Chapter 7 - Chess Prodigy

Under the clear sky, while Thesmophoros's duchy is glimmering with beauty, the garden where a tea party is hosted is filled to the brim with nobles and commoners alike.

Not to mention, because a hundred guards in fancy clothing have been dispatched to this mansion to serve as a security measure, this tea party is nowhere near as simple as one would expect for an ordinary event.

For a party, there's a need for guests. As such, nobles were greeted by a letter handwritten by Lady Kore herself.

To no one's surprise, everyone was pleased by having the opportunity to visit Duchess Thesmophoros' duchy or simply perhaps yearn for a chance to experience Thesmophoros' vast amount of wealth and luxury.

In all honesty, it's an opportunity to build connections with high-ranking people, but it's also a desire to have a casual conversation with Kore, the daughter of Duchess Thesmophoros.

Leaving the nobles aside, commoners were, for obvious reasons, astonished by the dozens of notices on the bulletin boards permitting others to take part in a tea party as they so wished.

Even when they are sealed with skepticism, some of them are courageous enough to have what it takes to attend a noble's tea party.

In addition to that, the tea party is more than just a safe and humble place where every guest can enjoy their tea time with safety in mind. Many people gather here not to enjoy their cup of tea but to exercise their skills at chess.

As one can see, while the garden is overflowing with Mother Nature's flowers and plants, there are a fair number of tables. Not only that, each of these tables was provided with an alluring chess board and hourglasses, alongside a dozen desserts and tea to set one's mind at ease.

In the beginning, before the tea party had time to proceed, the one who had hosted this wonderful entertainment stood inside a majestic garden nook.

She has the appearance of a true maiden, while the flora around her seems as if she's one with nature itself. The earthiness of her brown hair ties together as it stretches with waviness below her waist.

While the attention to detail with the roses in her hair is quite appealing, it pales in comparison to her gaze, since a mere glimpse of her eyes has enticed the guests' focus.

Her forest green eyes have drawn everybody's attention, and none can escape from her charming glance. It wasn't until her lips moved that everyone pulled themselves back to reality.

"Greetings, everyone. I am the hostess, Kore Thesmophoros." Kore speaks with an enchanting smile.

"As you all already know, I invited you all here to display your knowledge of chess at this modest tea party."

"You may be wondering if I hosted this clearly because of the peace treaty's condition. In fact, the Emperor has permitted me to host this type of occasion."

"As his majesty wished not to cause an uproar nor a fuss, he has ordered me to host this to allow anyone the chance to meet the Emperor and be allowed to go against the Underworld's chess representative."

"Of course, if, by chance, you win and desire not to represent the empire, you will be greatly rewarded for your participation and time during this event."

In the end, many of the attendees had an exasperated expression on their faces as though they were devoured by their confidence. Of course, Olympians, the citizens of the Olympus Empire, have discerning eyes for chess.

It's only natural for them to exhibit some form of faith in their abilities. Not only that, the opportunity to have an audience with the emperor himself is fairly tempting from the perspective of commoners and nobles alike.

However, there are exceptions to the excitement. Even though the rewards are enticing to those simple-minded people, others think otherwise.

‘Why a tea party? Shouldn't there be an official match, a national tournament, or something?’ A well-dressed peasant woman thought.

‘The emperor agreed to this?’

‘What will become of the peace treaty if the emperor behaves this way?’ A nobleman ponders.

Even so, none of these thoughts serve any harm to the thinkers themselves. It's purely the emperor's actions that are causing concern for these people while their curiosity engulfs them completely.

"What should I do? I'm sure there's a limit to all of this." A commoner asks after raising his hand.

"Indeed, there is. When the sun sets, the conclusion to this tea party will be the winner's announcement." Kore responds nicely.

"If that's how it is, how many times do I play to be the winner, like you said, Lady Kore?"

 

"That's quite a good question, thank you. In any case, you must make it your goal to reach 11 wins in chess."

 

At the end of Kore's words, relief saturated the atmosphere as though they had expected nothing more would come out of Kore's lips until...

 

"Certainly, it would be an easy feat to achieve 11 wins. To not bore you with this, I shall be your opponent at the end of your journey."

 

"If you manage to beat me at chess, your chance of an audience with the emperor is solidified."

