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happyinjection · 10 months

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♠️♥️High Card Short Story 10 “A Visitor at Sunfields” (3/3)♦️♣️

While the three were having a small talk, something suddenly occurred to Finn, which led to an unexpected development!

Original: https://twitter.com/highcard_pj/status/1674621279737901061

Author: https://twitter.com/poipheno

Artist: https://twitter.com/ebimoji3

Our conversation with Bernard-jiichan carried on for a little while. I spoke to Lindsey on the phone once a week, but we did not get to see each other in person often. Moreover, this time jii-chan offered his persective on the stories I’ve told him, so it might sound like something entirely new to Lindsey.

As expected from jii-chan, he took good care of me. I guess that is fitting for a gentleman.

Obviously I could not talk about the X-Playing cards, so I had to cut a large part out of the whole story about my job, but then again there was not much I had to do everyday as a High Card member. So far it’s enough to give Lindsey the gist of my daily routine.

“Oh, that’s right! I forgot about the most important thing.”

I yelled out.

“What is it?”

“Come to think of it, you mentioned that you might be going on a date today, didn’t you? How did it go in the end?”

At my words, Lindsey retreated and blushed.

“Wha……! Finn! W-what are you talking about?”

His eyes darted around helplessly while he was trying to steal a few glances at jii-chan.

“You told me that earlier on the phone, though? You were asked out on a date.”

“N-n-no, not at all. That’s totally wrong. I was just invited for a dinner… I already turned it down anyway.”

He put his hands forward, shaking them lightly.

“Clyde, wasn’t it? Stuff like accidentally touched hands when picking the same book at the bookstore… it sounds right out of a rom-com film!”

“H-hey, watch it. Don’t make fun of the adults.”

“At first glance he seemed to be tough, yet the eyes behind his glasses looked very kind, right?”

“I never said that!”

I pointed straight at Lindsey.

“Come on, take out your phone right away. Now make a call and tell him you want to meet up.”

“Ehh. No way, no way….. I’m unable to go either way because I have to keep an eye on the kids.”

“What do you think I came here for? I’ll babysit for about the next 2-3 hours. I’m definitely free.”

“But….. I’ve already refused him once, so…..”

“In that case just go on the next day. I’ll take my annual leave! Isn’t that right, jii-chan?”

As if pondering about it jii-chan remained silent for a moment, before giving Lindsey a small nod.

“I can’t guarantee that Leo-sama would approve your leave, but personally I will coax him to do so. However if it turns out that he still wouldn’t allow it… then, I hope you don’t mind if I come here myself.”

“H-how could you possibly say that! Bernard-san!”

“I knew it, jii-chan, you’re always a real one. Come on, it is already settled. Let’s make that call. Y’know what, I’ll do it myself.”

I straightened up and just as I was about to swipe Lindsey’s phone from inside his pocket, Lindsey turned his back on me and glared over his shoulder with a look of disapproval on his face.

“I-I got it, alright…..”

“Come on, make that call right here!”

“I’m not calling anyone!”

While saying so Lindsey fled from the room. I cackled out loud, and jii-chan had a faint smile.

In the end, Lindsey eventually went on a date with Clyde. Initially he appeared to be reluctant to go, yet he brushed his hair, trimmed his beard, and put on a suit which seems to be reserved for special occasions. The usual Lindsey is homely and easily forgettable, but he is honestly a handsome guy. Perhaps he used to be quite popular.

Once, I asked him if he was ever going go get married, but he said that he was too occupied with the orphanage to consider marriage. Apparently, he had been separated from his partner then.

However, I remember that at that time, with a smile blooming on his face as he hugged me, Lindsey told me that he was truly happy just to be with us.

That said, Lindsey also had his own life. He deserved a chance to spread his wings a little. If I managed to do well at Pinochle and get a raise, on top of buying the property, I would also be able to hire people. That would make things easier for Lindsey.

——Just like that, 3 hours had passed. Somehow Bernard-jiichan still kept up with me at the orphanage.

But our presence really did gave rise to a big fuss. Afterall, seeing an unusual visitor, moreover one who was willing to play with them, made the children very excited.

The first thing we did was to play chase. The kids had limitless physical stamina, and that aside they took turns playing, so I became reasonably exhausted. On the other hand, perhaps because jii-chan had a great sense of when to use his stamina, although he must have been running as fast as I was, he did not even seem to be out of breath.

Soon after that, a magic show was set up in the cafeteria. Jii-chan made use of handkerchiefs, trump cards, and other stuff which we already had at the orphanage, and tricked them to disappear or change—thus the kids got excited all over again.

The kids did not even spare a glance at me, but they seem happy nevertheless. Finally, as jii-chan said, “won’t we play together again when I visit?” the show came to a close.

At around the same time Lindsey came back home, so I asked, “how was your date?”, and while looking embarrassed he gave me a V-sign using his fingers. It was known for a fact that this guy enjoyed romance novels and films, but when it comes to his personal romantic ventures, I had no clue about what kind of guy he was. I really did not get what a V-sign means, but I guess I’ll ask him on the phone next time.

Then when the night fell, jii-chan and I hopped to our cars and returned to the branch office. The kids waved their hands at us as they usually did, but this time I’m sure they were directed at jii-chan.

