episode_0037

Catan is only played with two people.

Of course, there is no way you can play it properly.

Even with the dice, there is no way resources could be traded properly. The 3rd Prince also realized this after playing Catan several times. It was not for nothing that Kyle Byron said the minimum number of people possible was three.

But in the quiet silence where everyone is asleep.

The two were playing Catan.

Wow!

“The number is 9. I will take a tree.”

“I’ll take some wheat too.”

“Would you please exchange that wheat and wood?.”

“Good.”

Is that because neither party refuses to do business with the other at all?

Is it because they started with three villages each, saying that special rules were needed when playing with two people?

Not at all.

One of the two reasons was that they were not concentrating on the board game at all.

It was obvious which of the two it was.

“… … Kyle Byron.”

“Yes, His Royal Highness.”

“No such thing as comfort… … Stop it.”

“… … … … .”

widely.

After the game has progressed for some time.

The 3rd prince, who had not even built a single road in the first three villages, muttered as he laid down all the resource cards.

At first, it was difficult. Because I didn’t know what Kyle Byron’s intention was when he called me.

Even though he was a distinguished guest, there was no way he could commit an act of violence by summoning the prince alone in the middle of the night. This was only possible because the 3rd Prince’s trust in board game creator Kyle had built up.

Nevertheless, the maid, an Auror user, is waiting outside the door in case of any possible threat or assassination.

She was the only person left for the 3rd prince, and she was the only person he could rely on.

The 3rd prince glanced sideways toward the door and continued.

“During these ten days, you have done a lot. Because I created Catan on the first day, I was able to escape my brothers’ suspicions, and every day was the same, just waiting for the time to play Catan with you. Be honest. I had fun.”

“… … … … … .”

“I am truly grateful for that. In addition, I have made several board games, so I will soon be able to make a board game that will bring me closer to my brothers. I guess there is.”

but.

This is not it.

“This incident crossed the line. Kyle Byron.”

“… … Sun, what do you mean?”

“Even though I have given up on competing for the throne and am always in a position to keep an eye on others, I am still the third prince of the empire. It would be difficult for my two brothers and the duke to call me out privately like this.”

Although I received an invitation from the 2nd Prince, it was ultimately a public meeting, not a private one. It is natural as it is an invitation in front of each other.

Other than that, no matter how much the 2nd prince does, he cannot summon the 3rd prince at will in the middle of the night. Because I don’t know how the 1st prince will catch it.

It may be extreme, but they could secretly assassinate the 3rd prince and frame it as the 2nd prince’s doing.

It was something like that, and even if he was a distinguished guest personally invited by the 3rd Prince, it was not something Kyle Byron was allowed to do.

In the end, we were able to meet because the 3rd prince responded.

“I understand what the purpose is. me… … I guess the idea was to comfort you. I felt like I saw something while playing Catan, a board game.”

Probably, it was an inferiority complex that I had suppressed and repressed for over 10 years.

I was relieved little by little by feeling vicarious satisfaction through Catan, but I had no choice but to show my true feelings.

He tried to hide it as best as he could, but it seems Kyle Byron found out.

So it’s understandable to comfort yourself. The 3rd Prince was not the type of person to feel bad about receiving comfort from commoners or nobles.

but.

“But how much comfort do you think I received?”

“… … … … .”

“The 3rd prince, who wants nothing more than to protect his own life, let alone compete for the throne. There are quite a few people in the world who feel sympathy for such a prince. The reason I can enjoy this level of power now is ultimately based on that common sense.”

That’s not to say that everyone feels sympathy for the 3rd prince. On the contrary, there were quite a few people who had a sense of superiority.

However, even if they support the 1st or 2nd prince, there are many who sympathize with the 3rd prince.

When I was young, I was just grateful for sympathy and comfort.

Now, no.

“Trying to comfort me… … Thanks for trying. My heart is grateful. But I hope we don’t have to meet like this anymore.”

“… … … … .”

Especially Kyle Byron, someone as brilliant as you.

