XdwAlicia, who rarely ventured outside, had only heard about betting rings without ever stepping into one. Seeing one today at the tournament was a new experience. With her curious nature, she couldn’t resist diving into the excitement.
“She still can’t change her reckless personality.” Fenley shook his head in exasperation and followed closely behind.
Since the incident involving Brian, Fenley had become the personal bodyguard for the Marshall sisters. He was constantly vigilant about their safety now.
Abigail, the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order, actively promoted her business and shouted enthusiastically, “Come on, everyone! Place your bets and pick your favorites!
“No risk of getting ripped off here-bet as much as you want, win or lose fair and square! Our reputation speaks for itself!”
She oversaw the VIP section where rare treasures could be exchanged for celestial stones used in gambling.
They started by appraising the treasures bettors brought and exchanging them for celestial stones. Bettors then used these stones for their bets. If they lost, that was it. But if they won, they could reclaim their treasures.
“Hey, Sir! Bringing friends along today? Please, have a seat,” Abigail greeted warmly. Her keen eyes noticed Dustin and his friends approaching and promptly arranged seats.
Noticing their distinguished attire and demeanor, she figured they were no ordinary guests and deserved the utmost respect as VIP clients.
“Your business is thriving,” Dustin remarked with a smile.
In just a few days, what was once a small operation has blossomed into a full-fledged betting ring with separate areas for regular patrons and VIPs. The expansion has been almost tenfold in size since then.
With the Combat Tournament at Sacred Wyrm Summit, it was clear to him that Abigail was the undeniable winner.
Abigail humbly responded, “I’m just trying to keep things going. Managing such a large guild and providing for my members means I have to stay resourceful.”
“My friends are interested in your betting options. Can you set them up?” Dustin smiled.
“Sure, no problem!” Abigail said cheerfully. “Sir, your friends are my friends, and I’ll make sure they have a great time.”
She snapped her fingers at the female guardian beside her and instructed, ” Give these lovely ladies some chips so they can enjoy themselves.”
“Okay,” the guardian replied promptly. Then, she distributed 20 celestial stones to Grace, Alicia, and Aurora.
Giving away sixty celestial stones all at once was quite a generous gesture, but Abigail was wealthy enough not to worry about it. She believed that what she gave would eventually return to her.
“I hope this isn’t too much trouble. We could have gotten our own chips,”
Alicia said awkwardly. She felt that Abigail’s generosity was excessive for a first meeting. Yet, she was unsure how to reciprocate.
“Meeting you is a stroke of fate. It’s just a small gift. Enjoy yourselves and consider it a gesture of friendship,” Abigail replied cheerfully.
She knew the more chips she handed out, the more likely she would reel in a big fish. Abigail understood this strategy perfectly.
“Well…” Alicia hesitated.
“Ms. Marshall, are you unhappy with the amount? Or do you not want to be friends with me?” Abigail feigned disappointment.
“Of course not.” Alicia quickly shook her head.
“Ms. Marshall, this is a kind gesture from Abigail. You should accept it,” Dustin encouraged.
“In that case, we won’t refuse,” Alicia conceded. She realized it was hard to decline such generosity.
“The next round is about to begin. Ladies, take a good look. Which contestant do you think has the best chance of winning?” Abigail asked with a smile.
They turned their attention to the two large battle rings in the center. The battle rings were labeled One and Two, with referees randomly selecting two contestants for each round.
This round featured contestants 5 and 18 in battle ring one and contestants 12 and 34 in battle ring two.
“Huh, it’s him?” Dustin’s gaze settled on contestant number 12 and raised an eyebrow in surprise.
The contestant turned out to be Miles from the Sword Union. Though his strength didn’t quite measure up to Crystal’s, he still ranked above average among the competitors in Group B.
Alicia followed Dustin’s line of sight and asked curiously, “Do you know him?”
“Yes. He’s my friend.” He nodded.
“How strong is he?” Aurora asked.
“Among the contestants in Group B, he’s pretty decent,” Dustin replied.
“If you vouch for him, he must be good. I bet on Number 12,” Alicia said confidently. Then, she took out ten celestial stones and placed her bet on Miles.
“Me too!” Aurora quickly followed her sister’s lead and bet with ten celestial stones.
“I’m in too.” Grace smiled and joined them.
Dustin frowned when he saw them place their bet on Miles. So, he quickly added, “I only said he’s decent, not a guaranteed winner. I won’t be responsible if he doesn’t win.”
As a disciple of the Sword Union, Miles was indeed talented among his lower- ranked peers. He was somewhere in the middle-promising but not guaranteed to come out on top.
Dustin wasn’t confident that Miles could win.
