There was a pack of bodyguards in black suits, surrounding a familiar blonde girl. That’s the oppressive scene that greeted Yuel and the others on their way to the waiting room.

Perhaps this image didn’t tell much to the others, but it sent a shiver down Yuel’s spine.

"Um, guys...” Yuel nervously looked around. “Let's take another route-" 

"Yuel Fermond," the blonde girl called out as if sensing Yuel's intentions from afar.

Oh no... Yuel forced a weak smile as he slowly turned to greet the gallant figure.

"Good day to you," the girl greeted him.

"G-Good day..." Yuel squeezed out a reply while gulping. Why is she here? This is the last place where I'd ever expect to run into her...

"Oh!" Vincent exclaimed. "Are you not Fiona Landberht, the princess of the chess world!?" 

"Yes, I'm Fiona," the girl replied with an elegant smile. "Nice to meet you all, fellow members of Stratus."

Wait, what? Sweat formed on Yuel's forehead. Why would she know the name of a Classmancers team? There's absolutely no reason for somebody like her to possess such knowledge. Unless she’s... gulp.

"’tis must be a whim of fate!!" Vincent bowed deeply. "I'm honored to be in your presence, your highness!"

"Please, raise your head," Fiona requested. "The title of a 'princess' is nothing more than the media's exaggeration  In truth, I'm but a teenager, just like the rest of you."

"One heck of a beautiful teenager,” Luke whispered to his clubmates, but they ignored his usual shenanigans.

At least, he had the decency to say that in a low voice instead of openly hitting on the princess. Playful as he was, the peasant knew his place in the hierarchy.

However, not everybody shared the same sentiment about the gallant figure in front of them.

"So, is she someone famous?" Kai asked. 

"But, of course she is!" Vincent exclaimed. "In the media, she is known as the 'Ladnberth Princess', the young sensation of the chess world!" 

"A princess?" Kai raised an eyebrow. Well, she does look kinda pretty…

It was a bit irksome that Kai had to raise her head a little in order to look at Fiona’s face. Even though Kai was decently tall for a girl her age, Fiona was even taller.

The so-called “princess” was definitely pretty. There was no need to be a playboy like Luke in order to realize that.

However, at the same time, there was something a bit intimidating about this gallant figure. She was pretty and elegant, but also tall and majestic. It was a combination Kai has only ever since in movies, not in real life.

Still, I dunno about calling her a “princess”. Kai was stuck on that one point for some reason. She’s more than just a pretty face, that’s for sure.

A closer inspection of the girl’s features revealed that her arms were a bit muscular. Not in a way that stood out too much, but definitely a lot more than you’d expect from some “princess”.

Anyway, this girl wasn’t the sheltered type, that’s for sure. This put Vincent’s info into question.

"Is she really a chess player?" Kai asked. "I mean, with a build like this..."

"A good observation, cap!" Vincent nodded as if he has been waiting for this. "Chess is simply the topic that makes the headlines most frequently when it comes to the Landberht Princess. Frankly, I suspect there is some marketing propaganda behind it. Perhaps, the media devils are trying to tempt other girls into partaking at chess."

"I’m afraid that isn’t too far off from the truth," Fiona concurred. "They are most definitely using me to promote chess among the younger audience."

"Sounds like a pain in the-” Kai stopped herself in the last second. “… a pain in the neck." She resorted to the more kiddie-friendly version. Somehow, it felt inappropriate to utter any vulgarity in front of this elegant girl.

"It can get a bit bothersome at times, but I do not mind,” Fiona said. “If this sort of marketing can attract more young players to the chess world, then I shall gladly play my part in it.”

“Yeah, I bet chess needs all the advertisement it can get.”

“Indeed. It is a very old game, after all. It struggles to maintain its relevance today when we have so many competitive games on the market. In fact, Classmancers is one example of such a competitor." She cast a meaningful gaze at Yuel, one that he immediately avoided.

Is she here to roast me about leaving chess for Classmancers? Yuel made a face. This is my life, I can do whatever I want. He wanted to shove that statement right in the princess’s face, but he didn't have the courage to do so.

"Anyway," Vincent continued. "As Kai masterfully deduced, there is a lot more to Fiona Landberht than just chess. She is an active participant in many different sports, aiming to conquer them all!"

"I see that you are well-informed."

"Oh, please. Your words are too kind." Vicent bowed. "I'm but a peasant whose parents happen to work in the journalism industry. As such, I do my best to follow on the news of many sports, which is how I happened to learn about your impressive career"

"Yo, so she’s a multi-sport pro!?" Lars jumped. "That's rad, dude! So, which sports?" 

"Unfortunately," Vincent said. "My latest information on the topic is a couple of years old. Therefore, I'm unsure whether my answer will be accurate for the present state of our universe. My archives happen to be incomplete at the moment, so to speak."

