I don't know how chess has developed in this world.
There was a story that had been circulating in the chess community for a long time.
'If humanity were to start over from zero with knowledge of chess, would it converge to the current theory as it is?'
The answer was mostly yes.
As long as the way pieces move is fixed and the size of the board is fixed — in the end, the optimization humans reach converges similarly.
Decisively, because they will eventually develop AI.
It seems the Otherworld is like that too.
Isabella's first move was not a pawn but a knight.
Tap.
Usually, there are various opening concepts in chess.
The most common is pushing a pawn to occupy the center.
Moving a knight means that instead of occupying the center late, you will watch it.
And in the meantime, placing bishops like snipers, it also means you will slowly aim for the center.
Usually, a person who makes this move is one of two types.
Either they want to be flexible after seeing my response.
Or.
'Or just gay.'
Hypermodernism.
And I.
I really like devouring this kind of defensive style.
The time limit is 15 minutes, a Rapid style game.
There are Rapid and Blitz as types of chess games.
Rapid is 15 to 30 minutes per game. A format with relatively enough time to calculate.
Blitz is a format where you make moves in seconds, from as short as 1 minute to 5 minutes per game.
For reference, my Rapid Rating is 2500.
My Blitz Rating is 3200.
The difference is quite large, but there is a reason for this.
In Blitz, there is little room for AI to intervene.
Even if the empty can derives the optimal move, it takes time to see, move, and act.
Blitz doesn't have time for that. Victory or defeat is decided by fractions of a second.
Because it's a domain where humans compete against humans. That's where I feel it's worth doing.
"It's your turn."
Seeing me spacing out while staring at the empty space on the right, Isabella called out to me.
Hey you, would I not know that?
"I was thinking."
"From the first move?"
This person's bad manners are habitual. Who gives a check from the start?
I did think.
To be precise, it's not about thinking how to make the first move.
How to devour her.
Tock.
I began with a standard response.
The game flows on.
Tock.
Tock.
...Tock.
Tock.
......Tock, tock.
I made every move immediately, 0.1 seconds after Isabella made hers.
The moment she removed her hand, right away.
This is my style.
Even this gives pressure to the opponent.
"......."
The speed of the pieces gradually increases.
Isabella slowly begins to hesitate.
The prepared opening ends here, from now on it's the middlegame.
It's an opening I've almost never seen, but it's not unreasonable, so I responded appropriately.
After much deliberation, Isabella made another move.
Tock.
I didn't hesitate for a moment.
Actually, the point here is to never look at the chessboard.
I just turn my head, stare at the empty space on the right, and draw the board in my mind.
And when Isabella makes a move, I respond intuitively the moment I see it.
Because I've already thought out roughly what to play.
.........Tock.
Tock.
...................Tock.
Tock.
When I scanned the chessboard earlier, I thought she was a complete newbie, but she's not that bad.
She just seemed like a decent intermediate player.
But her style is really funny.
Should I call it orthodox and defensive?
It's exactly what a noble lady would play like if she played chess.
There will be fun in messing it up and devouring it.
My specialty is dragging the opponent down to the bottom.
"......?"
I play dirty moves that may be uncertain, and torment the opponent.
The more I blur the board, the more her preparation becomes useless.
Perhaps it was the first time she experienced such chess as a noble lady.
Since I had my head turned, I couldn't see her face.
Her thinking time doubled.
.......................................Tock.
Tock.
After repeating that several times.
My remaining time was 14 minutes 28 seconds.
Isabella's remaining time became... 2 minutes 17 seconds.
Roughly, the ratio of advantage seems to be about 7 to 3.
She's diligent, but too defensive.
Should I say it's like a wooden stone, so there's no feeling of stabbing?
At first she attacked a few times, but after getting beaten up, perhaps sensing something unusual, she started only running away.
Messy or whatever, she just runs away, ugh.
'Shall I finish this soon?'
Just as I was thinking that.
...Tock.
After long thought, Isabella finally made a move, and I was about to respond.
[Um... Oppa?]
Why.
Yuna suddenly stopped me.
[Look at this.]
Yuna brought up a camera window on one side of my vision.
"......?"
Wait a minute.
In the screen Yuna showed, Isabella was holding a chess piece.
But.
'Is this person crying right now?'
Tears not just beading up, but streaming down her cheeks.
The hand holding the piece is also trembling.
No, why... tears...?
It's so bewildering.
She's crying with her lips tightly shut.
There are a few things I'm weak to, and one of them is tears.
Even more so, tears shed by someone who did their best and was sincere.
'Ah...'
Alright, let's think differently.
Imagine an elementary schooler suddenly appears out of nowhere, and I get destroyed by them in a rhythm game.
It's not a joke, I might cry too.
How humiliating would that be, being completely crushed while playing white?
I'm not that heartless of a person...
Losing on purpose is a bit much.
Let's give her a chance, if she catches this mistake she wins, otherwise.
