CHAPTER 22: A Deal and a Kick
Liu Yufei walked a few steps behind Hideo Takumi, her expression unreadable. Her eyes kept darting toward the large bundles carried by the servants.
At first, she had felt today's tournament ended on a satisfying note. But who would've thought? In the final match, Hideo Takumi had completely overturned the stage and walked out with a mountain of treasures. The amount… was absurd.
Some weren't just valuable—they were priceless artifacts.
Envy crept into her heart. Questions buzzed in her mind.
—How could a low-born like him walk away with everything so easily? And me…? I've worked my whole life for glory, only to return with a name and nothing else?
Her gaze sharpened, calculating. Maybe… I could ask for one or two items? No, that would be too humiliating.
—Ugh, damn you, Takumi! You didn't even offer a single token of gratitude? Just a trinket would've been enough!
Meanwhile, Dai Izuma strutted along with his usual carefree swagger, grinning like a jolly monk fresh off enlightenment.
"Brother!" he shouted joyfully. "You made me so proud today! Wahaha! Watching those wretched faces lose—it was the sweetest delight! Oh, right, now's probably a good time for you to hand over that sword and energy stone, yeah?"
Hideo froze mid-step. He turned his head slightly, face blank, one brow raised.
"Hand over? You mean… give?"
"Of course! Wasn't that the deal?" Dai Izuma laughed awkwardly.
"Deal?" Hideo narrowed his eyes. "Izuma, I fought. I won. That sword and those stones—those are my spoils. Why would I give them to you?"
Dai's smile faltered. He scratched his head.
"I just thought… you know, since we're best friends…"
"Friendship isn't a form of currency," Hideo replied coolly. "Not unless both parties agree to the terms."
Dai gulped. For a moment, he had genuinely forgotten that all the winnings were Hideo's alone. If his father asked about the sword…
His face went pale imagining the conversation.
"I never make deals that work against me," Hideo added after a pause.
Then he smiled slightly.
"But… selling is a different story. If you want to buy those items using the benefits you earned today, we can talk."
He raised a finger, signaling the start of negotiation.
Dai stared for a beat. Then his booming laugh returned.
"Wahaha! You're the best, brother!" he shouted as he lunged toward Hideo.
THUD!
They both tumbled to the ground. Dai's round body landed square on top of Hideo, leaving only the end of Hideo's robe peeking out.
Liu Yufei burst into laughter, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Two absolute clowns," she thought, shaking her head.
The servants rushed to lift Dai off. Beneath him, Hideo was gasping for air.
"I'm mad now…" Hideo grumbled, pushing himself up. "Price just went up. One million Katalys Gold! And that's today's discount. Tomorrow? One and a half million."
"What?! That's robbery!" Dai cried in despair.
Soon after, they reached a crossroads.
The Takumi and Izuma family homes lay to the east. The Liu estate, to the west.
Time to part ways.
But Liu Yufei hesitated. For some reason, seeing Hideo Takumi's annoying face right now… made her want to talk more.
"Hideo Takumi!" she called out. "You are coming to my grandfather's birthday banquet, right?"
Hideo turned.
"If my family tells me to go, I'll go," he replied bluntly.
"And if they don't?"
"Then I won't."
So simple. So honest. And yet it irked her to no end.
"You bastard!" she shouted.
Without warning, she kicked his leg hard.
"If you dare skip it, I'll beat you up every time we meet, got it?!"
Hideo yelped and shielded his face.
"I'll go! I swear I'll go!"
"Hmph! At least you know your place!"
She pointed at his treasure-laden luggage.
"And you'd better bring a gift. Something worth at least as much as what you won today!"
Liu Yufei spun on her heel, a victorious smile on her face. Her steps were light, like a playful deer.
She's clearly aiming for my stuff, Hideo thought. But… at least she doesn't see me as a loser anymore.
After she vanished around the corner, Hideo turned to Dai Izuma.
"Young Master Dai, you were quite something today. Almost lost your fiancée."
Dai's face turned red in an instant.
But Hideo's expression grew serious.
"By the way… do you realize how dangerous that situation was? You almost dragged two noble houses into a scandal."
"What do you mean…?"
"You thought it was all just bad luck? You thought your bets were just jokes?"
Hideo stepped closer, eyes sharp.
"You gambled a family sword, energy stones, household funds… even your fiancée. Without telling anyone."
Dai bit his lip. A cold sweat trickled down his temple.
"If I hadn't stepped in, do you know what would've happened? You wouldn't just lose face. Your entire family name could've been tarnished."
Hideo gave him a light pat on the shoulder.
"It's okay to be stupid, Dai. But when your stupidity risks lives and legacies… that's a catastrophe."