Seeing Jenkins's expression, the monster that claid it could grant luck added in a voice so sweet it was sickening:
"But you're a Benefactor, so you should understand—everyone has a limit to the luck they can bear. When you gain more than what fate allows, misfortune will descend in a much grander form. Mortals are always greedy. They think they can control their avarice, but they always cross that dangerous line... I only collect my small fee after calamity has struck."
"Oh?"
It was a simple sound of acknowledgnt, but Jenkins felt it was the right thing to say at that mont.
With that, everything fell into place. About a year ago, Mr. or Mrs. Stress must have encountered this thing sowhere and, in a bid to change their fate, chose to make a deal with it.
A surge of luck brought the family more money, but to avoid crossing "that line," the Stress family had remained restrained, never attempting to acquire greater wealth. That was why they still lived in a place like this. Influenced by blood ties, Fini's luck also changed. Her frequent encounters with Jenkins during the winter, which ultimately led to her being adopted by the church, were likely a result of this influence.
But a mortal's greed will always be their undoing. Misfortune had finally co for them. The first incident was very likely the death of the Stress's eldest daughter; even Mr. Stress losing his job might have been a precursor. But regardless, the Mysterious Object before him was now here to collect its "small fee" in accordance with their deal, and that fee was everything the family possessed.
His fall at the doorway just now was clearly an effect of Fini's "misfortune." This also explained her current listlessness, while Jenkins and his cat were completely fine.
He had a few Sin Coins on him, but he didn't dare ntion it. The creature had made itself clear: according to the rules, it couldn't harm Jenkins, but it wouldn't let him leave easily either. If Jenkins offered to trade the Sin Coins for his freedom, it could simply refuse the deal, wait for him to die, and then take everything he had. After all, the food and water here were finite.
"I don't want to make a deal with you, but I do want to leave."
Although Jenkins was immune to abilities that manipulated fate thanks to [The Observer], this creature manipulated family fate, and there were other mbers of the Williams family.
"Of course you can. I'm not a difficult person."
As it spoke, its right hand, which had six stubby fingers, drew a circle in the air. A pure black die materialized out of thin air, hovering before them. It was the sa size as one you'd find in a casino, only the pips indicating the numbers were a chilling blood-red.
"How about we make a bet? Beat three tis, and both you and that girl can leave. But if you lose just once, I'll randomly take sothing from you—anything is possible... We can keep betting, on and on, until you win your freedom or I've taken everything you have."
Jenkins now strongly suspected that before this thing entered the material world, it had conned its way through the Mysterious Realms with dice gas.
"Do I have a better option right now?"
He asked himself, then nodded stiffly. "Fine."
At the very least, these bizarre things tended to abide by their own rules.
"Let's keep it simple. We'll compare the numbers on the face-up side."
With that, it pointed a fingertip at the floating die. The black cube imdiately began to spin rapidly, and when it stabilized, the side facing up showed six red dots.
"It seems my luck is quite good."
It flashed that disgusting smile at Jenkins again, practically daring him to lose his temper and strike it.
Jenkins, his face a cold mask, reached out. As his finger touched the die in mid-air, a minuscule amount of his spirit was drawn into it. The die began to spin again, finally landing on a 5.
"Looks like your luck isn't bad either," it cackled, "but unfortunately, not as good as mine."
It reached out and plucked sothing from the empty air, and Jenkins imdiately felt a faint tearing sensation in his soul. The creature had "taken" a speck of glittering sand from the void—it was Jenkins's newly acquired Bestowal.
"This is what you've lost to ."
It touched the die again. The result was a one.
Jenkins furrowed his brow in suspicion, then reached out his own finger. The result was a three.
"You've won once."
Of course, it pained him to lose one of his possessions, but leaving this place was clearly the priority. He still couldn't figure out what ga this thing was playing. He didn't believe for a second that it was a fair contest. It was far more likely that this creature, capable of manipulating luck, would stop at nothing to win.
The monster reached out a third ti to touch the die. The result was a one. Jenkins did the sa, and the result was a four. He had won again.
Neither creature exchanged another word as the fourth round began. The monster's roll was a six.
It shot Jenkins a smile filled with malice, its lips stretching nearly from ear to ear, a feat impossible for human anatomy.
"The epito of luck..."
Four consecutive rolls, and every single one was either a one or a six. Jenkins understood now. If it could grant luck to others, it could certainly grant it to itself. Those two "ones" from before—it had clearly been toying with him.
But he was utterly powerless to change the situation. His only hope was that the creature wouldn't take his [Soul] or his [Life] before it reached its own threshold of luck.
"My luck has never been particularly good."
He stared at the die in silence, wanting to reach out but hesitating. He didn't want to suffer any more losses.
"Fini's luck must be at rock bottom right now, so asking her for help is out of the question."
This thought logically led Jenkins to his cat. Based on his observations since adopting him, Chocolate's luck seed to be exceptionally good.
He reached down, scooped Chocolate into his arms, then took hold of its right front paw and extended it toward the die. Sure enough, the die activated again. The result landed on a six.
"Heh~"
The short, stout monster let out a sound of amusent, its large, green-skinned face crinkling into several deep wrinkles.
It stared silently at Jenkins's cat, then its probing gaze shifted to the man, as if it had encountered so profound puzzle. But it said nothing, rely reaching out to touch the die again. Still a six.
A muscle in Jenkins's jaw twitched. He once again guided his cat's paw to touch the die. Also a six.
"ow~"
The cat looked incredibly smug, its tail brushing against Jenkins's chin again and again.
Sixth round. Both rolled a six.
Seventh round. Both rolled a six.
...
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