Emperor of Steel [EN]: Chapter 3

As darkness fell, Luke and Philip moved from the bustling streets to a relatively quiet area. Although they didn’t know where the gambling dens were, Luke wasn’t too worried. He knew there would be people to guide them without having to search.

“Good evening, young master. Shall I guide you to a good place?” A thug from the back alley approached with a sly expression. Luke chuckled at the solicitation, which hadn’t changed much in 500 years, and handed him a gold coin. “I’m looking to make a big score. Is there a good place?” “Of course, there is. Follow me.” Philip was taken aback by Luke’s easygoing manner as he followed the thug. Having spent some time in the capital in his younger days, he knew well. The young lord’s behavior was a perfect example of a ‘fallen noble’. ‘When did he learn that? Maybe when he stayed with his maternal family for about a year?’ The young lord Philip knew was a quiet and diligent boy. He listened to adults and never engaged in any bad behavior. That’s why he was so shocked when he said he would sell the ancestor’s statue, and even more so when he said he would use it as a stake to earn 30,000 pesos. ‘Still waters run deep, I guess.’ Philip followed Luke, shaking his head inwardly. Following the thug, they entered a winding back alley and arrived at a two-story brick building. It was a gambling den run by the Thieves’ Guild. Contrary to its shabby exterior, the interior was spacious and luxurious. The floor was covered with marble tiles, and magic lamps adorned with jewels sparkled on the ceiling. At the tables made of imported wood, nobles and wealthy people, dressed to the nines, sat with courtesans in revealing dresses. They were so engrossed in throwing dice and exchanging cards that they paid no attention to the new arrivals. Luke scattered the cigarette smoke filling the gambling den with his hand and sneered. “It’s truly a ‘den of sin’.” “It’s also a pit of destruction,” Philip said, subtly advising him to leave, but Luke ignored him. He casually sat down at an empty table and grinned. “May I join?” “As long as you have enough to bet.” Luke immediately placed the remaining 2,000 pesos from selling the statue on the table, and the gamblers smiled at the sight of the money. “Young lord, those guys look like professional cheaters.” “I know.” Luke, dismissing Philip’s warning, started a card game with the gamblers. At first, he started lightly, considering it a reconnaissance. It was to understand the rules, which hadn’t changed much from 500 years ago. The gamblers also didn’t use any ‘techniques’ and deliberately lost at first. It was to give the sucker a false sense of hope so they could fleece him later. After Luke’s capital increased to 5,000 pesos, the gamblers finally started their move. “I have a flush, what about you?” “Four of a kind.” The gambler, who had asked confidently, was dumbfounded when Luke revealed his cards. He was sure he had a lower hand, but the result was unexpected. ‘Damn it, this kid isn’t a sucker!’ ‘He seems to have some experience, but if he gets cocky, he’ll get a big surprise.’ The gamblers exchanged glances and immediately started using their techniques. Luke even witnessed them pulling cards from the bottom of the deck as they shuffled and dealt with dazzling hand movements. Nevertheless, he said nothing. He just revealed his cards. “Straight.” ‘Damn it!’ The gamblers, having been beaten again, had to watch Luke take the money with a sour look. After that, Luke continued to win. He lost sometimes, but he didn’t bet much or gave up early, so the losses were always small. Instead, he almost always won big in the next round. ‘What is this? He’s a pro!’ Philip, who was watching the young lord gamble from behind, was shocked. He thought he would be cleaned out in a few games, but the result was a complete reversal. As the clock passed midnight and headed towards dawn, it was the gamblers who had to keep getting up to get new stakes. “Young lord, have you done this before?” “Enough to say I have.” In fact, it was more than enough to say he had. 500 years ago. Luke, or rather, Simon, had run a gambling den. It was before he started a full-scale war against his enemies. He used the gambling den to deplete their assets while extracting various important information in exchange for debts. In the process, he learned cards from the leader of the Thieves’ Guild, who was his subordinate at the time, and even briefly studied the probability of card combinations. Thanks to that, Luke had skills beyond that of a professional gambler. He also knew the tricks that gamblers often used, so he knew exactly how his opponents would play. “Hey, bring some drinks here!” One of the gamblers, who was burning up inside, shouted at a waiter while puffing on a cigarette. Then, a male waiter brought several bottles of alcohol and snacks on a tray. But it wasn’t just alcohol that came. “Hehehe, are you all having fun?” “Oh my, you’re all so serious~” Courtesans with heavily made-up faces approached Luke and the gamblers, swaying their hips. Among them, a black-haired courtesan with a revealing neckline clung to Luke. She pressed her body against him and flirted. “I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name?” “Simon.” “Hehehe, liar! That’s the same name as the Demon King!” After pouring a drink for everyone, they started the card game again. But after that, Luke lost four consecutive rounds. It was as if his opponents knew all his cards, and he kept losing by a hair’s breadth. “Young lord, it seems your luck has run out. Let’s stop and get up?” Philip whispered, sensing a bad omen. But Luke was grinning. Then, he suddenly put all the remaining money on the table. ‘Oh! Young, young lord, no way…!’ Philip was so shocked he almost foamed at the mouth. But it didn’t end there. Luke finally said what Philip thought was impossible. “I’ll bet everything on this round. I’m feeling stiff and tired, so I can’t do any more.” The gamblers looked startled at Luke’s words. They couldn’t believe that the young noble was trying to settle the score in one go! As they hesitated, Luke said with a sly smile. “Even a kid like me is betting everything, what about you guys?” “All in.” “I’ll bet everything too.” It was exactly as Luke had planned. The gamblers couldn’t help but go all in after hearing these words. The gamblers were confident of winning this round. In fact, they had a strategy that was more certain than anything else, and more reliable than anyone else. It was the black-haired courtesan next to Luke. She was distracting Luke by flirting with him and peeking at his cards. And she was conveying that information with their own code. “Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will not be defeated in a hundred battles.” [A famous saying about strategy] Even without the famous saying of a general from the Southern Continent, it was a game they couldn’t lose. But this round started to go strangely from the beginning. “Hey, aren’t you going to look at your cards?” “It’s enough as it is.” Luke had left his cards face down. The gamblers frowned at this. Because the black-haired courtesan could only peek and tell them if he looked at his cards. But they soon relaxed their expressions. Luke not looking at his cards meant that the rest was in their hands. “Okay, let’s continue.” As the cards were dealt one by one, the tension increased. Finally, the last card was dealt. A gambler swallowed hard as if nervous and said. “Don’t you want to open your cards and check now?” “Hmph, if you’re scared, die.” “Hehe, okay! Let’s all open them together.” ‘No matter what tricks you try, you can’t win. Because we’ve rigged it so that one of us will win.’ With the gambler’s confident signal, five people, including Luke, opened their cards at the same time. “Hehehe, full house. This round is mine… Ack!” The gambler, who was supposed to have the highest hand according to the plan, screamed as he tried to take the money with a triumphant expression. Luke’s hand, which should have been a bust, was much higher than his. It was even a club straight flush. “Hehehe, I’ll use it gratefully.” Luke ostentatiously swept the money into his pocket. “You, you cheater!” “You young punk, how dare you play tricks here!” The gamblers jumped up from their seats and threatened him. At that moment, Luke’s eyes flashed coldly. “Tricks? Wasn’t it you guys who were pulling cards from the bottom of the deck to change the hands? And it was you who used the barmaid to steal my cards.” “Th, that is… !” The gamblers couldn’t hide their embarrassment. They couldn’t believe that the young punk knew all the tricks of the gambling den! “Do you know what will happen if I make a big fuss about this here?” Some of the gamblers were professional cheaters hired by the gambling den. If it became known that they were cheating, the reputation of the gambling den would plummet. It meant that customers would stop coming. “Y, yikes!” “Well, suckers. Let’s meet again if we have the chance.” Luke, having swept up all the money, teased the gamblers with their distorted faces and left the gambling den. As they entered the alley, Philip asked, unable to contain his curiosity. “Young lord, how did you get that last hand?” It was amazing enough that he noticed the opponent’s tricks, but in the end, the young lord made a hand without even looking at it. And it was just a hair higher than the gamblers. Unlike Philip, who was making a fuss, Luke answered with a nonchalant expression. “That? It’s just a simple mathematical probability result.” Luke had memorized all the card combinations and sequences while playing the game. Moreover, he had made very faint marks on the edges or backs of the cards with his fingernails so that only he could recognize them. That’s how he knew roughly what cards they had and what hands they were trying to make by using their techniques. That’s why he was able to make the best hand without even looking at it. “Those guys who cheat like that hardly ever make big hands like a royal straight flush. If a low probability hand comes out easily, the opponent will be suspicious.” “I see. But even with the money you won from gambling, it’s only 10,000 pesos. What are you going to do about the remaining 20,000 pesos?” “What else? We have to go to another gambling den.” They couldn’t go back to the same place. The Thieves’ Guild, having received a report from the gamblers, would surely ban them from entering. So, the two of them left the alley and began wandering the streets in search of another gambling den.

2

Not long after walking through the streets lit by the dawn moonlight, Luke met another ‘tout’. Again, for a gold coin, the tout faithfully guided them. But the place he led them to was not a gambling den. “Hey, fellas. If you won money, you have to pay taxes before you go?” Men with fierce expressions blocked their path and surrounded Luke and Philip, speaking in ominous voices. Looking back, there were also three or four men blocking the alleyway. They were all armed, and they didn’t look like ordinary thugs who lived in the back alleys. “Did the suckers from earlier send you?” A middle-aged man with a scar on his face smiled slyly at Luke’s question. “Hehe, you completely played with our guys. If you cause trouble, you have to take responsibility.” The middle-aged man, or rather Hector, was a mid-level executive of the Lamer Thieves’ Guild, ‘Blue Diamond’. He had received a report that there was a cheeky guy causing trouble in a gambling den in their area and had rushed out. And after confirming their descriptions, he was finally able to lure the slippery fish to this place. “Trouble? Rather, weren’t they the ones who tried to cheat?” “That’s not important, kid. If you hand over all the money you have, I’ll spare your life.” Of course, Hector had no intention of sparing their lives even if Luke handed over all the money. As they had caused trouble in a guild-owned gambling den, they would be made an example of. What if the opponent was a noble? Wouldn’t they be afraid of the consequences? That was because they didn’t know the Thieves’ Guild. As people who lived on the edge of crime, they would devour even a noble if they seemed weak. That was the way of this world. ‘It would be perfect to bury them in that place I found out about recently.’ While he was having the cruel thought of burying this arrogant kid alive if he didn’t listen, Philip stepped forward. “Young lord. I’ll take care of these guys, so please step aside for a moment.” “Can you handle them alone?” “Hah, if I can’t handle these punks, I’ll have to give up my position as a guard knight.” Swish! Philip, who had chuckled, drew the bastard sword he was wearing on his waist. “Oh ho! You’re acting like a knight? Just because you’re a knight doesn’t mean a sword won’t go through your belly… Ack!” A scream suddenly erupted from Hector’s mouth, who had been mocking Philip for stepping forward alone. It was because a clear red aura began to form on Philip’s sword. “E, Expert!”

Knights train mana differently than mages. They accumulate mana to strengthen their bodies, and some can manifest this accumulated mana in a physical form. This is called an aura, and knights who can manifest an aura are called Experts. Experts possess far greater power than ordinary knights, and their movements are several times faster. In particular, an aura formed on a sword is powerful enough to cut through thick iron plates. That’s why Experts are highly valued, to the point where it’s said that only an Expert can deal with another Expert. And now, an Expert had appeared in this back alley!

‘Damn it, no wonder there was only one guard…’ He was dressed more plainly than other nobles, so they had assumed he was a lower-ranking noble without a territory or a fallen noble. Anyway, as the thieves hesitated with frightened expressions, Philip taunted them. “Why aren’t you attacking? A blade can still pierce an Expert’s belly, so come on.”

“Damn it! You little Expert! Everyone attack!” As Hector charged at Philip, the hesitant thieves joined in. Even if they turned tail and ran now, they would be torn apart by the guild leader. And judging by the size of the aura Philip had manifested, he was definitely a low-level Expert. Plus, he was young, so he must be a newbie who had only recently stepped into the realm of Experts. Having made that judgment, the thieves unleashed a barrage of curses and swung their swords and axes at Philip.

