108-Episode 107: Apparently there is a arcade

'Oh, by the way, Misha, how much money does it cost? I only brought a little money with me.

I have so much money in kingdom coins that it's troublesome to count them, but I didn't exchange too much when I came to the Empire.

But I didn't exchange too many of them when I came to the Empire, because I thought it was a bit silly to charge a fee for exchanging them.

Well, I didn't bother to exchange money in the Kingdom, because I could exchange money in the commercial district of the Empire.

'It's only one copper coin or so at a time. ...... How much do you have? If it's not enough, can I lend you some?'

'Hmm, about a hundred gold coins for now.

'How many years are you going to play⁉︎ ...... You can break it down into copper coins at the counter there, so why don't you go?

Apparently, his sense of money had gone haywire.

A gold coin is worth about 10,000 yen, so it's about a million yen.

Since the exchange rate of coins between the Kingdom and the Empire is almost the same, if you ignore the fees, you can use them in the same sense.

Or rather, the units of gold and silver coins are slightly different from those of Japanese yen, and sometimes I don't understand them.

As Misha told me, I broke down one gold coin into a hundred copper coins and came back.

'Are you ready? It looks like there's a seat available for a fighting game, so let's give it a try.

A fighting game.

MMORPG...... is a bit new to me, as I've never played anything other than click games.

I've never played anything but click games, so it's a bit of a new experience for me." Misha pointed to the area with the gaming equipment, which had two seats.

'You need to learn it first, so Yuki and Aina sit down.

Aina and I sit facing each other.

In front of us is a large LCD of a magic tool, like an old computer monitor, with dot-drawn characters on it.

In my hand is the controller that will be used to control the characters.

The controller has the same cross-keys on the left, four buttons on the right, and an LR button, but each one seems to be handmade, with a design that feels vaguely otherworldly.

'You can use the arrow keys to move your character. Press the right button to attack, and the left button to dodge. You can crouch with the bottom button and jump with the top button. Use the right button to attack and the left button to dodge.

'I see, thanks'.

'It's difficult. ...... You'll have to learn it as you go.

I think I understand the controls.

I didn't need to be taught how to use ......, or rather, I didn't need to be taught how to use it, because I could understand it by touching it.

However, since it was Aina's first time to use it, it was a necessary explanation.

'Yuki, Aina, please do your best!

Aleria is also cheering for us. Let's do our best.

And so the game began.

As my opponent's character began to move, I tried out a few moves to get a feel for the game, but also to be alert.

Attack the opponent, defend against the opponent's attacks.

Move by jumping and dashing.

I was able to try out all of them.

'Is this really your first time, Yuki? You're really good at it. ......!'

'Well.'

I got a compliment from Misha.

I don't know if I should say this is my first time, but at least it's my first time playing this game.

I manipulated the game somewhat by feel, and cut down my opponent's HP.

--The game is over.

Just when I was relieved.

'Ah! I guess I lost. It's pretty difficult. ......'

'Aina just finished too. But was it that hard? Most of the enemies were just moving around like they didn't know what they were doing.

'Yeah⁉︎ That's not true. You were so sharp, I wondered how you could move like that. ......?

Yeah. ......?

I don't know what you're talking about.

Does the strength of the enemy change depending on the probability or the seat?

Or is it simply a difference in strength between Aina and me?

No, even if that's the case, there's a big difference between an unintelligible movement and a sharp movement, isn't there?

'Oh, I forgot to mention! I was just playing against Yuki and Aina.

'......?

These days, not only can you play games with magic tools, but you can even play against them. ......!

'So that means that my seat and Aina's seat are communicating with each other,......?

'Yes ......, that's what it means, isn't it?'

Misha replied with a look that said, "How can you take this for granted?

I'm surprised that you can even communicate with each other, even though it's a relatively short distance.

In the royal capital, there are only magic tools for battle, magic tools for magic power testing, magic tools for magic weapons.

The development of magic tools in the Empire is tremendous.

'Does that communication mean, for example, that there are magic tools that can send audio or text instead of games?

'You can't send text, but you can send sound. Like the one I'm holding?

Misha took out a small stone-looking grimoire from his pouch.

'It's a handy item that allows you to send sounds even when you're far away from each other, if you learn the magic power in each of the two grimoires.

'I see. ...... That's nice.

I thought there was something like a telephone, but I guess that's not it.

Even so, it could be quite useful depending on how you use it.

'Well, let's not worry about that, let's continue the game. This time, it's Aina and me!

'I've learned most of the moves from before. I'll take it.

We played this game in turn for several hours.

To my surprise, Aina improved as we played, and became the strongest. I guess she had the right stuff.