Chapter 5
I spent nearly two months working on creating Maple Leaf Story.
The goal was to recreate Victory Island from the core days before the Big Bang Patch.
Balancing the monsters’ stats, structuring the map, and creating other elements wasn’t much of an issue.
Even though I couldn’t remember every detail, it was still manageable for someone like me, who had dedicated almost half of my life to the game.
The problem lay elsewhere.
For instance, in areas like the storyline and NPCs.
I had to set every tiny detail of the main storyline, NPC designs, and dialogues.
It was quite challenging for someone like me, who lacked an artistic sense.
“I didn’t expect to get stuck in an unexpected place… Sigh…”
“What’s wrong, kiddo? Need help from your big sister?”
“No… I’m busy… Wait. Medeia, how long did you say you’ve worked in the theatre?”
“About… five years now?”
She was Medeia, who worked part-time at a theatre.
She could take on various roles using clones, and she even knew how to do her own makeup.
“In that case, could you help me with this…”
That’s how I started receiving help from Medeia and some senior mages who worked part-time at the theatre.
I asked them to handle the NPC dialogues and designs.
To think their experience would be helpful in a time like this. Indeed, no experience is ever truly useless.
“It’s done!”
And so, after two months and an additional week, the Illusion Magic Artifact containing Maple Leaf Story was finally completed.
To celebrate the occasion, I even shaped the artifact like a maple leaf.
Just looking at it made my heart race.
When I tested it myself, I found that it perfectly captured the essence of the original.
The feeling of living and breathing inside the game was incomparable to playing it through a monitor screen.
This will definitely work.
“Now I just need to find an investor…”
My plan was to show this prototype and secure investment.
Due to the amount of mana stones consumed being far greater than expected, I was only able to create up to the first job advancement.
Players could start as a beginner and complete the first job advancement quests for the four basic classes—Warrior, Magician, Archer, and Rogue—on Victory Island.
To implement anything beyond that would require a lot more mana stones.
“Sigh… Why isn’t anyone responding to my letters?”
“Umm… Rai, is it not going well?”
“I’ve completed the project. I carefully selected potential investors and sent them letters, but no one’s responded.”
“Well… It’s not like anyone would want to invest in us…”
“Is that really a given…? I suppose it is, after all…”
Hina, who had been sulking since I used up all the mana stones in the tower without permission, approached me.
Maybe enough time had passed—two months, to be exact—that her anger had subsided.
Or perhaps she saw how discouraged I was and decided to reach out.
“…Would you like to try it out, Tower Master? It only goes up to the first job advancement, but it’s perfect up to that point.”
“First job advancement?”
“Yes. Think of it as evaluating your disciple’s magic. Here, take this.”
I handed the maple leaf-shaped artifact to her.
After all, I had used the mana stones without her permission, so it was only right that she be the first to try it out.
Better late than never—she might even forgive me if she enjoys it.
And an hour later…
“R-R-Rai…!”
“Oh. You’re already done?”
“I… I became a Rogue, and it just… ended…!”
“You’ve already completed the first job advancement? That was quick. I only made it up to that point because we lacked mana stones.”
“Uuu… No way…!”
She completed it in just an hour.
While it wasn’t impossible, that speed was quite impressive for a first-time player.
Considering you actually had to move around inside the game, it took double the time compared to playing on a computer.
“H-Hurry, hurry up and find an investor…! Quickly!”
“Isn’t that usually the job of the Tower Master?”
Hina’s speech had become faster than usual in her excitement.
It seemed like she really enjoyed the game.
If even she was this excited, then the game could definitely appeal to others in this world.
Maybe people just needed to experience it firsthand to understand.
“If they tried it once, I’m sure someone would invest… The problem is that no one will meet with me in person.”
I had already visited the nearby trading companies around Trinity.
I asked if they would be willing to invest in our magic, but as soon as they heard that we were from the Illusion Magic School, they immediately kicked us out.
There were other potential investors aside from the trading companies, but it was impossible to even approach guilds or national-level investors.
