Going to the Imperial Palace itself wasn’t a problem. I had already received the Third Prince’s invitation after all.
The real problem was when to go.
I’ve nearly finished everything I needed to do.
The balance adjustments for hidden spells and other rule modifications were all complete. There was nothing left for me to tweak in Abracadabra.
Reservations and board game operations were entirely under the jurisdiction of the Arkhe Magic Tower, meaning all I had to do now was sit back and observe.
So, if possible, I had planned to leave right away.
“That won’t do.”
“Adela?”
“In the end, you are the one who created Abracadabra. Even if things seem stable now, there’s no telling what might happen along the way. And in such a situation, the only person our Magic Tower can rely on is you, Kyle Byron.”
“Hmm… Then, how long are we talking about?”
“At the very least, a year.”
“…Adela? Are you serious?”
“Of course, I’m serious. We’ve already prepared a room for you. Not a guest room, but a separate one. It’s right next to mine, so it’ll be convenient in many ways. This is a matter that concerns the very survival of the tower. I hope you understand that we can’t take it lightly.”
“If you put it that way…”
Ideally, I had wanted to visit the Imperial Palace while nobles still remembered Kyle Galli, using the opportunity to spread the trend even further. But after a whole year? By then, Kyle Galli and everything else would be long forgotten.
Still, with Adela who held significant authority within the tower being this insistent, I had little choice—
“It’s fine. You should go.”
“…Tower Master Olphin?”
“…Tower Master.”
“I can feel your stares burning into me. Adela isn’t wrong, of course, but Abracadabra has already reached a stable state. The rules and other elements have been thoroughly passed down to us by the game creator.”
“But if an unexpected issue arises, as Adela pointed out—”
“This is a Magic Tower. Even if something happens, teleporting to the Imperial Palace is hardly a challenge. And if need be, we can always seek your advice remotely through magic.”
“Ah.”
“Sure, having you stay would be the most efficient option, but unless you’re traveling to the opposite side of the Empire, distance isn’t much of a concern.”
Adela undoubtedly knew all of this. It seemed she was simply trying to exercise extra caution.
Adela was indeed looking back and forth between me and Olphin with an unmistakably dissatisfied expression on her face.
Watching her, Olphin let out a wry smile before breaking into a smirk.
“But that’s only if a mage from our Magic Tower accompanies you.”
“An escort, you mean?”
“The mages of the Arkhe Magic Tower can communicate in real-time through light. It’s an incredibly inefficient spell, so we don’t use it under normal circumstances, but in situations like this, it proves quite useful.”
“Then…?”
“This works out perfectly. Take Adela with you. In that case, you may leave for the Imperial Palace immediately.”
“T-Tower Master?”
“What, do you not want to go? If you refuse, then perhaps Vermily—”
“I’ll do it.”
“…Good. I wish you luck.”
And just like that, I was unexpectedly granted permission to leave the tower. As a bonus, Adela was coming along as well.
Honestly, I was hoping to bring at least one mage with me, so this worked out perfectly.
I had been eyeing illusion magic for a while, and this was a fortunate turn of events. Adela alone might not be able to create something on the scale of Abracadabra, but for a small board game among ourselves, it would be more than enough.
So, with that, it was decided. Sally, Adela, and me.
The three of us were about to set off when—
[Growl.]
“Huh? No, you need to head back now. You came with Duke Nicholas, didn’t you? Give my regards to Lady Lacia.”
[Growl …! Grrr!]
“What? You were sent here under the Lady’s orders? To protect me?”
[Growl!]
“Well, I won’t say no! Board games are best played with four people, after all. Looks like we’ll have to stop by Everts Duchy on our way back from the palace.”
[Grrrgh!]
“…………”
“………..”
“Sally? Adela? Why do your faces suddenly look…”
“I-It’s just a little chilly… Hehe.”
“You must be mistaken.”
“Ah…”
In the end, even the water tiger joined us, making our group a total of four.
Just to be sure, I went to ask the duke and though he had a rather ambiguous expression, he still gave his permission.
After writing a letter to Lady Lacia, thanking her for sending the water tiger, I headed straight to the Third Prince.
After all, we had to return together on the same day he was scheduled to go back to the imperial palace.
And as for the most important person, the prince—
“I’m leaving immediately.”
“Your Highness? But you still have reservations left…”
“‘Abracadabra’ is something I can enjoy anytime, as long as I’m alive.”
“…………”
“…Isn’t that a bit too serious of a reaction? That was a joke. In any case, it’ll be more than ten years before one of my brothers takes the throne.”