"Then I shall answer," Fiona took the reins of the conversation. "Currently, I'm most active in chess, racing, swimming, tennis, volleyball, and piano. Though, I have also dabbled in other fields as well, such as judo and fencing.”

“Wow, wow!” Luke whistled. Everybody else was equally taken aback by that long list, save for Vincent and Yuel who were already expecting as much.

The newspapers always liked to mention how Fiona was into many different sports. They did so to advertise her as a prodigy who could do virtually anything she set her hand to.

Therefore, as impressive as that list was, Yuel and Vincent more or less saw it coming. It’s the next part that truly caught them off guard.

“In addition,” Fiona continued. “Over the past year, I've been dabbling in Classmancers as well."

"Excuse me, you what?" Vincent paused with a dumb smile on his face. The rest of the team froze as well.

Looks like my bad feeling wasn't unbased. Yuel shuddered. She actually went ahead and set foot in the world of video gaming. And, she had to pick Classmancers of all things...

"In fact," Fiona continued. "I came here today to greet all of you, as the captain of the Valkyries. It is the representing team of St. Mary’s Junior High."

Her gaze addressed each and every opponent in order until it finally laid on Yuel. "I hope we will have a good match if we run into each other at the regionals."

"Y-Yeah..." Yuel wasn't sure how to respond to this sudden declaration of war. Fiona literally dropped a bomb on the entire team out of nowhere.

The declaration fazed most of them, yet some managed to retain their reason. In fact, these few were even excited about the prospect.

“Oh! So that’s what the mysterious Valkyries are all about!” Vincent exclaimed. “We saw this unfamiliar name show up on this year’s roster, yet we couldn’t make heads or tails of it. To think that none other than the Landberht Princess is going to lead this team…!”

Yeah, we couldn’t find out much about this team. Yuel recalled.

The committee in charge of the regionals posted an updated list of this year’s participants, a list that featured an unfamiliar team by the name of Valkyries. It was a brand new team that formed in St. Mary’s Junior High for Ladies.

St. Mary’s was essentially a school for rich girls, that's about all Yuel gathered from a quick google search. Apparently, it was an old-fashioned school, so it was odd to see it join the esports scene. Regardless, Yuel didn't think much of it at the time.

But, now I know who was pulling the strings. Yuel thought. I’m not sure what’s her agenda, but I’m almost certain it’s her doing.

The Landberht Princess surely had enough influence to push for something like that. She was a public figure and hailed from a rich family. Combine that with her dominant personality, and it wasn’t hard to imagine even a traditional school bowing to her majesty.

In fact, it was a little surprising that Yuel, and especially Vincent, hadn’t caught wind of any of this until now. The media should have jumped on the opportunity to advertise the Landberht Princess some more in this context. For example, with a clickbait title like “The birth of the Esports Princess!?”

However, as far as Yuel was aware, nothing was reported in the newspapers yet. Perhaps the journalists haven’t caught wind of the fact the Landberht Princess was related to the Valkyries? Or, were they waiting for the team’s debut before going ham?

Either way, the fact remained that Fiona Landberth was definitely here, right in front of them. And, she was declaring war.

"Truth to be told," Fiona addressed Yuel. "I expected to eventually face you as a member of StormBlitz. I was rather surprised to learn that you transferred to another team."

"Is that so..." Were you stalking me or something?

"I do not wish to offend anybody by saying this, but according to my research, Stratus is a team with a reputation that precedes it, and not in a good way. From what I gathered, it appears to be the least accomplished team in our region, which is quite worrisome."

“Nah, dude. That’s old news,” Lars casually rebuked the princess without minding his manners or anything. “Maybe it was a meh team in the past. But this year, it’s full of pros! So, we gonna make it the strongest in the region, believe it!”

“That’s right.” Kai reinforced. “This club used to have carefree players who didn’t take the competition seriously, but not anymore. This year, we’re seriously aiming to take the regionals.”

“Indeed, indeed!” Vincent tuned in. “We shall conquer all our opponents, and place Stratus on the pedestal it deserves! In fact, we’ve already started our crusade by besting Taurus a few weeks ago.”

“Yes, I heard you got a win.” Fiona nodded. “Apparently, this was Starus’ first official victory in years.”

"Indeed, we made history that day!" Vincent made noise.

"Yeah, we're the best!" Luke added.

"That’s right, my dudes!” Lars added hype. “We gonna take on everybody and win the regionals, yo!"

The rest of the team responded with strong nods to these loud assertions. Even in the face of a royal princess, none of them showed any signs of hesitation.

