“What happened to the mining rights?”
“Secured safely. Since it’s a northern mine, the Second Prince’s side was quite reactive, but with the recent surge in monster attacks, we had no choice but to sell it at a higher price.”
“Good job. By the way, the monster attacks have intensified?”
“They say it’s the largest swarm in the last 30 years. Fortunately, Master Agni was there to counter and exterminate them, but I heard a second wave is coming soon.”
“…Brother, no, the Second Prince will have to pay attention. The north and the military are his support base, so it’s not something he can easily let go.”
“Your Highness, the Third Prince, the First Prince requests an audience. It’s about matters related to the north…”
“Tell him to wait a moment. We’re in an important meeting.”
“Yes!”
The Third Prince, Lugrick Severus, sighed quietly as he watched the attendant leave.
Just a few months ago, he couldn’t have imagined this. He was the Third Prince, but without any real power. Mining rights, the situation in the north—it was all just a distant dream.
But now it’s different. Now, Lugrick has expanded his influence enough to compete with the Second Prince over mining rights and have the First Prince come to him for discussions.
A few months is a long time, but it’s barely enough to build such power. The fact that the Third Prince, with his hastily assembled forces, can compete with the two Princes who have built their foundations over 20 years is all thanks to the support of a powerful entity.
The High Magician of the Imperial Palace. A being half made of bricks.
He wasn’t just a mysterious figure but someone who influenced many in the royal family. Or, more accurately, his influence on just one person was enough.
The current Emperor, the Third Prince’s father.
‘He blatantly pushed me forward.’
That day, when he decided to reveal all his true feelings before the High Magician and join the succession race.
Since then, the Emperor has sent various political rhetoric and material support to the Third Prince.
Although the support didn’t continue indefinitely, it was enough to get him to the starting line.
Perhaps sensing something, the First and Second Princes looked at him with displeasure but didn’t directly interfere.
But even with that foundation, it was the Third Prince’s own strength that brought his influence this far in just a few months.
Now, he leads several guilds in the capital, and moderate nobles support him. Though still the weakest, he has grown into a force that can’t be ignored.
The competition to inherit the throne, a dream he’s had since childhood.
…But why?
The Third Prince suddenly realized.
In the past few months, he hasn’t smiled once.
‘It’s what I’ve always wanted, isn’t it?’
Didn’t he step forward before the High Magician for this? Didn’t he hide his true feelings for over 20 years?
There’s still a long way to go before becoming Emperor, but just participating in this competition was the dream he longed for.
So why?
“…………”
“Your Highness? Why the sudden change in expression…”
“…It’s nothing.”
Trying to force a smile only made his expression awkward. He used to smile naturally, but why is it so hard now?
The Third Prince quietly recalled the last time he smiled wholeheartedly.
‘…Abracadabra.’
Yes, that was it.
When he was invited to the Arkhé Magic Tower to watch the illusion board game.
His modest magical abilities blossomed magnificently with the help of the illusion. Even though it was just an illusion, it was a dreamlike memory.
And there.
He met you.
“…Anything else besides the north?”
“Yes! Recently, the Glesia Magic Tower has significantly slowed the rate at which it freezes the sea. It seems Shisha Glesia has left the tower.”
“…………”
“In the south, Baron Boyar and Baron Rechakor clashed over territorial boundary issues. It’s a common territorial dispute, but since Baron Boyar supports the First Prince and Baron Rechakor supports the Second Prince, it could escalate into a major problem.”
“…………”
“Other than that, the Gias Territory in the west is hosting a new board game tournament, the Dwarf Village is about to hold its once-in-a-decade festival, and the Emperor’s birthday is approaching—”
“………!”
Don’t show it. Don’t react. Just listen indifferently, as if it’s trivial information.
But the Third Prince was trembling slightly.
‘A board game tournament.’
So, you’re doing well, Kyle Byron.
We only met for a short time, but you were the most transparent person. A genius on a different level from the Third Prince. And a board game friend with whom he could share his heart.
Hearing the news was enough. If the Third Prince spoke favorably of Kyle Byron, he didn’t know how the First and Second Princes would react.
He had to prepare for every possibility. That was… the only help he could give you.
‘Thanks to you, I could stand here.’