♠️♥️♦️♣️

TL Note: Sorry for the delay! Enjoy!

#high card #highcard #short story #hcss #translation #finn oldman #lindsey betz #bernard symons

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happyinjection · 11 months

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♠️♥️High Card Short Story 10 “A Visitor at Sunfields” (2/3)♦️♣️

Finn has finally arrived at Sunfields. In the director’s office, there was…?

Original: https://twitter.com/highcard_pj/status/1670997401035743234

Author: https://twitter.com/poipheno

Artist: https://twitter.com/ebimoji3

I parked the company’s car in front of the old gate. As soon as I got off, the children noticed my presence and approached me from behind the gate.

“Oh! It’s Finn!”

“Hey, souvenirs! Did you get us souvenirs?”

When I stepped in, several kids ran up to me and clung to my waist.

“Gah—watch it! This suit is expensive y’know, wash your hands first!”

“Sweets?! Pastries?! Juice?!”

They were so absorbed in the paper bag I was holding that they did not spare a moment to listen to what I said.

“That’s exactly why, I told you guys to wash your hands before. Imagine eating scones topped with dirt… gross.”

I accidentally let it slip out. Hearing that, the children’s eyes lit up.

“Yaay! Scones!”

They rushed off to the washroom at once, until not a single kid was left standing.

"What the hell, they're all little gold diggers!"

As I said this, a smile bloomed on my face. It was not that being here makes me feel at ease or nostalgic, but I feel like this is where I am supposed to be.

Walking down the corridors where I had played tag in hundreds of times, I soon found myself in front of the office. When I can not find him anywhere, Lindsey is usually there.

Grabbing on the doorknob like I had a thousand times before, I pushed it open without knocking.

"......I knew it, it must be you. I was wondering about that expensive car that totally doesn't belong here."

"Welcome, have you been well? Finn-san."

It was Bernard-jiichan. He was dressed in a heavy, brown coat that gave him the impression of an all-around gentleman.

"If you're coming here, why didn't you say anything to me?"

"Because it's a surprise."

"What are you even planning. I've had enough tests already."

Bernard-jiichan was sitting in a sofa. Across the low table in front of him was Lindsey.

"It's the same for Finn, you always come over unannounced. Besides... I don't believe you usually talk to Bernard-san using that tone, do you?"

"C'mon, it's alright. Even though I'm like this, I'm actually quite decent at work, y'know? Right, jii-chan."

Without saying a word, jii-chan smiled as his eyes turned into crescents. "See?" I glanced at Lindsey, returning the stare he gave me right back at him.

Lindsey stood up and put his hands on his hips, sighing. And then while retying his apron, he moved to the mini-kitchen. From the cabinet, he took out a mug.

"That aside, what do you say when you get home?"

"Got it, Lindsey. I'm home[*]. I brought you scones, but the kids got a hold of them right away."

"Meaning they're as good as gone now. I only hope they won't fight over it."

Lindsey poured hot water from the teapot into the mug.

When I plopped down on the sofa, jii-chan who occupied the space next to me jumped in his seat a little as a result, to which I muttered a small apology.

"So, what are you coming here for after all, jii-chan."

"To exchange a few words with Lindsey-san, of course. Finn-san has recently become an employee and finished his first job... therefore he must be relieved to hear it."

"I was told a lot about you."

Lindsey put down a mug in front of me. It was a steaming cup of cocoa drink. When I was little, I was always given a cup whenever I won a school race, or when I was comforted after getting scolded. I used to beg him to add more sugar, but now it is too sweet for my taste. Nevertheless right here I want to drink this cocoa.

Lindsey returned to his previous seat.

"He isn't causing you any trouble, did he? Well, I know he must be, but still..."

"What's up with that remark. You really have no trust in me at all, huh."

"I mean, Finn... I didn't expect him to be accepted into big company like Pinochle, okay? What's more, he isn't working at the factory... he's dressed up nicely and selling cars to customers, isn't he?"

I grabbed my collar and fixed it dramatically.

"I snatched a great customer right off the bat. He's called Apple-san, and he seems to be super rich. On top of that, he wants me to be his escort."

"Finn working for Pinochle Automobiles and tending to the big guns... I can't imagine it."

Jii-chan chuckled, his mustache shaking.

"Finn did his job well. What's important are manners and dignity. Certainly, one can learn how to speak and etiquette, but... things like nobility and the strength of one's will can't simply be taught. Surely, it is in this place that he earned it from Lindsey-san and his fellows."

"Is that really how it is..."

Lindsey was not exactly convinced, and still could not believe it.

"In that case, feel free to drop by and see him at work next time."

"That's... I'd feel like I'm intruding."

"No, no, we don't mind at all. Please visit us anytime. I'll let my superior, Leo, greet you."

"Leo-san! I'd be honored to meet him. I heard that he's a pleasant young man."

"Urgh. You don't have to meet the boss baby."

"Why though. He must be a great person. Just the other day, you spoke good things about him on the phone, didn't you."

"Idi.....! Lindsey, stop spilling everything in front of jii-chan!!"

It followed that jii-chan chuckled, his eyes once again turning into crescents.

