「Chapter 045」
Translator: Silver
“You didn’t hesitate. Oh, and the other two are with you. That saves me the trouble.”
When I stepped out, the man that spoke smiled, but it didn’t seem malicious.
And it seems that Rue and Wraith were also the objects of his search.
I wondered if he was one of Arkham’s assassins, but such a person wouldn’t appear in such a bombastic manner.
……Prediction! Welde-san wanted to meet me.
“I’m sorry, but can you quietly follow me? I don’t want to be rough.”
“Huh?? Aren’t you Welde-san’s messenger?”
“Oh, it’s his daughter Ada’s messenger.”
My prediction was wrong.
Well, if it’s the daughter, I have no reason to go with you.
“The answer is no. If you were Welde-san’s messenger, it’d be a different story, but I have no reason to meet her.”
“Well, I asked you nicely. I really don’t want to get rough!”
The man bowed his head with both hands together, perhaps because he really disliked it.
I feel sorry for some reason.
But if I didn’t want to go, I wouldn’t go!
“H-Hey, sister, can you convince them? Please, pretty please!”
“Um, well…… Kai-san, what will you do?”
“I trust Kai-kun!”
“Then no!”
This wasn’t something I could compromise on.
It’s okay, I’ll see you later, Welde-san!
“Can I ask you something〜……How are things gonna get rough?”
“……Do you want to challenge me? If you choose to follow through with this, I’ll do everything I can!”
Despite the warning, the man had already started gathering his strength.
Did you think we’re gonna fight?!
If you had to power to avoid such trouble, what’s the point of not using it here?
I took out my card held it in front of the messenger.
Based on the reaction this guy stirred, he must’ve been a local celebrity, so it wouldn’t be strange if he knew about this card.
And, as expected, the moment he saw the card, the man stopped moving.
“So, it’s a rough imitation?”
Huhahahaha, Viva la power.
The true essence of the art of war is to win without fighting.
I felt a slightly cold gaze from behind me.
“Ah……What is that? Forgive this one’s behavior, my lord…….”
“Honestly, the timing is outrageous. I was thinking about showing this to that girl from the beginning.”
“Ah, but she’s still a young lady…… for her sake, a major setback might do her some good.”
No, I did feel a little bad for this.
I suppose this is my job too.
For some reason, I couldn’t let people loyal to their duties be disrespectful.
I’ll buy you a drink later, so please brace yourself.
“We were guests at Welde-san’s home until a little while ago. But, that girl said something a little rude, so I ignored it and decided to leave.”
“A-Ahh…… please don’t destroy the city, I beg you…….”
“I won’t do that. Seriously, what did Oink say…….”
In the end, the man gave up on the seemingly impossible task of taking us and said he would return to the mansion and ask for Welde-san’s instruction.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
For some reason, I was feeling good, so I decided to go back to the inn and have lunch.
It would be bad for Wraith, but should we save training until after we leave the city?
When I returned to the inn, the hamrat girl was hiding behind the counter.
When I called out, the girl looked up to confirm our appearance before handing over the room keys and pointing to a line in her book.
“What……’ what do you want for lunch?’ can you prepare three meals?”
“Kai-kun…… this child is so cute. Can I touch her ears……”
Staring at the girl’s ears must’ve stimulated Rue’s mischievous heart.
“Why?”
“Hyun!”
That’s what happens when you touch ears without permission.
Let’s weigh ourselves.
“Hamrats don’t grow much larger than that, so I think she’s an adult despite her looks.””
“Oh, really? Then that was really rude…….”
“Chichi!”
Hearing our conversation, the girl flipped to a page with a simple sentence. 〈I’m 22 this year.〉
So it’s true, even though she looked about 10 years old.
Luck was ham and eggs, ham salad, and a soup made with ham chunks and vegetables.
I didn’t immediately dig in.
The meal was simple, light on the stomach, and homely.
Was it all made by that girl?
“I’ll take a look at the kitchen.”
My curiosity got the best of me, so I peeked through the tableware return doorー.
“Chichi!!”
“Chichi?”
“Chi chi chi?!”
There were so many of them.
And they all had similar faces.
……I wonder why knowing this was a little relaxing.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
“Welcome back. How was it?
There were a lot of hamrats. They all had similar faces, and I think they’re all related.”
“The hamrats seem to have inherited their characteristics from their ancestors. I think all the hamrats in the world are like that.”
“I-Is that so?”
