Making friends with people was difficult. It was even harder if they were of the opposite sex rather than the same sex. And if she happened to be the daughter of a powerful figure who could erase someone like me with a mere flick of the wrist, it became even more difficult.
More importantly, if she spent most of her time with spirits instead of people, there was no need to say more.
However, if I included just one condition, I could handle all of that easily.
That condition was board games.
Board games are godly and invincible.
I did not blindly place my faith in board games for no reason. I had experienced resolving several of life’s crises through board games.
Even in high school, when I had no friends and was on the verge of being bullied, I made friends by bringing a board game from home.
During group projects in college, I also eased awkward tensions with just one session of a board game.
On my first blind date, I went to a board game café and maintained a friendly atmosphere. In the end, I still got dumped, though.
And in the military, instead of getting punished by a troublesome senior, I introduced him to board games, so I ended up avoiding reprimands and had it easy.
When I was in college, my bag contained a few types of board games instead of textbooks, and rather than playing RPGs or AOS games on my laptop, I played online board games.
Board games were my light. Board games were my salt.
Board games were my eternity.
In any case, as long as we played board games together, I was confident I could become friendly with anyone.
[Growl.]
[Clop, clop.]
“…Hey, guys?”
Yes.
If we actually “played” a game, that was.
“What was this…”
The room of the duke’s daughter, who was rumored to be adored far too much by spirits, was located in one of the towers of the duchy.
The duchy had four towers, and it seemed each tower was occupied by one of the duke’s children. But it was said that the only one left now was the duke’s daughter.
Even if it was called a tower, it was still part of the duchy and the place where the duke’s daughter resided, so it was kept immaculate.
[Growl.]
Something was blocking the entrance to the tower. Specifically… a tiger made of water.
I wondered if this was the spirit I had only heard about in stories.
I knew it was a life form composed of pure elements, but seeing it in front of me made it look quite strange.
Its body, legs, and head were made of water that dripped and flowed as it moved, but its size never shrank. It clearly contained nothing but water, yet it changed the color of the water or deepened the shade to form eyes, patterns, and shapes.
It was also terribly large, so large that it seemed like it could swallow me whole at any moment.
It was obviously a monster that could crush a weak knight with ease, and it was not alone either.
[Clop, clop.]
At least the tiger growled; this one made the sound of hooves.
Next to the tiger, there was also a horse made of wind guarding the tower’s entrance.
Of course, you would expect it to be invisible, but interestingly, the wind itself was tinted light green and swirled into a recognizable shape. Like the tiger, it changed the color of the wind to resemble a horse.
A tiger made of water and a horse made of wind.
Their reason for blocking the entrance to the tower was obvious.
“Do you understand human speech? You do, right?”
[Growl.]
“I need to play a board game with your lady, the spirit user, or whatever you call her. So could you let me through?”
[Clop, clop.]
They did not budge.
I wondered if the spirits themselves were preventing anyone from entering the tower or if the duke’s daughter had ordered them to do so.
I could not force my way in; the tiger’s watery fangs and the horse’s windy hooves looked more than capable of easily crushing an ordinary person.
I had prepared several games besides Kyle Galli, but now it seemed I would not even get to see the duke’s daughter, let alone play a game with her.
I did not know how long we had been at a standstill when I heard someone approaching the tower entrance.
“…Your Highness, the Duke?”
“As I thought… exactly as expected.”
Duke Nicholas who had walked alone without any particular attendants, shook his head from side to side.
It was as though even the faintest hope had vanished. For some reason, the vicious glare he had been giving me only moments before was gone as well.
“Not being able to enter the tower at all… So, in the end, Kyle Galli is Kyle Galli and its creator is someone else…?”
“Pardon me, Your Highness, but does that mean you are unable to enter as well?”
“It has been that way for more than three years now.”
Then… did that mean…
Did the duke’s daughter really spend all her time inside that tower, only with the spirits…?
“How does she manage her meals?”
“The spirits periodically bring her food and daily necessities. It has been quite some time since I last saw my daughter’s face, and I cannot remember the last time she stepped outside that tower.”