'Just lose.'
In the end, I made a move that looked ambiguous.
At first glance it looks fine, but if you examine it closely, it's a shitty move.
Precisely, it's a position where my rook gets captured for free two moves later.
If Isabella is calm, she'll catch it...
"... Sniff."
Isabella quietly sniffled, then examined the board.
Sigh.
Using her sniffles as background music, I gave her a little more time.
And.
"!"
It seemed Isabella found it.
Good job. You worked hard.
As we played a few more moves, I subtly dropped another rook.
And another bishop.
The expression is a bit funny.
I barely succeeded in becoming disadvantaged.
The moment Isabella's advantage became certain by calculation, her shoulders relaxed slightly.
The sniffles gradually subsided.
She's a transparent person.
Sigh, my interest cooled.
To use an analogy, it's like being in a boxing match and the opponent suddenly starts crying.
Honestly, it just makes me laugh.
"I lost."
I turned my body away from staring at empty space and bowed my head.
Remaining time, 14 minutes 1 second versus 23 seconds.
Of course, the result is my defeat.
"Huh? Yeah... uh."
Isabella nodded with a dazed expression.
An expression that didn't seem to believe she won.
I politely offered a handshake with both hands, then stood up from my seat.
I find crying women the most exhausting.
I just don't want to say anything, because I'm drained.
Still, I thought it would be better to say a word for courtesy.
"Your opening is interesting. I've never seen it before."
It seems you've tamed the Réti Opening to your taste.
But at that moment.
Whoosh!
Isabella suddenly turned her head, and her eyes sparkled.
"That's right! How did you know?"
"......?"
"It's an opening I created. I really worked hard on it for a year."
Ah, you made it.
Then it's something like an Isabella system.
This changes the evaluation a bit.
If she researched and created it herself, it's worth raising the evaluation.
She must have done some research to try to beat Dolores.
"Leaving the center empty and indirectly checking with my pieces..."
"Yes, I felt a philosophy."
"Really? If it were Dolores, she would have cursed it as useless. Saying chess is the center."
"Yes, it looks fine to me. Keep going. Fighting."
Pioneers always have it hard. It was the same in our world.
Cheer up, Miss Isabella.
After soothing her with flattery, I.
Not wanting to get more involved, I quietly edged away from my seat.
"I'll be going now..."
"What did you say your name was? Which family are you from?"
As I was about to leave, I was caught just like that.
"......Lionel, and I have no family."
"Huh? A knight?"
"That's not it either."
It's ambiguous to explain the relationship.
Dolores didn't say to tell or not to tell, so I should keep my mouth shut.
"Ah, so. Is there anything to improve in the opening?"
"I lost, what would I say?"
"Right. I won, right? Do you have any questions?"
"......."
This person is a bit strange.
I quietly shut my mouth and tried to start exercising again.
Her first impression was quite sharp.
She talks too much.
Perhaps used to not getting answers, she chatters away beside me.
"Phew..."
"So what you're saying is, rather than bringing the bishop up right away, it's better to see the situation first."
"Yes... so it would be good to delay a bit..."
"No then... how about this instead?"
She talks to me throughout my workout.
And since she seems sincere in her own way, I can't just ignore her.
Answering while also thinking, and trying to give answers, is killing me.
"Haa..."
"Sorry for keep talking to you? But why are you doing such crude things?"
She pointed at my jump rope and asked.
"Phew... I have to exercise..."
"Seeing how you play chess and use your head, you'd be perfect as a mage."
"I have no talent for magic."
After doing about three sets and collapsing, Isabella squatted next to me and asked.
"If I polish the opening well, can I come back and ask? I'll ask about things I don't know."
"I'm a novice, why do you keep trying to ask me?"
"Yeah, right. I did win, but, um..."
Clap.
She clapped and added.
"It's information exchange. Chess information exchange. As you know, chess is essential for nobles, right? You'll need it when you debut in society later. Also, I'll teach you magic. How about this?"
"......."
First, I'm not a noble.
Second, it was tempting, but.
Sorry, but I'm a blacksmith.
There's a reason I'm working out so desperately like this.
Magic is really not my thing.
"I have no taste for magic. But aren't you leaving?"
Just leave, seriously.
"I can't leave because Dolores isn't here. She's hiding the gloves, ah! It's a story you don't need to know."
"......."
Mama, help me.
But sadly, Mama seemed to have spent a lot of time gathering ore.
So I had to listen to her chattering for about 2 more hours.
After the hard training ended.
I conserved even the energy to breathe, and sprawled on the floor.
"Good work, are you done?"
"......."
"But you find talking with me fun? Everyone else disappears quickly."
For a moment I almost teared up at the first part, but hearing the rest makes me feel sorry for her.
This person is strange. Really strange.
For 3 hours, I had to tell her all the openings I use.
It's very rude and annoying, but there's no malice.
"If you're done, let's play one more game..."
"......."
