CHAPTER 3
EXPERT
Evening—Great Hall, Elkia Royal Castle.
There, where it appeared that the final match to decide the monarch had ended, in front of the throne, were a small table and a pair of chairs. One person sat there, surrounded by a crowd that packed the hall.
—Sitting at the table, with folded arms and a blank expression, with black clothes and a black veil as if for a funeral, with an emptiness about her that somehow suggested a corpse, was a girl with long black hair. Yes…it was that girl—the one who’d cheated to eliminate Steph at the tavern.
An old man wrapped in official-looking garb spoke.
“—This woman, Chlammy Zell, has in the end emerged victorious in the battle to decide the crown… Is there anyone left who would challenge her?”
The hall only murmured. It seemed there was no one who would challenge her. It was as expected—for Chalmmy had so far won every match she fought. At this point there could be no one who expected to defeat her. Chlammy, closing her eyes upon these facts and casting a still deeper emotionless shadow over her expressionless face. Seeing this, the old man continued.
“—Then, in accordance with the will of the late king—I shall crown Chlammy as the new Queen of Elkia. If there be anyone among you who may object, speak now; if not, your silence shall—”
“Oh, yeah, here! Objection! Objection!”
At that voice which rang out to interrupt the speech, the black-haired girl’s—Chlammy’s—eyes opened. The eyes of the stirring crowd all turned at once to the source of the voice. And there stood a butler and a girl with long, white hair—Sora and Shiro, raising their hands.
“Right, right. We have an objection, we two.”
“…Mm.”
“…Who are you?”
Chlammy looked at them expressionlessly, then moved her eyes behind them.
“—Servants of Stephanie Dola?”
Behind the two, Steph’s shoulders jolted. And, emotionlessly, but with a trace of ridicule, Chlammy spoke.
“…You disqualified yourself by losing to me, and now you send your servants? Truly, your inability to accept defeat is unsightly…” Chlammy said, making no attempt to conceal her scorn. But Sora stepped up lightly and replied:
“—Aha-ha, you’re in no place to talk about that, are you?”
“—Whatever do you mean?”
“Well, you know, really, I’m not that interested in the royal throne and such; it seems like it would be a drag.”
As Sora spoke, scratching his head, looking like he really thought it was a drag, Chlammy squinted.
“…Then would you please leave my sight? This is no place to bring children to play.”
Sora smiled and continued. “But, you know,” he said, sharpening his gaze.
“It’s no place to give the throne to a charlatan backed by another country either, now, is it?”
This line made a stir in the castle.
—Another country?—What’s this about? Ignoring such voices, Sora asked so only Shiro could hear.
“—You find ’em?”
In Shiro’s hand was the phone Sora had used the previous day to capture the tavern. Shiro answered with the number of people who were in the photos displayed on the screen and also in this hall.
“…Four.”
“How many of them have their ears hidden?”
“…One.”
“Bingo. Point in sync with me.”
“…Mm.”
As the siblings plotted, Steph spoke up.
“Hey—wh-what’s this about another country?”
Steph whispered this to Sora, who answered disgustedly.
“You still don’t get it? Okay, hypothetically, all right? Hypothetically—”
And then, loudly:
“Hypothetically, if someone who won using magic by colluding with an Elf were to become the monarch, this country would be screwed, right?”
The din in the castle finally began to take on a note of fear. As Sora watched, he wondered, Hadn’t anyone figured it out?
“…Well, if no one can catch on to such a glaring flaw, it’s only natural that humans would get their asses kicked.”
“—You there.”
…Quietly standing up, Chlammy walked toward Sora. With a face from which feeling was obscured even further by the veil, and with a strangely intimidating presence.
“Are you trying to say that I’m using magic to cheat?”
“Oh, my. Didn’t you hear me say ‘hypothetically’? Or did I hit a nerve?”
But it was as if he didn’t even feel her presence. Brushing it off like a leaf, Sora’s provocation was clear. But he must have had absolute confidence.
“—Very well. If you object, then I shall certainly give you your game!”
“Thaaanks! I’d sure appreciate it! But—”
As Chlammy tried to take out her cards, Sora cut her off.
“If you want to play poker—it would be better if you got rid of your partner over there.”
As Sora said this with a smile, Shiro took his cue and pointed. The din quieted like a wave that had broken, and all eyes turned in that direction. Chlammy and the man pointed to slightly tensed their faces at the same time. That little change was more than enough to show Sora that he was dead-on.
“Whatever are you talking about?”
“Oh, really? Then will someone take off that guy’s hat?”
The man pointed to took a step back, but the crowd around him slowly drew off his hat. Two ears popped out.
—The kind you always see in fantasy—that’s right, the long ears of an Elf.
It-it’s an Elf!
The crowd murmured.
Hey, wait…what if that guy’s actually right—
The crowd murmured more loudly.
That bitch, she was cheating with magic?!
“Oh, my dear cool-beauty-wannabe charlatan, aren’t you going to save your friend?”
Though Sora teased her, Chlammy did not change her expression.
