by Yuu Kamiya
“That’s right, it’s chess in which the pieces have will…”
Chlammy, answering as if she had read Sora’s thoughts.
“The pieces move automatically. All you have to do is command. And they will move as you command.”
“……I see. That’s how it is.”
—Now, this was an annoying game. Sora thought through all the cheats that seemed likely and clucked.
“…What now, Shiro?”
If it were normal chess, Shiro would win unconditionally. But only if it were normal chess. Moreover, it was certain that the opponent had hidden some kind of magic to cheat.
“…Don’t worry… I won’t lose at chess.”
Shiro boldly stepped forward.
—But, first, Sora checked.
“Hey, we can switch in the middle, right?”
“ “—?” ”
Both Chlammy and Shiro looked doubtful.
“Sorry, but we’re a two-in-one player. Plus, it seems that you’re the only one who knows all about this game? Down to its nooks and crannies, you know what I mean?”
Sora, talking while fiddling with his phone in his hand. And Chlammy, peering into Sora’s eyes as if to assess his intention. But Sora’s eyes shed no light on anything.
—Anyone that dumb wouldn’t be able to hold up half of “ .”
“—As you like.”
Whether she was concerned about the phone in Sora’s hand or wary that she’d not been able to read anything. Chlammy spoke as if spitting—but.
“…Brother, you think I’m going to lose…?”
Unexpectedly, the one who raised an argument—was one who was supposed to hold up the other half, his sister.
“Shiro, don’t get too heated. If this were normal chess, there’s not a one-in-a-million chance you’d lose.”
“…Mm.”
Shiro nodded as if this was obvious. And Sora meant it from his heart. There’s no way she’d lose.
—But.
“This isn’t normal chess—even more so than she’s told us.”
“……”
“Don’t forget. We’re two in one; together, we are best. Okay?”
“…I’m sorry. I’ll be careful…”
“Super! Now go give ’em hell!”
With that, he stroked Shiro’s head—and said in a whisper at her ear.
“—I’ll figure out what her cheat is and how to counter it. Meanwhile, you kick her ass.”
Shiro nodded once and slowly sat down at the table. Since the seat was a bit too low for young Shiro, she sat on her heels on top of it, in the traditional seiza floor-sitting style.
“Are you done talking?—In that case, let’s begin; you may make the first move.”
“…—”
Shiro’s brow twitched at the obvious provocation.
To Shiro, who dismissed chess as “just like tic-tac-toe,” this was equivalent to Chlammy saying she would let her win. Because chess, in principle, is a game in which the player who goes first will always win as long as she keeps making the best moves. The player who goes second can only draw if her opponent makes at least one mistake.
“Pawn b2 to b4.”
The words of Shiro, slightly soured, began the game. The chessboard on which the pieces moved not in the players’ hands, but on their own in response to spoken commands. The pawn moved two spaces forward, as the rules permitted only on its first move.
—But Chlammy had said that the pieces had will. It couldn’t be just that they moved on their own—. Heedless of Sora’s such contemplation, Chlammy murmured quietly.
“Pawn Seven, forward.”
The next moment—the pawn that had been named—
moved three spaces forward.
“ “ “—Whaa?!” ” ”
Sora exclaiming, the crowd resounding.
“The pieces have will—didn’t I tell you?”
Chlammy formed a thin grin and explained.
“The pieces move in response to a player’s charisma, authority, leadership…reflecting her qualifications as a monarch—don’t you think it’s a game well suited to decide the actual monarch?”
“—Tsk!”
Sora clucked—but, unperturbed…
“…Pawn d2 to d3.”
…Shiro played on calmly, straightforwardly.
“Oh, is that all? You’re taking your time, aren’t you?”
…But, once Shiro got into a game, provocation was useless. One mustn’t forget that though she had had help from her brother, her overwhelming concentration had even beaten a god.
……And. In fact.
Without agitation at Chlammy’s continued seemingly illegal moves. And without any risks, Shiro continued to move her pieces—
“…No way.”
This was mumbled by Steph, watching the match from beside Sora. But it must have been what everyone in the castle was thinking in their hearts. When Chlammy was moving her pieces in a manner nigh impossible to predict—. Just how was it possible to start to corner her? The hall filled with hubbub. Shiro responded to the pieces’ outrageous movements with divine command. An inhuman calm that made one think, This is what it means to be clear as a lake.
“U-unbelievable… She’s overpowering an opponent who’s practically ignoring the rules?”
“Yeah.”
However, Sora had a calm view of the situation himself.
“But that’s nothing worth getting so worked up about.”
“Huh?”
“It’s like in shogi—well, I don’t know if you have it in this world, but anyway. An elite player can play without rook, bishop, golds, silvers, knights, or lances—in other words, just with king and pawns, and still shut their opponent down… The difference between a master and an intermediate player isn’t a gap that can be closed by breaking a few rules.”
Having said that.
“—But.”
There was still a certain something Sora feared. If, just as Chlammy had said, the key to this game was that the pieces had will. And then—his fear forthwith became reality.
“Pawn Five, forward.”
Shiro’s pawn, thus commanded—
—still did not move.
