Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 44 - Chapter 1

Episode 1: The Capital Board Game Session

The battle against Vandarion had come to a close, but Forthorthe’s royalty had no time to take it easy. They needed to rebuild and reform the empire, as well as hold memorials and celebrations for the end of the war. However, the imperial physicians objected, saying it would destroy Their Majesties’ bodies, and the royals would therefore be taking a day off on a rotating basis.

Today it was Theia, Elfaria, and Ceilēshu’s day off. But since it had been such a sudden decision, they didn’t have anything in particular to do, so they had gathered to drink tea, which Ruth had poured for them.

“That reminds me, it’s been so busy that I haven’t been able to thank you, Theia-chan,” Ceilēshu remarked after taking a sip of the tea and putting her cup on the table. They were inside the greenhouse in the courtyard of the Imperial Palace. The season was still cold, but the light of the sun made the tea sparkle.

“Hmm?” Theia was in the process of enjoying her own drink and acknowledged Ceilēshu with her eyes. It was a little rude, but nobody there would rebuke her for it. That said, she had matured, so she soon put down her cup and spoke to Ceilēshu. “Is there something you need to thank me for?”

“There is.” Ceilēshu smiled and lowered her head. “Thank you for saving my father.”

Ceilēshu’s father had been afflicted by an illness that couldn’t be cured even with Forthorthe’s technology. But it had been possible to treat him with technology based on magic and spiritual energy. Once the war was over, he had received treatment, with both means being used in parallel. As a result, although he was still far from being fully recovered, his life was no longer in danger, and his condition was improving with each passing day.

Theia smiled and shook her head. “I haven’t done anything. You should give your thanks to the others.”

It was Maki and Yurika, as well as Sanae and Kiriha, who had been in charge of his treatment. Theia hadn’t done anything but watch, so in her mind, it was they who should be thanked, not her. Even so, she was happy about her friends being praised.

“Theia, at times it is necessary to accept the gratitude directed to you,” Elfaria said and laughed at her daughter. At the same time, she was happy that her daughter had made friends she could be proud of.

“I am willing to accept thanks for bringing them here, mother.”

“In that case, thank you very much for doing so, Theia-chan.”

“Indeed, it was worthwhile to bring them with me.”

“By the way, when Her Highness was coming back, she begged Layous-sama and the others to lend her their strength while in tears,” Ruth interjected.

“Oh my?!”

“Ruth! You didn’t have to say that!”

Not much time had passed since the war had ended, but since things were going well, Theia and the others had bright expressions. It would surely not be long before Forthorthe as a whole recovered from the civil war.

Ruth was the one pouring the tea, and thanks to her meticulous personality and training since childhood, the taste and aroma were superb. After a few sips, Ceilēshu looked into her cup in confusion.

Seeing that, Ruth asked her with a worried look, “Was it not to your taste, Ceilēshu-sama?”

“Oh, it was! I just haven’t had something like this before. I believe I am quite knowledgeable about tea too,” Ceilēshu answered with a smile. She felt that the taste and aroma were great, and Ruth’s skill was admirable. She was simply bothered that she hadn’t tasted this type of tea before. Tea was her hobby, so she had all kinds of knowledge about the subject. Yet she knew nothing about the tea that Ruth had made for her.

“This is actually a tea that I brought with me from Earth,” Ruth clarified.

“From Earth? No wonder I can’t recall it. So, this is the taste of tea from Layous-sama’s homeland...” Ceilēshu peered into her cup again before taking another sip to enjoy the flavor and aroma. It was a rather unique and acrid taste, but she quite liked it.

“Do you like it, Ceilēshu-san?” Elfaria called out to her.

Ceilēshu was rather mature, unlike Theia, so the childish expression she was wearing was quite rare. “Yes.” Ceilēshu nodded. “I would like to try all sorts of tea.” Her tea-loving heart was stirring. How could she sit still at the thought of unknown teas from an unknown planet? “Do you have any more, Ruth-san?”

“I do believe I have another two or three teas that I brought with me. I will serve them next time.”

“Please do!”

Ruth knew that she had brought roasted green tea and black tea with her. She remembered making those since coming to Forthorthe. She should also have brought oolong tea with her, but since she hadn’t made any yet, she couldn’t be sure. That didn’t matter to Ceilēshu, though; she wanted as many teas as there were.

Seeing that, Elfaria chuckled. “Once diplomatic relations are established with Earth, and especially Japan, you can get as much as you want.”

Elfaria had already decided to open a dialogue with Earth at this point. Once that was done, they could get as much tea as they wanted, which Ceilēshu should be happy about.

Of course, there was risk involved, and that’s what Theia was worried about. “Mother, is it really necessary to establish diplomatic relations right now?”

Trouble with another world was a constant worry, especially when there were such large gaps in both technology and economy between them. In this scenario, there was a high risk of Forthorthe’s technology and funds flowing directly to Earth. With that in mind, Theia felt that there was no need to rush.

