The Game Begins!

Hadrian raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Young Master? After seeing its current state?"

"No use crying over spilled milk. Since we're already here, we might as well enjoy it." Zach gestured toward the board.

Hadrian glanced at Rendon, who simply nodded before pulling out a chair. Just as they were about to start, a hesitant voice spoke up from behind them.

"Uhm… if you need another player, I wouldn't mind joining."

The trio turned their heads in sync, their eyes landing on a man in his late twenties. He was a merchant, judging by his attire, and his expression held a mix of curiosity and boredom. "My order will take a while, so I figured why not?"

Zach smiled. "Perfect timing. The game's more fun with four players anyway. Take a seat."

The merchant, who introduced himself as Daryl, sat down eagerly. As Zach set up the pieces, he cleared his throat and began explaining the game's rules.

"Alright, listen up. The game is played by rolling this number-drawing stick. You move forward according to the number you draw. If you land on a ladder, you get to climb ahead. But if you land on a demon… you go all the way back to the start."

Hadrian folded his arms. "Sounds simple enough."

Daryl smirked. "Sounds like luck decides everything."

Rendon cracked his knuckles. "A game of chance, huh? Don't mind if I do."

With the rules explained, they each picked their game pieces. Zach chose the prince, Hadrian picked the merchant, Rendon took the knight, and Daryl, after much deliberation, picked the joker.

Hadrian squinted. "A joker?"

Daryl shrugged. "I trust chaos more than people."

With no further questions, the game began.

Round 1:

Rendon went first, drawing a four. His knight piece moved smoothly forward, landing on a safe tile.

Hadrian followed, drawing a six, making quick progress up the board.

Zach drew a three, moving his prince forward modestly.

Then came Daryl. He rolled… and got a one.

"Off to a strong start," Zach commented dryly.

Daryl frowned. "This is rigged."

Round 2:

Rendon rolled again and landed on a ladder tile.

"Oh? What's this?" Zach suddenly declared in a dramatic voice. "A benevolent noble has granted you an opportunity! Climb up the ladder!"

Before Zach could continue his narration, Rendon smirked and took over. "Hah! As expected of me! The people recognize my greatness!" He moved forward proudly.

Hadrian, on the other hand, was not as lucky. He landed on a demon tile.

Zach opened his mouth, ready to dramatize the moment, but Hadrian beat him to it. "NO! The corrupt officials have framed me! My wealth! My reputation! It's all gone in an instant!" He theatrically moved his piece back to the start, shaking his head in mock despair.

Zach blinked. "Wait, that was my line—"

Rendon patted his shoulder. "Too slow, Young Master."

Zach pouted, rolling his turn. "Let's see what fate has in store for me." He landed safely, his prince advancing steadily.

Daryl finally picked up the pace, rolling a five. "Ha! Who's laughing now?"

Round 5:

The game grew heated. Rendon was in the lead, but Zach was catching up. Hadrian, still bitter from his earlier setback, played cautiously. Daryl, however, was having the worst luck.

He rolled a two and landed on another demon tile.

Zach leaned in with a fake look of sympathy. "Ah… what a shame. You stepped into a cursed land. Back to the start!"

Daryl's expression darkened. "I just got here, and I'm going back again?! This game is cursed!"

Before Zach could add more, Hadrian put a hand over his heart. "Truly tragic! A merchant such as yourself, caught in the webs of fate! The gods show no mercy today!"

Rendon solemnly nodded. "A hero has fallen."

Zach groaned. "Are you all stealing my job now?"

Final Round:

With the finish line in sight, the tension soared. Rendon and Zach were neck and neck. One good roll would decide the winner.

Zach rolled… a five! He landed on a tile just before the final stretch.

Rendon rolled… a one.

Zach gasped and pointed dramatically. "Oh no! Rendon! You angered your wife by coming home late! Back three spaces!"

Rendon's face paled. "No…"

Hadrian slammed the table. "Foolish knight! Did you think your deeds would go unnoticed? Justice has come for you!"

Daryl, still far behind, sighed. "At this point, I just want to reach the halfway mark."

Zach, now at the front, took a deep breath. With a final roll, he got exactly what he needed—a three!

His prince landed on the last tile. Victory!

Zach leaned back, satisfied. "Well, that was fun."

Hadrian grumbled. "Fun for you, maybe."

Daryl rubbed his forehead. "I'm never playing this again."

Rendon sulked. "I was robbed."

Zach chuckled, stretching his arms. "That was just a test round. Now let's see if we can get more people to play."

Hadrian blinked. "Wait. Test round?"

Rendon groaned. "You mean I lost… for nothing?"

Daryl stood up immediately. "Nope. I'm out."

Zach simply grinned. "Come on now. Best of three?"

Hadrian sighed. "...Fine. But if I lose again, I'm flipping the table."