"I'm glad to see you are aiming high this year." Fiona nodded. "The higher you aim, the higher you'll eventually reach, such is my belief. Indeed, this is quite reassuring. Seeing as you're all so confident, it sounds like we might have a chance to do battle this year, after all." She seemed to direct these words specifically at Yuel, for some reason.

Look at her go. Yuel scoffed. She's already 100% confident she'll win the entire thing with her greenhorn team. As far as she’s concerned, we're just a small obstacle that she’d like to meet along her road to the top, nothing more.

This boundless confidence was the very definition of the Landberht Princess. She wasn't arrogant or condescending, not on purpose anyway. She was simply confident in herself and her skill.

Therefore, her words weren’t an empty promise, at least not for her. Fiona genuinely believed she will reach the top of the competition with her greenhorn team.

"Sure," Yuel said. "If you can really bring your brand new team that far, then let's have a good game."

"Is that doubt I’m sensing? I assure you, there is no need to worry about my team," Fiona asserted. "I personally oversee everybody's training, and I have employed the help of multiple professional coaches. On top of that, I have scheduled a couple of scrimmages against pro players So, my team will not be lacking in either expertise or experience, I assure you."

"Whoa! Professional coaches!?" Luke exclaimed. "And, matches against pros, too? Damn, it sounds like you guys got some srs bsns VIP stuff going on there, haha. How can you even afford all that stuff?" 

"Money is a nonissue for the Landberht family.”

"Dang, talk about being pay-to-win in real life, haha."

"Personally, I believe that much should be the standard for all teams," Fiona said evenly. "If you are seriously planning to compete, then you must seek advice from the best coaches in the field, as well as test your mettle against the pinnacle of the competition. Do you not agree?" 

"Y-Yeah, of course! She’s totally right, guys." Luke found himself nodding repeatedly, more intensely than he ever intended. Fiona's impeccable confidence made him submit like an obedient dog.

"Well then," Fiona bowed courteously. "You have an important match ahead of you today, so I shouldn’t take any more of your precious time."

Despite saying that, she directed her unwavering gaze at her main target once again. "Lastly, Yuel Fermond. If you are truly serious about this sport, serious enough to drop chess for it, then naturally I'm expecting great results from you today."

"Sure, I'll do my best to live up to your high expectations," Yuel responded half-honestly and half-sarcastically. Who does she think she is, coming out of nowhere and saying she expects things from me? From the sound of it, I've got far more experience with Classmancers than her. I’m the senior here.

However, such logic didn't matter to Fiona Landberht. Though the media nicknamed her "princess", she was more like a dominating queen who planned to conquer any field she touched. Therefore, in her mind, the top of the regional competitive scene was already at her fingertips, despite the fact she has picked up Classmancers only recently.

But, I can't deny I’m curious to see how far she can get Yuel admitted. She does have an impressive background in many different sports, and I know first-hand how overwhelming she can be in chess.

Contrary to what some may have believed, Fiona wasn't just the media's pet. She wasn't some average "pretty girl who plays chess". No, she was the real deal.

During elementary school, she dominated the regional competition. And, even now in middle school, she remains at the top even when competing with boys.

Truly, the Landberht Princess was a relentless conqueror. She had the ability to place anybody under her heel.

In this region, the only one who ever put a stop to the queen’s reign of terror was Yuel, who defeated her in chess back in fifth grade. Though, the actual story wasn’t nearly as pretty as that.

It was a nerve-wracking match, one that seemed hopeless at first. In fact, luck and coincidence probably played a big role in that outcome.

Yuel just happened to find the right approach for dealing with this theory monster, who instantly dished out the correct response to any strong meta move. Somehow, Yuel’s unconventional moves managed to rattle Fiona a little, just enough to make her slip up.

Any other day, under calmer circumstances, the ice queen probably wouldn't have paid any heed to the schemes Yuel employed. Most of them were risky moves, so Fiona probably would have bested him with ease if she just stuck to her usual playstyle.

However, such details apparently didn't matter to Fiona. As far as she was concerned, that one defeat stained her otherwise perfect reputation in the region. Thus, she couldn't let it go. Even now, a part of her sought revenge.

"I hope you'll offer me a satisfying rematch," Fiona said. "I trust that this time, you won't have the excuse of not taking the sport seriously."

"Of course not," Yuel asserted. "It’s not an exaggeration to say that my life revolved around Classmancers for the past two years. So, it's the best sport I can compete in, I can assure you." 

"That is good to hear. In that case, you must make absolutely sure that you reach the top of the competition and get a chance to play the Valkyries. Also, you are not allowed to pass the blame onto your team after you lose to me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Yuel reassured. "With this team, we'll reach the top. And, if we run into you along the way, then we'll defeat you."

"Very well." Fiona nodded in satisfaction. "But first, I believe you will have to find a way to deal with Cato’s team."

"Cato?" Yuel cocked his head.

