Chapter 17 – Mage Isolin

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Except for a few individuals, most players weren’t overly enthusiastic about leveling up. Once they earned enough gold, they’d relax until their funds ran out.

Taking breaks was crucial for mental health. Players, who already had to risk their lives in battles, made an effort to enjoy their leisure time as much as possible.

Isolin and I also took breaks often. We’d wander the streets, buy delicious food, go fishing, or even collect insects.

Today was another day off. I woke up around noon, stretched with a long yawn, and headed downstairs to the inn’s first floor.

In this world, no one batted an eye if you started drinking early in the day. They’d just nod and assume you’d had a tough time yesterday.

I sat down at my usual spot, the strong scent of wine wafting through the air.

“Ah, Supreme~!”

There was already someone at the table. A girl with pink hair tied into twin tails—Isolin.

Her lips glistened with grease as she tirelessly moved her fork, stuffing her cheeks with meat until they were full. She smiled brightly and pushed her plate toward me.

“Hmm. It’s okay.”

I wasn’t in the mood to eat after the strange dream I had last night. When I declined the food, Isolin tilted her head in confusion.

“Why? Are you tired?”

“Hmm…”

Could this feeling be described as tiredness? My mind was clear, and my body felt fine. But there was an inexplicable heaviness weighing me down.

I wondered if I had been hit with a debuff, but after checking my stats, I found nothing unusual.

Isolin spoke up again after finishing the large piece of meat on her plate. The small girl, now full, smiled contentedly and said:

“Hey, Supreme. Let’s go play a game.”

“A game…?”

I tilted my head at her suggestion. The game she was talking about wasn’t the kind where you control a character on a screen with a keyboard and mouse.

“Yeah. I didn’t know this before, but apparently, there’s a board game room operating in an abandoned farmhouse behind the city.”

“A board game room…?”

“Yeah. Sounds fun, right?”

It was an interesting idea. Who would’ve thought someone would run a board game room in this world?

The abandoned farmhouse behind Foxtail was a place I’d visited once for a quest. It was an empty building with no monsters or NPCs, but it seemed some player had decided to make use of the space.

“Shall we go check it out?”

“Yay!”

As I nodded, Isolin’s large pointed hat swayed excitedly.

I hadn’t known, but the board game room had apparently been operating for quite some time. On our way there, we saw quite a few players heading in the same direction.

“Is that it?”

When we arrived at the abandoned farmhouse, it looked different from before. The half-collapsed pillars had been replaced with new ones, the sagging roof was now sturdy, and thick tarps covered the open walls to block the wind.

Not only that, but the board game room seemed to be well-organized, with staff managing the flow of people.

Who could the owner be? What kind of person would think to run a business like this in this world?

Unable to hide my amazement, I walked toward the entrance with Isolin.

“Welcome. What’s your play style?”

The staff member managing the entrance stopped us and asked a question. Play style? Was he asking about our Talent Bloom skills?

When I frowned and tilted my head in confusion, the staff member quickly added:

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m just asking if you’re here to play games for gold or purely for fun.”

“Ah…”

It seemed they were also running a gambling den where you could bet gold.

I exchanged a glance with Isolin and nodded. We were here purely for fun and had no interest in gambling with gold.

“We’re just here to play games.”

“The entrance fee is 100 gold. You can stay as long as you like.”

100 gold wasn’t a burden for me now. If it meant enjoying the day, I was more than willing to pay.

“Alright. We’ll go in.”

“Thank you for coming. Outside food isn’t allowed. Please follow the left path after passing the entrance.”

Following the staff’s instructions, Isolin and I headed inside.

The interior was surprisingly clean. The rotten wood had been replaced with fresh planks, and the strong scent of wood filled the air.

The room was illuminated by large candlesticks on the tables. The flickering candlelight cast long, swaying shadows of the players seated around the tables.

The atmosphere was quite nice. While they had no choice but to use candles due to the lack of electricity, it added to the charm.

“There are a lot of people…”

Isolin and I found a spot and sat down.

“Ah…”

“Oops…”

But our small figure became a problem. Even after pulling up the tall chairs, we could barely rest our arms and chins on the table.

“Uh… this…”

“Should we stand…?”

Standing on the chairs would’ve made it easier to play, but I didn’t want to go that far.

I sighed and slumped my head under the table. If I had known the world would change like this, I would’ve chosen a taller, more beautiful body… Regret washed over me, but all I could do was swing my short legs under the chair.

“Um, excuse me… Do you need this?”

Just as Isolin and I were about to get up from the chairs, a staff member who was handing out board games approached us and offered a thick book.

“This is…”

“Let me know if you need more. I carry a lot of books around since I enjoy reading.”

I finally understood why the staff member had given us the book.

I placed the thick book under my chair and sat on it.

The added height allowed part of my upper body to reach the table, but it still wasn’t enough.

“Uh, one more, please.”

The staff member was quick to catch on. He handed me another book and gave two to Isolin as well.

Problem solved. Now it was time to choose a game.

I looked through the menu the staff provided and requested various games. We played simple two-player games like Yut and Halli Galli, then joined a neighboring table for multiplayer games like Monopoly.

They even sold light drinks here, though they were more expensive than in Foxtail.

It had been a while since I’d enjoyed entertainment like this. My mind was sharp, my eyes darting around, and my mouth dry as my focus narrowed. I was completely absorbed in the games.

I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time. Neither could Isolin, nor the other players around us.

Sometimes it was the smile of victory, other times the sigh of defeat. Whether we won or lost, we enjoyed the games themselves.

Time flew by, and as the sky outside darkened, players began to leave. Isolin and I joined the crowd heading out.

Just as we stepped out of the board game room, two men walking by caught sight of us. They seemed to be friends, chatting idly as they walked.

“Look at that. That’s the so-called “Cowards’ Haven.”

“The place for babies? Look, actual babies are coming out!”

Even from a distance, their voices were clear. I stopped in my tracks and glared at the two men as they walked away.

The two men, still snickering, passed the board game room’s entrance and turned right.

“Supreme…”

I turned my shoulders gently at Isolin’s voice behind me. My body wasn’t sore, but the heat in my head brought out habits from the real world.

“Were they talking about us just now?”

“Well… probably.”

“I can’t stand this…”

“But Supreme, they’re not exactly wrong.”

“I’m not a coward.”

“You run away when strong monsters show up.”

“I’m not a baby.”

“But you said you were 12 before…”

Isolin countered every one of my responses. I left her behind, walking confidently back toward the board game room’s entrance.

“Supreme…”

“Wait there, Isolin. I’ll win us some money.”

I was on a roll now. Earlier, I had won five rounds of poker in a row against Isolin. Recalling the thrill, I walked back inside.

Finding the two men wasn’t hard. I sat down at their table, placed two books under me, and started playing.

About 30 minutes later, I had lost all 30,000 gold I had brought.

“Ah…”

I was devastated.

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