[27 — Fighting Spirit?]

Ever since I taught Sera how to play chess, she's been getting way too cocky.

I know I told her she could come find me anytime for a rematch, but I didn't think she'd take it literally and barge into my room every single day. And worst of all: without even knocking.

Honestly, it's been a real headache.

Let's backtrack a bit. Last week, I'd decided I wasn't gonna mess with this whole 'teaching' thing anymore. Everything was fine, and I had zero need to keep it up. But then I looked at my brand-new sword and the silver coins in my pouch, and my guilty side felt like I owed Sera something extra for our little 'conquest.' So I decided to reward her. (And no, it wasn't because Ruru accused me of being scared of losing.)

I started her off with the basics so it'd be easy to pick up. I even threw in a mini history lesson about chess for context. Not sure if that part was really necessary, but since everyone usually starts that way, I didn't want to break tradition and risk 'compromising her learning.' After all, the last thing I needed was Ruru nagging me about 'not explaining things properly just to gain an advantage.'

"So chess came from Ethiopia…" Sera repeated, finger on her chin. She looked like she was hanging onto every word. (Which was a problem, considering I had to make up half the details I couldn't remember.)

"Yes… E-Ethiopia…" Or was it Egypt? Whatever. I'd forgotten.

Then, we started playing.

Her learning speed honestly surprised me. Ruru wasn't just running her mouth when she said Sera was smart. The kid was sharp.

Of course, she wasn't exactly some medieval Magnus Carlsen or anything, but still... her quick grasp of the rules was at least interesting.

That's all it was, though.

As expected, there was no chance of her ever beating me. That possibility didn't even exist in my mind. And game after game—loss after loss—that fact only grew clearer.

Since her adjustment period was over, I stopped holding back. As cruel as it might sound, my real goal was to crush her fighting spirit completely so I could be done with these daily intrusions.

"W-what was that?!"

"That's called castling, my dear Sera. It's a special move with some conditions."

I'd conveniently left out those conditions, but all it took was her watching a few times before she figured it out herself and started doing it too. No matter how much I tried to hide it, my natural talent as a teacher was undeniable.

"Why'd you take my pawn? You said it could only capture diagonally!"

"En passant!"

"En… what now?"

I didn't exactly enjoy humiliating the weak and innocent, but I needed her to get discouraged somehow. We were playing so many matches that, at this rate, her loss count was about to surpass Ruru's; and I couldn't let that happen.

"What do you mean it doesn't count? Why can't I just kill the king when he's wide open?"

"Because the point of chess isn't bloodshed." I started gesturing dramatically. "It's about choking your enemy. Leaving them with no air. Forcing them to the very peak of a mental breakdown."

I slammed the table and leaned close to her.

"In short: a complete intellectual victory instead of some uncivilized, brainless kill."

Sera froze, looking spooked. Exactly as planned.

"Scary, huh?"

Come on, girl… realize this isn't a game for kids and get out of my room already.

"A-amazing…"

"…"

My desperate attempts to make her give up didn't just fail; they backfired completely, doing the exact opposite of what I intended.

And that's how, many matches later, we ended up back in the present…

"That makes 143 losses, Sera."

"Y-you've been keeping count?!"

"The real question is: why wouldn't I?"

"M-mean!"

Call me whatever you want… just give me a break already. I'm starting to dream about the damn chessboard.

"One more! I want to try a new strategy!"

"Ah…"

She wasn't quitting anytime soon…

"Listen, Sera. Don't you feel like going out to play?" I opened the balcony window. "Look at that beautiful day! Perfect for rolling around in the grass, chasing cats, feeding the horses…"

"R-roll in the grass? I'm not a kid anymore." Her face went dead serious. "I don't want to chase cats. I'd rather stay home and play chess."

For some reason, I felt like I was being a terrible influence on this girl.

Was I… witnessing the birth of a medieval hikikomori?

"…Fine then. This time, I'm playing black."

For just a moment, I finally understood how my parents must've felt every time they begged me to go outside.

…It was terrifying.