♠️♥️♦️♣️

TL notes: Oh, this one's really fun. Also, now I'm wondering how much of big brother energy Chris has to outmatch Finn's (Sunfields resident big brother apparently) lmao. I’m in no way a professional translator so if you find any mistakes, please do not hesitate to inform me right away. [*] Tadaima

#highcard #high card #short story #hcss #translation #finn oldman #bernard symons #lindsey betz

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happyinjection · 11 months

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♠️♥️High Card Short Story 10 “A Visitor at Sunfields” (1/3)♦️♣️

Sunfields has a visitor. Finn’s childhood, as told by Lindsey…

Original: https://twitter.com/highcard_pj/status/1667373520752607233

Author: https://twitter.com/poipheno

Artist: https://twitter.com/ebimoji3

Thank you always for your patronage. Please, have a seat. I’m afraid we don’t have much to offer.

Hey, you can’t come in here. I’ve always told you not to disturb our guests when they visit, haven’t I? They are not here for fun.

Come on, out you go, out out. We can play later, okay?

—Apologies. Sorry for the noise…..

Well, it is always crowded around here. Although the children have all kinds of personalities, everyone has a smile on their faces when they come here. That’s what I’m most proud of.

Yes, you got it right. Sunfields earned its name from the flower of sun… the sunflower. Every year, I grow sunflowers in my backyard. In the summer, when the fields of flowers come into bloom… they look very beautiful.

To make the children smile as bright as the sunflowers, is what the two former directors who had also raised me built this facility for.

That’s right, I was raised here myself… that being said, I still live here, but I was actually the first to graduate. I had other jobs as well, but since the couple has grown old and has no heirs, I took over the business early on. Err, I’ve been running it all by myself. I’m not very good at managing money, so it has been somewhat tough… ah, forgive me. This is not the kind of thing you should tell your guests, is it.

…..Yes, that’s true. He was the first child to graduate after I became the director. As a result I have a lot of memories with him, and I worry about him a lot.

When he first arrived here, he had been so tiny… I could never imagine him becoming the adult he is right now. He also spoke so little, and the other children would say, “I’ve never seen that kid smile.” On top of that, he barely touched his meals, so he was getting thinner and thinner…..

As you probably know, at that time he had no idea why he was here… or rather, no memory of it, so neither we or he knew anything about him. He kept some kind of a trump card, but then we also knew nothing about it.

But there is this one day when we were rehearsing a song together for Christmas. I was accompanying the song on a piano, but instead of singing, he was staring at me.

I have a policy not to force children to do things against their wishes, so I let him sit on my lap and not sing. At that time, I thought that if he was interested, he should take a closer look.

But then….. tink, tink, he began to hit some notes along to my chords. At first I thought he was just hitting them randomly, but he did it right on cue. They were just single notes, but it was a duet, so to speak.

It did not seem to be a song he knew… so I tried to make him sit properly on a chair, and then…..

I was really surprised!

He played a similar song smoothly!

Even the kids were also excited….. the rest of the children came from troubled households and none of them had ever taken piano lessons before, so… they kept cheering on him and he began to play more often.

I would never forget, the embarrassed smile he had on his face at that time. It looked exactly like a sunflower….. that was that child’s true face.

What happened after that was history. He started to open up to me, as well as the other kids….. because of his personality, he often got into fights with other children….. I’m not sure if I should say this, but it made me happy. That child is someone who acts on his emotions, rather than his thoughts.

Don’t get me wrong, though, he does strike me as a clever kid. Ahaha, is that surprising? He hated studying, so even now he is not the best at it.

Getting back to the topic….. to him who had no memory, ever since he was a child it never mattered at all. The one standing in front of me is just himself, who has formed bonds with everyone else.

Therefore, rather than searching for who he actually was, we build relationships with everyone from the ground up, create memories we would never forget for the rest of our lives… everything that we did together had been piling up.

So for him, Sunfields is his home. It may be inevitable for him to feel that way……

Yes. He considers Sunfields to be his own home and the other children his own family. It’s true that some kids eventually find foster parents along the way, but until they get used to it… they are free to get into my bed and cry until morning comes. Thankfully, they also see me as their own parent.

But, there’s a limit to what I can do….. you also need to create a real family outside of the orphanage. Among the children who have graduated, he is the one who keeps returning most often. Of course it makes me happy….. but someday I must tell him that that’s not how it’s supposed to go.

That being said, I can’t convey what I meant clearly either….. this is beyond my capabilities.

Eh?

…..Hahaha. I agree.

I can’t tell him this, but I’m very proud of that child. To me, every single one of them is special, but the more difficult they are to deal with, the harder it is to see them leave the family. Besides, he is kinder than anyone else. As he grew older, he began hanging out with kids outside who are a bit unruly, so he might be misunderstood, but….. he cares a lot about others, and there are not many who can be as compassionate as he is.

…..Ah, good grief.

See, he is back again. He never contacts me in advance.

♠️♥️♦️♣️

TL notes: I’m in no way a professional translator so if you find any mistakes, please do not hesitate to inform me right away. It’s been too long… life hasn’t been very kind. I still remember about the novel though, and there were a lot of interesting podcasts. Well, it is what it is lmao. SS update around 6/20!

