The Bang tournament hosted by Kyle Byron ended in great success.
Even though there were no entry fees or qualifications, the number of participants reached a thousand, and the preliminaries alone lasted for two full days.
Although the finals were initially considered a bit dull, the tournament was memorable up to the last game’s highlight moments.
Even days after the Bang tournament ended, people all over the Gias Territory couldn’t stop talking about it.
Who were the mysterious masked individuals who made it to the finals? And what about Andrei, who suddenly participated fully in the last game?
And most importantly, what about the grand prize?
“Did you hear? The one and only special card of Knight Roland… Apparently, Master Astron has it now.”
“What? Is that true? I heard he visited privately, but how…?”
“How should I know? Anyway, since it’s in the hands of the Archmage, the chance to get it is gone. Even the collectors I know are just licking their lips.”
“Well, what would the Archmage lack that he’d sell it? He managed to contact that female masked person quite skillfully.”
The protagonists of the last game were undoubtedly Andrei and the Muscle Masked Man, who had an intense one-on-one battle at the end.
Andrei, the Guardian, won, and the Female Masked Man, who was the Support Unit, also gained points, ultimately winning the tournament.
As the grand prize, she received a modest cash prize, a Bang set personally made by Kyle Byron, all existing special cards, and even a special card exclusive to the winner.
Right after the tournament, numerous collectors, nobles, and influential figures tried to find the Female Masked Man, but she had already disappeared without a trace.
The fact that the grand prize, which had everyone on edge, was now in the hands of Master Astron, Stella Varnicion…
While most people were disheartened and gave up, various rumors continued to circulate.
“Actually, it’s clear that the Female Masked Man was a magician from Astron Magic Tower. How else could she have gotten it?”
“No, more than that, it’s surprising that Master Astron was interested in Bang. Did he play it personally? Or was it just an investment?”
“There’s also the possibility that he’s holding onto it to sell later after the tournament progresses further. If the tournament continues, the value of the first tournament’s grand prize will only increase.”
“I wish he’d sell it. I really wanted Knight Roland’s card because of its abilities.”
Rumors like the Female Masked Man being a magician from Astron, or that she was holding onto it to sell later, spread around.
Among the many rumors floating around the Gias Territory…
“Could it be… that the Female Masked Man was Stella Varnicion herself…?”
“Are you crazy? Are you saying the Archmage covered her face with a mask, got overly immersed in the game, screamed, and acted out? Delusions have their limits.”
“Just kidding, just kidding. Still, it was quite unexpected. Master Astron might be one thing, but Master Arkhé didn’t attend the tournament either. Strangely, Master Terra was there.”
“Maybe he had something to do? He’s an Archmage and the master of a Magic Tower. Even if it’s Kyle Byron’s board game, he can’t attend every time.”
“That’s true.”
The rumor that the participant might have been Stella Varnicion herself faded away amidst laughter.
They, too, were part of the audience and knew well about the Female Masked Man’s antics. She was the player who screamed in despair after her decisive attacks failed and even punched the table several times.
Stella Varnicion…
Since they were well aware of Varnicion’s noble image, such absurd speculations were quickly forgotten.
Absolutely, no Duke of any Magic Tower intervened in that process. It was a completely natural progression.
But among the rumors, there was one that turned out to be true.
“I’m thinking of putting it up for auction.”
“…Auction, you say?”
“First, don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I need quick money or that I’m underestimating Bang, but because it’s a card I won’t be using anyway.”
“<Knight Roland> is one of the most powerful abilities in Bang, though.”
“Even so, I won’t be using it, so it doesn’t matter. Isn’t it better for it to go to someone who needs it rather than just sitting in a corner of my display case?”
“…Hmm.”
Stella Varnicion was actually considering selling the championship prize.
It wasn’t that she needed the money or disliked the unique special card of <Knight Roland>.
After all, she only used her own character card.
There was also a hidden agenda.
‘I need to win as much favor as possible.’
He was already a coveted talent, but after getting hooked on Bang, that thought solidified even more. So, Stella was determined to take Kyle Byron with her when she returned this time.
To do that, she needed to win Kyle Byron’s favor. She had already received a hint, but Stella had a hunch.
Kyle Byron was similar to Shisha.
‘Both are young geniuses with little interest outside their own fields.’
Just as Shisha excelled in Ice Magic, Kyle was a genius in board games.
Trying to move such people with authority or benefits would only backfire. The experience Stella had gained while hanging out with Shisha was coming into play here.
The most important thing was to build natural favor.
Putting Knight Roland’s unique special card up for auction was part of that plan.
‘Given his personality, he would prefer to use a special card directly rather than keep it in a display case.’
Honestly, she wanted to keep it for herself. Especially since it was Knight Roland’s card, and Kyle Byron would continue to rise, increasing the card’s value over time.
But if it could win Kyle Byron’s favor, it would be a much greater benefit.
With such hidden motives.
“And there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”
“You’re asking me for a favor, Stella?”
“Well… when are you planning to hold the next tournament?”
“I haven’t really thought about it yet.”
“Ah, if you do decide to hold one! Could you… make the championship prize my card…?”
With a trembling voice, she expressed her deepest desire.
People are like that. They prefer to use something more special, more expensive, more unique than the same cards everyone else uses.
Especially if it’s her own character card.
The sight of Stella Varnicion using the unique <Stella Varnicion> special card exclusively for the champion.
