episode_0054

Monopoly production proceeded successfully.

It wasn’t as detailed as it was made of ice, dirt, stone, and black-and-white fantasy, and it was roughly decided that this would be a house and this would be a building.

Nevertheless, the students were having fun playing Monopoly.

“Roll the dice! It’s ice, so it’s melting!”

“… … Now that I think about it, these are ice dice. Wouldn’t it be possible to control the number of dice by freezing them mid-roll with magic?”

“Stay still before I freeze your hands.”

“You got caught? Pay the toll tax.”

“Mr. … … uh? The board game board is collapsing?”

“You just kicked me! In the end, this thing gets destroyed because it’s dirt!”

“By the way, your land just disappeared, so wouldn’t it be okay to not pay the toll tax?”

“Catch this bastard.”

“Hey! The fantasy is ruined! Keep your mind straight!”

“Glesia and Terra are playing games comfortably! We have to maintain magic and play Monopoly at the same time… … !!”

“Is this magic training or a board game?”

“Popcorn! We have freshly popped popcorn! The price is one-time access to Monopoly!”

“I don’t want to give up Monopoly right now, but is it possible to get credit?”

“Would you like me to roast your head?”

There was enough space even though there were over 100 students, as the entire building and surrounding land could be used by the board game club.

Is it amazing that the academy allocated this much land for one club, or did they allocate a large amount of land in consideration of Monopoly, which is the hottest topic right now?

It was a remote place compared to the dormitory or classroom anyway, so even though it was noisy, it wasn’t a problem.

Glesia, Terra, and Arche each made and played Monopoly, and Agni’s students were going back and forth between them, exchanging popcorn and Monopoly tickets.

I was confused as to whether this was a club or a market place.

“Andrew, can I take over as president of the board game club? If you are busy with the work of the student council president, it can’t be helped───”

“I will do it unconditionally. The student council president doesn’t have much to do anyway.”

“… … Is that so?”

“There are three vice presidents, so they take care of everything. All I have to do is inspect it periodically and block the lower part.”

It seemed like I heard something strange in the middle, but the student council president’s love for board games certainly seemed genuine. After telling me about Roderick’s work, I immediately went to play Monopoly.

Even now, as soon as he answers what I say, he goes back to focusing on Monopoly.

He was a real player, different from his older brother who only talked loudly.

“… … … … .”

then.

I didn’t really do anything about the club, but it was resolved.

‘Brother Roderick.’

It was my turn to hear exactly what he was thinking.

But there was no need to search for my brother separately.

Adela went to meet the professor at the Arche Magic Tower, and the water tiger wandered around on its own.

And when Sally, who came running to me, joined in, I got the answer right away.

“Well, if you’re that bastard, then I went back to Natura’s dormitory.”

“Natura Dormitory? Aren’t you coming back to the board game club?”

“… … He said he had something to show me… … … Well, if I see that, I’ll cooperate too… … .”

“… … … I will show you.”

“Well, don’t worry, master! No matter what that bastard brought, your highness, he is always on your side… … !!”

Sally said that the eldest brother came to visit her.

And he asked Sally to ‘talk’.

‘It’s the right of succession.’

In the end, it was a matter of concern. I thought this would be a story I would share with my brother when he first came to visit me yesterday.

For some reason, there wasn’t a single word about Frederick.

Because of the politeness and strange level of reverence, I skipped over that part. Board games are board games, but the issue of succession rights should have been discussed at all costs.

… … I guess that’s why I acted in the first place.

‘The older brother who is obsessed with board games and praises his younger brother with respect.’

“Then we can go to the dormitory now.”

“ㄴ, yes!”

But that’s not the only thing that worries me.

Why did the eldest brother approach Sally?

‘Because you thought it would be easier to ask Sally than me? ‘Isn’t this Sally who threatened your brother yesterday?’

It’s obvious that if Sally comes to me and reports like right now, everything, including acting, will be useless. Of course, there had to be something to aim for.

Or is it because there was a sure way?

Do you have ‘something to show’ that will persuade Sally and get her to talk?

So much so that Sally doesn’t even report to me?

The more I thought about it, the more questions piled up.

In the end, it was a question that could not be solved by thinking.

Of course, I have no choice but to meet my brother in person.

And for him.

“Adella, tiger.”

“Yes, you.”

[Rung.]

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

I also.

Preparation was needed.

*

Natura Dormitory.

Since the Natura Magic Tower deals with magic related to life, Natura’s dormitory was located in the forest, even though it only had Natura’s name on it.

Compared to Terra, which is an underground dormitory, Agni, which is summer all year round, Glesia, which is winter all year round, Arche, which is on the border between light and darkness, and Astron Dormitory, which was floating in the air only 5 years ago, it was like being in a forest. It was a very ordinary dormitory.

In order to facilitate the study of Natura’s magic, the magic tower owner of Natura personally came in the past and infused the energy of life into the place, so there were overflowing students studying magic in the dormitory.

And the top floor of one such Natura dormitory.