“There is a reason. It will be dangerous if we don’t hurry.” Elfaria was of the opposite opinion. She believed there was another danger lurking and concluded that it was riskier to hold off on this next step.

“What danger are you talking about, Your Majesty?” Ruth, having finished her duty of pouring tea, asked with a serious expression. Seeing that Elfaria wasn’t smiling as she usually would, she had a bad feeling about this.

“All citizens know that Layous-sama and his allies fought. A lot of attention is naturally being focused on magic, psychic powers, and spiritual energy. If left alone, some will illegally land on Earth to try to get their hands on those things. Establishing diplomatic relations is the best way to prevent that.”

The people of Forthorthe’s attention was currently on the Blue Knight and his band of knights, as well as the strange techniques they used, such as Yurika’s and Maki’s magic, Sanae’s psychic powers, and Kiriha’s haniwas. Even if the details were unclear, the people understood that these were superb techniques and technology. Naturally, many would want to get their hands on them even if it meant illegally smuggling themselves onto Earth, and many would inevitably belong to dangerous terrorist organizations.

“Earth doesn’t have the technology to prevent Forthorthians from illegally entering,” Theia remarked. “So you are worried that a terrorist organization will go there to look for magic and spiritual energy technology and bring it back here to perform acts of terrorism, is that right, mother?”

“That’s right. Establishing diplomatic relations is necessary in order to move the army and enforce the border. Because of the galactic treaty, we can’t let the military into a country we don’t have diplomatic relations with.”

Forthorthe and its neighboring nations had a treaty that forbade them from intervening with any country or planet they didn’t have diplomatic relations with, even to prevent illegal entry. If they were going to enforce the borders, they would need to follow the rules.

“Magic, psychic powers, and spiritual energy... It would certainly be a problem if those were brought to Forthorthe. It is definitely a difficult situation, Your Majesty,” Ceilēshu said while furrowing her brow.

If such things were used for terrorism in Forthorthe, they would have no means of preventing it or pursuing the perpetrators. A sudden influx would be problematic for both worlds, and Elfaria felt that they couldn’t afford to fall behind on the matter. It was also why she was exempting Darkness Rainbow from responsibility and trying to recruit them instead.

“That’s why there is a need to do this soon,” she explained. “However, it will mostly be a human and cultural exchange at first. Anything else will be shut out.”

“Which means that I will be able to drink this tea again!” Ceilēshu replied.

Although trouble was expected, it wasn’t all bad, since Ceilēshu would be able to explore Earth’s tea culture. There were parts of this political move that would be very welcome.

“Does it interest you, Ceilēshu-san?” Elfaria asked.

“Of course. It is something from Layous-sama’s homeland...”

“I am sure people will want to experience the culture that created the Blue Knight.”

This decision would likely align with the public’s desires. Earth was the planet where the Blue Knight was born. Koutarou had defeated Vandarion and saved the royal families, earning him immense popularity, and the people would surely love to know more about his culture, especially the things that Koutarou enjoyed. They would likely want to experience it for themselves as well. Since a human and cultural exchange would allow for that, the people would rejoice.

“Ruth-san, did you bring any cultural items from Earth aside from tea?” Ceilēshu asked.

“I do have board games we brought along to kill time.”

“A board game?”

“It is a classic type of game where you use a board and pieces to play,” Theia interjected. “On Earth, it lost momentum due to the appearance of computer games, but it is seeing a sort of revival as of late.”

“Hmm... I see.”

“Theia, this is a good opportunity, so why don’t we play?” Elfaria suggested.

“I understand, mother. Ruth, if you would.”

“Very well.”

Theia and the others had initially worried about how they would spend their day off, but fortunately, they had found a solution during their discussion, and ultimately spent their time casually playing a game.

The first game Ruth chose was a simple one that used a large twelve-sided die, with players moving the number of spaces the die showed.

“Theia-chan, what does this say?” Ceilēshu asked.

“It says, ‘The Turnabout Game of Life.’ Hold on a minute; I will send the Japanese translation to you,” Theia answered.

“Ah, there it is. Thank you very much. I see, now I can understand this box.”

“Indeed. To summarize the game, you experience a virtual life where you overcome hardships, and the person who has the most money at the end is the victor.”

“That sounds fun.”

“It always causes a big uproar.”

“Is that so?” Ceilēshu chuckled as she stared at the package and board. Everything was written in Japanese, but the computer she was wearing projected a translated hologram over it, so there was no problem. She was very interested in Earth’s culture.

“Ruth, why did you choose this game?” asked Elfaria.

“This game is based on luck, Your Majesty, so even beginners can play it easily enough. It also features Japanese culture.”

“I see, then it should fit in with Ceilēshu-san’s hopes.”

Ruth and Elfaria chatted while taking out the pieces and cards from the box. Since Elfaria had been on Earth for a while, she had some experience with board games and was therefore unsurprised, but Ceilēshu’s reaction was very different.