“—How many times must I tell you? I have no idea what you speak of.”
“Oh, okay. So we can kick him out, no problem, right?”
Sora beamed and flicked his hand a couple of times so as to dismiss the man to the outside. And, once again, he faced Chlammy and pulled out another phone—Shiro’s phone.
“All right, you ready for some poker?”
Launching an app or two on the phone, Sora played around with a smile.
—A few seconds of silence. Then Chlammy, still expressionless, closed her eyes and spoke.
“—I see you found an Elf to collude with to put me up as a magic-using enemy of the human race…is that it?”
“Huh, you think up some pretty good excuses. Or did you have it reserved?”
Though Sora continued with his provocations, Chlammy kept speaking.
“—But if that’s how you want to play, I have my pride.”
Still letting no expression through, while staring daggers through her veil, through Sora.
“Please go ahead and send that Elf wherever you like. And then—let us play a game ideal for demonstrating true skill, with no part for cheating to play.”
But Sora grinned back as if her stare, her proposal were just what he was expecting.
“That’s fine. Fifth of the Ten Covenants: ‘The party challenged shall have the right to determine the game’—eh, I won’t ask why you declined to play poker, though. I’m such a nice guy. ?”
Sora turned his phone camera to Chlammy and snapped a picture.
“Hmm, you’re not very photogenic, you know? You’d really look cuter if you smiled a little more.”
And he showed her the picture on his screen. Chlammy’s piercing stare was met by Sora’s eyes as if peering in.
—Those eyes, peering in as if seeing through everything. Chlammy felt a slight chill—.
Chlammy, having said she’d go home and get a game ideal for demonstrating true skill or something, said to wait a bit and left the castle. Sora and company, for their part, decided to wait in the sunset of the castle courtyard. As Sora and Shiro sat on a bench and waited, playing with their phones, Steph looked about. Checking that no one was around, and then posing a question to Sora as if she’d been waiting forever.
“—D-does that mean she used magic on me?!”
“…Hey—you’re too loud!”
Steph didn’t seem to get why they had moved.
—But it did seem she had finally grasped the truth of the cheating that had defeated her. Especially knowing that the cheating was based on magic, her feelings were understandable. But Sora thought of something else and answered absently.
“Yeah, that’s right… To be precise, that Elf of hers did, I guess.”
“Wh-what kind of magic?”
What kind of magic had they used? And how could Sora, a mere human, have seen through it? Another question was that thing they were using. Some tool from their world—could it detect magic? Steph waited for the answer with expectant eyes, but what came back—
“Who knows? I sure don’t.”
—betrayed her expectations entirely. Ignoring Steph as she gaped speechless, Sora answered calmly.
“There’s no question she’s cheating. In the tavern, we saw her playing you, but the composition of her hands was obviously nonrandom. Shiro and I both noticed right away.”
“…Shiro noticed.”
“You’re such a stickler, my sister…well, whatever.”
—The day before, at the tavern on the first floor of the inn. Inside Steph and Chlammy had played poker, and outside Sora had cheated while playing the very same game of poker; the pronouncement he’d made on the matter had been absolute. But—
“But there’s no way I could figure out how she’s doing it. I don’t know anything about magic.”
“………”
Sora answered indifferently as Steph froze with her mouth half open.
“Man, that magic is something. If they’re altering your memory or reprinting the face-down cards or something, there’s no way you can prove that; hell, there’s no way you can win. If humans can’t detect it, then you ain’t gonna discover it.”
“?Wai—”
Steph, apparently finally recovered from paralysis, shook her head, and interrogated him.
“Wait a minute, then how are you supposed to win!”
“Huh? You can’t win.”
Sora responded casually and decisively as Steph stood speechless once again.
“Who’s gonna face that? That’s certain failure—you don’t even have a one-in-a-million chance to win.”
But, before Steph recovered again and started shouting, he added further.
“Duh, that’s why we avoided that.”
“—Huh?”
Sora shifted his posture to face Steph directly and spoke.
“Okay, I’m gonna make this as simple as possible, all right?”
“V-very well…”
“First of all, this is a free-for-all tournament to decide the monarch. Whoever wins will be the representative of Immanity.”
“Yes…”
“But the plan is flawed. Because it leaves room for other countries to intervene.”
“—Yes. I suppose, so…”
Steph averted her eyes, chagrined she’d not realized this on her own until it was pointed out.
—Indeed, with the system of an unconditional free-for-all tournament, human-undetectable cheating could be used, by another country, to let someone win and form a puppet government. Humans were then doomed to fail in the running and to die as a race. The plan was full of holes. The epitome of foolishness.
“—So, this isn’t a battle of individuals. It’s a battle of countries, of diplomacy. Got it?”
“Uh, yes…I take your meaning.”
“Now, these…Elves, right? They’re trying to take advantage of this to install a puppet monarch—but surely you don’t think that the Elves are the only ones who would think of this?”
“—W-well…”
“Surely other countries have thought of it. Whether they’ve carried it out or not, it’s very likely.”
Which meant—.
“We just have to take advantage of that and make them think we’re one of them.”
