Game of Life
“Ian, for once, in your entire life, have you ever thought that life was a sick game. A perverse form of entertainment for the gods to enjoy themselves while you are nothing more than a pawn.”
“Yes.”
“That is all I need, Ian.”
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“Wake up, Master Ian.”
“Shut up Ein!”
“Yes, Master Ian.”
“Ahhh f**k, why do I have to go to that bothersome event!”
Ian buried his face in his pillow in pure frustration. He despised, no, he hated, having to attend his own graduation ceremony. What originally was suppose to be a happy event, a symbol of his graduation into adulthood, was in his mind reduced to an annoyance. Why should he attend such a ceremony, when it was obvious he would be the one to graduate top amongst the others.
Yet, it was precisely because of that very reason he had to attend the bothersome ceremony. In Royal Imperial High 200 years of history, not once had a valedictorian ever missed their speech. And his father, the chairperson of the academy, was not about to let him be the first.
Crawling out of bed with barely any energy from the thought of attending the event, he slowly lumbered around the room as the daily routine commences once more.
“F**king Ein, where is my toothbrush!”
“Here Master Ian.”
Ein, the android built by Ian very own hand, handed him his tooth with his claw-like hand. Out of all his creations, Ein is the only one he had not destroyed out of shame. The rest of them were simply deemed as failures to him.
Taking over the toothbrush, Ian swiped it around his mouth without much care. Following that, a jet of cool water sprayed into this mouth and his face from the automatic faucet before being dried by a dryer positioned just at his face.
“Ahh….what is done has to be done. There is no escape, is there?”
Donning his uniform, a black stripped blazer over a white shirt embossed with the sigil of Royal Imperial High coupled with a black trouser, Ian looked at himself in the mirror. Right now, he is not Ian, but Ian Charlemagne, son of Rufous Charlemagne, chairperson of the prestigious Royal Imperial Academy. He is the son of the chairperson and the genius of a generation, and he must play his part.
As Ian walked out of the room, no trace of the person in the room remained. He strode confidently to the dining table as he settle down for his breakfast. Another boring and unnecessary task by his own reckoning.
“Are you ready, Ian?”
He was asked that question by a person sitting right in front of him. That person, of course, is his father. With an intensity akin to the burning flame, his father stared at him as he asked the questioned. Even if it was a simple question, it struck Ian as a command. In that ageless face of his father, Ian saw complete confidence and control. A student would have faltered before his stare and confessed to whatever was asked if it had been a student the question was posted to. However, for Ian, who had been with his father ever since he was born, it was useless.
With a controlled expression showing nothing, with confidence coupled a tinge of disappointed, he replied: “Yes.”
His father gauged his response for a moment, before he asked another question: “Have you considered which high school to go to yet?”
“…Let me decide some more time.”
The dinner table descended into pin drop silence following that statement. A frosty atmosphere descended upon their breakfast table. No one spoke a word as the both of them when onto the car waiting outside. No one spoke a word as they sat next to each other. No one spoke as Ian got out of the car a distance from the school and walked there on foot. No one spoke, until , at last, they are both out of each other's sights.
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Ian strode forward onto the pavement to great commotion. Sighing inwardly, he continued moving without given as much as a glance to the passing students. Anything he does now will worsen the situation, no doubt.
“Isn’t he…”
“Yes! The Prince of the Academy!”
“I heard he scored the highest amongst all the students.”
“Hahaha…he is just too perfect. Look at him, we are like peasants before a king.”
“That’s why I hate coming to school.” Ian whispered to himself. “Why does everyone think I am perfect?”
However, attention was drawn away from himself by the arrival of another individual more conspicuous than him. “Elizabeth…” Ian did not want to turn back and look, lest his prediction of who was that individual come true. If it comes true, then, well, he is……fucked.
“Ian, my fiance~~”
Seems like today is not his lucky day. Not at all.
“Elizabeth, I thought I told you not to call me that.”
“But…but you are my fiance.”
“That was something decided by our fathers. As a new generation, we should not be bound by such agreements, don’t you agree?”
“But, Ian, I love you. I really do.”
“…Your feelings are yours to keep. So stay five meters away from me. And DON’T wrap your hand around my elbow!”
Surprisingly, Elizabeth listened to what he said today. Compared to her usual pattern of just sticking on to him like a leech, today was too much of a difference. So much so that Ian had to stop himself from asking: “What’s wrong?”. He knew that if he asked, it would make just encourage her to harass him more.
In the backdrop, the chattering reached a new degree. Ian could hear snippets of words such as “Lover”, “I am so jealous!!!”, “Perfect couple”
behind him. No that it matters much to him. After today, he will not meet any of them anyways.