 

Speaking as though Kore wasn't fazed by the astonishment on her guests' faces, a pleasing smile was on her face while the sight and voices of others speaking to themselves caused the area to be filled to the brim with endless chatter.

 

—Bustling!

 

"Lady Kore, as an opponent?" A noblewoman mumbles.

 

"I get to play against Lady Kore?! I see an opportunity!" A merchant in the crowd gasps with the future in mind.

 

"Wow… Haha, I'm sure I'm going to lose if she's the last opponent." A sensible commoner let out a chuckle.

 

Be that as it may, there isn't always a positive impression of people who deem this event ridiculous, since they judged Kore with a malicious attitude. The positive reactions to Kore's tea party and statements have surprisingly elicited negative responses.

 

"How do we know if the commoners use foul play?"

 

A woman's voice, which is attempting to overcome Kore's, is resonating in the crowds of nobles. Disregarding those, the most crucial of all was the distinct tone of disdain in this lady's voice.

 

There's not an ounce of pleasantry, yet despite that, her insolence to display such ill intentions in front of a crowd expresses how envious she must be of Kore.

 

"Oh, dear… I do apologize for not mentioning the utmost importance. However, as you can see, the emperor has permitted me to utilize a portion of the Imperial Knights to toughen the security." Kore grins and continues without lending a word to the unmannered lady.

"The Imperial Knights must be reliable with their reputable name in the Olympus Empire to the point where a glimpse of their uniforms puts others at ease. Yet, you weren't exhibiting any dependability in his majesty's most trusted and faithful knights."

The sharp statement, accompanied by her pitiful expression, had attracted everyone's attention. Chills from a glimpse of a smile from Kore have delivered shivers down the jealous woman's spine.

Green with envy can lead a human's life to its demise, and in this very moment, to witness such a fate from this noblewoman has piqued the focus of others, leading to conversations behind her back.

"I can't believe she dares to doubt the Imperial Knights."

"How uneducated she is to not know about this!"

"She must be new to society, but even that was senseless of her."

—Murmur..

"I can't believe a noble doesn't know this information about the knights."

"Even a commoner like me knows that much!"

—Mumbling..

"I quite have had it with her nonsense. How much does she desperately wish to sour her reputation?"

"Truly, I would be embarrassed if I were in her position."

Painting the ambiance with limitless whispers has overwhelmed the foolish noblewoman to her core. It's sufficient to give rise to a tremble in the woman's hands.

Nevertheless, this tea party requires a positive atmosphere to attain perfect relaxation. But to whom will this situation be soothed and temporarily save the envious woman?

"Everyone, I have yet another prominent announcement to make."

A clap caused by Kore's gentle hands caught every one of her guests' concentration. Not to mention, two silhouettes appeared to be standing behind Kore not a minute ago.

"Let me introduce everyone to these individuals behind me." Kore says, extending her hand toward her right.

"This gentleman over here is Duchess Thesmophoros' heir as well as my younger brother, Plutus Thesmophoros."

One step at a time, the figure of a man soon became clearer for every attendee to witness his appearance.

The resemblance of the fair shade of a yellow diamond in his eyes, together with the hair of the lightest brunette, formed the look of a person standing side by side with Kore.

Without a word from him, Plutus engraves a smile on his face while waving his hard-working hand wrapped in a glove toward the people.

"And as for the final person, the countess of the Cyllenian county, Lady Hermes Cyllenian, has graced us with her presence."

On the left side of Kore, a woman with a grand entrance in her extravagant gown appeared right beside Kore and in front of the dazed crowd.

Through her eyes, dyed violet like a crocus flower, she glances at everyone with a magnificent grin as her hair flows down to her waist with a golden hue.

"Greetings to those who are eager to participate in this occasion. I, Hermes, and Lord Plutus have agreed to be the arbiters of this momentous event." Hermes steps forth.

"If possible, I shall do my utmost to ensure a well-mannered environment for our guests and solidly maintain the integrity of the game." Plutus gives his word.

"As such, there's no need for unrest. Since we're here to judge those who play chess fairly, please pay no heed to our watchful gazes." Her hand on her chest, Hermes speaks once more.

With that said, time is ticking, and yet not a single piece of chess has been moved on the chessboard or touched on.

"Isn't it time to begin this wonderful tea party?" Kore utters a clap to attract the people's attention once more.

"I agree, Lady Kore." Hermes nods.

