The organizers took us toward our halls, preparing the site for our first duel in the game of chess.
Brock followed me, trying to cozy up.
"How did you become first, Klo?"
"Just luck. I'm nothing but a fool."
"That's exactly what I was hoping for."
I looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
He shrugged, trying to peel away my forming suspicion.
"Nothing, only that you've always been an idiot and could never be first in any field."
"Sorry about that."
Sorry for your luck meeting me, that's all.
We arrived at the hall, where three wooden tables stood, each with a chessboard above them. The scene reminded me of a moment that had already passed before.
Each of us moved to the chair with our name.
I found mine—Klo—on a chair beside Brock, where we sat.
Next to us was that pink-haired girl and a boy opposite her who radiated cunning.
Blonde hair and blue eyes.
An organizer approached like a waiter, waving his hand gloved in white.
"Is everything alright, sir?"
"Everything is excellent."
The waiter left after nodding his head toward the others to serve them.
We were six people, three tables. The atmosphere was unsettling, each of us holding tricks, while another clung to honesty.
It was like a forest ruled by the law of survival of the fittest… and that was all everyone carried—even me.
Before the game began, Lumi sat on the ground beside me, trying to talk and kill the boredom, but I didn't utter a word, so as not to raise suspicion and make them think I was using communication magic.
"Ithan, why don't you just win from the start and we leave. This game is boring."
"..."
"Come on, talk!"
"..."
Lumi grew angry until she stood up and kicked my knee hard.
My knee hit the table, the pieces fell, and I gritted from the pain.
I looked at her and spoke aloud.
"Damn you, fox."
Everyone stared at me in confusion, and the organizers turned toward me, considering me a cheater.
I tried to prove my innocence with a foolish lie.
"You knee-fox, your illness is truly painful and cursed like you."
I felt my heart about to tear apart, with everyone staring at me.
Even Brock tilted his head toward me, asking:
"What is this fox, Klo? I've never heard of it."
"Ahh… it's… a disease that comes to the knees."
"...Right."
We reset everything to start the match. After the signal to begin, I feigned fear and nervousness to excite Brock and the others more.
The spectators around the stands were hyped. They called out different names—everyone's but mine.
The only ones calling mine were the girls—Luna, Elithia, Nevin, Lynette, Marcilia—and from the boys, Lux and Leon.
I didn't sharpen my focus on such a trivial match against people from past centuries.
Brock moved his pawn and I followed with mine, his sweat dripping at my moves, despite how trivial they looked.
Are you stupid? You could defeat me in a few moves. What is this nonsense?
Brock smiled and began serious play, knocking out nearly all my pieces, leaving me only two pawns, a rook, and the king.
I made my hand tremble to hype him up even more.
After I pushed all my pieces forward and Brock devoured them, I smiled.
Not a smile of defeat—but of mockery.
I stared at him as he returned my look of victory.
"What is it, Klo? You can surrender now."
I fixed my gaze on the board as I moved my king. Piece after piece moved.
At first, I brought my king close to his queen and dropped it.
He stared at me, gripping the table hard.
"Are you angry, Brock?"
"...No."
We continued like this, dodging threatened pieces and moving closer to the easy prey until the end of the match.
Only the kings remained.
1 vs 1.
I looked at him half-heartedly, waving my hand.
"Ah, too bad. It's a draw, Brock. Want to try again?"
I chuckled lightly, mocking his flushed face, the signs of rage etched between his brows.
"Who exactly are you, Klo Yuthnir? How can you be this skilled, you devil? I nearly took every piece you had, yet how did you draw with just a king, you lunatic?"
I paid him no mind, just to distract him.
"Come on, tell me, Klo Yuthnir. Who are you, really?"
I placed my palm on the table, my black hair falling over my eyes.
"Do you want to play again?"
"...Answer me. Who are you?"
I looked at the organizer.
"Does this count as a win for me? Since he didn't want to play again to determine the victor."
"It could be—"
"No, I'll play again."
Brock's stern voice cut in.
"I'll beat you this time."
I tilted my head slightly, biting the edge of my lip.
Fine. Let's begin.
The second match started.
Brock moved his pawns, then his knights, and so on.
He was trying to muster all his resolve to defeat me, but he was unlucky—unlucky to be facing me.
I only moved a knight, a bishop, and two pawns, and the match ended in checkmate.
"The match is over,"
the organizer told us, raising my hand as the victor.
I looked to the other side and saw the pink-haired girl had won.
Everyone stared with wide eyes of shock.
All I heard was my name echoing among the crowd.
"Did you see how that boy Klo defeated the cunning Brock?"
"Damn, I'm lucky I didn't face him."
"Wasn't he called the next villain? He truly has an evil mind."
I kept walking, my coat fluttering, ready to leave—but Brock stopped me.
"Stop, Klo."
I turned halfway toward him.
"Yes?"
"I'll tell my father about you, and make him cut off his support for you, Klo Yuthnir, you villain."
I stepped toward Brock, kicking his legs hard until he fell. As he dropped, I shoved his shoulder with my foot, staring into his eyes filled with fear.
I began clapping as I laughed.
"Hahaha. Still depending on daddy, you spineless giant? How I loathe your kind."
I stepped back as the organizers directed me toward the next round.