As he strolled forward on the street leading to the school, he could not help but feel a teeny bit sentimental. He still remembered the countless days in which he walked on this very street to school, encountering the very same situation as now. The whispers, stares and admiration had become a backdrop to an endless repeating show, to which nothing changes. It had been the same wherever he when to. It was not his fault. He was just simply shining too bright to be ignored. With his blonde hair, a rarity in his country, and a feminine face akin to K-Pop models, he was destined to be the center of attention. Couple this with the confidence he exudes as part of his facade, he, whether he likes it or not, truly has the composure of a king.
Yet, this gave him nothing but isolation. How could it not? To Ian, nothing caught his interest. Sports and academics are just pastimes for him. Even the most complex of question was solved by him like it was nothing. Slowly, without his knowledge, he was called the “Genius of a Generation” by his peers, who are amongst the elite in the entire country. That further isolated him even more from the rest. Friendships can only be formed when two people of equal standing meet. When the difference is too huge, it is no longer friendship. It is admiration. He could never experience true friendship. A curse, one which he cannot escape from.
He realized this long ago. That is why he stopped trying. It was simply too tedious, too tiring, to try to bridge the gap. He let the gap grew instead and cloaked himself in the isolation. Retreating further and further from people, he would sometimes not go to school for days. The result of those days is Ein, which is possibly the world's first AI android capable of self-thought. His father did not mind such behavior, as long as his results do not deteriorate. Not that he had the time to care.
In fact, somewhere in his heart, he was glad that there is Elizabeth to bother him. Elizabeth was the only one who managed to cross the gap by a little and reach for him. It was because of her that he did not just completely shut himself from the world. Without her, he may just become a shut-in completely.
As he reached the school, he felt someone grab his sleeve.
“Can I speak to you after school? At the cafe.”
It was Elizabeth. Her voice was surprisingly docile, missing all the usual mischievousness. Her petite body now trembled slightly, as if she was holding something back. Looking at her, Ian could not refuse. He was still concerned for her despite his faked indifference. Plus, he was planning to talk to her anyways.
Elizabeth stopped trembling after receiving his confirmation. “Thank you” she murmured, as she moved ahead of him in quick steps. A glitter of tears could be seen at the corner of her eyes as she disappeared amongst the crowd of students by Ian. “What was that?” he thought to himself, before dismissing it for later. He still have a speech to make as valedictorian of the school.
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The sea of students parted ways for him as he moved through. No one stood in his way as he made his way to the entrance of the school. He could see the car he was in parked in the VIP lot as he moved through the grandiose gate, decorated with carvings of the schools sigil and painted in gold. Within the gate itself, names of students who made great contributions are carved. And amongst the names, one stood out amongst them all. “Ian Charlemagne - Genius of a Generation”. Looking at the name now, Ian deeply regretted doing what he did years ago. It was that one incident that caused him to have his name carved onto the school gate. Why, oh why, had he had to post his article about AI online? In that single move, he made himself famous overnight (which he most definitely did not want) and received numerous offers and nominations for prizes to which he all decline. However, it did not stop magazine from publishing articles about him. In particular, Times even named him as Albert Einstein reborned! Of course, Ian thought it was a gross exaggeration (which is repeatedly insisted on anyone that asked him). Nonetheless, such publicity garnered huge fame for the school, which his father made use of, and, as a result, his name got carved onto the gate. According to his father, it was put there as a bet on his future when he became famous, so he cannot deny his association to the school.
“F**k all this, after I am not going to have the something happen in high school.” Ian swore to himself as he moved into the school proper. The school was build like a palace (which it originally was) and had an air of majesty around it. Even though it has been upgraded for modern times, it still looked regal as befitting it purpose. As he moved along its intricately designed mosaic road, Ian wondered how kings and queens felt as they walked the very same path he did years ago. Did they feel the same isolation? The same unbridgeable gap between them and the rest? “None of it matters now," Ian whispered, “It is the last time I would be walking along this path anyways.”
As he passed through the well manicured front yard of the school, he was greeted by a whitewashed building. Shaped similar a chapel of some sort, it was decorated with a variety of sculptures that depicted various angels and demons in battle as god watched over them all. Ian stopped for a moment at the sight of the sculptures in conflict. A thought that had been buzzing at the back of his mind surfaced once more.
“Ian, for once, in your entire life, have you ever thought that life was a sick game…”
And as quickly as it surfaced, it was gone. Ian felt as if he was missing something he should know. Something important.
But it does not matter.
Only the door to the auditorium laid before him.
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The graduation ceremony proceeded as smooth as clockwork. The Principal address, followed by the presentation of the graduation certificates, a performances by Royal Imperial Academy Performing Arts before an ending speech by the valedictorian. Nothing should go wrong on this day. Yet, Ian felt a prickle of unease. An irrational fear nested deep in his heart. Was it intuition? Or was it his own self-delusions? He could not tell.