"Then, without further ado, I hereby declare the start of this occasional event!"

 —-------

In a blink of an eye, a room once filled with chatter was now overflowing with tranquility when the beginning of this tea party proceeded with no further issues.

From nobles to commoners having a go with each other while Hermes and Plutus spectate from afar, the attendees appear to be doing well in their own space.

However, when one is in a calming atmosphere, one's guard will lower little by little as relaxation hits them. That is to say, no one can hide their arrogant selves from the public while enjoying their moment of peace.

—Chattering..

The one who has made a fool of herself during Kore's speeches has now taken up a challenge against a commoner. It seems there's no end to this peculiar lady of noble status.

Without a shred of mercy towards her opponent, this noblewoman has defeated a meek man with her imperious hands in their game. 

At that very moment, the commoner who faced a formidable foe led to a path of devastation. Not only did he learn of an important detail within this match, but he also fully grasped the sheer concentration and mindset of a noble to be comparably different than that of a commoner. 

Despite being a normal man, he has taught himself chess through the guidance of books and matches of his fellow friends. With his faith in his chess, the natural understanding of his capabilities is already ingrained in his mind.

It wasn't until this man witnessed the contrast between him and this noblewoman. In the end, the commoner was overwhelmed by his lack of pedigree. 

When the nearby commoners witnessed this with their very eyes, they felt a sense of anxiety rushing through their veins after crossing their eyes with this noblewoman.

"Who is she?"

"Everyone else is playing calmly... Is there a reason for her to act like that?!"

"Right! I know her! She's Lady Narcissa!"

"Oh my gosh! Why didn't I not know it sooner?! The air around Lady Narcissa says it all!"

"Dammit.. I had better keep my distance from her."

"Yeah. I ain't getting myself involved with a person like her. She's bad news for everyone."

"I know, right? Not even Lady Kore was enough for Lady Narcissa to stop!"

After the peasants silently speak to one another, they proceed to have a casual break to themselves while their decision to be further away from Narcissa is put into place. It's to such an extent that no one has gone to challenge this noblewoman.

—CHATTERING!

Except for a certain girl.

"The winner is Caissa Thea Skaki, the commoner!" Hermes takes her time to declare the result for others to hear before removing herself from the area to oversee another table.

"Oh my god! Who is she?"

"She won against that noblewoman!?"

"This is unbelievable!"

—Muttering..

"A commoner came out victorious? To a noble as well?"

"Yet again. How shameless of her to lose against a mere commoner."

"Oh my. Look at her running after receiving an utter defeat at the hands of a commoner."

"I must say... This Caissa person, who might she be?"

Shimmering platinum blonde hair coupled with the resemblance of a gray diamond through the gaze of her irises makes her appear to be a teenager, yet her opponents, who are twice her age, have fallen prey to her tactics.

In spite of her youthful appearance, this teenager's beauty is on par with that of a noblewoman. However, her looks cannot surpass the constant skincare and cosmetics regimen of a wealthy lady.

‘One of the greatest gifts a person can give is the gift of attention. But how can one be grateful when such a gift is thrown at them?’

With the name ‘Caissa Thea Skaki’, a sip of tea soothes Caissa's throat as the sun bestows on her a warming sensation. Before long, the cupcakes on her plate soon diminished as the lingering flavor of them lay dormant on her tongue.

A taste never before savored by Caissa. The food on the table was as delicious as it seemed, and one by one, her stomach was filled to the brim with food that she had relished.

For someone of her status, Caissa has worked numerous times to earn her way through life. Her money, to be used rightfully, was spent to make a living, but was it a life worth living sometimes?

A mother who Caissa has never before seen, and a father who is far from her sight after leaving her on her own…

It is regrettable for a girl her age to be experiencing such hardships throughout her life. And while Caissa pondered if it was simply a dream tormenting her of an untouched future, she dared not fall prey to her thoughts as her father's words on a piece of paper reminded her clearly of what to look forward to.

Bite after bite, when the memories of eating stale bread no longer persist, Caissa welcomes the sweet with open arms, which lends a satisfying smile to her face.

Be that as it may, it was only a moment when the hand of someone resting upon the opposite seat appeared to lay waste to Caissa's wondrous mood.

