Chapter 11
“……! Yes! What should we play?”
I smiled and opened the trunk again.
Kyle let out a small mocking laugh, probably thinking it was ridiculous how I was acting so happily just for thirty minutes of permission.
But I didn’t mind whether he laughed or not. I was just happy that the toys I carefully chose were not wasted.
“Hmm, how about Othello? It’s simple!”
“I don’t know how to play.”
“Then chess or trump cards?”
“……”
Ah, he has never done any of these. Even common board games were completely unfamiliar to him. I felt really sorry. Did he only study and train all his life?
“I’ll teach you.”
Kyle nodded slightly as if telling me to continue.
“First, chess is a board game where two players compete against each other.”
When I explained the chess rules, Kyle listened very seriously. Even though it was not an easy game, his eyes shone with interest.
It felt like secretly introducing computer games to a serious, study-focused friend who only went to academies since childhood.
“That’s all the explanation. Do you understand anything that you don’t?”
“No. Start.”
As expected, that was his answer.
I immediately set the chess pieces on the board.
“Kyle, you take the white pieces.”
When I gave him the first move, Kyle hesitated a little before picking up a white pawn.
I noticed the bandage wrapped around his palm. Did he wrap it to prevent calluses?
Kyle moved the pawn two squares forward and looked at me.
It was the first match, so I should relax to make it fun. But I must not show that I was going easy. I should win narrowly.
Relying only on my experience from my past life, I played with such arrogant confidence. Only after one of my pieces was taken did I realize that the small child in front of me was not an easy opponent.
“It’s hard to believe this is your first game. You must be very smart.”
Kyle continued the game without asking about movement rules.
When we each captured three pieces, I was already thinking seriously while moving my chess pieces. I forgot that I was supposed to go easy.
“Checkmate!”
After about thirty minutes of battle, I shouted as I defeated the white king.
Even if Kyle was smart for his age, he was not at the level to beat me in his first chess game. The match was close as planned, and I finally won.
“Even though you are a beginner, you are really good, Kyle. It was a very tense match.”
It was not a lie. He was truly talented.
But after losing again after archery, Kyle’s ears turned red as if his pride was hurt.
Oh no. I should guide him to another game.
“Play one more round.”
“Why don’t you try another game? How about ‘catch the thief’? It’s simple and exciting!”
“……”
I tried to guide him to a fun and easy game while shaking the trump cards, but Kyle ignored my opinion and rearranged the chess pieces.
The next round started, and I deliberately made a bad move in the middle to lose. I moved my queen to a very bad square, and Kyle’s eyes burned like sparks.
“Was that move serious?”
“Eh? Ah! I made a mistake!”
“Don’t go easy. Or you die.”
“…Even if it was a mistake…”
Pretending to be sad as if it was an error, I raised my hands, but Kyle returned my queen to the original position.
“Move again.”
“Tch.”
He really notices everything. I should lose more naturally.
Holding the queen and pretending to think hard, I wavered around. Then Kyle raised his fist.
“The loser gets flicked on the forehead.”
He declared it fearfully and snapped his fingers in the air to show how strong his flick was.
The sharp sound seemed to echo in the air.
“Y-you are going to hit a lady?!”
I shouted while covering my forehead with both hands. He twisted his lips cruelly.
“Then do your best.”
You serious kid! You are threatening someone who is trying hard to make you happy!
I was angry, but I also thought it might be rude to deliberately lose to a child who cared so much about pride.
Well, it was just an excuse. I didn’t want to be hit.
I won three games in a row.
Kyle’s forehead became red and swollen. Because he kept saying I should not go easy, I had to flick his forehead quite hard.
The score became 3–0.
Kyle, who said he would only play for 30 minutes, was now absorbed for two hours.
“One more round.”
“I have to go home now!”
I stood up quickly and shouted.
Only then did Kyle seem to realize it was getting dark.
Millie, who had given us space, came to me at the right time.
“Lady, it’s about time to go home.”
Millie bowed politely to Kyle and urged me.
“Yes. I was about to leave anyway.”
Kyle silently watched me prepare to leave and pointed at the chessboard.
“Lend this to me.”
He probably found it fun.
“You can keep it, Kyle! But next time, let’s play something else.”
“Not until I win.”
Sigh. He is stubborn. Very stubborn.
But his words implied that I should come again.
I felt a little happy because we seemed to have naturally become close.
The plan to divert Kyle’s interest, Plan B, looks promising. Using games to stimulate his competitive spirit and pull him away from martial training seems good.
“Okay. Then practice a lot!”
“……”
“I will come play again soon, Kyle! Bye!”
I waved while smiling, but he did not return the greeting today either. He only looked at me with triangle-shaped eyes.
Still, his favorability should have increased. Maybe from –50 to around –30.
On the day I returned after building friendship with Kyle through chess, I started the next plan during dinner.
“Dad, can you hold a birthday party for me?”
My birthday was still more than a month away. I wanted to get permission early to invite Kyle.
Brant Count’s eyes widened in surprise.
In this world, it was normal for a noble young lady to hold a birthday party, so I wondered why he reacted like that.
Maybe Ries was a very introverted girl who never celebrated her birthday?
“……Ah, yes. Of course you can.”
The Brant Count, who had been stiff like a stone, drank a glass of water and smiled awkwardly.
Maybe this was too much of a request? Was the count family’s financial situation difficult?
“I just need a meal table prepared! I will invite only one friend.”
“What a sad thing to say. If we are going to hold a party, I will make it luxurious.”
“No, I want it to be small.”
I quickly shook my head, remembering Darius’s birthday party that was almost like a royal palace banquet. I shouldn’t have called it a party. I should have just said I would invite Kyle only.
After a fierce discussion about the scale of the party, we decided to decide the number of guests when sending invitations later.
“Your memory… hasn’t returned yet, right?”
The Count slowly lowered his cutlery and spoke in a low voice.
“…Yes. I’m sorry.”
What should I do? My memory probably won’t come back.
What will he do if he knows that his real daughter is already dead and someone completely different is inside her body?
Every time I felt how much the Count loved his daughter, I felt guilty, as if I had taken the place of the original Ries.
In my past life, this was a warm family I longed for, but when I actually mixed into it, I felt like an outsider.
“There is nothing to be sorry about. Rather, you seem much more lively now, and I am glad to see it. You go out more after making a friend. I don’t remember seeing you this happy in the past few years… cough.”
“Ah…”
“I said something unnecessary.”
The Count laughed warmly.
“Whether you remember or not, you are my precious daughter. That will never change.”
Yes, this was exactly the situation.
I didn’t know how to reply, so I hesitated.
The Count patted my head gently and stood up.
“I will go upstairs now. Have a good night and sleep well.”
“…Good night.”
I slightly pulled the corners of my lips and bowed.
It would have been nice if my soul and memory were also updated. Since I was not possessed of a main character with big importance in the original story, I had no background knowledge about Ries.
So even if it was frustrating, I had no choice but to act like I had memory loss.
Looking at the Count’s back leaving the dining room, complicated emotions that were hard to describe slowly rose inside me.
