The production of Monopoly was a roaring success.
Even though it was made of ice, dirt, or stone, and the black-and-white illusions weren’t very detailed, they just decided, “This is a house, and this is a building,” and went with it.
Still, the students were having a blast playing Monopoly.
“Roll the dice! It’s ice, so it’s melting bit by bit!”
“…Now that I think about it, this is an ice dice. If I freeze it mid-roll with magic, can’t I control the number?”
“Stay still before I freeze your neck.”
“Gotcha! Pay the toll fee.”
“Oh, come on… Huh? The board game is falling apart!”
“You just kicked it with your foot! It’s dirt, so it crumbles easily!”
“By the way, your land just disappeared. Doesn’t that mean you don’t have to pay the toll fee?”
“Get this guy.”
“Hey! The illusion’s getting messed up! Focus!”
“Glesia and Terra are playing so comfortably! We have to maintain the magic and play Monopoly at the same time…!!”
“Is this magic training or a board game?”
“Popcorn! Freshly popped popcorn! The price is one Monopoly play ticket!”
“I don’t want to give up my Monopoly turn, but can I get it on credit?”
“Should I roast your head instead?”
With one building and the surrounding land entirely for the board game club, even with over 100 students, there was plenty of space.
Was the academy amazing for allocating this much land for one club, or did they just go big considering the current hype around Monopoly?
Either way, since it was a remote area compared to the dorms and classrooms, the noise wasn’t a big issue.
Glesia, Terra, and Arkhé each made their own Monopoly boards and played, while Agni’s students moved around exchanging popcorn and Monopoly tickets.
It was hard to tell if this was a club or a marketplace.
“Andrew, can you take over as the board game club president? If you’re too busy with student council duties, it’s fine───”
“I’ll definitely do it. The student council president doesn’t have much to do anyway.”
“…Is that so?”
“I have three vice presidents, so they handle everything. I just do periodic checks and prevent any mutinies.”
It sounded a bit off, but the student council president’s love for board games was clearly genuine. After giving me a heads-up about Roderick, he immediately went back to playing Monopoly.
Even now, as soon as he answered me, he focused back on the game.
He was a true player, unlike some other flashy guy.
“………….”
Well.
I didn’t really do much for the club, but it’s resolved now.
‘Roderick.’
It was time to find out what he was really thinking.
But I didn’t need to go looking for him.
Adela, who went to meet a professor at Arkhé Magic Tower, and the Water Tiger, who was wandering around on its own.
And Sally, who came running to me, gave me the answer right away.
“Th-that guy went back to the Natura dorm.”
“The Natura dorm? Not back to the board game club?”
“…He said he had something to show me… and that if I saw it, I’d cooperate…”
“…Something to show you.”
“D-don’t worry, Young Master! No matter what that guy brought, I’ll always be on your side…!!”
According to Sally, the eldest brother had come looking for her.
And he asked her for a ‘story.’
‘Succession rights.’
It was the issue I had been worried about. I thought it was the topic he wanted to discuss when he first came to me yesterday.
No wonder he didn’t say a word about Frederick.
His polite speech and strange worship made me overlook that part. Even with the board game, the succession issue should’ve been discussed.
…He must’ve been acting all along.
‘The older brother who’s obsessed with board games, speaks politely to his younger brother, and worships him.’
“Then I should head to the dorm now.”
“Y-yes!”
But that’s not the only thing bothering me.
Why did the eldest brother approach Sally of all people?
‘Did he think it’d be easier to ask Sally than me? Even though Sally threatened him just yesterday?’
If Sally reports to me like this, all his acting would be for nothing. He must’ve had something in mind.
Or maybe he had a surefire method.
To persuade Sally and draw out the story.
“Do you have something to show me?”
“To the point where Sally wouldn’t even report to me?”
“The more I thought about it, the more questions piled up.”
“But in the end, it was a question that couldn’t be solved by thinking alone.”
“After all, there was no choice but to meet my brother directly.”
“And for that.”
“Adela, tiger.”
“Yes, you.”
[Growl.]
“I have a request.”
“I, too.”
“Needed to prepare.”
*
Natura Dormitory.
Since Natura Magic Tower deals with life-related magic, even if it only bears Natura’s name, Natura’s dormitory was located in the forest.
Compared to Terra, which is an underground dormitory, Agni, which is in perpetual summer, Glesia, which is in perpetual winter, Arkhé, which sits on the boundary of light and darkness, and Astron, which was floating in the air just five years ago, being in the forest was a pretty ordinary dormitory.
Moreover, to make it easier to study Natura’s magic, the former Master of Natura Magic Tower personally came and infused it with the breath of life, so the dormitory was overflowing with students researching magic.
And on the top floor of such Natura Dormitory.
Roderick Byron was rummaging through something in his room.
