NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8
Sylvia Edward
With her beautiful blonde hair and intelligent eyes, she had an appearance that could easily be mistaken for a movie star in modern times.
However, her true identity was that of the heir to the ‘Edward Consortium’, one of the three largest merchant companies in the Zers Empire, which was akin to a modern-day conglomerate. At just 20 years old, she had risen to the position of branch manager of the royal capital division, all through her own abilities.
Yet, she had not been feeling well lately.
This was due to the recent decline in the consortium’s operating profit.
After the war ended ten years ago and an era of peace began, the Edward Consortium had made a significant profit by selling various magical tools and spells that had been used in the war to the citizens of the empire.
However, with the appearance of other competing merchant companies and the emperor’s policy of encouraging free competition to keep both merchants and nobles in check, the consortium’s profits were steadily decreasing.
To stop this decline, something new was needed—a product that could shake the world.
“(What is that?)”
As she pondered this while looking outside from the carriage heading to her mansion, she spotted something strange.
People were gathered doing something… multiple times.
It looked like they were watching a Crystal Ball with some extravagant visuals, but in her memory, there wasn’t a product among the Crystal Ball items sold in the royal capital that could garner such a crowd.
So, what could it be?
Curiosity sparked within her about the object that was drawing in so many people.
“Thomas, please stop the carriage for a moment.”
“Yes, Miss.”
At her command, Thomas, the butler with a red mustache, halted the carriage, and Sylvia stepped down, heading toward the crowd at the tavern.
As she approached, enchanting music began to play.
“(What is this? I’ve never heard such fascinating sounds before.)”
In a world where only classical music existed, the electronic music was intriguing, and she wanted to know the source of this sound.
Once she reached the gathering, there was a Crystal Ball.
On it played a video of various colored and shaped blocks falling, with each line forming and disappearing. And with each occurrence…
“That’s right! Our son is doing great!!”
“If we keep this up, we can reach level 7!”
People began to cheer, clearly having a blast.
Sylvia called the tavern owner over and asked,
“What is this?”
“This is a game magic called Tetric.”
“Game? Is it like Paimon?”
“Paimon? This is several times more fun than Paimon.”
Sylvia recalled the card games she played as a child.
Several times more fun?
Her interest piqued.
“I see… I’ll take one.”
“I’m sorry, Miss, but this isn’t for sale…”
“Thomas.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Sylvia’s words prompted her butler, Thomas, to immediately hand a pouch of gold to the tavern owner.
“Is this enough, owner?”
“Uh, yes! Of course!”
As Thomas handed over several times the amount, the owner gasped in astonishment and handed over the Crystal Ball, and she could feel the resentful eyes of a boy who had just lost his chance to score level 8.
Upon returning to her mansion, she decided to try out the Tetric Crystal Ball in her room.
“(What’s so fun about this?)”
The unfamiliar screen and the intriguing music.
But still, she couldn’t understand the exaggerated reactions of the crowd.
To her, the game was merely a fleeting entertainment, not something to get overly excited about.
As she thought this, Sylvia activated the Tetric Crystal Ball and started the game as described in the instructions.
As she manipulated the blocks to form one line, it disappeared with a fascinating sound, and her score went up.
As she continued to eliminate blocks, more kept coming.
This simple repetitive action… it seemed meaningless but was oddly addictive and hard to stop.
“(Hmm… this has a certain addictive quality. Not bad.)”
But still, she didn’t feel it was that entertaining.
Sylvia kept playing Tetric.
As she surpassed level 7, the speed increased, creating immense tension.
The more the blocks sped up, the more she craved them.
“(Ah, this Line Block! With its overwhelming abilities, it toys with people’s hearts… it feels immensely ominous.)”
The Line Block that solves everything.
But it didn’t come out often.
Sylvia felt the malice of the person who created this Line Block.
Getting hooked on the exhilaration of clearing several lines at once while facing the imminent game over from entangled blocks… it felt like life was teaching her a truth.
How much time had passed?
Thomas brought her breakfast.
“Miss, it’s time for breakfast.”
“What? Breakfast!”