“Theia-chan, your piece is a vehicle with wheels. Is that a vehicle from Earth?” she asked.

“That’s right. Most vehicles on Earth still use an internal combustion engine.”

“I would love to ride in one...”

“I’m sure you will get a chance eventually.”

“I will look forward to it,” Ceilēshu said with a laugh. She was typically the one doing the explaining to Theia, but their positions were reversed when it came to Earth. The advantage of having lived there for two years was significant, and right now, Theia was the most—or second most—knowledgeable on Forthorthe.

Suddenly, a thought came to mind. Did mother foresee this when she sent me to Koutarou’s side?

Theia was an expert on Earth. Her two years of experience would naturally put her at the center of attention should diplomatic relations be established. In a sense, it was a card more powerful than becoming Empress. Earth was more than just a planet; it was the Blue Knight’s homeland. Theia stared at her mother, wondering if Elfaria had foreseen that much when she had sent Theia there.

“Ruth, what was this red bill again?” Elfaria asked.

“That is a debt,” Ruth explained “You will lose money equivalent to the note.”

“Oh, right.”

Seeing Elfaria carefreely prepare the game, Theia felt like she was making too much of it. Not even mother could have predicted this much... Good grief...

She laughed, and after that, she completely forgot about it. And with that, the truth would forever remain in darkness.

The Turnabout Game of Life began at childhood. The players attended either regular or elite kindergarten and various types of grade schools. They also collected talent cards that would affect their income after finding a job. It was ideal if talents and work overlapped, but since the game was so reliant on luck, it wasn’t that easy.

“Agh, I have a talent for drawing, but I ended up becoming a baseball player!” Theia griped.

“That’s a shame, Theia. You were just one away from becoming a manga artist,” Ruth answered.

“Baseball... Ruth-san, what is baseball?” asked Elfaria.

“It is a sport on Earth. Master loves it, so we play it from time to time too.”

“I would love to try it for myself one day.”

“By all means.”

The board split when searching for a job, setting a general future course. Theia gained a talent during grade school and chose a route that had a lot of professional creative jobs. But that route also featured athletics, which she unfortunately got instead.

“Oh, it appears I am a salaryman,” Elfaria commented.

“I have never imagined you as an office worker, mother.”

“Ceilēshu-sama, a salaryman is an employee who works for a company,” Ruth explained.

“That is the opposite of Her Majesty’s life.”

“I will aim for the top, no matter what life,” Elfaria announced.

“I am sure that mother would be the same regardless of her job,” said Theia.

Elfaria had become an employee for a trading company. She had also acquired a talent for logical thinking, which, while not as effective as a talent for negotiation, would help her as an employee. She could still aim to win.

“Oh... It looks like I am an idol singer,” said Ruth.

“That is a good job, Ruth-san,” Elfaria answered.

“I don’t think it suits Ruth well, though.”

“Theia, you are talking about reality, aren’t you?” her mother replied with a chuckle.

“But I have a talent for handicrafts, so I don’t think it suits me.”

“See!”

“Oh, Theia...”

Ruth had become an idol singer. It was one of the jobs that had the most random income. It was relatively stable if one had a talent for beauty or charisma, but Ruth unfortunately had neither. Even so, she looked at her job card with joy. While she herself didn’t think it suited her, she was still happy about it. Being able to become something unimaginable was just another thrill of playing a game.

“I am, uhm...a tuna fisherman. But what is a tuna?” asked Ceilēshu.

“Oh, you’ve gotten the most dynamic job!” Theia exclaimed.

“A tuna is a large edible fish on Earth. Many people in Japan like it, and Master loves it too,” Ruth explained.

“Then I will do my best to make Layous-sama happy.”

“Mother, it might be best to import tuna eventually.”

“You love it too, don’t you, Theia?”

“Ehehehe.”

Ceilēshu had become a deep-sea fisherman and was happy about it. Like the idol job, it was a very random one, but she had the fishing talent so her income would be relatively stable. At the moment, she might have been the most likely player to win, but that wasn’t why Ceilēshu was smiling. Her heart was drawn to the unique food culture of Earth, as well as the Earth-style boat illustration on the card.

“So, we have a baseball player, a salaryman, an idol, and a fisherman. These jobs are all very varied,” Theia pointed out.

“It’s only natural—there are a lot of jobs on Earth too.” Ceilēshu flipped through the job cards that hadn’t been used this time. Many were in fields that she had no familiarity with, and even the jobs she did know looked different in the game. The cards made the difference in the culture between Forthorthe and Earth very clear, and much of it fascinated her.

“I would love to go to Earth one day...” Ceilēshu murmured.

“Bear with it for a while. Mother will open it up eventually.”

“I look forward to it.”

“Leave it to me...” Elfaria laughed.

