Chapter 311- A winning bet

A winning bet

"I challenge young master Willow while staking a thousand silver coins"

Chu examined the man in the leather vest who stood up behind the challenger. This heavy-built grizzly completely dwarfed the muscled young master Roogar. As far as he recalled, he never laid eyes on such a hulk inside the hall. No doubt, some of these young masters hid their true participants well.

The shuffling of a robe interrupted the waiting silence as Young Master Willow rose.

"I accept your challenge. Bring the agreement."

A servant dressed in the attire of the Caressing Inn walked over while carrying a large tray. First, it went to the burly Roogar who sent it towards young Willow. The young teen scanned the parchment before inserting the wager and then placed his thumbprint at the end. He finished signing it off by inking his House seal.

The two fighters followed the tray bearer into the ring. The announcer scanned the parchment and raised it while circling the ring for all to bear witness.

"The agreement has been signed and witnessed. As soon as our servants collect the bets, the match will begin!"

Chu noticed the teens sitting next to him prodding their hands into their sleeve pockets.

"Admired brother, tonight's entertainment caught me unawares. I need to send for my steward to fetch a few pouches for me."

He said to a noble busy plucking out silver coins from a pouch. The teen raised an eyebrow before remembering the rumors of this newcomer. The youths from noble houses competed against their family members and those from the other Houses for ranks. In Frost City, a large unspoken requirement to hold one's head above others came from their fighting prowess.

This visiting noble from Seastone City might hold a claim to his family's fortune but he stood out among them like a sore thumb. The only reason young master Cleft invited him to join their company was due to his rumored wealth. The entertainment tonight served as an ideal opportunity to test the rumors.

"Haha, no need young brother Will. Only small bets require coins. For larger wagers, one can submit a signed parchment like the one shown in the ring. The Caressing Inn graces us nobles with a day to square off any large winnings or losses."

"Wonderful, this places my mind at ease indeed. Older brother may not know but I have a reputation among the gambling houses back home. I dare boast that when I arrive, the owners themselves run out to greet me."

Young Master Will boasted. He didn't notice the rolling eyes and curled lips of his neighbors. Seeing a servant approaching them with a tray, he laughed.

"Twenty gold coins on the little fighter. Brothers, take my word for it, looks can be deceiving. I expect that skinner guy to burst like a wildcat. Haha!"

Chu predicted in excitement while tossing the signed parchment to the servant. Oblivious to the blinking eyes and stares around him, he watched the servant shake his head and hand over a stamped copy of his wager. By his actions alone, one could surmise he possessed the character of a gambling man.

A tall noble sitting next to him cleared his throat. The first wager of twenty gold coins shocked his heart. One must know that even the participants would not risk such a huge amount. Worse yet, this guy apparently didn't have eyes.

"Am, brother Will, you may not know but the fighter young master Roogar sent out holds the reputation as being one of the best guards from his house. He also has won most of the matches he participated in previously."

Chu waved his hand with a smile.

"Brother, this younger brother of yours possesses a sharp eye for talent. I once saw a fight with similar contestants. Everyone placed their bets on the bigger one but the small one won out in the end. Look, the match is about to begin, wait and see."

"..."

What the heck kinda logic was that?

The sound of a gong interrupted them as the announcer walked out of the ring. Closing the gate, he then broke the silence.

"Let the match begin!"

Another gong initiated the match...

***

The circle of spectators watched as both fighters unsheathed their weapons. Each steady step of the fighters closing the distance swelled the anticipation of the crowd. About ten feet away, the warriors paused their approach and as if in tacit agreement, then began circling around each other.

The bear-like man struck first.

Propelling his massive frame, he suddenly exploded out towards the teen. The longsword in his right hand raised over his broad shoulder and smashed down on arriving before the dark-haired opponent. The clanging of metal upon metal slowed the attack for the eye to follow.

"I remember now about the last fight I saw this man in. Back then he had chopped the shoulder bone of his opponent and disabled the fellow."

"It seems like he is also out for blood today. He is just striking his sword downward like a blacksmith hammering on an anvil."

"The guards of Clan Roogar train like most Houses under soldiers resigned or poached from the Military. Vertical strikes meant to split an opponent in two are most common among soldiers. My uncle is a Captain. He said that they fight to deliver the most damage to their opponent. That ignorant fool who dared to participate must be some rookie adventurer seeking wealth in this fabled city."

