Chapter 15

Kinjo didn’t remember a word of the conversation he’d had while half-asleep.

He wasn’t even sure it had really happened.

“Mago trusts the Lake and ignores the King’s penalty,” he said, pointing at Mago, who stood well apart from the rest.

“But, like I said, he can only use it twice. We make him burn both.”

“What if he knocks us out in under ten minutes?” Belle asked.

“He won’t. We just won’t fight.”

“You won’t fight?”

Kinjo outlined the next plan.

* * *

I watched the match between Group 3 and Group 4 ahead of us.

Five minutes of observation summed up in one word: chaos.

They were stumbling over one another, orders colliding in mid-air—hardly surprising when their commanders were blindfolded.

“Turn thirteen,” the Chief Instructor announced quietly.

“L-left two squares!” Group 3’s King shouted.

“Are we really two left? Say it faster, I can’t see!”

“Just landed! My square is... A! A4!”

“Don’t trust that! That wasn’t my voice—someone on their side is faking!”

“Damn it, I’m lost...”

“Turn fourteen.”

“Instructor! I’ll open my eyes this turn!”

“Very well. Group 3 has used both glimpses; from next turn on they stay blind. Group 4, you forfeit this turn.”

Group 3’s King cracked his eyes open.

His face darkened instantly.

“What do you mean A4?!”

“I told you, that wasn’t me! If you can’t tell my voice from theirs we’re finished!”

“H-hold on. Let me think. Now that I can see, the board looks nothing like I pictured—enemy positions too... I can’t plan the next move...”

“Just do something!”

“Turn fifteen. Eyes closed again.”

Before Group 3’s King could decide, the next turn cruelly began.

“Group 3 can’t stop us now! Both pieces, charge!”

Group 4’s King seized the chance and drove his chessmen deep.

The match ended in victory for Group 4:

Group 3 – 0 points.

Group 4 – 50 points.

The standings flipped in an instant.

A moment later the board was reset.

“Group 5, Group 6—step forward.”

The Instructor’s call.

My turn.

“Kings, raise your hands.”

Kinjo and I lifted ours.

“Prepare.”

Both teams stepped back.

At each end of the parade-ground chessboard three cadets formed a line, thirty metres apart—well within the Lake’s range.

“Kings, close your eyes.”

I shut mine and triggered the Lake.

A ripple swept the field, painting the world in black and white.

“Begin.”

Oscar and Louise drew their wooden swords.

Opposite them, Amon and Belle did the same.

“Turn one.”

“Oscar, Louise—one square forward.”

I eased my two pawns ahead.

“Passing the turn.”

Kinjo did nothing.

The Third Exam had rules, but no fairness.

The pieces were unequal.

Oscar and Louise were mere pawns; Amon and Belle were bishop and rook.

Belle, once only, could even become queen.

I pictured Kinjo’s likely gambits.

First: exploit the power gap.

With their superior skill, Amon and Belle could cut through Oscar and Louise’s defence.

If I opened my eyes I could freeze them for one turn, but that would burn my second Lake use the moment I did it, no matter how much duration remained.

“Hmm...”

Second: stall until the duration bled away.

Same risk—he’d bait me into wasting the Lake for nothing.

If I couldn’t use the Lake, it would be no different from a two-against-three fight.

Kinjo was probably holding his turn because—

“Second turn.”

“Oscar, Louise, one square forward again.”

“I’ll pass the turn.”

—he wanted to buy time.

When Kinjo passed again, I knew I’d guessed right.

“Annoying.”

The moment the exam starts, that guy turns into a different person.

From the instant Kinjo became the enemy, we’d lost the numbers game.

We’d begun with our weakness already exposed.

If this kept up, we’d just get picked off.

The only thing I could count on was that Kinjo didn’t know what happened last night:

I could use the Lake three times, not two.

“I have to exploit that somehow.”

Just then, the murmurs of our fellow trainees drifted over.

“Why are they so quiet? They don’t say a word, yet they act like they know everything....”

“If they open their mouths, it feels like something bad will happen... The mood’s different, way different.”

“Third turn.”

The instructor’s voice cut through theirs.

“Oscar, Louise, forward one square again.”

“I pass the turn.”

At that instant—

Flames blossomed on Oscar’s and Louise’s wooden blades.

Kinjo hadn’t moved his piece, but he’d cast a spell.

The instructor only watched, which meant Kinjo’s action wasn’t outside the rules.

It wasn’t a foul.

“Huh?”

“What the—...”

Oscar and Louise flinched.

“Louise, Oscar, it’s just fire. Don’t panic.”

Kinjo spoke as if answering me.

“Mago, I tried this once before—with wooden swords. They burn faster than you’d think.”

Kinjo’s third move: destroy our weapons.

Group 6 had already decided to stall; now they’d burn our blades while they were at it.

“Can Group 5 really beat Group 6...? Feels like they’re outclassed.”

“Kinjo’s casting magic, and Amon and Belle haven’t even moved yet.”

“What’s Mago thinking?”

The whispers kept coming.

Kinjo, relentless—

and relentless—

kept me spinning plans.

The more I thought, the deeper I walked into his trap.

