Ch. 38
The Queen's Move
Day three of the intramurals came, and the academy's courtyard was already alive with laughter, cheering, and the echo of whistles from the ongoing sports events.
Selene, however, walked past all that noise with her usual calm detachment. She'd finished her morning class early and was on her way to nowhere in particular just wandering, sipping from a cold carton of milk, and trying to avoid people taking pictures again after her performance.
She turned at the hallway near the library and paused when a soft click echoed from one of the open doors.
A chess piece.
Curiosity got the best of her, and she peeked inside.
The banner above the room read:
"CHESS COMPETITION — INTRAMURALS DAY 3."
And there she was.
Lina, the heroine of this world, the scholar, the girl whose name always hovered in gossip. She sat at the center of the room, hands slightly trembling over the black pieces. Her eyes were focused but nervous.
Her opponent was a composed third-year girl, the reigning chess champion according to the whispers among the crowd.
The air was so still that even the faint sound of the clock ticking felt loud.
Selene quietly stepped inside, planning to stand in the back but the moment some students noticed her, they immediately stood up and gestured for her to take their seats.
She blinked, slightly confused.
...Why are they acting like I'm here for a press conference? Never mind.
She sat down without comment, resting her chin on her hand.
"Pawn to D6," the third-year said confidently, smirking a little.
Lina bit her lip, scanning the board. The way her brows furrowed made her look almost like a kid trying her best not to cry. Still, there was a quiet determination there that Selene couldn't ignore.
She's nervous but still thinking ahead, Selene thought, eyes flicking between the pieces.
A few students whispered:
"Lina's totally losing..."
"Figures, she's up against a third-year."
Selene's gaze turned sharp for a second, silencing them unintentionally.
Then Lina moved her bishop— a surprising counter. The crowd gasped softly.
Oh? That's actually not bad.
Move after move, the tension rose. The champion smiled less. Lina's eyes brightened just a little.
Selene leaned forward slightly, completely absorbed now.
The third-year moved her queen.
Lina paused, then her fingers hovered and with one precise motion, she said quietly.
"Checkmate."
The room went dead silent.
Then, applause erupted.
Lina's eyes widened, almost disbelieving. She blinked at the board, then at her opponent, who could only sigh and smile in defeat. Selene couldn't help the small smirk tugging her lips.
Not bad, heroine. Not bad at all.
She clapped twice a slow and graceful. People turned to her, whispering again, but she didn't care. Lina noticed her and smiled shyly, raising a small wave. Selene lifted her milk drink a little in return her version of a cheers.
As Lina was surrounded by her classmates celebrating, Selene stood and turned to leave.
So, the heroine wins her first match. Of course she does, she mused.
The story's moving again, huh?
But just as she reached the door, she heard Lina's voice call.
"Selene! Wait— thank you for watching!"
Selene glanced over her shoulder, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.
"I didn't do anything," she said simply.
"You just played well."
And with that, she left the room leaving behind the soft buzz of excitement and the image of the heroine, smiling proudly for the first time that day.