52 – Episode 52 – Intergalactic Friendship Exhibition Gallery
Emperor. Chris Karl Teseur. Age 21.
At the peak of his youth. Now was the perfect age to get married and find a successor.
However, what was the biggest problem to Chris?
The fact that he did not seem particularly interested in women, to the point where rumors circulated of his homos*xuality.
If the Emperor had heard this, he would have been scandalized.
But the Lord’s ears are the ears of a donkey.
He couldn’t hear about a story that was spread only in his absence.
Nobody knew that he simply did not think about marriage because he hasn’t found the right person.
How can he marry and have kids without a person who makes his heart flutter?
People gossiped, saying he could be gay, but the rumors were merely rumors.
They were spoken in jest.
But…
If the news that he became impotent due to baldness medication were to spread,
The Emperor could become the subject of slander.
“It would spell disaster for the empire’s image and the royal lineage!
Even the esteemed offspring of other nations contemplating marriage to the emperor would surely turn their heads in disdain.
We must at all costs prevent this…!
The royal bloodline must continue, successors to the throne are of utmost importance!
In that respect, the emperor taking a hair loss prevention potion was a risky move.
However, is that what matters?
If it can preserve his hair.
“Are those the only side effects?”
“Uh…it could affect health. But not enough to worry about. The chance of experiencing side effects is less than one in ten.”
“Oh…”
If it’s less than one in ten, it might be worth a try?
The Emperor seemed very interested.
Conversely, the talk of hair loss potion side effects made Ersha’s eyes flicker worryingly.
Even if the chances are low, isn’t it still a possibility?
She is the commander of the emperor’s personal knight squad.
In addition to her duties as the emperor’s personal bodyguard, she also serves as his deputy.
So she had spent more time alongside the emperor than anyone else.
She knew he would be willing to sacrifice his potency for vanity’s sake.
But he shouldn’t!
To give up over a few strands of hair!
So, without a shred of self-interest.
Really. Truly. Without harboring a single absurd thought….
She would often look at the emperor observantly.
She admired him, secretly cheering for him
Often, when waking him up, she quietly observed his sleeping face.
However, this advice has nothing to do with her personal feelings.
She spoke in a steady voice.
“Your Majesty.”
“Ersha. You seem to have something on your mind.”
“Yes. May I speak?”
“Alright. No matter what now.”
“Even without hair, Your Majesty, you are magnificent.”
“….”
“Even if your hair has been stripped away, Your Majesty, your brilliance does not fade.”
“….”
“….Ersha.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Step out for a moment.”
Due to her heartfelt advice, Ersha was chased out.
***
The silence arrived as Ersha left, but the Emperor didn’t care.
“The nuisance is gone.”
The Emperor’s head was already filled with thoughts of this thing called hair growth serum.
How much he longed to cure his baldness.
The Emperor swung his pen lightly.
Sign it…! Baldness can be overcome….
The napkin contract completed with the emperor’s signature was divided between the two.
“In case it gets damaged, I will bless it.”
With the hero’s blessing, the contract was sealed, to be preserved for a long time.
Judd handed over the remaining hair growth serum he had prepared.
He had spent 200 gallery management points for a 10-day supply of hair growth serum.
Though he thought the price was absurd, it was a worthwhile medication.
When he passed over enough serum for 90 days, the corner of the Emperor’s mouth curled upward.
“So, I only need to take one pill a day?”
“They say the effect will show with continuous consumption.”
“So they say.”
The Emperor promptly popped out a pill and swallowed it with water.
Though his thinning hair hadn’t yet grown back, he acted as jovially as if his baldness had already disappeared.
That’s all it takes.
With this, Judd felt a weight being lifted off his shoulders.
Wasn’t this the reason I came here?
Haphazardly, I kept the emperor from meddling with the kingdom and the queen by giving him a hair growth solution.
No longer are there incidents involving ridicule of the empire and the emperor in the gallery.
I’ve eaten my fill and seen plenty of attractive people…
‘But what is this feeling…’
The feeling of emptiness still hasn’t disappeared.
Ah, chess.
“Come to think of it, didn’t we agree to have a chess exchange? Or has it already happened?”
