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Chapter 176.

After lunch, Lisbon and I had our second bet surrounded by children. The bet was a nine battlefield chess that used nine boards and 120 chess pieces. The chess pieces consisted of 60 pawns, 15 rooks, 15 knights, 15 bishops, ten mages, four queens, and one king. Aside from the fact that the pawns were capable of moving backward and there were mages, the method of moving the pieces was like chess from my previous life.

White mage pieces were war mages and could kill up to two pieces within one space around it. In the case of black mage pieces, they were necromancers. They could kill a single piece within one space around it and revive that exact piece in the same spot. Mages could move up to three spaces in any direction, so their mobility was low, but they were the core of this game.

I explained the rules of chess while laying out the chessboard and asked Lisbon, "I’ll pass on selecting. Which one are you going to choose, black or white? Black goes first."

This chess game’s theme was a battle against the king of immortals, the head of the black magicians in the past. The reason why black was first was that the war began with a surprise attack by the black magicians.

"Uh... White?"

I don’t know if Lisbon understood the rules properly, but I had no intention of going easy. "Then I’m black. Let’s get started."

I advanced the pawn in the middle. For reference, one of my best games was when I forced my opponent into checkmate with eight queens after I caught all four queens with my necromancers. At that time, my youngest sister flipped the board, saying it was cheating. It was a good memory. Now, let’s show off my skill.

Hillis was impressed by the game between Lisbon and me. "Where is your hometown that you play crazy chess like this? I’ve never seen this type of chess before."

Oh, that’s weird. This chess was brought from the empire to our village, so why doesn’t Hillis know of it?

"Hey Den, you didn’t make up a game that doesn’t exist, did you?" As he moved his chess pieces, Lisbon looked suspicious and asked me carefully.

I felt wronged. I only told him how to play chess that I was taught!

"You don’t know it either, Lisbon? This chess?”

“I don’t know.”

I looked at Hillis at Lisbon’s answer. “Hilis, you really don’t know?”

“Yeah. I really don’t know.”

Strange, I’m pretty sure my big sister said it was chess from the empire.

At that time, the head nun spectating with the children smiled and said, "This is northern chess. I didn’t expect anyone to know this game."

When someone who knew the game appeared, I looked at the head nun in delight. "I see that Head Nun-nim seems to know of it."

"Yes, I do, but this is my first time seeing anyone play this chess.”

After being lost in memory for a little bit, the head nun looked at me as if I were odd. In my hometown, my big sister and I were the only ones who played it, but I thought it would be more frequently played in the empire.

"This northern chess is also called nine battlefield chess because it uses nine boards, but it is also known as Asterium chess, and the person who made it was a kid who lived in Asterium."

That was something I didn’t know either. To be honest, how many people knew the creator while playing games like chess or baduk? [1]

"But there’s a dedicated set here despite the fact no one plays it."

If there were no ‘mage’ pieces, I was going to take them out from my pocket space, but the orphanage had a complete nine battlefield chess set.

"That chessboard and the pieces were given to me directly as a gift by the kid who made northern chess. Although, it was too difficult, and I haven’t played it once.”

The head nun looked at the chessboard dimly as if she had fallen into a vague memory of the past before saying, "By the way, are you from Asterium considering you know how to play this chess?"

I shook my head at the head nun’s question while moving a chess piece. “No. Well, I am from around there."

The nun looked closely at my face when I responded.

"What’s wrong?"

The head nun smiled awkwardly at my question. "Nothing. You resemble a girl I know."

"Really?"

Come to think of it, the old gentleman who I happened to meet at the market this morning also said I resembled his daughter. Is my face that womanly?

"Seeing you, suddenly Sister Anemone-nim came to mind.”

I smiled at the head nun who wore a forlorn smile. "My mother’s name is also Anemone; what a coincidence."

The head nun’s face stiffened and asked, "Brother-nim... how old are you?”

"I am 16 and will be 17 in a few months."

The head nun looked slightly relieved. "Oh, I see. Well, Sister Anemone-nim has already left to be by God’s side 25 years ago, so you couldn’t be her son."

The head nun seemed to have mistaken me for someone’s son. By the way, even though I called her mother, she passed away just after I was born, so I knew very little about her except her name.

I’ve only seen a few pictures of her face, with the photos taken using magic. Now that I thought about it, among the pictures, there was one taken with a middle-aged nun. However, the head nun said the person named Anemone died 25 years ago, so it shouldn’t have anything to do with me.

"Hey, Lisbon. You’re thinking before you move, right?”

My question made the pushover flustered. "Huh? Uh... maybe?"

He’s not even thinking. No wonder his movements were impossible to understand despite his formation collapsing and being driven into a corner.

I said, pointing to the middle chessboard right in front of Lisbon, "It’s already past ten turns. I’ll turn that board 90 degrees to the left."

"Huh?"