Playing with his phone in his hand, Sora smiled mischievously.
“Now that we’ve shown her a device she didn’t figure the humans had and made her think that we saw through the Elf’s magic with it, she’ll be shouldered with the risk that if she uses obvious magic, we’ll expose and disqualify her right away. Plus, we cast doubt on the actual user and drove him out—”
“In—in that case—we can expect a match with no cheating!”
Steph’s face lit up, but Sora dropped his shoulders with a look of disgust.
“—For God’s sake, how mushy is your brain?”
“Wh-why am I being censured?!”
“Weren’t you listening? I said the idea that another country might intervene is conceivable. Which means we can assume that they’ve already taken the possibility of people like us into account.”
“Oh……”
Then Sora brought his thoughts back to their original line and considered.
“—The enemy must have one ready. You know, a cheat that will put them ahead even in this situation.”
…And then Steph’s words rang in Sora’s mind.
“Steph, you said Immanity can’t use magic, but it can use games that use magic, right?”
“Uh, yes…”
Hmm…Sora’s face cleared as if the answer to his ruminations had appeared.
“You said Elf is best at magic, right? Then they must have anticipated a challenge from a country with the technology to detect magic and prepared a game with more complicated, hard-to-reveal cheat magic—that’s probably what they went to get.”
But Steph’s face clouded at these words.
“Th-that’s… Doesn’t that make things even worse?”
“—What? What do you mean?”
“Huh? I mean, if they’re using more complicated, hard-to-reveal cheating magic—”
Sora sighed for the umpteenth time today.
“Look here—for pure, mere humans like us, the greatest threat is simple magic, like if they were to mess with us directly by altering our memories or viewing our vision. ’Cause we wouldn’t know. But, if their game is assuming they’re playing a country to whom that doesn’t apply, they can’t do that.”
In other words, the game would look fair on the surface. But hide a mechanism that would give them an overwhelming advantage. And it would be unperceivable—which meant that they wouldn’t mess with them directly. Certainly, they’d hide an overwhelmingly advantageous cheat. But it wouldn’t be an unbeatable cheat like what they used for the poker game with Steph. A bluff to make them bring out that game: That was what the phone was for. So far, everything was going well.
“B-but…”
Steph, seeming to have finally gotten it, gave an on-the-mark opinion for the first time.
“Even so—doesn’t that mean we’ll still be at an overwhelming disadvantage?”
“Sure it does. Is there a problem with that?”
But Sora responded calmly, drawing close to Shiro, who was sitting on the bench.
“As long as the game is possible to win in principle, ‘lose’ isn’t in Blank’s dictionary.”
“…Mm.”
Shiro nodded in agreement, having just shut out a shogi app on the highest difficulty.
—Then…Shiro turned, responding to something. The shadow that approached—it took a while to realize that it was Chlammy.
“…Oh, crap, you don’t think she heard us?”
Sora muttered in a voice only Shiro could hear, and Shiro nodded, as if to say, It’s okay. Then Chlammy’s first words backed it up.
“—Let me ask you straight-out. Whose spies are you?”
Sora sighed in relief inside. But, instead of showing it, he grinned.
“Oh, you see, we’re actually from that country—ha, you think we’d answer? Are you stupid?”
“—I won’t give you this country.”
“I’m quite aware of that, ma’am. After all, yooouuu wanna give it to the Elllves, right?”
“…No.”
Though Sora continued his grinning provocation, Chlammy put it down with stern eyes.
“I won’t give it to anyone. Our country belongs to us.”
“?Hmmm?”
To Sora’s My, I didn’t expect that prompt, Chlammy declared firmly:
“I took Elf’s help in order to guarantee humans a place to live—I’m sure you can’t imagine the complexity of the contracts I exchanged for this… As soon as we’ve secured the minimum territory we need—I will break with Elf.”
—Holy crap… The urge to clutch his head in frustration was too great even for Sora to resist. Letting out a sincerely pained chuckle, he said:
“You’re telling this plan to someone who might be a spy for another country? Are you stupid? Do you want to die?”
But Chlammy glared at Sora with eyes full of confidence that could be seen even through the veil.
“… Regardless of what country you’re spying for, there’s no chance you can beat me.”
“—Hmmm, that’s some confidence you’ve got there.”
“It’s just a fact. The magic of the world’s largest country, Elven Gard—the magic of the Elves—cannot be overcome by any race. That’s why, if you face this one greatest country head-on, you lose. There are no exceptions.”
…Hm.
“…If you still consider yourself Immanity—”
Chlammy, softening her stern gaze, looking into Sora’s eyes.
“If you still feel anything for this country, for Immanity, I want you to give up your spying and forfeit this match. I swear I will not allow the Elves to make me their puppet.”
“…”
As Sora quietly took in her words, she came to the brink of pleading.
“—We can’t use magic, or even detect it—that’s us, Immanity.”
From the expression hidden under the black veil, Chlammy let through a shade of anguish.
“For us to survive in this world, we must obtain the right to live under the protection of a great country, and then abandon all contests and close ourselves off entirely—this is the only way. Surely you see?”
…Hm. According to the Ten Covenants, the party challenged had the right to determine the game. Indeed, if they were to accept the help of the most powerful race and obtain a certain domain, refusing all contests and isolating themselves would be an efficient and effective strategy. In exchange for gaining nothing, they would lose nothing. It was like how, in shogi, the most powerful formation is one that doesn’t move. But, on the other hand—
“…Hmm, I see… Not a bad plan. I see what you’re saying…”
“Then you will forfeit this match for me…”
As Chlammy closed her eyes gratefully—
“But I
refuse.”
Sora responded with words that opened her eyes up.
“—May I…hear your reasoning?”
“Heh-heh, it’s like this…”
Sora, drawing in his sister, who until now had been watching the proceedings from the side with a face betraying no emotion.
“One of Blank’s favorite things—
““—is saying No to someone who thinks
she has an overwhelming advantage…!””
Shiro joined with Sora’s line in harmony. At this statement, which was totally bizarre to Chlammy and Steph, who didn’t know the reference, the two could only stare speechless at the jubilant siblings.
“Bwa-ha-ha! Number Four on my list of lines I wanted to try saying sometime—I got to say it in real life!”
“…Brother, mad props.”
As the siblings gave each other thumbs-up, Chlammy’s shoulders shook. Perhaps she took it as a provocation, or a sign that there was no room for negotiation.
“—I wasted my time talking to you. As you wish, I shall twist you down by force… I’ll be waiting in the hall.”
“Sure, sure. Make sure you bring that power you got by selling someone else your ass.”
Sora watched Chlammy off, making a point of choosing the words to irritate her.
“I-is that okay? I thought she did have a point…”
Steph asked the question hesitantly, and Sora looked at her dumbfounded.
“—Please, don’t you think it’s about time you learned to doubt people?”
Sora counted up fingers.
“One, just where’s the evidence that anything she said was true?”
“Oh…”
While Steph looked down as if she couldn’t deny the shame, Sora, heedless, carried on counting.
“Two, if she has a certain route to victory, then why did she come to try to talk us into forfeiting?”
“…Oh!”
Steph raised her face as if she couldn’t miss this truth.
“There is a one-in-a-million chance she’ll lose…so she has no certain route to victory?!”
So—it was just as Sora foresaw. Smiling at Steph’s rare correct answer, Sora raised his third and fourth fingers.
“Three, if it is all true, we can’t trust the human race to an idiot who would reveal all that to someone she suspects is a foreign spy. And, four, if we let her see our hand, we’re finished. Got it?”
Steph opened her mouth dumbly and nodded repeatedly.
“Y-you put all that thought into that line…”
…Never suspecting that it was a reference. Steph, sincerely reevaluating Sora, realized heat was rising to her face and shook it off as Sora cast his eyes to the direction Chlammy went—the path that led to the castle hall.
“…Well, that’s not all it’s about. She’s—well, you are, too, but—”
He turned his gaze to Shiro. Shiro nodded and they walked together.
“—kind of underestimating us people.”
The group returned to the hall. What they saw was a huge crowd filling it, as if they had been waiting forever. And, indeed, set up in front of the throne, a small table and a pair of chairs. And, on the table—
“A chessboard…?”
This time it was Sora’s turn to be confused. A game hiding Elf magic… He had considered many possible games—but he hadn’t expected chess. Because—just how were you supposed to cheat at chess? Sora found himself unable to wipe away misgivings, this having had gone over and to the side of his expectations. Still, Chlammy set in the opposing chair, explaining in a voice without emotion.
“That’s right, it’s chess. However—it’s not just chess.”
With that, she took out a small box and dumped the pieces on the board.
—And then the thirty-two pieces, sixteen each for white and black, slid across the board on their own, taking their positions. As if—yes—
“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, right? Down to its nooks and crannies, you know what I mean?”
Sora talked while he futzed with his phone in his hand. Chlammy peered 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 the 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 exclaimed as the crowd resounded with a murmur.
“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 his toungue—but remained 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.
“—However.”
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—
“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 a very foolish one.”
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 up his sister, who was too light even for a girl of eleven. He then sat at the table and settled 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 infinite creepiness, Sora put words to Chlammy.
Namely:
“Hey, bitch.”
“—Could it be…that you mean to address me?”
“I’m gonna take you down along with those 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 into whose hands falls this city, our last fortress—the fate of mankind hangs in the balance! Open your ears! Open your eyes; is it right?”
Pointing fiercely to his opponent—to Chlammy, he shouted.
“—to entrust the throne of this country to this corpselike, softheaded harlot!”
“Wha—”
Ignoring the speechless Chlammy, he grabbed the morosely hanging head of his sister. He moved aside her bangs to show her face.
The long, white albino hair parted to reveal skin as white as snow and eyes as red as rubies, deep enough 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 that same 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 anyway—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. He pouring out sophistry like it was as easy as 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 boost your own army’s morale—in terms of a real war you might call it—brainwashing?”