#high card #highcard #short story #hcss #lindsey betz #finn oldman #translation

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happyinjection · 1 year

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Still uninspired, so have a meme redraw.

#high card #fanart #op here accept my love lmao

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happyinjection · 1 year

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HC Novel ♦️7 Never No Dollars “Round 1 ~Leo Constantine Pinochle~” (1/2)

A strong and unnatural force of wind hit my whole body. Thinking that he had managed to escape he let out a sigh of relief, but it seemed that he had no idea of my presence since we were swallowed by the winds.

“Oi, Wallace.”

I called out to the man.

Judging from the fact that he was dressed in a dark gray suit that was tailored just recently at Old Maid, he seemed to be in top shape.

However, it clashed terribly with his short blond hair which had its sides cropped, revealing the true colors of this man child. The word decency was definitely not in his books.

The radiant blue of his eyes reminded me of cheap ambitions that small fry villains tend to have, it made me want to throw up.

I gave him another warning.

“Surrender. Unless you want me to get rough.”

“Damn you! You bastards are persistent!”

—I was in the rural areas of the state of Polostick. In Polostick, farming and livestock farming were the mainstays of life, so this freight train packed a huge amount of crops and was currently on its way to Spada, the capital state.

Surrounding us were vast grasslands. Not a single soul could be seen. Ahead of us, a mountain range was in the field of view, and once we passed it we would’ve crossed to Spada.

I and Wallace were facing each other on top of a freight train container. Wallace was standing on one of the cars behind the one I was on.

The man’s name is Kai Wallace. He was a rogue broker who dabbled in the business of stolen goods, extorted items, and even drugs.

Since I got tipped off that Wallace was going to make a deal at a certain location I intended to apprehend him, but he escaped, one thing led to another and it happened that we ended up here.

“This shitty brat……”

Wallace threw his hand into his pocket.

“Watch your words, peasant.”

For a moment, I lost my cool and acted childishly by taking up his bait, and quickly reflected on it.

“A brat should accept being called a brat! I’ll show you how adults work! You’ll drag your ass home crying!”

—Come at me.

Wallace held a card between his fingers.

It was the No. 6 of Spades.

On the card’s reverse side, there was a mark made by combining four suits put at the center of a black background. An intertwining pattern of golden patterns and embellishments overlaid it.

Holding the card, Wallace thrust his hands forward and crossed them.

“‘Play!’”

On his cue, while emitting flashes of light as though it was exploding, the card disintegrated right away.

The hem of Wallace’s suit fluttered violently due to another force that wasn’t the resultant wind from the moving train. Around us, the overall amount of energy increased at that instant.

“—‘Juggling Gun’!”

At the back of Wallace’s hand, a shape appeared and stood out clearly like a bruise. It was the same shape of a spade that was also on his card.

The energy that was floating in empty space turned into streaks of bluish light, wrapping around Wallace before eventually gathering in his hands. After that, the force that was generated in the field engulfed both of his wrists and began to spread up to his fingertips.

—In the blink of an eye, Wallace’s hands were encased in a pair of leather gloves.

They were decorated with circles large and small in various shades of muted color tones. Each circle was stamped with one gun-shaped symbol—making up a total of six. At his wrists, something that looked like thin frills were sewn, giving them the appearance of a clown’s gloves.

Just by looking at them, I could see a newfound resolve that was full of vitality and ambition—a determined spirit forming in Wallace’s hands.

Lips curving into a smirk, Wallace raised his gloved hand up to the sides of his face and made a mocking gesture.

“Brat. Now’s a good time to return to your mama. I don’t want to kill if I don’t need to. But I’m not against murdering children.”

Perhaps because he was so confident, Wallace had a relaxed look on his face. Following his remark, six spheres of colorful lights materialized from his gloves.

“Bwaha!”

When he held his hands up while cackling in an inappropriate manner, the six spheres of light floated up as well. They circled around Wallace’s upper half.

In an instant, the lights had transformed into six guns. I watched as the guns floated in the air. No matter how you see it, they looked every bit like the real thing.

Moreover, when Wallace spread his palms and gently moved them up and down, the guns hovered in all directions, resembling a circus’ ball trick. The movement defied every law of physics in the world, such as the existence of gravity or air pressure.

…..Gun juggling, huh. Absolute nonsense.

“It’s showtime!”

Wallace pointed his finger-gun at me. One of the six guns opened fire.

I leaned backward, then while using my hand as a pivotal point I rolled out of the way. The wind got me knocked off balance for a moment.

“Bwahaha!”

When Wallace empty-handedly flicked his hands back and forth as if he was firing a barrage of shots, the rest of his guns followed his movements.

Then, seemingly chasing after me, they started firing one after another. I immediately retreated, and with the sound of clashing metal, the number of dents on the container increased with each bullet that was shot.

I clicked my tongue.

What a hassle. Dodging six bullets at once on a moving freight train is difficult.

That being said, no matter how many crude weapons he is able to manipulate——.

“You’re no match for me.”

“Thanks for your patience!”

Another man’s voice was heard.

Coming up from behind a speeding car entered our view. A classic car with a blue body color, “RAIKA”.