“…How did it end up like this?”
I had not heard the details earlier, but no matter how beloved she was by the spirits, it seemed ridiculous that she would refuse even her own family.
Unless the spirits were blocking those she wanted to meet, the duke’s words implied the young lady herself was rejecting all other people.
The duke, who had been watching me for a moment, then looked up at the top of the tower with a bitter expression.
“My daughter… Lacia… was hurt far more deeply than I ever imagined. She gradually lost her ability to trust others, and in the end, she only spoke to the spirits.”
“So you are not willing to tell me why…?”
“Please understand. In the end, you are an outsider, are you not? I cannot reveal all of the private affairs of the duke’s household.”
“Even though this will only widen the distance between you and your daughter?”
“…Yes.”
Even after trying once, the duke’s attitude remained unyielding. And more than that, his eyes seemed deeply subdued.
I had worked up some courage to ask, but the duke treated it as if it were only natural.
Even though he knew the situation was deteriorating, he used the excuse that I was an outsider to avoid delving any deeper.
“You may leave.”
“Huh?”
“The spirits have rejected you, so there is no hope anyway. As long as you promise to keep this secret, you may go. Of course, I will offer you some compensation. I am grateful you played along with my whim.”
“………….”
“If you wish, you may stay a bit longer in the territory or the castle. I will give you whatever you need…”
With those words, the duke turned away.
His departing figure drooped in a way uncharacteristic of an all-powerful figure.
[…Growl.]
[Clip… clop.]
The spirits too watched the departing duke and let out powerless sounds, unlike how they had acted around me.
After gazing blankly at the duke’s retreating figure, I turned back to the spirits.
“…I will see you next time.”
[Growl.]
[Clop.]
Because of that,
I too left with only those words.
Promising there would be a next time, someday.
***
[…Growwl…?]
[…Clop.]
Ding.
“No, that’s not it. You press it when there are five shapes. You know that you have to play Kyle Galli well if you want to spend time with the young lady, right? You’ve been upset lately because someone took your place by her side, haven’t you? Let’s try again.”
“…What are you doing right now?”
The next day,
The duke, who had come alone as he usually did to check on the tower, stopped in his tracks.
In a place where normally only the spirits and the duke would be, blocking the tower,
Kyle Byron was playing a board game.
…And he was playing it with the spirits.
“Great, these are waterproof cards. You just need to touch them and flip them over. They only look like front paws, but they are made of water, so you should be able to manage this, right?”
[Growl.]
“I’m not ignoring you at all. Actually, I’m more worried about this one. Isn’t that right? Can you really pick up a card with hooves made of wind?”
[Grr… rrr?]
[Clop!]
“…So this actually works?”
Was he out of his mind?
Duke Nicholas paused briefly to seriously consider Kyle Byron’s mental state before letting out a long sigh.
“You’re wasting your time, you know. You’d be better off just leaving.”
“Your Highness, did you know something? I have confidence.”
“…What?”
“I’m confident that once I meet the young lady, I can get closer to her through board games. But the spirits are blocking the entrance and won’t even let me meet her.”
“That’s… true, but…”
“Then, becoming friends with the spirits would be the first step. And I plan to do that through board games as well.”
He must have lost his mind.
While the Duke considered whether he should send an apology letter to William or perhaps a capable doctor, Kyle Byron’s personal maid came running toward the tower from a distance.
Perfect timing.
The Duke thought he would tell her, just by looking at the situation, to take her weird master away—
“Young master! I-I brought the additional cards you requested…!”
“Thanks, Sally. Oh, this is my personal maid, Sally. Say hello.”
[Growl.]
[Clop.]
“Ah? Oh, um, hello… I’m Sally?”
“Anyway, thanks. I’ll stay here and keep playing with them, so why don’t you explore the castle or something?”
“I-I’d like to play the game with you too, young master!”
“Really? Is it okay if Sally joins us?”
[Growl…]
[Clop, clop.]
[Growl?]