“That… was not a chess exchange.”
“How could that be considered a chess exchange?”
Can that even be called a chess exchange in the first place?
All we did was pretend to play chess while clinging to each other, touching here and there.
The emperor nodded his head.
“We had planned to have a friendly game while discussing the chess tournament. That was the original intent of the chess exchange.”
“I see.”
“I would like to discuss the chess tournament first. Shall we move to another location?”
“Sure, let’s change the venue.”
Having finished my meal.
We would have to move to a place prepared for chess.
I followed the emperor as he moved.
The reception room, not far from the dining hall, was reached in a short walk.
A room with dazzling lighting and high-quality solid wood interior.
As he took out the chessboard, the emperor continued speaking.
“In the future, we plan to host a tournament consisting of chess representatives from each nation in the Empire. I need your continuous support and promotion.”
“That’s not a big deal. Anytime.”
While appropriately arranging the chess pieces, I nodded my head.
Look at the color of these knights and rooks. How much did they spend on these?
For a moment I admired the pieces, each meticulously crafted by hand.
Someone entered the room and sat opposite me.
“Here is our empire’s Viscount Whisen, who will be playing chess in this international friendly match. He has the skills of a chess master.”
“Wow, a chess master.”
“A dignitary from the kingdom of Osen. Treat them well, Viscount Hwisen.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Viscount Hwisen bowed slightly.
“I look forward to a good match.”
“Yes, likewise.”
Juddak also bowed, then murmured.
Inter-country friendly competition…? Kingdom representative…?
I am none of those, when did that happen?
Since when am I a person of the kingdom? I’m just a freeloader living off the kingdom?
Emerging from regained consciousness was the sight of a wickedly grinning emperor.
“hehehehe…”
Naively thinking that this is just an ordinary friendship match.
There’s no way innocent Juddak could survive in a political world where manipulation runs rampant…!
Become the sacrifice to glorify the superiority of the empire.
A chess monster with overwhelming power, representing the empire.
Juddak, who became the representative of the kingdom against his intent, is the opponent of Viscount Hwisen.
“Ah.”
The chess match has started.
***
Even in a competition between individuals, pride gets wounded.
You are sh*t. One wrong word can result in a shameful vein popping on a gentleman’s forehead, followed by another outburst of obscenities — an unavoidable part of any game.
That’s just a competition between people.
The meaning only amplifies in a competition between nations, friendly or not.
This is more than a simple chess game!
It’s a representation of national power using chess as a medium.
Whether it be chess or a contact sports competition, having a remarkable talent signifies an abundance in the country.
Geniuses are born, but discovering them is just as critical — that’s a nation’s ability.
Possessing such talent and achieving overwhelming victory in chess becomes a form of propaganda.
‘We have such talent here?’
‘Hey, don’t any of you guys play chess well?’
‘Ah, just as expected, the kingdom’s a joke.’
‘I’m so bored that I want to die.’
These teasings can be endured for several years, and a natural hierarchy forms between countries.
A pecking order.
To overthrow this, a lot of humiliation must be endured!
‘Let’s do it again…’
‘Eh? What did you say? I can’t hear you because you’re such a loser. Can’t you talk longer?’
‘Please… let’s just do one more round…’
‘Good! Give that loser that one thing.’
This is not an ordinary friendly match.
The expression ‘proxy chess match with the country’s pride on the line’ is more appropriate.
In that sense, the chess competition that has just taken place.
It was a showdown between Judak, who came as a representative of the kingdom, and Visen, the author, who came as a representative of the empire.
The emperor, who had orchestrated all this, chuckled softly.
Hair loss medicine is just hair loss medicine. Chess is just chess.
Since the kingdom was not touched, it’s a standard chess exchange.
It didn’t seem to be a problem because it appeared to be a friendly chess match. It’s not a breach of contract.
If they inquire about the fact that the nose was cut later, they could just ask.
‘hehehe. Queen, doesn’t it seem like just a friendly game after all? Get angry and enjoy the defeat.’
By then, the kingdom would be perceived as a chess loser under the empire.
‘Didn’t the queen know about this?’
