"Now that all the nuisances are gone, I can finally get ready for my backup plan… If Cao Cao doesn't show up, I'll just become Shadow myself and kill me."
Leaning back in his chair with one leg crossed over the other, Cid watched with an amused gaze as Yukina Himeragi was dragged away by Sayaka Kirasaka under the excuse of "not knowing the way." Before leaving, she had looked back at him with clear reluctance.
Cid then downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp.
"I thought it'd just be Beta, but suddenly so many showed up. Women really are troublesome… they almost delayed my Eminence in Shadow debut announcement. If I go post it now, I should still make it in time."
He walked up to the counter to settle the bill, but froze the moment he saw the pink-haired elf behind it.
"Victoria-chan?"
"It's been a long time. I'm honored that you still remember my name, Shadow-sama."
Hearing him call her name, Victoria broke into an excited smile.
Her vivid pink hair framed her face, adorned with a distinctive black headpiece. Her beautiful features carried a cool, almost sacred air.
Cid recognized her immediately.
Her name was Victoria. About three years ago, during one of his long walks, he had found her as a child abandoned due to Demon Possession.
"Hmm… what are you doing here?"
If he remembered correctly, after being cured, Victoria had joined the Mitsugoshi Company and become one of its core members. This café was also under Mitsugoshi, but assigning a core employee to the front desk seemed unusual.
"I heard that Shadow-sama often visits this place, so I took the initiative to request this position from Gamma-sama."
I see. So during a field investigation, she chose a location frequented by someone familiar.
"Alright then. How much was my table? I'll pay."
Even between acquaintances, what needs to be paid should still be paid. Money matters can complicate relationships.
"No, the Mitsugoshi Company already belongs to Shadow-sama."
Did Gamma tell her they founded Mitsugoshi based on my ideas?
"Oh, you're treating me? Then thanks, Victoria-chan."
In any case, he decided to take it as her treating him.
Pleased at saving some money, Cid didn't think too deeply about it. After confirming a few more times that he really didn't have to pay, he turned and left.
The moment he was gone, the gentle smile on Victoria's face disappeared.
She casually removed her apron, then turned and walked toward the manager's office, disabling the anti-intruder magic device along the way.
...
"Clack!"
Inside the student council vice president's office at Saikai Academy, Sona Sitri sat at her desk, playing a game of chess with her peerage member, Tsubaki Shinra.
The pieces moved one after another, yet both sides maintained nearly equal numbers. On the surface, it was impossible to tell who had the advantage.
However, the difference was clear. Sona Sitri's moves were becoming faster and more decisive, while Tsubaki Shinra took longer with each turn, her hesitation growing.
The advantage lay with Sona Sitri.
Watching Tsubaki Shinra's queen hesitate under her pressure, a confident smile appeared on Sona Sitri's face.
But suddenly, she froze.
The smile vanished. She lowered her head, her eyes hidden beneath the shadow of her glasses.
"Sona?"
Tsubaki Shinra immediately noticed the change and looked up at her in confusion.
"I'm fine."
Sona Sitri gave a slight shake of her head, signaling there was nothing wrong, and gestured to continue the game.
Taking her at her word, Tsubaki Shinra dismissed it as nothing and refocused on the board.
But this time, Sona Sitri no longer held back. In just over a dozen moves, she forced Tsubaki Shinra into checkmate.
Even after the game ended, neither of them moved or started a new round. They simply sat there in silence.
It was obvious that Tsubaki Shinra had sensed something was off with her master.
"Not bad. Watching that made my hands itch. Care to play a game with me?"
At some point, a black figure had appeared by the window, standing against the light so his face couldn't be seen.
"To receive an invitation from the renowned Shadow is truly an honor. However, I am curious… what brings you here, Shadow-dono?"
Unshaken by the sudden voice, Sona Sitri adjusted her glasses and replied calmly, a confident smile returning to her lips.
"Want to know?"
"If it's something you can't say, then forget it."
"It's not that I can't say it. It's just that telling you outright feels like I'd be the one losing out.
How about this? Beat me, and I'll tell you."
Cid shrugged and spoke in an easy, casual tone.
"Then… if I lose, what price do I have to pay?"
"Nothing at all. Watching you two play just made my hands itch. Or do you not want to?"
"I have no objection."
"Then let's begin."
Hearing the exchange between her master and Cid, Tsubaki Shinra tactfully gave up her seat.
"50!"
"?"
After sitting down, Cid suddenly said a number.
"You're White. You go first."
"It seems Shadow-dono is quite confident."
"No, this is my first time playing chess."
At those words, the confident smile on Sona Sitri's face stiffened for a moment, and all she could say was,
"Shadow-dono, you are quite humorous."
