I Suddenly Became Rich, But I Have No Idea How to Spend the Money

When I woke up from my sleep, it was just about time for breakfast.

This time, I opted for a Western-style breakfast.

Of course, it wasn’t as extravagant as the full-course meal from the night before, but it was a well-thought-out breakfast that covered all the essentials, leaving me very satisfied.

While filling out the immigration card and handling other small tasks, the plane landed in San Francisco.

From there, it would be another hour-long flight to Las Vegas.

I had access to a lounge at San Francisco International Airport as well, but since I didn’t have much time to spare, I decided to save that for my departure and instead explore the airport for the first time.

San Francisco International Airport was, as expected, a large international hub with an open and spacious design. It was a comfortable and pleasant place to be as a traveler.

I wandered around the shops and observation decks, feeling like no amount of time would be enough to take everything in. Before I knew it, priority boarding was announced, and once again, I boarded first class, heading toward Las Vegas.

Since the aircraft was the same model as the one used on the Itami-Narita route, I was no longer overwhelmed by its luxury and was able to enjoy the flight in a more composed manner.

And so, Kirishima finally arrived in Las Vegas.

I was relieved to find my checked luggage had arrived safely. As I exited the airport’s arrival gate, I immediately noticed slot machines lined up nearby.

“As expected of the city of casinos… My blood is starting to race.”

It had been a while since my last trip overseas—since my high school graduation trip, in fact—and my excitement was through the roof.

After stepping out of the airport, I hailed a taxi and told the driver the name of my hotel reservation.

“To The Palazzo Resort, please.”

“Hey, your English is pretty good! Are you from Korea?”

“I’m used to speaking English. Also, I’m not from Korea. I’m from Japan. It took me 20 hours to get here from Japan.”

“My bad! We’ve been getting a lot of Korean visitors lately, so I just assumed. Are you here for sightseeing?”

Thinking to myself that there really must be a lot of Korean tourists these days, I replied,

“Yes, I’m here for sightseeing, but I also want to see how far I can go, so I brought my entire fortune with me.”

“That’s the spirit! That’s how a man should be! If things go well, book me for your ride back too!”

Feeling lucky to have such a friendly driver, I kept the conversation going with a mix of bluffs and jokes.

Before I knew it, we arrived at the hotel. After paying the fare, I proceeded to check in.

At the reception desk, I gave my reservation name, completed the check-in process, and followed the bell staff to my room as they carried my luggage.

The Palazzo Resort in Las Vegas offers all-suite accommodations at surprisingly reasonable rates. Since the hotel generates revenue from its casino, it doesn’t need to squeeze profits from room fees.

I handed a tip to the bell staff, then spread out my belongings in the room.

Kirishima thought about how he wished he could have brought his newly ordered suit, though it wasn’t finished yet.

For the flights, he had worn comfortable clothing to make travel easier. But now that he was about to enjoy the casinos in Las Vegas, he decided to change into the Giorgio Armani summer set-up he had bought during his date with Hitomi before her trip home.

After confirming that he had the $1,000 he had prepared in his wallet, he made his way to the casino inside The Palazzo Resort.

To start off by increasing his funds, he exchanged all the cash in his wallet for casino chips.

Holding $1,000 worth of chips, he headed straight for the roulette table without hesitation.

As he took a seat, the dealer greeted him, and they exchanged light conversation.

For his first bet, he placed $500 of his chips on even numbers.

He stroked his beloved lucky Rolex for good luck.

Sure enough, the ball landed on an even number, doubling his wager.

“Alright, not a bad start!”

At this point, he had $1,500 in chips.

Kirishima decided to narrow his bets a bit. He placed half of his newly won amount—another $500—on the middle row.

Once again, the ball landed right where he had bet, tripling his stake.

Now, he had $2,500.

Things were going great.

As he considered where to bet next, he suddenly felt an unsettling sensation. A strange tingling ran down the back of his neck, making him unconsciously rub his left wrist.

Despite the uneasy feeling, he placed another $500 chip, this time on the far-right row.

However, this time, the ball landed in a pocket completely unrelated to his bet.

Not even close.

But the moment he lost, the discomfort on his neck disappeared.

“I guess I shouldn’t win too much…”

Lately, Kirishima had developed a sense for what his Rolex was trying to tell him during critical moments. Some might say it was just intuition, but still.

With luck on his side, he continued winning steadily, occasionally taking losses, until his initial $1,000 had somehow turned into $10,000.

For a first session, it was more than satisfactory.

“Alright, I’ll call it a night here.”

Tomorrow, he planned to visit a higher-stakes casino.

Leaving about $100 worth of chips on the table as a tip, he stood up.

Before he realized it, a small crowd had gathered around him, likely due to his impressive winnings at roulette. Several elderly gentlemen and ladies treated him to plenty of champagne.

“This place is fun.”

The openness and friendliness of foreigners made him feel at ease. After cashing in his casino chips for real money, he headed to a small convenience store-like shop on the first floor of the hotel. There, he stocked up on food, snacks, and drinks before returning to his room.

On the way back, he also stopped by the front desk to extend his stay.

He had originally only paid for two nights, planning to add two more with cash. However, thanks to his roulette winnings, he had apparently earned enough points for a free extension.

It was a pleasant surprise. Apparently, the casino had a system where gambling accumulated points.

Elated by this unexpected benefit, he realized that he would now be playing for at least four days straight.

Back in his room, the jet lag finally hit him, making him feel a bit spaced out.

To clear his head, he took a shower, then went to bed, preparing himself for the next day.