episode_0107

“Let’s take a look at the current romantic era meta.”

Early November.

Four students gathered in an empty classroom.

Mina Karcic, Graven Albatross, Emily Sigma, Kyunguk.

Except for the new member Kyowoonguk, all rankers advanced to the semifinals of the Romantic Festival.

Emily scratched with chalk and drew four lines.

“Tier 1 is Black Swan and Underwater Guardian.”

“If you were to distinguish between superiors and inferiors, is the Black Swan better than the Underwater Guardian? It’s advantageous in terms of compatibility.”

“It is difficult to say that. Against the rest of the faction, they don’t have as good a win rate as the Underwater Guardians.”

“A. Don’t you just feel that way because your senior used Black Swan?”

The Underground Guardian, who received a powerful new unit, succeeded in taking off like a storm.

And the Black Tide, a spell-oriented faction that is not affected by the Time Keeper, also entered Tier 1.

“Tier 2 is F*ck of the World, Red Horse, and Romelo.”

“As expected, factions that do not rely on spells have become important.”

“Tier 3 is Great Lake, Student Council, and Baekyang. Tier 4 is Blue Dragon and Phantom Thieves.

Do you all agree with this classification?”

This time, there was no one who said, ‘Don’t you look weak because you’re using Blue Dragon?’

The Student Council and Baekyang, which were stumbling after losing their core win plan due to Lilac’s nerf, were also problems…

The real problem is the Blue Dragon and the Phantom Thieves.

During the 10 fights between Emily and Kyowoon, the Blue Dragon only won once.

Any combination was useless in the face of an aura with overwhelming ability to block spells.

“It would have been better if the rose water model had remained.”

“You can’t hope for that.”

After an unfortunate incident at a social event, Rose Water was expelled from Blue Dragon.

Naturally, it was retired even in the romantic era.

What this means is that the blue dragon’s close combat specialist who could break through the Time Keeper has disappeared.

The situation is the same for the Phantom Thieves.

The reason this side gets hit is because they are ‘unable to act outside of their turn’.

Through an anomalous maneuver, the camp where mission performance was the main focus was blocked and it became an armed camp.

With the rule change to target the operation-oriented camp, they are struggling at the bottom.

“It can be done with a 12cm aura, but it doesn’t make sense for an 18cm aura to become a 24cm aura if you use an action.

Any faction that can’t use remote relay, like the Black Swan, can’t do anything.”

“In fact, it is difficult to say that Black Swan is completely tier 1.”

When Mina glared at him, asking if he was shameless again, Graven quickly made an excuse.

“The Black Swan’s superiority was brought about by a single crystal tank.

All crews are being standardized toward carrying tanks. Look.”

He took out the flyer he had brought and showed it.

“Crystal tank urgently available for sale… ”

“Right now, used goods prices are sky high, so they are running high.”

“Because it is difficult to use a tank as a proxy.”

A proxy, which allows one model to be treated as another model.

It’s hard to say it’s a good attitude, but there were many players who implicitly allowed it when it was difficult to find models.

Even the official game site allows proxies for ‘models that only have rules and have not yet been released, or models that have been released within a week’.

However, because of the crystal tank’s large platform and unique appearance, there was no suitable model to use as a proxy.

Graven shook his head.

“One new model can have such a big impact.”

“Influence… ”

“What is the impact? Let’s be honest? I think the fuss is too much.

Just looking at the writing in this magazine, it seems like the era of romance is about to come to an end-”

Mina opened ‘Monthly Romantic Sir’ published by Macariel Company.

A column that takes up almost four pages to criticize Funforge.

Disappointment and anger are pouring out, criticizing the broken balance and commercial tactics that favor only the new faction.

“Has the fun of the game really disappeared?”

“Underground Guardian’s overwhelming win rate-”

“No, we don’t meet often, so what kind of overwhelming winning rate is there? ”

Emily nodded at those words.

The investment cost of miniatures games is high.

Academy students who have already purchased many models do not change camps because of something like this.

The proportion of underground guardian players increased from 5% to 10%. Now it’s just average.

In other words, meeting the time keeper occurs once every three days.

I can’t say it’s high.

but…

“Then what do you think those people are angry about?”

As Unguk spoke, the three people looked out the window.

Black smoke billowing out.

Gygax Rong’s novel ‘The Last Guardian’ burned by Blue Dragon and White Yang students.

“Gygax Rung, stop being your own daughter!”

“Did you fraudulently release it as the final boss of the novel?”

Emily closed the window.

“Everyone blames Marquis Rong.”

“Since he came in, problems have continued to arise, so it is natural to think that the Marquis is the cause.”

“Is that so?”

“Well, I don’t think that’s true either…

Anyway, I think everyone feels that the game is heading in the wrong direction.

This isn’t the first time, it’s the second time… ”

Even if you don’t meet many underground guardians, you can’t help but feel discomfort when you do.

Blue Dragon and Phantom Thieves players disappear from the rankings published every week.

Anxiety that something was not right was rapidly spreading.

After organizing, the four people dispersed, and Gyo Woon-guk left the classroom and headed to the playground where the parting ceremony was held.

“This is all because of Marquis Rong.”

“I can’t believe they even brought the prophecy technique to Funforge.”

“It wasn’t like this in the old days… ”

Students muttering while burning Funforge promotional brochures.

Because the day was cold, Gyounguk also snuggled in to bask in the warm fire.

