Mafia Game: Lancaster Family's Ripper (1)
Honestly, the board game was just a lucky byproduct.
The Cube I'm currently refining—officially named Dimension—still has a long way to go before it becomes a proper gaming machine.
How could something that can't even be mass-produced function as a game console?
So, while I was doing the bare minimum maintenance and waiting for my master to return, I came up with a game that could be made with simple materials. It was like accidentally catching a mouse while stepping backward with an ox.
But thanks to that, I was one step closer to my dream.
The settlement from Liana Merchant Guild came to a whopping 462 gold coins.
And from the Golden Daughter herself, Liana Aishinkiore, I personally secured an investment of 100 gold coins.
After subtracting miscellaneous expenses and fixed costs, I had over 500 gold coins purely for R&D.
My annual salary is about 50 gold coins... Ten times that in spare cash? How could I not be thrilled?
I grabbed a top-grade magic stone that I wouldn't normally even glance at and placed it in front of Wiki's spirit corridor.
"Hey, come on, stop sulking already. A knowledge spirit like you shouldn't be so petty."
But the spirit corridor remained utterly silent.
The library was still getting its daily auto-clean, so Wiki hadn't left or anything.
What's up with this kid turning down a top-grade magic stone for once?
Fine, then.
"Everything's ready now, so I'll tell you the concept for the first game demo in Dimension. We'll develop it together."
"...Are you serious?"
The moment I mentioned Dimension, the corridor shimmered, and Wiki finally appeared.
There was only one reason Wiki was pissed: I'd barred it from entering my room while I holed up planning the next game concept and scenarios.
This guy wasn't called a knowledge spirit for nothing.
The instant it encountered something it didn't know—or worse, if I didn't tell it—it'd throw a tantrum at light speed.
I'd heard spirits have strong obsessions with specific fields, but I'd never seen one this stingy.
"Yeah. And dude, game directors need alone time before development starts. Why keep nagging when I'd tell you eventually?"
"I am also a developer of Dimension. Have you forgotten that without my help, your precious 'game machine' would have turned into scrap in an instant?"
"Directors and programmers are different roles, you know..."
Soon, the top-grade magic stone I'd placed in front of the corridor vanished with a whoosh.
Wiki had accepted it.
"In any case, I accept your apology. And the quality of this stone is excellent—about 30% purer than what you usually give."
"That one's worth five gold coins. I went out of my way to get it just to cheer you up."
"...Hmph."
With my repeated flattery, it seemed pleased, letting out a little sniff before adding,
"Very well. Let's dive right into game development. I was bored to death without discussing it with you."
"Then why didn't you come to me first?"
"A great spirit does not bow to humans."
"Jeez..."
I have no idea if all spirits are like this or just this one.
Anyway, with Liana's full support promised, I could accelerate game development.
And the first Dimension-exclusive game we'd decided on was...
"A mafia game."
I'd initially considered porting the board game directly.
Even with the guild's backing, creating resources for a proper game takes massive time.
Those game backgrounds I'd shown Liana? Inside, they were empty shells—nothing substantial.
The modern city scaled 1:1 from Seoul. The mage's canyon. The last shelter in the eternal tundra. The seaside fishing village in the deep ocean.
I'd just polished the outsides to look decent.
If Liana had inspected closely, she'd have spotted glitches like buildings with gaping holes in the foundations.
So, what game requires fewer resources, no separate NPCs, and lets people play together...?
Nothing beat a mafia game.
Hell, it barely needs any setup.
Just gather people and find a moderator—done.
"Alright, now for the detailed rules. First, you need at least four players—"
Wiki and I dove into full-scale game development.
It had been two months since Liana Aishinkiore visited the library and witnessed the Dimension I was developing.
In that time, her guild had focused on mass-producing the Path of Gold expansion pack I'd provided.
And just as the original's popularity began to wane and the market flooded with knockoffs...
Liana Merchant Guild released the expansion Conqueror's Path.
No matter how its popularity had dipped, Path of Gold had shaken the entire empire beyond the capital.
The revolutionary format—incompatible with cheap knockoffs—plus the 180-degree gameplay shift and new pieces were irresistible to those who'd tasted the original.
And it wasn't just Conqueror's Path.
The nobility, eager for clear separation from commoners, and the religious orders wary of the original Path of Gold—both embraced Priest's Path with cult-like fervor.
The noble edition was structured for far higher margins anyway.
Liana Merchant Guild once again outmaneuvered all rivals, raking in piles of imperial gold.
Even her father, Golden Duke Pavel Aishinkiore, showered praise on the overwhelming results.
This should deflate her brothers' ambitions to take her position.
But for some reason, Liana's heart wasn't racing.
She was happy—ecstatic enough to soar to the heavens.
But it didn't feel overwhelming.
Why?
She'd dreamed of this her whole life, yet with victory assured, only hollow emptiness lingered.
She missed that thrill from the first Path of Gold session.
If only she could erase her memories and relive that exhilarating comeback win...
"Guildmaster, a letter has arrived. From the Central Imperial Magic Library."
That's when Yujin's letter arrived.
Lady Liana,
The first game is complete. Could you gather about six trusted aides and visit on the library's regular closing day?
— Yujin Feltro
Just two lines—but enough.
Thump. It reignited her cooling heart.
Liana brought six staffers at Yujin's request.
Her personal secretary Hanna, capital branch manager Benders, finance officers Kalian and Rowell.
Plus logistics officer Ilia and security head Gears.
All founding heroes who'd built the guild from the ground up to empire's best.
Vassals who'd charge into hell itself at Liana Aishinkiore's word.
"So... this is the new game?"
"Isn't this a Cube?"
Even they couldn't fathom today's venture.
They knew librarian Yujin Feltro had devised and crafted the original Path of Gold.
That morning, they'd marveled at news of another game developed in under a month.
But no sign of the new game—instead, enter this massive Cube?
He called it a magic tool named Dimension, where they'd enter and experience the game firsthand.
"...Guildmaster, you sure about this?"
Security head Gears asked worriedly at the suspicious proposal.
"It's fine. I've tried it once before."
"Pardon?"
"It's safe. Trust me, just once."
But Liana was dying of curiosity about what game this bizarre librarian had created.
She followed Yujin into the Cube without hesitation.
"..."
"...Let's go."
In the end, they followed their guildmaster.
Thus, eight players—including Yujin Feltro and Liana Aishinkiore—stood in the Cube's stark white space.
"The game I'll show you is called Lancaster Family's Ripper."
Yujin began explaining.
You have become witnesses to the tragedy at Lancaster Mansion.
Lord Edmund Lancaster, esteemed head of a prestigious family managing the empire's southern territories.
But on a quiet night.
The lord was brutally murdered in his mansion by a mysterious assailant—the masked killer known as "Jack the Ripper."
In his final moments, the lord expended his last mana to completely seal the mansion.
Since then, no outsiders have entered—except you.
Noble retainers of Lancaster, find Jack the Ripper who slew the lord and lift the sealing magic.
Jack the Ripper in disguise, fool the retainers, hide among them, and make your murder a perfect crime.
The fate of Lancaster Mansion rests with you.
While the brutal backstory flooded their minds...
A huge message appeared before Liana.
Retainer - Mansion Head Maid
Find Jack the Ripper disguised as a retainer.