The light from the dome ceiling gradually dims. In the distance, the cheers of the dwarves can be heard.
Weapons are thrust into the glass tower, daggers are reloaded, and they enjoy weapon tumbling.
Was sending War’s Hammer a wise choice?
After a round of weapon tumbling with Charlie, a dwarf I’d met before, all the dwarves in the village gathered, noisily playing a board game.
I sit at the edge of the cliff, watching the scene unfold.
“It was worth all the hard work, Diogenes.”
“To be precise, I suffered alone, so I should feel ashamed.”
“Though I handled the finishing touches myself, didn’t many others help? I’m nothing but grateful.”
“…………….”
Weapon Tumbling. Originally, it was a variation of a game called Tumbling Monkeys.
Originally, it was small-sized, with sticks instead of weapons. Of course, what fell wasn’t daggers but monkey-shaped pieces.
The tail was shaped like a hook, making it easy to get caught, and the limbs tangled, creating a thrilling game of whether it would fall or not.
It was almost luck that I thought of it.
“Frankly, I almost couldn’t create anything after making such a big fuss.”
For a moment, I forgot that War’s Hammer could only make weapons, and I panicked. But after calming down, I realized I could reverse the idea.
If I couldn’t make a board game because I could only make weapons.
Then why not make a board game out of weapons?
With that thought, I remembered Tumbling Monkeys and spent the entire night working on finishing the weapons.
Since it was real weapons and not sticks, of course, no one should get hurt. So, I dulled the blades of the daggers and weapons.
I added hooks to the ends of the daggers or curved the blades so they could catch on each other.
Instead of unifying the weapons to spears similar to sticks, I increased the variety to add strategy.
And considering the dwarves’ physical abilities and racial instincts, I adjusted the number and placement of weapons and daggers.
“Somehow, I managed to make it in time.”
It was possible because Sally took care of me with sincerity, and Diogenes occasionally ‘cleaned’ my fatigue.
……Though the price was a bit painful.
“If you want, I can clean the wounds on your fingers too.”
“It’s fine. The wounds from making the board game are like badges of honor.”
“Hmm……….”
“It’s not unsightly, and it’ll heal soon anyway.”
Not a single finger is unscathed.
Of course, it was natural. The weapons made by War’s Hammer were all top-notch, and dulling their blades or adding something to them was truly a grueling task.
When War’s Hammer heated the finished weapons, I struck them with a hammer. Blunting the edges, adding hooks.
It took dozens of hammer strikes just to dull the blades, and the heated blades were so hot they could burn with the slightest touch.
All while handling sharp weapons.
Even with protective gloves, my hands were covered in countless wounds.
Cuts, burns, and crushed injuries.
“Diogenes’ magic could clean all the wounds.”
I also wrapped myself in the bandage artifact made by War’s Hammer, and it wasn’t severe enough to leave scars.
So, I refused. Every time I see these wounds, I’ll remember the memories of making the board game.
Speaking of cleaning.
“Diogenes, I have a question.”
“What is it?”
“The oath Sally carved into her heart……”
“………….”
“Shisha said if it’s erased, she’ll lose her emotions as a side effect.”
“That’s right.”
“Then wouldn’t it work if you cleaned it? No offense, but wouldn’t that prevent side effects?”
“That’s correct. If I clean it, emotions…”
“There’s nothing to lose, right?”
“If that’s the case…”
“But the chances of dying are high.”
“Huh?”
*Plop.*
Diogenes, who had sat down right next to me, looked at me and spoke quietly.
“It’s not just a matter of cleaning up an oath. After all, what the maid did was a forbidden technique.”
“…Please explain in detail.”
“It’s a method that dates back to the era of war when the Empire was first born. To be more precise, it was an attempt to imitate something.”
“Imitation…?”
“Although humans and the Empire ultimately won the war, humans faced countless despair in the process. And one of those was the inherent physical differences.”
Inherent differences.
Nowadays, the continent is filled with only humans, but I heard there used to be all kinds of races.
“Unlike trolls, who are born with strong bodies, or dwarves, who have instinctive senses, or elves, who possess longevity and beauty, humans couldn’t wield magic like dragons.”