Roderick Byron was rummaging through something in his room.

“… … … … .”

Because of the Monopoly game installed in the hall, all the other students flocked to the first floor, and there was no one on the top floor except Roderick.

Originally, the room on the top floor was for the chief to use alone, but this year was different. Roderick and student council president Andrew were both co-valedictorians.

Since we received perfect scores in all subjects and the best scores in practical tests, we had no choice but to follow tradition and stay in the same room as roommates.

Still, there was no particular problem. The room was originally spacious, but the professors made it even larger, and each person’s space was clearly divided.

At the beginning of the semester, Andrew tried to talk to Roderick for a week, but after failing miserably, they stopped talking and started ignoring each other.

The moment when I was trying to take out the item that had been magically hidden in the most secret place in the divided room.

“Is this your room?”

“… … … !!”

Roderick was aroused by the voice coming from behind him.

It was a familiar, well-known voice, but I looked back with caution, magic floating in one hand.

He could see Kyle smiling and waving at him.

“Ah… … Kyle. What’s going on?”

“It’s polite again, bro.”

“Of course. Now it’s just the two of us. I apologize again for speaking informally in the club a little while ago.”

“Anyway, why did you come to my room? As my brother said, while I was making Monopoly with the students, at some point I noticed that my brother was not there. I came to my brother’s room just in case.”

“Sorry. Because I had some things to take with me for a while. If Monopoly is completed, I will go and enjoy it───”

Moment.

Roderick, who had been bowing his head in a polite manner, paused.

He raised his head and looked around the room, looking back and forth between Kyle and outside the door.

“… … I got caught. You’re smarter than I thought.”

“… … … I admit it right away.”

“Because it would be meaningless to postpone it any longer. Being seen through… … As long as we’re under siege.”

A genius with a talent for magic and aura was besieged by his incompetent younger brother.

But it was definitely not wrong.

There was a small puddle of water at Kyle Byron’s feet, and a soundproof barrier placed by a high-ranking wizard outside the door covered the room.

At some point, Roderick felt a killing energy coming from the back of his throat, and he quietly faced Kyle.

“How did you know? Was my acting awkward?”

“Brother, no matter how much you like board games, it is harsh to treat your younger brother with disrespect. They even worshiped me with strange words, saying my brother was insignificant and I was a genius.”

“I thought that would be a good way to catch you off guard… … … I guess it was too much.”

“Even if you’re not acting, you’re good at talking, bro.”

“I’m not particularly reticent. If you don’t speak, you won’t show your weakness to the other person, so you just keep your mouth shut.”

It was an extremely sharp conversation, but paradoxically, it was also the first conversation between the two brothers.

In the past, we weren’t interested in each other, and yesterday’s conversation was just an act.

The older brother did not let go of the magic, and the younger did not lift the siege.

“The acting was like that, and the story about the club was also a trick.”

“I was trying to divert your attention. I was planning to find out your true feelings in the meantime… … I never thought this would happen in less than a day.”

“I thought you really liked board games.”

“… … … … .”

The brothers talked for a while.

They opened their mouths in silence as they glared at each other.

“Is it because of the right of succession?”

“I understand well. Did Sally talk about it?”

“I’ve been thinking about it since my brother first came to visit. In that respect, I can say that your acting was excellent. If it was at a reasonable level… … It must have been hard to notice.”

“In the end, it was just my mistake. By the way, if you knew, the story would be faster.”

Wow.

Natura studies the magic of life, so she knows how to save life, but she also knows how to kill it better than anyone else.

Therefore, they were the ones who saved the most lives and killed the most lives.

As a magic tower that has grown in strength through war since ancient times, the magic of death that bloomed from Roderick’s hands targeted Kyle.

“Say it, Kyle. Are you trying to become the head of the family?”

“… … That’s it in the end.”

“The three sons who had been quiet for the past 20 years have moved on. He won the favor of the head of the family, became famous, got rid of the second son, and took over the right of succession. Is there any reason for me not to be wary of you?”

“I am not interested in the position of head of the family. All I care about is board games.”

“Yes, I know that. That’s why I acted because I liked the board game you made. However.”

Roderick is still aiming the magic of death.

He extended his other hand to Kyle.

“I have no intention of harming you, so if I were to ask you to hold my hand, would you take it?”

“… … … The magic aimed at me is still the same.”

“Your maid, that water spirit, and the high-ranking wizard of the Arche Tower are like this magic of death to me. A dagger that can target me at any time and kill me so that you can become the head of the family.”

The next comment is, “Wasn’t your coming to the academy part of that?”

That was Roderick’s exact thought toward Kyle.

Although Kyle was just acting to spread the board game, it still poses a threat to Roderick.

As Kyle becomes more famous as a board game creator, the name Kyle ‘Byron’ also becomes more famous. In the end, Kyle Byron was not only a board game producer, but also an aristocrat of Viscount Byron.

What if, 10 years in the future, when you talk about Viscount Byron, you only think of Kyle Byron and not Roderick Byron?