“Hmm?”

A popular sign by the window. Look at this for a moment and then disappear.

Unguk thought for a moment and then chased after him.

————————————————– ———————————–

“Senior Coleman!”

Sheesh. I didn’t know you would recognize it.

The school office blocked me as I tried to leave toward the student center.

“Uh. What’s going on?”

“… Are you going to leave me like this?”

“I’ll quit soon. There is no need to react individually.”

I answered briefly and pushed him away.

“Well, bookworms can ignore it, but shouldn’t there still be some kind of reaction?”

“There will be a balance patch soon.”

“And are you going to issue another morale unit?”

“I didn’t want this situation.”

“Even if you didn’t want it, don’t you think that it doesn’t matter if it happens like this?”

I don’t have time to play with this little guy.

I tried to ignore him and leave, but I had no choice but to stop when I heard the words that followed.

“What does the era of romance mean to you now?”

“… What?”

“Why did you make this game?”

Why did you make it?

It’s to stop fighting at the academy.

And I succeeded at it. We ended the dueling culture.

Even while the balance debate is heated, no student wants to go back to dueling. They are already captivated by my game.

… So what’s next?

Oh yeah. Making miniature games a hit.

To do that, you need capital and the Crown Princess must be stable.

In order to grow a company, you can use this level of commercialism, right?

Even in my past life, everyone was like this.

“Was that really the reason?”

Kyowoonguk’s advice came as if he had read my mind.

He slowly opened his eyes.

“This modifier would be more appropriate for the current Coleman Cantor.

A pig of money, a great fighter for the Crown Princess, and a wrestler who rolls around in politics.”

“… ”

“This is not your destiny.”

Kyowoonguk leaves behind a mysterious statement.

But I didn’t have time to worry about it either.

I had to get out of this place quickly and return to the safety of the student council room.

As soon as I entered the room, Angela got scared and came running to me.

“Senior Coleman… Are you okay? My complexion is really bad.”

“Yes? ah. It’s okay.”

After looking around, I picked up a chair and sat down, and Tangaroa approached me.

“… There is no chaos like this.”

“What about the Chairman?”

“To the teacher’s office to resolve the situation.”

Thanks to the leadership’s restraint, the angry students were unable to enter the student center, but they were able to see the academy returning to Magic Suzuran for the first time in a while.

“… I think I should resign.”

Marquis Long’s mutterings.

Hwayoung, who had been sitting and picking at her fingernails, suddenly got up.

“Marquis Gygax. What do you mean!

It’s not the Marquis’ fault.”

“That’s right. They do this and that without even knowing.

Balance issues have nothing to do with you.”

“Even so, the students see me as the main culprit who polluted Funforge.”

Gygax Rung rejects Tangaroa and Kyohwayeong’s efforts to dissuade him.

I muttered quietly.

“Let’s not make a fuss. Why resign over something that will soon subside?

Also, without issuing a balance patch, you can just issue a new model to the weakened faction.”

“… ”

The student council room became quiet at my words.

Cleo’s remarks break the silence.

“What new model is it?

Are you planning on releasing an overly strong model again and then nerfing it once it sells out?”

“I won’t put it out too strongly.”

“… What does that mean?”

I sighed and said.

“People will buy the new model only if it is reasonably strong.”

“No. If the design is attractive and the mechanics are interesting, you can buy it even if you are not strong.”

“How much does something like that make? Even if you make money, will you still be able to produce such interesting models?”

“Mr. Coleman.”

A voice mixed with embarrassment.

“Why are you doing this?”

I closed my mouth.

Because I couldn’t say that I needed money to dig into my parents’ company.

No, it doesn’t have to be that way. In order to become the princess’s strength in the coming fight, Funforge must be increased in size.

More investment, more branches, more influence.

This matches the dream I first had.

“Anyway, once the downward plan is announced and it cools down a bit, a new model-”

“No. The priority is to formulate countermeasures to prevent more incidents like this from happening.”

“… Mr. Cleo. I am the director of this company.”

“Should a person who no longer cares about the fun of the game be called a director?

A person who only cares about sales and profits?”

The rest of the people stood back from afar and just watched the battle between me and Cleo.

“Yes. That’s what the title says.”

“The title may disappear.”

“How?”

“Well, ”

Take a deep breath.

“I could buy Funforge shares from Priestley and fire Mr. Coleman.”

“Miss Cleo!”

Hwayoung screamed, but she did not back down.

“… really. It appears that both the father and the daughter are the same.

You criticize others for being crazy about money, but you try to solve everything with money.”

“Coleman! Stop it!”

Tangaroa came and separated us, but Cleo pushed him away.

“If this is the only way to stop Mr. Coleman from ruining the game we made, then this is the way to go!”

“Us? I’m sorry. You helped me make the game.

I’m the one who knows the game I made best, so don’t worry about it.”

Tears welled up in Cleo’s eyes.

She slammed the door shut and disappeared.

“… Coleman County. Follow me and apologize.”

“Why me?”

“Hey. Coleman. Why are you really like this?”

The words rose up in my throat, but I had no choice but to swallow them.

It may not have been appropriate, but it was because someone had entered the room.

With his black cloak fluttering.

“… Cleo senior?”

“… This… ”

Cleo, or rather the phantom thief Ombre, threw me a bag of romance.

“It’s a duel. Colman Cantor.

Let me prove it. I know the game as well as you.”