164 – 164 – Serious Gaming Addiction #2
164 – Serious Gaming Addiction #2
Victoria’s morning started with dazzling sunlight.
Sunlight comes in as soon as you open the curtains.
And the sparkling garden under the open window was very beautiful.
“It deserves to be called the Palace of Flowers.”
A palace located in the City of Flowers.
In the room reserved for guests, Victoria admired it honestly and innocently.
His mansion, located in the Southern Arklight mainland, was also a great building.
This place was so wonderful that the word ‘king’s villa’ was appropriate.
‘It’s a bit of a waste to leave it to the de Winter family.’
Originally, this was the mansion of the Wildrose family, one of the three dukes.
After their downfall, the people of ‘De Winter’, the manager of the west, became the owners of this flower palace.
However, Victoria was somehow not happy that there were people who did not even have royal blood in the palace. Even if he did this and that, could he not help the ‘king’ blood flowing inside him?
of course.
If De Winter’s Rebekah and her brother Orca get married safely and give birth to a child, it would be a different story.
Then they too would have the king’s bloodline.
As I was walking down the hallway thinking about that, someone met my eyes with a grin.
“Oh, Miss Victoria. Did you sleep well? Last night—”
“Christina, stop being weird.”
“Strange? Hilde, did you think it was strange?”
“no.”
The duo of Hilde and Christina had been harassing Victoria since the morning.
The only good thing is that Viktor, that hard man’s face, is not visible.
‘What are they doing now… . No, why should I think of them?’
It was Victoriaka who shook her head as if to shake off her thoughts.
“Ladies. I will prepare breakfast for you.”
Guided by the de Winter family’s maid of honor, the student council executives sat down at a large table and began a sumptuous meal.
“This.”
Cristina, who is drinking the soup, is startled.
“Is it a triple truffle? Why do you serve such precious ingredients for breakfast? Isn’t the Count overdoing it? Don’t you have a 100-year-old bellflower?”
Even to Victoria, who had been training her tongue with all kinds of elixirs and good ingredients since she was young, they were very rare ingredients.
‘The de Winter family had such wealth.’
When he was slightly raising his evaluation, saying that he was indeed a manager in the West.
A man with a sharp look like a weasel burst into laughter.
He was an impressive man in a dazzling white suit.
“I’m glad you got it right. The products that grow and grow in the West are the pride of our de Winter family. Of course, the fort has some problems, but… .”
“Is it a problem?”
At Milone’s question, Count de Winter shook his head.
“No, nothing. just, what should i say? There’s a problem with Rash Guard Forest. Just yesterday… .”
As he was about to say something, the Count blurted out, “No, neither is it.”
Shadi, who hates stuffiness, asks.
“What is it?”
“Um, that’s actually… . It is said that the family’s soldiers and mercenaries who went to Leshgard Forest were seriously injured… . If it weren’t for the monsters out there… .”
This time, Hilde reacted.
“Monsters?”
“Would you like to listen?”
Count de Winter is a resourceful man in his own right.
Victoria quickly figured out that this man was deliberately telling the story in order to attract the attention of the student council.
“This is what happened. Because of the monsters in the forest, we, the people of the City of Flowers, can’t be at ease. There are also a lot of people who are injured. You can’t even go into the woods in winter.”
It was Count de Winter, who even shed tears.
It is natural for Milone, who was listening to the story, to be indignant.
“Such bad guys are taking over the forest… . Seniors, after hearing these stories, our student council can’t stand still… ! Let’s go to the forest and defeat the monster… !”
“A monster… .”
Ududuk-Hilde clenching her fist.
Are you interested in the term warlike Hildaini monster?
However, Victoria wasn’t sure about anything.
“We are on a trip. I didn’t come to work. And arbitrarily meddling in these things goes against the mainland political neutrality that student council executives must abide by.”
Victoria did lightly for the time being.
Count de Winter also said, “Indeed, this is the right story. You are like the daughter of the meticulous Duke Cain,” she smiled lightly.
‘As expected, he’s a mysterious man.’
Victoriaka also decided to ask, pretending not to know.
“A family the size of De Winter probably isn’t trying to subdue the Lash Guard Forest simply for the sake of public order. What are you trying to get out of that forest? Anything important?”
Earl of the de Winter family.
Princess of Arclight.
A tense gaze passed between the two.
Victoria thought.
As expected, the fact that they were invited from the Flower Palace was not a normal trip or favor, but something ‘plan’.
after the meal.
As they left the restaurant, Victoria said to Shadi.
“Shadi, investigate exactly what is in Rashguard Forest. For some reason, I have a bad feeling about it.”
“A request as a friend? Or an order from the student council president?”
“It’s both.”
It was when Victoria replied in a rather solemn voice.
Shadi glanced at Victoria’s face and asked with narrow eyes.
“What is it? Are you saying it’s against neutrality? Why are you suddenly concerned about this?”
“… what? It’s just the family that my brother and I will marry. There’s nothing wrong with knowing.”
“I know you hate orcas, right? It can never be because of Orca. Could it be that Viktor is in the forest?”
“no it’s not… !”
Shadi reluctantly replied, “Yes, you would,” and left.
Of course, that’s what I thought.
‘If you’re going to do this, I’ll just stick with you again. Of course, Victoria herself won’t admit it. He doesn’t seem to know what he’s feeling.’
It’s pretty fun to watch, though, so I decided to leave it alone.
* * *
“Look at these, I left a bunch of bear traps… ! naughty guys… !”
Nike trembled as he looked at the trap set on the floor.
As Nike said, there were many traps, including bear traps, in the forest.
-Moke… Moke… .
