At the academy, Roderick Byron was alone.
Well, it was kind of obvious. He wasn’t just quiet—he was completely silent. He never approached anyone, and even if someone talked to him, he’d mostly ignore them.
But thanks to his tall, handsome looks and genius-level magic skills, he wasn’t seen as an outcast. Instead, people treated him like some lofty, untouchable scholar.
He was the top student in Natura, the overall top student, and one of the only two people in Natura—alongside the student council president—who could use Death Magic.
Professors gave him special treatment, and students either revered him like a god or kept their distance, gazing at him from afar.
And now.
“Bro, board game.”
“………Go away.”
“Bro, board game.”
“……I said go away.”
“Bro, board game.”
“……………….”
His head was pounding from the stress.
After his act was exposed by Kyle yesterday, Roderick had to set up a magical barrier just to feel safe enough to sleep, even if a High Magician from Arkhé attacked.
Even then, he couldn’t sleep deeply, worried that a maid might try to assassinate him.
And because of the Water Spirit, he skipped his usual morning wash and used a cleaning spell instead. He hated cleaning spells—they were convenient, but they didn’t feel like actually washing.
Despite all his precautions, he left the dorm only to be ambushed by his little brother, who was clinging to him with a pile of board games in his arms.
No maids, no High Magicians, no Water Spirits—just this.
‘I’m going insane.’
With so many eyes watching, he couldn’t outright reject or attack Kyle. And dragging him to a secluded spot was risky, since Kyle’s guards were probably lurking somewhere.
So, ignoring him was the best option. But things changed when Kyle followed him not just to the classroom but also during breaks, relentlessly pushing board games on him.
“Wait, are you really both Byrons? No way. The older brother is the academy’s top student, and the younger one is the creator of Monopoly? This family’s insane.”
“I saw Kyle Byron at the club yesterday too. He’s so cheerful, and he came with Roderick. They must be close, right?”
“But Roderick doesn’t even look at him. Isn’t he just ignoring him?”
“Well, at least he’s close enough to his brother to get that near.”
“Still, ignoring him like that is kind of…”
It was because of all the eyes watching.
Roderick didn’t care much about his reputation at the academy when it came to rejecting people, but if it turned into infamy, it’d be a headache. Especially if it involved Kyle, who was arguably the most famous person at the academy right now.
The professors who usually favored him might get upset, and Professor Lukesil, who invited Kyle in the first place, already didn’t like Roderick after the last incident.
If Kyle approached him with a board game and a smile, and Roderick coldly rejected him, what would that do to his image?
Meanwhile, Kyle would just look like the caring little brother looking out for his older sibling.
‘……Kyle.’
He should’ve nailed the act from the start. But was using polite language really that big of a deal?
Honestly, Roderick had so few relationships and had never been close to anyone, so he didn’t even know what went wrong with his act.
He was a genius in Aura and Magic, but he didn’t have a single friend—or even an acquaintance.
Anyway, what’s done is done. He sighed.
Roderick, who had been swept along, pondered deeply.
‘What should I do?’
In the end, if he agreed to the board game, it would seem like he was playing into Kyle’s hands. But if he refused, Roderick’s image would take a hit while Kyle’s would rise.
If you think about it, it was a masterstroke by Kyle. Could this all be part of Kyle’s scheme to claim the position of family head?
For a moment, Roderick wondered if all the talk about yesterday’s board game was a lie and if Kyle’s true intention was to become the family head.
“If you’re tired of what we’ve played so far, how about a completely new board game? There are more board games from the royal family. Or, if you prefer strategic games like Monopoly, where you actively attack, that might not be your thing. Then there’s Bang… or should we call it something else? Anyway, there are plenty of other board games. If that’s not it, how about trying a completely different genre? Kyle Galli was physical, Spirit Poker was psychological warfare, Monopoly was strategy, so maybe something like deduction or puzzle board games───”
“………….”
…Yeah, that probably wasn’t it.
In truth, Roderick couldn’t possibly not know Kyle’s true intentions. Ever since Kyle created that dice game called Yacht, Roderick had vaguely realized that his younger brother had a talent for board games.
It just bloomed late. Whether it was Kyle Galli or Abracadabra, if Kyle really wanted to become the family head using board games as a means, he could have used them more efficiently.
But he didn’t. Kyle genuinely had no interest in the position of family head.
‘For now, at least.’
But how long would that sentiment last?
A year from now, it might be fine. Three years from now, it should still be okay. But what about five years? Ten, twenty years?
People can’t stay the same forever. It was a lesson Roderick learned from watching his mother.
How his once noble mother changed after giving birth to Frederick and Kyle, and how she met her end.
Roderick feared Kyle’s change of heart.
A younger brother who could become the family head at any moment might develop an interest in the position at any time.
That’s why Roderick wished Kyle would reveal his ambitions now. Even though Kyle was growing frighteningly strong, he still lacked the power. Right now, Roderick could still win.
But as time passed, the story would change.
‘Kyle is a genius.’
As Roderick had already acknowledged, Kyle was a genius in a different field. It was only a matter of time before Kyle surpassed Roderick in influence and connections.
That’s why Roderick couldn’t stop his paranoia and vigilance.
Unless he could see right through Kyle’s heart, he wouldn’t be able to stop doubting.
And yet.
“Brother, let’s play a board game.”
“………….”
Kyle came all the way.
With the dream-like suggestion of getting closer through board games.
