Extra: Ichika and the Bar’s Slots
30 DP a day or thirty copper coins. That’s the [Dancing Doll’s Pavilion]’s wages for employees. Also, food and board are free. In other words, wages were free to use however they wanted.
Considering that it was fifty copper a night without meals and that it’s equal to or a bit higher than the [Dancing Doll’s Pavilion]’s standard, it was a pretty great job.
“Aaaalright, I’ll definitely win today and eat a mountain of curry bread!”
Ichika pumped herself up as she headed to the bar today. She held the day’s wages, thirty copper coins, in her hand. For someone who’d spend all their money overnight like Ichika, it was everything she owned.
Her aim was the bar’s slots.
“Heeey, is my beloved Slot-chan ready~!?”
“Ohhh, Ichika-san. Welcome back, your usual seat’s ready to go.”
“Thanks! Nooow then, today’ll be a win…!”
Welcomed by Wozuma, the bar’s master, she headed to the second slot machine from the farthest back out of the six in total. The three ones farthest in were the kind that would take between one to three copper per go and—depending on the amount someone puts in—would increase the number of hit lines, starting with [Just the center row], then [an additional two rows above and below], followed by [an additional two columns on the sides]. [1]
The seat second from the back was completely reserved for Ichika’s use, so Wozuma would quietly make sure it was open and ready for use as the end of Ichika’s shifts approached.
Ka-chink. Ka-chink. Ka-chink.
Putting in three copper, she pulled the slot’s lever. The drum spun with a machine-like sound and….
“I can do it…! Haaaaaaah!”
Bang!
Pow!
Boom!
Pushing the buttons with all her might, the designs stopped moving to reveal… a loss.
“Kuh! Nine more tries… haaaaah!”
She put more money in, pulling the lever once again.
… A loss.
Even so, Ichika didn’t give up. She had enough of her wage left for eight more tries.
“Phew… but ya won’t see me run away! Do iiit!
“Oh, Ichika huh? You’re still doing that eh.”
“Mu? What’s up Gozoh? Talkin’ to me to break my focus?”
“Gahaha! Sure why not? So, how’s it, any wins today?”
“Nn? Nah… I can do it, I just know it!”
While saying that, Ichika got another loss.
“No good huh?”
“Dummy, take a good look! See here!? The right slipped down a bit yeah? This is a sign that the next will be a win!”
“Really? Rather, there was something like that?”
“Well, let’s gooo… now!”
And then Ichika received another defeat.
Gozoh’s vision was piercing her. However, Ichika grinned.
“… Fufu, don’t be so quick, Gozoh. This’s the flow for a jackpot.”
“Jackpot?”
“When there’s a loss after that slip, the pattern’s that after five times… nine times outa ten, there’ll be a jackpot!”
“Heeh, hurry up and spin it.”
“Hmm, well, watch closely!”
Ka-chink, bling, bling, bling.
Ka-chink, bling, bling, bling.
Ka-chink, bling, bling, bling.
She got three more losses.
“Two more huh?”
“I-it’s not something to get impatient for y’know?”
Ka-chink, bling, bling, bling… another loss.
“G-gunununu…!”
“Alright, if the next one’s a win, I’ll buy ya some karaage.” [2]
“What’d ya say!? Just watch! Let’s do iiit!”
Ka-chink… bling, bling…
“O-oooh! Look, look! There’s two [7]’s lined up in the center!”
“Oh, it’s workin’? Now’s the last one, then?”
“Give it my all…! Give it my all…! Now!”
Bling.
A [7] appeared, moving into position, then… a loss.
“Guaaaah!? Nooooo!”
“Ga ha ha ha! Knew it.”
“Gunununu, dangit…”
Ka-chink, bling, bling, bling…. Ichika pressed the buttons as though she’d lost her spirit.
… A set of cherries lined up, kaching! The slots’ bells rang, signifying a win.
“Oooh, Gozoh, I won! Karaage!”
“Won nine huh? Nice. Bein’ just one try off would’ve sucked, I’ll give ya just one.”
“Oooh, thank ya~”
She won nine as it was a x3 multiplier win for the slot machine. It was a win that was at least better than nothing at all. It appeared around two out of every ten uses.
Gozoh carried a single karaage stabbed with a toothpick Ichika’s mouth as she was still glued to the slot machine.
Nom nom. Omnom.
While savoring the entire karaage, Ichika spun the slot machine again.
… In the end, she wound up spending everything she owned on the slots today as well.
“Kuuh, today was a bad today! Let’s head back~… haaah…”
“Aye, ya did your best!”
Depressed, Ichika left the bar.
… Immediately after that, at the slot machine second from the back—the one Ichika was just sitting at, there was an argument.
“Hey, move aside. You’re in my way!”
“No way, you won yesterday, but today’s my turn!”
“Oi oi, I waited enough, shove off! Today’ll be my win!”
After Ichika uses it, it’ll have a fifty percent chance of winning.
That rumor somehow spread amongst the regular customers.
“Aah, you’re all doing great, aren’t you?”
“Nn? Roppu, you’re going to give it a shot?”
Gozoh headed over to the table that his partner Roppu sat down at, drinking a swig of alcohol.
“Don’t say something so foolish, Gozoh. I don’t believe in that rumor.”
“Heeh? Why not?”
“Because of that rumor’s origin… it came from Kehma-san right? The first to go after Ichika would be the first to win—how’d it go again?”
“The person to go after Ichika will get her winnings, I think? Well, it’s that kind of feeling at least.”
After that, the rapid rumors of [Easy Winning] [Big Jackpots] [Someone Actually Won It] [I won!] had recently settled down into [50% Chance to Win].
In truth, the seat that Ichika used was such a popular one that it was kept spinning until it won.
If it kept on being spun, it’d have to win at some point. The more the spins, the more often there’d be a win, so it really was a seat that won a lot.
…. There were many losses as well, but the race of people known as gamblers didn’t pay attention to something as inconvenient as that.
Because of that, along with the rumor, that slot machine was particularly popular.
“… Well, those guys like gambling a lot after all.”
“I wonder if it’s because they’re adventurers?”
Gozoh shrugged his shoulders as though to say that they’re pretty similar.
“Boooyah! I won!”
“Hurry up and switch out with me!”
“Kukuku, I can’t give my seat up now!”
And so, that day had yet another boisterous night inside the bar.
Footnotes:
Looks like this. Kind of. Return
Karaage is amazing. Here’s the wikipedia page for it!