After that, the match officially began.
Twenty moves in, Sona Sitri still looked calm.
Twenty moves later, that calm had vanished.
By the thirtieth move, Sona Sitri was taking longer and longer to place her pieces.
By the fortieth move, her face had gone pale.
At the start, Sona Sitri had only imagined one possible outcome for this game.
Her victory.
The moment Cid made his first move, she had already realized he was telling the truth. This really was his first time playing. The way he handled the game was so clumsy that he looked even less experienced than a complete beginner who had just learned the rules.
Sona Sitri would never claim to be the best chess player in the world, but she also refused to believe that someone who had never touched a chessboard before could defeat her.
And yet, the position on the board was ruthlessly proving her wrong.
Her mind was telling her that at most, she could hold out for only a few more moves before being checkmated.
And you call this your first game?
What kind of beginner are you supposed to be?
Thinking about it now, how could someone who dared invite her to a match after watching her game with Tsubaki Shinra possibly be a real novice?
Shadow's casual attitude at the start had not been the awkwardness of a beginner.
It was him telling her that he had never considered her an opponent to begin with.
And if she was not even worth treating as an opponent, then naturally there was no need for him to care about how he looked while playing.
At that thought, a trace of helplessness appeared on Sona Sitri's face.
A true powerhouse. He really was a true powerhouse.
But...
Sona Sitri made her next move.
If you want me to lose, it won't be that easy.
...
I can't make sense of this.
As Cid stared at the chessboard in front of him, that was his honest thought. The only thing he knew for sure was that he should be the one with the advantage... probably?
"Clack!"
Sona Sitri made her move.
She picked up a piece he did not recognize and placed it in a spot whose purpose he could not understand.
"The World!"
Time froze once again.
In this motionless world, Cid took out a mirror.
Cid had not lied. Setting aside the Pawn Piece Rias had given him, this really was his first time coming into contact with chess.
But that did not matter.
He believed that with his talent and effort, he would definitely be able to unleash his protagonist aura and defeat Sona Sitri.
Divination, activate!
Hmm... already checkmate?
Perfect.
Undoing the time stop, Cid followed the sequence he had just divined and checkmated Sona Sitri.
"I lost."
Knowing she had been defeated, Sona Sitri did not look especially dejected. Instead, she smiled in relief.
"No, you didn't lose."
"?"
Sona Sitri looked at Cid in confusion.
"This is the forty-fifth move. Rounding it off, I'll count it as half a win for you."
The moment those words left his mouth, Sona Sitri's eyes shook.
Only now did she understand what the number Cid had said at the beginning meant.
Her victory condition had never been beating him.
It was surviving until the fiftieth move.
So from the very beginning, had she been within his grasp the whole time?
The moment she understood, anger surged up inside her.
Humiliation.
This was humiliation.
"Then... since I earned half a win, would Shadow-dono be willing to tell me the purpose of your visit?"
Even though she was furious over Cid's words, Sona Sitri still forced the anger down and asked what he had come for.
"Since it's only half a win, I can only tell you half of it. I came here at someone's invitation to watch the so-called battle between the strongest."
Leaving behind a meaningful smile, Cid dissolved into drifting black mist and vanished, leaving only Sona Sitri and Tsubaki Shinra, who had been sitting quietly to the side.
"Your Highnesses, you all heard that, correct? Are you planning to cancel Rias's Rating Game? Recently, the only fight that fits what Shadow said should be the battle between Rias and Riser."
After Cid left, Sona Sitri took out a necklace. The pendant in the center projected an image.
In that image were three men and one woman. Two of the men were working together to restrain the woman, while the third stood at the front, looking toward Sona Sitri.
"Sona, you know how your sister is. The moment something involves you, she loses all sense of reason."
Noticing where Sona Sitri was looking, the man gave an awkward smile and offered an explanation.
"I understand, Ajuka-dono."
She nodded. After all, when it came to her sister Serafall, Sona Sitri believed no one understood her better than she did.
"Let me go, Sirzechs! Sona is in danger right now. I'm going to Sona's side this instant!"
"Calm down, Serafall. You know perfectly well what it would mean if you, as one of the leaders of the Devils, appeared in another faction's territory. Besides, your little sister is already fine."
"How do we know Shadow didn't leave something behind? I don't care, I'm going right now..."
Ignoring the voices coming from behind, Sona Sitri looked at the somewhat alluring green-haired man in the image, hesitation on her face.
"Really... can't we cancel it? That was Shadow."
Hearing Sona Sitri's voice, Beelzebub gave a bitter smile and answered helplessly,
"We're already riding a tiger and can't get off."
...
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