The Greatest Trick Ever Sold [Stubbed]

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

A prince, a trickster, and a game developer walk into a bar... No, this isn't the start of a joke. It's how two worlds collide and are forever changed by their meeting.

Bram can sing like a god of music, he’s great at disguises, and he can fight like he was born to make war — but he can’t do magic, and in a land where sorcery's the dominant force, a man who lacks talent for even basic spells is scorned by everybody…even a prince.

It’s not all bad. Prince Bram of House Attilan has a secret…two of them.

Inside Bram exists an otherworldly self-improvement system which he unfortunately can’t use because he’s a magicless loser. He also has dreams about another world; one with concrete cities and glass towers that scrape the sky that fill his head with crazy ideas and inventions. Bram figures he can make use of both mysteries, and he’s got a plan for it too.

If he can’t use the system, then he’ll gift it to others, and not just to anybody, but to the people of that other world called Earth who have the talents Bram needs to help his Kingdom of Lotharin prosper. Such an undertaking will require the aid of a master trickster, one powerful enough to help Bram perform the greatest trick ever sold; hoodwinking Earthers into believing they’re playing a videogame while they work to solve the troubles plaguing the kingdom, making Lotharin great again while proving Bram a worthy prince.

What to Expect:

[o] In a nutshell, this is Game of Thrones meets Ready Player One and the Office...with a dash of Critical Role.

[o] Progression fantasy. No instant overpowered MCs.

[o] Light LitRPG and romance elements.

[o] Clever schemes, fast-paced action, and in-depth character development and drama.

[o] Elaborate world-building elements with a sprawling world thoroughly mapped out.

[o] A unique system co-built and updated by the story's characters along with unique magic elements

[o] A tale that seamlessly jumps between high fantasy adventures, game development hijinks, and kingdom-building shenanigans.

RELEASE SCHEDULE: M-W-F-Sat or Sun at 7AM PST

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Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2024
Author: GD_Cruz

Royal Road Stats

Rating: 4.3/ 5.0
Followers: 1,375
Views: 67,375

Chapters(8 total)

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

Community Reviews(10)

AlsoJohnRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Solid roots in traditional Western nobelic fantasy. Progression. Gamelit. Hints of possible littpg. The rationale for Isekai was just introduced inspiring me enough to attempt 50 words of review. So far nothing indicates that truck kun or cultivation will be putting in an appearance though. If you like the fusion of western traditional and information age fantasy told with a deft touch this is an excellent read
ThisIsFictionRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
I feel that if I try to explain the plot a bit, it would just repeat the blurb. But if you haven’t read it yet, do it.
Right at the beginning (especially the first three chapters), we’re introduced to this new world, which is described exceptionally well, with each new piece of information presented clearly. We also get introduced to our MC and learn about how he lives nowadays. Although he’s quite “powerful,” his weaknesses (not being able to use the system and being magicless...) make him more relatable and grounded in the challenges he’s about to face.
Style:
The story is told from a third-person perspective, with great descriptions and lengthy chapters. I like the style and how it was applied. Perhaps the only improvement point would be that the story feels like it genuinely starts in the fourth chapter, with the first three feeling more like an introduction. It doesn’t detract from the experience, as it’s a setup for the plot, but I think it could have been more dynamic.
Story:
The premise is exceptional. I’m still reading, so I need to consume more, but I REALLY enjoy Kingdom Building, especially with the idea of bringing people in and giving them systems.
Grammar:
It seems perfect to me, although grammar isn’t my strong suit.
Characters:
So far, our MC has kept me hooked. I still need to see how it will work with the addition of more people brought from Earth.
Note:
I preferred the previous title. It doesn’t lose any points, but I felt it had more identity. (I understand the decision to change it.)
lordnikelasRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is an interesting read so far. The first chunk of chapters (up to ~chap13) are all world-building; MC starts out with a System but no way to use it, and then things start changing into a bit more of a hybrid story. The battles seem well-written so far, stat screens aren't too invasive (though there's occasional blue box popups). And the MC also has a lot of non-System skills, since he's spent years and years existing without magic of his own.
I do miss the MC barding around from the earliest chapters, but this is a solid series so far, and could be worth a look.
GoldeNeedleRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This story is about how Fantasy people create a system, working alongside Earth people. It's a great premise, and the author executes it well, when they do go on about it. For instance, the finance function bit was really good. The story does have its share of adventure, which is nice. However, I hope it doesn't drone on, as it is not the main appeal of the story, in my opinion. Rather, it's the brainstorming between Earth and Aarde, the character interactions, which, understandably, can be built through a journey throughout Lotharin. I just expected more of a "kingdom building" vibe, given all the potential this grand undertaking has.
Concerning this very mild criticism, I just mentioned my personal hopes/expectations and regrets, based on what I remember from the last version. Which had a cooler title too. Shame author changed it, in my opinion.
Still giving a good review is a given from a reader like me, to help the author keep up with their good work. And the work is good. Bram and Rowan are entertaining characters. Bram got a lot better. I hope we get more character moments, because Earthlings have potential too, and so does Rowan, and Anthony.
Thanks for writing this story!
foboschRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
It is early to give a full judgement, but the start is solid. The characters are likable, the story compelling. There are few/none grammatical errors and the style is (as always a question of taste, but at least it is) consistant.
This is a re-write of an existing story, so we need to see what happens when it reaches completely new territory.
My only negative thought about the story at its current stage is that it sometimes feels a little slow, but I hope it will pick up.
Since I need 200 worlds I will start using fillers here.
Did you know that there was actually a kind of farmers republic in medieval germany? It was called 'Dithmarschen' and, while technically belonging to the biship of Bremen, it was mostly independent until 1530ish, when the danish king came in and pillaged the whole place? The place has a fascinating history and in 1500 it actually beat up a danish army and a bunch of mercenaries, the 'Black guard', known for its brutality against farmers. If you have time, give it a read through in wikipedia, it is worth it! But unfortunately the republic was destroyed and with it the last of the independent farmers in the german empire at the time was lost.
Another fun fact, the reich back than was called 'Holy Roman Empire of Germanic Nation', although it was not holy, certainly not roman and cannot be called an empire because it was so fractured and the different lords had almost all the power. I would call it the second most misleading country name in history, right after the 'Peoples Republic of North Korea'.
xAdonisRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
As other reviews have said this story has a unique genre combination that lends itself well to the world and characters. The characters are well fleshed out, with motivations that make sense. The world building is also very solid; it feels lived in (Phoebus’s cock always cracks me up).
MojrRoyal Road
★★★★★ 4.5
I've read many stories about full dive VR that then turn out to transport you to a real world, but this is the first one I've read that approaches this from the system creator's perspective.
The story is easy to read and well thought out. In the current patreon chapters (up to 33), there's already been a lot of plot and some character development and it's been setting up for more. The system is still being set up however so don't expect Bram to manage and exploit droves of players yet. At the current rate of uploads, it shouldn't take that much longer though!
Good luck reading, and I hope you will enjoy it as much as me!
Gold.Rank.AizenRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
Overall I have to say I'm enjoying the story itself. It has good lore thus far, decent character progression, decent story progression, while showing it could go on for quite a while.
My biggest issue is that it was 'started over'. I understand the author wanted to change a few things, and while I like most of the changes, and they add some subtle flavor, I don't think they impact it anywhere near enough to justify beginning anew. The biggest change (the bardness with Bram) just feels forced though, making him feel like the only character that doesn't properly fit.
Oh well.
This story could go quite a ways, and I hope it does.
A KflameRoyal Road
★★★★ 4.0
I really like the story, its felt a little slow until the current chapter, but I can feel the wind in the sails now! I really love the character soo much! the characters feel like the perfect length, with proper use of breaks between chapters so you don't feel mad at the constant cliff hanger.
MachomachoteRoyal Road
★ 0.5
The narrative seems fragmented, jumping from one thought to another without proper transitions. This interrupts the flow of the story and makes it difficult to connect with the reader. In addition, too much detail (such as the carriage) unnecessarily slows down the plot.
The characters lack the depth needed to create empathy. Bram, for example, is a prince with good intentions but no clear motivations. The relationship with Rowan is never believable or emotionally impactful. The characters should have internal conflicts and more tangible growth.
The story lacks a clear direction. Elements such as the “cursed cave” or Reise's fate are not explored enough, making the plot feel weak and scattered. It is crucial to focus the narrative on a clear goal that moves the characters forward.
The dialogue feels stilted and mechanical. There is no tension or revelatory moments. Good dialogue should reflect growth and emotion, and that's missing here.
The world has potential, but the locations and concepts seem underdeveloped and generic. Creating a believable world requires more than exotic names; it must seem real through the plot.
The text has an interesting foundation, but needs more work on pacing, character development, and plot clarity. By correcting these issues, the author could greatly improve the quality of his work.