On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Forty-One

We spent the whole night drinking and eating, until the first light of dawn peeked through my window. Stifling a yawn I stretched, loosening stiff muscles. I wasn’t particularly tired due to my high stats, so it wasn’t a problem but… there are other problems…

Shaeula was pretty drunk, lying on my futon, watching the anime on my monitor still. Every so often she would let out a cute giggle or an exclamation of surprise. What was worse though was that the way she was lying her yukata had rucked up, exposing a good expanse of her lithe legs and her tiny feet. Shit, I barely know where to look. From an objective point of view I had hit the jackpot, and if any of my fellow otaku could see me now, they would be shouting at me to die. However… life isn’t quite as simple as that. It was pretty awkward as she was my subordinate, and was also really a faerie weasel. Still, I suppose that doesn’t stop me from looking a bit… no, this line of thought is dangerous…

I needed some exercise to clear my head. “I’m just going out for a run to work on my fitness.” I said. Shaeula replied without even turning around.

“I will leave the physical tasks to those best suited for it. I am too noble to work up a sweat-sweat.”

How noble indeed. “All right then. I’ll only be a short while. Will you be all right?”

She waved one small hand lazily in my direction. “I shall be fine. While you are out can you bring me more snacks? I am running low-low.”

Damn, you’ve gone through tons of food. Where does your small body put it all? “Yes, your Highness.” I said with a smile. After that I jogged around my usual route, watching as people started heading to work, ready for their Friday commute. I feel sorry for the poor suckers working in this heat. Still I’ll be working too later… It may not have been typical work, but I was still going to earn money… and it was fairly nerve-wracking. I’m not really cut out for gambling, but even so…

It didn’t take too long for me to return to my house, having also jogged along to the local store and purchased a few bento boxes and some crisps and other treats. The toll to my wallet was a little annoying, as her appetite was huge, but she would certainly pay for herself with her blessing of fortunate winds…

“I’m home…” I said, stepping through the door and mopping my sweat with the towel I had left there ready.

“Welcome back.” she drawled lazily. “Did you get me what I asked for-for?”

“Of course.” I passed her a bag of crisps and a bar of chocolate. “This should keep you going, but for now we really need to get on with work.”

“Oh?” she raised one thin eyebrow. “I am sure I mentioned I would not stoop to physical labour, delicate as I am-am?”

“I know, I know. All I need from you is your blessing of fortunate winds to increase my luck. Then I can work. You can do it here, right?”

“Of course I can, I am a noble Fae princess.” She waved her hand and I felt a shiver as a breeze blew over me. “Though I must admit it takes far more of my strength to summon the wind here-here.”

“As long as you can, that’ll be perfect. I’m sorry but I need to turn off the anime for now. If you want me to buy a place more suitable to your royal station I have to work. No money means no luxuries. You have fairy gold or something like that, don’t you?”

“We do, yes.” She agreed, shaking her head. “But that is merely trash to fool greedy mortals for our amusement. But I do understand the concept of wealth. I am a princess after all-all.”

“Well, this is gambling.” I said as I pulled up the roulette website. “Normally a fool’s endeavour leading to poverty as it is all based on luck, but as it is based on luck…”

“I see.” Shaeula exclaimed, closing in beside me to peer intently at the screen, her hair tickling my face and nose. Too close, too close! I held in the urge to sneeze as she continued.

“So with your innate fortune and my blessing, your chances are far greater-greater.”

“That’s right. I ran the maths and while I can still obviously lose the odds are in my favour and so far despite a scare or two I’ve made profit. With your blessing stacked on top my odds go up far more and the chance of a disaster shrinks a lot too. It’s no certainly, but it should be all right.”

I spent a little time explaining the ins and outs to Shaeula, before I began to spin. As expected I could notice an immediate difference. It was impossible to be certain, but if I was to estimate that it basically doubled my luck, then an extra ten percent chance of winning was around 3% more edge for me. Over five or six spins that mounted up rapidly. The only downside to this, if it could be called one… which it really shouldn’t be, or gamblers everywhere will lynch me… was that the rate of profit was a lot lower, as I was winning on earlier spins much more, giving it less time to double up. Still, this was much better for my heart, and I wasn’t going to get greedy and increase my base stake. Even with this well over a thousand Pounds had built up quickly enough.

Shaeula had wandered off and was lying on my futon, aimlessly eating. She was interested to start with, but after a while had grown bored with it all, which was fair enough as it wasn’t particularly exciting to watch. I had broken down in a moment of weakness and promised to buy a television should my winnings exceed my goals today. That way she would have something to occupy her while I worked. As this thought faded from my mind I felt a stirring of the winds around me. I could feel that the next number was going to be seventeen. It was just like that time against the jorogumo.

All right, time to be bold and go all in. I need to test just how lucky I can be when the wind calls.