"Oh, are you not acquainted?" Fiona was taken aback. "From the way he talked about you, I could swear you two knew each other."

"Is that a player from the Leopards?" 

"Yes, but it appears I was mistaken about your relationship. Pay it no mind."

"So, you’re saying someone from the Leopards knows me personally? Now you made me curious. How are we supposed to be related?" 

"You competed in chess at the regionals, almost two years ago now. But, it appears you do not even remember the match that eliminated you from the tournament."

"Two years ago..." Yuel searched back in his memory. She’s talking about the last regionals I played in elementary school. Honestly, my memory is a little hazy on that one.

Back then, Yuel was already getting deep into Classmancers. The MOBA practically took over his life, so he didn’t have much time to spare for chess. He absorbed more and more knowledge about the new game he picked up, as there was an infinite amount of things to learn.

So, I didn’t pay much attention to chess, even at the tournament. That might sound disrespectful toward my opponents, but it’s the truth.

Did he face someone named Cato? The name didn’t ring a bell, but there should still be a recording of the game on Yuel’s chess account. All official games were recorded nowadays, so it should be easy enough to find out.

“Well then,” Fiona said. “I have already taken more of your time than I should have, so I shall wish you farewell here. Good luck.” Fiona bowed lightly and left the scene.

“Damn, son!” Luke jumped. “You never told us you got friends who are royalty! Haha.”

“It’s a stretch to call us ‘friends’,” Yuel said. “We’re acquaintances at best, and even then we’ve barely ever interacted.”

“How did you get to know that girl, anyway?” Lars was curious.

“We played chess once at the regionals,” Yuel explained. “And-”

“And he won!” Vincent exclaimed. “Using the Mystic Eyes of Weakness Perception, the one and only Chessmaster tore apart the Landberht Princess! With his own two hands, he put a stop to her unbeatable record!”

“Yo, that’s cool!” Lars jumped in excitement, almost throwing Nia off his back.

“It’s not such a big deal.” Yuel averted his eyes. “There was a fair amount of luck involved.”

“The ever-humble Chessmaster.” Vincent nodded. “I’ve actually gone over the match records, and I have to say it was a truly unique bout.”

“Did you even understand any of it?”

“Yes, I understood… absolutely nothing!” Vincent declared proudly. “It was a truly mind-boggling battle, with many unexpected twists and turns! I struggled to make heads or tails of it! That’s how amazing it was.”

“Yes, that’s kinda how the match went.” Yuel smiled wryly. “That’s why I can’t say I’m too proud of winning that match.”

“Hey, a win is a win, dude,” Lars insisted. “You beat some awesome opponent, so you should be proud of it.”

“Right...” Yuel reluctantly agreed. He wasn’t so sure that win was worth it if it meant being chased to the ends of the world. There’s no way she started Mancers just to get a revenge match against me, right? Nah, I’m sure I’m overthinking this.

Regardless, the fact Fiona showed interest in a rematch was going to be a pain in the neck. As long as they both continue playing Classmancers in this region, this surely won’t be the last time they cross paths.

But honestly, I’m a little curious. Yuel admitted. How far can she get in this scene?

Fiona was an accomplished competitor in any field she tried her hand in, so Classmancers will probably be no exception. It'll be interesting to see what sort of strategies she'll bring to the table, especially as a fellow chess player.

Perhaps, aside from StormBlitz and the Leopards, the newly formed Valkyries was another major threat to consider this year.

It’s unfortunate, but I can't honestly enjoy having more competition when my future is riding on these regionals. Yuel gulped as he recalled the hasty promise he made with his mother. She allowed Yuel to transfer to Stratus under the condition that he wins the regionals.

But surely, she won’t be entirely unreasonable. If Stratus happens to lose to the Leopards or to StormBlitz, the two powerhouses of the region, then his mother will surely understand. Therefore, Yuel was confident he’d be able to negotiate the terms with her in case that happens.

But, what will happen if Stratus loses to the Valkyries? It was a brand new team, with members who were probably far less experienced than anybody from Stratus. So, losing to them would be a total disgrace.

Mom would kill me. Yuel gulped. I’d really like to be happy about having more competition, but the huge risk makes it difficult to enjoy.

There was also the Invincible Triangle from Taurus, which may or may not take the stage at the regionals. They were a worthy adversary as well, with a very real chance of stumping Stratus in a rematch.

Truly, there were many strong opponents for Stratus to conquer before they can claim the championship. It won’t be a smooth sail, that’s for sure.

But, we’ll win. Yuel clenched his fists. No matter strong all these teams are, as long as I can uncover their weaknesses - we can defeat them.

With that determination, the team proceeded toward the waiting room. However, the entrance was blocked by yet another visitor, this time from StormBlitz…