Hearing the notification that the points had been credited, An Xora picked up a napkin beside him and wiped his mouth.
"Looks like Lappland has successfully taken over all of Siracusa and assumed control of the state."
"Still, Siracusa is at best a third-rate country on this land. Its location isn't great, and its level of industrialization is low. If it wants to develop properly later on, it'll inevitably need cooperation with other countries."
"That part will be up to you, Ata. You should coordinate with Lappland—establish formal diplomatic relations between the Holy Terra Empire and Siracusa, lay the groundwork for long-term cooperation in the hearts of both peoples, and make things easier when the two countries eventually merge."
It was hard to say whether Leithanien, caught squarely in between, would just explode on the spot if Siracusa really merged with the Holy Terra Empire.
"Leave it to me."
Talulah nodded seriously. Since all attendants were dismissed before every meal, there was no need for the two of them to hold anything back in their conversation.
However, just as they were about to call someone in to clear the table, a strange, unfamiliar presence suddenly intruded into the residence, drawing both of their attention.
In the next instant, the scene before their eyes shifted. A classical courtyard appeared before them, steeped in antiquity.
At the center of the courtyard, inside a pavilion, sat a man with dragon horns and a dragon's tail, dressed in a brown-and-white robe. He gazed at the two of them—or rather, at Talulah.
"Your Majesty, Emperor of the Holy Terra Empire—would you be interested in playing a few games of chess with me?"
Talulah's eyes sharpened. She stepped forward without the slightest fear.
"And who might you be?"
"I am Wang," the man replied calmly. "The second of the Twelve Sui Aspects. Has Your Majesty heard of me?"
Talulah shook her head.
An Xora had never gone into detail about Yan's situation with her, and the existence of Sui—the ticking time bomb—was Yan's greatest secret. Without deliberate investigation, it was only natural that Talulah knew nothing about the Sui fragments.
As for An Xora, who did know the truth, he stood quietly beside Talulah, saying nothing—only feeling a trace of emotion.
He had originally assumed that after arriving in Yan, the first Sui fragment he'd encounter would be Nian or Ling. At the very least, it should have been Shu, the leader among the Sui fragments, or someone like Dusk or Ji, who had fixed spheres of activity.
Yet instead, it was Wang—the second-ranked Sui—who came knocking first.
Wang, ranked second among the Sui Aspects. His exact authority was unknown, but it was confirmed that he could imitate the authorities of other Sui fragments. He had split himself into one hundred and eighty-one individuals known as "Black Pieces," intending to use them to play a game against Heaven itself—and to kill Sui's true body.
Judging by the situation, this visit was clearly aimed at Talulah.
"I've never heard of you," Talulah said calmly. "So why have you come to play chess with me?"
"I have always been accustomed to judging people through chess," Wang replied. "My desire to play against Your Majesty is merely to understand what kind of person the Emperor of the Holy Terra Empire truly is. I hope Your Majesty will not take offense."
As he spoke, Wang took a black piece and placed it on the board.
Seeing this, Talulah said nothing further. Though she didn't know his true purpose, she also sensed no overt malice. Coupled with confidence in her own strength—and with An Xora at her side—she didn't mind playing a few rounds.
And so, the two began to take turns placing their pieces.
Unsurprisingly, under Wang's superb chess skill, three games in a row ended with Talulah utterly routed.
"It seems Your Majesty is not particularly skilled at chess?" Wang remarked lightly.
"I learned a bit when I was in Yan years ago," Talulah replied, sweeping the pieces aside after yet another loss. "But it's been a long time since I last played."
"Alright. We've played several games now. Can you tell me your real purpose?"
"Don't be so hasty, Your Majesty."
Wang waved his hand. In the next instant, the classical courtyard and pavilion vanished, replaced by a world of pure black and white.
"Let us play one final game. This time, I'd like to do something different. Let us use this world itself as the chessboard. We'll see whether my black pieces suppress Your Majesty's white ones—or whether your white pieces can defeat my black ones within the game."