So.
To meet you proudly, I will become the Emperor.
That’s the only way I can repay even a fraction of the lifelong debt I owe you.
‘…No,’
If I become the emperor, it’ll be hard to suggest playing board games.
Even Kyle Byron would probably act differently in front of the emperor.
While the Third Prince was lost in such trivial thoughts, he suddenly widened his eyes and shouted.
“Don’t touch it!”
“Huh?!”
“Head Maid!”
“…Your Highness.”
“How was the education handled? I thought I instructed you to prioritize it.”
“It’s my fault. I apologize.”
“…Enough. Both of you, leave.”
“Yes, yes!”
At the sudden harsh command, the maid, who had been bowing repeatedly, left the room with the head maid.
Though it might seem like a sudden outburst, the aide who had been reporting to the Third Prince simply nodded as if it were nothing unusual.
“I always think this, but whatever is inside there… must be something very precious.”
“We agreed to continue it someday. Until then, no one can touch it.”
“Continue…? What exactly is inside?”
“None of your business.”
In the corner of the room, a large box was carefully placed.
Not only physical means but also various magical methods were used to lock the box, and what was inside remained a mystery among the aides.
Even the Third Prince himself avoided touching it as much as possible, using magic to clean off the dust and ensuring no one else could lay a hand on it.
Rumors swirled about what was inside.
…But no one could have guessed.
Inside that box.
Was an unfinished board game.
‘Catan, and… Kyle Byron.’
On the day we meet again.
Let’s finish the board game we left unfinished.
*
“By the way, where has Sir Roland gone?”
“Huh? Are you asking me?”
“Isn’t Lady Stella the only one here?”
Inside the board game workshop at Arkhé Magic Tower.
After sending Diogenes back, I asked Stella, who was sitting next to me reading a book while I worked on the board game.
Just a sudden question that popped into my head.
“Don’t you think it’s been quite a while? It’s been over a month.”
“He’s been traveling around the continent. It’s understandable not to know.”
“That’s not what I meant… Never mind. Anyway, that old knight?”
It feels a bit odd hearing Stella call him an old man.
Still dressed in her fluttering clothes, she made a face as if wondering how to explain it, then spoke.
“First of all, you know that knight went bankrupt, right?”
“…Huh?”
“During the Bang winner’s card auction, he bid 1 billion gold, right? 1 billion isn’t just some random amount, even for us at Astron, the wealthiest magic tower. For an individual to come up with that? He’s just crazy.”
“But… I heard he actually paid it.”
“That’s all debt. Originally, aura users are generally poor. Well, relatively speaking. Anyway, even if he’s a Grandmaster, there’s no way he had 1 billion gold on hand.”
“…So?”
“Later, I heard he borrowed money from other Grandmasters. Of course, he couldn’t repay it in cash, so he went bankrupt. Instead, he’s working it off as a mercenary. He took on a disciple named… Andrei, was it?”
Andrei was the player I had boosted the confidence of back then.
He seemed like a loser like me, but was he actually an aura user? And to the extent of becoming a Grandmaster’s disciple?
Anyway, that wasn’t the important part.
“Then why on earth was Sir Roland so obsessed with just a card?”
“It’s a bit awkward since I’m the one who made the card… but frankly, I think it was a worthwhile investment.”
“Huh?”
“Well, if Bang and its tournaments become popular, it’ll pay off big time. Just wait and see.”
“…Okay.”
So, he’s managing somehow, right? He’s a Grandmaster, after all, so he’ll probably do fine.
Still, it feels a bit strange that a Grandmaster is working off debt because of a single Bang character card.
But maybe we’ll meet again someday.
With that thought, I finished the work I was doing.
“Alright… it’s done.”
“I’ve been curious, what is that?”
“Oh, it’s probably nothing special to you, Lady Stella. Strictly speaking, it’s a failed project.”
“A failed project?”
“It’s an escape room board game.”
It was the game I first thought of during Diogenes’ request, but it turned out to be impossible due to the Archmage’s interference.
Since Stella is also an Archmage, she’d probably solve it as quickly as Olfin or Diogenes.
But Stella, having heard the explanation, seemed quite curious and examined the game board with interest.