Even to this point, Caissa had never wholly enjoyed relishing her time at this once-in-a-lifetime tea party. As a consequence of the reasons behind others' stares—glares of awe and displeasure—She was unable to fully grasp her sweet moment of peace. And it looks like the curiosity within one's mind has caused the people in front of Caissa to come forth.

"Pardon me, is this seat taken?"

With an unexpected entrance, Caissa averts her eyes from the reflection on her tea to the lady upfront. While this lady's look is as pure as it may be, Caissa has already pieced together the truth behind this lady's pretentious smile.

"No one." Caissa rhetorically answers.

After a light nod, Caissa returns her gaze to her tea where the sound of a creaking chair being moved can be heard. Without a moment to sip her tea, her glance shifts back to the lady who is now sitting on the seat.

At present, a maid is currently setting up the table before preparing tea for someone. It's honestly quite obvious to whom the tea is being served from Caissa's perspective.

After all, the woman on the opposite side of Caissa is sipping her tea with graceful etiquette as one would expect from a noble birth.

"You must be Caissa Thea Skaki, correct?"

In no time at all, this noblewoman had paused her teatime to find pleasure in a one-sided conversation between herself and Caissa. Though Caissa had not spoken, it seemed as if this noblewoman preferred to continue her talk without a slight delay.

"You may not have heard of me. Thus, I shall introduce myself."

"I am Earl Constance's eldest daughter, Claudia Constance."

At Claudia's words, her maid had pardoned herself to refill Caissa's plate of sweets. With neither a puzzled expression nor a questionable gaze toward the maid, Caissa firmly placed her gaze upon Claudia.

"Do not mind my maid, Miss Caissa. She's simply lending you a helping hand. Alora, come here."

"Yes, my lady."

From how Claudia smiled at Caissa, the latter lucidly responded with a grin on her face. From one's perspective, they all see a noblewoman with a charming smile before they succumb to her hidden scheme.

And that's why Caissa won't allow herself to be fooled by a mere noblewoman's trick. To be fair, it's purely childish in Caissa's eyes as a result of her countless times faced with foul plays in her past of earning a living surrounded by cunning adults.

"She looks like a child." Caissa comments.

At the same time, Claudia is giggling to herself and being entertained through small talk with her maid. Unbeknownst to her, she is unaware of Caissa's observant glance as the former only sees a harmless grin on the latter's face.

"Mind I ask if you're willing to partake in a game of chess with me?"

"Pardon?" 

Beyond belief, what one would have expected was denied by the voice of not Claudia, but Caissa. To think Caissa is firmly asking for a challenge from a noblewoman shows how straight-to-the-point she is.

"I assume you mean a challenge? Very well."

"However, I'll oblige if the defeated one wagers something of value to the victor." 

Not a mere mention of the word wager, and Caissa had already figured out what would flow out of Claudia's lips. After all, it was within her expectations.

"I see." Caissa responds calmly.

"Then shall we begin?"

In a blink of an eye, the crowded table of sweets and tea became spacious with a chessboard. Not to mention, this board of chess was laid down in the hands of Alora, Claudia's maid.

‘She intends to beat me, it seems.’ Caissa muses.

Although there wasn't a word nor an order to Alora, for a maid to proceed as she pleases straight in front of her lady is quite suspicious. From the removal of teacups to the placement of the chessboard, everything was done in an arranged manner, seemingly like Alora and Claudia had come prepared.

"Isn't that Lady Claudia? What's she doing?"

"My word! Lady Claudia is going against that commoner?!"

"Another noble?! She's kicking it! That Caissa person!"

"Hey! Let's get closer! I want to see her play!"

At present, a crowd of people has gathered to surround Caissa and Claudia, which prompts the curiosity of those who are disinterested to follow suit.

Whereas a few dozen are minding their time amusing themselves with their game of chess, a plentiful number of commoners and nobles alike had their eyes peeled for Caissa's potential.

"Let's have a fun match, shall we?" Claudia says with a conceited expression.

"Hmm." Caissa murmurs to herself.

"...?" 

"Yes, we shall." Caissa puts a welcoming smile on her face.

 

—-------

How long has time passed since the match between Caissa and Claudia? It had only been a couple of minutes before the conclusion of the match emerged.

In the blink of an eye, a piece of a pawn was captured. On the other hand, a bishop that was being held within the palm of someone was soon on the opposite side of the chess board after falling prey to its enemies.

