Sakayanagi's Invitation

As soon as morning classes ended, Konoe received a text message.

Kamuro: "Sakayanagi asked me to invite you to have lunch in the Chess Club's activity room. She said she has a way to deal with the incident Class C started."

Konoe knew Sakayanagi had already figured out that Class C had attacked Class D this time.

Konoe: "Classmate Kamuro, how am I supposed to have lunch in the Chess Club's activity room? Am I supposed to bring a couple of slices of bread?"

Kamuro: "She's prepared food for you, so just come. Also, she said your ideas are interesting."

Who cares what you think... Konoe searched for the location on his phone, then headed toward the club building.

A little over ten minutes later, Konoe arrived outside the Chess Club. He peered through the small window in the door, but the room was too dim to make out anything inside.

As if she knew someone was standing outside, Kamuro suddenly pulled the door open.

"Why are you standing there? Get inside." Kamuro stepped aside to let Konoe pass.

Though Konoe was a little concerned about what the place was like inside, he had no choice but to enter. "...That's rude. Your side was the one that invited me."

"Classmate Sakayanagi invited you. Get that straight."

The curtains were drawn over all the windows in the activity room, and only a few thin rays of sunlight managed to get through. The room was surprisingly spacious. Dozens of small tables for two and chairs were piled haphazardly in a corner. They were probably what the club usually used to play chess.

Konoe walked farther into the room and reached a door. Kamuro opened it for him, then left without a word, off to who knew where.

Though it was daytime, the room's curtains were drawn and the lights were on. They weren't very bright, but they were more than enough to illuminate the small space.

This had once seemed to be a kitchenette or a storage room for club equipment, but someone had clearly made a few changes. A leather sofa sat around a slightly low glass table on three sides, and neither seemed like school property. A chair with a backrest had also been placed inexplicably against the wall.

"Welcome to my 'castle.' As the first boy to come here, are you happy, Classmate Konoe?"

Sakayanagi Arisu sat in the middle of the sofa, watching Konoe with violet eyes and an amused smile. She had laid her beret across her white-stockinged legs, though it seemed a little too small to cover all the skin showing beneath it.

Looking at the petite silver-haired girl before him, Konoe suddenly had a curious feeling: it was as if he'd stumbled into a tarot shop deep in an alley, and the girl before him was both its owner and its fortune-teller.

"It seems Classmate Sakayanagi has become the Queen of the Chess Club."

Sakayanagi patted the seat beside her. "Classmate Konoe, why don't you come sit here?"

Konoe picked up the chair against the wall, set it directly opposite Sakayanagi, and sat down. "I'm curious where all the other club members went. Did the 'Queen' chase them away?"

"I don't know why, but after playing chess with me, the upperclassmen all went somewhere else. Then they left this place for me to use. Though this is the first time I've heard someone call me a queen." Sakayanagi closed her eyes, placed a hand against her chest, and put on a pitiful expression.

"Unfortunately, I can't move in every direction like the Queen in chess. There are some classmates who call me a princess without asking, though. Why don't you call me that from now on, Classmate Konoe?"

"...Didn't Classmate Sakayanagi ask me here to eat? Where's the food?" Though Konoe knew she was putting on an act, he still changed the subject.

"Hehe, Classmate Konoe really is an interesting person." Sakayanagi chuckled. "I've already asked Classmate Kamuro to pick up the food from the dining hall. But more importantly, would you like to play a game of chess?"

"Chess? I don't know how to play at all."

Sakayanagi pressed her palms together and touched her fingertips, making a cute, pleading gesture. "That's all right. I'll teach you slowly. Could you get the chess set from that cabinet over there? I don't know where my cane went, so I can't get it myself. Please, Classmate Konoe."

Konoe opened the cabinet she'd pointed to. There was a chessboard inside, strangely enough with all the pieces already set up. He carefully lifted the board, keeping it level, and slowly carried it over to the glass table in front of Sakayanagi before setting it down gently.

Konoe glanced at Sakayanagi's face. She seemed a little happier than before.

"Well, I've got nothing else to do, so go ahead and teach me."

"Then I couldn't be happier. I usually get a little bored around this time too. I can only play chess by myself." Sakayanagi sounded delighted. "The pieces with the most numbers are pawns, and they can only move forward. On their first move, they can go one or two squares, but after that they can only move one..."

Sakayanagi quickly explained the basic rules of chess and how the pieces moved.

"I think I understand most of it. Let's start playing for real." As he learned, Konoe found chess surprisingly interesting.

"You're eager to begin. I don't dislike students like that, you know."

The two began playing. A little while later, Konoe moved a pawn straight forward and captured one of Sakayanagi's pawns.

Sakayanagi hurriedly said, "No, no, you can't move like that. Sorry, Classmate Konoe, I forgot to mention that pawns capture differently. They can only capture a piece one square diagonally forward."

Konoe looked at Sakayanagi suspiciously. "...You're not messing with me, are you? If I capture your pawn, I'll break through your defenses."

"Absolutely not. I simply forgot to mention it. Shall we start over?"

Five minutes into their rematch, Sakayanagi's rook took Konoe's king.

"...I should've avoided that move just now." Konoe looked rueful.

"Hehe, I know which move you mean, Classmate Konoe. Even if you hadn't used your knight to take my bishop, my queen would've created the same situation later on. You did really well for your first game." Sakayanagi said happily, swinging her feet beneath the glass table.