“—!”
Chlammy’s expression moved slightly. If she thought her slip-up wouldn’t reveal that he was dead-on, she underestimated the man named Sora.
“I see. It’s 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 shouted:
“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.
““—Whaaaaaaa?!””
Not just Chlammy, but also Steph, and in fact the whole castle cried out in surprise. Even so, it went unheard. Sora shouted on as if he were really standing on the battleground.
“Well you have withstood; well you have stood your ground, proud knight! This is what it means to be a sword of the people!—But now you may rest your sword for a time and enjoy your leave! I pledge on my name that those who achieve on this battlefield will be rewarded as they deserve!”
And so the knight—the mere piece. Turned to face Sora—no…his king. Tipped as to bow—and vanished from the board, moving to the corner of the table.
—At this phenomenon unheard-of in chess, two pieces taking each other out, Chlammy had no words, while Sora answered mockingly.
“Heh-heh-heh, you fool. This version of chess is a simulation of real war, yes? I’ve never lost at Civ or Daisenryaku—did you think that you could defeat me at this game, which is just an outdated version of the same?”
Correct—it wasn’t chess. It was a strategy game. Magic to maintain morale—well, well, quite a useful spell. But something like that was only on the level of a status modifier like a Social Policy or World Wonder. And—he already knew well the weakness of such modifiers. Namely, that her play style would come to depend on them—. And if he could see her play style—he couldn’t lose.
“Third Pawn Company! Now is your chance—take the enemy bishop!”
Sora shouting orders with conviction, just going for the mate, his pieces moving loyally. But before the bishop—
—The pawn turned black.
“““?Wha?!”””
The crowd raised their voices in astonishment. It was already a familiar sight. But now, for the first time—Sora was part of it. Sora’s countenance revealed to Chlammy that this turn of events was clearly unexpected. She smirked…thinly and darkly, and spoke:
“‘Brainwashing’—what an interesting expression you use. Brainwashing is certainly an option, in regards such as this.”
Another piece that tried to attack was forcibly turned black.
Forced brainwashing—that meant that all attacks from his side would be sealed off.
…Crap.
Crap. Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap!
Sora managed not to show it on his expression, but he realized he’d made a fatal error. Her cheat being maintaining insane morale—was what he’d assumed!
—It was just the mistake he had haughtily criticized Steph for a few days back, and now he’d done it himself! He’d failed—he’d failed he’d failed he’d failed he’d failed he’d failed! It was an obvious, epic fail! Once his enemy was cornered, bereft of room to care about appearances… Once she was losing for the loss, she might be prepared to expose her use of magic—once she was already losing, she might try the cheats that originally shouldered her with a risk of getting caught! (Why didn’t I think of it—I’m such a dolt!)
“—All troops, retreat! The enemy is using brainwashing magic; stay away!”
Under Sora’s overpowering direction, even the pieces that weren’t supposed to be able to retreat started retreating with all the others, but.
“Heh-heh, you think you’re a battlefield king? This king is quite a poseur, trying to bring up the rear himself!”
Under the command of Chlammy, crowing at the sight of victory, the enemy descended upon the king—i.e., Sora. Specifically, the enemy queen.
“Take that king’s head, Queen! It’s checkmate!”
“…Brother!”
As the hall filled with noise, even Shiro felt a threat and raised her voice. But—Sora pronounced to the oncoming piece.
“—O Queen, I entreat you to lay down your sword…for you are—beautiful.”
……
“““?What?”””
The crowd, Chlammy, even Shiro gaped. As Sora spoke heated, passionate nothings to the piece—the queen.
“O Queen. Do you serve that king of your own accord, or are you trapped by circumstances—in any case, I would that you might ask your heart. Is yon king truly a king worthy of your service?”
Like a first-rate stage actor. With the sweet voice of the playboy of the century, Sora put together an elegant line of words. Truly as if he were a young, handsome monarch on the battlefield.
“That king who brainwashes his soldiers, his people, to use them as his swords, his tools—to say nothing of putting you in front to bear the arrows as he cowers at the back: Does he merit your beauty, or your sword? O Queen, whose beauty I have but glimpsed on this field where strange fate has pit us against each other, I beseech you to lay down your sword and see—your people, those you should protect—your king! Where are they!”
—Clank—. With the sound of a sword falling to the ground.
—This time, the black queen turned white.
The crowd, still left agape, could no longer even make a sound. All that was left was Chlammy, who was speechless, and Sora, who just chuckled.
“?Wha?!”
“Heh-heh-heh, romance simulation games are one of the few genres I’m better than my sister at.”
“?You little…!”
As Chlammy gnashed her teeth, the crowd sighed as if relieved. Seeing that Sora had done the same thing as the enemy, evening the match once more—that was probably why.
—But that was wrong. So very wrong. This—Sora was only able to do because he was the king and the enemy was the queen. But Chlammy—it was hard to say exactly, but it looked as if she could use any piece to brainwash another. While this side was still sealed off from attacking, the enemy carried on attacking freely. What lay ahead was nothing less than certain defeat.
