Small-Minded Goddess of Luck

The caravan left Changhe City and headed east along the winding dirt road.

The land where Xia Lin lived belonged to the Aria Kingdom, an ancient kingdom that had shown signs of decline in recent years.

It was famous for its commerce and complicated border relations. The royal authority was not supreme, and local lords and major city-states often possessed considerable autonomy.

Their destination, Orlando Province, was the largest and most prosperous commercial center and transportation hub in the eastern provinces of the Aria Kingdom.

Orlando was famous not only for its enormous markets and astonishingly busy inland port, but also for the Mage Tower that soared into the clouds. Its history was even older than that of the Aria Kingdom itself.

It was said that the tower was a relic of an ancient magical civilization, and it still attracted countless mages eager to explore Arcana.

Riding atop his jolting horse, Xia Lin watched the fields and sparse woodland slowly pass by on either side of the road, and his thoughts drifted back into the past.

Both the original owner and he had visited Orlando more than once.

But back then, he had sat inside his family's luxurious, comfortable carriage, drawn by four purebred horses. Respectful guards had traveled outside the windows, while chilled fruit wine and soft cushions awaited him inside.

At the time, he had not been thinking about whether the journey was safe. He had been wondering which of Orlando's liveliest taverns to visit, which of its prettiest dancing girls to seek out, or which hidden casino to try his luck in.

He had never once paid attention to the dust-covered guards who followed alongside the caravan, always keeping watch—just like he was now.

How ironic.

Today, he had become one of the very people he had once ignored, traveling the same roads for a mere four silver coins.

The scenery along the way was quite nice, though.

It was early spring, and the fields were tinged with fresh green. The trees by the roadside had begun to sprout tender buds, and the air carried the fresh scent of earth and grass. Every now and then, a few wild rabbits or foxes could be seen darting across the road.

The sunlight was warm and the breeze brushed his face. If he had not needed to stay alert at all times, the journey might even have felt like a pleasant spring outing.

Xia Lin was naturally somewhat outgoing (16 Charisma), and combined with his current outfit and the confidence he had built up through previous battles, it was easy for him to hit it off with several of his temporary colleagues.

He chatted with the taciturn greatsword wielder Kyle about weapon maintenance. Kyle did not say much, but he greatly admired the long sword forged by the Dwarf Stonefist that Xia Lin carried.

He also cracked a few jokes with Pip, the sharp-looking Halfling, teasing her about whether she had stolen a few pieces of cheese from the caravan. Pip denied it vehemently while quickly stuffing something into her sleeve.

As for the icy female archer, she was exactly Xia Lin's type. After he praised her precise archery a few times at just the right moments, a faint blush appeared on her face.

He mused, It seems Miss Shamir isn't completely made of ice after all. Once we reach Orlando Province, with those long nights ahead, perhaps I can find an opportunity to exchange some insights on "archery" and "swordsmanship"?

Only the masked woman who called herself Sera always kept to herself. Like a ghost, she followed at the rear of the group and hardly spoke to anyone. Xia Lin had tried to strike up a conversation twice, but received only a few perfunctory one-syllable replies, so he stopped making a fool of himself.

The first day of the journey passed unusually peacefully.

Aside from five or six Goblins leaping out of the roadside woods in the afternoon, waving wooden clubs and screeching as they tried to rob the seemingly "plump" caravan, nothing happened.

The little green-skinned monsters had not even reached the wagons before Kyle at the front knocked them away with a few swings of his greatsword, and Shamir finished them off with her precise arrows.

The entire process was as effortless as driving away flies, more like a harmless diversion added to the otherwise dull journey.

The next morning was still calm and uneventful.

Warm sunlight spread across the land as the caravan continued at an unhurried pace.

At noon, the caravan stopped to rest on a level patch of grass near a stream.

Master Borin generously took out some smoked meat and cheese to distribute among everyone, while the cooks began preparing the meal.

Once everyone had eaten their fill, the bored guards and adventurers quickly found something to amuse themselves with.

Someone suggested it, and before long, a flat stone had been cleared and turned into a makeshift gambling table.

Several guards and adventurers sat around it, pulling out their copper coins to play a popular dice game—a form of gambling that involved comparing numbers and combinations. The rules were simple, and everything depended on luck, making it perfect for passing the time.

Xia Lin went over as well, watching with great interest.

He soon noticed that the Gnome Fitzwick was having an almost excessive amount of luck.

The dice thrown by his small hands always seemed to produce various high-scoring combinations, and a small pile of copper coins quickly accumulated in front of him.

Xia Lin's fingers grew itchy, so he joined in for a few rounds. Unfortunately, his luck was poor, and he lost more than twenty copper coins in the blink of an eye, making his heart ache.

Rather than complain about his bad luck like everyone else, he began observing discreetly.

When the dice rolled in front of him again, he concentrated and activated [Item Appraisal].

A pale-blue screen flashed into existence and vanished in an instant.

