But why has the lodging ended up in this state?

‘…How pathetic.’

It was a sight that naturally brought such thoughts to mind, but even though I tried to withdraw my attention, I couldn’t turn my gaze away.

No matter how much I tried to ignore it, there was something I had heard from the person who took me in.

‘Watch over what the children are doing.’

‘Watch over them…?’

‘It will surely be a good experience for you.’

A good experience, they say.

Where exactly is the good experience in being disappointed at will after playing with trivial card tricks, and looking troubled while watching that?

‘In the first place, something where victory is decided by luck alone isn’t even a proper competition. Rather, it would be better to do something more productive with this leisure time, even for the sake of the future…’

The moment her drowsy eyes turned towards Dale.

‘That’s right, you’re more excellent than me.’

So instead of settling for that, you could do things that benefit yourself.

Why does that boy, unlike herself, go to such lengths for such an unsociable and ignorant being?

“Ah, I got it. Then let’s stop the card game and… Right, chess. How about trying chess?”

“…Chess?”

“Yes, chess doesn’t really require luck or anything like that.”

Dale took out a chessboard, not noticing the gaze watching him from afar.

But the doll girl who had already felt betrayed didn’t fall for the temptation easily.

“Maki won’t be deceived. I don’t know what chess is, but you’ll surely deceive me again.”

“It’s okay, unlike card games, chess doesn’t require luck or anything. We take turns moving pieces, so we compete purely with our skills. I, I’ve played it with the teacher sometimes, and I never felt it was unfair.”

“Maki is not a fool. You’ll surely knock me down in one turn after saying that.”

“…Chess isn’t particularly bad though.”

‘That’s right, chess isn’t bad.’

Chess is a strategy game boasting a long history and tradition among those existing on the continent.

It’s popular enough that chess tournaments are held even at the academy’s school festival, and it’s often used in duels where strategists like her father determine superiority with opponents.

Unlike card games, she also had an attachment to it, so disparaging it was certainly not something that could be viewed favorably.

“…Alright, Maki needs to learn, so I’ll go along one more time.”

Fortunate, perhaps.

After continued persuasion, as she took her place in front of the chessboard again, Dale began to smile brightly once more.

A smile that looked extremely frustrating from Beans’ perspective.

‘Smiling like an idiot even after causing trouble… Get angry a little, will you.’

At the moment when her body trembled while watching him explain the rules.

At some point, self-study had taken a back seat, but Dale, not noticing that gaze, just explained to Maki how to move the chess pieces.

“You understand the rules roughly, right? Then I’ll start. I think it’s best to learn by watching what I do, so I’ll go first for now.”

“Understood.”

Unlike earlier when she was whining, Maki quietly watched the chess pawn move.

After advancing a white piece one square, Dale extended his hand to Maki and said:

“Now, it’s your turn, Maki.”

A signal to pass the turn.

As soon as she saw that, Maki’s eyes flashed and she quickly moved her hand.

-Swish! Clatter!

A mechanical yet disciplined gesture.

Along with that, the chess pieces gathered together, and soon formed a shape and settled on the chessboard.

With four legs and two arms attached.

A fusion with a majestic size like a castle.

“Ha, ha, ha. How careless of you to let your guard down after winning a few times, Dale Enberton. Did you think I would fall for your tricks again?”

“…Um.”

“I won’t fall for the same trick twice. In this moment when you let your guard down, I have combined all the chess pieces on the field to create the ultimate war machine, the Giant God Soldier.”

“That’s not how you play chess…”

“Silence, human. Chess is a representation of war. Chess pieces are humans, and weapons used in war are made by grinding people. That’s how it was in my time.”

Maki spoke seriously from an ancient person’s perspective.

But of course, the three people here had never experienced that era.

‘What nonsense is this tin head spouting.’

Beans, feeling dumbfounded.

“…Hmm.”

Ratel, still just watching.

“U-Um. I understand you’re being serious for now.”

Dale, trying to comprehend somehow.

In an atmosphere where no one was stopping her, Maki began to push forward on the chessboard with confidence in her actions.

“But I am generous and will give you a chance. Dale Enberton, you too should do your best to come at me.”

“Oh, oh-oh. Okay. I just need to do the same thing, right? Like, this…?”

Soon Dale began gathering chess pieces together just like Maki.

The moment it took on a certain shape, Maki’s eyes flashed and she let out an exclamation.

“Is it a Winged Dragon to counter the Giant God Soldier?”

“Winged Dragon? Oh, um. Yeah, I’ll go with that.”

“Good, it’s suitable as a match for the Giant God Soldier. Come at me, Dale Enberton.”

“O-Ooh!!”

The two prepared to clash their creations together with shouts of fighting spirit.

Unable to watch any longer, Beans suddenly stood up and shouted at them:

“That’s not how you play chess!!!!”

-Clatter.

Chess pieces spilled from her hands along with the shout.

Looking at the scattered fragments, Maki soon tilted her head and looked at Beans who had yelled:

“…Are you joining? Celestial Dragon?”

“I’m not doing such childish things!!”

Beans shouted, flaring up at the cautious question.

Sensing that the atmosphere was not ordinary, Dale approached Beans in confusion, putting down his chess pieces.

“I’m sorry, Beans. Were we too noisy? We’ll be quiet from now on…”

“That’s not the problem! If you’re going to compete, do it seriously!”

Wasn’t competition always done with a serious mindset, to measure each other’s abilities?

For Beans, who had believed this so fervently, what the two were doing now felt like an insult beyond irritation.

“Dale Enberton, you…”

Especially since the person doing this was someone she had acknowledged.

“Even if you’re a nice person, why are you going along with such nonsense? Do you even know how pathetic you look right now!?”

