“Have you calmed down a bit now?”
“…I’m sorry, young master. I got a little carried away.”
“I-I’m sorry, young master…”
After the intense game, the table was a complete wreck.
There were at least five crumpled bells because of the old man, the cards were in total disarray because of Sally’s various spells, and the table itself was half-split from the sheer intensity of the gameplay.
Though it was made of paper in the first place, it was now harder to find intact cards than broken ones.
The old man and Sally averted their eyes slightly under my bemused gaze. What a great job they’d done.
“Don’t forget, this is just a board game meant to be fun.”
“I deeply apologize.”
“I’m sorry…”
“Well, putting that aside.”
Though the table had been split and the bells were ruined, that wasn’t the important part.
If anything, the fact that they got that engrossed in the game….that was proof of just how “fun” it was.
“So, about Hal…. uh, I mean about Kyle Galli, what did you think?”
“…It’s of a rather high standard.”
“I-It was so much fun!”
After all, this was a board game that stimulated one’s primal competitive spirit.
Unlike many strategy-type board games, Halli Galli only required physical reflexes and keen perception.
At first, your reactions might be slow, but it’s the kind of game where you improve the more you play.
Moreover, since everyone was competing for a single bell, physical contact between hands and bodies was only normal. Pair that with the constant humiliation of losing right in front of your opponent’s eyes, and it was enough to ignite anyone’s competitive spirit.
On top of that, the win condition of collecting cards made it immediately clear who was in the lead, as everyone could see how many cards each player had.
It was not in vain that it had earned its reputation as the best game to play with friends and the best game to destroy friendships between friends.
“Old man, this should be fine to enjoy, right?”
“Of course. If it’s this game, even the head of the family wouldn’t have anything to say to you, young master.”
“That’s good to hear. Sally, sorry, but could you fetch more paper? Let’s play one more round.”
“Y-Yes!”
“And this time, no Aura or magic. You know why, right?”
“…Understood.”
“Yes…”
It’s fine for the two of them to enjoy themselves, but I need to be able to join in, too.
I flashed a bright smile at the slightly dejected old man and Sally.
At the time, I really thought this was just a game for the three of us to enjoy together.
Just like it had been up until then.
***
“Hehehe…”
“Sally? Sally!”
“Huh?! Oh, uh, what?”
“Get a hold of yourself, Sally. It’s time to sleep, so stop giggling like that.”
In the annex where the maids of the family stayed.
Among the servants, there were those who commuted to and from the family’s mansion, but it was common for maids and butlers who had to work from early morning to stay in a separate annex prepared within the mansion.
Naturally, a unique atmosphere and customs had formed within the annex.
Elements such as initiation rituals for newcomers, gossip, cliques, and even bullying.
Even in such a setting, Sally was a veteran maid who had spent considerable time there. Despite learning magic from the family’s mage, she chose to live in the annex, which was a strange decision.
She could have lived as a dedicated mage instead of a maid if she wanted, yet she resolutely maintained her position as a maid.
Of course, there wasn’t anyone who didn’t know the reason why.
“Sally, are you thinking about Young Master Kyle again?”
“Huh!? N-No, absolutely not!”
“Yeah, right. Sally, are you still dreaming? Do you think Young Master Kyle would ever pay attention to you?”
“…Just being near him is enough…”
“Wow, that’s quite the bar you’ve set for yourself.”
Sally turned her head sharply away from the teasing maid and buried her face in a pillow.
But by then, the maids had already shared plenty of gossip about Sally and Kyle.
“Sally’s so frustrating. How long has it been now?”
“Ten years. It’s been that long since Young Master Kyle brought her to the mansion.”
“Oh, right, wasn’t Sally an orphan?”
“Don’t act so high and mighty; you’re the same. It sounds weird coming from you.”
“What’s the big deal? Orphans are allowed to tease each other about being orphans. So, has Sally been working as Kyle’s personal maid for ten years?”
“More or less. There was a time when she got demoted, but after crying her eyes out, she suddenly learned magic and came back as both a bodyguard and a personal maid.”
“Wow…”
While Sally pretended not to hear, the maids kept chattering away.
The conversation naturally shifted from Sally to Kyle.
“Young Master Kyle is amazing. Handsome, kind, never loses his temper. Honestly, I wish the second young master could take a page from his book.”
“Have you forgotten the dice gambling incident from a few years ago? The second young master lost all his allowance there, which is why things ended up like that.”
“Oh…”
“Anyway, I envy Sally. Being Young Master Kyle’s personal maid must be so much fun!”
“Fun? What fun is there?”
“You don’t know? Why do you think Butler Charles sticks so closely to Young Master Kyle? Since he’s the third son, he doesn’t have any official duties and mostly stays at the mansion playing games. If you work by his side, you get to spend your days playing games with him. Isn’t that the best?”
“Really…? Sally, that’s so unfair!”
“Now that you mention it, it’s a bit frustrating. While we’re running around busy with work here, Sally gets to play board games with a handsome young master.”
Flinch.
The maids who had realized the harsh truth turned their gazes toward Sally. Cold sweat trickled down Sally’s neck as she pretended to sleep.
Despite her current demeanor, Sally was one of the most senior maids in the annex, so the only maid of equal rank stepped forward to speak on behalf of the others.
“Sally.”
“I-I’m sleeping…”
“Sally.”