What strange creatures, hamrats.
They were adorable and interesting to watch.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
After having lunch, a guest arrived while we were taking a break.
Based on the voice, it was the man I had met at the guild earlier.
“I apologize multiple times over! This time Lord Welde himself sent the invitation! Please visit the mansion tonight, if available.”
“If that’s the case, I understand. Sorry for having you come and go so many times.”
“Don’t worry, so long as I belong to the guild, I won’t let anything obstruct your way.”
“But you’re not just an adventurer, are you? Not just anyone can receive requests from the lord and his daughter.”
“Well. I’m still an adventurer. I’ve just been hired by the lord’s house.”
Then wouldn’t he be considered a very talented person?
Actually, when I met him in the guild earlier, the glasses appraised him to be level 66, which was the highest one I’ve seen here at this stage.
By the way, he was a complete attacker type, possessing the heavy warrior class and fighter sub-class.
There was on falsehood in his appearance.
“I’ve told you! ……What will you do after this?”
“Then, can you tell me a little story? For example, one about Welde’s daughter.”
“Umm? Oh, about the young miss…… well, you seem to be acquainted with lord Welde, so there shouldn’t be any problem telling you.”
Even though he seemed to hesitate, the man reluctantly started speaking.
“The young miss was placed in charge of the city’s security while her father was out. The power seems to have gone to her head and caused her to develop a fierce disposition.”
“Welde-san makes frequent trips.”
“Well, nothing wrong with retaining inspections. Also, every month, despite the distance, he makes trips to Wingrest.
I see, I see.
It’s because of the Promised Maiden, I understand.
……Oh, no. He did visit the port town’s guild as well.
“In addition, my lord’s wife suddenly died of illness a few years ago. It seems that he’d been staying in Wingrest at that time.”
“KU!”
Wraith gasped after hearing that.
……Let’s listen till the end.
“Even so, my lord returned two days later. Even if he hadn’t stopped by Wingrest, there was no way he could’ve made it back in time.”
“Is it a well-known fact that Welde stays in that town?”
“It’s famous. There seems to be a shop he favors there, I was invited several times, but I can’t afford to leave this city for long.”
I see.
Well, it was within the predictable range, but wasn’t the resentment based on a misunderstanding?
I didn’t know how it felt, but you shouldn’t allow your daughter to make such reckless remarks.
“The young miss has always been obsessed with cleanliness, but it’s only become more so as the lord continues to take his lengthy trips. Also, every brothel in the city has been crushed.”
“……Well, well. Has Welde-san done nothing about it?”
“Ah, of course, my lord shepherded those people back to Wing Rest as to prevent them from ending up lost on the streets.”
I suppose that was why he had such good standing with the prostitutes, night shop workers, and city leaders.
Being proud and innocent was fine, but pushing what you didn’t want to see away was a step too far.
Indeed the men in this town were in trouble.
“Then I shall be on my way.”
“Ah, thank you for telling me. Oh, what’s your name?”
“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Gallus. I’m a silver card holder?”
A silver card! (T/N: It’s been a while, but silver is an S-rank adventurer.)
He was an influential person recognized by the guild.
Did Oink recognize him?
……Then, is level 66 considered high in the guild as a whole?
“Is it necessary to have practical experience…… Should I train as well?”
Was it as simple as raising your level and striking out with physical power?
The problem was I lacked a training partner.
“Well, then…… until tonight.”
“Yes, till then.”
“Wraith, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you, Rue.”
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
In the evening, we left the end to fulfill the promise.
When we arrived at the mansion, we were immediately led to Welde, probably because I’d already spoken with him.
His daughter, Ade, was also sitting in the room, but she didn’t raise her head.
Well now.
“Welde-san, does she have to be here?”
“……Understood. We can go to another room.”
“I’ll stay here with Wraith.”
Those two were the ones with the feud. I shouldn’t be there.
Above all, I’m likely to make a rash decision if anything happens.
I hope it didn’t come to that.
I followed Welde and left the three women alone in the room.
“……Sorry for what occurred.”
“There’s no need to apologize. This is a matter for those involved to solve.”
“However……I neglected to provide an explanation.”
“……Then, can you tell me the full story?”
Once we were in his office, Welde began speaking about his first encounter with Wraith without any hesitation.
But it was very different from what I was expecting.
“I still remember when my feelings for the matron changed from admiration and respect to love.”
When Welde was still young, he hated the thought of taking over his family business, so he went to study in the capital.