Without hesitation, he abandoned his remaining reservations and started packing right away.
Normally, a prince leaving in such a hurry would have a negative impact on the Arkhe Magic Tower.
“But it’s already popular enough, and more importantly, I’ve put on quite the performance myself, so it should be fine.”
“A performance…? Is that what you’re calling it?”
“Didn’t I do ‘Abracadabra’ thirteen times in a row when I first arrived? Not to mention, I clung to you rather embarrassingly. Do you really think all of that was sincere? Of course, there was some showmanship involved. Well, it’s also true that I genuinely enjoy board games.”
So all of it had been a calculated act. Even though he had given up his claim to the throne, he was still a prince.
In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the explosive popularity in the beginning had been entirely driven by him.
“So, are we leaving right away?”
“Even if there’s more than ten years left, the sooner, the better. By the way… those people behind you, they’re coming along too, aren’t they?”
“Yes. Of course, we’ll be traveling separately—”
“—No, we’ll be traveling together.”
“…Huh? Your Highness?”
“I’ve come to realize many times that God is fair in many ways. A genius talent, yet those devastating eyes— …Never mind, it’s nothing.”
“………?”
***
The Imperial Palace.
It was the reason the capital was located at the center. The place that overlooked the empire and its people equally from the sky.
And “overlooking from the sky” was by no means just a metaphor.
The Imperial Castle quite literally floated in the sky.
“………Wow.”
“Is this your first time seeing the Imperial Castle, Kyle Byron?”
“Yes, it is. Being the third son, I rarely had the chance to leave my territory…”
“That makes it all the more fascinating. You must have spent most of your time within your lands, so how did you come up with a board game like Abracadabra?”
“I believe it’s something anyone could have done.”
“By that logic, anyone could run an empire too. Once again, I’m reminded of what a genius you are.”
Flap.
The carriage the prince had arrived in was nothing like the ones Kyle was used to.
The carriage he usually rode was already enhanced with magic, allowing it to travel faster than a car. But the prince’s carriage took things a step further; it could fly.
The carriage itself was engraved with the magic of flight and was drawn by winged celestial horses. It was gliding smoothly through the air without the slightest turbulence.
And in the direction we were headed—
“This is… truly incredible.”
“If you see it every day, it starts to feel ordinary.”
—stood the Imperial Castle in the sky.
Unlike the Astron Magic Tower, it didn’t float above the clouds. Even though it was suspended in the air, it was still at a height where it could be clearly seen from the ground.
However, to take in the full view of the castle, one had no choice but to tilt their head back as far as possible.
An unavoidable shift in perspective. A structure so huge it couldn’t be captured in a single glance.
That alone naturally inspired awe and reverence. It was said that was precisely why the Astron Magic Tower had been asked to cast the levitation spell in the first place.
The act of elevating the Imperial Castle had been what earned Astron its place among the Six Great Towers, and ever since the reign of the first emperor, the castle had remained in the sky.
In that sense, the Astron Magic Tower had essentially shared its history with the empire itself.
…I had gotten a bit sidetracked here, but ultimately, there was no way to enter the Imperial Castle without flying. However, flight was strictly forbidden within the capital. Except for those affiliated with the imperial family.
So then, how did people enter?
“Is that the chain? The one each of the Six Great Towers is responsible for maintaining…?”
“That’s right. It also serves as a symbol of the Six Great Towers’ unwavering loyalty to the imperial family, but…”
The Imperial Castle did not simply float aimlessly. With such a huge structure suspended in the air, the land beneath it naturally received no sunlight, making it uninhabitable. Instead, a vast pit, equal in size to the castle itself, stretched below.
It did not quite match the elegant exterior of the capital, yet the pit was by no means unsightly.
Six chains extended from the castle, forming a hexagon as they anchored themselves deep within the pit.
Six chains burning, frozen, woven of starlight, flickering between light and darkness, endlessly unyielding and violently swirling like a storm.
The chains embedded into the walls of the pit appeared to be restraining the Imperial Castle, preventing it from ascending any higher into the sky. At the same time, they glowed brilliantly, illuminating the area with intricate magic circles of every color.
Looking down at this famous sight that was a must-see for any first-time visitor to the Imperial Capital, the prince murmured to himself.
“Honestly, they’re just for show.”
“…Huh?”
“I mean, isn’t it obvious? The castle remains perfectly suspended thanks to the Astron Magic Tower’s spell, so the chains are completely unnecessary. In the first place, the Arkhe Magic Tower’s chains are nothing more than light and darkness shaped into that form. They don’t even have a physical presence. Same goes for the wind and starlight chains.”