The game had started as nothing more than a casual attempt to pass the time. Four individuals, each from different walks of life, gathered around a board, rolling number sticks and moving their pieces in an absurd contest of fate. What none of them realized, however, was that the world around them had not remained still.

At first, only a few bystanders glanced in their direction, curious about what the young lord and his companions were doing. Then, as the game progressed, more people began to linger, drawn in by the exaggerated drama unfolding before them. It wasn't just the game itself that captured their attention—it was the players.

Zach, with his natural charisma, narrated every move like an epic tale, turning simple dice rolls into grand, world-shaking events.

"Oh no! Rendon, you angered your wife by coming home late! Back three spaces!"

Hadrian, usually composed, had long given up on maintaining his merchant's dignity and was fully invested in his rivalry with Zach.

"If I land on one more demon tile, I swear I'll start praying for divine intervention."

Rendon, normally the stern head of security, found himself swept up in the theatrics.

"I refuse to accept this fate! One more roll! My honor is at stake!"

Daryl, the unfortunate merchant, had all but accepted his role as the game's victim, his suffering now a form of entertainment for the gathered crowd.

"I just want to finish one lap! Just one! Is that too much to ask?!"

The audience grew larger. Some customers who had only intended to pass through the store found themselves staying to watch. The shopkeeper himself leaned on the counter, grinning as he observed the spectacle.

People chuckled at the players' exaggerated expressions, whispered predictions about who would win, and even called out encouragement—or jeers—whenever someone rolled poorly. Before long, laughter filled the air, and what had started as a mere pastime had transformed into a shared moment of joy for everyone present.

But the four players were too immersed in their competition to notice any of it.

It wasn't until Zach finally claimed victory that reality crashed down upon them.

As he leaned back in triumph, he heard an unfamiliar voice call out:

"That was a good game!"

Confused, Zach blinked and turned his head. His eyes widened as he finally took in his surroundings. They were no longer alone.

A full crowd had gathered around them, their faces alight with amusement. Some were clapping, others were shaking their heads with fond smiles. A few even wiped tears from their eyes, having laughed too hard.

Hadrian's mouth fell open. "Wait… when did—?"

Rendon stiffened. "This many people were watching us?!"

Daryl, however, reacted the worst.

"The time! My store!"** He shot up from his seat like a man struck by lightning. Without another word, he bolted toward the counter, nearly tripping over himself in his rush.

The crowd burst into laughter again. One of the spectators called out, "Daryl, you better not roll a one on your way back, or your wife's gonna send you straight to the start!"

Another chimed in, "I bet if he does, she'll make him sleep outside tonight!"

The merchant groaned, running even faster, while Zach, Rendon, and Hadrian simply sat there, stunned.

Zach exhaled, rubbing his forehead. "Well… that escalated quickly."

Hadrian slumped back in his chair. "I think we just held a public performance without realizing it."

Rendon sighed. "Young Master, next time you come up with a game… warn me beforehand."

Zach grinned. "Why? Scared of the spotlight?"

Rendon narrowed his eyes. "More like scared of how ridiculous this looked."

Despite their embarrassment, they couldn't deny one thing: the game had been an undeniable success, even if it hadn't been in the way Zach had originally planned.

Zach held back a chuckle, but before he could react, Rendon suddenly stood up. His voice rang across the store, cutting through the laughter.

"Everyone, may I have your attention?"

The chatter softened as the crowd turned toward him, curiosity flickering in their eyes.

Rendon took a deep breath and gestured toward Zach. "This game you just witnessed this simple, fun, yet unexpectedly engaging game was created by none other than our lord's son."

A hushed murmur spread through the audience. Some eyes widened, others turned to Zach with newfound curiosity.

"It is a game that brings people together, as you all have seen. Even we, fully grown men, became lost in its charm. And that was only a single match! If you have time, I encourage you all to try it. Who knows? Maybe you'll create even better stories than we did."

Zach stiffened. He hadn't expected this. It was one thing to play a game with a few people, but now Rendon was announcing it like some grand innovation?

The crowd remained silent for a moment, and then

Applause.

A genuine, heartfelt applause.

Zach felt an odd sensation in his chest as he watched the smiles of the people around him. The warm acceptance, the appreciation it was unlike anything he had felt since arriving in this world. A part of him had always wondered if he truly belonged here, if he was just an outsider in a life that wasn't his. But at this moment, for the first time in his new life, he was being acknowledged.

He was being praised.

Hadrian clapped him on the back. "Looks like your little idea wasn't so bad after all."

Rendon grinned. "A good idea should be shared, and now the people know it came from you."

Daryl, still grumbling about his unlucky rolls, sighed. "If this game becomes popular, I demand a compensation for my suffering."

Zach exhaled, shaking his head with a small smile. "Well… I guess that wasn't a bad outcome."

The crowd continued to buzz with excitement, some already asking where they could get their own game board. As Zach looked around at the lively scene, he couldn't help but think maybe, just maybe, this world wasn't so bad after all.