episode_0129

Two days before the attack.

“It’s definitely okay when I come here.”

“Right?”

Cleo and I were refurbishing Fernforge’s new headquarters in Billingham.

Prepare job postings, arrange desks, order crystal balls for communication…

And don’t forget this either.

I opened the door to my new safe, carefully inserted the design notes about the new unit, and locked it.

“If it’s a dwarven safe, it won’t be stolen or magically detected, right?”

“I’m not sure. Is this necessary?

Maybe it’s to hold money or bonds, but for an idea note… ”

“Preventing leaks is important.”

Of course, from a gamer’s point of view, it is fun to see rumors and leaks secretly leaking out…

From the production company’s point of view, it is not something that is intentionally released, but it is reluctant to see it come out unintentionally.

Beyond just keeping documents in the safe, we need to provide security training to employees as well.

“Anyway, what should I do when school starts… ”

Cleo looked half happy and half worried.

That’s the biggest problem.

The head office has moved to Billingham, but will it be possible to run it at the Academy?

Chairman, no, not chairman anymore.

The Crown Princess will manage the headquarters in Billingham…

Neither I nor Cleo, who will design the game, are at headquarters.

‘Should I just drop out of the academy and run Funforge?

Leave the academy work to Cleo.’

When I even thought about that…

“Coleman.”

“Brother?”

Alistair is waving his hand outside the window.

I thought he might have come to see the sights during his short break, but his expression didn’t look like he had come to have fun.

furthermore-

“Isn’t that person next to you the Duke of Knizia?”

“… yes. I think so.”

A red-haired, skinny man wearing a monocle.

He is a nobleman whom we have seen at the Romantic Festival.

“Director Coleman. Hello. Duke of Elk Knizia.

Excuse me, but can I go up?”

“Sorry, but the interior is under construction.

The direction we are going down is-”

“No, I want to talk inside.”

At the Duke’s firm words, Cleo and I exchanged confused looks.

“… All right. Come up.”

In a relatively clean room, the two people were seated on chairs that were still in good condition.

Let’s have Cleo bring the tea and say a formal hello-

“Sorry, I don’t have time for that.”

“Coleman. Please take a look at this.”

My brother handed me a small pile of documents.

The name was on the left side of the tightly written paper, and the amount and date were on the right side.

“… Is this a labor cost document?”

“Take a look here too.”

This time it’s a small booklet.

I’ve seen the logo in front before. The logo of a gaming center operated by Macariel Company.

When I open the book, the contents are similar. Connection of name, amount, and date.

Is this a statement recording employees’ wages? The amount is too low for that.

then…

“This is the entry and exit record.”

“Yes. Do you understand what we have in common?”

“The name listed in the first document appears frequently?”

My brother nodded.

“Coleman. The first document is the intelligence director’s ledger obtained by Duke Knizia.”

“It must have been circulating secretly within the replacement faction.

As you guessed, the labor cost document is correct.

The 20 people there are now receiving some kind of training under the Director of Intelligence.”

“Training means… ”

The duke shook his head as if he himself was dumbfounded as he spoke.

“I’m playing your game, the age of romance, day and night.”

“… ”

“Five of them headed north this morning.”

The Duke stood up and stamped his feet as if he was nervous.

My brother spoke urgently to me.

“ Judging from the stories circulating within the replacement faction, it is clear that the director is plotting something.

Coleman. Do you know anything about these players?”

“Well. If you ask me, this gaming center isn’t even directly managed by Funforge…

It’s my first time seeing these names, so I don’t have anything to say.”

“As expected… ”

Did you come here with the feeling of grasping at straws?

Alistair sighs.

“Why on earth did they gather people at the Romantic Era gaming hall?”

“Perhaps it was a practical exercise during the romantic era. Because it’s a duel simulator.”

“That can’t be possible. Games are never training… ”

A possibility flashed through my mind.

“Mr. Coleman. Why is that?”

“Maybe… Maybe they’re trying to use the romantic era itself as a weapon… ”

“What?”

“Do you remember last summer? The great mage Milton locked me and the princess in an underground ruin and made us play a game with our memories.”

Duke Knizia nodded obediently, as he was a witness at that time.

“That’s right. But wasn’t that only possible in the special environment of a ruin?”

“No. The Duke may not have known, but Milton improved the device in the ruins and made it smaller.”

I explained to him about the small bead that Kyowoonguk carried around.

“Using that, you can form a barrier where only the Romantic Era can win.

Well, of course, in a situation where we don’t know if the Director of Intelligence really obtained the device, it’s just a hypothesis.”

“No. I think that hypothesis is correct. There is no physical evidence, but it explains all the actions of the Intelligence Director.”

Funding and recruiting players for Romantic Era gaming venues.

This is a move that does not make sense through common sense.

However, if we assume that ‘the Director of Intelligence was aware of the possibility of weaponizing the Romantic Age’, this behavior is too easily explained.