“Pathetic? What do you mean…”

“Do I have to spell out that that girl is treating you like a fool!?”

Beans pointed at Maki.

As if sensing an attempt to elicit sympathy from that action, Maki nodded while resting her chin on her hand.

“I agree. Dale Enberton is a cheater and trash. An idiot who violated a maiden’s heart…”

“You be quiet. I didn’t say that for you to join in cursing.”

“Eh? Why?”

The ancient weapon, whose understanding of humans was still not high, asked back as if truly not understanding…

But such reactions didn’t matter at all.

A machine that’s detached from human existence.

“You…”

But this boy is different, isn’t he?

Traditionally, humans should have dignity and pride in themselves. They shouldn’t suffer losses to the point of losing themselves in consideration for others.

“You shouldn’t be like that.”

Yet this idiot always recklessly relies on people, gets disappointed recklessly, and gets hurt…

Whenever she saw such precarious behavior, she felt the frustration in her heart growing.

“If someone superior to me like you acts like that, then what does that make me who’s still trying to surpass you even now…”

Her shout, carrying such feelings, suddenly cut off at some point.

The moment even her body, which had been trembling with excitement, stopped.

Dale, who had been staring at Beans due to the sudden change, expressed his question.

“Beans, why are you suddenly like this?”

“……”

“…Beans?”

Why?

She should be able to return sharp words as usual to words of concern for her.

‘This isn’t right.’

No, from the start, her flaring up now wasn’t about something like inferiority complex.

Regardless of proving competence, everyone at the academy has already branded him as a monster-like existence. Breaking that perception would be impossible unless his innate power is erased.

And it was none other than herself who provided that opportunity.

‘I just didn’t want to see the person I acknowledged going through the same thing again…’

Because of her competitive spirit.

So expressing anger while revealing that aspect would rather hurt him.

Why is she still seeing him as a competitor and trying to criticize his attitude?

“Calm down. Beans.”

It was at that moment that someone put their hand on her shoulder.

Beans, realizing that sensation, hastily turned her gaze behind her, and saw a huge boy quietly looking down at her.

Ratel Lo Den.

A boy of barbarian origin who, unlike her, maintained his composure.

“It’s just play.”

What came out of his mouth as it opened was a voice cold enough to contrast with Beans.

Exactly opposite to the psychologically unstable girl.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“I said it’s play, not a duel.”

The boy of barbarian origin pointed out the fact the girl had overlooked.

“I understand that competition needs rules too. But what those two are doing now is play… Breaking the rules doesn’t harm anyone. I think it’s enough if they’re both enjoying themselves, so there’s no need to think about it seriously.”

It would be the right argument if it’s the right argument.

If the other party feels uncomfortable, it’s no longer play, but unlike Beans, Dale wasn’t feeling the least bit uncomfortable about getting along with Maki.

“Yeah, I think so too. It’s fine as long as we’re both enjoying ourselves…”

“Enjoyable? Is it enjoyable to gather all the victory cards in the first hand and give me three defeats?”

Of course, Maki thought differently.

“Does enjoyment mean crushing the loser and being intoxicated with your victory on top of their corpse? Is that what humans call enjoyment?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Humans are bad. Humans are trash. No, not all humans are bad. Dale Enberton is bad. This liar. Cheater…”

Maki continued cursing at Dale while trembling.

Dale was about to make a sad face, wondering if he had completely earned her hatred, but even that didn’t last long.

“But Dale teaches me.”

“…Huh?”

“Fish wants me to learn. So I keep listening to Dale who teaches me. Card games, chess, what’s next? If you’re sorry, Dale continues to teach me games.”

The doll girl quietly asked back in a blunt voice.

Dale, facing her, had a blank expression before understanding the meaning and drawing a bright smile on his face.

“You’ll keep, getting along with me?”

“Get along? What meaning?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing. Hehe.”

The two started chattering again like that.

Beans had been watching all of this from afar from the beginning.

Despite being wary of each other and feeling troubled until just now, to get along again like this…

It was behavior that didn’t make sense in Beans’ common sense.

‘No, that’s natural…’

As Ratel said, what they were doing wasn’t a match but play.

Unlike a duel, nothing is at stake, and just by getting along with each other, they can achieve something that can be called a reward…

An experience she had never laid hands on even once.

‘Not even once.’

Yes, not for a single moment.

Like her father who, while wishing so much for the era of peace to be maintained, had never once melted into peace.

“Beans, are you alright?”

At that moment, the barbarian boy’s concern was heard.

“…Just a moment.”

Beans headed towards the exit of the lodgings, leaving that concern behind.

“I’ll just go get some fresh air for a bit.”

“Beans? Why suddenly…”

Dale, who belatedly noticed it, turned back to Beans, but by then her body had already completely disappeared from the entrance.

With a thud.

Leaving only a very light noise, with no trace of the fury shown earlier.

---

“So, Beans left the lodgings for a while and you guys stayed behind to continue playing. Is that right?”

“Yes. I don’t know the reason well, but I felt like we shouldn’t follow her…”

Well, with her respected father becoming a criminal and the unstable emotions of puberty added on top, it must be delicate for the kids to deal with.

As they don’t fully understand the circumstances, it’s better to choose to wait quietly rather than following to comfort her.

Yes, well. So I understand why Beans disappeared, but…

“But why has the lodging ended up in this state?”

Not a single piece of furniture is intact, the ceiling and floor are all cracked, and even a head that flew from inside the room smashed through the window.

“We played, with friends. As fish instructed.”

“You should say Teacher Seine, not fish.”

It’s also quite horrifying that a head separated from its body can speak.

Damn, how should I lead these adorable troublemakers from now on?