“………….”
All the other students had gathered on the first floor because of the Monopoly set up in the hall, leaving only Roderick on the top floor.
Originally, the room on the top floor was for the top student alone, but this year was different. Both Roderick and Student Council President Andrew were co-top students.
Since they both scored perfect marks in all subjects and received the highest practical scores, they had no choice but to follow tradition and live together as roommates.
Still, it wasn’t a problem. The room was already spacious, but the professors had specially expanded it, and their spaces were clearly divided.
At the beginning of the semester, Andrew had tried to talk to Roderick for a week but failed miserably, so they had been ignoring each other ever since.
At that moment, as he was about to retrieve something hidden in the most secretive part of the room, concealed by magic.
“Is this your room, brother?”
“………!!”
Roderick reacted to the voice from behind by summoning mana.
It was a familiar voice, one he knew well, but with magic in one hand, he turned around cautiously.
There, he saw Kyle waving at him with a smile.
“Ah… Kyle. What brings you here?”
“Back to formal speech, brother.”
“Of course. Now that it’s just the two of us, I must apologize for speaking casually earlier in the club.”
“Anyway, why did you come to your room? As you said, I was making Monopoly with the students, and at some point, I noticed you were gone. I came to your room just in case.”
“My apologies. I had something to retrieve. If Monopoly is finished, I’ll join and enjoy───”
Suddenly.
Roderick, who had been politely bowing his head, paused.
He looked around the room, alternating his gaze between Kyle and the door.
“…I’ve been caught. You’re sharper than I thought.”
“………You admit it right away.”
“There’s no point in pretending further. Once you’ve been seen through… and surrounded, it’s over.”
A genius talented in magic and aura, surrounded by his powerless younger brother.
But it wasn’t a wrong statement.
At Kyle Byron’s feet was a small puddle, and outside the door, a high magician’s soundproof barrier enveloped the room.
Moreover, with the killing intent he felt from behind his neck, Roderick quietly faced Kyle.
“How did you figure it out? Was my acting awkward?”
“Brother, no matter how much you like board games, speaking formally to your younger brother is too much. Plus, you’ve been praising me as a genius while belittling yourself. It’s embarrassing.”
“I thought it was a good way to make you let your guard down… I guess I overdid it.”
“Even without acting, you talk well, brother.”
“I’m not particularly reserved. I just keep my mouth shut to avoid showing weaknesses to others.”
The conversation was razor-sharp, but paradoxically, it was also the first real conversation between the two brothers.
In the past, they had no interest in each other, and yesterday’s conversation was just an act.
The brother didn’t let go of the magic in his hand, and the younger brother didn’t lift the siege.
“That acting, and the club talk, it was all a diversion.”
“I was trying to divert your attention. I thought I could figure out your true intentions in the meantime… but who would’ve thought───”
“I didn’t expect it to turn out like this so soon.”
“I thought you really loved board games, brother.”
“………….”
After a brief exchange, the brothers broke the silence, glaring at each other.
“Is it because of the succession rights?”
“You know well. Did Sally tell you?”
“I’ve been thinking about it since the first time you came to me. In that sense, your acting was quite impressive. If it had been just a little less convincing… I might not have noticed.”
“In the end, it’s just my mistake. But since you already know, this conversation will go faster.”
Ugh.
Natura, who researches life magic, knows how to save lives but also knows better than anyone how to take them.
That’s why they were the ones who could save the most lives, as well as take the most lives.
True to the Magic Tower’s tradition of growing power through war, the death magic that bloomed from Roderick’s hands targeted Kyle.
“Speak, Kyle. Are you trying to become the head of the family?”
“……So that’s what it is.”
“For the past 20 years, the third son has been quiet. But now you’ve moved. You’ve won the favor of the head, gained fame, removed the second son, and taken his succession rights. Why wouldn’t I be wary of you?”
“I have no interest in the position of the head. All I care about is board games.”
“Yes, I know that. That’s why I pretended to like the board games you made. But.”
Roderick, still aiming death magic at Kyle, extended his other hand toward him.
“If I told you to take my hand, knowing I have no intention of harming you now, would you take it?”
“………The magic aimed at me is still there.”
“Your maid, that water spirit, the high magician of Arkhé Magic Tower—they are like this death magic to me. They could target me at any moment, a dagger that could kill me and make you the head of the family.”
Wasn’t your coming to the academy also part of that plan? Roderick’s words continued.
That was Roderick’s very thought about Kyle.
Kyle’s actions were merely to spread board games, but to Roderick, they were a threat.
The more famous Kyle became as a board game creator, the more famous the name “Kyle Byron” became. After all, Kyle Byron was a noble of the Byron family before he was a board game creator.
If, in 10 years, people only thought of Kyle Byron and not Roderick Byron when speaking of the Byron family…
Would there be any reason he couldn’t become the head?