“…”
“Humans envied them and tried to imitate them. And the forbidden technique the maid used was… an attempt to become a dragon.”
“A dragon, you say?”
“Dragons are born with characters engraved in their hearts. That’s called the Dragon Language, the source of the magic dragons use. Humans tried to replicate that…”
“…by engraving oaths in their hearts.”
“Of course, doing so didn’t make humans like dragons. But they did achieve some results.”
By engraving an oath in their heart and keeping it for life, they gained magical talent through the forbidden technique.
“Actually, it wasn’t a forbidden technique back then. It was even encouraged by the Empire because it could turn even the incompetent into magicians.”
“…”
“However, during the reign of a certain emperor, it was designated as a forbidden technique, and all records were destroyed. Though it seems the tradition has continued to this day.”
“Which emperor are you referring to?”
“Justinia.”
…I’ve heard of her.
A great emperor who brought a golden age to the Empire, revered as a hero.
And.
‘An outsider, just like me.’
According to the Archmage of the Imperial Palace, someone from another world, just like me.
I don’t know if she was from Earth too, but…
“I heard Justinia was an outsider like me.”
“…The Guardian of the Imperial Palace must have told you.”
“Yes. Did you know Justinia?”
“I did… She was the emperor I once served.”
“…What?”
“She was a great emperor, but she almost committed a great crime. I can’t say more than that. It was a promise.”
“…”
“Anyway, the oath the maid engraved is evidence of humans trying to become dragons. Its effects spread throughout the body, so simply erasing the oath from the heart isn’t the end. In fact, just cleaning the oath might cause some side effects.”
Suddenly, I remembered Sally’s strength, which could easily overpower me.
Adela, a high magician, wasn’t particularly strong, but Sally, even as a trainee, always easily beat me.
“…How can Lady Shisha remove something like that?”
“Because she also engraved an oath in her heart using the forbidden technique.”
“W-what!?”
“We’ll talk about the details later. It’s about time for me to leave… You two talk.”
With that, Diogenes disappeared using cleaning magic.
And then, the sound of footsteps and a familiar voice reached my ears.
“Young Master.”
“…Sally.”
“C-can I sit next to you?”
“O-of course.”
Sally sat down where Diogenes had been.
Sit down.
Dangling both legs over the edge of a cliff, sitting precariously at the very tip.
Looking down at the domed ceiling and the Dwarf Village below.
What should I say?
The atmosphere was… very different from usual.
It had been fine until now, but it felt awkward again.
“Um, there’s something I, uh, wanted to ask.”
“Uh, huh!? Ask me anything!”
“Uh, don’t you think it’s… a waste?”
“……Huh?”
“Th-those cheers from the dwarves… sh-should be for you, Young Master. Th-the Elderly Dwarf is getting all the cheers as if he made it.”
Ah, that’s what you mean.
As Sally said, the dwarves in the village were slowly approaching War’s Hammer, who they had once called the traitor of their race.
Especially the younger dwarves, who still had much to learn.
They were pointing at the Weapon Tumbling with their hands and chattering about something, so Sally seemed to think that the cheers should be for me, the Board Game Creator.
……It’s true that I’ve made all sorts of board games and received such cheers before.
But.
“Sally, remember the old days? We played a lot of Kill the King together.”
“Y-yeah… hehe.”
“How was it back then?”
“O-of course, it was fun! H-happy. W-warm memories.”
“Did you ever wonder who made Kill the King?”
“………”
“That’s only natural.”
The charm of board games lies in enjoying them for what they are.
Before I spread various board games, the only game that was widely played across the Empire was Kill the King.
No one knows when, where, or who made it.
But countless people enjoy Kill the King. Just like Sally and I did.
“Honestly, who cares who made it? Whether it’s Kill the King, Kyle Galli, Bang, Spirit Poker, or that Tumbling Weapon.”
“Y-young Master?”
“I know, it’s not something the creator should say. But it’s true. Board games are just meant to be enjoyed. There’s no need to know the creator, seek them out, or worship them.”
As long as the players can genuinely enjoy it.