A situation where some Mokey Mokeys have already been caught in a trap and are dripping blood.
Nike tried her best to free the bear trap that was holding Mokey Mokey’s ankle, but… There was a limit to how much Nike’s soft hands could release the steel mouth.
“Look out of the way.”
I shoved the sheath of the demonic sword, Tyrbing, into the bear trap.
And when twisted lightly, the trap that was hit by the devil is smashed.
-Moke… .
After being released, Mokemoke’s leg looked quite serious.
Blood drips.
Nike took out the herb from the bag she was wearing around her waist, chewed it with her mouth, and attached it to Moke-Moke’s leg.
“It will be fine now… ! Moke-moke is an animal whose strength is its strength and ability to survive… ! But don’t move too recklessly… !”
-Moke… !
It was a heartwarming scene to see.
At the same time, Arnoy was deeply indignant at this situation.
“It is a nymph-hating trap… ! To invade this splendid forest, prowl and set traps… . The de Winters are nasty bastards… !”
He must have been thinking about yesterday.
Were all the guys who stormed into the forest yesterday were mercenaries and soldiers hired by the de Winter family?
Forest Keeper Lesh beat him up and kicked him out.
There is a high probability that they will come back armed with more troops and more weapons.
A dispute with the de Winter family over Leshgard Forest.
I’ve heard of it, but it’s quite serious when I’ve experienced it myself.
Did Nike live like this every day before entering school?
“Also… . I can’t forgive the people of de Winter… . Why did you do such a bad thing… .”
Nike was easily resentful.
but.
A huge shadow appeared behind Nike’s back.
Forest Keeper Lesh said in a low, melancholy voice.
“Nike, this story has nothing to do with you.”
“Sah, it doesn’t matter… !”
“You do not belong to the forest, Nike. Where you should be is not in the woods. It is the arms of humans. Didn’t you feel it at Ludens?”
“Dad… .”
“A grown bird leaves its nest. What happens in the woods is none of your business, Nike Mokey Mokey.”
“… … .”
Guggets.
Nike frowned.
Then, as if he had something to say, he bit his lips tightly and disappeared somewhere.
Arnoi and the nymphs said, “Ah, the manager is gone… !” and followed Nike.
I was the only one left in the seat.
The forest keeper looked down at me and said.
“You too, leave the forest.”
“Are you trying to make her independent because she is not your own daughter? I heard that Nike is not your real daughter.”
“No, Nike is my daughter more than anyone else. my poor foolish daughter. But forever and nothing is everlasting. Because every game must have an end.”
It didn’t seem like a lie.
Perhaps this man knows that the forest is dangerous and wants to send Nike out.
“Moke-moke is strong. Minor illnesses or major injuries happen quickly as long as you are alive. Even though they live in Rash Guard Forest, Mokey Mokey adapts quickly anywhere.”
“So it was Mokey Mokey?”
I thought I knew why Nike’s name was Moke Moke.
That strange name must have been the wish of another father of Nike.
I wanted to survive like the cute and strong Moke Moke.
I could see why Nike took pride in his name, and why he got very angry when it was teased.
But.
Nike’s dad seemed to want to get him out of the woods now.
“Nike likes to hang out with people. It’s not like this forest.”
But Nike probably didn’t listen to me more than I thought.
Nike has a lot of affection and is timid, but at important moments, courage springs up.
I would never do something like abandoning my family and running away.
“Did you say Victor?”
“yes.”
“Look at you. You seem to have acquired a strange object. Like dice.”
I wanted to ask about the dice anyway.
It was very fortunate for me that he spoke first from this side.
I explained lightly.
“I got a strange dice. If it’s you, you might know, Nike said, and you’ve come all the way here. If things go well, I will consider going back to Ludens with Nike.”
“dice? Show me.”
The forest keeper’s eyes, which seemed to have no interest in anything, shone.
No matter what I said, it was different from being squeamish.
The story of the dice even felt the innocence of a child wanting to take a look at rare game cards.
The emerald glowing eyes also resemble Nike.
therefore.
I joined Arnoi and showed the dice to the Forest Keeper.
This is the forest keeper’s room.
In a space full of all kinds of playing boards, cards, and game pieces, the forest keeper takes out his one-eyed glasses and examines the dice of Yomojomo.
“Eight eyes in gold… . Are the eyes marked with diamonds… .”
The forest keeper looked at the strange dice for a long time and then stroked his beard. Then he said lightly.
“This is the Dice of Destiny. Are you sure.”
“You mean the Dice of Destiny… ?”
Arnoi tilted his head.
Apparently, the forest keeper seemed to know what these dice were.
“It is a dice that determines fate in many ways. It is a very rare and rare dice that can only be left in the world, and I dare not measure its value.”
Was it such a great thing?
If I sell this, will I pay off all my debts and start a healing life?
Forest Keeper Lesh said.
“I never thought I would see one in a place like this. Where did you get this from?”
“I picked it up at Ludens… !”
Arnoi said confidently.
Forest Keeper Lesh then added a few words while keeping his eyes on the dice.
“That must also be the fate that the dice chose for themselves. And it was fate that we met like this. Just in time, I have one similar to this.”
Shuk.
Forest Keeper Lesh rummaged through his chest of drawers.
And what he took out was a die that looked just like the one Arnoi had in his hand.
“These dice are completed in a pair. how about The dice I have and the dice you have. Whoever wins the bet gets all of them.”
The dice in the man’s hand were very black.
However, its appearance was exactly the same as that of Arnoi.
“The one who wins has everything. The pendulum loses everything. It’s a simple rule. I will let you choose which bet it will be.”