"What happened over here?"
Perhaps due to the commotion caused by Saotome Meari, Sachiko Juraku, who had been sitting in the corner of the room observing the gambling, got up and walked over.
"Senior Juraku!"
Mikura quickly bowed, and then glared fiercely at Saotome, seemingly displeased that she had disturbed Sachiko Juraku.
"It's all because you cheated...!" Saotome still wanted to voice her suspicion of the Dealer cheating, but she was interrupted by Sachiko Juraku.
"Saotome, you can't talk nonsense without evidence. We didn't cheat; we just announced the results in order."
She said lightly: "Our Dealer is absolutely fair and will never favor any side; that much can be guaranteed."
"How can I believe such words from you? Just a few days ago at the casino, it was clearly you...!"
Saotome Meari was astonished and still wanted to argue. Sachiko Juraku stepped forward, put her arm around her shoulder, and whispered in her ear: "Meari, don't make excuses for your incompetence. Haven't you considered a simpler, different possibility?"
Saotome Meari's pupils contracted, and she froze in place.
A simpler possibility... Saotome had, of course, thought of this immediately, but her heart didn't want to admit it.
If there really was an inside person, how could it be her? Absolutely impossible...
"Mikura, give me a microphone." Sachiko Juraku looked at Mikura.
Mikura nodded happily, trotted to the stage, picked up a microphone, ran back, and handed it to Sachiko Juraku.
Sachiko Juraku tested the sound, and the next moment, her cold voice echoed through the banquet hall.
"Everyone, the first round of the game is over. Thank you for your hard work. Next, there will be a second round of extended play.
Those who are satisfied with the first round's results can go back. Those who want to pursue a more exciting duel, who are dissatisfied with the results, and who want to gamble again can stay."
She paused: "The betting money for the second round is doubled, two million yen."
The entire room erupted in an uproar.
Sachiko Juraku casually threw the microphone to Mikura and watched Saotome with a calm gaze, without any threatening words, but full of pressure.
"Saotome, what do you think? Aren't you very unconvinced? Now I'm giving you this opportunity."
"But two million..." Saotome's face showed difficulty, and she instinctively took a step back.
"This gamble was arranged for you by Aoi, wasn't it? And you lost all the one million you borrowed from Ayanokoji. You're literally penniless. If this continues, you'll become livestock, won't you?"
A playful smile appeared on Sachiko Juraku's lips, and she whispered in a voice only Saotome Meari could hear: "Is that okay?"
Hearing a familiar name, Saotome Meari's pupils contracted: "Sure enough, you're all conspiring against me..."
"Hey, Saotome, do you need me to lend you money to participate in the second round?"
Kurume Laiwei suddenly fanned the flames: "Didn't you just say you run a casino? How come you can't even get a few hundred thousand now? Don't forget, you still have the rights of a young girl."
"No need for you to lend." Saotome shook her head with a grim expression: "...I still have some money on hand."
Saotome Meari currently had 400,000 yen.
This money was the operating expenses earned from running the casino two days ago.
The one million yen Ayanokoji Kiyotaka gave her yesterday had already been lost in the first round—each of the three of them lost 330,000.
She originally came this time to make up for the one million she lost, but now, she had lost another one million in gambling.
She now owed Ayanokoji Kiyotaka two million, which he had originally given her to operate the casino.
Saotome Meari originally didn't want to use this last 400,000 yen.
But if she didn't use it now and went back empty-handed, she would never be able to repay those two million.
"I'll participate in the second round of gambling." Saotome Meari clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as she said this.
She didn't dare to look into Ayanokoji's eyes now, fearing she would see Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's disappointed gaze.
Seeing Saotome fall into the trap again, Sachiko Juraku showed a joyful smile. She walked away from Saotome but didn't leave; instead, she stood in front of Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
"Ayanokoji."
"Yes, Senior Juraku." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka stood up.
"Since you're here, why didn't you come say hello to me?" Sachiko Juraku stared at Ayanokoji Kiyotaka's hand with interest.
Even she hadn't expected Ayanokoji Kiyotaka to play a self-harming game like Quick Knife Finger Stab with Ikishima Midari. She was already very interested in Ayanokoji, and now… her interest in Ayanokoji had grown even stronger.
It had been a long time since such an interesting person had appeared at the school.
"It just didn't feel like the right time…" Ayanokoji cleared his throat, "If I have the chance, I'll definitely look for you, Senior."
"Alright then, when you're free, come see me. I'm very interested in you, you know."
Sachiko Juraku patted Ayanokoji's shoulder and whispered in his ear, "I really want to have a good chat with you… about you and my pet."
Sachiko Juraku left, and Kuroki Ya and the others looked at Ayanokoji with astonished eyes.
"Hey, Ayanokoji, that was Lady Juraku! How did you get involved with her?"
Kuroki Ya asked in a low, envious voice, "That was Lady Juraku! The school's Discipline Committee Chairperson, practically second only to the Student Council President! You've only been here a few days and you already know Lady Juraku…"
"It was just a coincidence." The connection that led to him knowing her was still with Saotome, so Ayanokoji naturally wouldn't reveal the specific reason at this moment.
"If it's not easy to say, then I won't ask." Kuroki Ya didn't press the matter.
He was just curious; if the reason was very secretive and it angered Sachiko Juraku, then it wouldn't be worth it for him.
"That woman is so cool, and her presence is so strong…" Tanaka Daishou was completely stunned when Sachiko Juraku was here, and only now did he catch his breath and relax.
Ochi Ren said with a grim expression, "Hey, Young Master Tanaka, we warn you, that Lady Juraku holds a position of one person above all others in the entire school. You absolutely must not provoke her; you definitely cannot bear the consequences."
"If you don't want to die," Kuonji Mamoru also added.
Seeing that his friends were all so serious in their admonition, Tanaka Daishou nodded repeatedly.
Putting everything else aside, Tanaka Daishou didn't have the arrogance of other rich people; he believed what others said and wouldn't intentionally stir up trouble, which was a good quality.
After Sachiko Juraku left, Mikura resumed her indifferent expression.
"Originally, the second round was supposed to randomly change the opponents, but Lady Juraku just instructed me that the members at your table will remain unchanged, and you will play another round with the same setup."
"Why can't it be changed?" Togakushi Yukimi protested anxiously, "We should follow the rules!"
She had already lost to Tanaka Yuzuna once, and she didn't want to lose a second time.