It was a two-seater convertible. The electricity-powered hard top, which also served as the roof of the car, was closed. From the driver seat’s window, a fair-skinned man whose flowing hair had silver tips craned his neck with his elbow hanging out. That man whose crimson suit and frivolous personality mesh well together was—

“A ladies’ man must apologize for keeping people waiting.”

My own subordinate, Chris Redgrave.

“Manager! Are we good to go?!”

“You’re late. I’ll save your lecture for later. Shut up and just do your job.”

“Ouch. You’re as uncute as ever!”

Before Chris had finished speaking, I had already jumped out of the way again to dodge a bullet. Wallace noticed RAIKA and got provoked.

“An aid?! Jump over if you can! I’ll turn you into a beehive!”

RAIKA became Juggling Gun’s new target.

“Oof!”

Chris swerved the steering wheel to avoid the bullets, which caused RAIKA’s body to shake from side to side.

“That’s dangerous! Oi, you punk! Can’t you see that you almost put a hole in my beloved car!”

Chris leaned out of the window while spitting curses.

“Chris, just hurry up already! You retard.”

“Aye aye. Wendy, you heard the boss!”

As Chris pulled himself back into the car, RAIKA’s hard top roof opened and revealed a woman occupying the passenger’s seat.

She was wearing a light gray suit and pants, as well as pink buttons and a necktie. When she stood from her seat, her black hair which was tied up using a single hair tie whirled in the wind.

That was Wendy Sato.

In her hand was a briefcase.

“Whoa! Wendy, take off your shoes!”

Chris’ eyes, adorned with meaninglessly long eyelashes, widened. The sharp glint in Wendy’s own black orbs had already spoken for themselves.

“This isn’t the time for that, idiot! Drive faster!”

Biting back his tongue bitterly Chris picked up his speed, then yanked the steering wheel to bring his car closer to the freight train.

Wendy made a wide throw using the momentum of her entire body.

“Manager! Take——this!”

“The hell’s that?! Stop meddling!”

Wallace aimed and released a barrage of bullets at RAIKA.

“Oof!”

This time, to avoid getting shot he quickly slammed on the brakes. The rapid deceleration caused RAIKA to disappear from our sight at once.

However, as for the briefcase which Wendy had thrown forward, it was still floating through the air.

“Tch!”

The next sequence of events happened in a flash.

Wallace’s Juggling Gun pointed their muzzles at the briefcase and fired a round of shots. Several shots hit their target and ricocheted, blowing up the lock.

In the midst of this, I reached into my pocket, then pulled out my card.

“Play—”

The case went unlatched mid-air. From the inside, confetti-like papers about the size of my palm erupted.

“Mo-money?!”

Wallace shrieked in a shrill voice like a fool.

Exactly, they were our country’s banknotes. Some of them seemed to have gotten shredded by the gunfire, but most of them were still intact.

“‘Never No Dollars’!”

As soon as I murmured it, just like Wallace’s previously did, my card disappeared into a luminous flash similar to fireworks. Then, the energy surrounding us turned into streaks of light which twirled around me.

“Why are you so surprised? This can’t be your first time seeing money.”

I shot him a grin dripping with sarcasm.

I thrusted both of my hands forward, spreading my fingers apart. The back of my palm gradually grew warm.

As though oozing out of my own body, a trump suit’s diamond symbol appeared there.

At about the same time, some form of energy wrapped around my hand starting from my wrist to my fingertips. It was warm, but simultaneously cold. It felt like the force of life itself.

Finally something popped on the back of some of my fingers. They were rings symbolizing dignity which were suitable only for me.

I spared them a moment’s glance, then raised my head.

Grasping the hem of the glove I was wearing,

I dug my fingertips deep into the leather, then tried to focus.

The banknotes floating in the air gathered around me, fluttering.

“Hey, Wallace. You’re making a dumb face.”

I spoke to Wallace.

“What the hell are you doing throwing away this much money?! That’s a waste!”

“Pfft—hahaha.”

Getting worried about money when faced with my powers, what a stupid and pitiful man.

“Don’t get shocked, they’re just pocket change.”

The No. 7 of Diamonds “Never No Dollars”.

It has the ability to transform cash within reach into anything of equal value. The money that Wendy threw at me came from my own stash. Perhaps offended by barely contained sneer, Wallace silently pointed his guns at me while furrowing his brows in anger.

“……Oh, you’ve got some guts. Fine by me. I’ll play along with your cheap games. Go compare and see for yourself. Then lament your inferior standing.”

Without missing a single one, the banknotes fluttering around me gathered in the palm of my hand. Once the whirlpool of banknotes died down, a flash of light shone through.

Stepping back, I took a stance.

What materialized next was high-density steel. The weight of the gun fell on my hand and my entire body. In my hand, a rotating, multi-barreled machine gun usually called the gatling gun appeared.

“Wha, w-w-……what the hell is that?!”

Wallace was obviously thrown off.

“Remember this, peasant……”

My left hand held the handle which supported the weight of the entire gun, while my right aimed it to the sky. What I summoned was a heavy firearm designed specifically for me. Although the body size to weapon scale seems off, it still fits my grip perfectly.