Surprised, Sylvia looked out the window.
The dawn sun was already rising.
“How long… have I been playing?”
“If you kept playing since I left, it’s been about 7 hours. It seems you really enjoyed that Tetric game magic.”
Sylvia shuddered.
Seven hours? She thought she had been at it for only about an hour…
“Thomas, right now, investigate that Tetric Crystal Ball and the wizard who made it. Right now!”
“Understood, Miss.”
As she looked out at the rising dawn sun, Sylvia felt a sense of joy she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
“Game magic… I won’t let this slip away.”
The Tetric game was also spreading in the royal capital.
It had been just a week since Yuren created Tetric.
*
Two days passed since the stormy Tetric incident.
I was enjoying some long-awaited relaxation.
“Disciple, the weather is lovely.”
“Indeed. It feels just like spring, Master.”
My master and I were basking in the sun in the yard after a long time.
Despite the uproar from the consortium about making more Tetric Crystal Balls, I said to talk about it in a week.
Right now, both I and our Irene School needed a break.
While my master and I were recharging our energies enjoying the sun, the other disciples were…
“Hey, brother, check this out!”
“I made this with Jiren!”
They were busy developing a game.
I was also teaching game-making methods to other disciples interested in game development alongside Julia.
Since it was an application of document and video magic, they could make simple games.
Soon, Jiren and Noirin rushed toward us holding a Crystal Ball infused with game magic.
“Disciples, have you made a game?”
“Yes, it’s not as good as what brother made with Tetric, but it’s still fun!”
“I’m looking forward to it. I want to try it too.”
I took the Crystal Ball Jiren handed me and decided to give it a go.
“Well, let’s try it out.”
“Oh, brother, please play this with Master.”
“With me?”
“Yes, what we made is for two players.”
What did they create?
So, I held the Crystal Ball with my master and activated it.
What appeared on the simple black screen were two paddles and a white ball.
This is…
“You move the paddle to bounce the ball. And…”
“If the ball touches Master’s side, my score increases… right?”
“Right! You’re spot on, Yuren.”
That was a Ping Pong game.
It was one of the first games created by a game company called Itari, and our disciples had made it on their own.
Impressive that they reached this point without me teaching them.
Ping! Pong! Ping!
My master and I enjoyed playing the Ping Pong game, and it seemed he was quite taken by this ball game as well.
“This is fun, disciples!”
“Yeah, it’s amazing that you two managed to create something like this in just two days. You must have some talent for game development!”
“Really?”
“Yes! We did it!”
At my praise, the two disciples beamed with joy.
But I began to reconsider whether having talent for game development was truly a compliment.
Memories of my past life as a game developer flooded back, filled with hardships.
Just as we were immersed in the game in the yard, a lavish carriage appeared in the distance.
Clatter, clatter.
It was clearly a carriage belonging to a wealthy noble.
What was such a carriage doing in these outskirts?
As the carriage stopped near our Irene School, the door opened.
And then…
“Ooh…”
“Wow…”
A stunning beauty descended from the carriage, her blonde hair and regal gaze captivating us all.
Jiren and Noirin seemed spellbound, completely taken by her appearance.
If my master hadn’t been with me, I might have been in danger, but my aesthetic standards had long been set by him.
Alongside a man who appeared to be her butler sporting a red mustache, the blonde beauty walked toward us.
“Hello. Is this the Irene School that made the Tetric Crystal Ball?”
“Yes, that’s correct. But… may I ask who you are?”
She approached me politely.
Her dignified voice, sharp gaze, and the aura of a wealthy person made it clear she was not an ordinary individual.
In response to my question, she slightly lifted her dress in a noble greeting and introduced herself.
“I am ‘Sylvia Edward’, the branch manager of the royal capital division of the Edward Consortium. I have come to make an attractive business proposal to the Irene School.”
The Edward Consortium!?
Isn’t that a conglomerate similar to the Three Star group from my past life!?
In terms of my past life, it was like the Red Dragon suddenly landing in a small local research lab.
Something… felt overwhelmingly larger than I could imagine, and a bad premonition washed over me.