Instead of comforting you, your inferiority complex will only get worse.

please.

“I’m not saying I’m disappointed in you, so you don’t have to worry. I have received too much sympathy to be disappointed by something like this, and you are still an honored guest to me. However, it’s a bit strange.”

“… … If you find it interesting?”

“Even comfort… … It’s a board game.”

If you think about it, it was funny. The way to comfort someone with an inferiority complex is to play a board game together?

It was different from other people who provided various funds, comforted me verbally, counseled me, or hugged me. Even though they were different, they were so different that it was rather absurd.

Do you really think you can comfort others in this way?

Is it because I think about board games every day that I think that way?

Beyond being sarcastic, the 3rd prince was genuinely curious.

Kyle Byron was silent for a moment.

“Why can’t it be a board game?”

“… … … Hmm?”

“Why do you vaguely think that board games can’t be played?”

“That’s right.”

The answer is, board games are just entertainment.

The 3rd prince couldn’t bear to spit it out.

This was because Kyle Byron’s expression was extremely serious.

“Your Royal Highness, may I talk about the past for a moment?”

“Once upon a time… … Story?”

“This is a story about Sally.”

“You mean that maid?”

A maid who is limping, timid, and yet loyally follows Kyle Byron.

Although he casts impure eyes on the water spirit and the tower owner’s disciple, he does not reveal them in front of Kyle.

Suddenly, that maid’s past?

“Here, do you see the scar?”

“… … I couldn’t see it because it was covered by clothes.”

Kyle slightly pulled the neck of the clothes he was wearing, revealing his hidden scar.

It was a scar so terrible that even the Third Prince frowned involuntarily.

It looks like a deep cut or stab wound from something, but a single cut doesn’t leave such a messy scar.

It can be caused by stabbing and cutting the same area over and over again. A deep scar that is impossible to repair even with healing magic.

Why did the author’s third son have such a scar?

Kyle Byron responded with a smile.

“This is the wound caused by Sally.”

“… … … What?”

“When I first met Sally… … I have to say it was rough in many ways. Since I lived in the back alleys of a slum, I had no aversion to stabbing others.”

“… … … … … .”

“How do you think I became friends with her like that?”

Well, I don’t know.

The 3rd Prince didn’t know Kyle and Sally’s past, and he didn’t even understand why he would even think of getting close to a slum child with such scars.

But didn’t you already get the hint?

The 3rd prince, who was in doubt until the end, soon.

“Board game… … What?”

“It was a very crude product at the time.”

“Is it really a board game?”

“Do you think it was made up with lies?”

“… … … … .”

The third prince, who had cultivated his skills and insight in order to survive, could tell.

That Kyle Byron didn’t lie. If he hadn’t been able to see this much, he would have been killed by the two princes a long time ago.

In fact, that made it all the more unbelievable.

The person who caused such terrible scars was the maid who blindly followed Kyle Byron.

“Well, it wasn’t easy. It took a very long time and I had a lot of trouble. In the end, I was able to get closer to Sally.”

“Why on earth… … ? Why did you put so much effort into a child from the slums?”

“… … If I told you that you could see my old self, you would have a hard time believing it.”

Kyle Byron and Maid are of similar age. If the maid was young, then Kyle would have been young as well, so why did he say he was his old self?

But Kyle waved his hand as if it was no big deal.

“Anyway, I was able to become friends with Sally through board games.”

“… … … okay. Did you try to comfort me with a board game because there was such a precedent? That’s──”

It’s a very one-sided idea, and it’s just a coincidence.

The third prince swallowed back the harsh retort that came to mind for a moment.

‘also… … … .’

complex. Even if you try to calm down this guy’s emotions, they come back again.

And that’s also because of all the negative emotions. Annoyed by Kyle Byron, who rudely called the prince to come out in the middle of the night. Inferiority complex in response to sympathy from a shining person. Anger that tells you not to look at me by your own standards.

However, the 3rd prince had suffered from so many feelings of inferiority that he was able to stop himself before he said it out loud. Just like it was in front of the 2nd prince today.

