."

Rosina said puffing her cheeks punsuka.

"You know."

When I tried to caution Rosina, Lucia suddenly stood and pinched her own clothes.

"Then next I’ll bet these clothes!"

...

"Hey, this completes it."

"Eh?"

Lucia leaned out over the table and looked at the hand I showed.

"B-but it’s only the third round."

"Somehow the cards I received by chance were good."

Lucia sat suton in the chair and went limp.

"...You didn’t cheat, right."

"Lucia is dealing, right? There’s no way I can."

Actually I can, but I have not done it yet.

First even looking at Lucia’s hand I cannot go out this fast.

"..."

Lucia stood silently and undid the string at her chest.

Then when she undid the side strings she took off the upper clothes all at once.

She threw the taken-off clothes onto the side table, hugged her own body with both hands, and sat in the chair.

"N-next I’ll take off the bottom!"

Saying that she gathered the cards on the table.

"Then I’ll take this off too~."

While Lucia shuffled the cards, for some reason Rosina stood and began taking off the underwear she was wearing.

When she took off the chemise breasts large enough to compete with Muriel spilled out.

"Oi oi, why is Rosina taking them off?"

"Because~, only Ruu-chan taking them off is unfair~."

While saying that she also pulled down her panties and threw them onto the table on the opposite side sandwiching me.

Rosina’s taken-off chemise and panties flew in front of my eyes.

"Yes. Then let’s continue~."

...

"Hey, is the Anirofe order large enough to lend power to a country’s reconstruction?"

While Lucia glared alternately at her own hand and the field cards I asked Rosina something that concerned me.

Does the Anirofe order have enough influence that a mere religious group can intervene in a country?

"Not that large~. Rather on the lower side~."

Rosina answered tilting her neck.

"But relief supplies enough to be useful for a country’s reconstruction would need quite a bit of money, right?"

"That’s right~. Only funds are abundant~. There are many backing nobles~."

Rosina wore a mocking smile.

Feeling a contradiction in Rosina’s words I tilted my neck.

"Nobles? Are there nobles among believers of an order of the god of submission and subordination?"

Nobles are "those who make submit and subordinate."

That they are believers of an order that "submits and subordinates" is a strange talk.

"Wrong~. They just use it because it is convenient if the order continues. They just aid funds to make it continue~."

...I see.

Certainly it is convenient for the side that makes submit and subordinate.

If they convert they come to listen as they believe.

"But~, from the nature of the order the scale is small~. So at times like this they slip in and sell favors~."

Then if lucky it becomes the state religion, and even if not it becomes advantageous in spreading the teaching in that country, is it.

"I see."

"How about this!"

Perhaps waiting for the talk to end, at a pause Lucia discarded a card.

"Ah, a hit."

"Eeh!!"

Lucia in underwear put both hands on the table and stood.

Then she went limp, sat in the chair, and hung her head.

"Lucia has nothing left to take off either so let’s end it."

"..."

Lucia did not move remaining silent.

"Then shall we go home."

"W-wait."

...

And it became like this.

(I heard from Sheena-san. Master, shall I go meet you?)

Apparently Sheena arrived at the house. Telepathy arrived from Muriel.

What talk did Sheena do?

(This side is fine. It looks like it will take a little more so sleep first.)

While soothing the anxious Muriel I looked around again.

Beside me nude Rosina sat, and in front Lucia began taking off her underwear.

In a chaotic atmosphere where I wearing clothes seemed out of place I held my head.

Lucia while her face was red was shuffling the cards.

Without saying yes or no she seems to continue.

"...Haa. This is the last."