Before long, the Blue Knight would sneak home, prompting public opinion in Forthorthe to favor establishing diplomatic relations with Earth. Ceilēshu’s desires would quickly be fulfilled, but she had no way of knowing that now.

The Turnabout Game of Life truly got started once everyone had a job. Until then, players only received income from allowances or events, but once they were employed, their income increased dramatically. There were also unexpected expenses such as stock market crashes and natural disasters. And so the rankings, which had been nearly equal until now, started shifting rapidly.

“At this rate, Ceilēshu will be able to run away with the win.”

“Ceilēshu-sama has been having nothing but big hauls lately, after all.”

“I am only getting lucky,” she protested.

Elfaria chuckled. “Be it luck or ability, the winner is always right, Ceilēshu-san.”

Ceilēshu was currently in first place. At first, she’d struggled with the loan for the ship, but she’d been getting big hauls for years and was now leaps and bounds ahead of the others. She still wasn’t sure what a tuna fisherman really was, but she was enjoying herself.

“Hmm...I will lose if I don’t do anything.” Theia was in second place, and her talent didn’t match her job, but she was being held up by her team’s performance.

“Now then, what should I do?” Elfaria, who was in third, was strangely happy. Her income was stable because of her job as a salaryman, but it wasn’t increasing as much as she wanted. However, she wouldn’t go down quietly, and the other three were filled with trepidation, wondering what she would do.

“It seems I really wasn’t suited to be an idol. Continuing would be a mistake; I should change jobs.” In last place was Ruth. Her idol profession was a complete mismatch with her handicraft talent, and it wasn’t enough for her to make a living. She also had to work part-time to support herself. Right now, she was looking for a way to change jobs in order to make a comeback.

“I will need to bring out my last resort.” Theia cackled as she threw the twelve-sided die. She then moved her car piece, not along the main route but a special side road.

“You’ve made a bold choice, Your Highness.” Ruth smiled as she looked at her; it was very like Theia.

“Naturally. I will be first, or I will be last!”

Having concluded that she wouldn’t be able to beat Ceilēshu at this rate, Theia had made a gamble to try a big turn of fortune. The game allowed for players to gamble everything they owned just once. If they won, they would be rich, and if they lost, they wouldn’t have any money to their name. It was a typical decision for Theia to make—to her, any position but the top was the same as last place.

“Theia, it says to specify the multiplier.”

“Ceilēshu will get her income another two times after this, and considering it might be over average with her talent...hmm, a double multiplier won’t be enough... Mother, I will go with three times!”

“I see, so this is what a ‘turnabout’ in life means,” Ceilēshu pondered.

“Yes,” Ruth explained, “it is possible to turn things around from any position as a final gamble, although there is criticism about the game being too reliant on luck.”

“Playing only games of skill will result in the same people winning all the time, so these kinds of games are necessary too.”

“I agree, Ceilēshu-sama.”

“Hahahaha, here I go!” Theia vigorously threw the twelve-sided die. It rolled across the table, and since she was aiming for a triple multiplier, she had a one-in-three chance of success. Specifically, she needed to roll a one to four.

Theia and the others held their breath as they stared.

“Stop it! Don’t! Noooooo!”

As the die stopped, Theia screamed. She had rolled a five, and unfortunately, her gamble had failed. Theia was now bankrupt, and that was one of the turning points of the game. Everyone set their objectives and headed for the goal.

“Ugh, I lost!”

When the game came to an end, Theia collapsed over the table. With her bankruptcy, she had come in last. She’d recovered somewhat afterward, but it hadn’t been enough to catch up to the other three.

“This was the result of your aggressiveness, Your Highness,” Ceilēshu commented.

“And you weren’t aggressive enough,” Elfaria chimed in.

“I should have given up on the idol path sooner.” Ruth was third. She’d changed her job to entrepreneur and created an apparel brand. It suited her talent, but it had been done too late. She had been defeated by her conservative personality and adoration for idols deep within, which had left her unable to throw her original job away sooner.

“It appears I was sitting on a big haul for too long. I should have been thinking of my next move while things were in my favor.”

“It was your first time playing, so that can’t be helped.”

“I will do better next time.”

“That’s the spirit, Ceilēshu-san.”

Ceilēshu had come in second. Her fishing had worked great for her until halfway through, but she’d fallen behind on managing her funds. She hadn’t narrowed down her management methods, eventually not having enough income to make a profit.

“Still, I didn’t think Her Majesty would be so good at games, Theia-chan.”

“Mother is always like this. She will make a fortune before you know it.”

“It would appear Her Majesty had it planned from the start.”

Elfaria chuckled. “The moment I became a salaryman, I needed a plan to win.” Although she hadn’t particularly stood out midgame, in the end, she had finished in first place. The moment she had become a salaryman, she’d begun gradually buying stocks in the company she worked for. Moreover, her company had performed well thanks to her talent, so her stocks hadn’t dropped. So, even though she hadn’t stood out, she’d been sitting on high-value stocks. A large part of that was the result of her becoming CEO, and thanks to her skillful management of her assets, she’d managed to eke out a victory against Ceilēshu.