[Item: Cheating Loaded Dice]

[Evaluation: A crude and straightforward cheating tool. Its center of gravity is shifted, making it easier to roll specific high numbers. The craftsmanship is somewhat rough, but it is sufficient for dealing with dim-witted fools.]

Who the hell are you insulting?

At that moment, the guard captain who had been losing money the entire time also lost his temper. Reluctantly, he pulled a small bottle filled with deep-red liquid from his robes and slapped it onto the table. "Damn it! I'm out of copper coins! I'll bet this on one last round! This is a lifesaving good thing!"

Fitzwick's eyes lit up, and he agreed without hesitation.

The result was only natural: the Gnome swept the round again and won the potion as well.

The guard captain was so furious that his face turned green. He cursed and complained about his rotten luck, yet failed to notice anything wrong with the dice.

After the gambling temporarily broke up, Xia Lin waited until Fitzwick went alone to the stream to ostentatiously wash his greasy little hands, then quietly followed him.

"Hey, Fitzwick." Xia Lin leaned against a tree with a friendly smile on his face, blocking the Gnome's way back.

"Hm? Oh, it's Mr. Xia Lin!" The Gnome froze when he saw Xia Lin, then puffed out his little chest. A winner's smug expression appeared on his face. "Is something wrong? Do you want to bask in some of my good luck too? What can I say? I'm the lover most favored by the Goddess of Luck!"

"That's quite impressive. But..." Xia Lin's smile did not change. If anything, it grew even brighter. "I just thought those dice of yours were rather special. The sound they make when thrown, the way they roll... They're all different from ordinary dice. Tell me, if Captain Marcus and the others had a close look at them too, I wonder whether they would find them special as well?"

Fitzwick's complexion changed instantly. His eyes darted about, but he remained defiant. "You... What nonsense are you talking about? My dice are ordinary bone dice! You're just a sore loser trying to slander me!"

"Slander?" Xia Lin took another step forward, his shadow almost enveloping the Gnome. He paused, and his smile became meaningful. "If your dice really won through luck, then you have nothing to fear, right?"

Fitzwick's face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down in an instant.

"No! You... You can't tell him! Please! I'll... I'll give all the money I won back to you!"

"Forget the money." Xia Lin waved his hand, his smile becoming even more meaningful. "I'm more interested in that bottle of potion you won. You know how it is when traveling—a little something extra to save your life is always good."

The Gnome clung to this lifeline. He hurriedly pulled the small bottle filled with deep-red liquid from his robes and offered it with both hands. "Here! Take it all! Please, don't tell anyone!"

Xia Lin took the bottle. It was warm to the touch, and the stopper was tightly sealed.

He activated [Item Appraisal] again.

[Item: Inferior Strength Potion]

[Effect: Strength attribute gains a +4 enhancement bonus for 10 minutes after drinking.]

[Evaluation: Which alchemy apprentice's unfinished product is this? The ingredients are crude, and the potion's effects are violent. It can make you incredibly strong in an instant... then there is a high chance you will end up bedridden for ten days or half a month because of severe muscle strains. Friendly reminder: Use with caution, or your bones may start complaining first.]

"A Strength Potion?" The evaluation was still nothing special, but Strength was precisely the attribute Xia Lin currently lacked.

He nodded in satisfaction, stuffed the potion into his Space Bag, then patted the Gnome on the shoulder. "Good. I like people who know how to read the situation. Don't worry. Your little secret is safe with me."

Xia Lin walked a few steps, then seemed to remember something. He turned back, grinned at the Gnome to reveal a row of white teeth, and leisurely added:

"Oh, right, Fitzwick. Remember—the Goddess of Luck doesn't cheat on people."

Fitzwick acted as though he had been granted a pardon and thanked him repeatedly.

Once his fright had somewhat subsided, perhaps because he felt that he had won through his own "skill," or perhaps because he simply wanted to brag about his luck in front of everyone again, he straightened his collar, puffed out his little chest, and walked toward the group that had been gambling earlier. Clearly, he intended to show off his recent "glorious victory."

Watching his comical appearance, Xia Lin found it somewhat amusing. He followed along as well, wanting to hear how the Gnome planned to boast, treating it as a joke to watch.

The sunlight was pleasant, the stream murmured, and the people who had eaten their fill lounged in a peaceful atmosphere.

Fitzwick walked to the stone where they had gambled earlier, cleared his throat, and wore a smug smile as he prepared to tell everyone how he had "won a fortune through superb skill and invincible luck"—

However, Xia Lin seemed destined not to hear this joke.

Pfft—!

The muffled sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh suddenly exploded through the tranquil afternoon.

A crude spear covered in dark-red stains emerged from the air behind Fitzwick like a poisonous snake. It pierced his throat with pinpoint accuracy, and the bloodied spearhead protruded from the front of his neck.

The smug smile on the Gnome's face was instantly replaced by extreme terror and disbelief. A wheezing "Hrk, hrk" escaped his throat as his tiny body toppled limply forward like a puppet with its strings cut.

Hot blood sprayed out like water from an opened faucet, splattering across the stone table that had witnessed his "glorious victory" and dyeing the afternoon sunlight red.