Finally, his name was called to go on stage by the announcer standing astride a podium.
“Now, we present our top scorer. Ian Charlemagne, Class 1A!”
There were no cheers, no boos, nothing. There was only silence, as if this was the expected result. Why shouldn’t it? He had been standing atop them since the very beginning.
With his certificate in hand, he bowed slightly towards the audience. It was then the applause being to trickle in little by little.
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Ah, yes, this person was not a king, nor was he god. Why, why did we not applause? It was as if the bow broke down the barrier between them a little bit. Bring them a little closer to him.
For Ian however, it meant more. Why did he bow? As far as he remembered, he never bowed before. So why had he bowed now? Why?
As Ian walked down the stage, he felt a little bit giddy. Something was wrong with him today. He…he must take a rest. Maybe he even have to quit the valedictorian speech entirely. Maybe.
However, he choosed not to. The valedictorian speech was one thing he had promised his father to do in exchange for the choice of choosing his own high school. To secure his desired lifestyle for the next few years, he jolly well do a good speech.
The rest of the ceremony was a blur. He did not have any particular interest in the rest of the performances (except for the one in which Elizabeth was in) and left the hall quietly by the time the third performance was about to end. A walk in the front yard would do more for Ian than sitting in the hall anyways. Pacing around the yard leisurely, he emptied his mind of all thoughts. What is important now is to relax. He would be done with this farce by the end. He could finally do what he want. He could be himself. And all he need to do is not mess up the valedictorian speech.
“A much harder task than I thought,” Ian spoke out loud to himself. “What should I say?”
Frankly, he already had a model speech in his mind. A speech extolling the virtues of the school, praising it to the high heavens, telling them how my future is all because of their guidance. However, f**k to that. He would not tie his future to the school. He would do a speech his own way.
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Walking up to the podium, Ian exude a feeling of absolute confidence. Taking the microphone into his hands, he took a deep breathe. Then, he began.
“My schoolmates, my teacher, even my dear father, the principal, it is an honor to be your valedictorian. I originally was planning to say many things. Praises. Compliments. Yet, I decided against it. It was too shallow. Too shallow to be talked about. I was handed a script when I was walking to the hall and it is obvious that I am suppose to read off it. But,” A tearing sound was heard throughout the hall, “I will do my own speech. Everyone here no doubt stand at the pinnacle of our generation. Every one of us who can pass through the golden gates, are geniuses. However, let me ask you a question. Do you think your life was your own?”
The hall sunk into silence.
“All of you, for once, in your entire life, have you ever thought that life was a sick game. A perverse form of entertainment for the gods to enjoy themselves while you are nothing more than a pawn? I do. My entire life was a joke. You all think that I am perfect, blessed with brains and looks. However, I am sure every one of you here has faced the isolation overwhelming talent brings once. You would not be here if you did not. It was only here that you could find friends, acquaintances you could talk with. For me, it was a foolish dream. None of you is suitable to stand on the same stage as I in real life. As such, I challenge you, each and every one of you, to surpass me in another stage. A stage called <
What was he saying? It was as if his words are not his own. Right now, if he could see his appearance, it would be one of utmost arrogance, one born of absolute confidence in one's abilities. It was only until he got off the stage that he understood what he did. He just challenge the entire school to the an MMO he never heard of.
Oh, f**k.
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Despite all that, he still kept his promise to Elizabeth. It was the first time in his entire life he had to disguise himself though. Everyone else was on a manhunt for him, the “Tyrant of Royal Imperial High." It is normal, especially after that maniac display he shown.
Slipping into a chair at an outdoor cafe, he looked at the person sat opposite to him. Elizabeth had lost all her usual mischievousness. What remains, however, was a fragility that made his heart beat faster unconsciously. Against the backdrop of the street, she looked even more alluring. Leaning back against the chair, he decided to initiate the conversation first as he looked at the car whizzing past.
“What is it, Elizabeth? Is something wrong?”
“Tell me Ian, do you love me?”
“Ermm…okay? I…” Ian hesitated.
“What the f**k should I say? Yes or no?” A questioned popped out in his mind.
“You don’t like me, do you?”
“…” This time, Ian was confused. How did she get that conclusion?
“I understand. I am always a bother to you. Ever since we were young. You are always ahead of me. Always better than me. No matter how I tried, you would not acknowledge me. All that tied us together is a thin thread called ‘engagement’. Without that, you would not even know me. That is all right now. I will free you. You won’t ever see me again.”
“Wait…what are you saying?”
“I am immigrating to the USA with my family due to my father’s business. The engagement is being cancelled. My father should be seeing your father soon about it.”
“What…” the f**k.
“Today is the day we say goodbye.”