As he finished speaking, a black piece fell.
Behind Wang, the black domain suddenly expanded by a large margin.
He then gestured invitingly toward Talulah.
This time, however, Talulah did not move.
Instead, An Xora—who had been standing behind her, watching the games—laughed.
Before Wang could even process what that meant, a black greatsword wreathed in blazing flames slammed down onto the chessboard.
In an instant, all the pieces—along with the board itself—were reduced to ashes. The black-and-white world beyond the pavilion was swallowed by roaring flames.
Even Wang himself was forced to retreat in disarray under the searing inferno.
Boom!!!
The spot where Wang and Talulah had been playing chess was now a lake of molten lava. Wang raised his head, bewildered, and looked at Talulah.
"What does Your Majesty mean by this?"
"You seem very adept at making use of rules," Talulah said instead of answering directly.
"In the earlier games, you relied on your superior skill to crush me outright. But afterward, you deliberately put yourself at a disadvantage—only to turn the tables using the rules of the board itself."
"That reminds me of my past self. Back then, under Ursus' rules, I tried every possible way to fight for equal rights for the Infected. Yet, just like those games of chess, every attempt I made within Ursus' rules ended in failure."
Wang narrowed his eyes slightly. He naturally knew all of this. Ever since Talulah ascended to the throne of Ursus—before the founding of the Holy Terra Empire—every scrap of information about her life that could be uncovered had already been laid out on the desks of the world's major powers.
Her efforts on behalf of the Infected, and the founding of Reunion, were no secrets. What Wang didn't understand was why she would bring this up now.
"I was once walking a road with no hope in sight," Talulah continued. "But fortunately, I met the most important person in my life—and with his help, I found a new path."
"I stopped trying to beg for rights within existing rules. Instead, I built the Empire you see today. And when I sat upon the imperial throne and personally promulgated the Infected Rights Act, I finally understood something."
"If you want to realize your ideals, rather than struggling beneath the rules, it is better to become the one who makes them."
As she spoke, Talulah drew her flame-wreathed sword and pointed it directly at the Sui Aspect before her.
"As a chess player, I am indeed no match for you. Chess players must study and exploit rules to win."
"But I—can set the rules of this land."
"In those earlier games, if I had truly wanted to win, you would have lost from the very beginning."
"Doesn't Your Majesty think that's nothing more than sophistry?" Wang's gaze darkened.
"Which is why you are a chess player," Talulah replied calmly, "and I am an emperor."
"As the Emperor of the Empire, I embody its authority. I have already shown sufficient restraint in our exchange."
"So this ends here."
Rumble—!
Under the scorching dragonfire, the temporary world Wang had created collapsed completely. His expression turned ugly as he hastily pulled away from the two of them.
Only then did he realize that he had made a grave mistake.
For the ruler of the most powerful nation on Terra to even humor an intruder—one who had forcibly dragged her into an illusion—with a game of chess was already an act of extraordinary tolerance. When she asked his purpose, that had effectively been her final warning.
And what had he done?
He had asked her to play another game.
Worse still, he had underestimated the Emperor's strength, believing everything to be under his control—and had therefore paid no real attention to the danger.
"This time, I was indeed the one at fault," Wang said, retreating further. "If there is another opportunity, I will present proper compensation."
"But the current situation is no longer suitable for discussion. I shall take my leave."
As he spoke, a tall, powerfully built woman appeared beside him—black-haired, clad in a red robe beneath a black mantle.
The Behemoth Yai, Wang's collaborator, wielder of the authority Severing the Ages. Through this power, Yai could cut space itself.
With her assistance, the two vanished from the residence in an instant.
All that remained was a manor left in utter ruin by raging flames—and Wei Yenwu, who arrived at top speed after receiving the news, wearing an expression as though the sky itself had collapsed.
◇ You can read 80 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/BlackDevil808
✨ Bonus Chapter Goals ✨
• 10 Reviews = 1 Bonus Chapter
• 100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter