“Spare change, sir? Spare change?”

“Get your filthy hands away from me you little…”

“Ah—!”

…

…

“Sir, can you spare me any change?”

…

…

“Ma’am, spare—”

“Sorry little girl, but I’m afraid I don’t have any.”

…

…

…

…

…

“Sir, spare change…?”

“Huh…? Oh. A teen? Sorry but I’m running a little late to class here…”

“Oh…”

…

…

...

“Say… are you curious?”

?

“About the world?”

“The…”

“If you want… you can come to lecture with me. I’m sure the staff in the building won’t mind another person with dirty clothing in… hopefully.”

“The world…”

“Uh… well I guess not, here have some—”

“No! I want to go to this lecture…”

“Hm? (Crap I was only just kidding…) Fine then, let’s get going. I can get you something to eat after if you want.”

・・・・・

Asimov looked down into his hands and took in the appearance of his red chips in its entirety. There were many scuff marks from playing with Charlotte, with him raging and throwing chips everywhere. And now he couldn’t remember the last game he played with her. The first time he did, however, he had lost all of his pocket change. For some sort of reason, she was really good at playing roulette. That was the one aspect that he found to be annoying, but the pride in her face after every victory never failed to cheer him back up.

Suffice to say, Riki didn’t have a lot of experience with gambing, if any. He didn’t have any advanced strategies going into this game with Asimov. And the smell of coffee wasn’t helping with his situation.

“Shall we do it, then?” Asimov placed the ball in position and, with the flick of the wrist, launched it. As the ball traversed around the old wood, it created a deafening sound that Riki couldn’t help but wish they weren’t in such an enclosed space.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

So I’m actually doing this. I’m actually playing roulette. Five chips, 12 spaces. And I always have to bet on every round, huh?

As Riki was mustering up all of his brain cells, Asimov had already brought out two chips.

“I hope you enjoy gambling, Riki. Because right now, this is going to get interesting.” he said as he placed one chip on number 7 and one on number 2.

Did he rig the game so that the ball can land where he wants to? If so, then he didn’t have to place his chips on two places. He could have just put it on the correct number if he had known. So that means he is playing fair and square? Hmm.

Riki brought out two of his chips of his own. Two chips. It was already 40% of his supply. But if he had only used one chip, then the odds of keeping that chip was only 1/12. By introducing another chip to bet on another number he had effectively increased the odds to 1/6 of keeping his current amount. Anymore will just be a net loss.

...That is how the math works, right? I want to believe that I’m making calculations of myself, but really I’m basically just copying Asimov’s move.

Without further delay, Riki placed one chip on number 5 and one on 1.

1 Ⓡ 2 Ⓐ 3 4 5 Ⓡ 6 7 Ⓐ 8 9 10 11 12

Alright, let’s see how this will play out. It better land on those spaces. If it doesn’t...

As they watched the ball spin within the wheel slow down, Asimov exhaled a deep sigh.

“You know, this ball right now carries kinetic energy and thus, momentum. It's strange to think how our Universe enact properties such as this. It’s hypnotizing. There is rotation in every realm.”

Riki wanted to ignore his spiel, but it wasn’t as if he could just tune his brain out. As the ball trickles out its last bit of momentum, it finally lands into a slot. That slot is number 5.

What?! None of his chips matched?! Why would he do that? Unless he didn’t rig the game after all…? So this confirms it?

“Well, looks like you’re in the lead.” Asimov said as he grabbed the ball for the next round. It was 5 to 3. Riki should have felt relieved, but he can’t shake a sense of suspicion within him. Could it have been a fluke? Either way, he had more chips than him. Seeing this, Asimov didn’t wait any longer and launched the ball once more.

I need to hold this position… I have to go play it safe and retain my chips as much as possible… Just play it safe. Play it safe. And of course, I still have to bet something, making sure to play it safe.

Riki grabbed one chip and placed it on a random number, that is 11.

He was fairly confident, that was until Asimov slammed three chips on number 12 with such force that they almost heard the sound of the table’s wood cracking.

“What?!”

His heart palpitated, he didn’t know whether to be scared or relieved that Asimov would take such a risk like this. No, of course he wouldn’t just throw his chips away. It was as if he already knew where it would land. There was no choice but to wait for the impending doom.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Ⓡ 12 ⒶⒶⒶ

And the ball rolls on 12.

Riki’s mouth was open but he couldn't muster up any words. It was now 4 to 6. Asimov is now in the lead.

What… but… I thought…

“Well, well. Look what we have here.”

The chances of that being a coincidence is nonexistent. There’s no way he bet so many chips without knowing the outcome. Asimov is definitely cheating.

“Hey, you’re manipulating this in your favor, aren’t you?”

“Am I?”

“You have to, you wouldn’t normally just…” Riki’s voice trailed off. He wasn’t quite sure himself as he saw nothing wrong at all during the first two rounds.

“And? Do you have any proof of me manipulating anything?”

“...Proof?”

“Check the ball, check the table, even the wheel. Let me know if you see anything out of place. Because you won’t be able to!"

His words were a nail in the coffin. Riki had no proof at all because it was truly an ordinary roulette table. The only other option was through the use of an ability.

“Urgh, then you used an ability somehow.”

“Tell me.” Asimov said, picking up the ball, “what is it then that I possess that could have manipulated the ball to my advantage?”

He didn’t know what it did. Ah. Of course, it was his lack of knowledge again that will get him defeated. Once again, it was because he didn’t know. Riki’s silence only affirmed Asimov that the game shall continue. And so he placed the ball into the slot one more time and—

“Riki!”