They had strict procedures and conditions that we could never meet without proper credentials or previous investments.
“Damn it, forget it. I’m going out!”
“B-But make sure you find an investor!”
Forget it. I’m a street rat anyway.
“Guess I’ll just have to wander the streets and beg for investment.”
All the famous people started at the bottom.
There was no lower point to fall to anyway.
There were plenty of wealthy individuals living in Trinity, so maybe I could find a private investor willing to support me.
“Just get lost, will you!”
“Ugh!”
Thud.
But perhaps reality had a different plan for me.
No one even listened to what I had to say because I was an Illusion Mage.
Desperation led me to cling to a random passerby, but all I got in return was a kick.
“Ow… It hurts.”
I wish I had some magic I could use at times like this.
Maybe I could use illusions to numb the pain so I wouldn’t feel it.
Of course, it would be pointless.
“Hey, what’s this? Isn’t that the future Tower Master of the Illusion Tower? Heh.”
“…?”
Just as I sat there in a daze, Haster from the Fire Magic School appeared.
“Looking for investors? Haha! Hahaha…”
He read the sign I had prepared and started laughing hysterically.
Even though I felt irritated, I knew arguing would only make things worse.
So, I picked up the sign and began to move away.
“Hey, where do you think you’re going?”
Suddenly, Haster’s tone shifted, and he grabbed my shoulder.
“When someone’s talking to you… What if I said I might invest?”
“It’s not something you can cover with pocket change.”
I shrugged off his hand and started walking again.
But Haster ran in front of me, blocking my path this time.
“Ha… You Illusion Tower brats. Show me what’s so great about it~ How do you know our tower won’t throw you a bone?”
He reached out to take the Maple Leaf Story artifact I was holding.
I immediately hugged the artifact tightly against my chest to prevent him from grabbing it.
“This is not something for people like you to use.”
“…You little… What did you just say?”
Haster’s eyes narrowed, and flames began to gather in his hands.
“You know what happens if you use unauthorized magic inside Trinity, don’t you?”
“Yeah, sure. No magic then. How about a good old beating?”
Whack— Thud— Smack—
Haster began hitting me repeatedly.
I tried to resist, but having never fought in my past life, there was no way I could win.
All I could do was curl up, holding the artifact close to my chest.
“Ha… You pathetic worm.”
After hitting me for a while, Haster finally walked away.
I remained curled up on the ground, clutching the artifact, as people around watched.
Their gazes ranged from ridicule, contempt, mockery, and disdain, to the occasional pity.
That’s how people viewed Illusion Mages in this world.
“Ow… That guy is definitely getting banned once we launch.”
I still needed to find an investor somehow.
I took my spot again and sat there for a few more hours.
As expected, no one showed any interest.
I was about to call it a day when suddenly—
“Is it true what you said about a completely new adventure waiting?”
A muscular old man approached, showing interest.
He didn’t look like a wealthy investor with deep pockets.
But since he was the first person to show any interest, I explained everything to him in detail and took him back to the tower to try out the game.
And now that he had finished playing—
“I just completed the first job advancement, and you cut me off right there! I haven’t even gotten to test out the warrior skills yet!”
The old man, like Hina, was completely hooked on the game.
He was furious because the demo had ended mid-game.
“Uwoooooooooh!!”
Boom—
“P-Please calm down! Our tower will collapse!”
As he pounded his chest like a gorilla and roared, the ground began to shake.
Was it magic? I knew his muscular build was no joke, but this…
“Huuuu… Apologies. I got carried away.”
“It’s alright. To be honest, getting an investment is also for developing more content beyond the first job advancement. It’s an artifact that requires a lot of resources, as you can see—”
I glanced around at the dilapidated state of our tower.
The old man seemed to understand and nodded.
“…I never expected the Illusion Magic School to be capable of such things. Truly impressive. Are you the Tower Master here?”
“No, I’m not the Tower Master. I’m just the youngest member. However, I do have an S-Rank Affinity in the Illusion Attribute.”