“Uwaaaah!” “Die!” “Oh my, how scary.” Philip dodged their attacks while making a fuss. Not only that, but he also leisurely pierced and slashed at the thieves, neutralizing them one by one. ‘Damn it, he’s not a newbie at all!’ He was ruthless when cutting down people, and he was manifesting his aura so efficiently that he couldn’t be considered a low-level Expert. Realizing that they were no match, Hector changed his attack direction. His target was Luke, who had retreated to the corner. He planned to take him hostage and threaten Philip.

“You, surrender…” However, Hector, who was charging, stumbled after being hit by a gold coin that suddenly flew at him. The area around his eye was swollen and bruised as he staggered back. And that wasn’t the end of it. Luke didn’t miss the opportunity and swung his heavy money pouch like a mace. Thwack—! “Kuh-ack!” Hector, who had been hit in the back of the head, collapsed on the ground like a frog.

“Did I look easy?” Although he was in a boy’s body, his soul was that of the 40-year-old black mage, Seymon. Having already experienced the harsh realities of this world, he knew the tricks and thoughts of back alley thugs like the back of his hand. He could easily defeat these kinds of enemies without using black magic. “Kuh, do you know who I am? I’m Blue Dia… Ack!” Luke stomped hard on Hector’s finger as he tried to threaten them. Not stopping there, he kicked him in the philtrum [the vertical groove between the base of the nose and the upper lip], temples, and the back of the knees—all the vital points that would cause intense pain with just a little impact. In fact, black mages had more knowledge about the human body than knights. Luke was no exception. Thwack! Thwack thwack thwack! “Aaaah! Ugh! P, please spare me… Aaaack!” Hector, who had been defiant all along, screamed and begged for his life as the beating continued.

‘Wow, he’s like a torture expert.’ Philip inwardly trembled as he watched Luke ruthlessly stomp on the leader. He knew that Luke was learning swordsmanship from Commander Rogers, but he never imagined that he could subdue enemies so skillfully and cruelly. ‘Whew, it feels kind of refreshing.’ Luke, who had thoroughly subdued Hector, wore a relieved expression. Sweating a little after a long time, it felt like all the stress he had accumulated had been released. “What are you going to do now?” Philip, who had already subdued or chased away Hector’s subordinates, asked as he picked up the scattered gold coins. Luke, who already knew what he was worried about, didn’t think for long. “The gambling house is a lost cause now.” He didn’t know about other places, but if he won a considerable amount of money, this kind of troublesome situation would happen again. And even if he didn’t win a lot of money, if rumors spread that someone was carrying a large sum, he would become a target for flies. ‘So, instead of a gambling house, I need to find a place where I can earn a lot of money more legally. A place like…’ As Luke stepped out of the alley, he asked Philip, as if something had come to mind. “Is there a racetrack or an arena in this city?”

“Well, I don’t know about a racetrack, but there is an arena… Ah! There’s the Gigant Arena.” “Gigant Arena?” It seemed to be the place where that Gigant guy held matches. But the most important thing was whether he could bet money on the matches of that Gigant or whatever it was. When he asked about that, Philip nodded. “Of course, you can bet. But the betting amounts are quite large, so you can lose it all in an instant.” “Then you can earn it all in an instant too. Good, let’s go to the Gigant Arena.” “But it’s too late today. The Gigant Arena opens at 10 AM, so it would be better to get some sleep.” “I shall.” Luke was already tired from gambling and using his strength. On the way to find an inn, Luke looked at his escort knight walking ahead and fell into thought. ‘To think that Philip, who is so light in his words and actions, was a mid-level Expert…’ Philip probably hadn’t shown his full strength. Luke, who had seen and fought against many knights in his past life, could tell that he was a mid-level Expert. ‘Impressive. To be a mid-level Expert at that age.’ It was because Rakan was a physically born monster and a genius of swordsmanship, but it was not easy for an ordinary knight to reach the mid-level of Expert even after a lifetime of training. Considering that there were less than 100 mid-level Expert knights in the Kingdom of Livia 500 years ago, it was possible to judge their status. ‘Is it true that a dragon is still a dragon even when it’s rotten?’ Although the Rakan family had declined, he could see from Philip that their past glory and skills had not completely disappeared. ‘Hehehe, he might be helpful later.’ He hadn’t made any clear plans yet, but if he were to fight against the Barok Imperial Family, the family of his enemy, he thought that the Rakan family might be useful. Considering the family’s history, they wouldn’t have good feelings towards the Imperial Family. ‘Still, paying off the debt is the priority, right?’ The two of them found a decent inn in the downtown area and rested until dawn. Hoping for a jackpot tomorrow.

