A Wholesome Board Game Café
"First, participants must deposit the necessary banknotes with the bank to proceed with the game. In other words, you cannot participate without banknotes."
A sense of superiority that only special people can enjoy.
This is absolutely essential in aristocratic social culture.
"Hmm? Then what happens to those banknotes later?"
"They are merely a qualification to enjoy the game. Once it's over, they naturally return to their original owners."
Before I knew it, nobles had gathered around us, listening to my explanation.
"Aha, so you just temporarily hand them over for the game, and get them back when it ends."
"And here I thought it was something else."
"Exactly right."
I continued explaining.
"The host who officiates the game proceedings is called the Bank. Think of them as the duel officiator. For the sake of fairness, the Bank will be handled by our Bakery employees, but I will take charge for the first game."
"So they are the event supervisor. But you're saying they will do this work for free?"
"I would be grateful if participants could simply give 1 silver each as a service fee whenever a game ends."
Count Yunes clicked his tongue.
"Could a mere 1 silver suffice for someone assisting our enjoyment on the side? Let's make it 1 gold."
"I am simply amazed by your generosity."
Extremely generous.
I wonder if the employees will be volunteering themselves for the role.
"This is the game board."
When I showed them the game board, title deeds, tokens, chance cards, and so on, everyone's eyes sparkled with amazement.
"Oooh...."
"To divide it so precisely with such neat lines. Astonishing."
"How can they carve such perfect proportions and straight lines?"
"If that skill could be applied to magic circles...."
Monopoly is a game where players purchase each square divided on the board as land and collect rent from other players who pass by.
As time passes, all sections of the board naturally get sold.
"Those with little or no land of their own will eventually go bankrupt, paying rent at every step while advancing on others' property."
"That's correct. The one who endures until the end becomes the winner."
The nobles' eyes lit up.
"Then what about the spoils for the winner?"
"Do the losers have to pay a certain amount of banknotes?"
I shook my head.
"Then it wouldn't be a game, but gambling. And our cafe does not permit gambling."
Here, I subtly glanced over at Hildea.
Everyone seemed to understand my gentlemanly principles.
"A board game is merely a board game, so please purely enjoy only the process of victory and defeat."
"I understand what you mean."
"We were bored with nothing to do at the cafe, and this is meant to relieve that boredom. Huhuhu."
Placing an employee as the Bank is also to prevent gambler-style play where losers funnel prize money to the winner.
Because the nobles are dangerously addicted to the supply cheat North American flour food right now, their eyes could totally roll back in their heads.
'Also, the nobles can't read English. They need someone to read the board and cards for them.'
The airborne unit knights who swore on the Sword of Subordination can read English thanks to continuous education.
And so the game began.
Before we knew it, even more people had gathered around us.
The first round ended faster than expected.
Play time: 30 minutes.
Considering that sometimes it doesn't end for hours when things don't go your way, this really ended fast.
Count Yunes's dice luck was simply too good.
"How do you find it?"
"How do I find it, you ask?"
The nobles who had played were so excited they seemed ready to spit while shouting, their eyes bloodshot.
"Astonishing! A truly, outrageously innovative game! How, just how could you possibly think up and create such a game?"
"The person who made this game is a genius!"
"For a brief moment, I felt like a great merchant crossing the continent and sweeping up every famous spot in the world!"
'Everyone is incredibly worked up.'
Dopamine was practically dripping from their expressions.
The nobles who were watching also had faces full of ticklish emotion, eager to play themselves.
'Come to think of it, the only board games for nobles are chess.'
The reason I use the plural is because all sorts of derivatives came from the same root.
That's how little entertainment there is in this era.
'Orders have increased dramatically too.'
The game consumes calories just by being played.
All emotional changes—whether excitement, frustration, or jumping for joy at victory—increase the brain's glucose consumption.
The nobles ordered far more than when they were doing nothing.
Just by throwing down a single board game, the table turnover rate went up and sales increased.
I dusted myself off and stood up.
"Then, tables wishing to play the Monopoly board game, please apply. All rental fees are free, excluding the Bank's service fee."
I laid down a wholesome foundation for them to have a joyful time, so they should boost the Bakery sales like crazy.
"Give us a board here too!"
"Us too!"
"One here as well!"
Every table eagerly competed to request a board, and the airborne knights who had memorized the rules were assigned to each table with game packages.
In an instant, the Bakery transformed into a wholesome board cafe.
Though it's a bit of a shame that all the customers are middle-aged or older men.
'Noble young ladies should be coming too, but it seems the family heads didn't share even a single banknote with their daughters.'
***
Turning it into a board cafe was an excellent choice.
The nobles who were completely absorbed in the game, whether players or spectators, consumed massive amounts of various emotions.
Emotional consumption directly translates to calorie consumption.
Orders for coffee and bread poured in endlessly.
"Colonel-nim, but even though you prohibited losers from paying prize money, will it actually work properly?"
"That's why we have to manage the game thoroughly. Making sure the Bankman accurately returns even the temporarily held banknotes."
"What if they exchange it among themselves outside the cafe depending on who wins or loses?"
Would they really go that far?
"Hmm, I've prohibited gambling-style play, so they won't be able to demand banknotes outside because of their dignity. And there's no way a loser would leave the gambling scene and meekly hand over banknotes later anyway."
This is extremely obvious common sense.
"I was just saying it because I was worried."
"I know. Thank you for offering your opinion. Keep doing just as you are now, Luna."
"Heeheehee."