As long as they can spend happy times with friends, lovers, and family, and laugh, saying it was truly a fun time.
What does it matter if I’m known as a genius board game creator or if I make money?
Who cares?
“Over time, that Tumbling Weapon might be thought of as something made by War’s Hammer, not some human, or even as a unique dwarf board game. But it doesn’t matter. Instead, the board game will live on through time, just like Kill the King.”
“………..”
“I brought up board games just to lighten the mood, right? I’m always grateful for your consideration, Sally.”
“………”
“We agreed to talk about it once things settled down in the Dwarf Village. About the oath you said you carved into your heart.”
I turned to look at Sally, not the Dwarf Village. I met her trembling eyes.
……For a moment, it felt like I was seeing Sally when we first met. Back then, her eyes were full of doubt, but now they were filled with trust.
We’ve spent so much time together, always by each other’s side.
I wanted to hear her true feelings.
“Tell me, Sally. What is the oath you carved?”
“……Young Master.”
The wind blows. Inside the dome, a wind that shouldn’t exist blows.
It meant the dwarves’ festival was nearing its end. According to War’s Hammer, there’s always something that marks the end of the festival.
Fireworks, shot into the sky and exploded.
The dwarves, who have lived underwater for hundreds of years, always longing for the ‘sun’ they never see.
The dwarves of the village are born and die without ever seeing the sun or setting foot on the continent. Their world ends at this underwater dome.
But their ancestors remembered the sun of the continent. So, at the end of the festival…
In the end, they set off a grand and dazzling firework, filled with the longing to see the sun again someday.
The ‘sun’ they imagined.
Boom! Kaboom!!
Before launching the ‘sun,’ small fireworks exploded. The artificial light source, the sun inside the dome, dimmed, but the dwarves’ yearning still shone brightly.
As the fireworks burst, the echoes, almost like bombs, filled the entire dome—courtesy of the dwarves’ craftsmanship. The wind was a storm caused by the explosions.
The day darkened, and the dwarves’ fireworks became the only light, illuminating Sally’s face.
She.
With her hands clasped together, she was looking only at me.
“You, you know what? I, I’ve always regretted the oath I made. At, at first, I thought I could keep it forever.”
“…………….”
“B, but I couldn’t. Y, Young Master. The more I was with you, the harder it became to keep the oath. But I held it in. I, I told myself it wasn’t that feeling. I lied, saying it was worship.”
“……Worship?”
“I, I even lied to that rude Spirit Master and Magician. T, this isn’t worship. It’s not something so complicated………it’s not.”
Boom!!
Every time the fireworks burst and faded, Sally’s face became visible, then hidden in the dark again.
But I could tell she was getting closer.
“I promised to tell you when everything was over, Young Master.”
“Sally, your way of speaking……?”
“It was the Gold Technique after all. It’s impossible for a human to become a dragon. But if stumbling over my words is the price to stay by your side with magical talent, it’s a bargain.”
“Wait. Then now……!!”
If Sally’s stuttering was because of the oath.
Why can she speak clearly now?
If she secretly had the oath removed by Shisha, she would have lost her emotions too. But Sally’s emotions were still vividly overflowing.
Then, Sally.
“There’s something I really wanted to tell you, Young Master. Something I wanted to say before I died. A truth hidden deep within me, even deceiving myself.”
“Wait, Sally!”
“My oath was………’not to love you, Young Master.'”
And.
“Just for now, I want to break that oath.”
Kaboom!!!!
Finally, the dwarves’ ‘sun,’ signaling the end of the festival, lit up the entire dark dome in an instant.
“I love you, Kyle.”
Sally’s lips.
Pressed against mine.
*
Even now, thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.
Running for my life or clutching a dagger, every day was like hell. A life in the back alleys where hope was nowhere to be seen.
Cutting my hair short to hide being a woman, scavenging for rotten or moldy food, sleeping on the cold ground.
Showing your back to someone often led to betrayal, and I had to stay alert every moment.
……But even so.
“Hey, wanna play a board game?”
“Get lost, idiot.”
That first meeting.
I regret not being a little kinder…….
There’s a part of me that regrets it.