“Brother, but you know, right? Even so, I can’t give up my succession rights.”
“………Yes, that’s right.”
But even so, Kyle Byron couldn’t give up his succession rights. If he did, Roderick might not be so wary of him, but that was impossible from the family’s perspective.
Even if Roderick was considered the next head, Frederick’s succession rights existed for unforeseen circumstances. In case something happened to Roderick and he couldn’t inherit the family.
The second son, Kyle, was a spare for that reason. It was like a safety mechanism, so he couldn’t give it up even if he wanted to. If something happened to Roderick, the Byron family would fall into chaos.
With Frederick removed from the family register and sent to the silver mines, it was impossible for Kyle to give up his succession rights.
“So I have no choice but to keep being wary of you.”
“……Keep going, like this?”
“Even after I become the head.”
“I really have no interest in the position of the head.”
“I know you love board games. But that might even be a reason for you to aim for the head. Suspicion and wariness work like that.”
“…………….”
“We don’t know each other, and we’ve never tried to.”
Even if he became the head, he couldn’t rest easy. Just the fame and connections Kyle had built up were enough to make him wary. Who knows how far it could go in the future?
In the end, there was no way the two brothers could trust and treat each other openly. Roderick was certain of that.
And Kyle…
He whispered quietly to Roderick.
“Let me ask you one thing, brother.”
“Even if you can’t answer, it’s fine.”
“The Monopoly you represented…”
“………….”
“Was that all an act too? Was it all to deceive me?”
It might have seemed like a somewhat random question.
But Roderick, who was starting to understand what kind of person Kyle was, knew how important that question was.
Monopoly. The board game he had studied so deeply, even winning as Natura’s representative.
Roderick’s Monopoly…
“All the time and passion poured in…”
“……I don’t know if you’ll believe this.”
“Bro?”
“You said everything I said was just acting, just lies. But………when I called you a genius, that was sincere. That’s why you could’ve made a board game like Monopoly.”
“………….”
“Separate from being wary of you, Monopoly was quite an enjoyable board game. Kyle Galli wasn’t my taste, though.”
Was that last part just another act to keep Kyle on edge? Or was it the only sincere thing Roderick ever said?
Only Roderick himself would know that.
“……Bro, I don’t want to spend my whole life being distrusted by you. Unlike Frederick, I don’t hold any grudges against you.”
“Since you’ve inherited the succession rights, your opinion doesn’t matter.”
“Isn’t that because, like you said, we didn’t know each other and didn’t try to?”
“………What?”
“Then isn’t it enough to start trusting each other now? We’re family.”
With a determined look, Kyle nodded and pulled something out from his pocket.
Roderick instantly became extremely wary of Kyle. Did he know that the same action had gone the opposite way yesterday?
But just as Roderick had pulled out land deeds and a pen yesterday.
What Kyle pulled out was also a deck of cards.
“……You’re kidding.”
“Let’s play a game, bro.”
“Are you serious?”
“If you’re going to keep distrusting me, shouldn’t I at least try something?”
And, board games.
They’re the best way to get closer to someone.
“We’re brothers, but we didn’t know each other, bro. With Frederick, we crossed an uncrossable river………but with you, it’s not too late yet.”
“…………….”
“So, bro.”
“Wanna play a round?”
“………….”
At Kyle’s words.
Roderick.
“Do you think we can enjoy a board game while pointing swords at each other?”
“……………….”
“That’s not a game, just another form of wariness. So.”
*Groan.*
Roderick, enlarging the death magic circle, glared at Kyle.
With a clear refusal.
“If you really want to ease my suspicions, leave the room. The spirit under your feet, the maid aiming for my neck, the magician outside the door……they all make me uneasy.”
“………Got it, bro. See you tomorrow.”
“I refuse.”
Having given Kyle the order to leave.
Kyle quietly nodded and left the room with the maid, the water spirit, and the high magician.
But Roderick didn’t retract the death magic.
Even as Kyle left the dormitory.
Still wary of any potential ambush or sneak attack.
“Board games………hah.”
And so.
He scoffed at his brother, who seemed either pure or foolish.
But maybe not foolish.
After all, the only thing Roderick said sincerely.
Was that he also thought Kyle was a genius………because it was true.
“………Anyway.”
Now that the act was exposed, they probably wouldn’t meet again after tomorrow.
*
“Bro, just one round. Just one, seriously. Spirit Poker, wasn’t it fun last time we played?”
“…………….”
“Or how about Monopoly, which you like? I’ll ask Adela to make it!”
It didn’t even take half a day for Roderick’s resolve to break.
The very next morning, as Roderick left Natura’s dorm for a lecture.
……He ran into Kyle, who had brought all sorts of board games.
