Chapter 38: The Valoria Games
When Adam and Vespera entered the dining room, almost everyone was already there.
Elena was talking quietly with Lyriana.
Isadora was consulting a small report lying near her cup.
Selene, sitting calmly, seemed perfectly relaxed, as if the grueling morning training had never happened.
Elaria was already jotting down notes in her notebook, probably unable to let her mind rest for more than a few minutes.
Shiora, however, wasn’t there yet.
Adam immediately noticed her absence.
"Shiora hasn’t arrived yet?"
Isadora looked up at him.
"She sent a message. She’s finishing something up at the guild and will be joining us."
Adam had a bad feeling.
"Could this ’something’ have something to do with our conversation this afternoon?"
Isadora smiled slightly.
"Probably."
Vespera settled calmly into her seat.
"She seems excited about a project."
Adam looked at her.
"You already know about it?"
"No."
"Then how do you know?"
"Shiora walks faster when she’s thinking about money."
Adam remained silent.
"I don’t know why, but it seems true."
The others smiled.
He sat down at the table, still tired from his day.
Just a few minutes later, the door opened.
Shiora walked in quickly, a thick file under her arm and a smile that was far too bright.
Adam closed his eyes.
"There. That’s exactly the smile I was worried about."
Shiora sat down without wasting a second.
"Good evening, everyone." "Adam, I’m officially borrowing your idea."
Adam opened his eyes again.
"I haven’t even eaten yet."
"Great opportunities don’t wait for an appetite."
Selene raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, they do. Appetite comes before many things."
"Not the appetite for profit."
Isadora calmly set down her cup.
"Shiora. Explain."
The duchess’s tone was gentle, but it was enough to bring everyone at the table back to reality.
Shiora immediately opened her file.
"The Empire is increasing its economic pressure. Covert attacks, disrupted trade routes, diverted goods, rumors against our banks. We must respond, but not just by defending ourselves."
She placed several sheets of paper on the table.
"Adam suggested an idea. Board games from his old world."
Elaria immediately looked up.
Vespera turned her head slightly.
Isadora submitted her report.
Elena blinked.
"Games?"
Adam scratched his cheek.
"Originally, I was mainly thinking of something to entertain people."
Shiora smiled.
"And that’s precisely why the idea is brilliant."
She then began to explain.
Reversi.
Chess.
Go.
Card games.
Simple boards.
Rules that are easy to learn, yet deep enough to create true enthusiasts.
Popular versions for taverns, guilds, and families.
Noble versions for wealthy merchants and aristocratic houses.
Prestige versions for those who wanted to own something others couldn’t easily afford.
The more Shiora spoke, the more the expressions around the table changed.
Elena seemed curious.
Lyriana was already considering strategic uses.
Elaria was mentally noting the manufacturing constraints.
Vespera was probably analyzing the possible enchantments.
Isadora, for her part, had that calm look that signified she was already assessing the political consequences.
When Shiora finished, a silence fell.
Then Isadora spoke first.
"It’s more than just entertainment."
Shiora smiled.
"Yes."
Isadora clasped her hands in front of her.
"It’s a commercial, cultural, and political tool."
Adam sighed softly.
"I think my games have officially lost their innocence."
Vespera replied calmly:
"Innocent ideas don’t exist. Only ideas that haven’t yet been used correctly."
Adam stared at her.
"Is that supposed to reassure me?"
"No."
"At least it’s clear."
Elaria then spoke.
"As for manufacturing, it’s feasible. Popular versions can be produced from simple wood. The Reversi and Go pieces are easy to create. The chess pieces will require more work, but molds or dies could speed up production."
Shiora snapped her fingers.
"I knew you’d understand."
Elaria continued, already deep in thought.
"For the cards, we’ll need a thin, strong, and inexpensive material. Treated parchment would be too expensive for widespread distribution. We’d have to test very thin wood, thin leather, or compressed plant fiber."
Adam sat up slightly.
"In my old world, cards were often made with thick paper. If we can create a similar material, that would be perfect." "
Elaria took immediate notes.
"Compressed plant fiber, treated against moisture. Worth testing."
Vespera added:
"For the luxury versions, I can create small decorative enchantments. Soft lighting on the pieces, trays that remember the layout, cards protected against wear, rune-sealed boxes."
Shiora placed a hand on her heart.
"Vespera, you’ve just made the noble versions three times more expensive."
"That was the goal."
Adam murmured:
"You’re all terrifying in your respective fields."
Selene smiled.
"You’re only realizing that now?"
Isadora then spoke.
"As for resources, I’ll take care of that. Local wood can cover the initial popular series. For the noble versions, I can authorize access to certain stocks within the duchy." Polished stones, decorative metals, precious woods in limited quantities.
Shiora nodded quickly.
"Limited is perfect. The wealthy love limited quantities."
Isadora smiled slightly.
"I’ll also handle the administrative permits. If this project is to circulate quickly in Valoria, it shouldn’t be slowed down by unnecessary red tape."
Lyriana calmly raised her hand.
"I can have the distribution routes checked and monitor Imperial reactions. If the Empire tries to sabotage the deliveries, we need to know quickly."
Shiora smiled.
"Excellent."
Selene rested her elbow on the table.
"Adventurers can help too. The taverns near the guild will be the first to adopt these kinds of games if I recommend them. And if we organize a few tournaments, the attention will come naturally."
Elena leaned forward.
"Even knights could use them during their downtime. Strategy games can help teach patience, anticipation, and reading your opponent."
Adam looked at her.
"You want to use chess as military training?"
Elena smiled.
"Why not?"
Vespera answered for her:
"That’s relevant. A strategy game can shape certain thinking habits."
Adam ran a hand over his face.