From the door, a figure busted right in who was visibly shaken. It was Tamaki, trying to catch her breath after rushing down the stairs and checking every nook and cranny of the chamber, eventually finding this room.

“...What. ...Are you guys just playing roulette?”

There was Asimov, imposing a strong stance over the wheel while Riki was wide-eyed at her sudden appearance. She didn’t know what to make of this scene. Tamaki walked over, eyeing the strangely numbered wheel and table.

“Well, this is certainly a surprise.” Asimov raised an eyebrow and checked his watch. He frowned as there was still time left.

“I was surprised just how pretty Kaori is close up. Mind you, that was the first time I had ever gotten so close to another human being. And? What is this all about?”

Tamaki was given a quick synopsis of what had just occurred in the last couple of minutes. Though, her face made a grimace as she learned about the prize for winning.

Ah, I see. Tamaki thought, he is manipulating this game with his ability of gravitation. He must have sacrificed some chips in the first turn to psych Riki out. And then, knowing where the ball would land in the next round, he regained the lead just like that.

“I’ll be the one who launches the ball for the final game, ok?” she said, picking up the ball, “Would it be more fair if a third party handles the launch?”

That’s right. Asimov still doesn’t know what my ability does. Even if he uses gravity to manipulate where the ball lands, I will know wherever he decides to put it.

“Go ahead, miss. I do not mind at all.” he said without any change in his confident tone.

Tamaki inspects it carefully, peering through every angle of the object. There are no strange imperfections of the ball whatsoever. That alone doesn’t stop her from closing her eyes and using her ability. Within ten seconds, the ball will land on 8. Even if she knew that, though, how will she communicate this to Riki? Tamaki couldn’t wait a second longer. She spun the ball.

Asimov didn’t hesitate to put two of his chips on number 8. The lack of any delay made Riki’s leg feel weak.

He puts two chips on a single number… If that isn’t where it would land, then it would mean him having one more chip than me if mine isn’t the correct one… Shoot… Is it a feint? Or is not?! What the hell do I do?! I… I have to calm down. If I lose this, then I really don’t deserve the right to see her face again.

“I swear, it’s been about 15 years since I have seen a roulette wheel.” Tamaki says, breaking his thinking, “About… 16, perhaps? No, definitely about 15.”

“Hmm? That’s interesting for you to say. If that were true, you would be gambling before you were potty trained.”

“And how foolish for you to say that. It only took me a moment to be trained ever since I was introduced to the idea of plumbing. Ever since I came to an inn, many people have tarnished my reputation such as you.”

Get the hint, Riki. Please! I made it simple enough for even the likes of you to understand!

Riki can see that Tamaki is staring at him intently. He knew that she was trying to communicate her the answer, but he was at a loss of deciphering the code. Riki needed a number, but a lot of what she said weren’t numbers. Numbers… 15 years ago? Will it be 15? Obviously not considering the board only goes up to 12. It would have to be something that the two only share. It’s all on him. The ball is losing momentum. At times like this, he thought back to when he first stepped into that inn and met the two. That was… about one week ago. About one week ago…. 15…

As the ball lost its last ounce of momentum, Riki placed the rest of his chips on 8 right at the last second.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ⒶⒶⓇⓇⓇⓇ 9 10 11 12

And the ball rolls on 8.

Nice one. Thought Tamaki. Of course, she couldn’t let her body language slip indicating that they were cheating.

“…”

Asimov only looked on. He was speechless that the psychological tactics Charlotte used against him were ineffective. Riki and Asimov each held the same amount of chips. With no more rounds left, the result of the game was a tie.

・・・・・

“So it’s a tie…”

“Hm? What are the conditions for tying…?” Tamaki asked. It didn’t occur to Riki that they had not discussed the conditions for a scenario for a tie until now.

“The conditions… right the conditions…” As if he was struggling against pain, Asimov reached inside his pockets and brought out the red gemstones.

“Here, you can have the gemstones.”

Wait a minute. Didn’t Charlotte not have them with her? Those are the exact stones that would be in them. And he popped them right out?

At first, Riki didn’t understand why he would do such a thing, until he remembered the deal last night.

He’s… he’s going to use these to activate the accelerator after all!

“...Just one more test.” With all his might, Asimov flung the two stones into the air, arcing over the two. Had Riki not realized it, he wouldn’t have been ready to jump and catched them in midair. But because he did, he was allowed one more chance to be useful. In one second, Riki felt the pull of the gemstones inside his hands. It almost slipped from his hands, but his grip remained strong as he failed to land on his feet and fell.

So he won’t let me have these, huh?!

He couldn’t let go now. But the force overpowered any squeeze strength Riki can muster. He felt them trickle out from his hands.

No! At least, let me have this!

As a last ditch effort, he put his whole body in front of the direction the earrings were being pulled to.

However, that direction was the door to the room. The force only kept on getting stronger until eventually even his whole body was dragged by the gemstones

“Holy crap, Riki!” Tamaki grabbed his arm, but it was useless. The gravity was just too great for two people to resist. Feeling as though his arm would tear off, she had to let go. The sound of squeaking shoes spread about the room as he lost more and more control.

Riki skidded out of the dusty room and at last, the pressure from his hands and chest was gone. He only felt relieved for a fraction of a second due to landing his back on the cold hard metal scaffolding and knocking the wind out of him.

And his distress continues as he realizes where he had landed. The gemstones had attached themselves into a glass container above where he sat. And judging by Tamaki’s horrified expression and Asimov’s deranged one, he was sitting right underneath the open ray tube.