SWNOVELXO Chapter 71
“Wow, what a crowd,” I said, amazed at the throngs of people gathered right in front of the building, spilling over the wide sidewalk as we approached our destination. Most of them were men, each carrying either a large bag or a shoulder bag slung across them, chatting with friends or fiddling with their smartphones.
Even a quick glance at my phone’s map confirmed that this was the building where the *Cross World* community tournament was being held. The preliminaries had already wrapped up yesterday, and today was the day of the main event.
“I already got permission in advance, but what about you, Akira-san?” I asked.
“No need to worry. I’ve made arrangements through the company,” Akira replied confidently.
Since there was a chance that only participants would be allowed inside, I had contacted the tournament organizers in advance. They informed me that there was indeed a general audience section, and that for a small fee, even non-participants could spectate the tournament. I had booked my seat online, but since Akira had decided to tag along at the last minute, I hadn’t been able to get a ticket for her.
However, Akira pulled out a name badge from her business bag, as if she had already foreseen this.
The badge had the words “SPECIAL GUEST” written in bold, flashy letters, along with her name and the logo of *GameRoad Inc.*, the company that distributed *Cross World*. There was even a badge prepared for me as well.
“This tournament is officially sponsored by *GameRoad*, a subsidiary of the Saioji Group, so things went smoothly,” she explained.
“Right… now that you mention it, *Cross World* was originally published by the Saioji Group, wasn’t it?”
Although I had always gotten my cards through Akira, I never fully grasped how closely tied the game was to Saioji. They owned the company that distributed the game.
“Indeed. I know all the executives at *GameRoad*, so they were a bit surprised at first, but they were happy to help.”
“… I see.”
*GameRoad* is a company primarily involved in entertainment, ranging from trading cards to video games and anime. Although they are a major player in their field, they’re still dwarfed by their parent company, a global corporation. The mere thought of someone as close to Saioji Group’s top brass as Akira showing up at the office must’ve caused quite a stir for the executives at *GameRoad*.
“You’ll probably have a better view from the corporate seats than the general audience section,” Akira said, smiling.
“Well… if you say so.”
It seemed a waste to give up the ticket I had reserved, but since Akira had gone through the trouble of securing special guest seats, I decided to take her up on the offer.
—
“Wow, look at all the cameras,” I said as I entered the event hall.
“This is a pretty big tournament even for a community event, so it’s already trending on social media,” Akira mentioned casually.
As we walked through the restricted areas reserved for tournament staff, I got a good look at the venue. The facilities were impressive—far more elaborate than I had imagined for a community tournament.
There were banners and posters specially printed for the event, and the long white tables were topped with full-color playmats clearly designed for the tournament. Unlike the preliminaries, the final round featured fewer tables, giving the hall an open, spacious feel. The main stage had commentator booths and player stations, with spectator seating spread around it like a live concert.
(*This is incredible… I had casually thought about hosting a tournament in the other world once things settled down, but seeing this level of dedication, it’s way beyond something an individual could pull off.*)
There were many staff members involved, adjusting lighting, checking equipment—tasks far too complex for amateurs.
I knew this particular community tournament was on the larger side, but seeing it firsthand, I realized just how difficult it would be to replicate something like this on my own.
(*And the participants back there will be nobles… yeah, I really need to rethink this.*)
At the *Grand Eagle Dormitory*, where about 200 students live, it’s safe to assume not all of them play *Cross World*. But seeing the current level of enthusiasm, there’s a good chance quite a few of them would join.
However, given that they are nobles, the tournament could easily become a battle of egos and reputations. Some might even use their influence to manipulate the brackets, forcing the tournament organizers to bend to their will.
(*Something like that would never happen in Japan… but in Asphial, with its rigid noble hierarchy, the organizers rank lower than the noble students themselves.*)
The more I thought about it, the more I realized how impossible it seemed. Could a regular merchant even hope to organize a tournament for nobles?
(*This… needs to be reconsidered from scratch.*)
At the very least, I now knew that hosting a tournament at Enfibe Magic Academy—an elite school for nobles—was going to be far more complicated than I had initially thought.