It was there that he saw Wraith for the first time.
It seems she had opened a similar shop at that time, but the environment wasn’t so good, and she struggled every day.
Welde was fascinated by the appearance of Wraith protecting her found family from the feudal lord’s servants.
At some point, he called out to Wraith for the first time.
“At that time, I was unbelievably green. I can’t begin to describe how embarrassing it was.”
He spoke lines like, “If you leave this city with me, I’ll show you the entire country someday and make a new place for you.”
Eventually, he emerged and caught the eye of Oink, the recently sworn-in guild president.
When this country’s monarchy was on the verge of collapse, Oink, under the guise of the guild’s mediator, used the opportunity to plant spies in the region.
Welde gathered the regional aristocrats under the banner of “The people should decide this country’s future.” and helped abolish the royal family.
Some of the aristocrats expected one of them to be crowned king and cried about being tricked when that didn’t happen.
However, through the many twist and turns of politics, Welde helped set up a legislative body centered around the lords, and now the assembly members were selected by the people.
Of course, the families of the former aristocrats still occupied many assembly seats.
……That pig is terrible. Were they the ones that collapsed the monarchy?
What were their objectives and goals?
…………World conquest? Swine-anfication of all human beings?
“I became a lord, built a town, and the rest, you know. But, while I was attending to the Matron, I fell in love with another woman.”
It was a woman with who he regularly interacted during his school days.
Eventually, genuine love blossomed between the two people.
……In other words, Welde’s wife had been one of Wraith’s daughters.
Then were all those trips to Wing Rest like stopping by his wife’s parents’ house?
Even if it wasn’t by blood, Ada was Wraith’s granddaughter. (T/N: An age is never given, but terminology suggest that Ada is In her mid-late teens or right around 20.)
Without knowing that…… No, Welde, who didn’t explain things, is also to blame.
However, he might have been thinking about Ada and his late wife.
Perhaps Ada’s preclusion for cleanliness was already noticeable when his late wife was still alive.
Therefore, he couldn’t speak up. He probably didn’t want to be spurned by his daughter.
Not to mention that only girls with various circumstances found themselves becoming Wraith’s daughters.
Indeed Welde’s wife walked a path full of hardships.
“I understand. So, have you explained everything to your daughter?”
“Yes. She became very depressed. It’s to the extent where she may need to rethink her whole way of life.”
“I’d be worried if hearing a harsh true didn’t lead to a reflective period.”
“Hahaha…… that’s true.”
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
When the conversation was over, Welde took something from a cabinet and put it on his desk.
“It’ll still take some time on the other side. Care to join me?”
“I rarely play, so I might not be your match.”
It was a chessboard.
I remember he’d been playing a game with Lant back at that port town.
Unfortunately, I specialized in action games that could be operated intuitively.
Board games were a weak point for me.
Memories of relatives making me cry during holiday shogi resurfaced in my mind.
They were devils. That was bullying the weak and lining your children’s pockets, right?
What is 10,000 yen if you when……
Oops, my past resentment is starting to overflow.
“I’m also weak, so it should be just fine.”
“Is that so?”
It’s time for my younger self’s efforts to pay off.
I’d be grateful if my seniors in this life would offer me guidance.
Sorry I was so weak.
“I’ll be honest, Kaivon-dono. I never thought the day someone would come for mother would ever arrive.”
He made his first move.
It was a bold placement that departed from the standard “early-stage” moves.
“For a time, I thought it was a convenience.”
I gave up thinking and copied Welde like a mirror.
Yet, my pieces were robbed one after another.
I was beaten and deprived of essential pieces one after another.
Right off the bat, Welde placed me on the back foot. It was so fast, I didn’t have much time to think.
I gave up on winning and tried to hold out for as long as possible from that point on.
“Still, she never changed. That’s why I――.”
The sound of a piece hitting the board was like a hammer strike in the background of Welde’s monologue.
More of my pieces were taken, and I finally lost my escape route.
“Looks like this is checkmate.”
We’d arrived at the end of the match before I realized it.
It’d been a bullish assault from beginning to end.
He ascertained his strategy, and while it was bullish, Welde remained until the end.
……Wasn’t this strong?
“Welde-san, you’re strong, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m quite weak. A part of me still can’t accept the fact that my mother is leaving. Even after all of this.”
“I was talking about chess.”
“Oh……Hahaha, I guess I am strong……”
You’re strong.