3

The next morning, after getting enough sleep and having a meal, the two headed to the Gigant Arena. The Gigant Arena was located on a hill east of Lamer City. At first, when he saw it from afar, it was made of gray stone, so he thought it was some kind of fortress or castle, but it turned out to be a huge stadium. ‘The world has developed a lot.’ Most of the old arenas were made of wood, and the audience was at most 5,000 people. But an even more surprising fact followed. Philip added that an arena with a capacity of 30,000 was only a small to medium-sized one. “I don’t know if you’ve been there, young lord, but the arena in the capital is very large and beautiful, built directly by the dwarves. It can accommodate as many as 100,000 people at once.” ‘Huh!’ From what he heard, it wasn’t just popular, so it was big. It was because steel giants, ranging from a minimum of 8 meters to a maximum of 15 meters, were fighting each other, so an arena of that size was created. ‘Anyway, that Gigant thing and all, there are really a lot of amazing things in this era.’ Even now, one of those amazing things was passing by in front of him, making a loud noise. Honk honk—! Paaang! A horseless carriage was running, spewing white steam through a stovepipe-like thing attached to its body. And behind it, a large iron cart was seen coming up, carrying something covered in black cloth. Even though it was carrying a load that looked quite heavy, the cart was ‘moving on its own,’ spewing out a large amount of steam like the strange carriage that had gone ahead. And it was at a speed that could not be called slow. ‘Is that a Mobile? And the thing following behind is a Trailer. They said it definitely moves with the power of steam made by boiling water in an engine with a fire magic circle engraved on it, right?’ The people Luke met on the regular ship to Lamer were not just merchants. There were also blacksmiths and mages who studied magical engineering. According to them, magical engineering had greatly developed since the Veritas Magic Tower released the Gigant 500 years ago. Vehicles using magical steam engines were also invented shortly after, but they were not noticed at all at the time. ‘It’s a waste to use magic for something that can be done with oxen or horses. And the magic stones that make up the magic circle are not common items.’ Magic stones were essential for magic circles to draw mana from nature and convert it into the power of a specific element. However, magic stones were a scarce resource. They were 10 times more expensive than the same weight of gold, and even then, they had to be processed with magic to be used properly. ‘But things have changed since 100 years ago, right?’ An elf mage named ‘Erewin Lesa’ devised a way to create artificial magic stones by combining several minerals with crystals. When Luke heard that story, he was as shocked as if he had been struck by lightning. ‘To create magic stones, of all things! That elf mage must be a true genius!’ Anyway, since then, the technology for producing artificial magic stones has continued to improve, and thanks to that, magic stones are now mass-produced and their prices have fallen a lot compared to the past. As a result, magical engineering technology could be used in non-magical or military fields, such as transportation, and each country was able to possess more Gigants due to the drop in prices. ‘And now I can watch these gladiatorial matches.’ What kind of weapon was it that grew the Barok Kingdom into an empire and brought about a revolution in war? What was it that made the eyes of the people who came to see it so full of strong interest and excitement? Luke also felt a sense of anticipation. So, his steps towards the arena became lighter. As if the match had already started, the sound of metal clashing violently and the shouts of the crowd shook the area as they approached the arena. Kwaaaang—! Crack! Clang! “Waaaaah!” “Kill him, kill him!” ‘It’s hot!’ Luke, who had paid the entrance fee and entered the arena, couldn’t help but exclaim at the passionate heat of the crowd. He turned his gaze to the center of the arena, where people’s eyes were focused. Thump thump thump! Steel giants holding huge swords and shields were exchanging blows. Every time the huge steel giants moved, he could feel the vibrations under his feet, and every time the giant swords collided, a thrilling wave spread through the air. It was a fantastic spectacle, as if warriors from mythology were fighting. “It’s really amazing!” “Right? There’s no better sight in the world.” Luke had lost his Black Circle when he was reincarnated. But even if his body was different, his soul was still Seymon, so his sense of feeling mana was still alive. That’s why he could understand why so many people were caught up in excitement and enthusiasm. The mana around the arena was now concentrated on the two Gigants clashing fiercely. Not only was the mana of nature concentrated, but also the thin, thread-like mana emitted from the bodies of numerous spectators was flowing. In other words, even if it wasn’t clear, the senses of the spectators were connected to the Gigants. Therefore, it was only natural that they would react to their movements and become enthusiastic together. ‘They said there’s a pilot inside, right? Whoever it is, they seem to have the same idea as me. That’s why their movements are much more delicate than golems, and their reactions are faster.’ 