Ayanokoji raised an eyebrow in surprise, flatly denying it.
"You said Miharu Taki Senior? No, impossible. It definitely wasn't her who cheated."
At this point, was Ayanokoji still trying to protect Miharu Taki Sakura?
Meari pouted: "Then who else!? There are 181 black pieces in total, but they ran out at the 180th piece. Where could the missing piece have gone? She definitely cheated!"
"Alright, don't rush…"
Ayanokoji ruffled Meari's hair, soothing her like a agitated cat, and said, "I did say that Miharu Taki Sakura didn't cheat, but that doesn't mean no one else cheated."
Meari came to her senses: "You mean, this was done independently by that assistant? It has nothing to do with Miharu Taki Sakura?"
Ayanokoji nodded: "That's right. In my impression, Miharu Taki Senior isn't someone who would cheat in gambling. However, if someone else cheats first, then that's another story."
Meari felt a little guilty.
Fortunately, she changed her mind at the last minute and didn't take out the cheating dice. If she had used cheating dice and still lost the gamble, that would have been truly embarrassing.
Meari was now relieved that she hadn't chosen to cheat; otherwise, she would have been too ashamed to complain righteously to Ayanokoji Kiyotaka.
Ayanokoji pondered, "Based on your description, during your gambling process, Yagyu Ine actually had many opportunities to hide pieces."
"I was watching Yagyu Ine the entire time. She shouldn't have had time to secretly hide pieces!" Hanatemari Kazura shook her head vigorously, her tone very firm.
After receiving Meari's task, she had been staring at Yagyu Ine, and she was certain that she hadn't seen any small movements from her.
Meari opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but still didn't, looking at Ayanokoji with a pleading gaze.
Ayanokoji knew Meari found it inconvenient to speak, so he took over: "Hanatemari, you must have seen magic shows. Many magicians perform card tricks, and even if you watch their small movements the entire time, you can't easily spot them."
"How should I explain it to you… Oh, right, let me demonstrate."
Ayanokoji didn't have any pieces on hand, so he used playing cards instead.
He took out a deck of cards, casually shuffled them using the riffle shuffle, and then, in front of the two of them, picked up a playing card between his fingers.
Ayanokoji asked Hanatemari Kazura, "How many playing cards do I have in my hand right now?"
"One," Hanatemari replied without hesitation.
From Hanatemari's perspective, Ayanokoji indeed only had one playing card in his hand.
"I did only take one just now, but…"
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka showed the inside of his palm to the two of them. Besides the card held between his fingers, another playing card was curved and held in the center of his palm.
"I got this one when I was shuffling just now."
Ayanokoji's shuffling motion just now seemed casual, but he had quietly pressed a playing card into his palm from an angle Hanatemari couldn't see.
Some movements at the gambling table may seem casual, but in reality, they might be concealing secret small actions, and sometimes you won't notice if the other party cheats.
Ayanokoji placed the two playing cards on the table, looked at Hanatemari Kazura, and said in a deep voice, "Do you understand now? Actually, Yagyu Ine could have secretly hidden a piece in her palm beforehand, and then decided whether to take it out based on the situation."
"Pieces are easier to hide than cards, and black pieces are even less conspicuous."
Hanatemari Kazura had already realized that her own negligence had given Yagyu Ine an opportunity to cheat.
She lowered her head sadly, blaming herself and whispering, "It's my fault. I didn't notice that girl named Yagyu Ine tampering with the pieces…"
If she had tried harder, Meari wouldn't be so angry. This was a gamble worth eighty million, and it was lost because of her.
Hanatemari felt incredibly guilty. Meari had entrusted this task to her because she trusted her, yet she failed to complete it.
"It's not your fault. Who would have thought that she, who always played by the rules, would suddenly act dishonorably?" Meari quickly hugged Hanatemari Kazura, comforting her.
Meari didn't blame Hanatemari Kazura.
It was she who had forced Hanatemari to stand by her as the Dealer. With one side calculating and the other unprepared, plus Hanatemari's concern for her, it was difficult for her to notice when Yagyu Ine secretly hid a piece.