But Kyle’s words weren’t over.

“There is also a water tiger.”

“Water Spirit… … ?”

“The water tiger was a spirit that was hostile to me according to the words of a certain spiritist. I became close with him through board games, talked to him, and was finally able to talk to him in front of the spirit priest who didn’t trust people.”

“… … … … .”

“I think I have become quite close with that spiritist. I’ll have to stop by on my way back. And so is Adela.”

“Tapju’s disciple.”

“At first, our relationship with Adella was so bad that she threatened me with magic… … By playing Abracadabra together, which His Highness also played, I opened my heart little by little.”

“… … … … … … .”

“Your Royal Highness, do you understand the point of what I have said?”

“… … Don’t you think you’ve become friends with all kinds of people through board games? Because I’ve lived like that… … I also tried to get closer to myself through board games.”

I guess he tried to comfort me that way. Now I finally understand Kyle Byron’s thoughts.

If he had lived the life of a genius board game creator, he would have solved many problems with board games.

He suddenly felt lost, but at the same time, the third prince could sense the gap.

‘People who shine, people who don’t… … .’

I wanted to be a shining person for the rest of my life. But the 3rd prince never shined.

Because Kyle Byron was a shining and brilliant person, the Third Prince felt even smaller in front of him.

Just as the shadow in front of a bright light bulb gradually becomes smaller. However, the shadow becomes darker.

The 3rd prince felt his inferiority complex getting worse.

“Wrong. His Royal Highness.”

“What… … La?”

“It’s not entirely wrong, but it was something else I wanted to say.”

Another word? Another word?

What else can be said about the example of becoming closer to many people through board games?

Then the 3rd prince and Kyle face each other.

“I don’t know anything other than board games.”

“… … … … Huh?”

“When I first became friends with Sally. When I think about that time, I just find it funny. You approached a slum kid holding a knife and asked him to play a board game? There may have been at least a more efficient or better way. Isn’t that right?”

“… … … That is.”

“But I didn’t know how to become friends with others other than board games. This is because I have lived a life where board games are everything.”

The water spirit and the tower lord’s disciple.

“If you look at the results alone, we ended up getting close. But was that the best? Not a board game… … Wouldn’t we have been able to build a better relationship if it had been another way?”

“… … … … … .”

“His Royal Highness says that I am a genius board game creator. So if you take board games away from me, what will be left?”

Kyle Byron was going to confession.

As a person, you don’t want to think about it, you don’t want to face it… … About your own limitations.

I’m not special.

Since it’s just a board game production, it’s nothing without a board game.

Immediately after realizing this, the 3rd prince was stunned for a moment.

“… … But that’s no different for me either.”

“… … … … .”

“Only the title of prince can describe me… … … There’s nothing else. Rather, the prince you received simply because you were born, and the board game you obtained through your own efforts… … … Isn’t there a big difference?”

On the contrary, I was even more frustrated.

Kyle opened his mouth in front of the prince who lowered his head.

“But, how do I look now?”

“Kyle.”

“Do you think His Highness the Prince is a person who would have an inferiority complex?”

“… … … … … Ah.”

Only then, really late, did the third prince realize.

All of the conversations up to now─── were in themselves a consolation to the Third Prince.

Kyle Byron wasn’t really trying to comfort the prince with a board game.

The board game was just an opportunity and an excuse.

From the conversation that started with that board game, to the maid, her past, and her confession about herself.

That was Kyle Byron’s consolation.

‘… … … I am.’

Kyle’s consolation certainly moved the Third Prince’s heart for a moment, but that alone could not resolve the pain that had built up until now.

but.

The sincerity and comfort were not the same as the prince said.

It’s really a little bit.

… … So much so that I can live with peace of mind.

“I apologize. Your comfort… … Thank you so much.”

“It’s nothing special. Then shall we start again?”

“… … … Hmm?”

“Katan, shouldn’t we continue? If you want, you can do it again from the beginning───”

“… … … … … … .”