“I said I’m sleeping…”
“We’re not trying to take the position of personal maid away from you. But wouldn’t it be fair to share it for a day or two? Don’t you think?”
“I caaaan’t heeeaaar yoooou…”
“Should we appeal to Young Master Kyle directly?”
“Ugh, ugh…! Y-You…!!”
At the mention of Kyle’s name, Sally couldn’t hold out any longer. Knowing the young master as she did, he would likely suggest she take a day or two off to rest.
While being by Kyle’s side was a kind of rest for Sally, if she had the courage to admit that, she wouldn’t have spent the last ten years this way.
To stay by Kyle’s side, she had to assert herself here and now.
“N-No, absolutely not! Besides, I’m not just a maid. I’m his escort mage, always at his side—”
“Isn’t Butler Charles already with him? Who could possibly beat that guy?”
“Ugh…”
“And we might be able to entertain Young Master Kyle better than you. Don’t you think he’d get bored playing board games with you all the time?”
“…B-Board games?”
“Mhmm?”
“Th-That’s it…! Fine. If any of you manage to beat me at a board game even once—!!”
“If we win?”
“I-I’ll… I’ll give it up to you…”
“Oh?”
The fellow maid’s eyes sparkled at the unexpected offer. She never thought Sally, who was famously devoted to the young master, would say such a thing.
If Sally lost even once, she’d have to give up her position with tears of frustration. However, if she defeated all the maids here, she could put an end to any future complaints.
This was a high-stakes gamble for Sally, but it wasn’t much different for the other maids either.
The only remaining question was why Sally had proposed such a bet in the first place.
Well, there’s no way we won’t win at least once, right?
In the end, the maids’ thoughts aligned. With more than ten maids present, they were sure at least one of them would win.
And so, after exchanging glances, the representative maid nodded.
“Alright, just bring out the game board.”
The game, which Kyle had referred to as “chess” involved moving pieces to capture the opponent’s king.
The representative maid was about to prepare the chessboard when—
“N-No, not that.”
“Huh? If not that, then what?”
“…Kyle Gali.”
“Kyle… what?”
It was only for a moment that she hesitated upon hearing such a familiar name. Sally rummaged through her personal belongings and pulled out a bell used in the dining hall along with a stack of cards.
These were newly made cards to replace the ones that had been left in tatters from her and Butler Charles’s games. Since Kyle had entrusted these items to her, Sally handled them with care as she laid them out.
“What’s this?”
“It’s… a game Young Master Kyle created himself.”
“Huh? The Young Master? Really?”
“Th-This should be fine, right?”
“Well, of course, but…”
As a fellow maid who still remembered the dice incident from a few years ago, she couldn’t help but frown slightly.
If things went wrong, wouldn’t it be the maids, not the knights, falling into gambling this time?
Despite the suspicious glance thrown her way, Sally seemed rather confident.
“J-Just try it! You’ll see once you play!”
“Uh, okay…”
Well, if it’s not gambling, it might at least be a decent way to pass the time.
It didn’t have to be as sophisticated as chess; as long as it was moderately fun, it would do. With that thought in mind, the fellow maid placed the bell on the floor.
“But it can’t be a game that takes too long, alright? I have morning cleaning duties tomorrow.”
“D-Don’t worry!”
“Really? Well then, okay.”
“The seniors will play first!”
“Let’s just watch for now. Keep an eye on things and prepare to beat Sally later.”
“Kyle Gali…? A game named after the Young Master?”
Well, as long as one of the remaining maids wins, it’s fine even if I lose.
Let’s just enjoy this for now.
***
“Kyle… you understand why I called you, don’t you?”
“…Yes, Father.”
The main mansion. In the office of the family head located on the top floor.
It had been a long time since I entered this place, which was usually accessible only to Father, my eldest brother, and a few key retainers.
Knowing this wasn’t a good sign, I couldn’t help but break into a cold sweat.
There I was, standing with my hands clasped behind my back, trembling with anxiety. Across from me, my father sat at his desk with a stern expression on his face…. This was William Byron, the head of the Byron family.
“Today, Fourteen maid. Your personal maid, the senior maid under the head maid’s direct supervision, and twelve other maids were all late to their duties.”
“………….”
“Being late isn’t such a big deal in itself. There weren’t any important guests visiting, and it’s not as if there weren’t other servants working. Plus, they were only an hour late, so it could have been dismissed as a minor incident… but.”
Thump.
William pulled out a slightly bent bell and a stack of well-worn cards from his desk drawer.
He placed them on the desk with a heavy thump.
“When I asked why they were late, I came across something rather interesting.”
“…That’s…”
“Kyle Gali.”
“……….”
“I heard this is a board game you created, Kyle.”
“…That’s right.”
“And this, as well, is another one of your creations, isn’t it?”
With a smooth motion, he retrieved five dice from the same drawer and rolled them onto the desk.
They were dice banned in our household ever since a gambling incident involving knights had been uncovered years ago.
“I already heard the full story from Charles, but hearing it directly from you would be best.”
“………Yes.”
“So, explain yourself, Kyle.”
“………….”
“If your explanation is inadequate or insufficient…”
William, who was a good father but also a cold and calculating family head, narrowed his sharp eyes.
He was someone who, like my second eldest brother, looked unfavorably upon board games altogether.
“…then all board games will be banned from now on.”
For the sake of my boredom, my hobbies, and my future, I had to do something.
Anything.
I had to convince him.
At all costs.
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