“Hmm.”
The old man looked at me with deep, piercing eyes.
An overwhelming sense of pressure washed over me.
He quietly nodded his head, a pensive look on his face.
“…A commendable mindset. Very good. I shall invest in you.”
“W-What? But this isn’t something that can be done with just a few coins. To create the game to the extent I envision, I would need at least—”
“How far is ‘the extent you envision’?”
“Umm, just to gather the mana stones alone, I would need around…”
“No. I’m not talking about money. I’m asking how far you can take this Maple Leaf Story.”
“Ah, you mean that? It will be continuously updated, but initially… the maximum level would be set at 200, and there will be six additional regions on top of Victory Island. And as new jobs are released, new regions will be added as well…”
“Did you say the maximum level would be 200?!”
“Yes, for now… that’s the plan.”
For now, I’m only thinking about Adventurer classes and creating areas such as the Elras Mountains, the Mirar Forest, and the Osiris Continent, which includes the city of Ludibrium.
After that, updates will include characters from the Legnus Knight Order.
“I will invest! Create it right away! Will one week be enough?”
“N-No? Absolutely not. It took me two months just to make this much. Besides, if I want to complete it, I’ll need a significant amount of…”
“What? You want me to wait that long?!”
Rumble—
The ground began to shake once more.
He had only raised his voice, but the entire land and air seemed to tremble.
Just who is this old man?
“W-Wait, calm down. That’s not the point here. What I’m saying is… I need a considerable amount of money. Just to develop it up to that stage…”
I quickly tried to calm him down and showed him the necessary calculations on a calculator.
It was an astronomical sum. Even I found it ridiculous, despite having initiated the project myself.
If I show him this number, he’ll probably give up and leave.
It’s disappointing that he isn’t a suitable investor, but at least I’m glad such an old man got to play my game.
“Anyway, it’s impossible for now. Even an ordinary investor wouldn’t be enough. It will take quite a bit of time.”
“…If I were to invest right now, how long would it take?”
“Well, if I start again from tomorrow… it would take about a year. I’ve gotten used to it now, so I think I can manage.”
The old man, who had been lowering his head, stood up with a creak from his knees.
I guess seeing the amount made him lose interest.
“…Six months. I can’t wait any longer than that.”
“Huh?”
With those words, the old man left the tower.
The search for an investor was back to square one.
And the next morning.
Just as I was about to leave the tower again to look for investors—
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the door of the Illusion Tower.
This was the first time someone had knocked on the tower door since I came here.
“…Huh?”
It was that same old man from yesterday.
He held a piece of paper in his hand.
He handed me the paper and spoke.
“It’s the amount you mentioned yesterday. Complete Maple Leaf Story within six months. Show this to the central bank of Trinity, and they’ll release the funds to you. I’ll come to check on it six months from now.”
After saying that, the old man left the tower.
“A certified check… Guarantor: Galliard? What the heck is this?”
It seemed that the old man’s name was Galliard.
No matter how you look at it, where would an old man like him get such a huge amount of money?
He must have lost his mind in his old age.
Still, it felt good for a moment, so I tossed the piece of paper into the trash and prepared to leave the tower.
…If that had been the end of it, the events that followed might never have happened.
“What is this, Rai? One, ten, hundred, thousand… Hiiiiek!”
“An old man gave it to me as investment money. Remember the guy from yesterday? He said his name was Galliard. He’s probably lost his mind. Suddenly giving me a certified check like this. Where would a person like that get such a large amount of money… It’s probably just a joke.”
“Wh-What?! G-Galliard? You mean Sir Galliard?!”
Rain, who had snatched up the check I was about to throw away, began trembling as he held it.
When he heard the name “Galliard,” his hands shook violently.
“G-Galliard… Sir Galliard is the Hero! The one who saved the world in the past! Of course, he would have this much money!”
“Whaaat?!”
This was the moment that changed the future of the Illusion Tower.
—
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