I had to keep it simple.

I stared at the flames clinging to the wooden swords.

Fire that had once been on our side.

Now that Kinjo was the enemy, the fire was enemy too.

I had to make it ours again.

“Oscar, Louise—throw your swords.”

“Where?”

“Straight at Kinjo.”

His enhancement magic.

When I’m not there, it only makes the enemy stronger.

“Fourth turn.”

“I pass the turn.”

Kinjo passed again, but this time it was a mistake.

To avoid being hit by the swords, he should’ve moved Amon and Belle to defend.

“Throw!”

Two burning wooden blades whirled toward Kinjo’s head.

He extinguished their flames mid-air—

and let the blades strike his skull.

A heavy thunk echoed.

“K-Kinjo?”

“Kinjo!”

Belle and Amon cried out together.

“Fifth turn.”

“Louise, left one square. Oscar, right one square.”

I began building our formation in earnest.

“I pass the turn. Amon, Belle—hold position. I’m fine.”

“You are not fine!”

Belle’s voice cracked.

A vein throbbed down Kinjo’s forehead.

To my eyes, it looked black.

Blood sheeted over one eye and streaked his cheek.

He wiped it away with his sleeve, smearing half his face crimson.

“By the rules, the King can’t be injured... yet somehow, Mago, whenever that guy interferes, every prediction goes to hell.”

The Instructor muttered under his breath.

“Kinjo, don’t push yourself too hard. People call us Majo because you keep taking hits like that.”

“Sounds like you’re the one overdoing it, Mago. Keep an eye on the duration—no time for jokes.”

Kinjo parried, calm as ever.

That bastard.

He was determined to win, no matter what.

“Mago, from home to here, I’ve leaned on you too much—way too much. I’ve never once taken the lead alone.”

“What are you getting at?”

“I’m still useful without you. This is my chance to prove it. I can’t lose—absolutely can’t.”

His voice dropped to a growl.

The exam went on.

“Turn six.”

“Louise, one more square left. Oscar, one right. Spread another pace.”

“Belle, Amon, they’re unarmed. It’s as good as over, so—”

Kinjo’s next order.

“Stay exactly where you are.”

Of course that was coming.

More than half the lake’s duration had passed.

Barely two minutes left.

“Is this the same routine the other groups did? Feels like a different game.”

“What are they supposed to do next...?”

“No wonder those two have the rumor of wiping out the capital’s thieves.”

The chatter from the fellow trainees kept rising.

Kinjo couldn’t ignore Oscar and Louise, now flanking him.

Either Belle or Amon had to follow.

“Kinjo, what now?”

Who would move?

“Turn seven.”

“Louise, one forward. Oscar, another right.”

“Belle—”

Kinjo began.

“Amon—”

One of them—

“Both of you, behind me.”

The instant the words left his mouth, the trainees sprang to their feet.

“Behind...?”

“There’s no square back there! What’s he playing at?”

“The King in front? Doesn’t he care about protecting the King...?”

“But the Instructor’s not saying anything, so...”

Voices swelled.

Kinjo’s fourth move: sending Amon and Belle outside the lake—

Behind him.

Once they were out of my sight, I had no way to know his orders.

With my eyes open I could see past fifty meters, but one lake-spanning blink and—

Belle and Amon backed away, eyes locked on me.

“Turn eight.”

“Louise, prepare to rush Kinjo. Oscar, forward.”

“Both of you, keep retreating.”

Amon and Belle stepped beyond the lake’s edge.

Gone from view.

The fourth move wasn’t all good: nobody remained to shield Kinjo.

“Turn nine.”

“Keep advancing.”

“Keep falling back.”

Now was the moment to stake the game.

Next came turn ten—

From then on, Oscar would march forward every turn, my orders or not.

“Turn ten.”

“Belle!”

Kinjo shouted first.

As expected—Belle.

A horse that could close distance in a heartbeat.

A rook—or a queen—free to charge straight lines.

“Belle Red! Charge full ahead!”

Kinjo trusted Belle’s explosive speed.

She’d be on us in a breath.

From out of sight to point-blank.

I had no choice left.

“I’m opening my eyes. Louise, forward. Oscar, one left.”

“Mago, one chance left. And Kinjo’s order is denied.”

I opened my eyes; Belle froze.

I swept my gaze over Amon and Belle—

Barely outside the lake’s boundary.

The moment I blinked again, they’d vanish.

And with that, the winning move stared me in the face.

Louise reached Kinjo’s square.

One more step and the King would fall.

“Turn eleven.”

“Louise, advance—”

“I’m opening my eyes. Belle, Amon—move forward and stop Louise.”

“Mago’s turn is void. Kinjo, you’ve one left.”

“Just one more square...!”

Louise could only stand there, frustration tearing from her throat.

Belle and Amon spun about and shielded Kinjo.

“Turn twelve.”

“Louise...!”

“I’m opening my eyes.”

Kinjo had stolen my turn twice in a row.

Then—

“Belle, Amon—send Louise back.”

“Send her back? How?”

“Throw her, shove her—whatever it takes, force her backward.”

“Hey, Kinjo—”

Amon’s face blanched in horror.

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