I Am the God of Games

The first round of the Twin City Cup was at hand.

Every participant who registered themselves received a bangle from the checkpoints set up on various corners of Lancaster. Each bangle was embedded with a small, metal film marked with an Arabic number (which is unfamiliar to them) that notes every respective competitor’s serial number.

And thanks to the numbering, Xi Wei, the organizer of the tourney learned that there were 1551 participants!

One might ask: for such a grand competition with no limits to number of participants, why were there so few participants? Weren’t the churches supposed to be sending in their believers as well?

Still, the ‘no limit’ thing was merely in theory. In theory, after learning that the participants were members from the faction of nobles and clerics who commanded supernatural powers, not even imperial military elites such as Sir Monan would dare risk their lives jumping into the muddled waters, let alone the peasants who were perfectly self-aware…

Nonetheless, not jumping into muddled waters notwithstanding, the show still needs its spectators-after all, being a bystander is basic human nature.

Therefore, crowds were everywhere nearby the mayor’s residence on the day of the tourney, with the square in front of the building so packed that it was airtight and rubbing shoulders were inevitable. From the dark masses of people, the crowd could number well up to ten thousand and rising.

The Lancaster city watch who usually liked to throw their weight around were therefore feeling immense pressure as they braced themselves to maintain the order. All the while, they were rejoicing that the spectators were not unruly elements, or they were going to be the first to die if someone starts an uproar…

Meanwhile, many newbie Players who were too low in level to join the tourney had set up stalls, selling various special snacks and beverages exclusive to the Church of Games such as pop-corn, melons, milk tea and sodas. Given the low price, exquisite taste, fine packaging and the fact that the spectators could carry them while watching the show, all were well received and sold well.

Each packaging was printed with the Church of Games’ crest as well, something that would definitely not happen in other churches since it would easily be thrown away as rubbish.

Even so, Xi Wei not concerned even though it was relatively blasphemous.

To him, a god’s name was like product brands back on earth. A new god like him asserting himself while trying to rein in new believers at the same time was no different from a business not promoting the new brand of products they had made, as if advertisement was demeaning to the stature of their brand.

That said, no loyal costumers could be gained this way—he would have to go about this for the long-term.

The problem was what Xi Wei lacked the most: time. As such, he should try less than to assert himself, and whatever else could wait after his crest made enough appearance to look familiar for everyone.

After all, with the tons of things to take notice of, humans were always reliant on familiarity. It was like how it was back on Earth, when people would buy things in the fashion of ‘I don’t know which brand is good, but I heard of this brand so I’ll take this one’.

As such, merely with the incredible sales of various snacks of beverages, the Church of Games’ crest made its impression amongst the people of Lancaster—far more effectively and efficiently than preaching.

*

*

*

Suddenly, the crowd was several octaves softer. It wasn’t actually silent yet, but it was much quieter than before.

And there was a simple reason for that: Corinth had stepped out upon the high balcony of the Lancaster mayor’s residence, clothed grandly for the occasion.

Little Gwendolyn, the future mayor was also dressed ceremoniously, her tiny face nervous as she followed behind her grandfather.

“My loyal subjects, guests from abroad. Though everyone here has long since heard about it, it is my honor to formally announce the starting of Twin City Cup tourney, held jointly by Lancaster City and Duke Horan of Tunaya! The first ever nonviolent event between two cities hand-in-hand since history, all in the name of peace and friendship!”

The old mayor appeared to be using some spell or sacred relic that amplified his voice, and therefore didn’t had to deliberately raise his voice for the people below to hear him.

“Here, I pledge to provide all participants a fair and open competitive environment with my honor as Mayor Corinth of Lancaster and as one of the supervising organizers! Champions, unleash your potential, display your might and present your intelligence, so as to offer an amazing show to everyone watching and claim the golden goblet! Let this tourney be remembered by all and mark itself down upon history! To peace!”

Beneath the balcony, the mayor’s personal guard seemed to be drilled beforehand, standing at attention and roaring “Too00000 – Peace!” when old Corinth finished his speech.

Everyone watching immediately felt their juices flowing by the excitement and the performance of the mayor’s personal guards, with all of them echoing ‘To peace’. The difference was that they had not been drilled beforehand, and since there weren’t any spanking doctrine to keep them in line, their chorusing was a mess.

Be that as it may, the air was now chargedLancaster locals were all puffing their chest as if sharing the honor as well.

That in turn left Basil, the new emperor’s envoy glowering from his corner.

“Impressive of Lancaster’s very own mayor… to stir the citizens of his beloved city in just a few words, even holding himself as a pacifist as that. Terrific…”

That being said, the will of the people were basically useless to quite some extent in this world, where supernatural powers exist.

After all, Tierra had stood above all the nations in power, with her citizens living in riches and enjoyment without any kinds of dissatisfaction. Their will were certainly fulfilled, was it not?

Even so, a nation as powerful as that was destroyed by the combined strength of several other nations, let alone one little city like Lancaster.

The problem was that there had been a church that they could make a scapegoat of when they were taking Tierra apart, the perfect target they could blame before their assault. As such, the nations who destroyed Tierra had built the case that they were actually wiping out cultists, that they were justified in their actions and even righteously so.

Now, however, Corinth had claimed the moral high ground before anyone else could. If nothing else, the new emperor would be scorned as a tyrant if he took action first.

And in a world where the gods dwelled, tyrants weren’t a good label to get stuck with…