Should I raise you too?

In gaming terms, this is called resetting skill points, which can even allow you to invest all your skill experience into a single skill.

However, the experience gap between skill levels is huge, and experience from low-level skills is of little use. Simon's highest-level skill is "Mysticism LV6," and even if he invests all the experience from all his other skills, he still can't reach LV7.

Even with "Mysticism" left undone, the combined experience from all other skills wouldn't be enough to level up "Gambling" to LV6.

The reason for not using "mysticism" is that both Alysand and other extraordinary items require knowledge of "mysticism" to operate.

Level 5 gambling is enough to handle most gamblers, and most professional gamblers are only at level 4.

Simon took his cards and greeted the other four gentlemen.

Besides Captain Edward, there is a viscount, a colonial merchant, and a retired lieutenant.

They were playing five-card poker, a mainstream poker game in this era, which had become a marginal game in the time before Simon's time travel.

Simon observed their postures and techniques; apart from Captain Edward, they were all ordinary enthusiasts, and the scale of this bet was not large.

“5 shillings,” Simon added.

"and."

"Add another 10 shillings."

I fold.

"...Open the cards."

“I won.” The lieutenant looked triumphantly at Simon and Captain Edward and took the silver coins from their table.

In five-card poker, there is little room for strategy and a large element of luck, which is why this game has become marginalized.

After all, compared to skill, luck is a completely uncontrollable factor. Of course, this applies to ordinary people.

"I'm going to the restroom," Simon said, getting up.

"I'll go get some clothes." Captain Edward got up as well.

Upon entering the restroom, Simon quickly set up a "transfer ritual".

Haha, thinking that luck is uncontrollable is the mindset of the weak; the truly strong take control of their own destiny!

“Naive,” Alexandra commented.

Simon returned to the table, and Edward returned just in time, and the game resumed.

Two hours later, the lieutenant ended the betting game, got up and left with a heavy heart. The merchant sighed and went to the smoking room to smoke a cigar. The viscount, feeling a little embarrassed, agreed to come back tomorrow.

Simon and Captain Edward exchanged a glance; they had each won 7 pounds 5 shillings and 5 pounds 12 shillings, respectively.

They both thought of how, after the first round of the betting, one of them went to the restroom while the other went back to get his coat, and they exchanged knowing smiles.

"Aren't we going a bit too far?" Captain Edward asked, feeling a little guilty.

“This is to keep them away from gambling,” Simon said earnestly.

“That makes sense. Perhaps we should increase our efforts,” Captain Edward said patiently.

After picking up Eve and Maria, Simon went for a walk on the deck and took a glass of champagne from a waiter.

"Get yourself a drink too, and put it on my tab," Simon said to the waiter.

"Thank you, sir." The waiter bowed his head and greeted Simon.

Maria glanced at the waitress and noticed the bulge in her chest. She was clearly a waitress, but she was dressed as a waitress and doing the work of a waitress.

Mr. Simon must have noticed the waitress's gender and found it interesting, so he ordered her a drink.

Unfortunately, the deck lights were not bright enough, so all that could be seen were the waitress's short flaxen hair and azure eyes, and her features were not clearly visible.

The waitress continued walking and soon disappeared from their sight.

As she walked to the corner, Elsie breathed a sigh of relief, put down the tray in her hand, picked up a glass of champagne and drank it all in one gulp, patting her pounding heart.

She was startled when the evil god incarnate asked her for champagne.

Good news! She has finally found the great being named 'Simon'.

Bad news: they had indeed set their sights on her; her disguise as a waitress couldn't fool them at all!

Sigh, there's nothing I can do now, all I can rely on is this piece of glass!

Elsie summoned the glass block and looked at the words on it.

"You brushed past Simon, and he noticed you, finding you, disguised as a waiter, to be an interesting person."

If possible, I hope you can completely forget about me!

Ugh.

Elsie opened the homepage again.

"For world peace and the safety of the universe, please pursue Simon and gain his favor."

Current favorability level: 0

"Please increase your affinity with her as soon as possible to unlock the strategy features."