—What to do. What to do what to do Sora—virgin, eighteen—! Sora put everything he had into holding up the unconcerned smirk floating on his face. With all his soul and fire, he looked for a way to somehow break the impasse. No—more accurately, he’d found a way. There is—a way. Strictly speaking, there is… But will she fall for it?!
—It would be a wild gamble. If it were successful, he’d get by for now. But, if he blew it—his last chance at victory would be gone. Compared to the risk of placing the bet, the reward would be all too transient—should he still lay it on the table? As Sora spun around his thoughts, in time compressed by excess secretion of neurotransmitters.
Now, this time, Shiro. Softly enclosed her brother’s face…in her two small hands.
“?Wha…?”
The sudden sensation of warmth on his cheeks made his body want to leap. But Shiro peered into Sora’s eyes and continued quietly.
“…You said…if you lost your cool, I should help you.”
“?!”
“…Together…we are Blank…”
Yeah…
“—Yeah, we are…”
“……It’s okay.”
—You think she’ll fall for it? To the silent question of the brother’s eyes, the sister slightly, yet strongly…nodded. Once.
—That’s right, Shiro—this genius girl—the sister he was so proud of, had at a point outplayed an opponent unbound by rules that yet constricted her. Only by reading her opponent’s—Chlammy’s—moves could she do such a thing. She may have been greatly the inferior of her brother in mind games and diplomacy—but Sora reminded himself.
—Don’t forget. His sister had defeated a god.
That sister, by pure reading of moves, had stated unequivocally that she’d fall for it. Then all he had to do was trust his sister and form a strategy on that premise!
And so—Chlammy, shoulders shaking.
“Knight! Slay the traitor queen!”
She fell for it…… She stepped right in—to the trap. The black knight commanded trembled as if conflicted, and then—. Turned white.
“H—how…Wh-what did you do?!”
—This was it. This was the one way out. If Chlammy really did mean to fight for the human race, it was the one thing she couldn’t take: It was her reaction to betrayal. And the fact that she still assumed that our heroes were cheating… Here it was: the only scenario that could lead to victory. Oh, that’s my sister. He told her by stroking her head, and she closed her eyes in pleasure like a cat.
And so, as if all things were preordained, Sora let out an impudent grin and spoke.
“King, foolish king. To order your subjects to kill their queen…Cruel commands are not well given. Perhaps you should cool your head. Those shoulders, shaking in anger—they are not fit to show your people.”
“You—damned traitor…!”
Chlammy believed Sora to be cheating using the technology of another country—to be selling out his own people. Her face no longer bore that corpselike sense of helplessness, or of responsibility, but only rage. In contrast, Sora’s face was bold, brazen, and full of ease.
…Who could have guessed it? That at that very moment, Sora himself felt his heart pounding hard enough to rupture, his mind in total mobilization. In his brain, he dug up all the knowledge he had yet acquired, through quiz games, through history games. All the wars he could possibly be expected to know of, and he simulated them.
—Indeed, the situation had not improved a bit. This wasn’t a trick he could pull off indefinitely. It was only a bluff to buy time as the enemy fell into paranoia. If he were to charge defiantly onto the offensive, everything would be balanced on a tightrope demanding too-precise calculation. In that case—he could only find a way to win without fighting?
Win without fighting?
.
—And, thus. In the midst of a situation tantamount to certain defeat. In the back of Sora’s mind, a ray of light was finally found.
“—Shiro. Take command of the troops. Can you run them around so they won’t be brainwashed by the enemy?”
“…That’s easy.”
His sister gave a firm salute, not needing to hear the reason, and took command.
—This, again, was a wild gamble. However, this time, if successful, it meant certain victory. To draw victory from the situation—there were only two ways. Ways in which Sora knew one could win without fighting—and they were.
“O Queen—”
Leaving his sister to lash out the orders, Sora spoke to the former enemy queen, now on his side.
“I dream not to ask you—nor those proud knights who lay down their swords out of love for you—to turn your blades on your brethren. This battle, this situation…already, anyone’s eyes can see it for a vain butchery—while your king—already boils in the depths of madness.”
Then Sora, in about the time a clock’s second hand takes to move once. Turned through tens of thousands of words in his brain, and embarked on the seduction of a lifetime.
“Your people belong to you—already, I believe there is none but you to lead your people in the place of the frenzied, mad king—is this not the truth?”
As for Sora’s speech and its intent—no one in the castle, not even Chlammy, could comprehend it. And so the castle hushed, as had happened many times so far. Something beyond imagination was about to happen—that they waited for in silence. And—finally, was it a result that answered their expectations?
The queen which had been black—which now was white.
—This time, turned red.
And, in continuity, almost every black piece on the front line turned red.
“?Huhh?!”
The cry came from Chlammy alone. The rest of the crowd must not have been able to grasp what had happened. However, Sora’s speech continued—and finally made it clear.
“I celebrate your independence, O brave, admirable queen! You champions of justice, who have overcome brainwashing to follow your queen! I ask you not to slay your brethren! But they themselves surely wish not to slay you! It is you who must put an end to the oppression of this mad king, who brainwashes his people and robs them of their freedom!”
