“First.”
“……..”
“I know exactly what my father is worried about.”
If I said I didn’t know, I’d be an idiot. It was a huge incident that shook the entire family.
It was fine up to the point where I carved dice myself and taught them the rules of Yacht. At first, most of the servants gave up because they couldn’t adapt to the complicated rules, but a few stayed and enjoyed the game.
If it had stopped there, there would have been no problem. But the real issue was that among those who properly understood the game was a knight from our family.
“Huh? Can’t we use this?”
…That was the thought that started it all when he began recommending it to his fellow knights.
If his goal had just been to spread a fun game, it wouldn’t have been called a major incident. But from the beginning, his intention was gambling.
In truth, gambling using dice or cards was secretly tolerated. The stakes weren’t too high, and it served as a good stress reliever for the knights who underwent physically demanding training.
But things changed when that knight managed to incorporate Yacht into the knights’ gambling.
“Yacht clearly shows the difference between experienced players and beginners.”
Well, what board game doesn’t? But the more strategic the board game, the more pronounced this tendency is. Especially Yacht, which had many tricky techniques.
Realizing this, the knight began sweeping up the knights’ money through Yacht, and the atmosphere gradually heated up.
Since one person kept winning, everyone got excited, the stakes got higher, and it became about money rather than fun… That’s how it went.
In the end, the Knight Commander raided the gambling scene, and the situation was temporarily resolved. But by then, some had already bet their family documents or ten years’ worth of salary, and to make matters worse, my second brother was also involved in that gambling ring. There was no way the Knight Commander could handle it quietly.
After hearing all the reports, my father’s decision was firm. The secretly tolerated gambling among the knights was banned, the knight who spread Yacht was dismissed, and the knights who participated in the gambling were given pay cuts.
And as for me, who could be considered the original culprit for introducing Yacht in the first place… I was simply put on probation.
Of course, “probation” was just a way of saying, “Don’t do something like this again.”
Because of that, except for one personal butler and one personal maid, I couldn’t even play board games with anyone else.
“Then, I guess I can’t pretend not to know.”
“And I learned a lesson from that incident.”
“Tell me.”
“The board game itself wasn’t the problem.”
“……..”
He seems to be urging me to continue.
If I back down here, it’s over. I have no choice but to say everything I wanted to say.
“At the time, there were seven servants, including that knight, who learned the dice game. Out of them, only one caused trouble.”
“The fact that trouble happened is the problem.”
“Of course, I know that. But the other six purely enjoyed the board game for fun. Only that knight thought of using the board game for gambling.”
“Go back to the beginning.”
“That’s when I thought: What if that knight had never gambled in the first place?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Wasn’t it an open secret that the knights relieved their stress through small gambling? Because he was a knight who enjoyed gambling, he didn’t see the board game as pure fun but only as a form of gambling.”
“Hmm…”
In other words, the logic is that the person was bad, not the board game.
Like how you only see what you want to see, the problem arose because it was someone who was already into gambling.
‘If gambling had started because of Yacht, there would be no excuse.’
But gambling was already happening, and Yacht just brought it to the surface.
“I just revealed it.”
“But what about now? Father has banned gambling, and the knights who used to gamble back then have all been replaced. Surely, no one would consider board games as a form of gambling now, right?”
“So, it should be fine, right?”
“Moreover, unlike the dice game last time, Kyle Galli is unsuitable for gambling. It relies more on wit and physical ability rather than brains and luck.”
It’s not like gambling only uses cards or dice. At its core, gambling inherently requires an element of luck.
Sure, there’s stuff like rigged gambling, but the important thing is to at least *appear* fair. And Kyle Galli fails miserably in that regard.
Since physical ability takes precedence over luck, there would be few, if any, who’d try to gamble with it.
I’ve said what I wanted to say. Now, all that’s left is to wait for Father’s judgment.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“Yes.”
“That’s overly optimistic.”
“………….”
“Just because there are no gamblers now, it’ll be fine? Don’t you think that’s too optimistic? Even if board games are allowed while gambling is forcibly banned, do you really think no one would try to exploit them for gambling?”
“……That’s.”
“If you leave even a small possibility, wouldn’t it be better to just ban board games altogether? Don’t you think?”
……He’s not wrong. Allowing Kyle Galli wouldn’t really help Father, and banning board games outright would cut off any chance of gambling making a comeback.
But, it’s been years since I last enjoyed a new board game.
Chess-like games are fine. Card games are enjoyable too. But in my opinion, the charm of board games lies in their *diversity of genres*.
Physical, strategy, deduction, luck, psychology, management, reasoning.
There are board games of all kinds, and only by experiencing them can you truly say you’ve played board games.
And for that very reason.
“If that’s the case, I’ll stake everything I have.”
“…………Hmm.”
“I know. As the third son, my position doesn’t allow me to wager much. But even so, I’ll stake my all. Everything I’ve done, everything I can do in the future—all of it.”
“In exchange for allowing Kyle Galli?”
“No, I want you to allow board games in general. If even one of the board games I create harms the family like that dice game did, I’ll give up everything.”
“……….”
I meant it. If I can’t play board games, it’s better to just sell myself to the family.
Life was unbearably boring until I turned 20, and now I’m supposed to live for decades without board games?
If that happened, I’d probably just drown in alcohol, women, or gambling. This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime gamble.
“……Why go to such lengths?”
“Huh?”
“It’s just a board game. Just a pastime, a way to kill time. Staking your life on something like that—isn’t that the thinking of a madman?”
“………….”
Just a board game. Frankly, he’s right. It’s just a game, after all.
……And yet, the reason I can stake my life on board games is—
“Father, have you ever played a board game?”