With the losses aside, Black's king is cornered as far as the left side of the back, while Black's pawns are doing their best by defending their king in the front. Together with the Black's rook stationed at the far left of the king, this was the worst possible situation to be in!

( Black : Kb8, a7, b7, b8, and Ra8. )

During all of this, White is confronting Black with their knight, who is armed to defeat Black's pawns. Even if one of Black's pawns were to move to land an attack on White's knight, it would be all for naught, as it would only give rise to an opening for an enemy attack on Black's king.

( White : Nb6. ) 

When one thought White would move their knight to break through one of Black's pawns, that thought was brought to naught after a certain piece emerged from nowhere and positioned itself to where Black's king resides!

( White : Queen was on g4 before Qc8. )

"Checkmate."

Leaving no space or escape, Black's king is now fazed by White's queen, who is positioned right beside it!

Unable to issue a move, Black is now trapped within a check as they cannot capture White's knight, since the former's king is utterly cornered by the latter's queen.

As such, the outcome of this match has crowned White's commander as the victor after unleashing a truly outstanding smothered checkmate!

"So brutal." Someone says.

"That was quite a game. The knight-queen tandem is terrifying."

"I didn't know that was about to happen. I'm very shocked!"

Even while the colors of the chess pieces are revealed, how can one be sure of who is the genius behind each color's commands? Who has made Black's King feel helpless?

"Victory is always by my side." Caissa spoke subtly.

"How did you do that? Is it even possible to have such a beautiful match?"

"Thank you for the compliment, Lady Constance."

At that moment after her speech, Caissa's hand moves to where her white queen is, holding it gently as the sight of Claudia's dumbfoundment engraves a smile on the former's face.

‘You shouldn't have accepted my request.’

With a thought like that, Caissa later appears to be taking a sip of her newly brewed tea, disregarding the baffled Claudia who is in a daze.

Apart from that, others have witnessed this game of chess from start to finish. Their glances of amazement are wholly directed towards Caissa, who has won against another noble, leaning her closer to the opportunity of challenging Kore.

"That commoner won?"

"What an absurd and beautiful game!"

"This is truly unprecedented!"

"Woooo! Yeah! Go get 'em, Caissa!"

"I wonder who she's going for next! Keep winning, Caissa! Great game!"

Not only that, there is more to the astonishment everyone is currently feeling than meets the eye. The explanation as to how many of every one of her moves were made in the chess match was already acknowledged by the precision and tactics Caissa used.

When Caissa's strategies and moves were precisely played out, her incredible match and her ways of handling each of the pieces were done with elegance and precision.

Beyond doubt, even though Caissa had attracted the attention of nobles and commoners alike, she was composed under their glances. And because of that, an emotion can easily be defined by Caissa when she senses how people stare at her.

From the sweet joy and admiration to the ruffling feathers of anger and expectation, all of these emotions were visible in Caissa's eyes. And speaking of eyes, the glances of bewilderment and envy didn't need a word to understand those emotions.

And as a result, Caissa comprehended what was on everyone's minds minutes after her match. Be that as it may, there were a few gazes that left an impression on Caissa.

Where an individual can be read through their behavior and expression alone, Caissa is now looking at others who are capable of hiding their intentions. It was as if they had grown proficient in the ways of falsehood.

In her whole life, Caissa got by with the simplest tricks and mind-boggling ploys. With a brain that is above average, she used it to her advantage during her childhood. Even so, it is honestly a joke to those people who are gazing at her with hidden motives.

This sudden and unforeseen moment gives Caissa an opportunity to understand that there were others far greater than her. Not even a mere teenage lifetime can compare to the people who have trained themselves for their entire lives.

Even at a loss for words, Caissa forces herself to regain composure and accepts that reality is always full of surprises. With that in mind, she was now eager to learn who these people were and what they planned to do with her.

 

Nevertheless, this is not the time to be entertained by such thoughts. Seeing how Claudia has remained speechless up until now, it's wise to leave this situation before an omen appears from this noble lady.

 

"It was such a delight to play with you. If I can be honest, I'll say I had a marvelous time."

 

"..what?"

 

"In any case, I have to excuse myself now, Lady Constance. And as for the wager, I hope to play with you again." Caissa switches to her usual smile.

 

Claudia pauses for a second. "..Gladly."