The king became exposed as he turned the board.

"Check."

Lisbon was flustered and tried to protect his king by moving a piece, but he was soon in a checkmate.

"Checkmate. That’s my second win, and so the bet is over as well."

As expected, there was no need to hear Lisbon’s choice for the third event of the bet. Now, all I needed to do was tear at some jerky while watching Lisbon get scolded by Alice.

"Can’t you somehow keep this a secret?”

At Lisbon’s earnest request, I smiled and replied, "I don’t want to."

Children flocked to the side of the despairing Lisbon.

"Hyung, you’re done, aren’t you? Play with me!"

"Let’s play with the doll!"

"No! Hyung is going to have a sword fight with us!"

It seemed that watching chess was not very fun for the children.

Hillis sat in the seat where Lisbon had left and rolled up her sleeve. "This chess game looks interesting. Have a game with me."

"Okay, I’ll defeat you thoroughly. Come on, challenger."

Hillis snorted lightly. "Hut, be a sacrifice for the birth of a new champion."

Hillis and I started playing chess. Having run around with the children all morning after training at dawn, Lisbon seemed to have exhausted all his stamina as he picked up a doll. In fact, I had to admit that his endurance was very impressive as he continued to run around all morning. No matter how good the recovery medicine I gave him was, it didn’t make fatigue disappear.

The reason why Lisbon was playing with the children so much was because he felt bad that he couldn’t come for a few days. It was also because knight school would start soon, and he wouldn’t be able to come often anymore. He’s really such a nice pushover.

"The kids seem a little too wary of strangers. Is that normal?” Hillis asked and moved a chess piece while Sister Riemann watched from the side.

I nodded and agreed with Hillis’ opinion. It was natural to be careful around strangers, but the children were still somehow wary after playing all morning.

"Pardon? Oh, yes. It is because they are children with scars on their hearts...” Sister Riemann trailed off at the end and glanced at the head nun who was taking care of the children with Lisbon.

Is there some sort of situation? Well, it was none of my business. While I was thinking so, I noticed that strange mana was passed on to Hillis. It was sound transmission magic. I naturally hacked the magic and listened in.

- Saintess-nim, I think you’ll have to come back.

It was the voice of the paladin named Albatoss. Hillis frowned when he mentioned returning.

- Why?

- Some burly men are on their way to the Angel’s House, and I don’t think they have any good intentions.

At Albatoss’s report, Hillis did not show any expression and moved her chess piece.

- Then chase them away.

Through the window, I could see Albatoss hesitating at the firm order.

- That’s, I’m afraid that will be impossible.

- What?

When Hillis glanced out the window with an angry look, I saw the paladins flinching outside.

- That, that is, we came here without saying anything to the great temple. If Saintess-nim somehow gets caught up in a feud, some bad things may happen...

Hillis angrily rebuked Albatoss, who was rambling.

- Albatoss, is my position one where I have to avoid ruffians coming to harass the orphanage? Is that something the leader of the consecrated paladin division charged with protecting me should say?

I didn’t show any outward reaction to what Hillis said, but I was greatly surprised. Being the leader of the consecrated paladin division was the highest position one could attain as a paladin. In terms of the imperial family, the consecrated paladins were like the royal guard knight division.

The saintess’s standing was about the same level as the pope, so the paladins guarding her should be talented even in the temple. However, I didn’t know that those dimwit knights would be on the same level as the knight division protecting the pope.

- No, I apologize. However-

"Albatoss!"

Everyone looked at Hillis as she hit the table in anger. As everyone’s eyes suddenly gathered towards her, Hillis smiled gently. "Hohoho, I’m sorry. Let’s keep playing chess."

When Hillis waved her hands, pretending nothing was wrong, everyone continued what they were previously doing. With my perceptive vision, I could clearly see that under that gentle-looking smile, there was a seething frustration.

- I’m sorry, Saintess-nim.

At Albatoss’s apology, Hillis spoke warmly with a gentle smile.

- No, it’s okay. I’m sure the leader of the consecrated knight division has his own thoughts on the matter, but I was hasty.

Oh, she’s really pissed.

- That isn’t so. However, if something happens to Saintess-nim again, you may really have to go back to Percival this time.

- Yes, I suppose so.

Sadly, rather than closing the open lid, Albatoss kicked the lid far away. Let’s pray for peace.

- And the Saintess-nim also knows that we can’t stop the great temple in our position.

- What’s that?

Kwang!

Even before Hillis could ask Albatoss to elaborate, the front door was opened roughly, and a bunch of ruffians came in.

"Uaang!"

At the sound of the front door being slammed open, the baby woke up and began to cry. Sister Riemann held the baby and evacuated the children to the playroom.

"It’s still a shabby place."

Behind the ruffians came a priest who looked like a mouse wearing a luxurious priest’s uniform.

1. Baduk is the board game Go which is placed with black and white stones.