“Well, it might be a good way to kill time. I also want to solve it faster than that Olfin guy.”
“Then I’ll time you.”
“Please do.”
As Stella took my place and started the escape room board game.
Someone placed a hand on my shoulder as I was timing her.
“…Master Olfin?”
“Shh. Stella seems to be concentrating too, so let’s talk quietly. I came because I have something to ask.”
In an instant, Olfin appeared in the room and created an illusionary wall between Stella and me. It was an illusion even an Archmage couldn’t see through, so Stella probably wouldn’t notice either.
But what’s this about all of a sudden?
“I’ve been thinking about it, and I’m too curious not to ask.”
“What is it, sir?”
“Those circles in the game you gave Diogenes. What on earth do they mean?”
“…Ah, you mean those.”
Huh… He’s been pondering over that? Frankly, since he saw all the circles, I thought he’d have figured it out by now. Unexpected.
Even an Archmage, even with multi-casting, doesn’t seem to solve every problem easily.
I should remember this.
“Frankly, it’s nothing special. I just fixed the order to eliminate the probability factor and played a little prank in the process.”
“A prank… you say?”
“Well, um…”
“Let’s call it the title of the game.”
*
“This is the last one.”
Diogenes muttered as the final location appeared in the crystal orb.
How much time had passed? I wasn’t sure. Ever since I was sent back to play this Diogenes game to the end, I’ve been playing it non-stop.
I know how many days and nights have passed. But I couldn’t tell how much time that actually was. Nor did I need to.
What mattered was one thing.
After visiting dozens of places, this game was finally coming to an end.
‘It was tough.’
In the beginning, there were plenty of hints in the illusions, making it easy to find the locations. But by the middle, places even Diogenes had never seen started appearing.
Even after wandering the continent for decades, he hadn’t explored every nook and cranny. So, it was inevitable that there were places he didn’t know.
There were several ways to solve it. Sometimes he sat in one place and pondered, other times he asked someone, and sometimes he went to the capital’s library.
After all, he could just clean up people’s memories and his own tracks, so there was no hesitation. He solved them one by one.
Volcanoes, fields, seas, beaches, deserted islands, underground, forests, cities.
He traveled to all sorts of places and took in all kinds of scenery.
And so, Diogenes…
“…It was fun.”
He genuinely enjoyed this game.
So much so that he felt reluctant to clean his memory to play it again.
But if he didn’t clean it, he couldn’t play anymore. He remembered all the locations, so he wouldn’t feel that initial thrill or excitement.
Anyway, that’s after he finishes it completely.
Diogenes moved his steps toward the final location, the most difficult illusion of the night sky.
An illusion containing nothing but the pure night sky, free from any artificial elements.
Even though Diogenes knew about constellations and the movement of the moon, it was still hard to find. The stars in the illusionary night sky were tangled.
So, after much pondering, searching, and researching, he finally found it.
“The Astron Magic Tower…”
The place Diogenes stood was the top of the Astron Magic Tower, floating in the sky.
The night sky of the Astron Magic Tower, which deals with prophecies and stars, is different from the continent’s night sky. They have their own constellations, and the stars and moon move differently.
That’s why Diogenes had to struggle for a while. He had never been to the Astron Magic Tower before. If he hadn’t gotten a hint from a passerby, he’d still be searching.
“………”
Though the problem was somewhat unreasonable, now that he had arrived, Diogenes could vaguely understand why this was the final challenge.
The night sky of Astron is different from the continent’s. And that’s why it’s beautiful.
The night sky, adjusted by the tower’s magicians to be as close to the stars as possible, is a sky where constellations, stars, the Milky Way, and meteor showers that shouldn’t coexist in the same period all come together.
Diogenes was momentarily captivated by the dreamlike sight, as if everything in the night sky had been gathered.
But soon, he took a step forward.
[Diogenes]
Diogenes’ signature, indicating the correct answer, glowed in the air.
“It’s over.”
This is the end. No new illusions will appear. After all, when the night sky illusion appeared, it came with the phrase “the last one.”
It was fun, interesting. Perhaps the longest-lasting method to stave off boredom among all the things he had collected.
Confirming the end of the game, Diogenes quietly raised his hand.
To clean his own memory and return to the beginning.