“……Elizabeth, you want me to acknowledge me, right? Fine, you heard what I said in the hall. If you can beat me in <
“Eh…wait, what?! You…you moron!”
Elizabeth was near crying again. I could guess why though. She must have planned for this to be the final goodbye, a ending to her affections. Yet, I gave her a string of hope, and forced her to continue on. She cannot quit now while there is still hope. Even though he felt slightly bad for doing so, he did not want Elizabeth to go. After all, Elizabeth may be his only friend.
Elizabeth took off from the cafe, feet clattering against the cold pavement. This scenario was exactly playing out like a shonen manga would, except it is not. Even from here, Ian had a pre-motion of what is to come later on with him and Elizabeth. He must first survive today though. Knowing his father’s temper, he resigned himself to fate. Ian felt unexpected calm as a black limousine pulled up beside him.
“Get in, Ian. Now.”
Sigh…
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Ian did not speak to his father for the entirety of the journey. Nor did his father gave any indication of speaking up. Reluctant to let such an atmosphere continue, Ian spoke up first.
“I am sorry.”
“Hmm…why are you apologizing for? Good job. I never though you have the guts to challenge the entire school. What was the game called, <
“I will not…eh? You are not scolding me?”
“Why? That was the best valedictorian speech I heard in a long time. After years of hearing all the ‘praise the school’ crap, having a bit of variation is better.”
Ian could hear the sound of his jaw dropping onto the ground. His father spoke like that? It was…unexpected to say the least. Taking his father lack of further response as a signal that he is dismissed, Ian wasted no time in going to his room. He still have a game to check-up on.
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“EIN! EIN! GET HERE NOW!”
“Yes Master Ian.”
“Check up on Royal Road. Use the Main Binary Web Index system in supplement with Google.”
“Yes. 12902840934989018981049284 found about Royal Road.”
“List them by relevance of content to beginner. Also, list them by page view, comments and content, based on context of each word.”
“The first in the list is a website called “royalroadl.com” Request access?”
“Hmm…before that, bring me to the official web page.”
“Yes.”
A projection appeared on the wall of the room. Grasping an NCD (Neuro Controlling Device), Ian telepathically maneuvered through the webpage. A quick glance, before anything, told him that he is probably screwed before he began.
“What the heck? Has the game been in operation for a year already? With three expansion packs getting a release soon. Together with over three billion active players. How the heck am I…”
“Wait, before that, with three billion players…check player statistic in the Pan-Asia Region.”
“There is over one billion players in the Pan-Asia Region, with ten million players locally. If you want, I can come out with a probability based statistic for the number of players in your school.”
“…yes please.”
“……There is over 300 players of Royal Road out of the 417 students in your cohort. Out of them, the chance of the 300+ players being in the Top 0.0001% of Versailles is very high based on their real world skills. Master, if you are found in the game, you would probably be crushed very quickly.”
“Arghhh…why, why did I say that! WHY? No, I cannot run anymore. Even if I claim to dislike interpersonal relationships with people due to a gap in talent, I still have a reputation to protect. After saying those words, if I don’t play the game, I would be a coward forever. There is no way left. Ein, order me the game. Also, compile knowledge of the game and sent me the results.”
“Master, you also need a capsule worth around 6000USD.”
“Fine. Since I am going to be leaving this place soon, tell them to put my shipping on prime shipping and delay it for 6 days. Then, tell them my address of where I am before billing the price to my father.”
“Done.”
“Good, now that all this mess is sorted out, sent me the report of the game. I trust that you are done?”
“Yes.”
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Ian felt back in despair; all his gusto gone from an hour ago. He just skimmed through the report and with it, came soul-crushing despair.
“Approximately 40% of all rare quest are done, with the C/D/E-rank rare quest being almost exhausted, making it near impossible to get a sudden power up or a rare job. The market is now 85% controlled by guilds, making it impossible for me to buy my way up this world quickly. Analysis of the beginning job quest states that the require items and monsters are mostly controlled by the guilds too. The starting locations number 526, with the average user saturation rate of 60%. Promising locations seem to be a newly discovered Desert City Amerys, Island Kingdom Port City Kouha and Moutain King City Gandalf. However, they are all in exotic locations and contain hard to hunt mobs. What is worst is how the item prices are. Even without botters, the economy is very negative towards new players. Most basic of items cost an exorbitant price due to the structure of the player base. Yet, there seems to be a way. Buying virtual currency/items is a good option. The current most beginner friendly item in auction is the <
After the huge tirade, Ian took a deep sigh. He still felt impossible that he would have to play this game. He felt as though he was compel to do so. If not, why would he want to?
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Next morning….
“Father, I decided. I am going to Imperial First High School.”
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T.T Feel free to write any comments of about the story!