500 years ago, Seymon was the best golem mage on the continent. When he was in the midst of his revenge, he had ravaged the continent of Rodisia with a dark legion of golems. However, there were some drawbacks to golems, which had powerful combat capabilities. First, golems moved under the instructions of a mage who was in contact with them through mental magic, but if the mage was sniped, they could be easily subdued. Second, the further the distance between the golem and the mage, the more time lag there was in receiving and executing instructions. Finally, mages were generally not experts in combat, so they could not properly utilize golems in close combat. To overcome these traditional shortcomings, Seymon developed several devices based on the knowledge he had gained from studying black magic. However, he was killed by Rakan, so he was unable to apply them even though he had created prototypes. ‘At that time, I heard that the Veritas Magic Tower and other mages were researching weapons to counter my golems. Maybe the Gigant was developed in that process.’ As the best golem mage, Luke was very interested in the Gigant. He even thought that he should completely disassemble one and examine it when he returned to his territory. ‘Anyway, earning money is the priority now.’ He needed money to protect his castle and disassemble the Gigant. Luke turned to Philip and asked. “How do I bet money?” “You can buy betting tickets for the upcoming matches at the sales office over there.” In front of a building on one side of the spectator seats, there was already a long line of people. But there was another booth next to the sales office. Philip explained that it was set up by the clans participating in the matches. “Clans? Are they like the old gladiatorial groups?” “That’s right. But Gigant clans are much larger than gladiatorial groups. So, they are usually run by wealthy noble families or large merchant guilds.” Inside the booth, people who appeared to be employees of the clan were standing and enthusiastically introducing their Gigants and riders who would be competing today. “Come on, bet on ‘Kazan,’ the veteran rider of the Inter Clan! 32 wins, 25 wins, 7 losses! You will never regret it!” “What are you talking about! Our Barsha Clan’s rider, ‘Lionel,’ may not have many appearances, but he is a rising star who has never lost so far!” “The rider’s skill is important, but the performance of the Gigant is just as important. Our Almaria Clan’s Gigant, ‘Mammoth,’ is a masterpiece recognized by the Volga Republic…” As Luke was watching the touts, Philip recommended. “Young lord, you should bet on Kazan. Although the odds for Lionel are higher at 2.5 times, it’s better to bet on a safe option at first.” “Is that so.” Luke decided to watch a few matches first, so he decided to bet a small amount of money on the target that Philip recommended. “I’ll bet 100 pesos on Kazan.” “Yes, sir. Here is your 100 peso betting ticket.” The sales office employee who received the money handed Luke a betting ticket. “5,000 pesos on Lionel!” Luke, who had received the betting ticket and stepped back, was surprised to see the promissory note that the pot-bellied noble behind him had presented. But the employee, as if it were a common occurrence, wrote the amount on the betting ticket and stamped it with a confirmation seal. “Sir Philip, can you bet that much money at once?” “Actually, there is a legal limit. But…” “It’s not well enforced, is it?” “Yes, the arena operator can earn a lot of revenue if the audience bets a lot of money.” According to Philip, the surveillance was more lax in the arenas in the provinces. In addition, the owner of this Lamer Arena was Count Monarch, a collateral relative of the Imperial Family, so the central government did not dare to inspect it. ‘The country is doing well.’ In any country, social order and morals tend to become chaotic before it declines. In addition, the corruption of the upper class is one of the main factors that encourage the downfall of a country. Seeing that a collateral relative of the Imperial Family was not punished for committing corruption and lining his own pockets, he could tell the internal situation of the empire. ‘Hmph, whatever. If the country that Barok built is doomed, then I’m happy.’ Luke, who had a cynical smile, sat down in a suitable place with Philip and began to watch the match.