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Chapter 839: Improving Swan’s Race

It’s kind of complicated.

These giant swans……no, they are now in human forms.

I guess I should call them using their names now.

I’ve always known their names.

I’m just not using them to address them.

Swan’s name is Odette.

Black Swan’s name is Odile.

Their names are the same as the main characters in the ballet Swan Lake.

So, they’re easy to remember.

And I think Swan’s name is wasted on her.

As for Black Swan, I feel a little sorry since it’s the name of a villain but……it’s not an alias, it’s her real name so it can’t be helped.

In short, this swan race is something that the Od sisters are doing.

Black Swan cried and begged me to stop treating them as sisters.

You hate it that much?

Alright, I got it.

So, stop crying.

-0-

Cough.

This swan race that Odette and Odile were running.

I’m not going to tell them to stop.

In this world, gambling is normal.

There is no law that regulates it.

However, the kings and lords are setting some restrictions.

And the person who’s in charge of the pond that Odette and Odile are using is the village chief of Village Five.

In other words, me.

However, I usually leave things like this for Youko to handle so I won’t suddenly barge in just because I happen to get involved.

Thus, I asked Youko for her opinion.

「Swan race? I welcome more entertainment.」

I see.

With that in mind, I demanded the current swan race to be modified……no, improved.

-0-

First and foremost, the ban on cheating or anything similar.

I understand that in our world, those who were being cheated without noticing it will be laughed at as fools.

But still.

If cheating is involved, the operator and those who are related will surely make profit but that will not keep customers for long.

The more money the operators make, the lesser the clientele is.

Moreover, the cheatings will eventually be noticed.

I have noticed it myself.

Some may have already noticed it.

If that is the case, they might even get advantage of.

And they will surely suffer terrible punishment.

I think evil should be punished accordingly but Odette and Odile are acquaintances.

I don’t want them to suffer terrible punishment if possible.

That’s why cheating is banned.

We want the races to be fair and impartial.

-0-

Next, the schedule of the event.

Currently, it is irregular.

The races are held when Odette and Odile’s pockets are light as feathers.

Furthermore, the number of races held is also irregular.

It depends on the motivation of the swans who are participating in the races.

This isn’t good.

Not knowing when the races will be held will only cause confusion.

I heard that they advertise on the day of the race but only those who have heard that will come.

If you’re going to do it, do it right.

Therefore, the dates of the events must be determined.

In addition, the number of races to be held per event must be ten.

Unlike the racetrack, we can create different kinds of courses at the pond.

We will make different types of courses with different distances to give the customers room to predict the winners.

-0-

In addition, the allocation of each race.

This is the most important part.

Well, at first, there is no need for detailed allocation.

Just make the higher rated races to the last of the ten races.

Ah, the race allocation doesn’t make any difference in the payout.

It’s about increasing or making tastier treats for the swans who will do well in the race.

That would motivate the swans in the race.

We won’t order them or anything.

It would be better to motivate the swans.

-0-

By the way, give the swans names.

So far, they have only been called by number.

I understand that it would make it easier to recognize them.

However, that won’t create drama.

Yes, drama.

The drama of each and every bird.

It’s important.

Super important.

Ask no more.

Just give them names.

…..

Alright.

I’ll come up with the names first.

Well, I’m aware that my naming sense is not that great……

I’ll use the racehorse names of my previous world as reference.

Though I have no idea what the racehorse’s records or breed are, I do know the names of famous horses.

It would be easier for me to just name them with racehorses’ names but that would be rude to my previous world horses and the swans.

I want to use those racehorse names for the horses.

-0-

I would like to say that that’s the end of it but…….there is something we need to discuss thoroughly.

It’s profit sharing.

As far as I’m concerned, since Odette and Odile were the ones who started this, they should get everything.

However, that’s only if they were managing everything.

Can the two of you manage a regularly held swan race?

Yeah, I guess you don’t.

I don’t think they could maintain their motivation.

So, from now on, you two will be the tops of this organization and you will handle the swans.

Don’t worry, the top thing is just in name.

Your most important role is to take care of the swans.

Only the two of you can do it.

Especially their health.

As for the actual running of the race……do the silver foxes have enough manpower?

「Us? We are getting used to our new lives and running the shrine so we should be able to do something else but……」

Then, can you?

「T-that’s……we don’t have enough knowledge……we don’t know how to run it……」

I’ll teach you about that.

How about giving you the reward of 30% of the profit?

「T-thirty percent? May I enlist the aid of the red foxes, black foxes, and round face foxes?」

Of course.

「Then, we’ll do our best.」

Of the remaining 70%, 20% will be given to Village Five as security fee.

「If it’s just security, I’m sure the people of the shrine can handle it.」

Because the shrine is basically the “house”.

If the people of the shrine take care of security too, tension will increase.

I want a third party to take care of the security. And they must be someone who is not affiliated with either the guests or the house.

「Is that how it works?」

That’s how it works.

Also, if we’re the only ones who are making money, we will be resented.

We have to make the money flow to Village Five too.

「I see.」

The remaining 50% will be for the swans and the environmental maintenance around the pond.

Alright, that should do it.

Or so I thought but Odette raised her hand.

What is it?

Does she have any suggestions or something?

So, I asked.

「Village chief, it seems like we’re talking as if we’re sure to profit but I didn’t hear a thing about ways of making profit.」

……eh?

We’re the management, the house.

How can we lose?

「Village chief, you said that we’re going to do it this way to make money, right?」

Yeah.

「If we do it fair and square, the house won’t make any money.」

……

Eh?

Why?

-0-

My knowledge of race gambling is nil.

Odette explained to me the following details.

For example, suppose there is a race to guess which one of the six swans will finish first.

The house will put a multiplier on each of the six swans.

Looking at the multipliers, the customers will bet on their favorite swans.

Those who bet on the swan that finishes first will be paid out a multiplier on their bet.

That’s it.

I see.

It’s too different from the horse races and boat races I know.

In order to keep this system going, it is necessary to make the multiplier attractive to the customers and in order for the house to make money, the swan that many people have bet on must not win.

Thus, cheating is necessary.

「Village chief, are we not going to do it?」

No way.

That’s now how it should be done.

We need to make sure that the house makes a profit while keeping the business afloat.

It’s not that difficult.

All we need to do is collect an operating fee from the bets.

For example, if we get 1000 bets, we’ll get 1000 copper coins.

From those 1000 coins, we can take 10%, 100 coins, as operating fee.

The multiplier of that 900 will then be based on the number of bets placed.

「Nononono, who can even calculate that? In addition, doesn’t that mean that the multiplier will change while you’re betting……」

Multiplier rates are supposed to change, right?

Also, I don’t think it’s difficult to calculate.

I look at the silver foxes.

They had visible confusion on their faces and looked away.

Oh, come on.