Casting suspicion

The next day, Mimoko decided not to go to school, instead opting to stay home and relax with Daria. So far, no storm had come like Daria feared, but the two were on edge nonetheless.

"Standings-wise, you're tied for the lead with Okisato, Noa, Miga, Hagemi, Yumi, and Alma, meaning you're likely to face one of them," Daria sighed as Mimoko massaged her breasts.

"I thought they weren't going to pair me against Miga-chan after what happened."

"Your 5th round opponent according to the game logs is to be Alma. In fact, here's the game itself."

Mimoko stared intently at what was before her. "I'm playing as Black, so I don't have full control over the opening, but it looks like I'd be able to get away with making a move not in here, which would make all of this just some elaborate prank in the public eye, yes?"

"That's the hope, but our adversary showcased that they'll find a way to make fate go their way. We have to be vigilant. You're also predicted to be playing some games today, one being an informal match against me."

"Then we just need to not play each other."

"Yes, it's so simple, yet why do I feel it won't be so easy."

The ringing of the doorbell roused the two from the comfort of the sofa. Putting her shirt back on, Daria headed for the door to be greeted with a toothless postman holding an open box with dentures in it.

"Hey, I got a pesent foh ya!" the postman smiled.

"Sorry, I don't need dentures," Daria scowled.

"Yuh gunna need em if ya get cot eating."

"Huh?"

"Eating, like ixin matches."

Daria's eyes widened, but before she could grab the postman by the scruff of his neck, he ran off laughing like a lunatic. Daria didn't just let him run, as she summoned her WWCF card and managed to scan him just before he got out of range.

"Risto Đuro Vuk, it says he's from Montenegro and that he's a 2575-rated grandmaster. I'm not familiar with him. Perhaps I'll bring this up with the WWCF."

Leaving Mimoko alone for a bit, Daria warped over to WWCF HQ and informed the others of this development.

"A Montenegrin grandmaster... Yet his words, so the angle they're trying to take is that we are fixing matches in Mimoko's favor. Seems are fears were true after all," Amelia frowned.

"And now you're mumbling stuff like there's a time traveler leaking things. It's clearly some big fat liar on the internet feeding shit into an AI or something," Wiley grumbled.

"No, I'll admit AI might be capable of predicting a match, but the round 2 incident? That was clear interference from another party," Ian argued.

"I wonder, could someone with access to the game logs have leaked them? The executive board has the same privileges as maestros and then some," Alexandre scowled.

"Implying a leak? To what purpose would that serve?" Gudit scowled as she entered the room uncloaked.

"No cult cloaks today?" Wiley scoffed.

"No, since I'm here simply as the representative of the Ethiopian Kingdom of Simien and the Judean Empire of Simien as a whole."

"As if one of you microchipped cheaters can serve as a representative for a nation filled with grandmasters."

"Still bitter over Pewler. While it's true most of the members rely heavily on their chips for chess prowess, that is not the case with all of us."

"I heard the reports the fucker, Pewler, had his chip integrated into his entire bloodstream so as not to risk it messing with his brain. The other girl from your empire on the board has the damn thing in her eye, but just cuz the chip isn't in the head, doesn't mean it isn't giving you a big edge in cheating."

"I'm the exception, as I'm sure you're aware," Gudit scowled as she removed her hairclip and set it on the table. "Well, give me a scan."

The others did just that, and to their surprise, Gudit's rating was now 2710.

"Surprising, yes, before I joined the board, I was a grandmaster and this was my rating. My chip is implanted in this clip and merely grants my card it's purple hue and 2910 rating. Your own Peter Morphy deems me the one member of the board worthy of a challenge, as I have scored a single win and multiple draws against him, all on my own. The chip merely needs to be in proximity to the head for the card and rating privileges to activate, but if it's not connected at all to the brain, it can't be used. In fact, I'm effectively a normal WWCF member without it as anyone that picks it up and attaches it to their head could become an executive board member, well, anyone but the maestros I assume."

"Maestros, I understand there is skepticism with the executive board, but as you can check Gudit's records for yourselves, she is a genuine prodigy and grandmaster. Her chip is also unique in that it merely changes the aesthetics and gives her rating an inflation to the 2900-range. It doesn't provide her any hints or the likes," Raymond proclaimed.

"That being said, there might be a member of the board that is a little loose-lipped, perhaps one that bears a grudge against you," Gudit shrugged as she pocketed her hair clip.

One face immediately popped into Daria's mind. "Sir Kit Ziegler..."

...

"WHY WAS I SUMMONED HERE!?" Kit fumed as he found himself at the board room.

"We've got serious questions for you. First off, your thoughts on what's been going on with All-Japan," Daria glared.

"I don't care!"

"Second, your opinion on Mimoko Tanabe."

"Are you trying to say I'M behind all this!? The nerve of you, woman! I'm an elite, higher-class than you-"

Daria quickly cut him off with a challenge request. "Then lets settle this with chess. I win, you answer everything I ask while hooked up to a lie detector."

"THE NERVE! FINE! When I win, I'll have you pay my entire travel expense fees for the year!"