Good news, the strategy doesn't mean conquering cities and territories, nor does it mean she has to assassinate the incarnation of an evil god.

The bad news was that when she asked a maid, she learned that "strategy" was a popular joke in the capital, referring to a gentleman winning a lady's affections.

In other words, the glass block is meant to let me fall in love with the incarnation of the evil god!

Is this reasonable? Is this right? We are all different species! Is this evil god's domain "lust"?!

Chapter 98: Do I really have to confess?

Composing herself, Elsie stepped out of the corner and walked to a shady spot by the railing. With a somersault, she landed on the first deck, slipped into a cargo shed, quickly took off her waiter's uniform, and changed back into her original clothes.

She took the waiter's uniform from the supply room; it was a new spare, so she didn't have to worry about being discovered.

She took men's clothing because she was used to it. Men's clothing was more convenient; when digging underground, she could sit anywhere without worrying about damp mud sticking to her legs.

She also usually wore men's clothing, a shirt, vest, and deerstalker hat, making her look like a country gentleman.

Adjusting her hat, Elsie stepped out of the cargo shed and strolled around the first deck. The first deck was where second-class passengers spent their time; there were fewer waiters and the space was a bit cramped than on the second deck, but it was still much better than the aft deck of the economy class.

Second-class passengers wore all sorts of clothes, making them less distinctive than first-class passengers. Elsie blended in and went completely unnoticed.

She found a quiet spot among the sheds, leaned against the railing, and sighed.

She thought: The evil god incarnation named Simon has been locked on, what should I do now?

Fight? Report? Run away? Bow down and worship?

Let's remove the combat first. I'm a fourth-tier character, and I'm supposed to fight an evil god's avatar? Even though that avatar only looks like it's a second-tier character.

Then remove the report. If this were on land, this trick might work. I could write a letter and drop it in front of the church at night. But this is the sea, the Kingdom Star, and there is only an elderly priest on board.

Running away won't work either, for the same reason: although I can swim, I don't think I can cross the sea in my physical body.

That leaves only one option: if I can't beat them, I'll join them, just like Glass said, to increase that being's favorability towards me... oops, I mean friendliness!

Sigh, why did I choose this cruise ship? Why did I have to go to sea? I could have left by train!

Now it's all over. I'm being watched. Heh, no one can escape the gaze of the gods, and even evil gods are gods.

We have no choice but to bet on the glass block!

Elsie opened the glass again and looked at the words on it.

"Stage goal: Get to know Simon and exchange names."

I don't want to know €€!

Damn it, I feel like I'm being forced into prostitution. I have to please them to ensure my safety.

"Action Recommendation 1: On a dark and stormy night, confess your love to Simon, sacrificing the hundreds of lives on the Kingdom Star."

How could I do that! I'm just a criminal, not a serial killer!

Moreover, there must be superhumans hidden among the hundreds of people on the ship. If I'm unlucky, I might get killed instead!

"Action suggestion 2: Pretend not to notice anything unusual about Simon, and as a suitor, break into his room at night, tie his hands and feet, and confess your feelings to him."

I have to confess, right?! And even if you're the one pursuing me, you can't sneak into someone's room at night, let alone tie them up to confess! Isn't that perverted?! This isn't a confession, it's coercion!

Action Recommendation 3: Observe the situation and wait for the right opportunity.

I choose 3!

Elsie realized that this glass block was unreliable; what kind of advice was this!

Three suggestions: one about a serial killer, one about a perverted woman. Fortunately, suggestion number three is relatively normal.

Ugh.

Elsie sighed again, her heart aching as she reflected on her turbulent life.

When I was in the capital, I thought I was being targeted by angels, but I was safe. When I got to the Kingdom Star, I thought I was safe, but now I'm being targeted by the incarnation of an evil god!

Why?! Is my luck really that bad?!

I wonder what that being is doing aboard the Kingdom Star—is it also heading to the Southern Continent? Is it to escape the new queen who swore to drink her blood?

Or are they planning to stir up trouble in the Southern Continent?