“Ah…”
“The Third Emperor ordered their installation because leaving the pit empty would have looked too barren. Those in the know understand this. Still, they are a spectacular sight, and they serve their purpose well by reminding people how powerful the Imperial Family and the Magic Towers really are. Not to mention, they serve as a symbol of the Six Great Towers’ loyalty to the Empire.”
But… was that really all there was to it?
If the chains were merely decorative or symbolic, would the Six Great Towers really go so far as to station a considerable number of mages there, maintaining them with such strict oversight and reinforcing them with layer upon layer of magic circles?
Feeling a strange sense of unease, I stole a glance at Adela who was seated across from me, while the prince turned to gaze out the window. As the prized disciple of the Olphin Tower Master, she had to know something.
She shook her head.
I knew it.
Adela’s silent response was clear. Those chains served a purpose far beyond mere spectacle or a symbol of loyalty.
Well, in the end, that was all there was to it. Whatever those chains were really for, it had nothing to do with me.
I was simply…
The Third Prince is more cynical than I thought. The way he deliberately played the fool at Abracadabra, the way he immediately canceled his board game reservation the moment I said I’d be right there even though he seemed completely absorbed in it. But he’s not entirely coldhearted. Maybe he just prefers strategy-based board games to ones that require social interaction…
I was simply recalling the reason I had come to the Imperial Palace in the first place.
I hadn’t come to the Imperial Palace simply to help the Third Prince. My goal went beyond that. I intended to popularize board games within the palace, allowing the trend to spread like a trickle-down effect to the nobility across the entire empire.
While making a board game that would allow the 3rd Prince to become close to his two older brothers, I also had to present a board game that would satisfy other members of the imperial family and had the potential to become a widespread trend.
And to achieve that, the first step was to present a board game that suited the Third Prince’s needs.
In that sense, it was important to figure out exactly what kind of person the Third Prince was.
The prince, who had been gazing out the window for a moment, turned his head.
“In that regard, I must thank you for coming so early. To be honest, I thought you’d wait until the Abracadabra trend had settled before making an appearance.”
“How could I keep Your Highness waiting after being summoned?”
“You certainly say all the right things. But really, if it were anyone else calling for you, wouldn’t you make them wait as long as necessary?”
“Your Highness, I—”
“…Unlike me, you’re a genius.”
“—Your Highness?”
“It’s nothing. Anyway, since you came at my request, I should at least treat you accordingly.”
“Treat me…?”
I decided to set aside the words the prince had muttered earlier and just keep them in mind for now.
What did he mean by “treatment”? Was he referring to offering me a fine room?
“I’ll be blunt. Even for someone like you, it’s impossible to say how long it will take to create a board game that can bring me closer to my brothers.”
“……………”
“So, I’ll provide you with everything you need.”
“Everything…?”
“You only need to create a single game, after all. If you need a mage, I’ll summon one. If you need a craftsman, I’ll mobilize them. I still have that much authority left.”
“…….…!!”
“I won’t rush you too much, either. It’s a joke, but technically, I have more than ten years to spare. That said, the sooner, the better.”
So, was this that? The kind of deal where he’d provide unlimited support as long as I delivered results, no matter what?
There would be no room for excuses like “If I just had more time and budget…” It was, quite literally, everything I could ask for.
But that didn’t necessarily mean it was a good thing.
With unlimited support, the expectations would be just as limitless. The results would have to exceed anything the prince had imagined.
Anything half-baked wouldn’t cut it. The game had to win over the Third Prince completely and produce flawless results.
No matter how generous he seemed, he was still the Third Prince of the Imperial Family. Meanwhile, despite gaining succession rights, I was still just the third son of a viscount. If I burned through his time and money only for him to remain distant from his brothers, I could very well lose my life.
Anyone would feel the crushing weight of such expectations.
But—
“Do not worry, Your Highness.”
“Oh…?”
“I won’t disappoint you.”
This was, in fact, an opportunity.
All the board games I had been unable to create due to a lack of skill or funding—
Now, I had the chance to make them all and put them to the test.
The moment I heard the prince’s words, only one thought crossed my mind.
Since it’s come to this…
Back at the Mage Tower, I had only been able to present 33 examples due to the specific conditions required. But this time was different, wasn’t it?
With unlimited resources now at my disposal, there was only one thing to do.
I’ll make as many as I can.
Every board game I knew—
All of them.
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