"I just wanted to keep people from getting bored."
Shiora burst out laughing.
"And you might have just created a new industry."
Dinner continued in this way.
The dishes arrived one after another, but the conversation never really slowed down.
Shiora handled sales and distribution.
Elaria took care of manufacturing.
Vespera oversaw the magical aspects and enchantments.
Isadora handled the project’s resources, permits, and political protection.
Selene would help introduce the games to taverns and female adventurers.
Elena would test their usefulness with female knights.
Lyriana would monitor for risks and potential sabotage.
Adam, meanwhile, found himself in charge of writing the basic rules, explaining the main variations, and drawing the first models.
He remained silent for a few seconds after this decision.
"Wait. How did I go from simply having an idea to being in charge of the rules?"
Elaria replied without looking up from her notebook:
"Because you’re the only person here who knows these games."
"That makes sense, but I was hoping to avoid it."
Shiora smiled.
"Impossible. You’re now officially the project’s creator."
Adam stared at her.
"You’ve given the project a name, haven’t you?"
Shiora’s smile became far too proud.
"The Valoria Games."
A silence followed.
Adam blinked.
"It’s direct."
Isadora nodded gently.
"It’s effective."
Vespera added:
"Easy to remember."
Elaria jotted down the name.
"Commercially sound."
Shiora raised her hands as if the decision had already been made.
"Perfect. Adopted."
Adam stared at the ceiling.
"I didn’t even have time to suggest anything else."
Selene laughed.
"Too slow."
The rest of the meal unfolded in an atmosphere that was both warm and strategic.
Adam was beginning to understand something.
With these women, even a dinner could become a war meeting, an economic planning session, and a family discussion all at once.
And strangely enough, it worked.
No one spoke unnecessarily.
No one sought the limelight for no reason.
Each person naturally found their place.
Isadora led.
Shiora calculated.
Elaria built.
Vespera optimized.
Selene made things concrete.
Elena thought about safety.
Lyriana about hidden risks.
And him...
Adam looked down at his plate.
He brought him ideas from another world.
Ideas sometimes simple.
But in this world, they could become powerful tools.
When the meal came to an end, Isadora calmly summarized:
"Shiora, prepare a launch plan. Elaria, start with three simple prototypes. Adam will provide you with the rules. Vespera, check the possibilities for light enchantments without wasting mana. Lyriana, have the relevant routes monitored. Selene, see which taverns would be willing to test the first games. Elena, we’ll discuss it tomorrow with the knights."
They all nodded.
Adam timidly raised his hand.
Isadora turned her eyes toward him.
"Yes?"
"And when do I sleep?"
Selene smiled.
"After writing the rules."
Shiora added:
"And after explaining the card games to me."
Elaria continued:
"And after drawing the chess pieces."
Vespera concluded:
"And after your daily mana compression practice."
Adam remained motionless.
Then he slowly put down his fork.
"I take back what I said yesterday. It’s not fate that’s dangerous. It’s your organization."
Isadora smiled elegantly.
"Thank you."
"That wasn’t a compliment."
"I’ll take it as such."
After a few final exchanges, they each got up to return to their rooms or finish their business.
Shiora lingered behind Adam for a moment and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You really gave me a weapon today."
Adam turned his head toward her.
"Just make sure it also serves to make people happy."
Shiora’s smile softened.
"That’s precisely why it will be effective."
Then she left.
Elaria walked past him next.
"Tomorrow morning, give me the approximate measurements of the trays. Even simple sketches will suffice."
"I’ll try."
"No. You will."
Adam sighed.
"Okay. I’ll do it."
Vespera, already near the door, added:
"And don’t forget to compress your mana before sleeping."
Adam looked at her.
"Are you going to check?"
"Yes."
"Why did I ask?"
She smiled slightly and left the room.
Little by little, the dining room emptied.
Elena and Lyriana left together.
Selene gave her one last smile before going to her own room.
Isadora remained the last one near the table.
She watched Adam for a few seconds.
"You worked well today."
Adam was surprised by the gentleness of her voice.
"I mostly talked about games."
"No. You gave Valoria a chance to move forward instead of just resisting. That’s different."
He didn’t know what to say.
Isadora approached and briefly placed a hand on his cheek.
"Rest. Tomorrow will be long again."
Adam gave a tired little laugh.
"That phrase has become the manor’s motto."
"It’s true."
Then she left the room with her usual calm.
Adam remained alone for a few moments.
The silence that followed dinner seemed almost unreal to him.
He looked at the empty table.
Then at the documents Shiora had left in her arms.
Rules to write.
Drawings to do.
Ideas to organize.
He sighed.
"I just wanted to suggest some games..."
But despite his fatigue, a smile appeared on his lips.
Because deep down, he was excited.
To create something.
To bring an idea to life.
To see it take shape.
It was a feeling he knew well from his old life.
A project was always born this way.
First, a simple thought.
Then a conversation.
Then notes.
Then prototypes.
Then, one day, something truly existed in the world.
Adam clutched the documents to his chest.
"The Valoria Games, eh..."
He shook his head in amusement.
Then he finally left the dining room and headed for his bedroom.
In the silent corridors of the manor, the magical lamps cast a soft light.
Another day had just ended.
But this time, Adam wasn’t just thinking about pain, magic, or enemies.
He was thinking about wooden boards.
About black and white pawns.
About cards.
About children laughing around a table.
About soldiers playing between guards.
About nobles convinced they were superior because their pieces shone brighter.
And about the Holy Empire, which might one day discover that resistance was possible with a simple game set up on a table.
Adam smiled slightly.
"This world is getting really interesting." "
Then he went into his room, ready to write the first rules before sleep overtook him."