Chapter 6
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 6
Ill-Fated Relationship
Because only those who received God's choice and blessings could become Mages, they existed in extremely small numbers.
The ratio was about one in a thousand; even performing simple magic earned one the title of genius.
Among such people, there existed a genius of the century who was counted as one in a thousand even among them.
It is said that one can usually feel mana, the foundation of magic, only after passing age 10, but she mastered it at age 5 and achieved the 1st Circle at age 7.
This alone made her an unprecedented prospect.
However, as if unsatisfied with being just a prospect, she achieved the 3rd Circle at age 10 and cleared a dungeon at the age of 15.
If it weren't for Aniel, the person to clear a dungeon at the youngest age would have been Lucia.
Simply having power isn't enough to become an Emperor.
One must have authority, excel in politics, and also know how to read the situation.
She was someone who wanted to become Emperor, and naturally, she displayed outstanding abilities in all three.
Although the Wiesent family is mentioned as a leader of the Noble Faction, there are no eternal enemies.
If our family, which is of the Noble Faction, stepped forward to support her who intends to become Emperor, her race for the throne would flow smoothly.
Still, I wanted to show that our family isn't easy to deal with and has ability.
As a method, I chose the game of chess that was popular in high society at the time.
I was confident enough to enter chess tournaments even before possession. So I intended to thoroughly show my skills and handed Lucia 1 defeat.
I still can't forget the events of that day. The debutante ball that started warmly suddenly turned into a fiery hell.
Dodging various attacks including Lucia's screams, I ran away to the point where I mistook my feet for being on fire.
I heard voices calling me several times in the middle, but I ignored them and barely managed to survive and return to the Wiesent territory.
After that day, I never went to a high society gathering even once.
"Did you think you could keep running away?"
"Princess. Please don't say things that others might misunderstand if they hear."
"Misunderstand, you say. I kept sending invitations, but you ignored them until the end."
"I did not ignore them. Each time, I couldn't attend because my body wasn't feeling well...."
"If you thought I was dull enough to believe those words literally, you are truly foolish."
My body isn't feeling well, the road is muddy so it seems difficult to make the date; I really squeezed out all sorts of excuses to not give the same excuse every time I came.
At that point, I thought the opponent would also get tired and fall away. Actually, from some point on, letters didn't come to me either.
But as soon as I entered the Academy, right away like this....
"I have absolutely not forgotten the humiliation of that day. To think you would run away as soon as you ruthlessly trampled on me."
Asking if I knew she would appear in front of me as if she had been waiting.
Of course, thinking about the '1 win and run' now, it does seem like I did wrong, but.
Now, less than a week after entering the Academy, I already felt the urge to drop out.
If I drop out and return to the family, it won't end with just expulsion.
The person called father will probably interrogate me, asking if I know how much effort he put in.
And wouldn't a miserable end probably await me?
"I don't know what you are thinking about, but please hurry and make your next move."
While I was feeling bleak about the future, I came to my senses hearing Lucia's words.
Ah, right. I was in the middle of chess right now.
Scratching my head, I looked at the board placed in front of me.
"You probably don't know how many years I trained for a rematch with you."
Hearing that she trained for several years, one might say 'Oh my, goodness', but.
However, in modern times, these were techniques for which counters had already been fully developed.
If I make just one move like this here, the board would probably flip completely to my side.
Thinking about it, because I won completely back then, Lucia harbored a grudge and kept requesting a rematch obsessively.
If I win again here, wouldn't Lucia, who would be thoroughly angry then, absolutely not let it slide this time?
Honestly speaking, I have no talent to win against Lucia whether by political power, authority, or strength.
I didn't want to create trouble later by winning here for no reason.
Of course, if it's too obvious, it becomes mockery or deception.
Just like the baduk bottle from 'The Ugly Duckling', I will lose as deliciously as possible.
So that she doesn't dwell on the match with me anymore.
"It's best of 3, right?"
The first game could have ended in 2 minutes, but I dragged it out as long as possible.
As if the opponent and my skills were evenly matched.
"Your skills have really improved a lot."
"I just made a few mistakes in this game."
In that way, I won as if I had achieved a sweat-drenched victory.
The opponent didn't show any particular reaction as if she had expected it.
I was relieved because the atmosphere was different from last time, but the current me didn't know.
That the opponent had been grinding her teeth for 7 years.
Ever since she was born, Lucia was a person who suited the modifier of perfection.
From a young age, she heard praises from everyone that she was beautiful, and the moment others learned she had magical talent, almost everyone told her she was perfect.
As everyone around her said so, Lucia also grew up arrogantly thinking so.
The debutante ball where she takes her first step officially into high society; in a state where her nose was already raised endlessly high, the eldest son of the Wiesent family approached.
Allen Wiesent, a man possessing terrible talent.
Perhaps the only things worth looking at were his handsome face and family.
A family with high fame and yet a Margrave, so their power was immense. A powerful family even in the Noble Faction.
If it becomes known that even they lowered their tails and approached her, now the throne was practically hers.
In an excited state of mind, Lucia willingly participated in a chess game she didn't usually deal with much. Probably because she assumed that if he was terrible, his chess skills would also be terrible.
"Checkmate."
But not even 5 minutes after starting the game, she was checkmated.
For a moment, Lucia couldn't understand in her head. She lost? To whom? To this man?
The surroundings froze in an instant. Only the tactless Allen was busy teabagging, asking how his skills were while rejoicing.
At that time, it would be correct to express that Lucia went crazy. Yes, she went crazy at the time.
Showcasing various magics, she colored that day's debutante ball with the worst, after all.
Lucia, who didn't even have much interest in games, became fanatically obsessed with chess after that day.
She tried to build her skills somehow and have a revenge match, but she couldn't meet this man again after that.
And now that she reached him again at the Academy, this was the golden opportunity to resolve this deep-seated grudge.
She could have won the game just now if her concentration hadn't been disturbed.
This time, it absolutely must not go wrong. If she misses the opportunity here again, who knows where this man might run away to again.
Lucia calmly read the moves.
But an incomprehensible move appeared. If he places it there, doesn't he lose his own piece?
Why such a self-destructive move? What on earth is he aiming for doing that?
No matter how much she thought, it couldn't be read at all. She couldn't understand the advantage gained by placing it there.
In this move that couldn't be read at all, Lucia's head slowly began to overheat.
Let's think. One cannot know how each move will return. Let's think more, think....
"For now, I will place it here."
She can't think of it at all.
It can't be helped. For now, she had to move even more carefully.
She declined being played by his moves for no reason.
On the other hand, Allen, who was watching this with a nonchalant expression, couldn't understand at all.
Why can't she eat it even when I give it to her?
Didn't she play aggressively during the first game? If it were her, I thought she would eat a move like this immediately.
Allen continued to try to spoon-feed her.
He kept driving his pieces to death pretending it was a mistake. With the thought of 'Sorry, but I have to survive first'.
But strangely, the pieces driven to death kept surviving steadfastly.
"I won!"
"Oh my, I lost."
It was a whopping 1 hour later that the second game ended.
Allen thought that if he loses the next game as well with this, the ill-fated relationship between her and him would end completely.
But that was a complacent delusion.
"Then let's play one more game."
"Yes?"