Isekai Online Game Developer

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“I’m really recommending this product. Soon, you won’t even be able to find it if you want to.”

This was a recommendation from the Blue-haired Merchant Lord.

At his words, several nobles were purchasing ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ and the Third Prince Rikal was one of them.

“Is an artifact made in a place like the Illusion Tower really this expensive? Not bad.”

He had a hobby of wasting royal money.

As expected, the royal family members were pointing fingers at the prince’s behavior.

It was common for him to be called the Reckless Prince.

“The Illusion Tower? You bought that with your money?”

“Just leave him alone. It’s not the first or second time. That’s a prince? Meanwhile, look at the First Prince. How…”

Whispers comparing Rikal to the Crown Prince.

The price of ‘Maple Leaf Story’ was not astronomically high for a prince to spend, in absolute terms.

But it was only natural for people to murmur about purchasing items from a place like the Illusion Tower.

“…What’s this? It’s fun, isn’t it?”

Surprisingly, the game was extremely entertaining.

He was hooked to the point of not drinking for several days.

Thus, he would advance to a second job as a Cleric and begin receiving party invites.

“Wow! Thank you so much. The Empire’s Light is truly kind!”

One day, while in the hunting grounds, he healed someone whose health was depleted due to a lack of potions.

He had used the heal to take down an undead monster, but coincidentally, the user happened to be in range.

‘…Kind? Me?’

After receiving several thank-yous, he often found himself being praised during party play.

‘These idiots. They’re whispering about me in reality, but here they bow their heads without knowing I’m the Third Prince.’

The Third Prince found a strange thrill in this.

In reality, he was the Reckless Prince who was pointed at wherever he went.

But here, the very same people who criticized him were thanking him.

He wondered how they would feel if they knew they were groveling to the Reckless Prince.

It was amusing and fun for Rikal to deceive the foolish other users while performing good deeds.

Moreover, his character was female.

For some reason, he had decided to choose female when creating his character.

However, in ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ many users thought he was a real woman and often flirted with him.

As a dedicated healer Cleric, it was natural for men to take a liking to him.

‘They don’t even know who I am. Hehe, this is really funny.’

The Third Prince chuckled heartily at the users’ antics.

In reality, everyone hated him.

But in this game, [Empire's Light] was showering him with praise without knowing he was the Reckless Prince.

Rikal enjoyed smiling back at them, watching the foolish appearances of users who were falling for him.

Eventually, he became the now-renowned user ‘Zebit.’

“This is… the Tower?”

The day after a notorious user incident, Rikal headed straight for the Illusion Tower.

It looked like a low tower that could collapse at any moment.

[‘Maple Leaf Story’ artifact sales are conducted exclusively through the Blue-haired Merchant Group. Any inquiries or excessive complaints regarding ‘Maple Leaf Story’ purchase cases will result in immediate blacklisting without warning.]

That’s what was written at the entrance of the tower.

It seemed there were indeed people rushing to the Illusion Tower to obtain ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ just as rumors had suggested.

Even after the second sale, the number of such people increased.

However, Rikal wasn’t there to make a purchase.

Besides, he wasn’t the type to be intimidated and back off by such words.

Rikal knocked on the tower door.

—‘For inquiries about ‘Maple Leaf Story,’ please contact the Blue-haired Merchant Group~’

The door did not open, only the voice was heard.

“Ha.”

Rikal frowned and muttered some curses.

His accompanying minister and knight began to gauge his reaction.

For them, Rikal throwing a tantrum when things didn’t go his way was a common occurrence.

They even treated him the same as other troublesome buyers, so the future seemed all but decided.

“L-Let the Third Prince of the Empire through! Open the door at once!”

The royal minister Hanon, currently acting as his aide, quickly shouted before Rikal could create a scene.

Being quick-witted, he had survived the longest in the position of Rikal’s assistant.

‘Please… please open up…!’

Of course, his quick thinking alone wouldn’t guarantee survival.

Countless capable aides had lost their lives like flies before Rikal.

He had survived due to luck and earnest prayers.

Bam—

‘Survived!’

Fortunately, the god listened to Hanon’s prayers this time as well.

Hanon let out a relieved sigh.

“P-P-Prince?! What brings you here…! P-Please, come inside!”

The one who opened the door was a female illusion mage.

She was trembling as she welcomed the Third Prince.

Her nervousness was rather pitiable.

But Rikal enjoyed the sight of someone shivering in front of him, so Hanon thought it was rather fortunate.

“P-Please, take a seat!”

Meanwhile, Medeia, who welcomed the Third Prince, was on the verge of fainting.

How could something like this happen while the ones responsible for external matters, Rain and Rai, were out?

Moreover, the rumors about the Third Prince being a reckless man were well-known even in Trinity.

“I’ll go fetch the Tower Master, so please wait!”

Medeia hurriedly dashed to summon the master of the tower.

As someone from a common background, she didn’t know how to treat royalty.