"Anyway, the Hot Hot Bakery Cafe is a key forward base for securing all the general supplies that the territory residents need, using the Monopoly rights. We have to pay attention to its operation from now on."
"That's right. You need to entrust the operation to someone trustworthy. In terms of trust, responsibility, and ability, all of it."
"Luna, would you like to try?"
"Huh? Me?"
Luna jumped in surprise.
As if I had said something I shouldn't have.
"Why are you so surprised? I think you're the most suitable candidate."
"B-But, if I take charge here, then I won't be able to carry the Mint Choco, no, your Palanquin anymore, Colonel-nim...."
"You don't need to be stationed here. I'm just asking you to oversee operations as the chief manager. Like the Anvellum Dispatch Unit PX."
At those words, Luna smiled brightly as if reassured.
"You startled me. Okay. Then I'll station a clever manager here and check in frequently. We have a radio anyway."
"Yes, please take care of it."
"I will carry out this mission with desperate resolve! Just as you said, Colonel-nim, this place is the supply route for the general goods our North needs!"
Indeed.
Though it provides board games and food like a Board Cafe Bakery.
Though it releases Monopoly banknotes by securing collateral from nobles, almost like a futures exchange or loan office.
Ultimately, the essence of this cafe is,
a forward operating base for supplying daily necessities—from hay to cloth to lamp oil—that the territory residents of the North will use.
"The rye production of the Imperial Household's great farms has permanently decreased. Even so, the Empire and various other nations are pouring unlimited support into the Allied Expeditionary Force to obtain rabbit meat."
Everything is a bad sign.
The prolonged rise in prices and scarcity of goods is a confirmed future.
Our North, which has nothing but iron ore and Elf Forest wood, must make more strenuous efforts than other regions to obtain daily necessities like cloth.
"This headquarters will never take Colonel Piel's predictions lightly."
"Honestly, where would our North be right now without Piel?"
"Where would we be? You guys would already be dead, and I'd be in the capital prison before dying in the Elf Legion invasion. And wouldn't the Imperial border be getting pounded by the Elves by now?"
***
I opened my eyes at the sound of water splashing from the bathroom.
Seeing the door open, Yuzel must be doing the laundry.
I went in to brush my teeth.
Yuzel, wearing a bikini swimsuit, was diligently stomping on the laundry piled in a basin.
"Heave-ho, heave-ho, heave-ho, heave-ho."
Each time she stepped forcefully, a large ripple shook mercilessly.
"You were washing the blankets."
"Yes! It's already been 3 days since I last washed them!"
"What kind of blankets need washing every 3 days? Besides, it's still winter, even if it's warm."
"Still, since you use them, Colonel-nim, I have to wash them frequently!"
Beyond just washing frequently, she's replacing the sheets and blankets with freshly laundered ones every single day.
"I'm worried it might be too hard on you. You're still a princess, you know."
"I'm fine! If I use up a lot of energy doing housework, I get hungrier and can eat more!"
"...."
If that's the reason, then telling her to take it easy on the housework would be abuse instead.
A princess who exhausts her stamina with housework and chores just to eat more delicious food....
After finishing brushing my teeth, I moved to the dining room.
I had breakfast with Hildea, Rebecca, Luna, and Elenoa, and then headed to work at the Hot Hot Bakery Cafe.
'It's already been 10 days since we opened.'
The Bakery was thriving.
Nobles who borrowed banknotes by putting up all sorts of collateral spent money lavishly on coffee, wheat bread, and castella.
The response to the board games was also extremely positive, with almost every table constantly enjoying food while playing games.
Positive effects were also starting to become visible.
"Hmm? Your territory makes that much cloth with only 100 people?"
"I'm the one who's surprised. You produce that many dishes with just 80 people? My territory would have to deploy double the manpower."
"Wait, what do you think about exchanging your cloth for our dishes to pay off our Monopoly debts?"
"Great! That's beneficial for both of us!"
As they spent long periods or sat face-to-face playing board games, lots of productive conversations occurred between the nobles.
'A truly wholesome board cafe.'
"Everything is going well just as you said, Colonel-nim. I was too suspicious, thinking they might secretly exchange prize money outside."
It was a bit disappointing that noblewomen and noble young ladies were nowhere to be seen, but at this level, it seems to have established itself as a fine board cafe.
'But how long does Count Yunes plan to stay here when he's the Governor of the Expedition Force?'
Outside the Bakery, a bustling city had formed with the carriages of nobles who had flocked from all over the continent after hearing the rumors.
Every day unfolds like the overnight waiting line at an electronics district on a new game console release day.
***
As always, I checked the hall atmosphere for about an hour before returning to the villa.
Hildea's expression was serious.
"Colonel Piel."
"Hildea-nim, since it's the hallway right now, I'll give you the kiss later in my room."
"Th-That's not it!"
Her face blushed bright red as she flusteredly explained.
"A royal message has arrived. It's an order to enter the palace tonight, avoiding the eyes of others."
"Please take care and go safely."
"Go? Shouldn't you naturally come along as well?"
"Was I also named in the summons?"
"Not exactly, but... Although His Majesty the King has aged, he is strictly an unrelated man, so having a private audience alone with him late at night isn't quite proper, is it...? Colonel Piel, are you really fine with me going to such a meeting...?"
The King isn't that kind of person, and above all, the possibility of Sword Master Hildea suffering any harm is zero, but...
When she says things like that with a blushing face, tapping her index fingers together, she's just precious and adorable.
"Understood. I'll go with you."
Why did the King summon us?
There are so many possibilities that I actually have no idea.