"I am the victor. Victory is always in my hands. This is my essence." Facing Seiya, the white-robed youth who had ended the battle also introduced himself.
He was of a similar age to Seiya, with well-defined features that had an androgynous quality. Even among entertainers, one rarely saw such a handsome young man. Most importantly, Seiya clearly sensed the imposing and sacred aura emanating from him.
"I have never known defeat. This contest was a rare diversion. If you were not a warrior of a Western deity, I would surely grant you my protection." As he spoke, the white-robed youth revealed an archaic smile, as elusive as smoke. "Well? Are you interested in a match with me? Just to play with me for a little while would be fine."
"A match is hardly what I'd call it." Seiya stared into the youth's eyes, a smile playing on his lips. "It's just that I'm also new to this place. If you're similarly inclined for some amusement, we could consider it as traveling together. But first things first…"
The godly youth in white robes also noticed Seiya's gaze, as sharp and clear as a sword. He showed no fear, even looking forward to the response with keen interest. He was the victor, unafraid of any challenge—be it martial arts, a battle of wits, or horsemanship, anything was fine. Right, he thought, this place seems quite close to Greece. I remember they have a type of competition there that involves the whole body. Could it be a full-course contest like that?
"...You need to change out of this white robe that's practically a rag. It's already turned brownish. Are you trying to play some kind of sage from an oasis?" Seiya pursed his lips.
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In front of the Basilica di Saccargia, Erica slowly moved her rapier away from the Asian youth's neck. "So, you're not an East Asian magician who summoned an Unsubmissive God at all? You don't even understand the most basic magic?"
"From the very beginning, what god, what magic, what Lionheart—I have no idea what you're talking about! I was just asked by my grandfather to deliver this antique stone tablet to an old woman! And that storm earlier, and the youth fighting it, that's the most outrageous thing here!" Kusanagi Godou yelled.
Erica's expression was grim. She didn't want to admit it, but she had to: she had targeted the wrong person. After witnessing the calamity brought by the storm incarnation of a god, she had eagerly used her perception of the divine implement to track down this furtive Japanese man who was snooping around. It turned out he was a complete magic idiot, not even a layman.
Then why had an Unsubmissive God descended upon this isolated Mediterranean island? And why was there another unknown deity battling it?
Erica couldn't help but think of the white knight who had vanquished the storm incarnation earlier. Perhaps she had been looking in the wrong direction from the start. Kusanagi Godou, looking at the girl who had inexplicably appeared before him, wanted to ask something more, as he was still very interested in the youth who seemed to be his compatriot. But in the next second, he saw the stone tablet from his hand land in hers.
"It's too dangerous for a divine implement like this to be in the hands of a layman like you. Since you intend to give it to the witch Lucretia Zola, who is temporarily residing on this island, I will deliver it to her on your behalf." Before Kusanagi Godou could speak, the red-skirted Erica made the decision high-handedly and willfully.
At that moment, Erica's phone in her pocket rang. She opened it to see it was her assistant maid, Arianna. "Milady, I've found the identity of the Gulfstream G550's owner," the maid's voice, slightly trembling, came through the phone.
"So quickly? Thank you for your hard work." Erica started running in the direction the youth had disappeared. No matter who he was, if he was an evil magician attempting to summon an Unsubmissive God, she would not let him get away. If he was a heroic knight protecting humanity, she would try to ally with him.
"Not at all, because the other party made no attempt to conceal her identity." The maid on the other end of the line was also a bit out of breath. "She used her real name, openly and without reservation—Guinevere."
Erica froze on the spot. "Isn't that the name of the Divine Ancestor, the Witch Queen, who resides at the pinnacle of Heaven and Earth?"
The Sardinia Sun Ship was Sardinia's foremost hotel. In 007: The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond had flirted with KGB agent Amasova here. It also housed the island's largest casino, a paradise for tourists who rarely had the chance to enjoy such allure. It was said that Heidi Klum and Denzel Washington had both vacationed here.
But at this moment, a scene worthy of a movie was unfolding in this top-tier casino.
"All on spades."
The words were as light as a breeze, yet they drew the collective attention of all surrounding gamblers. Everyone, including all the casino's surveillance cameras, was fixated on this high-spirited, high-staking youth.
He was an exceedingly young distinguished guest, perhaps fourteen or fifteen years old, with shoulder-length black hair and ivory skin. Most importantly, he was strikingly handsome. He currently had his arms around the obliging young ladies beside him, as a small mountain of chips was moved to the roulette table.
The croupier in the middle, dressed in a suit and tie, was drenched in sweat. He didn't dare to spin the wheel. He felt an invisible magical power acting upon him, even upon the entire casino, like a black hole devouring gold and wealth, sucking away everyone's fortunes. But under the pressure of so many gazes, he started the game. The result was, as expected, the white ball in the roulette wheel eventually settled on the spade symbol.
The entire floor erupted in cheers. Gamblers and the young women accompanying the youth alike did not hold back their kisses, frantically planting them on his face.
"How can you guess correctly every single time! You're like the ever-victorious Verethragna!" an Afghan girl of about his age exclaimed, looking with adoration at the youth who shared her ethnicity.
"Because I am the victor, and also the Eagle of Sovereignty. Abundance, fertility, and riches are my manifestations. All wealth flows to my feet like water," the godly youth said with an archaic smile.
He wore a well-fitting suit, lined with gold that symbolized wealth. After several consecutive wins, his fortune had swelled to an amount that could bankrupt even a tycoon. Now, holding a champagne flute gifted by one of the young women, he leisurely walked over to another youth.
"Well, how's the ice wine this casino provided for you?" Seiya, staring at the screen before him, asked his friend beside him as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
"If it weren't for the additives in it overpowering the sweetness to stimulate its tannic taste, it might have been barely palatable," the godly youth smiled. He looked at the chips in front of his friend: only one golden Aries-patterned chip, symbolizing ten thousand, while the other lower-value chips, imprinted with camels and anteaters, were piled high but their total value was far less than his own.
While enjoying the game, the godly youth had also been observing his friend's situation. He, like himself, was enjoying the games—from Pai Gow to Sic Bo, from common Mahjong to Baccarat, from Gundilong popular in Qian Dongnan Prefecture to a bamboo tube betting game called "Six Names Hotline." Ultimately, though, he had settled here.
He wasn't pleased just because his winnings far exceeded his friend's. Well, perhaps a little, but only a tiny bit. But soon, he saw the other youth flash a smile similar to his own—a victorious smile, as elusive as smoke.
Then he saw him sweep that pile of chips entirely into the trash can, merely picking up the single golden Aries chip, symbolizing the highest denomination, between his forefinger and thumb. He then inserted it into the coin slot button before him—
—At that moment, the big screen finally began to spin.
_____
Greetings! ✨ Walnut here with another translation! Saint Seiya united by their strength!
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