I seriously understood why Ruby ran away and disappeared.
Just as I closed my eyes and was about to sigh.
Slam.
The drawing room door burst open.
"......Isabel."
The moment I heard the voice, I flinched.
Standing at the door was Dolores.
She seemed to have just returned from going out, and was still holding a bag of ore in her hand.
The lowest and coldest tone of her voice I had ever heard.
I was startled.
"Elysia, long time no see..."
"Dolores."
"...Why are you angry again, okay. Dolores."
Elysia is her first name, and Dolores is her last name.
It sounds like she's telling her not to call her by her first name.
Why is she so angry?
Just as I was reading the mood and getting up.
"Lionel..."
She slowly approached me.
Then she took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the sweat from my forehead.
Her eyes scanned me from top to bottom.
Sweat-soaked shirt, reddened face, dumbbells and jump rope lying beside me.
Tock.
Dolores's hand headed to my cheek.
"You worked hard, didn't you?"
Rub rub.
And she rubbed my cheek.
Her eyes soften, her voice rises.
Fortunately, she doesn't seem angry at me...
That's when it happened.
"Have you talked a lot with Lionel too?"
Isabella suddenly butted in from the side.
"He's really small, but really smart. Which family is he from? I want to keep in contact. He's fun."
Words dripping with obvious interest.
"......."
And Dolores's head.
Creak...
Slowly turned toward Isabella.
The hand that had been rubbing my cheek dropped.
"Get out."
"Suddenly...? I have something to say..."
"I said get out. I'll follow you out."
"...What?"
Isabella eventually got up and left.
She glanced back as she walked to the door, but Dolores didn't even give her a glance.
The door closed, and Dolores looked back at me.
And.
Squeeze...
She hugged me slightly, tightly.
It seemed to have more strength than usual.
"I didn't tell you this. Lionel."
"Yes?"
She stroked my forehead and whispered.
"......You shouldn't follow strangers, okay?"
Leaving that one sentence.
She walked in the direction Isabella had left.
***
The whole day today, I was in a good mood.
-He's really small, but really smart. Which family is he from? I want to keep in contact. He's fun.
In a single moment, I fell off the edge of a cliff.
If this is a talent, then it's a talent.
Isabella.
She is one of Dolores's sworn sisters.
Or rather, one of the few people Dolores would talk to.
She used to come by and play chess sometimes. But after the board was ruined a year ago, she stopped coming.
She hates losing more than death.
That's her personality.
I don't know why she came at this time.
But.
She covets what she shouldn't covet.
Creak.
She opened the door to the office where Isabella was.
Isabella is sitting on the sofa. Perhaps because her personality is so bright.
Perhaps because she's oblivious, she's quite calm.
Dolores closed the door and spoke briefly.
"Get to the point."
"...Give me the gloves. I'll buy them."
"........."
So that was her purpose.
She read it and didn't even answer, but inside she must have been so jealous her stomach was tearing, right?
"Those gloves. They're a research subject, they must be valuable..."
"Get out."
If what she wants is the gloves, the situation becomes more troublesome.
In the first place, the one who made the gloves is Lionel.
But Isabella is already showing interest in the boy without even knowing that Lionel made the gloves.
If she finds out that the gloves came from Lionel's hands.
'Get out of my house right now.'
I can't even imagine what will happen.
I don't know what conversation they had while Dolores was away, but.
Those eyes are exactly the same as her eyes in the past when she was seeking to conquer the Tower.
It means she's focused, interested, and likes him.
"Okay. You're in a really bad mood today?"
"...Yeah, a bit. I'd appreciate it if you left..."
Just as I thought she might leave obediently for once.
"Then just tell me which family Lionel is from. Actually, that's become more important than the gloves."
I hate it more.
I hate it so much.
I hate that the most.
If I say he's a child Dolores is keeping, she'll come every day.
But if I lie and say he belongs to another family, the aftermath will be too complicated.
This situation itself.
Is very troublesome. Very annoying.
Just beating her up and throwing her out of the mansion... Isabella continued to climb the Tower steadily even after Dolores stopped climbing.
I can't guarantee anything.
"He plays chess really well, did you know? I heard he's friends with Ruby."
"......."
"Looking at him, he's really smart, extraordinary. So I'm thinking of teaching him magic. It's cooperation! I teach magic and he teaches chess... no, I won, right?"
Dolores's eyes grew wider.
This woman.
What is she saying right now?
"Ah, right. Taking him as a disciple might be good. I don't know what family he's from, but he'll be thrilled. I've never taken a disciple before. Yes! A disciple is good! He seems fully qualified to be my first disciple."
Isabella smiled brightly and pulled up the corners of her mouth.
"Yes, I'm the magic teacher. He's the chess teacher..."
"That child is...!"
Teacher.
In the end, she could never tolerate that word.
Feeling as if something precious of hers was being torn away.
She yelled.
"He's my child."
She had no choice but to tell the truth.