…How long had they walked?
Even after walking quite a bit, Roderick noticed that many people were following him and Kyle, so he had no choice but to speak up.
In truth, the way to counter Kyle’s strategy (?) was simple.
“Alright… let’s go.”
“Got it, brother!”
Just go along with it.
Play along with the board game and show Kyle that his dreams are just that—dreams.
Then his own image wouldn’t take a hit.
Sure, there was the issue of getting caught up in Kyle’s intentions, but Roderick scoffed.
It’s true that board games, like Monopoly, are fun.
But something like that wouldn’t make him and Kyle trust each other.
“Then, shall we casually go for about 10 hours?”
“……What.”
“Last time, when I tried it with Adela, High Magicians could easily focus for 10 hours. You can do it too, right? I know your lecture just ended anyway? Let’s just do that much today, and from tomorrow, we’ll go even harder!”
“……….”
Could the word ‘today’ ever sound this terrifying?
Roderick seriously wondered if Kyle was trying to kill him with board games……
*
Four days had passed since then.
“Bro, let’s go for 12 hours straight today……!!”
“……Kyle, how long are you planning to keep this up……?”
“Huh? Until you and I get closer?”
“……Just try assassinating me instead……….”
By the time Kyle, who was always seeking out his brother and obsessively playing board games, and Roderick, who was growing increasingly haggard, had become a common sight in the Academy.
Sally and Adela, meanwhile, followed them from a distance, just in case of any sudden attacks on Roderick or to guard Kyle.
It was the result of Kyle earnestly pleading to play board games with Roderick alone.
Sally and Adela nodded at his request, but.
There was one person who refused.
[…………….]
The Water Tiger—or more accurately, Princess Leisha, synced with a spirit.
She simply couldn’t comply with Kyle Byron’s request.
To be precise, she couldn’t bear to see Kyle and Roderick at all, whether it was about board games or guarding. Leisha stayed holed up in her room.
‘……Why? Why are they doing this?’
It’s because people want to believe in people.
For Leisha, who had stopped trusting people and only believed in spirits since childhood, it was an unbearable sight.
Every time she saw it, her past trauma resurfaced.
Those who reject, those who try to get closer.
Roderick, Kyle.
Leisha, and───
──Third&%cousin$?
[Ahhhh!!!]
In the room where she was left alone, Leisha went berserk. She thrashed her watery body, screaming sharply and flailing around.
Memories are like arrows. Once deeply embedded, they’re as hard to pull out as an arrowhead.
Good memories are like that, but.
Trauma is the same.
───%Third@#$cousin!*&don’t$#^do it!
[No……no……….]
Leisha desperately resisted the memories piercing her like a drill. It was also a struggle.
Kyle Byron is a ‘friend.’ Not some disgusting emotion like love, but a pure friendship. Leisha’s only friend.
What Kyle is trying to get closer to is just similar in appearance and memory. The intention is completely different. Only the actions are similar.
What Kyle is doing is just trying to get closer through board games, just like it was for Leisha. That’s all.
Even as she repeated and convinced herself of this.
The one friend Leisha, who couldn’t trust people, could trust and talk to without her trauma resurfacing.
Was disappearing.
[Ah……….]
Until now, it had been fine. No matter who Kyle met, he was friendly and easily became close through board games. If her trauma seemed to resurface, she could just unsync and nap in the turret with the spirits.
But Roderick was hostile to Kyle, and.
He doesn’t try to get close.
Kyle tried much harder than usual to get closer to Roderick.
Ironically, that “effort” was triggering Leisha’s trauma.
──I’m your uncle.
──Let’s get along.
──Because I love you!!!
[No, no…!!]
Leisha had a feeling. If she faced Kyle now, she would remember that trauma.
If that happens, it’s over. Leisha wouldn’t be able to be friends with Kyle anymore, or be connected by friendship.
Like with others, she would only keep thinking about the trauma.
She would probably lock herself in the turret again.
[I don’t want that…!!]
She finally had a chance to come out into the world. It was because of Kyle that she could step out of the turret.
She could talk about Kyle with the maid and the High Magician without recalling her trauma.
But now, even that might disappear.
[Kyle, Kyle…]
Just, don’t do it.
Don’t try to get close to that person, Roderick, your brother.
He’s rejecting you. He says he doesn’t want to get close.
So let’s give up.
I can protect you anyway. No matter how much he antagonizes you, I can protect you.
So…
[………….]
But Leisha also knew. Kyle Byron doesn’t give up.
Just like how he approached her when she was in the turret.
He might seem foolish, stupid even.
But he never gives up, seeing things through to the end.
That’s why Leisha could get close to Kyle, wasn’t it?
[Quickly…]
Rather, Leisha wished Kyle would quickly become friends with Roderick.
After all, it was Kyle’s effort to get close to Roderick that was triggering Leisha’s trauma.
If she saw them already close, the trauma wouldn’t come to mind. Leisha desperately believed that.
Even though it was a baseless belief.
Leisha clung only to that belief.
In the form of the Water Tiger, she huddled in the farthest corner, only recalling the board games with Kyle.
The princess who didn’t trust people.
She struggled to trust.
Even as she reminisced about the warm and joyful memories with Kyle.
…While trying to ignore the slowly resurfacing trauma.
She continued.
Quietly trembling.
And that sight.
“………..”
A maid in the darkness quietly watched.