"Too bad he chose a dead-end road tonight. Roogar's guard has been striking away to cut away his sword arm but the shaking hands of the brat keep his wavering sword in the way. It's only a matter of time before his hand leaves his body. See, even the servants of the Inn expect it. Look how they are waiting outside the ring with a stretcher for the dead body and the pails of sand and straw to soak up the blood."

From outside the ring, everyone witnessed the muscled guard beating down on the trembling sword of his smaller opponent. With short chops that followed the first strike, the mountain-like fellow bore down on his adversary through weight and strength alone. The teen struggling to defend had no chance to launch a counterattack.

With a final dull clang, the lean boy stumbled and fell on his rump.

"I concede, I concede!"

The words rang out from the ring as the defeated adventurer crawled on his rear and elbows away from the raised sword. The victor could only frown since attacking now would only bring shame and no additional benefits to his young master.

"Young Master Roogar wins the match!"

The announcer strode into the ring.

The brawny winner snorted with a look of contempt at his thoroughly shamed adversary while sheathing his sword. Stiffening his lips, he then left the ring with the bearing of a warrior. His opponent followed later with his head hanging down on a slouching frame.

Young Master Willows stiffened his face as he rose and then made a slight bow to the winning noble. Unlike most of the young nobles gathered here, a thousand silvers or ten gold coins was a staggering amount for him. Given the situation of his house, this loss could not be ignored.

Since his house appeared to be standing on a rickety foundation, the surrounding nobles did not attempt to conceal their sneering faces behind looks of pity. Nearly everyone here could have predicted the result.

"That was the easiest gamble I ever made. I don't think any of the other matches would be as straightforward as this one."

"True, I should have stamped an agreement instead of using the silvers I had on me. Most of the fighters know their opponent so they tend to spar and not try to kill each other. I don't recall any young noble having any recent feuds."

"Brothers, your foresight exceeds the Heavens. I can't believe I wasted twenty gold coins on that little fellow. He owes me big time."

Young Master Will groused. He seemed ignorant of the strange faces staring at him.

"The ring is free and ready for challengers!"

The announcer said. The previous match didn't require much cleanup since there was no bloodshed.

"Young Master Jones challenges Young Master Gan for a thousand silvers!"

A young man dressed in a white robe stood up and shouted from one of the rear benches. His beady eyes over a hook nose and thin lips created a menacing look.

"Ah, isn't young master Jones also wooing the young lady of the Jaff Clan?"

"It looks like this challenge has more to it than a few silver coins."

Amidst the muttering, a striking young teen rose from the first circle of seats near the ring.

"I accept your challenge. Don't forget our agreement."

The servants quickly hovered around the benches to take the bets as two stout men entered into the ring.

Chu quickly wrote down a figure and collected his receipt.

"Hmph, I can't believe I lost that gamble. Don't worry brothers, my principle is to reclaim what I lost with interest."

"Oh? Brother Will, may I ask who you placed your bet on this time?"

"Sure, I betting on... ah, there goes the gong, let see how it goes."

With the sound of a gong, the fighters approached each other and circled for that critical opening.

Chu watched as the taller man took seized the initiative when his opponent raised his foot in changing stances. The vertical strike dropped mercilessly from above without giving his adversary time to defend. Blood splurted from the deep gash in the leather armor. The man staggered backward before slumping into a heap on the dirt.

No fancy parrying or sword clashing for minutes around the ring.

A life and death battle could require only seconds to generate an outcome.

"The winner is young master Gan!"

Young Master Gan rose and clasped his hand while bowing slightly. His lips on his oval face curled into a faint smile as his eyes rested on young master Jones. The latter hung his head while accepting his defeat.

Chu grinned on the result. Through luck, his gamble paid off. He had planned to grumble and curse on loosing but a win suited him even better. The more money to enter his hands anyway the better for his heart.

"Haha, brothers, see what I said, I've struck gold!"

He said as he waved his receipt. Showing it to the noble sitting next to him, the teen balked on seeing the wager.

"A...a...fifty gold coins?"

His words silenced the nearby discussion. Usually, the participants of the challenge would wager on a thousand silvers or ten gold. Although young nobles, this amount could be paid without affecting the wealth of their family. Unless their clan faced serious issues such as House Willows, ten gold was the limit to a fight. As for the spectating nobles, about one gold was enough to wager without breaking their pocket.

The rumors were true, this fellow was a barrel full of holes. Gold coins leaked out just like flowing water.

****