“Still, Her Majesty sure is strong, isn’t she, Your Highness?” asked Ceilēshu.

“That’s what makes it worth challenging her!” cried Theia. “Let’s move on to the next one! I won’t let this end here!”

“Oh, are we going to play more?”

“I won’t let you run away with your victory, mother!”

“Wow, what game are we playing next?!”

As a sore loser, Theia wouldn’t let it end there. She hurriedly cleaned up after the Turnabout Game of Life and started looking over the games piled up on a nearby table. Their battle had only just begun.

Thanks to the first round, Ceilēshu was starting to get a grasp on analogue games. Sensing that, the second game Theia picked was a card game called Divine Punishment Professionals. The rules were simple, and compared to the Turnabout Game of Life, it had more leeway for player tactics. It would be a good follow-up for Ceilēshu now that she’d gotten the hang of things.

“Theia-chan, what is this unique hairstyle these gentlemen are wearing?!”

“That is called a topknot.”

“Top...knot?”

“It originated when warriors shaved the tops of their heads before putting on their helmets. Bundling their hair like that was the proper etiquette for samurai, which were like our knights.”

Once again, the illustrations on the card fascinated Ceilēshu. Since they featured figures from the Edo period, they showed a completely unknown world to her. Moreover, samurai were an interesting concept to someone from Forthorthe, where knights still existed.

“Is Japan a feudal society too?”

“It was in the past. It’s not anymore, but that spirit is still alive in its people.”

“Like Layous-sama?”

“That’s right. This game is about becoming like that idiot and defeating villains.”

“Ah, that makes it easy to understand.”

The connection to a feudal society made the concept of the game easier to swallow. They were warriors of justice defeating the villains lurking in the shadows. Knights and samurai were different, but Forthorthe had stories with similar motifs. Thanks to that, Ceilēshu was able to understand the context.

“So, how do we play, Theia-chan?” she asked.

“Well...”

Ceilēshu’s eyes sparkled as she urged Theia to explain the rules. Theia had never seen her act so childishly before. She normally behaved like a calm, grown woman.

I understand that feeling of wanting to learn more about the culture that gave birth to the Blue Knight. I must have been the same myself...

Theia had been a huge Blue Knight fan in the past. She got along well with the real Blue Knight now, so she didn’t react like Ceilēshu did, but she could understand the other’s feelings. If not, she wouldn’t have written a play. So Theia couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic when looking at Ceilēshu.

The game began by dealing a character card to each player. The players would play as the character on their card. Theia got the gunner called Shinpachi, Ruth got the sword cane-using Daruma, Elfaria got Ayame the Poison Flower, and Ceilēshu got the master swordsman Monko. During the game, they would gather weapons, traps, and helpers, and whoever defeated the villain would win.

However, each character had different strengths and weaknesses when it came to weapons, tools, and situations, and weren’t guaranteed to win if they did the same thing every time. If there happened to be an overlap in what characters were good at, there would be a scramble for cards. Moreover, players could prepare until they were certain they would win, or make a snap decision and rely on luck, making it the kind of game you would want to play over and over.

“Ah, a helper card! Fūma Ninja... What is that?”

“A ninja is something like our spies, referring to illegal personnel. What was Fūma again, Ruth?”

“Fūma refers to a specific school, and its strength lies in launching surprise attacks from covert actions,” Ruth replied.

“Does that mean it is a good match for my Monko’s assassination sword?” Ceilēshu asked.

“It is just as you’ve guessed, Ceilēshu-sama. You get another three attacks during a surprise attack.”

“All right!”

Ceilēshu’s eyes sparkled with each new card she drew. Cards that caught her attention, such as geishas, katanas, and nightingale flooring, came one after another. She stared at the cards, alternating between happiness and anxiety as she read their effects.

“Next is my turn,” Elfaria announced. “Oh, I drew a good card.”

“What did you get, mother?” Theia asked.

“A famous sword forged by Monzaemon.”

“Your character, Ayame, is a poison user, so it’s not a very good card for her...”

“Ruth, why don’t we trade this sword for your hidden scroll of poison?” Elfaria asked.

“A trade, eh? That’s not a bad deal.”

“Hold it, Ruth! Don’t be in such a rush!” Theia warned her.

“Don’t worry, this katana has a bigger plus.”

“Then—”

“It’s a trap! Mother has a different goal! You have a card in your hand that will be nullified by the katana!”

“Ah.”

Elfaria had a firm grasp of the game and was making progress in her preparations for the showdown. She kept track of everyone’s hands and how they would want to use them, and manipulated the situation in her favor. Before they knew it, she would be fully armed, which had happened several times already. That was why Theia had objected to her sweet-talking Ruth into an unbalanced trade.

“You can hold back a little, Theia,” said Elfaria.