Cleo jumped up and shouted.

“You must inform His Majesty the Emperor immediately!”

“Mr. Cleo. You know. Her Majesty went on a tour to the East with Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess.”

“This is an opportunity that seems like it was drawn from a picture… ”

A chance to take advantage of the emperor’s absence to stage a rebellion and eliminate hostile nobles.

“If it’s the North, are you targeting the Karsic duchy?”

“Probably so. But hearing what you said makes me feel a little relieved.

Isn’t Mina Karcic the winner of the last romantic festival?”

The older brother and the Duke ease the tension.

But I shook my head.

“No. The device only supports 1:1 competition.

While Mina is playing a dark game, there is no way to do anything if other people are also challenged.

There’s Mark Karcic, Olivia, and Indira, so it won’t be a one-sided attack… ”

“How many more people are needed?”

When I nodded, Cleo immediately got up.

“I will go.”

“Yes. I will hurry and go too.”

“Wait a moment.”

The duke raised his hand to calm us down.

“That’s not all the power of the Director of Intelligence.

According to what we know, there are over twenty gamers employed by the Director of Intelligence.

If you all go north, the system could be in danger.”

It’s not wrong.

“Only Cleo goes, and Coleman stays.

Duke, please find a way to inform His Majesty and Duke Karsic of this matter.

Coleman. How many gamers can fight against the Director of Intelligence?”

“Well. It’s vacation now and everyone is back at school, so I don’t know how long it will be… ”

“Over there!”

A familiar voice coming from outside.

“Mr. Coleman. This… ”

“Yes.”

“Is there anyone? I’d like to take a look inside… ”

I ran to the window and, sure enough, Graven was looking at us with his arms outstretched.

———————————————————————————

“Mr. Mark. Charge the enemy horse riding team and capture the enemy.

If you let the student council leaders advance, they will score and the game will end!”

“I understand!”

“Olivia is very precious about Mana.

The blue dragon units over there have low defense compared to attack power, so just cutting off their models with magic bullets will greatly reduce their firepower!”

“… Thank you.”

I never imagined it would be like this.

When he stopped by Funforge headquarters, he felt very frustrated.

Now that I have graduated, I have to return to the Pirate Republic and become a sailor.

but… Can it end like this? I couldn’t accomplish anything?

Should I become an ordinary wizard who enjoys the romantic era as just a hobby?

So, after wandering around the island unable to return to my hometown, I went to see my junior colleague, Coleman, to relieve my depressed feelings.

‘I never thought I’d get caught up in something crazy like this.’

Graven continued to give advice about Mark and Olivia’s game.

A great commander who seems to be ridiculing what Coleman said, ‘Instructions don’t mean much in miniature games.’

However, it was not Hayley who was concerned about Graven’s performance.

“Stop it!”

“Apply for a showdown! The purpose of the confrontation is… Fainted!”

Sue York, who defeated Aria, attacks Graven.

However, the female monster was shaking her hands as if she had heard of the blood mage’s reputation.

“I’m sorry, but it can’t be done by holding on to just me.”

“Lady!”

“I hope everyone is okay!”

The ones who jumped in this time were Cleo and Indira.

Indira collapsed when she saw her master’s corpse, but Cleo controlled her emotions and quickly began scanning the game board.

Haley clicks her tongue and says, “Tsk.”

“You weren’t the only one giving advice.”

“Yes.”

“But, I guess holding on to you was the right choice?”

“What?”

A smoke screen explodes with a popping sound.

“Huh!”

When Graven opened his eyes, Hayley Cantor had already run away.

“What… what. Did you run away and leave us behind?”

“It’s different from what I promised! If you do this, you’re stuck!”

The gangsters immediately start to become agitated.

Even if you win, you can’t get out of here alive.

Graven, Cleo, and Mina will chase them.

“Surrender! I will surrender, so please spare my life!”

“Me too, I surrender too!”

They were quickly demoralized and immediately declared surrender.

But Milton’s system was ruthless.

Four assailants fell down at the same time, but only two of them were breathing.

Those who challenged Mark and Olivia to a duel ended up forgetting that they were fighting a duel at the cost of their lives.

“What kind of absurdity… ”

“… Because of things like this and this, my father… ”

Mina raised her hand to throw a fireball at the stunned gunmen.

When the flame is about to burn-

“Mina!”

Mark Karcic’s steel prosthetic hand held his brother’s hand.

“Why are you like this! Let go of this!”

“Do not kill.”

“They are the bastards who killed my sister and father! I will kill you too!”

“First, we have to save him and find out who is behind it!

After that, it is not too late to hand it over to the court and face the death penalty!”

“I hate it!”

She cried and sobbed.

“With my own hands… With my own hands… ”

“Miss Mina… ”

Mina sat down with a sigh.

No one could say anything as she cried loudly, holding on to the bodies of her father and older sister.

Thus, the first battle of the 188 coup ended with the victory of the Crown Princess faction.