「Chapter 045」
Translator: Silver
“You didn’t hesitate. Oh, and the other two are with you. That saves me the trouble.”
When I stepped out, the man that spoke smiled, but it didn’t seem malicious.
And it seems that Rue and Wraith were also the objects of his search.
I wondered if he was one of Arkham’s assassins, but such a person wouldn’t appear in such a bombastic manner.
……Prediction! Welde-san wanted to meet me.
“I’m sorry, but can you quietly follow me? I don’t want to be rough.”
“Huh?? Aren’t you Welde-san’s messenger?”
“Oh, it’s his daughter Ada’s messenger.”
My prediction was wrong.
Well, if it’s the daughter, I have no reason to go with you.
“The answer is no. If you were Welde-san’s messenger, it’d be a different story, but I have no reason to meet her.”
“Well, I asked you nicely. I really don’t want to get rough!”
The man bowed his head with both hands together, perhaps because he really disliked it.
I feel sorry for some reason.
But if I didn’t want to go, I wouldn’t go!
“H-Hey, sister, can you convince them? Please, pretty please!”
“Um, well…… Kai-san, what will you do?”
“I trust Kai-kun!”
“Then no!”
This wasn’t something I could compromise on.
It’s okay, I’ll see you later, Welde-san!
“Can I ask you something〜……How are things gonna get rough?”
“……Do you want to challenge me? If you choose to follow through with this, I’ll do everything I can!”
Despite the warning, the man had already started gathering his strength.
Did you think we’re gonna fight?!
If you had to power to avoid such trouble, what’s the point of not using it here?
I took out my card held it in front of the messenger.
Based on the reaction this guy stirred, he must’ve been a local celebrity, so it wouldn’t be strange if he knew about this card.
And, as expected, the moment he saw the card, the man stopped moving.
“So, it’s a rough imitation?”
Huhahahaha, Viva la power.
The true essence of the art of war is to win without fighting.
I felt a slightly cold gaze from behind me.
“Ah……What is that? Forgive this one’s behavior, my lord…….”
“Honestly, the timing is outrageous. I was thinking about showing this to that girl from the beginning.”
“Ah, but she’s still a young lady…… for her sake, a major setback might do her some good.”
No, I did feel a little bad for this.
I suppose this is my job too.
For some reason, I couldn’t let people loyal to their duties be disrespectful.
I’ll buy you a drink later, so please brace yourself.
“We were guests at Welde-san’s home until a little while ago. But, that girl said something a little rude, so I ignored it and decided to leave.”
“A-Ahh…… please don’t destroy the city, I beg you…….”
“I won’t do that. Seriously, what did Oink say…….”
In the end, the man gave up on the seemingly impossible task of taking us and said he would return to the mansion and ask for Welde-san’s instruction.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
For some reason, I was feeling good, so I decided to go back to the inn and have lunch.
It would be bad for Wraith, but should we save training until after we leave the city?
When I returned to the inn, the hamrat girl was hiding behind the counter.
When I called out, the girl looked up to confirm our appearance before handing over the room keys and pointing to a line in her book.
“What……’ what do you want for lunch?’ can you prepare three meals?”
“Kai-kun…… this child is so cute. Can I touch her ears……”
Staring at the girl’s ears must’ve stimulated Rue’s mischievous heart.
“Why?”
“Hyun!”
That’s what happens when you touch ears without permission.
Let’s weigh ourselves.
“Hamrats don’t grow much larger than that, so I think she’s an adult despite her looks.””
“Oh, really? Then that was really rude…….”
“Chichi!”
Hearing our conversation, the girl flipped to a page with a simple sentence. 〈I’m 22 this year.〉
So it’s true, even though she looked about 10 years old.
Luck was ham and eggs, ham salad, and a soup made with ham chunks and vegetables.
I didn’t immediately dig in.
The meal was simple, light on the stomach, and homely.
Was it all made by that girl?
“I’ll take a look at the kitchen.”
My curiosity got the best of me, so I peeked through the tableware return doorー.
“Chichi!!”
“Chichi?”
“Chi chi chi?!”
There were so many of them.
And they all had similar faces.
……I wonder why knowing this was a little relaxing.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
“Welcome back. How was it?
There were a lot of hamrats. They all had similar faces, and I think they’re all related.”
“The hamrats seem to have inherited their characteristics from their ancestors. I think all the hamrats in the world are like that.”
“I-Is that so?”
What strange creatures, hamrats.
