I Became The Male Lead’s Female Friend

For years, I’ve been a regular at the Duke of Goldman’s gambling house.

 

The reason was simple. I needed to know the operations of the gambling house in order to plant one of our own.

 

The gambling houses were divided into three main categories.

 

First, there were the bars, which were the public facades. 

 

This was not a public bar, but rather a

‘high-class pleasure club’

that catered to a select group of nobles.

 

The second was an amusement center, mainly a casino. 

 

It was a common form of gambling where people exchanged money for chips and played roulette or cards to win money.

 

And finally, sports gambling.

 

While horse racing used to be the main attraction, now they even opened fighting arenas for nobles looking for something more stimulating. 

 

The first time I visited, I was horrified to see people fighting until they bled.

 

‘He really liked it.’

 

The Duke was even said to have bought slaves and put them on stage to perform even more inhumane acts…

 

I heard no more, it made me sick to my stomach to hear it, and Lord River could only nod grimly to indicate that he understood.

 

In any case, the most popular sport of gambling was horse racing. 

 

It wasn’t as brutal as fighting, so there was no barrier to entry, and it was easy to bet on the horse you thought would finish first.

 

It was great for entertainment, and it was easy to manipulate.

 

Not only that, but it’s safe to say that all wins and losses in horse racing were never decided by chance. 

 

The Duke would pick a horse to win beforehand. He would then lie and say that the other horses were in better condition, and only tell the nobles he was entertaining the real story.

 

‘Actually, horse number five was a bit special,’

he said.

 

‘All according to my advice.’

 

Of course, I’ve also been known to drop by the racetrack from time to time and play the role of the snitch.

 

Most of the high-ranking nobles would gamble in the VIP section without showing their faces, and I thought it would be useful to identify them in person.

 

And I was surprisingly skilled.

 

‘Shhh, the Count was new here today, so I’m giving him special attention. Actually, he’s horse number two today…’

 

‘Shhh, the Baron has been a steady investor in our gambling house, so I’m making a special note of that. In fact, horse number three was from a foreign country…’

 

‘Shh, I’m just letting you know because I’m particularly fond of you, Viscount, and I don’t think you realize it, but number four is actually…’

 

Jeron, who had witnessed my deception firsthand, stuck out his tongue.

 “If you weren’t born a Princess, you could have made a good living anywhere.” 

I couldn’t tell if he meant it as a compliment or an insult. Not to mention that the Duke’s trust in me grew day by day, thanks to my active pursuit of manipulation.

 

It made it easy for me to plant people inside the gambling house as

‘our top people’.

 “How did your gift go?” 

I asked casually as I strolled through the gambling hall with Lord River as usual. 

 

A guard walked by us, but he only gave us a cursory nod and didn’t check our credentials.

 

This was partly due to the presence of the Duke’s son, Lord River, but also because my face — disguised as a man— had now been sold in this gambling house. As the Duke of Goldman’s ‘

steward’,

that was.

 

And Sir River, hearing my words, looked troubled for a moment, then hesitated, then replied.

 “Yes, it was well received, but I fear you have gone too far. It’s a treasure that few on the continent have, so I’m sure you had to work hard to get it…” “I didn’t have to work too hard to get it, it’s rumored to be like that, so I have to do my best. Didn’t you get a bit of a scolding?” “I’m fine. He’s been looking at me favorably lately, and the gift you sent arrived just in time…” “It arrived at just the right time.” 

At that moment, a nobleman passed by us, so we naturally kept our mouths shut. 

 

As we walked in silence, I whispered softly,

“…I’m sorry about last time.” “What?” “You got splashed. I know it must have been embarrassing…” “Oh.” 

Lord River looked as if he realized what I meant, and then shook his head.

 “It is not for you to apologize, Your Grace…, unless of course it is for your own good. And…” “What?” 

Lord River said, glancing to my side for a moment.

 “I would be just as angry if I were in a similar situation.” 

Similar circumstances?

 

I shook my head at his comment, then smirked bitterly at the way his gaze kept darting to my side.

 “Ah…” 

‘You mean O’Neill.’

 

In fact, O’Neill had been beside me since earlier. She’d been sneaking up on me, cloaked in magic, to be exact.

 

She was invisible to Lord River, let alone the others, but I had told him she was with me, just in case.

 

That’s why he kept glancing in my direction earlier, and this was probably what he wanted me to hear, even though O’Neill was still treating Lord River like he wasn’t there. 

 

I clicked my tongue and replied,

“Yes, I hope the same thing happens to you.” “Haha…” “That aside, I understand you have an important visitor today?” 

I turned the conversation on its head. Lord River smiled awkwardly and broke out in a cold sweat.

 “That’s right, as you may have already heard…” “Marquis of Crawford.” 

I lowered my voice,

“That’s right, isn’t it?” 

Lord River nodded. I secretly marveled at his acceptance.

 “Impressive.” 

Indeed, the Duke of Goldman’s connections were astounding.

 

A little maneuvering, and a little timing, and you’ve got all the right people on your side, including the Marquis of Crawford.

 

The Marquis of Crawford was almost the head of the neutral faction. 

 

He hadn’t said anything about legalizing gambling, so it was hard to tell what was going on, but how did he manage to get him to come to the gambling house?

 

‘You have to give him credit for resourcefulness.’

 

But so what, his character was seriously lacking. I was silent for a moment, as if considering something, and then I spoke up.