Is there any reason why he cannot become the head of the family?

“Brother, but you know, right? But that doesn’t mean I can give up my right to succession.”

“… … … Yes, that’s right.”

But that doesn’t mean Kyle Byron can give up his right to succession. Roderick wouldn’t be so wary of Kyle if he gave up his right to succession, but that was impossible at the family level.

No matter how much Roderick was considered to be the next head of the family, the reason Frederick had the right of succession was for the unforeseen. What if something happens to Roderick and he can’t continue the family?

The second son, Kyle, is a spare that exists for that reason. It’s like a safety device, so you can’t give it up just because you want to. If that were to happen and Roderick died, Viscount Byron would be in great turmoil.

Now that Frederick had been removed from the family register and entered the silver mine, it became impossible for Kyle to give up his right to succession.

“So I have no choice but to continue to be on guard against you.”

“… … Continue like this?”

“Continued even after I became the head of the family.”

“I’m really not interested in the position of head of the family.”

“I know you like board games. But you could actually aim for the position of head of the family for him. That’s what suspicion and caution are like.”

“… … … … … .”

“Because we don’t know each other and didn’t try to know.”

Even if you become the head of the family, you cannot be at ease. This is the amount of fame and connections that Kyle has built up now, but I couldn’t even predict how far it would go in the future.

In the end, there would be no way for two brothers to trust and treat each other. Roderick was sure of that.

And Kyle.

I quietly whispered to Roderick.

“I’ll just ask you one question, bro.”

“If you don’t mind if I can’t hear the answer.”

“Monopoly, which my brother represented.”

“… … … … .”

“Was that an act too? Was it all just to deceive me?”

A question that may perhaps be considered a bit strange.

But as Roderick began to understand little by little what kind of person Kyle was, he could see how important that question was.

Monopoly. A board game that he studied to the point where he became the representative of Natura and even won.

All the time and passion Roderick put into Monopoly.

“… … I don’t know if you will believe this.”

“Brother?”

“You said what I said was just an act and a lie. but… … … I meant it when I said you were a genius. So we could have made a board game like Monopoly.”

“… … … … .”

“Apart from being wary of you, Monopoly was a very enjoyable board game. I didn’t like Kyle Galli.”

Are those words just an act to make Kyle wary and deceive him? Or is this the only truth Roderick said?

In the end, the only person who knows that is Roderick himself.

“… … Brother, I don’t want to live my whole life being watched over by you. Unlike Frederick, I don’t have any resentment towards my brother.”

“Since you have received the right to succession anyway, it has nothing to do with your will.”

“Like you said, isn’t it because we didn’t know each other until now and didn’t try to find out?”

“… … … What?”

“Then all you have to do is start trusting each other from now on. Because we are family.”

Kyle nodded, saying that with determination in his eyes, and took something out of his arms.

At that action, Roderick became extremely wary of Kyle. Does he know that the exact opposite was done yesterday?

But just like yesterday, Roderick took out a land document and a pen.

What Kyle took out was also a pack of cards.

“… … No way.”

“Let’s play a game together, bro.”

“Are you serious?”

“If my brother is going to keep being wary of me anyway, shouldn’t I do something?”

And, board games.

It’s the best way to get to know someone.

“We were brothers, but we didn’t know each other, bro. I crossed the impassable river with Frederick… … … Not yet with my brother.”

“… … … … … .”

“How about it, bro.”

“Want to play a round?”

“… … … … .”

In Kyle’s words.

Roderick.

“Do you think you can enjoy a board game while pointing swords at each other?”

“… … … … … … .”

“It’s not a game, it’s just another form of boundary. So.”

Wow.

Roderick, who had made the magic circle of death even larger, glared at Kyle.

With a clear intention of refusal.

“If you really want to reduce my suspicions, please leave the room. The spirit under your feet, the maid aiming for my head, the wizard outside the door… … Because everything is so unsettling.”

“… … … Okay, bro. See you tomorrow.”

“I refuse.”

An order was given to Kyle to congratulate him.

Kyle nodded quietly and left the room with the maid, water spirit, and high-ranking mage.

But Roderick never got rid of the magic of death.

Even when Kyle left the room and left the dormitory.

Beware of possible ambushes or surprise attacks.

“Board game… … … Ha.”

like that.

He laughed at his younger brother, not knowing if he was innocent or stupid.

However, I didn’t think I was stupid.

The only thing Roderick said.

To think that Kyle is also a genius… … … Because I meant it.

“… … … Anyway.”

Since the smoke has been discovered, we won’t be able to meet each other starting tomorrow.

*

“Brother, let’s just play one game. You really only need one round. Wasn’t it fun when you played spirit poker before?”

“… … … … … .”

“Or should I play Monopoly, which my brother likes? I’ll ask Adella to make it!”

It took less than half a day for Roderick to break out of his thoughts.

The very next morning, as soon as Roderick left Natura’s dormitory to attend lecture.

… … Because I ran into Kyle, who brought all kinds of board games.