All the places he had visited, the time spent pondering to find them, the beautiful scenery—all of it.
To clean…
“………”
…should be done.
Why isn’t he cleaning it? He’s always done it before. He’s forgotten so many other things.
Diogenes, who had momentarily closed his eyes and delayed the cleaning magic, suddenly opened them.
Come to think of it, there’s still something left.
‘There’s meaning in the order.’
Yes, that’s what needs to be found for it to truly end. It’s not over yet.
So just a little, just a little longer, let me enjoy this night sky.
Let’s enjoy it.
Let’s take just a little more of the memories we’ve made so far.
With that thought, Diogenes infused the crystal orb with magic, and the places he had found so far were marked on the illusionary map of the continent.
“But.”
What on earth is the meaning behind these locations and their order?
To be honest, this wasn’t a question that just popped up now. It had crossed his mind several times during the game.
What could Kyle Byron have possibly hidden?
Diogenes, while keeping the illusion active, paced precariously around the top of the Magic Tower, deep in thought.
“………Ah.”
At some point, he had no choice but to freeze.
It wasn’t an answer he had figured out himself. It was an answer that had revealed itself by chance.
Because the illusion was semi-transparent, even when the map was displayed, what was behind it could still be seen. That’s what made it possible.
And perhaps what Kyle Byron had intended.
Diogenes quietly placed his hand on the illusion and moved his fingers.
Overlapping with the map’s illusion.
Following his signature, which had been giving away the answer all along.
[Diogenes]
The answer was ridiculously simple.
From the seaside village he first visited, to here, the Astron Magic Tower.
If you connected all the places in order, letters would form.
Not crooked, not awkward.
The signature of the name ‘Diogenes.’
The same signature he had written when he first sent a letter to Kyle Byron.
“………Ha, haha.”
Come to think of it, this game was made solely for Diogenes, and the game’s name itself is the Diogenes Game, isn’t it? The hints had been there all along.
He felt a sense of emptiness. Not because the secret was too trivial, but because he had solved it too quickly.
He thought he could use this as an excuse to delay cleaning a bit longer.
The moment he thought that.
[If you’re reading this, you must have noticed the little prank I hid in this game.]
“………?”
Letters appeared in the air.
An illusion that started from the crystal orb. A pre-recorded illusion.
[Did you enjoy the game? To be honest, it’s a bit embarrassing to say, but this game has several issues.]
“……What are they?”
[You might find it fun to play now, but as time goes on, there will be a disconnect between the illusion and the real landscape. Villages might disappear, roads might be blocked, or something new might appear. In other words, the Diogenes Game is incomplete.]
“Outsider, that’s so like you. You made such a game, yet you’re still so modest.”
[And that’s why, this time, I’d like to make a request of you, Diogenes.]
“What?”
[Whenever the game becomes unplayable, come find me. It doesn’t matter when. It could be now, or 10 years later, or even when I’m an old man. Ah, though it’s impossible after I’m dead.]
“…………….”
[When you come, I’ll remake it for you anew, so please remember and come find me!]
[Board Game Creator, Kyle Byron.]
[P.S. There’s a second playthrough for this game! The locations will be a bit more challenging, so keep playing!]
“Ha, haha……….”
He’s asking me to remember and come find him, but if I clean my memories, I won’t even remember this.
Human memories are delicate, so even Diogenes couldn’t clean them while leaving something specific behind. He’d probably have to erase the entire memory of the Diogenes Game.
How much would he forget?
Even if he plays it again someday, what if it’s already too late? What if Kyle Byron is already dead………
“…………I see.”
Diogenes, who had been silent, raised his head. He quietly withdrew his hand.
He won’t clean the memories. Not for any particular reason. It’s just that there’s still a second playthrough left.
At least, he can worry about it after finishing that.
So, before starting the second playthrough.
“……Beautiful.”
Diogenes absentmindedly muttered in admiration.
Memories he doesn’t want to forget, doesn’t want to lose.
The memories and joy from this time, the hours spent playing this board game.
And the beautiful night sky Kyle Byron must have wanted to show Diogenes.
……After a long time, the Beggar Archmage, tired of loneliness and boredom.
For the first time, without cleaning anything.
Quietly savored life.