 “Where did you decide to entertain him, the racetrack?” “Yes.” “I suppose the Duke himself will be entertaining him, since he’s so important.” “Yes, I think so, if all goes well. If you’d like to join us, I’ll let my father know separately…” “No, that’s not necessary.” 

I gritted my teeth, smiled, and added,

“I have other business to attend to today.” 

At the same time, we arrived at the racetrack.

 

As soon as I walked in, I was struck by the open space.

 

‘Wow, this was huge.’

 

Initially, the racetrack was not this spacious, but as the revenue began to grow and the crowds grew, the Duke paid for this spacious racetrack at his own expense.

 

Although it was in deficit at the time, it didn’t take much to turn it into a profit. 

 

In fact, it’s now making many times more money than it costs.

 

‘How nice.’

 

While thinking about the Duke I’d be fooling around with, I took a quick look around.

 

There were quite a few nobles seated in the tiered seating. I recognized a few familiar faces among them. 

 

Nobles I’d occasionally run into at social parties, nobles whose names I’d heard once, and finally…

 

‘Averine vassals.’

 

The vassals of Duke Myers, to be exact.

 

I raised a sneer at the sight of them, having seen them before, but seeing them again. 

 

Seeing me like that, Lord River asked me curiously,

“What other business…?” “We must now reap what we have sown.” 

Yes, because the time has finally come to see the fruits of my labor. This was what I brought O’Neill here for.

 “I’ve shown you paradise.” 

I laughed softly,

“Now it’s time to give you a taste of hell, don’t you think?”  

The Duke hummed.

 

His mood was at an all-time high these days.

 

Reorganizing the gambling house. It was, indeed, the best option.

 

In truth, when he’d heard the ghost top’s proposal, the Duke hadn’t believed everything he’d said.

 

Sure, the method was revolutionary, but it was hard to be sure unless you saw it with your own two eyes. He’d made it sound easy, but who knew what variables would come into play?

 

But the heavens were on his side.

 

‘It was better than I imagined.’

 

The ghost top was right, a little tinkering with the odds was worth a lot more.

 

Besides, the manipulation was useful for entertainment. 

 

A little tidbit of information could be enough to get someone to enjoy the pleasure of winning a stake, and then they’d be in and out of the gambling house on their own.

 

The nobles who won money even spread the word to their social circles, making the gambling houses famous.

 

‘This is how things work out.’

 

And so it was that he was able to bring the Marquis of Crawford here today.

 “Have you decided which horse to bet on?” 

The Duke asked briskly as he entered the room. 

 

The Marquis of Crawford, a familiar figure sitting on the large couch, looked puzzled and shook his head.

 “I’ve never done anything like this before. Can I just say anything about it?” “You can say anything, Marquis. Just take a good look and bet on the horse you think will win today.” 

A man sitting next to the Marquis spoke up. He had been looking down at the arena through his binoculars for some time, examining the horses.

 

The man’s earnestness and desperation resembled that of an addict, and the Duke smiled wryly.

 

‘Lucky for me that his closest aide is addicted to gambling.’

 

He was Baron Shelton, the Marquis’s secretary, his right-hand man.

 

In truth, the Duke hadn’t brought him to the gambling house on purpose, the word had gotten out in social circles, and he’d been curious.

 

But when the Duke realized he was the Marquis’ closest confidant, he played a little trick on him, and the Baron quickly became a gambler. 

 

Later, he didn’t need to be urged to come.

 

‘He even brought his Lord with him.’

 

The Duke looked at him with pride, and opened his mouth to speak with goodwill.

 “If you don’t know which horse to choose, why don’t you take my recommendation?” “I would be rather grateful for your recommendation, Your Excellency.” “Right now, people are betting on horse number 2, the winner of the previous race, but I recommend horse number 5.” “But… Isn’t horse number five a yearling and hasn’t performed particularly well so far? Are you sure he’ll be okay…?” “Oh, you don’t seem to believe me, so I’ll tell you more about my special horse…” 

The Duke lowered his voice slightly.

 “Horse number five was an unusual breed from another country. Rumor has it that its speed was unparalleled by any other horse.” “That’s impossible…” “One more thing, I’ve heard that horse number two was not in the best shape today… Whether you believe it or not was your choice.” 

The Duke smiled shamelessly.

 “What are you going to do?” 

The Marquis and the Baron looked at each other for a moment, then answered.

 “I’ll bet on horse number five.” 

The Duke nodded in satisfaction.

 

They would soon be rewarded for their faith in him. It had been decided long ago that this match would be won by the fifth horse, and the players had been told so.

 

And his reason for picking the fifth horse as the winner was obvious. The more no-name horses, the fewer people would bet on them…

 

‘The less people bet on it, the bigger the payout.’

 

Eventually, the Marquis, having made a fortune, would be surprised and fall back.

 

Then it gets easier from there.

 

The Marquis would never forget winning a fortune. 

 

And even if he tries to forget, his entourage would encourage him to return to the gambling house, where he would be tricked into returning a few more times

 

‘It’s only a matter of time before they fall.’

 

And if he, the head of the neutral faction, becomes addicted to gambling, what’s next? 

 

Of course, gambling legalization would pass, and he would only have to think about his business.

 

With the money he’s earning now and the money he’s invested, he could buy a lot of land. Perhaps even more land than Averine. 

 

And then I could build an empire on it, the biggest casino on the continent.

 

It would be my kingdom!

 

The Duke gazed ahead, ecstatic. The game was about to begin. His heart trembled with anticipation.

 

Now, just a little while longer. Soon his kingdom would be…!

 “Horse number two wins!”