“There is no need to hold back against you, mother. I have lost more than enough times against you!”

“How harsh.”

“There’s no letting my guard down around you. Right, it is my turn now.”

“What card is that, Theia-chan?” asked Ceilēshu.

“A bribe. It delays the magistrate’s office from mobilizing.”

“The magistrate’s...office?”

“A magistrate’s office was this time period’s police force,” Ruth explained.

“And they are taking bribes...which means they are corrupt officers. How lamentable.”

“Hahaha, it is all in the past, so you can forgive them.”

Theia was good at the game. Her aggressive personality worked well with it, and she liked the setting. But out of consideration for Ceilēshu, she had pulled her punches the first few games, which had allowed Elfaria, who was quicker on the uptake, to snatch a few victories. However, she was gunning for victory herself now.

“It’s my turn,” Ruth said. “Um...I got the epidemic event card. All enemies and allies lose five defense points.”

“Urgh, what a frightening card.”

“Ruth-san, was the hygiene situation during the Edo period that bad?” asked Ceilēshu.

“There are records that say that it wasn’t. Compared to other countries of the time, Japan had good hygiene. However, their knowledge of medical treatments was lacking, so they suffered from diseases at the same rate as other countries.”

“I see. Your Majesty, if we establish diplomatic relations with Earth, should we not offer them medical equipment?”

“It is a difficult situation. I would love to supply some right away to save human lives, but it would be bad if it disrupted current medical practices. It would be best to slowly introduce new technology while Forthorthe treats critical patients itself.”

“We’re in the middle of a game, you two,” Theia reminded them.

“Ah, yes, my bad,” Elfaria answered.

“I’m sorry, Theia-chan.”

“Go on, Ruth; it’s still your turn.”

“Yes. I will increase my defense by selling supplies on the black market.”

Ruth played with a focus on defense, squashing her own weaknesses and aiming for a guaranteed victory. As a result, she tended to fall behind the other three, but she always won when she made her move, so her results weren’t all that bad. She also observed and analyzed how the other three played. The plan was to change her offensive strategy in accordance with their tactics toward the end of the game.

Her Majesty is surprisingly considerate of us while playing... Ruth realized in the process of her analysis that Elfaria would win when the other three were on the verge of consecutive victories. To her, it looked like Elfaria was controlling the game so that nobody would run away with all the victories. Ruth believed she was doing it for the sake of her daughter and her friends. She couldn’t quite show her true intentions, but Elfaria was genuinely kind.

“Is something the matter, Ruth?” asked Elfaria.

“Not at all. I was just thinking that Your Majesty is beautiful today too.”

“Oh my, you are quite good at flattery.”

“Oh not at all...” Ruth chuckled.

In the end, she kept her analysis to herself. Elfaria wouldn’t admit to it even if Ruth pointed it out, and nobody would benefit from that either. So Ruth just stuck to playing the game.

Since each game was short, the group ended up playing over twenty times. Surprisingly, Ceilēshu came first with six wins.

“Congratulations, Ceilēshu-sama,” said Ruth.

“Very impressive. It seems this game suits you,” Theia added.

“It’s only because you all held back.”

“That’s not true. You should be proud of yourself, Ceilēshu-san,” Elfaria insisted.

“Thank you very much, Your Majesty.”

With some beginner’s luck and everyone explaining and giving hints, Ceilēshu had made it through the early confusion and ended up with the overall victory. Behind her were Theia and Ruth with five wins each.

“Just one step short...”

“That is because you only think about attacking, Theia.”

“You say that, but offense is the best defense, mother. The best plan is to win without letting the opponent do anything!”

“And you were being a little too cautious, Ruth.”

“You’re quite right, Your Majesty. I keep choosing the safe paths. Perhaps that is simply my personality?”

“Ahaha, you two are always together, and together you might strike a perfect balance.”

Theia holding back in the beginning and putting too much emphasis on attacking had worked against her, and she had been unable to reach Ceilēshu. As for Ruth, her defensive personality had resulted in letting victories slip through her grasp and she had been unable to catch up in the end game. Surprisingly, Elfaria had come in last.

“Still...that is an unusual position for you, mother.”

“That’s because you all teamed up to bully me.”

“Your Majesty is too strong, so naturally everyone would be on guard.”

“You are the only one who didn’t bully me, Ruth.”

“I just wanted certain victories; I was still cautious.”

“So I have no allies. Being the empress is lonely.”

Elfaria was skilled at negotiating trades for cards, but unfortunately, the other three were wary of her. And in many cases, Theia or Ceilēshu had made a gamble before she could finish her preparations.

“But Her Majesty...” Ruth began before trailing off.

“What was that, Ruth?”

“Ah, no, Her Majesty won the last game by a landslide, so that is an overall positive result.”

“I can’t let myself be satisfied with that. Overwhelming victory in anything is the Mastir way, isn’t that right, Theia?”

“Yes!”