A lion-shaped relief carved at the tips of the six muzzles of the gatling gun shone under the sun. I pulled the trigger and the barrel began to spin, its speed increasing rapidly.

“…….Everything bows down before money.”

Perhaps because of his lack of combat experience, Wallace wasn’t quick enough to react. He became intimidated by my gatling gun, or rather, my nonchalance in wasting money.

I took my shot at him regardless. The sound of exploding gunpowder rang out. Ammunition connected to the barrel passed through at a tremendous rate, and bullets of equal number were ejected in turn.

“Uh……Uwaaaaaaaah!”

Wallace rolled away in cold sweat. Right where he had been, a hole opened up from the explosion. Had it hit him directly, his entire body would’ve become shredded in an instant, and the pieces would’ve been blown by the wind along with a spray of blood. I burst out laughing.

“Fuhahahahaha! Do you see the difference between this and your puny toy?”

“This shi……tty brat!”

Wallace hung by the edge of the container while shooting his gun at me.

“Oof.”

My glove glowed and the banknote in my left hand dissipated.

Juggling Gun’s bullets got repelled instantly. In my hand I had a bulletproof polycarbonate shield. Juggling Gun may be effective for surprise attacks or on a large number of opponents, but the force of each shot is not that great. With something to hold it with, I could stop it in its trajectory easily using mere raw strength.

“Oi, oi, Wallace. At this rate you’re going to lose. Act rational and just give up already.”

“Shut up!”

Wallace kept on attacking blindly.

“You won’t heed to my warning, huh. Then try not to die.”

Seeing an opening, I transformed some cash and set up a new ammo belt, threw the bulletproof shield aside, then started shooting with the gatling again.

Wallace jumped out from his hiding, maintaining a distance as he fled and hid behind the opposite side of the container. Not only does an X-Playing card bestow a certain ability to a compatible player, it also boosts their physical capabilities, allowing them to accomplish such feats. Now I was chasing him at my gunpoint.

“Manager! It’s not the time to be fooling around!”

“We’ll enter the city in a few minutes! Hurry up!”

From the RAIKA, which had somehow caught up and was running alongside us, Chris and Wendy yelled to me.

It’s okay if it’s coming from Wendy, but getting told off by Chris, who took his job lightly and was always messing around, rubbed me off the wrong way.

Let’s get this over with.

“Vijay!”

Right when I shouted, at a tremendous speed, something huge moved from the front to the back of a supposedly unmanned train car. Wallace must have noticed it too, as his eyes were glued to it for a moment.

Before he could do anything, vines had already grown from behind Wallace to get him. In snake-like, rapid movements they wrapped themselves around Wallace’s legs.

“Whoaaa! The heck? P-plants?”

Tiny, purple colored morning glory flowers began to bloom.

“Convolvulus althaeoides…”

A voice came out from nowhere.

“One of the many breeds of Convolvulus. I used ‘Green Green’ to help it grow, and then it’s willing to cooperate with me.”

From behind the container next to Wallace, a man with a calm face emerged.

Although he was being hit by the strong winds of a moving train, the winds seemed to blow a little gentler around this man, and his hair, which was slightly long for a man, was simply fluttering pleasantly.

“Hey, captivating people with flowers and speaking smugly like that is my job!”

Chris, who was still catching up with our speed, protested out loud.

“Smug, you said……what are you talking about?”

While asking so, he glanced at Chris with eyes that looked like the surface of an undisturbed lake. The question was devoid of sarcasm nor hidden intentions. That is just the kind of man he is.

Aside from the three-piece light green suit which Vijay wore, he also wore leather gloves in the color of dark lavender. There was a shape of a clover on his wrist.

Meaning, this man was also another player.

Chris repeated what he said.

“I said, you went overkill with using flowers! You should’ve got that without having me explain it to you!”

Vijay tilted his head, his face expressionless.

“Saying that using flowers means being smug is unfair to those who only love angiosperms. Cryptocarps that are equally beautiful also exist. However, from a scientific perspective it is a mistake to call them flowers—”

“Chris! I’ve told you again and again! Don’t dig too deep into what Vijay says!”

This time I was the one yelling at him.

“I don’t want to get caught by plants like this!!”

Several guns appeared and revolved around Wallace, shifting their target to the vines. When they fired frantically, the vines were torn and fled at once. No more constraints. It would have been nice if they held him for a moment longer.

He stepped hard on the container to leap forward.

Even with the help of inertia, if you jump in the midst of these strong winds, your body would fly all the way to the back of the train. Wallace ended up being right in front of me.

“Tch—!!”

By the time he realized it, it was too late.

I landed a kick on Wallace’s chest, and at the same time, using the banknotes clipped in my pocket I conjured up a small gun. To hold him in his place, I grabbed his necktie and pulled it up. Then I held the muzzle to his temple.

I sensed Juggling Gun catching me behind my back, but I pressed on without budging in the slightest.

“Shall we try? It’s either I die, or you die.”

As I leaned over Wallace, I looked straight into his eyes and spoke. Without much dawdling, I asked him in a serious tone.

I had been in this situation before. The best way to deal with it, is to make them understand that there is no room for compromise and negotiation. I was serious. I was resolute.

