So it happened.
Ding!
However, just because it was a royal gathering, it wouldn’t be much different from our usual broadcasts if I just watched the Emperor play a game. So, we decided to play a game together briefly as part one of the stream.
Typically, when I hand over a game controller to elderly folks, they struggle to adapt. They move the controller too cautiously, so their characters barely move, and when it comes to actively fighting, they feel pressured.
But the Emperor? Is he an ordinary person?
I was clenching my teeth and manipulating the controller. I tried my best to keep a straight face, but it wasn’t easy.
Gulp!
“I heard real driving is much harder than this, but this game seems simplified.”
The game we were playing was a globally famous kart racing game.
It’s well-known as something ‘anyone’ can enjoy, but just because anyone can enjoy it doesn’t mean everyone’s skills are the same.
Honestly, I wasn’t someone who used to play online games before. So in a competitive game like this… I really have no talent.
My emotions were all over the place with the gameplay.
Gah!
That was the same for Claire.
Her usual personality is full of emotion and a strong competitive spirit, so she was taking this game quite seriously.
Maybe it was because her opponent was the Emperor.
Claire knew about her lineage. Although she pretended to be nonchalant, saying “I’m Grace,” she was probably thinking quite seriously about it.
And knowing Claire, she wouldn’t want to lose to the Emperor.
In reality, the Emperor and Claire were battling for first and second place. Of course, the Emperor was the one moving the controller more casually.
And then there was me—
Silence…
Silence…
I was competing with Alice.
To be honest, first and second place were so far ahead that I had already given up reaching them, playing just with the intent of not finishing last.
It’s a racing game, right? If I can manage third place, I’ll at least get a trophy.
I just didn’t want to be the one left out.
“Why don’t you just hand the trophy over to your sister?”
“Who’s your sister?!”
Claire shot back at Alice’s comment. Claire’s eyes were focused on the screen, but her ears were clearly open.
LOLLOLLOL!
Look at them fighting over who’s the elder at a time like this!
“Do you fight like this often?”
“It’s half a joke, so you don’t need to take it seriously.”
I responded to the Emperor’s question. Naturally, my eyes were glued to the screen.
Seeing a father and daughter gaming side by side is heartwarming!
Where else can you find a dad who plays along with this kind of setup, LOL!
“Hmm.”
As I glanced at those chat comments, it seemed the Emperor was aware of what I was thinking, letting out a small grunt.
In fact, Claire and Alice had been getting along well while calling each other by name. The topic had flared up again after our last conversation with the Emperor. Since they had gone through the process of identifying “who’s the elder” once, it became hard to stop.
“Since we’re just having fun, you should feel free to relax.”
“But your fingers are moving like crazy for just having fun!”
Alice countered my comment, but I ignored her and pressed the accelerator.
Zzzziiip!
“Ah!”
But soon, a sound of disappointment slipped from my mouth.
“Done…!”
Seeing Alice shout that made me think grrr, but—
“Claire?”
Suddenly, my car passed Claire, who was vying for first and second place.
“Hehe.”
Claire let out a small laugh.
“Sis, it’s fine. I’ll take the last spot. As your sister, I can do this much.”
So, she was intentionally slowing down.
“Claire…”
In that blink of an eye, the rankings were set.
The Emperor came in first, Alice second, and I was third.
And Claire was left off the rankings.
“I’m fine, sis. If you could’ve won…”
“…Isn’t it just that you couldn’t possibly beat Father, so you pulled back?”
Silence…
Ah, seems that’s right.
“Father, you play games well.”
“Hmm….”
The Emperor let out those words again at my comment.
Honestly, it was rather amusing to see.
The Emperor was someone sitting way up high. He was in a position that moved others beneath him.
Of course, that position must be lonely.
Though I was convinced the Emperor enjoyed that position, there’s a kind of relationship you can’t feel under normal circumstances.
I wondered if the Emperor actually thought of it as a ‘father’ position. In any case, he was experiencing being a ‘father’ for the first time in his life. And he was the father of three daughters.
Well, one could say she was called “uncle” though. Still, since they had been close like sisters since childhood, it’s fine to call her daughter.
“I’ll keep a better lookout next time.”
“…Even after coming in first, no one would probably believe that.”
Hmm…
Having always been in a position to excel, he might be a little clueless.
But it seemed he wasn’t a ‘must-win-at-all-costs’ kind of father.
Though it was just a brief moment, I imagined what kind of father the Emperor would have been if he had been born into modern society.
A capable and good father, perhaps.
…No, the reason why the Emperor isn’t thinking of being the ‘ruler of another world’ is probably because of this. If he was born in my country or any other, he would have bootstrapped himself to power by force. If he had been born in Korea, by now, he would have been a congressman or the president.
It was a thought I would entertain with no basis, but the character traits of being an Emperor were firmly established.
“Then, would you like to try a different game? There are still some fighting games I haven’t tried yet.”
“Then let’s do that.”
As I reached out for help, the Emperor quickly grabbed my hand.
It felt a bit strange. It seemed like we had been really trying to step on each other’s toes in the other world.
I rifled through the software I had prepared on the desk and spoke.
“This is a fighting action game. The goal is to knock your opponent off the map. You can play in teams or as individuals.”
“Then let’s do individual matches.”
Alice spoke up.
That was a wise choice.
If I showed signs of not wanting to be on the same team as the Emperor… wouldn’t we all become disobedient daughters?
Though it had been the Emperor who committed the first sin, technically.
Seeing the Emperor nod seemed to show he agreed with that sentiment.
In the end, we ended up playing individual matches—
Wow, Sylvia isn’t good at online games at all!
…
I realized I had much less talent in fighting games than in racing games.
Dun-dun-dun!
Still, having played games together like that was pretty helpful.
The awkward relationship had improved significantly. It seems fighting really is the best way to get closer.
“Then in this game, I’m the villain?”
“Yeah… well, kinda.”
I nodded.
“But in games like this, it’s often the one in a high position who plays the villain. Not just the Emperor.”
“No need to defend me. I was pretty close to a villain in the other world, too.”
The Emperor chuckled at my words.
Hahaha!
“….”
Right? Why did I say that?
Seeing me close my mouth, Alice and Claire started to laugh.
Tsundere daughter, LOL!
Father-daughter relationship looks really good!
They should have seen the moment the Emperor thrust a knife into my back.
I would’ve been dead if it weren’t for the Gryphon. Really.
“However, the Emperor’s position in this work is a bit ambiguous. It was probably a bit much to appear in a leading role. After all, you were already the main villain in the previous work.”
“In that case, I’m honestly a bit curious about the previous work.”
“…I don’t appear in the previous work, though.”
The Emperor shrugged as if to say, “Well, what can you do?”
“Then, let’s get started.”
I clicked the start button, fearing that if I kept talking, we’d never get to play.
And shortly after starting the game—
“Is that so? A battleship?”
The Emperor murmured with a serious expression.
“Can you do that too?”
“I could do it.”
I exhaled lightly as I spoke.
I had actually done it once. Of course, that was ‘in another timeline’.
“……So that’s what you did back then.”
“In fact, I’ve never directly blown anything up. I just passed on the information.”
“You should be grateful that you didn’t fall on the capital.”
“….”
I had done infiltration. I’d thrown grenades too. Anyway, I had rummaged around inside that battleship.
Now that the time has passed, I can’t do that anymore.
“It was indeed riskier than I imagined.”
The Emperor’s serious expression was a rare sight.
“…Please don’t get too immersed in the game.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. After all, it’s related to me.”
The Emperor was joking.
Well, that’s all in the past now.
I thought that as I pressed the button.
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