Ruth had realized that Elfaria was controlling the game for the other three, but even so, she kept quiet about it. Overwhelming victory in anything might have been the Mastir family motto, but “victory” to Elfaria was her daughter and friends enjoying themselves. There was no need for Ruth to sully that by making a pointless remark.

The last game the four played was a board game called Trade Road. This one was more difficult than the previous two, but it was a popular game with a lot of fans, so Theia wanted to introduce Ceilēshu to it.

“I got a cold snap. Now, whose place should I send heavy snowfall to?” Theia used the event card she’d just drawn as a fan while looking at the other three.

Ruth looked away, Elfaria faced her defiantly, and Ceilēshu smiled happily. After enjoying their varied reactions, Theia made her decision.

“I’ll slap this down right on the intersection of Ruth’s trade route!”

“Your Highness, how could you!”

“Ahahahaha!”

“I expected as much,” Elfaria commented.

“You did, Your Majesty?”

“That’s the place I was going to use later on.”

“I see what you mean. So it is not just an attack on Ruth-san, but also a check on Your Highness,” Ceilēshu answered.

Theia had used her event card to attack a crossroad on Ruth’s trade route. Since northbound and eastbound roads passed through there, her move would slow the trade of wheat from the north and gold from the east. It was also the direction that Elfaria was developing in preparation for her endgame, so that would be delayed as a result as well. It was a very Theia-like attack.

“Master once did the same thing to Her Highness, which frustrated her to no end.”

“Ruth!”

“He also said the exact same thing when he did it.”

“Ugh...”

As payback for Theia’s attack, Ruth exposed her past. That moment had been very frustrating for Theia, so she tried to strike back.

“What an unnecessary thing to say...”

Theia blushed after having her childish side exposed. Seeing that, Elfaria and Ceilēshu exchanged looks and laughed.

“Ahahaha, Layous-sama can do drastic things, then,” Ceilēshu remarked.

“He has a very strong sense of responsibility and is very cautious, but it seems that when it comes to games, he will do what he pleases,” Elfaria mused.

“When it comes to Her Highness, he can be especially childish.”

“I guess you can call my Theia and Layous-sama fighting friends, or rivals.”

“That’s so nice...Theia-chan,” said Ceilēshu.

“What, are you interested in him?”

“There is nobody in Forthorthe who isn’t.”

Every Forthorthian, Ceilēshu included, wanted to know what the legendary hero, the Blue Knight, did when he wasn’t being a hero. However, Ceilēshu had a sad expression, which caught Theia’s attention.

“If you’d like, you could come play with us next time.”

“But I tried to betray all of you.”

“And you stopped just before doing so.”

“But...” Ceilēshu cast her eyes down. Her expression was dark because during the civil war, she had tried to betray the royal families and the Blue Knight. She had done it to treat her father, but she felt unbearably guilty about it, so she couldn’t laugh it off.

Theia smiled in her place. “Didn’t you hear that Clan and I tried to kill him in the past? Compared to that, an attempted betrayal is nothing special. I’m sure he would forgive it and welcome you.”

“Theia-chan...”

Ceilēshu had heard about that from Clan. It was shocking, but it had been a natural confrontation due to the course of events. Moreover, they hadn’t known that Koutarou was the Blue Knight at the time. Ceilēshu felt the situation was different from her own, as she had known but tried to betray him anyway.

“Besides, he is the Blue Knight. Why do you think he wouldn’t forgive you if you regret your actions?”

Even if Ceilēshu had actually betrayed him, Koutarou would probably still forgive her as long as she truly regretted it. Especially since it had just been an attempt, and all for the sake of saving her sick father. There was no way he wouldn’t forgive her; Theia was absolutely sure of that.

“I think...I can’t forgive myself for trying to betray someone I know I never should have. I was tempted, after all...”

The source of Ceilēshu’s worries wasn’t Koutarou, but herself. As a Forthorthian, she had special feelings for the legend of the Blue Knight. The way she saw it, the present only existed because Alaia and the Blue Knight had protected Forthorthe. In a sense, it was like she was trying to deny the world she lived in. She couldn’t forgive her own betrayal.

“That idiot doesn’t hold that kind of perspective at all, so it’s a waste to think about it.”

“Really?!”

“Indeed. From the very top of his head to the bottom of his feet, he is made of chivalry. He is the Great Idiot Blue Knight.”

“So you fully believe in Layous-sama, then.”

“He is my knight. Who would believe in him if I didn’t?”

“I’m very envious of you, Theia-chan.”

Never since meeting with Koutarou had Theia betrayed the one thing she never should. Many mistakes might have been made, but that one part deep within had never wavered. Ceilēshu found her strong heart almost dazzling and felt it was a quality an empress needed. It was why Theia would never turn her back on her people.

“What will being envious help you with? If you did something wrong you need to accept that side of yourself and make it right! Face your rival and overcome them!”

“That makes it sound like you’re telling me to overcome you,” Ceilēshu replied.