Even she herself might not be able to detect when Yagyu Ine switched cards.
Ayanokoji's tone also softened: "Hanatemari, don't be too sad. There's another possibility, which is that there were only 180 pieces in the jar to begin with, and there was a problem during manufacturing. This is an act of God, and you don't need to blame yourself."
Was Ayanokoji Kiyotaka adding this sentence to comfort himself...? A warm current seemed to flow through Hanatemari's heart, and she felt a little better, giving Ayanokoji a grateful smile: "...Thank you."
"You're welcome." Ayanokoji winked at Hanatemari.
The two of them had already made a private alliance, wasn't it natural to help one's ally?
At this moment, Meari didn't notice their "small gestures." She was still grappling with whether Miharu Taki Sakura had cheated.
"Ayanokoji, what you just said only proves that Yagyu Ine was the one who cheated; it doesn't clear Miharu Taki Sakura of suspicion, does it?"
Ayanokoji tapped the table and said unhurriedly, "What if… Yagyu Ine was an insider?"
"An insider? An insider sent by whom?"
"Mibuomi Aoi."
Meari was surprised: "Aren't Miharu Taki Sakura and Mibuomi Aoi on the same side?"
Ayanokoji shook his head.
"Although they appear to be on the same side, they each have their own objectives and cannot simply be seen as having the same intentions. At least, Miharu Taki Sakura doesn't regard Mibuomi Aoi as her pillar; she only helps him because of a family engagement."
Meari was a little jealous: "...How do you know so much? You even know about their emotional issues?"
Ayanokoji's attitude towards Miharu Taki Sakura was clearly off; it wasn't at all like treating a regular senpai, and he even knew such private details about Miharu Taki.
Ayanokoji felt guilty, but still kept a straight face and lightly flicked Meari's forehead: "Because unlike you, who are obsessed with gambling all day, I've been socializing with other people. Isn't it normal to have some good friends?"
Ayanokoji also knew his words were flimsy; anyone who thought about it closely could detect something was off, so he quickly changed the subject: "Meari, you lost this gamble. Don't you have anything to say?"
Meari rubbed her forehead, feigning confusion and playing dumb, muttering, "Didn't you say you wouldn't blame me…?"
"I'm not blaming you for losing to Miharu Taki Sakura. I'm blaming you for abandoning your post, not working for two consecutive days, and dragging Hanatemari Kazura away from her duties with you."
"I went willingly!" Hanatemari quickly said, "It has nothing to do with Meari!"
"But if it weren't for Meari, you wouldn't have run off with her, would you?"
Ayanokoji said, taking out two hundred thousand from his wallet and handing it to Togakushi Yukimi, who had just entered the Cooking Room: "By the way, Togakushi, this is your perfect attendance bonus, rewarding you for always staying at your post."
Togakushi Yukimi had just finished today's club activities and was still a bit confused when she walked in and received Ayanokoji's "red envelope."
Now that the casino in the Chemistry Preparation Room next door was on track, everyone who needed a membership card had already gotten one. There wasn't much to do, and she wasn't very busy.
She didn't expect to receive a perfect attendance bonus just for working two consecutive days; this money came too easily.
However, wouldn't it be foolish not to take money when it's offered?
Togakushi Yukimi didn't refuse and happily put the money away.
She now knew that Ayanokoji was a rich second-generation, and this money was just a drop in the bucket for him. It was free money, so why not take it?
Meari could tell that Ayanokoji was deliberately doing this to show her, and she pouted unhappily.
"Meari, don't pout. This is a reward for Togakushi Yukimi, and there's a punishment for you."
"What punishment?" Meari's heart pounded and her face flushed slightly as she recalled Ayanokoji's "hands-on" actions towards her in the hotel room.
Could Ayanokoji's punishment this time be like that as well?
Meari's face turned red, and amidst her unease, there was also a faint sense of anticipation.
But to Meari's disappointment, Ayanokoji's next sentence poured cold water on her hopes.
"I punish you… to recruit a new employee for the casino."
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