“…………….”
“As you said, board games are a form of entertainment. But the joy they bring is on a different level. Competing with others, talking with them, and fiercely battling until you achieve victory—that joy is……special.”
“………Hmm.”
The thrill of exchanging intense strategies—
The frustration of losing by just one point at the end.
The desperation when rolling the dice to get resources and tokens.
The thrill when your planned strategy actually works.
The excitement when you sometimes leave everything to luck.
And the euphoria when you win.
In my opinion, board games are one of the best ways to interact with others. No matter how awkward the relationship, playing a few board games can make you closer. I’ve experienced it myself.
How did I even become friends with Sally, who used to be so shy?
“I don’t want to keep these feelings to myself. I wish more people could know the joy of board games, laugh, and cry together… but.”
“Huh?”
“…More than that.”
Instead of just saying empty words, let me be honest.
“If I do this… won’t more people join me in playing board games?”
“…What?”
“Frankly, it’s boring playing only with Charles and Sally. My true desire is to play board games with a more diverse group of people.”
What kind of expression was I making while saying that?
Probably a slightly awkward smile, right?
And unlike his usual serious expression, my father, who had been staring at me blankly, suddenly…
“Ha, hahaha! So, that’s it? You’re betting your life on this?”
“Anyway, it’s not like anything problematic will happen, so my life won’t be at stake.”
“Haha… Alright, if you’re saying it like this, as your father, I can’t just ignore it.”
“Does that mean…?”
“I’ll allow all board games, including Kyle Galli. Go ahead and have fun.”
“…! Thank you!!”
Finally, finally!
It’s been long. I think it’s been a really long time. Though my dream was once crushed by the yacht used for gambling, I’ve finally seized the chance to start again.
Ah, the days of living as a mediocre board game player are over.
Beyond the long, boring, and joyless times.
It’s time to return as the ‘true board gamer’ who spent all my part-time earnings at the board game café…!
*
Click.
William, who watched his third son leave the office, unable to hold back his laughter, quietly raised the corner of his mouth.
“Charles, what do you think of that kid?”
“He’s far more clever and capable than you might think, Head of the Family.”
“Does he live up to the value of having the head butler and an apprentice magician assigned exclusively to him?”
“I believe he exceeds it.”
Charles, the head butler, who had been hiding in the next room, brought out some black tea and quietly took a sip.
As he savored the aroma and taste, he reflected on the earlier conversation.
“What a cunning kid. I tried to pressure him, but he stood his ground confidently.”
“Is that so?”
“The condition of the bet was ‘if there’s any harm to the family like that dice game,’ right? It’s a sentence that can be interpreted in two ways. Don’t you think?”
“…Simply when any kind of harm is done to the family.”
“And when harm similar to that dice game is done. There was a reason he was so confident.”
From the former perspective, you could catch him on any excuse.
But from the latter, it’s limited to ‘harm caused by gambling within the family.’ Since he got permission, Kyle will thoroughly inspect the family internally, so that’s unlikely to happen.
He left room for interpretation and prepared a minimal escape route. It’s more admirable than cheeky.
Unlike the eldest and second sons, Kyle was a sore spot for me since I couldn’t do much for him.
A kid who had no talent for swordsmanship or magic, always shrinking back, now stood so confidently, eyes shining.
But how can I refuse?
And above all.
“He asked me if I had ever played a board game.”
“…How did you respond?”
“I just stayed silent. The kid didn’t seem to understand what it meant when dice came out of my desk drawer.”
“Good heavens, wasn’t there a ban on dice across the entire family? Even for the Head of the Family, this could be a big problem.”
“Absolutely true.”
*Rolling sound.*
Charles and I chuckled quietly as we rolled the dice.
If the third son found out we’ve been secretly enjoying the dice game Kyle created all this time, what expression would he make?
‘Betrayed? Or maybe he’d be happy to have more people to play board games with?’
Of course, on the surface, since the dice ban was in place, only Charles and I secretly enjoyed it.
Deep down, William agreed with Kyle’s words.
“Playing with the same people gets boring…”
“Head of the Family?”
“Frankly, I agree.”
As William himself had said, board games are just a pastime, a way to kill time.
But.
People love that pastime, and when they have free time, isn’t it the first thing they seek?
Even William, who always tries to act as the strict Head of the Family, got completely absorbed in the dice game.
For a moment, as he rolled the dice, his gaze shifted to the bell and deck of cards on the desk.
“Kyle Galli, huh?”
“It’s a game of considerable quality. Quite different from Yacht. I don’t know how long Young Master Kyle spent thinking about it, but he’s clearly a genius.”
“I tried it alone earlier, and it was quite fun. Though, I still prefer this dice game.”
He just prefers strategy and quick thinking over physical activity.
It’s just a matter of taste.
“I hope I can play with Kyle someday.”
“If you wish, it’s possible right now.”
“Wouldn’t that undermine the dignity of the Head of the Family? As you said, if Kyle is as clever as you say, he’ll spread the board game around. I’ll approach him then.”
“Understood.”
“Speaking of which, since we’re on the topic, how about a game? Will you join me?”
“Of course.”
“Good, I’ll roll first.”
*Rolling sound.*
The dice rolled a perfect five sixes.
For a moment, William flashed a bright smile.
“Starting with Yacht! Lucky, aren’t I?”
“Congratulations. I’ll have to step up my game.”
Only Charles knew this, but.
William’s smile was strikingly similar to Kyle’s when he enjoyed board games.
Like father, like son.
Following William’s lead, Charles rolled the dice.
“No way! You got Yacht too…?”
“Just luck.”
…While using just enough Aura to not get caught.
After all, the master is the master, and winning is winning.