They were adorable and interesting to watch.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
After having lunch, a guest arrived while we were taking a break.
Based on the voice, it was the man I had met at the guild earlier.
“I apologize multiple times over! This time Lord Welde himself sent the invitation! Please visit the mansion tonight, if available.”
“If that’s the case, I understand. Sorry for having you come and go so many times.”
“Don’t worry, so long as I belong to the guild, I won’t let anything obstruct your way.”
“But you’re not just an adventurer, are you? Not just anyone can receive requests from the lord and his daughter.”
“Well. I’m still an adventurer. I’ve just been hired by the lord’s house.”
Then wouldn’t he be considered a very talented person?
Actually, when I met him in the guild earlier, the glasses appraised him to be level 66, which was the highest one I’ve seen here at this stage.
By the way, he was a complete attacker type, possessing the heavy warrior class and fighter sub-class.
There was on falsehood in his appearance.
“I’ve told you! ……What will you do after this?”
“Then, can you tell me a little story? For example, one about Welde’s daughter.”
“Umm? Oh, about the young miss…… well, you seem to be acquainted with lord Welde, so there shouldn’t be any problem telling you.”
Even though he seemed to hesitate, the man reluctantly started speaking.
“The young miss was placed in charge of the city’s security while her father was out. The power seems to have gone to her head and caused her to develop a fierce disposition.”
“Welde-san makes frequent trips.”
“Well, nothing wrong with retaining inspections. Also, every month, despite the distance, he makes trips to Wingrest.
I see, I see.
It’s because of the Promised Maiden, I understand.
……Oh, no. He did visit the port town’s guild as well.
“In addition, my lord’s wife suddenly died of illness a few years ago. It seems that he’d been staying in Wingrest at that time.”
“KU!”
Wraith gasped after hearing that.
……Let’s listen till the end.
“Even so, my lord returned two days later. Even if he hadn’t stopped by Wingrest, there was no way he could’ve made it back in time.”
“Is it a well-known fact that Welde stays in that town?”
“It’s famous. There seems to be a shop he favors there, I was invited several times, but I can’t afford to leave this city for long.”
I see.
Well, it was within the predictable range, but wasn’t the resentment based on a misunderstanding?
I didn’t know how it felt, but you shouldn’t allow your daughter to make such reckless remarks.
“The young miss has always been obsessed with cleanliness, but it’s only become more so as the lord continues to take his lengthy trips. Also, every brothel in the city has been crushed.”
“……Well, well. Has Welde-san done nothing about it?”
“Ah, of course, my lord shepherded those people back to Wing Rest as to prevent them from ending up lost on the streets.”
I suppose that was why he had such good standing with the prostitutes, night shop workers, and city leaders.
Being proud and innocent was fine, but pushing what you didn’t want to see away was a step too far.
Indeed the men in this town were in trouble.
“Then I shall be on my way.”
“Ah, thank you for telling me. Oh, what’s your name?”
“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Gallus. I’m a silver card holder?”
A silver card! (T/N: It’s been a while, but silver is an S-rank adventurer.)
He was an influential person recognized by the guild.
Did Oink recognize him?
……Then, is level 66 considered high in the guild as a whole?
“Is it necessary to have practical experience…… Should I train as well?”
Was it as simple as raising your level and striking out with physical power?
The problem was I lacked a training partner.
“Well, then…… until tonight.”
“Yes, till then.”
“Wraith, are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you, Rue.”
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
In the evening, we left the end to fulfill the promise.
When we arrived at the mansion, we were immediately led to Welde, probably because I’d already spoken with him.
His daughter, Ade, was also sitting in the room, but she didn’t raise her head.
Well now.
“Welde-san, does she have to be here?”
“……Understood. We can go to another room.”
“I’ll stay here with Wraith.”
Those two were the ones with the feud. I shouldn’t be there.
Above all, I’m likely to make a rash decision if anything happens.
I hope it didn’t come to that.
I followed Welde and left the three women alone in the room.
“……Sorry for what occurred.”
“There’s no need to apologize. This is a matter for those involved to solve.”
“However……I neglected to provide an explanation.”
“……Then, can you tell me the full story?”
Once we were in his office, Welde began speaking about his first encounter with Wraith without any hesitation.
But it was very different from what I was expecting.
“I still remember when my feelings for the matron changed from admiration and respect to love.”
When Welde was still young, he hated the thought of taking over his family business, so he went to study in the capital.
