Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 82

“You’re quite popular, Lord Prince.”

“…Pardon?”

Alois turned around at my words. I could see his porcelain-white skin, red lips, sharply defined nose, and eyes as deep as a galaxy.

With such stunning features, even noble ladies would have no choice but to surrender in admiration.

“Are you jealous?”

“…As if.”

“Don’t worry. Your Holiness is far more beautiful than I am.”

Always a way with words, this one!

While I was puffing my cheeks, another door appeared in front of us.

The thick scent was growing stronger and it was clear now that its source was here.

Alois, who had been covering his mouth with his sleeve, pushed a small pill into his mouth.

I looked at him, curious as to what that was and he placed a finger over his lips in a hushing manner.

“It’s a pill that stops addictions to these drugs.”

“Hm…”

“Shall we head inside now?”

“Sounds good to me.”

I narrowed my eyes, wondering what exactly lay behind this door, and I watched as he pushed it open.

As the door swung open, a bright light took over my eyes.

Loud noise and joyful laughter filled the air.

I took in scent of sweet flowers mixed with the stench of men wandering around like they were intoxicated with drugs.

“…Ha.”

It would be a lie to say I wasn’t taken aback.

This was a gambling den.

A gambling den, dressed up in flashy packaging like a casino.

“All of the people here are nobles. A bunch of people drunk on money.”

“The scale…is quite large.”

“For them, night and day have no difference when it comes to having fun.”

“…”

At that moment, a man suddenly approached us.

“Welcome. Is this your first time here?”

His gaze slowly roamed over Alois.

His eyes didn’t seem pleasant at all.

And the moment he turned his attention to me, Alois stepped in front of me, blocked his view.

“Do you think that’s possible? I have graced here a few times with my father.”

I looked at Alois, whose voice had suddenly changed.

If his usual voice was gentle and charming, right now, it was low and detached, like a cold high-noble.

On impulse, I poked his back with my finger.

Alois seemed to flinch for a second but soon regained his composure.

“I don’t feel like playing the regular ones today. Take us underground.”

The way he talked truly embodied the nature of a noble-born heir.

I never thought I’d see this side of Alois one day…

“…Of course. Right this way.”

The man glanced at Alois out of the corner of his eyes before bowing slightly, as if he didn’t dare to talk back.

The attitude of someone who has assessed whom he is dealing with and has chosen to submit.

“Interesting,” I commented.

The man slowly began walking ahead.

The corner of Alois’ lips raised and he glanced at me over his shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

“…Truly interesting.”

“What is?”

The air here was thick with an intense scent.

Aphrodisiacs, toxins, and drugs were a matter of course and other dangerous, and dizzying substances were added to the group.

“Just this entire situation.”

All around us, people dressed in opulent attire were laughing and cacking.

“It’s like a late-night party.”

“What you’re about to see will make such parties pale in comparison.”

Alois widened his strides as he followed the man.

I lowered my eyes and followed him.

“You can look forward to it.”

‘Look forward to it, huh…’

I repeated his words to myself and nodded silently.

The man led us downward, and we continued our descent.

The deeper we went, the more toxic the scent became, and it stung my lungs, tormenting me.

With immaculate timing, Alois reached into his coat and retrieved a small pill then popped in into his mouth.

“What’s that?”

I whispered very softly so that the man in front wouldn’t hear, and Alois raised the empty vial he had just finished and shook it in front of me.

“An antidote. It neutralizes any and all drugs…”

“Hmm…”

“Do you want one?”

The moment I heard that, I glared at Alois and strode past him.

“Jokester.”

He knew very well that such drugs had no effect on me, yet he still asked.

Whether it was poison or aphrodisiacs, they didn’t work on me.

Even so, the increasingly potent scent was enough to make me frown, and I couldn’t help but sigh.

I let out an exasperated sigh.

“Well…are you two married?”

The man casually tossed out a question as we went down the stairs.

It was a slightly sensitive question which made me raise a brow, but Alois answered smoothly.

“We aren’t married yet.”

“Ah, you must be lovers then.”

Seemingly used to such situations, the man continued to make chatter.

“Since you know what lies underground, you must be honored guests.”

“Since you’re aware, you should know better than to be talking so boldly.”

Thankfully, Alois simply cut the man off.

The situation gave me a strange unpleasant feeling so I’d rather we went down silently.