“…Uh?”
For the first time since the beginning of the match, confusion arose on Shiro’s face. Steph looked likewise confused, but in contrast.
“—Yep, that’s what it is.”
Sora clucked as his prediction hit the mark. So. The key was that in this version of chess, the pieces could move disregarding the rules if you had charisma—but that wasn’t it. It was that if you didn’t have enough charisma, the pieces wouldn’t move. A strategy that wouldn’t normally work if the pieces were real soldiers—namely:
“So, you can’t sacrifice.”
—No soldier normally would gladly die for everyone. It was a maneuver that only became possible with a thorough structure and system of command—or by morale equivalent to insanity. And, if the avenue of “sacrifice” was closed off—
“”
Shiro bit her nails and began to think long for the first time.
…Yes—this would greatly limit future tactics. However, the soldiers of the thinly smiling Chlammy kept moving, in perfect order.
…Though Shiro had been on top, it did not take long for her to begin to be cornered.
—The situation had worsened in a flash. Their morale lost, the pieces ignored her commands yet further, and Shiro began to grow irritable. With the commander’s irritation relaying itself to the troops, forming a vicious circle—.
…In such a situation, there could be no hope.
“…!”
It must have hit her—her chance to win had vanished.
But—it was enough. Shiro had kept up the match as she allowed Sora to focus on observing. Dead eyes, full of self-derision, no matter how you looked at it, no charisma. The movements of Chlammy’s pieces were more than enough to tell him the truth behind the cheating.
—Sora
put his hand on his sister’s head and spoke.
“Shiro, my turn.”
“……”
His sister’s eyes could not be seen beyond the long, white hair over her sunken face. Yet it could be inferred that they contained traces of tears.
—It was only natural. “ ” couldn’t have a loss. Especially not at chess, at which the sister—had never lost once.
“……Brother…I’m sorry.”
“—What’s wrong?”
“………I…lost…I’m…sor…ry.”
With that, Shiro put her face into her brother’s chest. But Sora hugged her head and spoke.
“Huh? What are you talking about; we haven’t lost yet.”
“……”
“The two of us together make Blank—until I lose, we haven’t lost.”
Sora’s words drew Shiro’s eyes up. His face was full of his usual brazen confidence—that there was no way they could fail.
“And, besides, this isn’t chess—when have you ever beat me at this game?”
“…Uh?”
“Aw, just watch—this game is my territory.”
Gwoosh, gwoosh. Sora rubbed the tears from the eyes of his sister, invisible behind her bangs. Her expression was hidden below her head, but it still appeared to be downcast. The sister made as if to withdraw from the seat as she was guided—but Sora stopped her.
“Such a crybaby. A little girl abandoning a game in the middle, and an easygoing brother who thinks he can catch up now… It looks like you two certainly do have the qualities of a monarch. Albeit of a foolish monarch.”
The words of Chlammy were disregarded. As Sora lifted up his sister, who was about to withdraw.
“…?!”
Shiro flinched at being suddenly lifted.
—Sora lifted his sister, who was too light even for a girl of eleven. Sitting at the table, putting her on his lap.
“…?”
“Didn’t I say the two of us are Blank? Stay here. And help me out if I lose my cool.”
Sora opened his mouth heedless of his sister’s blank stare. With a smile, yet with bottomless creepiness, Sora put words to Chlammy.
Namely:
“Hey, bitch.”
“—Could it be…that you mean to address me?”
“I’m gonna twist you down along with your cheats you sold every orifice in your body to the good old Elves for, so you’d better start thinking how you’re gonna word your apology—making my sister cry is gonna cost you dearly, you whore.”
Chlammy’s cheek twitched slightly, but paying no heed. Sora faced the board. Drew in a long, long breath—and.
“Attention—all—troooops!”
To say nothing of the sister on his lap. All the people in the castle hall plugged their ears as Sora shouted so as to shake the walls.
“To those who prove their valor in this fight—
on my royal authority, I shall grant the right
to bang once the woman of your fancy!”
. The castle was overtaken by a silence like the bottom of the sea. The meanings of the silence—doubt, contempt, disbelief. But Sora carried on all the same.
“Moreover! To those of you soldiers who fight on the front lines and emerge victorious, I shall exempt you from further military duty, and from taxes for the rest of your lives! I guarantee you a stipend from the national treasury! Therefore—virgins, die not! And those of you with families, with loved ones awaiting you—all of you men must come back alive!”
The unsurpassably vulgar speech cast a stiller silence over the castle.
But. From the chessboard.
“Hooooooooooooooo!!”
—Such a battle cry resounded. As if in an inverse proportion, the crowd cringed violently. But the speech was still not over.
“Men, soldiers! Heed well my words! This fight is for us—for Elkia, for humans! This fight will determine in whose hands falls this city which is our last fortress—the fate of mankind hangs in the balance! Open your ears! Open your eyes; is it really all right”
Pointing fiercely to his opponent—to Chlammy, he shouted.
“—to entrust the throne of this country to this corpselike, softheaded harlot!”