“That is exactly what I am saying. This incident has made me realize that large incidents are too much for the Mastir family alone to handle. We need your and Clan’s help. Strength that rivals ours.”

Hearing those powerful words, Ceilēshu realized what she was lacking. At the same time, she felt she wasn’t a match for Theia, yet that couldn’t be the end of it. She needed to accept the truth and fix it. She needed to surpass Theia so that next time, she wouldn’t turn her back on someone she should never betray.

“The galaxy is too big. Earth is too far. The time when a princess or empress could handle everything on their own has passed. It is vital that we cooperate with those we know are allies. Your strength will be needed for Forthorthe and Earth.”

“For the sake of a world that has become too large...you’re right! I will do it!” Ceilēshu promised.

During Alaia’s era, Forthorthe had been a small country on the corner of the continent, so there had been no issue with a single princess taking the helm. But now that the borders were defined on a galactic scale, and that they would be establishing diplomatic relations with Earth across the sea of stars, it was too much for one person to manage. They needed more like-minded people to help guide the nation.

“That’s the spirit. For starters, try winning this game. It’s your turn.”

“Yes, I will do my best!”

Ceilēshu felt that once she had overcome her weakness and could be proud of herself, she would go to Earth and meet with Koutarou, who would likely have returned by then. And once they met, she would like to play a game with him, similar to what she was doing now, just like Theia did. And then, with her head held high, she would tell him that Forthorthe had allies he could trust.

The average playtime of Trade Road was around one hour. But for some reason, they kept drifting off topic, so it took three hours for them to finish. The sun was starting to set, and it was almost time for dinner.

“Still, to think we all went bankrupt...” Surprisingly, the outcome was a draw. It was the kind of vague outcome that Theia hated the most.

“It happened when we all expanded into the ocean...” Ceilēshu smiled.

When all of the players expanded into the ocean, a raging storm event hit. It didn’t kill their characters, but the sunken ships caused huge losses. In the end, none of them were able to make up for the loss and had all gone bankrupt.

“I never imagined even you would go bankrupt, Elfaria-sama,” said Ruth.

Elfaria chuckled. “I tried to ride that big wave as well.”

“It would seem that Master’s sickness has spread.”

“It certainly feels that way.”

Elfaria had gone bankrupt along with the other players. They had all gone out to sea for the final showdown, but Ruth had thought Elfaria had other ideas. She had been at the top, and if she had gone on the defensive without expanding, it probably would have been a very boring development. Even if the other three had succeeded, it was likely they wouldn’t have reached her. Since that wouldn’t have been interesting, she had sent out a ship as well—or at least that’s what Ruth thought. Everyone had unexpectedly gone bankrupt in the end, but that was fun in its own right.

“Ceilēshu, could you bring me that small bag?” Theia asked.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you. By the way, how do you like the games from Earth?”

As it was almost dinnertime, Theia was cleaning up the game. Ceilēshu was helping out.

“It was very fun to get in touch with Earth’s culture. I think we should import them right away,” she answered with a smile. She was very satisfied with her day off. The culture of a planet she didn’t know anything about was fascinating. It helped to experience it through games. Moreover, the Blue Knight himself liked such games, and the citizens of Forthorthe would no doubt want to play them too.

“I am happy to hear it; then it was worth us bringing them back.” Theia was happy that someone liked something she did. So she was thinking of bringing more games with her next time.

Seeing Theia like that, Ruth posed Elfaria a question. “By the way, Your Majesty, if you establish diplomatic relations with Japan, would you be able to import these sorts of games?”

“I imagine games would count as a cultural exchange, although they would no doubt want to import Layous-sama more than anything.”

“That is true.” Ruth nodded. Koutarou was still just an Earthling. The people of Forthorthe wanted nothing more than to welcome the Blue Knight as a citizen of Forthorthe.

“But will that idiot really agree to it, mother?” Theia folded her arms and furrowed her brows. She could easily imagine Koutarou insisting that he was an Earthling.

“We will use whatever means necessary to make him agree, no matter how dirty!”

“Yes!”

Elfaria’s words brought a smile to Theia’s face. As long as Koutarou didn’t hate her, she would do whatever it took. The Mastir family style was to win no matter what.

“Your Majesty?! Your Highness?!” Ruth’s eyes opened wide in shock. As for Ceilēshu, she looked exasperated.

“You will have to help too, Ceilēshu-san. You are one of the few princesses with sex appeal. You can’t afford to be talking about betrayal!” Elfaria stated.

“I-I see...” Ceilēshu murmured.

“What are you talking about, mother?! Are you saying that I don’t have any sex appeal?!”

And with that, their games came to an end. However, another game was beginning—the new game that Elfaria had started already had several plans in motion, including one related to Clan, who wasn’t present. With Koutarou returning home of his own accord, the first plan had been a failure, but they had used it as a springboard to launch their next move. Their game would continue for a while longer.