Indeed, it was. The spark of insurrection—the emergence of a third force.
“What I seek is not blood! It is what everyone seeks—yea, I seek peace! I would that our sides sheathe their swords; I shall not permit this bloodshed to go on!”
At this speech, the side of the red queen was joined by more and more red pieces.
—They might not hesitate to harm their enemies. But.
“—Y-you… No matter! Execute all renegades!”
Chlammy, raging without grasping the meaning, once more—walked into a trap.
“Another mistake, fool king. It is a universal truth, since time immemorial, that armed suppression of insurrection—is the worst move.”
—Even if they would harm their enemies, the comrades with whom they had fought—regardless of brainwashing magic—would not be so easy to slay. Indeed, just as Sora had spoken, the pieces ordered by Chlammy turned red, one after another.
“—Wha… You… What is this; what is your trick!”
Chlammy had gone so far as to call on the power of elves to protect the human race. Her emotions regarding her own betrayal strengthened and stole away her composure. Meanwhile.
“…All troops, aid the red queen forces… Form a circle… Let…no one die.”
Shiro took Sora’s cue and issued appropriate directions to incorporate the red pieces into their battle strategy. But not really. Really she was just making it hard for Chlammy’s army to attack by using the red queen forces as a shield. But she papered over that with words, and manipulated the red queen’s pieces to create a situation in which no one could get an attack through.
—The result.
“?!—You treasonous swine!”
Chlammy ground her teeth and spewed bile. Yes—the result was that that the battle deadlocked.
“—Hey, mad king, I mean, ‘brainwashing king,’ have you heard?”
Sora explained with a smile as if this was what he had been aiming for all along.
“In real wars—you don’t necessarily have to capture the king to win, you know? Come on, you already have no chance to win. Neither of us can do anything in this state—it’s time for you to resign.”
Sparking an insurrection to split the nation’s forces and forcing a truce from the overwhelmingly superior position this afforded: This was one of the ways Shiro knew to win without fighting. It probably appeared to the crowd that all of this was planned from the beginning. At the brilliant turnabout, the castle heated up, and a feverish roar resounded.
—Excluding one person. Yes—Chlammy alone glared daggers at Sora. She snickered.
“Heh-heh…heh-heh-heh… Don’t underestimate me—I’ll never hand over this country!”
It was a cackle like that of a true mad king. As the furor of the castle hushed, Chlammy gave her orders.
“All troops, lay down your lives and take the enemy king’s head…All you have to do is follow my orders? just cut down all traitors in your path.”
It couldn’t be detected by Sora—by Immanity. But the brainwashing magic must have grown even stronger. Unsettlingly, quietly, the black army began to advance. As did the red pieces, and the white pieces. The lines of pieces emanating the clear feeling that they were going to wipe out everything without regard, the castle swallowed.
“…Brother, this is what happens…when you back a weakened enemy into a corner.”
As even his sister pointed it out with a trace of cold sweat. Even so, Sora smiled back.
“I know—that’s why I did it.”
Crik—
The sound came out of nowhere. The black king, Chlammy’s king.
—Developed a crack.
“—Uh—wha-what?”
As the crack spread through the black king. And Chlammy watched in shock, not knowing what was going on, Sora told her plainly.
“Dictators of continual oppression, subjugation by fear, and brainwashing—it’s a funny thing.”
This was—the second way Shiro knew to win without fighting.
“It works when you’re winning, but once you start losing, universally, for some reason, such leaders’ fates are always sealed in the same way.”
…Namely.
“It has held true for time immemorial: Their fate is sealed by assassination by someone close to them, who’s not even a combat unit.”
—A historical fact of the world they came from, repeated endlessly. The brainwashing expanded in scope; appearances were abandoned. Becoming vilified as a despot, being run to the edge of defeat. Commanding as a mad king, and thus—self-destructing.
And so, watching the cracked-apart black king crumble. Everyone in the castle. Even Chlammy stood stunned.
“Sorry, our world isn’t as nice a place as this one.”
Victorious, rising from the seat, Sora and Shiro.
“—When it comes to conflict and slaughter, compared to you, we’re seasoned experts.”
And then he heaved a single great sigh. Sora exchanged a quick high five with Shiro, and his eyes grew distant. Their old world. Squinting as if to look at it far, far off.
“But here, it ends with a game. This is a fine world…”
…So he murmured.
“W-wow…”
—The scene of victory was overwhelming, dazzling. Amidst the cheers that shook the entire castle, it was Steph who whispered. The cheering spectators probably didn’t understand the underlying truth. Steph alone did. Not to say she understood all of the siblings’ tactics and statements. Since she had no way of knowing what their world was like. But. She knew that that girl—Chlammy—had received powerful Elven backup. That the game that had just unfolded hid their cheating magic. And, in the end, that they had faced that magic head-on and broken through. This meant—albeit indirectly—that they had faced the world’s largest country, Elven Gard, and defeated them. That mere humans had triumphed over a magic-using race. An accomplishment with not a single precedent in the history that Steph knew of. And, therefore—
“……Are they really human?”
