Tanaka Masamichi: "..."
Club president Fujiwara: "..."
The onlookers: "..."
Seriously, another one?
What was going on today?
First, Kitagawa Kai, a first-year newcomer, had used the pretense of "knowing a tiny bit of chess" to beat the vice president until sweat soaked through his layers of clothing.
Then president Fujiwara had publicly bowed and admitted defeat, too.
And now someone who seemed even harder to handle had arrived.
The club members nearby exchanged looks, the atmosphere so strange it was as if someone had hit pause.
The cold upperclassman had been refined into warm points on his terminal.
460,000.
There was no time to mourn president Fujiwara.
The one greeting Sakayanagi now was the master of board games-Great Demon King Kitagawa.
Kitagawa Kai calmly turned toward the entrance and smiled slightly. "This is indeed the Chess Department. Little Princess Sakayanagi, please come in."
The newcomer was none other than Sakayanagi Arisu.
She wore a neat school uniform, her long hair falling smoothly beside her shoulders. A faint smile lingered in her blue eyes, and she radiated elegance and composure.
Though she was the one entering someone else's territory, she gave the impression that she was welcoming guests on her home ground.
"You're certainly early, Kitagawa."
Sakayanagi glanced around. The club members had yet to recover from their recent defeat, their gazes evasive and the atmosphere awkward.
Her gaze fixed on the board where the game had just ended. "It seems you have some insight into chess too, Kitagawa-kun."
"No, I only know a tiny bit."
Kitagawa Kai maintained that he only knew a tiny bit.
That would have been true, if not for the system.
"A tiny bit? You're certainly modest, Kitagawa-kun. You-you weren't like this yesterday."
Sakayanagi gave him a meaningful look, the same unchanging smile still on her face. "Then would you be interested in a game with me, Kitagawa?"
"Of course, but how many points do you have, Classmate Sakayanagi? If the stakes are too small, I'm not playing." Kitagawa Kai opened his terminal, displaying the 460,000 points on the screen.
Sakayanagi Arisu had only begun taking action today, so naturally she did not have many points. She was even less willing to draw on her father's resources as chairman just to keep up appearances.
She had always stood at the top through her own intellect and family background-in her view, primarily her intellect. She was certainly not someone who needed an external advantage like "my father is the chairman" to establish herself.
She tapped the floor lightly with her cane, conveying a firmness that brooked no refusal.
"Kitagawa-kun, when you play chess with me, it's not about what you want, but what I have."
"All in."
With a considerate yet utterly tactless gesture, an onlooker presented a standard contract.
Kitagawa Kai waved it away. "With the relationship Sakayanagi and I have, we don't need that. I'd very much like a thoroughly satisfying match, too."
The club members: We're terribly sorry we couldn't let you enjoy yourself to the fullest.
Sakayanagi gently pulled out a chair and sat opposite Kitagawa. She rested her cane diagonally beside her, her manner composed. "Then, Kitagawa-kun, I look forward to our game."
The board was set up again.
The air instantly grew tense.
Sakayanagi played white.
Kitagawa played black, as always.
In competitive chess, white did indeed have a slight advantage from moving first, and the higher the level of play, the greater that advantage became.
In the opening, both sides moved cautiously, each following a plan.
Sakayanagi first advanced her king's pawn, then quickly developed her knight and bishop, intending to launch an all-out attack and squeeze black's space.
Kitagawa continued to move swiftly, as if he had no need to think at all. Every move landed precisely on a critical square, blocking Sakayanagi's attacking routes.
The tension in the air reached its peak. The real battle began now.
Sakayanagi's considerable talent was unmistakable in the game. If not for Kitagawa, she probably would have swept through the entire Chess Department today, too.
But there was always someone better, always a higher peak, and the boost from his master-level skill made Kitagawa's playing style even more unpredictable.
He calculated the variations more than a dozen moves ahead with precision, even working out multiple counterattacking lines for Sakayanagi's different responses and laying ambushes at key positions in advance.
The two traded moves, the situation growing intensely deadlocked for a time.
White and black pieces charged across the board, offense turning to defense within just a few moves.
Someone murmured in amazement, "Aren't these two frighteningly good at chess?"
Several upper-year club members in the corner also stared wide-eyed, their mouths slightly open, forgetting even to breathe.
Some more time passed.
Kitagawa Kai spotted an extremely slight error hidden in Sakayanagi's attack and deliberately laid a deceptive trap.
Sakayanagi boldly attacked, charging straight in.
Sakayanagi lost her knight.
Sakayanagi's brow creased slightly.
Sakayanagi lost her bishop.
Sweat began to bead on Sakayanagi's forehead.
Finally, after a fierce tactical exchange, Kitagawa trapped white's king firmly.
"Checkmate," Kitagawa announced calmly, as though he did not care about winning this game.
"I lost."
Sakayanagi Arisu gazed quietly at the board for a long time. Her voice remained calm, carrying a trace of reluctance and frustration.
"But-" A bright smile rippled through her eyes, more dazzling than the white pieces on the board. "Your chess is more 'interesting' than I imagined, Kitagawa."
That word, "interesting," held both appreciation for a worthy opponent and a newly kindled fighting spirit.
[Ding!] [Sakayanagi Arisu's affection level +10. Current affection level: 40 (curious)] [Note: She acknowledges you more and more.]
Points +88,000.
Affection +.
Today's showdown was a double victory for Kitagawa Kai.
"Your chess isn't bad either, Classmate Sakayanagi. I'd call you my strongest opponent."
"When it comes to chess players at Advanced Nurturing, there's only you and me."
She covered her lips and chuckled, the corners of her eyes curving beautifully. "I'm delighted that you'd call me not bad, Kitagawa, but next time, I'd rather make you call me strong."
"Then I'll look forward to it. But I always give the people I've beaten time to catch up, until I'm beyond their reach."
Kitagawa showed off a little.
Tiny glimmers shone in Sakayanagi's blue eyes, as though she were savoring the confidence and provocation in his words. "You really aren't modest at all, Kitagawa-kun. But-"
She leaned forward slightly, a sharp edge of defiance in her voice. "Being beyond my reach can't just be empty talk. Next time, I'll make you take that back."
Just then.
President Fujiwara approached, his usual composed smile on his face. "Would you two be interested in representing the chess club in a tournament?"
Kitagawa Kai looked at Sakayanagi with a smile.
She, too, looked quietly at Kitagawa Kai.
Everyone else turned their eyes toward him as well.
"Sorry, I'm really not interested right now!" Kitagawa refused outright.
"Neither am I."
Kitagawa opened his terminal to check the time, the screen's light falling across his calm face. 12:20.
He put away his terminal and turned his gaze toward the adorable Sakayanagi. After a moment's thought, he spoke in a natural tone:
"Miss Sakayanagi, I'm going to get something to eat now. What about you?"
She raised a hand to tidy the hair at her temple, the corners of her lips lifting slightly. "Are you inviting me, Kitagawa-kun?"
"Still, playing chess for a while has made me a little hungry, so I suppose I'll reluctantly have lunch with you."
Kitagawa was quite interested in this little brat of a loli, Sakayanagi.
Make no mistake.
He was no lolicon.
He just wanted to take Arisu for a spin someday and say to Sakayanagi Narumori, "Oi, old geezer, is it safe to park my souped-up scooter outside your door?"
Just thinking about it was ridiculously entertaining.
Like a gentleman, Kitagawa turned slightly aside and gestured to lead the way, his tone gentle. "Since you're willing to grace me with your company, Classmate Sakayanagi, the honor is all mine."