Then, I watched as the energetic glint in the blue of Wallace’s eyes glazed over. He might be unaware of it himself, but such was the color of defeat.

The guy had reached breaking point.

“End the play.”

Without giving a reply, Wallace held out his hand forward. At the same time his gloves disappeared, the No. 6 of Spades appeared in his hand. When I checked behind my back, the guns had also disappeared even though they were just floating there a moment before.

“Uhuhu……….what do you plan to do with me. Turn me in to the police? Let me tell you, I won’t say anything, neither do I have anything to tell.”

Seeing that Wallace was attempting to put up his toughest facade, I could not help but crack a smile. I snatched Wallace’s card from his hand with my fingers.

“Damn…..! My card…..!”

Frustration was clear on Wallace’s face, that he started rubbing it in distraught. Once again that face looked so amusing, I had to try to suppress my laughter.

“We’re not interested in your criminal records. Unfortunately, due to your role, we must turn you in to the police. Eventually.”

“…..What does that mean.”

“For our convenience, I still have some questions to ask you. See, Wallace. The word on the streets said that no matter who the client is, as long as there is money, you would be willing to act as the broker in any kind of transaction.”

While observing the No. 6 of Spades on my fingertips, I spun it around.

“Wh……what are you talking about? You guys are after the ‘X-Playing Cards’, right. True, that card is mine…..but no, aside from the No. 6 of Spades I don’t know anything else.”

“Kuhaha,”

It was so ridiculous that this time I could not stand it, I burst into dry laughter.

“You may be a broker without a shred of morale, but you still have the pride of a businessman. Doesn’t defending your clients work in your favor?”

I raised my leg and stepped on Wallace’s shoulder, screwing in the soles of my leather shoes as hard as I could.

A quiet cry escaped him.

“Stop playing dumb. Just who do you think I am?”

I kept on smiling. Wallace contorted his face in pain.

“Well, whatever. It is not our job to interrogate you. From here on we’re going to hand you over to where you belong. What happens after that is beyond me. You’d better hope that you’ll be allowed to keep your life.”

Before I knew it, Vijay was standing behind me, his hand on my shoulder. Perhaps he wanted to tell me to stop, but I knew that already. I’m not so stupid that I need to be told off by my subordinates. I was just having a little fun.

I stood up, straightening my collar. Two golden rings each held in the mouths of two lions, the motif which adorned my chest, rang softly.

“Vijay, go and take Wallace to the headquarters. Since you’re new and probably not familiar with the steps, first you should contact Bernard to confirm the procedure.”

“Got it.”

Vijay had only recently become my subordinate. I got busy shortly after I was entrusted with a branch store, thus we did not have anyone to show him the ropes. That being said, he was already decent as it is, so that already put him above Chris. He also seemed to be quickly getting along with Wendy.

“Chris and Wendy will be doing clean-up of the scene. I’ll contact the headquarters and the police to keep this off the news.”

“Got it.”

With a small nod, Vijay activated Green Green, and let the vines tied Wallace’s hands behind his back.

Vijay gave a small bow.

“Well then, let’s meet again at the branch office, manager.”

“…..Just Leo is fine. It’s not like we’re strangers. You don’t have to be so formal.”

“Okay, Leo.”

Vijay seemed to have a faint smile creeping up his face, but it was probably just my imagination.

Looking down from the top of the container, I saw that Chris and Wendy were still in the RAIKA catching up with us. They pulled up as they were about to crash into the train.

Chris pointed at my feet and gestured as if saying, “get rid of the dirt”.

I snorted, ignored him, and jumped into RAIKA. Chris screamed.

“Come on! Gimme a break!”

Since RAIKA has no rear seats, I landed on the trunk.

Chris glanced at me over his shoulder and sighed.

“This is why I hate kids, thirteen year olds won’t listen to the adults.”

“Shut up, you’re still a minor too, aren’t you.”

“Um, by the way, this is a two-seater, so where is Leo going to sit?”

Said Wendy, who suddenly remembered that I am their superior. I was tempted to tell her to move aside, but still.

“Here is fine.”

I shoved my legs between the seats and rested my elbows on my knees. When I reminded myself to end the play, the gloves disappeared without a trace and transformed back into a card. Just like that, I slipped it back in.

“Isn’t it dangerous to sit there, though? Is that really okay?”

“Don’t worry about it. If I lose my balance I’ll grab on Chris’ eyelashes.”

“If you do that, won’t my eyelids get torn off? I’d rather you grab on my hair instead.”

Thus RAIKA continued on its way to the state of Spada.

My name is Leo Constantine Pinochle. I am the son of the president of “Pinochle”, a long-established automobile manufacturer with an extensive history, as well as the heir to the proud family of Pinochle.

I am also the manager of Pinochle’s Old Maid branch office—and the leader of “High Card”.

♠️♥️♦️♣️

TL notes: I’m not a professional translator so feel free to tell me if you spot any errors! Please do not repost this translation anywhere. The fact that I actually had to google what Vijay is saying... this man...