As a Bang player, just imagining it is delightful. That’s why she was so amused when teasing Knight Roland.
‘Please…!’
She hoped the favor she had gained with Kyle Byron would be enough for him to grant this request.
Outwardly calm, Stella’s inner thoughts were biting her nails.
He was doing it.
“That’s not a difficult task. Since you’re also the first champion, I’ll do it for you.”
“……Thank you.”
‘Yessssss!!!’
Somehow suppressing his excitement, the little Stella in his heart jumped around and punched the air.
Now that it’s come to this, I’ll have to win the next tournament no matter what.
Stella, who decided to improve her Bang skills with the magicians of the tower as soon as she returned to the Magic Tower, nodded her head.
“By the way, when is the auction……?”
“Ah, we’ll announce it today and proceed with it tomorrow. Since I, Olfin, Shisha, Bantain, Knight Roland, and you will be in charge of the notarization, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“I’m ignorant about it, but how much do you think it will sell for?”
“Hmm……….”
Frankly, Stella didn’t know either. Although she had lived for a long time, she had almost no experience participating in auctions.
Since becoming an Archmage and the Master of Astron’s Magic Tower, one of the wealthiest, she had never worried about money, so how much it would sell for was a mystery to her as well.
But let’s think about it.
‘Many collectors and influential people have been targeting it. Plus, it has the prestige of being the prize for the first tournament of a board game that will continue to be popular.’
“Maybe it’ll sell for the price of a few mansions in the capital?”
“………Impressive.”
After all, it’s just a single card with no special abilities. Despite the added prestige and value, it’s hard to imagine it being worth more than that.
Of course, that was still a significant amount, so Kyle Byron was shocked, and even for the wealthy Stella, it was by no means a small sum, so it seemed like a fair price.
And so.
The news of the auction for the only Special Card of <Knight Roland> was announced in the Gias Territory.
*
The price of a few mansions in the capital.
Just hearing it, it’s hard to grasp how much that is, but if you think of the Empire’s capital as roughly equivalent to Seoul in Korea, it’s an absurd amount of money.
‘If it’s not just any house but mansions in prime locations……’
A huge mansion worth several billion won each, multiple ones.
That would mean a single card is worth nearly ten billion won.
‘Since I roughly compared the Empire to Korea, it’s probably not that exact amount.’
Still, it’s an excessive amount for just a single card.
Thanks to the toll fees, the Byron family is quite wealthy, but they only own one mansion in the capital. They could have bought more if they wanted to live there, but they didn’t because it was too extravagant.
The Byron family, in partnership with the Everts Duke’s House, collects massive toll fees from the route connecting the west and the capital, and is always mentioned when talking about the wealthiest families in the Empire.
Even for them, buying a mansion in the capital isn’t easy.
‘Frankly, I’m excited.’
The character card from the board game I created is being sold at an auction. Just that fact alone makes my heart race.
Is this how a painter feels when their own painting is put up for auction? This must be the heart of every creator in the world.
Even though it’s just something I copied from the knowledge I know.
Still, with a very excited heart, I sat in the VIP seat with Stella and watched.
And then.
“Yes! 1 billion gold, 1 billion gold! Any more?!”
“……1.04 billion gold!”
“1.05 billion.”
“Ah! 1.05 billion gold has been bid! Any other participants, is there no higher bid?”
“…………….”
“………….”
“……………….”
“……Yes! Then, 1.05 billion gold, it’s been awarded to Knight Roland!”
The auction news brought collectors, influential figures, and nobles from the Gias Territory flocking in, but surprisingly, the auction didn’t overheat.
Well, that was only true for the beginning. Up until around 500 million gold, there were so many participants it was almost a problem.
But then, one participant changed everything.
──1 billion gold.
It was Knight Roland.
He had been sitting quietly, then suddenly joined and doubled the previous bid with a bold move.
Everyone had no choice but to hesitate. 1 billion gold was a fortune that exceeded everyone’s expectations.
Even 500 million gold was enough to buy several mansions in the capital, and even a decent-sized merchant group would struggle to pay that much in cash.
And now, double that amount?
No matter how grand a master he was, it wasn’t a sum he could pay privately. Especially not for Knight Roland, who was famous as a wandering knight.
Yet, somehow, Knight Roland paid the 1 billion gold upfront and took the card.
That alone was shocking enough, but the real twist was just beginning.
“Young Master, a letter has arrived.”
“Thanks. Is it from Leisha? Or my father? Or maybe my brother?”
“I-It’s from the Magician’s Association…”
“………Huh?”
[To Kyle Byron.]
[We’ve heard about the board game Bang and its tournament that you’ve created. We sincerely congratulate you on its success──]
[──Enough with the pleasantries. We’re writing to ask a favor.]
[If you could feature our High Magicians as character cards in the next expansion pack, we promise unlimited support from the Association.]
[We offer you a position as an external advisor, a villa in the capital, and social backing………]
“………This.”
No matter how many times I read it, it’s a request. No, it’s a bribe, isn’t it?
Why…?
“Th-There are more letters from other places too.”
“Other… places?”
“Th-The Natura Magic Tower. Agni Magic Tower. The Archmage of Beggars. The Academy. And…”
“…………….”
“Th-The Royal Court Magicians too………”
“……Good grief.”
No.
Why are you all coming out of the woodwork…?