It was there that he saw Wraith for the first time.
It seems she had opened a similar shop at that time, but the environment wasn’t so good, and she struggled every day.
Welde was fascinated by the appearance of Wraith protecting her found family from the feudal lord’s servants.
At some point, he called out to Wraith for the first time.
“At that time, I was unbelievably green. I can’t begin to describe how embarrassing it was.”
He spoke lines like, “If you leave this city with me, I’ll show you the entire country someday and make a new place for you.”
Eventually, he emerged and caught the eye of Oink, the recently sworn-in guild president.
When this country’s monarchy was on the verge of collapse, Oink, under the guise of the guild’s mediator, used the opportunity to plant spies in the region.
Welde gathered the regional aristocrats under the banner of “The people should decide this country’s future.” and helped abolish the royal family.
Some of the aristocrats expected one of them to be crowned king and cried about being tricked when that didn’t happen.
However, through the many twist and turns of politics, Welde helped set up a legislative body centered around the lords, and now the assembly members were selected by the people.
Of course, the families of the former aristocrats still occupied many assembly seats.
……That pig is terrible. Were they the ones that collapsed the monarchy?
What were their objectives and goals?
…………World conquest? Swine-anfication of all human beings?
“I became a lord, built a town, and the rest, you know. But, while I was attending to the Matron, I fell in love with another woman.”
It was a woman with who he regularly interacted during his school days.
Eventually, genuine love blossomed between the two people.
……In other words, Welde’s wife had been one of Wraith’s daughters.
Then were all those trips to Wing Rest like stopping by his wife’s parents’ house?
Even if it wasn’t by blood, Ada was Wraith’s granddaughter. (T/N: An age is never given, but terminology suggest that Ada is In her mid-late teens or right around 20.)
Without knowing that…… No, Welde, who didn’t explain things, is also to blame.
However, he might have been thinking about Ada and his late wife.
Perhaps Ada’s preclusion for cleanliness was already noticeable when his late wife was still alive.
Therefore, he couldn’t speak up. He probably didn’t want to be spurned by his daughter.
Not to mention that only girls with various circumstances found themselves becoming Wraith’s daughters.
Indeed Welde’s wife walked a path full of hardships.
“I understand. So, have you explained everything to your daughter?”
“Yes. She became very depressed. It’s to the extent where she may need to rethink her whole way of life.”
“I’d be worried if hearing a harsh true didn’t lead to a reflective period.”
“Hahaha…… that’s true.”
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
When the conversation was over, Welde took something from a cabinet and put it on his desk.
“It’ll still take some time on the other side. Care to join me?”
“I rarely play, so I might not be your match.”
It was a chessboard.
I remember he’d been playing a game with Lant back at that port town.
Unfortunately, I specialized in action games that could be operated intuitively.
Board games were a weak point for me.
Memories of relatives making me cry during holiday shogi resurfaced in my mind.
They were devils. That was bullying the weak and lining your children’s pockets, right?
What is 10,000 yen if you when……
Oops, my past resentment is starting to overflow.
“I’m also weak, so it should be just fine.”
“Is that so?”
It’s time for my younger self’s efforts to pay off.
I’d be grateful if my seniors in this life would offer me guidance.
Sorry I was so weak.
“I’ll be honest, Kaivon-dono. I never thought the day someone would come for mother would ever arrive.”
He made his first move.
It was a bold placement that departed from the standard “early-stage” moves.
“For a time, I thought it was a convenience.”
I gave up thinking and copied Welde like a mirror.
Yet, my pieces were robbed one after another.
I was beaten and deprived of essential pieces one after another.
Right off the bat, Welde placed me on the back foot. It was so fast, I didn’t have much time to think.
I gave up on winning and tried to hold out for as long as possible from that point on.
“Still, she never changed. That’s why I――.”
The sound of a piece hitting the board was like a hammer strike in the background of Welde’s monologue.
More of my pieces were taken, and I finally lost my escape route.
“Looks like this is checkmate.”
We’d arrived at the end of the match before I realized it.
It’d been a bullish assault from beginning to end.
He ascertained his strategy, and while it was bullish, Welde remained until the end.
……Wasn’t this strong?
“Welde-san, you’re strong, aren’t you?”
“No, I’m quite weak. A part of me still can’t accept the fact that my mother is leaving. Even after all of this.”
“I was talking about chess.”
“Oh……Hahaha, I guess I am strong……”
You’re strong.
