CHAPTER 44: A SUCCESSFUL DAY

The noise inside the den only grew louder as the sun climbed higher in the sky. The den was filled with the sound of dice clattering, men shouting, and coins being pushed and pulled across the tables.

Sweat shone on people’s foreheads, but no one seemed to care. Their eyes were fixed on the dice, their laughter and curses filling the room like a storm.

"A high! Hah!" one man yelled, slamming the table as his friends groaned.

"Damn it, I was so close!"

"Roll again, roll again! I’ll get it this time!"

As hours passed, the coins piled higher and higher. Some men had their pouches half empty already, but their hands still reached for more. On the other hand, there were some who kept on winning.

Leonard’s grin stretched wide as he scooped the coins closer to him, sliding them into the small wooden chest at his side. His fingers brushed over the cool silver again and again. Their storage was becoming heavier as more rounds were played.

’Look at this,’ Leonard thought, as he glanced at the storage on his side. ’This is no longer just a game on the street. This is a real den! A real business!’

He was so proud of himself for thinking of adding this here.

At Anika’s table, her soft laughter rang out, too, as she leaned over the dice cup.

"Hey guys! Be careful now, you’ll lose it all if you’re not bold enough!" she teased the men around her, who seemed to be growing more determined after losing a few rounds. They only groaned before throwing more coins on the table.

They were unable to resist her taunts.

Across the room, Gareth’s voice was also loud enough. He was strict on his table, but still, he knew how to make it fun.

Even Eric and Ferio, who were clumsy at first, had started to get the hang of it. Eric’s nervousness turned into excitement, his hands moving faster as the players shouted around him.

Ferio also laughed with the crowd. He shook the cup with dramatic flair before slamming it down, making the men at his table cheer.

The whole den was alive with the sound of dice and cheers rolling together like thunder.

Leonard stayed put for a moment after another round ended on his table. He wiped the bead of sweat from his brow. His chest heaved from laughing too much, but his eyes sparkled at the sight before him.

Their den was full with men who were wild when it came to playing. And the silver? Oh, the silver kept coming.

’If this keeps up,’ he thought, his grin growing, ’we’ll make double what we used to. No... maybe even three times more. This is it. This is our start.’

He clenched his fist under the table, fire burning in his chest.

’This den will make me rich."

The crowd roared once more as Leonard held the cup and the dice once again. Leonard joined them with a booming laugh, already tasting the sweet future waiting ahead.

By the time the sun dipped lower in the sky, the sound inside the den finally began to fade. Dice no longer rattled in the cup, and the tables that once shook with fists and laughter from the people now stood still.

At last, Gareth gave the call.

"Enough for today. We’re closing."

It was already five in the afternoon when they pushed the last of the men out the door. The gamblers left grumbling, some clutching half-empty pouches, others swaying with joy at their winnings.

Inside, though, silence filled the den for the first time that day.

Leonard sat down on the ground, his back pressed against the wall. He let out a long and tired sigh. Anika plopped herself right beside him. She was wiping sweat from her temple with the back of her sleeve.

Gareth lowered himself too, followed by a deep sigh, while Eric and Ferio simply collapsed on the wooden floor in front of them, breathing hard.

Their faces were dead tired, their hands sore from handling dice and coins all day. But not one of them complained.

Their eyes were all drawn to the same thing.

The silver on their storage.

It shone in the dim light of the den, like treasure freshly dug from the ground.

Without needing to speak, one by one, they brought their storage forward. Leonard went first, pulling the chest he had guarded so carefully. He flipped the lid and poured it, the coins spilling with a metallic sound that echoed across the room.

Anika followed too; her own chest was also heavy. She poured the coins in front of here, creating a new pile beside Leonard’s.

Eric did the same, though his hands trembled a little bit. It was because of fatigue, and also the disbelief of seeing so much money together.

Ferio grinned widely as his pile clinked into existence, and finally Gareth, who was slow and deliberate, emptied his chest as well.

Five piles now sat in front of them, shining in the glow of the lantern light.

The sight was almost unreal. Their tiredness, their aching backs, and their sore throats from shouting all day had all melted away as they stared at it.

No one spoke for a moment. The only sound was their heavy breathing.

Leonard finally broke the silence with a low chuckle.

"This is just... worth it."

The others couldn’t help but laugh with him.

Soon after, silence surrounded them. For a long while, none of them moved. They just sat there, their eyes fixed on the piles of silver in front.

Eric leaned forward, resting his chin on his arms, his lips curling into a dazed smile. Ferio stretched out his legs and let out a tired sigh. Even Anika, who always had some positivity to say, stayed silent.

Leonard’s grin grew wider as he looked at all of them.

’They must be so tired after standing up for so long.’ He thought to himself. ’How about I give them something to cheer them up?’ The corner of his lips rose to a smile after that.

"Alright," Leonard suddenly broke the silence. Everyone’s attention turned to him for a moment.

"Here’s how it will go. Since we all worked hard today, and as a way of celebration, you all get fifty percent from your piles."

The words dropped heavily in the room.

"50%?" Anika blinked, tilting her head as though she hadn’t heard right.

"Huh? That big?" Eric sat up straighter, eyes wide.

"Huh??" Ferio scratched his head, confused. "Are you serious, Boss?"

Even Gareth raised a brow, his usual calm expression breaking.

Leonard only nodded. He chuckled and said, "Yup. 50 percent. Only for today, though," he added quickly, holding back a laugh. "Don’t get too used to it."