Obsession... What's That? I Just Wish Someone Would Help Me Escape - Chapter 79
Meanwhile, Kido’s nemesis, Grandis, had a plan of her own.
Having thoroughly investigated Kido’s background, she already knew the true identity of Captain Damian Meister, a high-ranking guard.
The eldest son of the Marquis of Menadro, he had served on the front lines of the Judicial Department before the revolution and was Kido’s former fiancé.
There was no doubt that he was supporting Kido from behind the scenes.
This was why Grandis had kept a low profile ever since she arrived at the prison.
When she saw Kido going into Damian’s office, she became certain: Kido was using her former fiancé to manipulate the outcome of the tournament to her advantage.
With this in mind, Grandis immediately sought out a new guard.
“I’ve heard there’s match-fixing in the winner’s tournament. There’s no way a gambling event like this doesn’t involve some sort of rigging. There must be a deal between the prison and outsiders.”
Given that the tournament was held in a closed-off prison with no regard for the prisoners’ rights, it was easy to manipulate the results.
Regardless of the outcome, everything could be brushed off as coincidence.
The teams and match order in the winner’s tournament were supposedly decided randomly.
Since people bet on individual prisoners rather than teams, a prisoner’s team luck was crucial for winning.
The freckled, shaggy-haired guard frowned and waved her off at Grandis’s confident statement.
“No. 8, what nonsense are you spouting? Get back to your place.”
“I was going to tell you how to make a lot of money.”
The guard tilted his head, intrigued.
He had his own suspicions about the tournament’s fairness and had been frustrated, thinking only the higher-ranking guards were in on the secret and profiting from it.
Grandis figured it would be easier to persuade a desperate newcomer rather than a senior guard.
By winning over this rookie, she could gradually work her way up to controlling the higher-ups.
She smiled leisurely as she spoke.
“No. 49’s team will win. She hasn’t even awakened her ability, so the odds are historically high for her.”
“…How can you be sure? Do you think I don’t know how sly you demihumans are?”
“I’ve only been here a short while. I heard things on the outside. Plus, I saw Kido being summoned to the captain’s office earlier. It’s certain No. 49 will be on a team with Nos. 1 and 2. They’re even sharing a room.”
The guard frowned.
So they were planning to rig the system for themselves again.
There was nothing to lose.
He considered placing a bet on No. 49 but kept a neutral expression, uncertain what Grandis might demand in exchange for the information.
Reading his thoughts, Grandis covered her mouth with a slight smile.
“As proof that No. 49’s team is guaranteed to win, they’ll be placed in the final match. All you need to do is secretly switch them to the first match.”
“Why would I do that?”
She leaned in, whispering softly.
“Because there’s a way to earn several times what you bet. If you don’t trust me, that’s fine. I approached you because, as a rookie, you wouldn’t be suspected of manipulation. But if you’re not interested, I’ll just take this to a higher-ranking guard.”
The guard sighed and shifted in his seat, pretending to relent.
“Ha… this is crazy. Let’s hear it.”
“The new win streak bonus system. It means that the odds increase with each win. No. 49’s odds are 113. If her team wins five matches undefeated, those odds multiply by ten.”
Lowering her voice even more, she spread her hands and smiled.
“You’d earn 1,130 times the amount you bet. If you bet a million lives, you’d get 1.13 billion back.”
“It’s like…printing money.”
The guard who knew nothing about streak bonus systems swallowed hard at the tempting information, glancing around cautiously.
“You’re saying to put an unbeatable team in the first match and let them win consecutively?”
1,130 times the original bet! This was a chance to strike it rich.
He didn’t have time to question why Grandis was giving him such valuable information.
He simply assumed that, as a new prisoner, she was trying to gain favor and establish her position within the prison.
Grandis predicted that Kido would manipulate things so her team would be placed last.
Even with Numbers 1 and 2 on her team, if Kido kept participating in the matches, she might end up dead, given her weak constitution.
In a win-streak format where the winning team continues to fight, if Kido’s team went first, she would inevitably face Grandis.
With a smile that didn’t reach her eyes, Grandis added one more request.
“And I need to be teamed with Prisoner Number 4. We need to ensure success, and this will eliminate any variables.”
If she was going to kill Kido, she needed someone to create an opening, even if only for a moment, to distract Numbers 1 and 2.