She longed for the days when she was dancing with shadow clones in the extremes.

“M-Master! The Third Prince is here!”

Hina’s room in the tower. There was no response.

Hina lay in bed, fainted.

She was gaming.

“Oh, come on…!”

Medeia hastily shut down the ‘Maple Leaf Story’ artifact clasped in Hina’s hands.

“Wha-what?!”

“Tower Master! This is not the time to be gaming! The Third Prince is outside!”

“Huh? Huh??”

“Hurry! Get a grip!!!”

Pulled out of the boss battle, Hina came to her senses upon hearing about the Third Prince.

“P-Prince!? W-Where’s Rai?”

“Rai went to fetch Rain and a newbie! You really have to do something!”

“I-I can’t! N-No wayyy—”

Hina panicked and buried herself under the blanket.

“Ughhh… for the love…! Tower Master, please do your job!!!”

Medeia pulled at the blanket, but she wouldn’t come out like a snail in its shell.

Well, she did eventually come out.

“Okay, I got it, Medeia.”

“Phew… quickly!”

Hina emerged from the blanket, striding with poise.

Relieved, Medeia followed her down to the first floor, and—

“Here, you can speak with the Tower Master. Then I’ll take my leave… hohoho…”

“…Where exactly is the Tower Master?”

“…Huh? Here… uh-oh?!”

Hina had vanished without a trace.

It was an illusion.

Medeia rushed back, but Hina’s door was already locked.

‘Why the hell is this useless illusion magic even around?!’

She grumbled about her useless Tower Master, but there was no other way.

However, inspired by Hina’s actions, Medeia created a clone, sending it downstairs.

At least she wouldn’t die this way.

With Medeia’s perfect clone, it would be undetectable as long as it wasn’t touched.

“Haha, looks like the Tower Master is busy. So, what brings you to this humble place, Prince?”

Medeia’s clone spoke up.

“I heard there’s a young S-rank illusion mage named Riot who made ‘Maple Leaf Story.’ I need to talk to him,” Rikal replied.

“Ah… that mage is currently on a business trip… What seems to be the issue?”

“I have a proposal about ‘Maple Leaf Story.’”

“Uh, a proposal… But I don’t know exactly when he’ll be back… I could contact you when he returns…”

“Ha…”

Rikal sighed and rubbed his temple.

Seeing his reaction, Hanon quickly spoke up.

“Uh, uh! It seems the Prince has urgent business! Is there no way to contact him, or do you know where he is?”

“…Yeah. I need to sort this issue out quickly. Those guys are preventing me from playing the game!”

The Third Prince was boiling like he was about to burst.

Medeia instinctively felt that saying no here would lead to great trouble.

But there was no way for Medeia to contact Rai.

After all, the Illusion Tower had not yet even been able to acquire a communication crystal due to their poverty.

They had been so financially strapped, and most of the money they earned went into investing in Rai’s further production, leaving little for the tower’s expenses.

“W-w-well…”

“Ha… damn it… speak properly…!”

“Gya-aaaaah!”

“P-Prince!!”

With his sword drawn, Rikal had decapitated Medeia without hesitation.

“Ah… if you kill a mage…”

Killing a mage was a significant problem.

No matter how incompetent an illusion mage might be, they were still a member of the Trinity.

Hanon’s head spun with thoughts of what needed to be done next.

“Shut up. It was just a clone anyway.”

“…Huh?”

“I don’t kill people on a whim.”

As he said, the girl who lost her head vanished in a puff of smoke.

So it really was a clone.

Hanon exhaled sharply, calming his startled heart.

In any case, it was a relief.

‘So far, you had no problems with killing, you crazy prince.’

Hanon thought that to himself but didn’t dare voice it.

“…What the hell are you doing?”

At that moment, a voice came from behind.

Turning around, he found the door to the Illusion Tower wide open, revealing a young illusion mage who had just come of age.

It was Rai, who had just finished his task.

Rai didn’t see Medeia’s clone vanish in smoke due to the angle.

“What did you just do?”

“Ah, haha… it seems there’s some misunderstanding, but we are…”

“I just killed her. She was getting on my nerves.”

“P-Prince!!”

Hanon’s words were cut off by Rikal.

At that, Rai’s expression twisted, and Hanon screamed.

“Are you Riot?”

“Rai. Ote. But more importantly, do you realize what you just did?”

“I have a proposal about ‘Maple Leaf Story’ that I need you to deal with ASAP. Those idiots are ruining my game!”

“Ha, haha… Please wait, magician. Calm down and let’s talk… Eek!”

Hanon rushed to intercede between them.

But he immediately screamed and fell back.

A massive creature appeared, threatening him.

Of course, it was an illusion.

“Do you know what it’s like to die… how dare you touch Medeia…!”

Rai’s magical energy surged.

Simultaneously, Rikal drew his sword.

Soon, Rikal’s sword clashed with Rai’s magical power.