Chapter 61
“Alright, let’s go for the Lucky 12-Loss Streak reward~!”
“W-Whoa?! Did you say a Lucky 12-Loss Streak?!”
“I want to see it too!”
The popularity of Auto Chess surpassed previous games in a unique way.
The key factor was that people could play while tending to their real-life tasks.
Not only Imperial officials but also shopkeepers, students, and office workers could enjoy Auto Chess during breaks.
For those who found it difficult to access fantasy games during daytime hours, it was a massive hit.
“Excuse me, how much is this?”
“It should be written over there… Wait just a moment! Let me claim my 12-Loss Streak reward first!”
“W-What? Lucky 12-Loss Streak? Let me see it too!”
Luck was one of Auto Chess’s synergies.
Synergies referred to effects activated by assembling characters of the same race or class.
Luck, in particular, provided certain rewards for each win.
But if a player lost repeatedly and then broke their losing streak with a win,
The rewards became extraordinary.
Since players were eliminated if their HP dropped below 100, the maximum loss streak typically ranged between 12 and 13.
At the shopping district in Trinity, a fruit vendor was just about to claim their 12-Loss Streak reward.
Other shopkeepers pulled out their Auto Chess artifacts to spectate the game.
Even customers asked for the vendor’s nickname to join in on the watch.
“Ooooohhhhh!”
Although it was inconvenient that others couldn’t see the same screen,
The artifact’s portability made it possible for everyone to play together anytime.
The explosion of rewards left the entire shopping district in excitement.
The popularity of Auto Chess also swept through the office workers.
“Ugh… I can’t focus on work. Should I play a quick round of Auto Chess before continuing?”
Sitting at a desk for long hours, writing or processing documents, was grueling work.
The brain quickly became fatigued, leaving bank employees, publishers, and office workers drowning in monotony and exhaustion.
But after Auto Chess was released, life returned to these workers.
“Wow, a 3-star 5-cost unit? That’s insane.”
“How do you expect me to win against that? A 3-star 5-cost is overpowered!”
“What are you two doing? Did you finish the task I mentioned earlier?”
“A-Almost done.”
The dull work became more bearable with a quick round of Auto Chess, re-energizing them to resume their tasks.
Of course, they were itching to play another round,
But knowing that failure to complete their work could jeopardize their livelihood,
They finished quickly, aiming to sneak in another match.
As a result, overall work efficiency skyrocketed.
“Wohohohohohoh! How are you going to stop Assassin Lee Sin?!”
“Why don’t I ever get a Spatula?!”
The Imperial officials, most starved for gaming, indulged a bit excessively,
But their work remained unaffected.
“…What are you all doing?”
“U-Uwah?! T-Third Prince!”
“Auto Chess again, I see.”
Unlike the past, it was now Rikal who kept them in check.
Once criticized as a delinquent prince obsessed with games,
Rikal now shook his head at the Imperial Court’s indulgence, including the Emperor and Leo.
“…Make sure today’s council meeting is properly prepared.”
Was this really okay?
Rikal, tempted to say something, simply shook his head and walked past the officials.
“…Well, as long as everything is running smoothly.”
He convinced himself it was fine as long as the work got done.
Everyone knew the secret: the officials were rushing their tasks to play Auto Chess.
“…Things are running smoothly, right? This is fine… Isn’t it?”
Walking through the grand hallways, Rikal paused to mutter to himself.
He questioned whether this was truly the right way to handle things.
Though he had wanted to quell the officials’ complaints,
He wondered if allowing games during work hours was appropriate.
“Hmm.”
But there was no turning back now.
Games were fun.
As long as they didn’t interfere with work, it was fine.
“I’ve done everything for them.”
Since he’d given them what they wanted,
Efficiency seemed to have improved slightly, so it was fine.
“Hmph.”
And after all, the first to start gaming in the Imperial Palace had been Rikal himself.
With some time left before the council meeting,
Rikal entered the empty council chamber and pulled out Maple Leaf Story.
When the officials arrived, they would wake him up.
Though short, as a prince with no need to worry about appearances,
He used the time to connect to the fantasy world.
“Let’s go with JeBbit today—it’s been a while.”
Recently, he’d been focused on raising Even,
But today, he wanted to interact with other users as JeBbit again.
*
“…And so, now seems like the right time. His Majesty has hinted at it several times recently.”
Time passed, and the council meeting began.
For the first time in a while, Leo attended the meeting, and a significant agenda was discussed.
“Indeed, that makes sense. Now that the recent hectic events have mostly settled,
The speed of task completion has greatly improved. And with the release of another competitive game like Auto Chess, what are your thoughts, Rikal?”
After hearing the agenda, Leo spoke with a weighty voice.
This agenda had been discussed for a long time,
But delays occurred because Leo had been too engrossed in COL to address it.
The officials, suppressing their dissatisfaction, smiled.
Rarely, this was an agenda the officials also supported.
“…I agree that now is the right time.
With the international order being reestablished,
Such an event would promote interaction and development across the continent.”
The topic was the hosting of a gaming tournament in the Empire.
A grand, international version of events like Arcane War.
