My Second Chance In Life In Another World

CHAPTER 25: LUCK

Midnight came, and Father was still playing. A crowd surrounded us because they're all interested in who will stop my father's winning streak. 
 
"I resign; I've just run out of money," said the man who is playing against my father.
 
After the man left, no one dared to play with Father anymore.
 
"Will, we should call it a day; let's go back now," said my father.
"Yeah," I replied.
 
When Father was about to stand from his seat, something caught our attention. The crowd that is surrounding us gives way to one man who is heading towards our table. The man was bald and had a plump body; he was wearing something that someone of a higher class would wear.
 
"You, are you going home now?" "How about I be your last opponent before you leave?" asked the man.
 
My father looked at me as if asking me if he should play one more game or go back to our inn. I nodded in response; there's no harm if he plays one more game, so I allowed him.
 
"Okay, I'll accept your offer," my father said, then went back to his seat again.
"Thank you," the bald man said.
 
The crowd started to surround us again.
 
"Hey, isn't that Carson, the leader of the snakes?" Asked by someone in the crowd, whispers began.
"Yeah, that's him, the leader of the biggest criminal organization in this city and the owner of this casino," another whispered.
 
"It seems like you already won 20 gold coins in just one day," Carson said.
"So, tell me what tricks you used to win and get that much money," he added.
"I didn't use any tricks; it's just that lady luck was on my side, and I didn't win 20 gold coins; I won 18 gold coins and 7 silver coins to be exact," Father answered.
"So you don't have any intention to reveal it?" "Then I'll be the one who will find and reveal your tricks," Carson said.
 
Father, as if he didn't hear what Carson just said, picked up the dice.
 
"So where are you betting, even or odd?" Father asked.
"Even, 5 gold," Carson said with a smile to his face that says cower in fear because of the huge amount he bet.
 
The crowd was shocked at the amount he bet in just the first round. 
 
The monetary system here consists of copper, silver, gold, and platinum coins. One copper coin can buy a piece of bread. Ten copper coins are equal to one silver coin; ten silver coins are equal to one gold coin; and 50 gold coins are equal to one platinum coin. That's why everyone was shocked when Carson bet five gold coins from the get-go.
 
"Okay, then here I go," Father replied. After he said it, he started to roll the dice.
 
Everyone was grasping their breath, and our attention was on the dice, waiting for it to stop so the winner would be decided.
The dice stopped, and the outcome is 6 and 6, meaning Carson won.
 
"It seems that I won; maybe lady luck is on my side now?" Said by Carson before accepting the five gold coins from my father.
"So where are you betting, even or odd?" Carson asked and then picked up the dice from the table.
"Odd, ten gold coins," Father answered.
 
Everyone of us was surprised by what Father just said. Even Carson widened his eyes from what he just heard. I touched my father's shoulder and was about to ask why he was betting that much money, but before I got a chance to ask, the dice were rolled.
 
All of the spectators were grasping for their breaths while waiting for the outcome. The dice stopped rolling, and the outcome was 6 and 3, meaning that Father won.
 
"That was a hell of a bet, and I now know that you won with pure luck without using any tricks." "If you're using a trick, you should have used it now, but I didn't sense anything." "Sorry for doubting you earlier." "Let's continue our game," Carson said, then handed the dice to Father.
 
When Father was about to ask where Carson was betting, Carson whispered to one of his henchmen at his side, and after he whispered something, the man suddenly left the casino.
 
"Sorry for the wait, I just asked him to get me extra money because I didn't bring that much money with me." "I didn't expect I would play a game like this with someone like you." Carson said.
 
After that, they continued their game; sometimes Father won and sometimes Carson won. They didn't bet that much money compared to before, but it is still a large amount, like 2–3 gold coins. After a while, the person Carson asked to get his money came back and whispered something to him.
 
"It seems that I lost; he didn't bring extra money because something urgent happened." "I'm sorry, I'll take my leave now, and I hope I can play a game with you again in the future," Carson said before leaving.
 
After that, Carson took his leave, and the crowd bustled with everyone's voice. 
 
"Wow, he really won against that Carson," someone said.
"But it seems that he will leave the town tomorrow so there is no really chance for a rematch," said another.
 
While the crowd was bustling with chitchat, my father and I took our leave. One hour has passed since midnight, so there's no trace of people in the streets. Father and I are talking while heading to the inn.
 
"Father, that was amazing; did you really not use any tricks?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's just that, ever since I was a child, lady luck has been on my side," he answered.
"Ever since you were a child?" I asked.
"Yeah, me and my friends in the academy always play rock-paper-scissors, and the one who loses will need to buy lunch for the winner, and I haven't lost even once," he said smugly.
"Father, that must be a gift," I said.
"No, it isn't; my teacher in the academy at the time has a gift to sense if others have an ability, and he said that I don't have one," he explained.
 
A gift is a special ability that someone has had since they were born. It can be something extraordinary, and sometimes it can be useless, but not everyone can have that.
 
While I was thinking about what I read in the past, my father stopped walking and also stopped me from walking. I was surprised at the sudden stop and was about to ask about the reason when—
 
"Will, don't panic; I will tell you something important; we're surrounded," Father said with a calm voice.
"Huh?"   That is the only word that comes out of my mouth after hearing that.