Swallowing the saliva that was building in my throat I started piling up chips. I had made just over a thousand, but that quickly went on the maximum bet of £100 on 17 itself, as well as £500 on the 13-24, and £500 on odd. If I lose this spin todays profits will vanish like dust in the air… no, I need to have faith. It worked before… feeling pain in my chest I started eating into my prior winnings, stacking £500 on black, and just under two thousand more on all the doubles and fours around number 17. Now this is scary as hell… I could recover from this loss with my luck I had no doubt… but it would be a hammer blow. Fingers cramping I moved the mouse and the ball was spinning. I closed my eyes, barely able to look… until… Black, 17, Winner. As the winds left me the computer announced the result and I could barely believe it as my winnings piled in. In one spin I had made over £25,000! Holy shit, that’s… 3.5 million yen!

I had not only reached the overall profit I would need for the next stage of my plan, I had smashed past it like a lightning bolt. With shaky hands I closed the application. I really need to open up an account with another couple of online casinos to spread the burden, lest they suspect me of hacking or something…

Turning to Shaeula I spoke. “Come on, we are going out. It’s time to buy a nice TV. And have something great for lunch.”

Shaeula’s eyes glowed as she examined me from where she was lying. “The wind has died down. Were you lucky-lucky?”

“Very.” I offered my hand and Shaeula took it in hers. As I pulled her to her feet I was grinning broadly. “Your blessing is the best. I have crushed my target for this stage way ahead of schedule. Of course more is always better, but I don’t want to be greedy. No, now is the time to celebrate!”

********

As Shaeula slurped away at the large steaming bowl of ramen I looked at the pile of bags around us. There was one large box, a rather nice HD Television, fifty inches, which was probably too large for my apartment, but I had been talked into it by the salesman, who knew how to cut a deal, as I had also bought a games console and several games I thought Shaeula might enjoy, as well as a couple of new top-of-the-line phones, one for each of my sister and Eri-chan. My sister has been saying her phone is old-fashioned for quite a while. Buying one for Eri-chan might come across as a bit forward, but I don’t want to be a miser, and besides, I was offered it all at a significant discount for buying in bulk…

All told after the discount my purchases had come to 380,000 yen, which was an unimaginable sum to waste on luxuries for me even a few weeks ago. Still, this would definitely be the last time I spent recklessly for a while, as the more I had for the next stage of my plan the better it would work. The blessing of fortunate winds had after all proved my plan could work…

As I was watching Shaeula eat the old man who worked at the ramen shop tapped me on the shoulder. I turned to see him grinning broadly at me. “Your girl, she sure can eat for someone her size.” He said. “She’s awfully pretty too. You’ve really lucked out there son, haven’t you? Be sure to keep her happy, a man mustn’t let the good ones get away!”

Well, it isn’t that she is my girlfriend… still, explaining that would be annoying so I merely nodded. “Don’t worry, I’m quite aware of how fine a lady she is.”

“With all the presents you’ve been buying you’ll keep her happy. But take it from an old man that knows, son. Flashy technology is nice, but girls appreciate clothes and jewellery a lot more. You don’t often see those girls who wear the traditional clothing all the time, but I bet they must like fashion even more, right?”

“You could be right.” I agreed, finishing off the broth in my own bowl of ramen, which was now empty. Pushing the bowl to one side I pulled out some money to pay. “I’ll have a think about what might suit her.” It wouldn’t hurt to get her some more modern clothes. Although I have to wonder, can she even take her yukata off, or is it a part of her Material form? Damn, that line of thought sure was dangerous.

“It must be hot in here, because you look awfully red.” The shopkeeper grinned. I smiled back sheepishly as Shaeula brought her own empty bowl over.

“That was good.” She said. Looking at my embarrassed face she raised one eyebrow. “So what is going on here then? Have I missed something-something?”

“Just a chat between men. Nothing for you to worry about, young lady.” The old man said smoothly. “Be sure to have your man carry the bags on the way home.”

“Of course, a delicate noble like me should not be subjected to manual labour. Still, I thank you for the food, this… ramen, was it? It was certainly pleasing to me-me.”

“You sure do carry this old-school style to its limit.” The old man chuckled. “Noble indeed! Anyway, thanks for your patronage and I look forward to seeing you in my store again soon.”

We said our farewells and went out onto the street, me laden down with a variety of bags and boxes. Damn, I feel like a pack mule. Even with my massively boosted strength it doesn’t help with the awkward size of the television box… oh well, it isn’t far to the station. There should be a shortcut down these back streets…

As we passed down a narrow street, the back ends of various small stores and houses pressing in on us, we started hearing angry voices. Turning a corner I saw a group of familiar-looking thugs harassing a likewise familiar girl….

Oh come on. Stuff like this doesn’t happen…

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