#hc novel never no dollars #translation #high card #kai wallace #leo constantine pinochle #chris redgrave #wendy sato #vijay kumar singh

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happyinjection · 1 year

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HIGH CARD ✕ SANRIO

#high card #official art

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happyinjection · 1 year

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HC Novel ♦️7 Never No Dollars “Pre flop ~Prologue~”

People sometimes ask me about the appeal of collecting antiques. Personally, I believe it is merely a hobby, but at the same time it’s also my life’s work that I can’t stop doing.

It is difficult to put it into words, but the greatest value of an item lies in the spirit, or perhaps we can also call it the energy, of said item’s creator or successive owners which resides in it. In a way, it contained condensed history. The concept is not plausible by those with lower education or class.

Antique collectors are countless in number. Most of them are those who are considered to be rich.

On the surface, I’m the headmaster of Rummy College, a prestigious private boarding school for boys in Fourland Kingdom. However, in the end, I work under the board of directors. So I don’t get paid that much.

Antiques are made to be unique. If you miss the chance to acquire an item once, the next opportunity will only come when the wealthy owner dies and their family sorts out their belongings, or when they lose their mind and give it away for charity, or when they go bankrupt. When such an opportunity comes, usually the price has soared high.

Therefore, in order to compete with other antique collectors from around the world, it is necessary for me to form a few underworld connections. Even so, I’m first and foremost a teacher, hence I won’t take part in their terrible deeds. That said, I have no control over the happenings without my knowledge. I simply use money or some other convenience in exchange for antiques I want to get my hands on.

I’m talking about “the cards”.

At a glance, they seem to be no more than trump cards of somewhat good quality. However, the truth is there is no antique more valuable than these cards in the entire Fourland Kingdom. Their rarity, lore, and even purpose—they are all surpassed by none. I paid a fair price for the risk, thankfully the broker was an idiot and agreed to seal the deal.

In this Kingdom of Fourland, we have a folklore—or perhaps a myth is a better word. Every citizen must have heard of it from their parents or grandparents in their bed when they were children, and listening to it they would fall asleep peacefully.

In other words, everyone knows about the cards, yet only a few are aware that they actually exist. Isn’t that romantic?

—Fourland Kingdom as we know it is a nation made up of four states. In the past, when this place had not yet earned its name but was instead called Trapla Island, the four states were separate countries and were repeatedly in conflict with each other. Combined with the invasion of foreign enemies, the four states were at the edge of destruction.

During such a time, a figure stood to prominence, a boy who would eventually become the first king of Fourland and his 52 knights.

The boy alongside the 52 knights fought with all their might to unite the four nations. Unfortunately, the knights lost their lives in the midst of their battle.

It was then Lala Waldenklein[*] demonstrated her powers. Lala is a mage who accompanied and led the boy to become the first king. She magically transformed the souls of the fallen knights into cards and gave them to the boy who survived. With the cards and supernatural powers at his disposal, he splendidly defeated his enemies.

—Such is the folklore in essence. It gave rise to the publication of a lot of thick fantasy novels, but not many were interested in reading them.

The number of cards is equal to the number of knights, as there is one for each. Since the number of cards matches, those cards are said to be the origin of trump card games in the Fourland Kingdom.

Although they appear to be nothing more than ordinary trump cards, the cards grant supernatural abilities to those whom they have chosen to be their holders, rumors say.

It seems that some people have started calling these cards the “X-Playing Cards”.

The existence of X-Playing Cards would confirm the existence of the supernatural powers they hold. If possible I want to see it with my own eyes.

Long story short—I’ve managed to acquire two cards.

Still, to prove whether or not they are the real deal is easier said than done. The day after I got my hands on them, I put the two cards on the large table in the headmaster’s office, and while leaning back into my leather chair I stared at them in utmost admiration.

The cards would never get damaged. I’ve tried to fold them and set them on fire, but in the end they continue to reflect the light like a mirror.

I left the windows open. The grids of anti-intruder bars were decorated with a pattern of lions which can also be found on the grassy fields of Rummy College. After I was appointed to be the headmaster, I had started displaying my collections here, so the bars were only recently installed. Through the gaps, a cool breeze was blowing.

Someone knocked on the door. It’s true that I had scheduled a meeting with the vice headmaster.

“Come in,” I responded, and the door flew open.

I felt a particularly strong gust of wind. Had the cards not been right in front of me, I wouldn’t have minded the wind at all, because nothing would get blown away.

—Before I knew it, there was only one card remaining on the table, while the other had vanished without a trace.

For a split second, when he caught my distraught expression, the incompetent vice headmaster whose only talent was to lick my shoes appeared to be very afraid for his life.

I burst out laughing. But it wasn’t because I saw the hilarious reaction of the vice headmaster.

The cards were created from the souls of the 52 fallen knights. They were made using the mage Lala’s supernatural abilities. So if the cards can also magically disappear, isn’t that just one wonder among many others?

I still had one card in my possession, so there was nothing to be down about.

The cards are by no doubt real. That knowledge alone had brought me immeasurable happiness.

♠️♥️♦️♣️

TL notes: I’m not a professional translator so feel free to tell me if you spot any errors! Please do not repost this translation anywhere. In the case of any problem occuring in the future, I may take down this post. Also bear in mind that I’ll be updating at a suuuper slow pace. [*] I might not spell her surname right, will fix it once the official comes out.

#hc novel never no dollars #translation #high card

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