“Wha—”
And, ignoring the speechless Chlammy, he grabbed the morosely hanging head of his sister. He moved aside her bangs to show her face.
The long, pure white albino hair parted to reveal skin as white as snow. And eyes as red as rubies, as if to suck you in—yet tinged with sadness.
“If we are victorious, she will be queen! Yes, she who just now—out of care for all of you!—hardened her heart to lead you to victory, and shed tears from her heart when you rejected her orders as merciless! I shall ask but once—
“do you yet call yourselves men?”
And, without pausing, he sent orders to a pawn.
“Tell the Seventh Pawn Company! The enemy encroaches from the front! If we hold our ground, we shall be trapped and flanked—Rush on and take the rear!—Seize the initiative!”
With this, as if carried along with his cry. The pawn moved forward two spaces, and then went on behind the enemy pawn—and smashed it.
“Wha—How could that—?!”
As Chlammy lost her composure, Sora smirked back broadly and spoke.
“What’s this, what’s this? It’s just what you were doing; is there something strange about it?”
“—Hnck!”
On Sora’s lap, however, his sister mumbled.
“…But, if this were a real war…with this, the troops would be worn out…couldn’t move for a while.”
“Yes, it’s just as you say—Second Cavalry Squadron! Waste not the path to life the Seventh Pawn Company has carved! Protect the heroes who have carved this path with everything you have!”
And, without waiting for his opponent to take her turn, he fired off yet another notice.
“And, finally, the king and queen! Which means us, but get out there on the front!”
—This command, far-flung from the conventions of chess, opened not only the crowd’s eyes, but even Shiro’s. And that wasn’t all.
“H-hey, hold on! What you think you’re doing, skipping my—!”
—This objection from Chlammy was met by Sora with the eyes used to pity a stray dog.
“Huh? Are you stupid? In a real war, who the hell waits for his opponent’s turn?”
To begin with, the pieces were moving. Which meant his commands were accepted.
“If you’re worried about your turn, all you have to do is send commands faster than me, Miss Dunderhead. ♥”
Sora, shooting back at her as if to say, You got a problem, tell it to the chessboard. Pouring out sophistry like breathing. But—in fact, the pieces were moving. Which meant there was no foul. In which case—
“Nggk—Pawn Companies, advance in order! Build a wall!!”
Chlammy, hastily shooting off orders to fight back. Instantly, Sora spun it against her.
“Ah! Behold these heartless cowards who hide themselves behind a wall of men!”
Even mixing in flamboyant gestures, Sora’s acting was that of a natural as he shouted on.
“What kind of king, what kind of queen, forces their soldiers to fight on the front while they sit back in the rear! A king, a queen—a ruler should be one who shows their people the way!—All of you, follow us, you proud knights, bishops, and rooks! Now is the time to show deeds worthy of your names! Support the pawns, and bring them to promotion!”
—Slandering his opponent’s strategy, he exploited it to boost morale. His speech modeled after real-world propaganda rallied the pieces to move rapidly.
And once more he spoke to Chlammy—and, consequently, the pieces she led.
“Hm—using the Elves’ magic to force up only your own army’s morale—in terms of a real war you might call it—brainwashing?”
“—!”
Chlammy’s expression moved slightly. If she thought that wouldn’t reveal he
was dead-on, she underestimated the man named Sora.
“I see, difficult to prove, yet overwhelmingly advantageous in the progress of this game. The more of a master your opponent is at chess, the less she’ll be able to predict the movements of your pieces, and, unable to sacrifice her pieces, she’ll be thrown into disarray…”
Putting his hand on his sister’s head.
“However, you made a big mistake.”
Then he rang out with another speech.
“In all of history, since time immemorial, there has not been one case of a wise monarch who controlled their army through oppression; the truth is, people will only fight for what is right—and, in this world, there is only one thing that is absolutely right!”
His sister, whose eyes were usually listlessly half-closed. Now subjected to a series of events that made her eyes open wide. He showed that face—with eyes fully open, of a beautiful girl who enchanted everyone who saw her.
“Soldiers, you stand before your queen! If you call yourselves men, bring no more tears to these eyes!”
—As if in response. Once more from the board came a skin-shaking roar.
“—That’s right… Cute is the sole absolute law of this world.”
Embracing his sister on his lap, Sora said it boldly. The board alone echoed back, creating a chilling imbalance with the hall—but that was disregarded. For the people of this world, ignorant of war, could not know.
—The reason men put their lives on the line to fight was the same in any world. It was for those they loved. It was for the honor to attract those they loved. Put bluntly, without decoration:
—It was for sexy time…and that alone…
“!—Pawn Five! Smash the enemy knight!”
The pawn commanded by Chlammy moved to attack his knight—but. Sora held his sister on one side, stood from his chair, waved his arm, and yelled!
“Honored knights, will you allow your knighthoods bestowed upon you by the grace of your queen to be overthrown by common infantry? In the name of your queen, and on your knighthood, I permit you not to die! You face mere footmen; they know no skill but backstabbing! Turn, step back, and hold the line—clear a path by your sword and your shield!”
With that, the pawn that should have been attacking not only failed to capture the knight—but was pulverized just before it could.