In awe—even fear, she couldn’t help but whisper this. In contrast to the uproar of the audience, the vanquished Chlammy looked down in silence. As the siblings slid away from the table without a second glance at her. And as they walked up to Steph, Steph, for a moment—didn’t know what to do.
—Because they’d brought down face-on an enemy that cheated with magic, and they weren’t even showing triumph.
—“ ” doesn’t lose…—
When the two stood there as if to prove this, without surprise at their victory, what was she supposed to say? But—with no inkling of the conflict within Steph, Sora spoke playfully.
“—Does this do it for you?”
“……Uh?”
“Now no one’s gonna call your grandfather—the old king—a fool, right?”
“?Oh…”
“If, without anyone’s backing, we, the strongest of the humans, became the monarch—that means he was wise.”
“…Now, Elkia…won’t die; aren’t… you glad…Steph?”
Searching for words, at a loss. She did think back to all the things they’d done to her. But the result more than made up for it all. Dew droplets welled up in her eyes as she decided to admit it out loud.
“Thank you…I’m so—grateful to you…ooh—”
Choking up a bit, Steph wondered if she was clearly understandable. But Shiro stretched up and patted her on the head. It was not possible any longer for Stephanie Dola to hold back the tears.
—And with that.
“……Hey.”
Chlammy’s mumble fell out and was erased by the cheers roaring through the castle. But, in the ears of Sora, Shiro, and Steph alone, it rang cold.
“Just tell me… What manner of trick did you use?”
With these cold, low words, Chlammy pierced Sora with a scowl, and continued.
“Yes, it’s true. I accepted the help of the Elves. As the only way for humans to survive. And now you’ve ruined it. Now answer me, whose spies are you? Certainly you don’t mean to tell me that a mere human was able to defeat elven magic!”
From her perspective, he was a loathsome enemy who had sold out Immanity. As Chlammy interrogated Sora with eyes full of hate, Steph swallowed—but the siblings.
“I do, and, actually, I did.”
“…You got a problem?”
The cheers roaring through the castle subsided as Sora walked back toward Chlammy.
“You know, I did mean it when I said that your plan wasn’t bad, and if you could prove your story was true about getting Elven help for the sake of Immanity, I could have even stepped down.”
“Then why—!”
“But I don’t like the way you think.”
Sora looked down at Chlammy with a scornful gaze that was no act.
“If it’s ‘We’re gonna use the Elves and claw our way up,’ that’s one thing, but when you’re saying, ‘We can’t even survive without the protection of the great Elves,’ that seemed just a little too pathetic, and it kinda pissed me off.”
“—Hasn’t that been proven? The limits of Immanity, by history, by the present we’re in!”
While Chlammy looked at him as if to imply, How can you talk when I know you cheated, too?
“Those are the limits of those dudes who made history; they sure ain’t our limits…”
With these nasty words, he smiled.
“Humans have their own way of doing things. Like, yeah—the way we won because you always believed that we were cheating to the end.”
Now swallowing, looking back at the match, Chlammy. She’d been totally wrapped up in uncovering the ruse they were using, but what if. What if there had never been any ruse in the first place—?
“That…can’t be… A mere human—couldn’t possibly…compete with magic.”
“If that’s what you think, that’s fine; that’s your limit.”
And Sora squinted.
“Whether the opponent be elven or a god, the word ‘lose’ isn’t in Blank’s dictionary.”
With that—as if to signify that her pride had been sullied—Sora took hold of Chlammy’s chin and peeled off the black veil. Then looking straight into her eyes, Sora for the first time showed faint anger lurking in his own—and he spoke.
“Don’t—underestimate humans like that.”
……Those words hushed everyone in the castle. They echoed and spread, as if soaking into their hearts. As if to rend the chains that bound them as inadequate humans. As if piercing an epoch of darkness with a single ray of light.
—As if lighting the lamp of a quiet hope in their hearts.
—Then, a word fell from Chlammy’s mouth as well.
“Wuh?”
“…Wuh?”
“WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
“Whoa! What the hell?!”
Suddenly, Chlammy dropped to the floor and started wailing. Sora, not knowing what to do, took a step back in surprise—and who could blame him.
“Waaaah, you’re so stupid; I hate you! Don’t you know…how hard, hic, it—it was to make contracts so I could get the Elves and then trash them… I-I-I-I-I wasn’t underestimating anything; I was serious! Waaah…”
As Chlammy spilled out big tears, opened her mouth wide, and bawled, everyone was astonished. Whether it was the reaction from the load on her being removed, or whether that was her real personality—in any case, it seemed it was universally agreed in every world that there’s nothing you can do about crying children.
“…Brother…made a girl…cry…”
“Hey, wait, it’s my fault?!”
“Waaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh…stupid…jerk…just diiie…”
The crowd, who until just recently had been roaring in victory, now just looked vaguely on at Chlammy as she hurled insults between childish sobs?
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