She was naive enough to accept the suggestion of a chess exchange in its literal sense?
If she did believe it, then Beatrice’s political sense was lacking!
Intrigue and tactics were always rampant in politics between countries, all to stab each other in the back!
Judaic will be the sacrificial lamb for the pride of the empire!
“….”
The hero, who had been watching all this from the side, naturally became tense.
She didn’t know the exact details…. It seemed like something political had happened….. But she didn’t know for sure.
But the atmosphere was far from a typical friendly match, tense vibes lingered.
“Are you okay, Mister?”
“Hm? What?”
“Well… This is…”
Where should she even begin?
The country… Politics… danger… So… Hmm?
She gave up on explaining.
Concerned that an unnecessary explanation might make him nervous and potentially lose.
After much thought, the hero eventually nodded his head.
“I believe you will win, Mister.”
“Ah. No pressure, then.”
He replied jokingly, then looked at his opponent.
Whizen’s self-made… so this person supposedly plays chess well?
Visible on his fingers were hardened calluses from playing a lot of chess.
‘Awww. I’m scared.’
Honestly, it had been a long time since he’d played chess….
There was also a sandglass with a modified rule that he had never seen before.
“What is this?”
“Ah, we’ve devised a new rule for this friendly match. The rule is called ‘seize battle’. Your time increases as much as your opponent’s time elapses.”
“The default time?”
“It is 10 minutes.”
“…”
Normally, one would get at least 30 minutes for a chess game.
10 minutes would just seem like an invitation for mistakes due to the pressure.
A beginner would probably not even be able to make a proper move being chased by time.
It seemed clear that his opponent intended to win by twisting a novice’s wrist.
Quite deplorable.
“The game will be 5 out of 3 matches. How does that sound?”
“Yes. Let’s go with that.”
“Then… we wish you a good game.”
Whisen Jajak was the first to move his pawn forward.
Utterly ordinary and safe move…
As he turned the hourglass upside down, the sand flowed down.
The amount of sand that flowed down was matched by the rise in the opponent’s sand.
“Hmm…”
Chujak gripped his own piece and slowly projected it forward.
He played a basic opening in response to the opponent’s move.
‘But the more I think about it, how infuriating?’
The emperor is hosting this gallery. Obviously, he knows Chujak doesn’t play chess.
So because he doesn’t play chess, wouldn’t he have thought him to be mediocre?
Then isn’t this planning to exploit that weakness?
‘Emperor, you’re not going to make it. Let’s see some emotional turmoil.’
Chujak boldly opened a path.
The moment the formation was complete with the pawn, Chujak picked up the knight.
Attack with the knight, capture the pawn.
The two spectators were startled by the sudden move of capturing a pawn with a knight.
“?”
“??”
By capturing with the knight, he had essentially sacrificed it for free.
Taking a pawn and giving a knight, that’s an incredible loss.
Even the warrior with a pathetic chess win rate of 13% knew that.
Everyone knows that a knight is more important than a pawn!
Chujak’s exchange was an absurd play.
“Heh.”
On the other hand, The emperor struggled to suppress a forced smile.
This has to be a complete beginner.
To offer such a strange exchange.
Whisen Jajak also slightly smiled.
Did he make a mistake because he was pressed for time? Even better.
I’ll take this opportunity to snatch the victory completely.
The piece initiated a battle, taking advantage of having one more.
An engagement occurred as each side intertwined in the center.
They held positions to protect the middle respectively.
The exchange of pawns and bishops that occurred.
From Noble mtl dot com
The spark of battle spread to the side, continuing on one side.
And as the side fights progressed.
Duke Whisen noticed something strange.
“…?”
If it goes on like this… isn’t it dangerous?
While using the remaining time, he estimated the number of pieces.
If the battle goes to the end, the opportunity is given for the queen and rook to attack the place where a pawn is missing.
A snowball of knight and pawn exchange, to this extent.
‘Did he… calculate this move?’
That’s absurd!
How many moves from there to here!
But, if you’ve read up to here….
The hand of Duke Whisen, who sneakily glanced at the hourglass, stopped.
His sand endlessly flowed to the ground.