“Alois.”

“I’m listening.”

“What kind of place is underground?”

The man had fallen silent after Alois’s words, so I leaned in and whispered softly into Alois’ ear.

I was waiting for an answer, but Alois simply shrugged, as if he was enjoying this.

“You’ll know once you see for yourself. I’m sure you’ll find it quite satisfying.”

It wasn’t long before I understood what Alois meant.

When we arrived at a door guarded by two armored knights, the man bowed slightly and stepped aside.

He seemed to want us to enter on our own.

“Shall we?”

“By all means.”

Alois extended his hand to me.

I placed my hand lightly on top of his and stepped forward.

The knights opened the door.

And then—

An unbearably overpowering scent and scenery entered my eyes.

“…”

The moment we stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind us.

I slowly lifted my head and stared at the extravagant chandelier and soon, I burst into laughter.

“This is interesting.”

“I thought you might say that.”

“Truly—.”

We had entered an underground chamber so deep that it was void of all natural light.

It was definitely a space that no ordinary person would ever know existed. And the people seated here did not look ordinary at all.

“The imperial language is a common tongue across the continent, so you should have no trouble conversing with them.”

The room was filled with strikingly beautiful people.

Some were dripping with jewels so extravagant that a commoner could never afford even if they worked their entire lives, while some were baring their shoulders, drunk on the pleasure.

“Ignoring all that… Is this a gambling den?”

“That is correct. This is a dangerous and thrilling place where the highest amounts of money change hands, where any and all acts are permitted.”

“…Hm.”

I raised my hand, blocking Alois’s path.

“So what exactly am I supposed to do here?”

“…I already told you.”

Alois gently grabbed my wrist to lower my head and parted his lips.

“You just have to have fun.”

“…”

“That’s all there is to it.”

If that’s what he really wanted, then there’s no reason to refuse.

I reached for the shawl draped over my shoulders. And without pause, I pulled it off and curled my lips in a lazy smile.

“If that’s all it is.”

Asking me to have fun at this gambling den?

“Then this is easy.”

It’s nothing I couldn’t do.

* * *

“Oh dear, you must be a new guest.”

“Good eye. It’s my first time here.”

“Did you nag your lover to take you along?”

A white-bearded man snickered as he spread out the cards.

The people nearby also joined in his laughter.

Alois, who was standing behind me like a guard, said nothing.

I took a small step forward.

“Whether I followed my lover or not, I am here to play cards with you.”

I slammed the table just hard enough to draw attention.

With the bang, several syringes on the table rolled around.

Ah… my hand stings.

“Shall I start with something light?”

A woman standing behind the card dealer flicked her tongue across her lips.

“You’re not planning to bet just a few gold coins, are you?”

People who had been preoccupied with their own entertainment now turned their interest toward us, sensing the tension in the air.

“Just a few gold? You make me sad.”

If I were to meet these people outside of this basement, they would surely act like the most refined of nobles.

On cue, Alois pulled a small piece of paper from his coat.

A blue document landed on the table.

I traced my lower lip with my finger as I glanced at what Alois just dropped, and I barely managed to open my mouth.

“Let’s start off with a castle to make things fun.”

The blue document was an official property transfer certificate issued by the empire.

As expected of a prince from one of the wealthiest nations on the continent. His audacity was bigger than I expected.

“…”

The moment the stakes were raised, the atmosphere quickly heated up.

The man holding the card had a smile on his face, probably thinking I was a naïve fool jumping into the fire.

“With a prize this grand, surely you accept?”

I lightly rolled my wrist and waited for the man to answer.

The man flicked his tongue like a snake and took the bait.

The aphrodisiac lurking in the air provoked excitement. While the drug exuded a pungent alcoholic smell dulled people’s senses.

Of course, in the case of the man in front of me, he was likely long addicted to such substances so a mere increase in the stakes wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his thrill.

“In that case, I’ll bet five platinum-gold coins.”

“…Hm.”

Five platinum-gold coins were by no means an insignificant sum, even when compared to a castle. I pretended to sigh softly, rubbing a finger over my lower lip and nodded.

“I’m satisfied with that.”

“Then the deal is done. Hey!! You there! Come here and officiate the game!”

With scary timing, as soon as I answered, the man called one of the staff members nearby.

At that, a man dressed in what seemed to be a well-groomed suit glanced at us, then approached.

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