Inviting various nations and groups would foster exchange and aid the Imperial Court’s vision of international cooperation.
And, of course, the Imperial Court had many skilled players.
Everyone was itching to showcase their abilities.
“Then, if His Majesty approves this agenda, we will proceed immediately.”
“Approval seems certain. Additionally, it would be wise to consult the Magic Tower.
They already have experience successfully hosting Arcane War.”
“That’s an excellent idea, Rikal. And while you’re at it, see if JeBbit can make an appearance again, like last time. We haven’t heard from her recently, and it’s concerning.”
“…Understood.”
Rikal responded, glaring at Leo with disdain.
Rikal had no intention of becoming JeBbit again.
Whatever Leo desired would not come to pass.
And so, a new initiative from the Imperial Court to shake the world was set in motion.
***
The craze for Auto Chess was also immense elsewhere.
It was none other than Terria Academy, where the continent’s talents were nurtured.
Perfectly suited for students, Auto Chess was played during both class and break times.
“Ah, next is Principles of Administration. I guess I’ll play Auto Chess.”
“Let’s play together, Lance.”
“Me too! I want to join too!”
“Ugh, but I need to rank up in ranked matches…”
“You can do ranked alone. Or how about we gather eight people and bet dessert?”
“Oh, hell no, I can’t resist that!”
During boring lectures, group gaming was now a common sight.
Auto Chess, a game that allowed up to eight players to participate together,
Was perfect for friends to place bets and compete for ranks.
Its convenience and portability had made Auto Chess a staple for students.
“Wow, what’s this? It’s so pretty!”
“Fufu. I bought it over the weekend in Trinity. I found a really good customization shop.”
Moreover, the Auto Chess artifact was highly customizable,
With students attaching stickers and decorating it to their liking.
Among those who loved customizing, artifact decoration, or “Deco,” became a trend.
Pulling out a uniquely styled Auto Chess artifact for group gaming somehow felt cooler.
However, not every student welcomed this trend.
“Sigh… Everyone… It’s still class time, you know.”
The current student council president of the academy, Raisha Laird.
The eldest daughter of the Duke of Laird, one of the founding nobles of the Empire.
Despite her young age, she was recognized for her exceptional character and capabilities.
She was not only famous within the academy but also a rising star in social circles.
During her term as president, Raisha had led the academy flawlessly and accomplished much.
Many eagerly awaited her graduation,
With the Imperial Court and various organizations vying to recruit her.
Since her time as vice president, she had worked to build a perfect academy.
Now in her final semester as a senior and student council president,
Raisha had been set to leave her mark on the academy’s history with pride.
“Nobody is paying attention in class anymore…”
But her perfect academy had recently encountered a major issue.
A place of genuine scholarship and the beginning and end of learning—the academy.
Instead of devoting themselves to intense academic pursuits,
Since the emergence of games in the world,
Students were now rushing to finish their tasks quickly just to play.
And with the recent release of Auto Chess,
Its portability had removed spatial restrictions,
Allowing students to play anywhere, even during boring lectures.
The passionate academic atmosphere Raisha had cultivated was disappearing.
The proper image of students was fading, replaced by indulgence in gaming pleasures.
“The enthusiasm is so intense, I can’t ban it… nor can I stop it.”
Raisha murmured as she leaned on the student council room’s sofa.
“Vice President, stop targeting Jade! Why are you countering me?”
“I can’t let you upgrade Jade to three stars, hehe.”
The vice president and student council officers were engrossed in Auto Chess.
Watching them, Raisha’s mood sank further.
Until recently, they would create work if none existed for the academy’s development.
Now, most of their time was spent gaming.
With even the student council in such a state, it was hard to propose any measures.
Listening to their noisy chatter, Raisha let out another sigh.
“What’s so special about that game…?”
Raisha had never played a fantasy game.
She had been too busy leading the academy to find time for it.
When games first became popular,
Seeing others neglecting their studies for gaming made her decide against it.
Though everyone seemed to enjoy it,
Raisha thought such behaviour was inappropriate for an academy dedicated to learning.
“There has to be a way…”
There must be a way to ensure students focus on their studies without causing discontent…
“…!”
After days of pondering, a thought struck Raisha.
A way to catch both rabbits at once.
To pursue this idea, she needed to visit the Magic Tower.
Moreover, she wanted to learn more about the Magic Tower, the creators of these “games.”
With that in mind, Raisha made time to travel to Trinity.
***
“So, you’re saying you want restrictions.”
A girl claiming to be the student council president of an academy had visited.
Elegant, beautiful, and upright, Raisha seemed like the perfect fit for her role.
What she said was essentially,
Students are neglecting their studies to play games, so you need to do something!
And her proposed solution was to restrict game access time.
It was akin to the modern “shutdown system.”
After much thought, I decided to have her try gaming herself.
Sure, students playing games could be a problem,
But as a developer, I was opposed to the idea of a shutdown system.
A few hours later…
“Ah! Ahhhh! Just one more Lee Sin! Aaaaaah! This is it—this is the good stuff for my brain!”
She was completely absorbed in the ecstasy of gaming…
Or rather, she was utterly addicted to the pleasure it provided.
—
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