[Clop.]
[Growl, grrr.]
“They said it’s fine as long as it’s just for the game. Here, take a card, Sally.”
“Yes!!”
“………….”
The saying “like master, like servant” had never been more proper.
Without any hesitation or doubt about playing a board game with spirits, Kyle Byron’s personal maid sat next to him and joined the game.
Watching Kyle, who seemed genuinely focused on playing, the Duke shook his head.
It won’t last long anyway…
After all, Kyle was his invited guest, and the Duke couldn’t forcibly kick him out. Surely, Kyle would exhaust himself and leave sooner or later.
Becoming friends with spirits through board games. What could this be if not the idea of a madman?
The Duke glanced briefly upward toward the higher levels of the tower, where his daughter would be, and turned on his heel.
He could come back tomorrow. By then, surely Kyle Byron would be gone.
Rustle.
As the Duke departed, the only sound that reached his ears was the flipping of cards.
***
The next day.
“Please, please, please…!!”
[Gr… grrr… Growl!!]
Ding!
“Ah! I lost again! Hey, you! Are you even allowed to create an extra water leg while maintaining your tiger form? Stick to the rules!”
[Growl…]
“Look at this guy, getting cocky! Hey, don’t you agree? You’re made of wind, so it’s tough for you to hit the bell too, isn’t it?”
[Clop-clop, clop-clop!]
[Growl~]
“One more round! This time, if I win, you take one step back from the tower!”
[Growl!]
[Clop!]
“…Huh?”
***
The next day, again.
“By the way, something’s been bothering me. Between the two of you, who’s better at playing Kyle Galli?”
[Growl?]
[Clop?]
“I mean, think about it. You’ve both improved so much in just two days that you’re way better than me now. Sure, as a regular human, I’m stuck in last place, but you two are neck-and-neck every game. Do you know which one of you has won the most so far?”
[……]
[…Clop.]
“Wrong. The Tiger has won two more times. Are you okay with staying in second place like this? You’ve gotten so good that even the young lady noticed when you played with her. Are you really going to live as the runner-up, beaten by that guy?”
[Clop, clopclop…!!]
“Right? How about this: face off fair and square, spirit-style, one-on-one? What do you say, tiger?”
[Growl!]
“Bold and decisive; I like it. Then we’ll proceed with a special house rule. I’ll step back as the referee, and you two will play using the special spirit rules I created. Ready?”
[Clop, clop!]
[Growl!]
“Alright, let’s begin!”
“………”
***
And then.
[Growl, growl!]
[Clop, clop!]
“Ah… I have to leave today. No matter how much I want to keep playing Kyle Galli with you two, I probably won’t be able to anymore. But you can keep playing without me, can’t you?”
[Growl…]
[Clop…]
“Playing just the two of you is boring, and the other spirits are too bad at the game? I’m honored you think it’s more fun with me, but I don’t have a choice. I stayed here to meet the young lady, but I didn’t even get into the tower in the end…”
[…Growl?]
“What? No, absolutely not. You’re supposed to guard against outsiders like me entering. If I went in, the young lady might get angry.”
[Clop, clop!]
“Just up to the door? Is it really okay to speak to the young lady from beyond the door? Are you serious?”
[Growl…]
[Clop-clop! Clop-clop!]
[Growl, growl! Grrrowl!]
[Clop!]
“You guys are willing to go that far for me…! This must be what having great friends is all about! Then, I’ll meet the young lady tomorrow, and tonight, let’s play Kyle Galli all night long!”
[Growl!]
[Clop!]
“Y-Young master! I-I’ve brought your meal!”
“Food’s here! Let’s eat first and then continue!”
[Growl~]
[Clop-clop~]
“………What on earth is this.”
***
It had been a week since Kyle Byron arrived at the Everts Duchy.
At last, this morning, he entered the tower with the two spirits.
“……….”
And Duke Nicholas could only stare blankly at his back as he disappeared inside.
The tower had accepted Kyle Byron.
…But it was still rejecting Duke Nicholas.
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