[Chapter:11][So you’re a genius? Can you beat me in chess, then?]

"…"

"…"

"Well…this is awkward…"

"…"

"Uh…hi?"

I scratched my head as I looked at the pink haired woman glaring at me wordlessly.

"Who are you?"

"You must be Takagi, right? Nice to meet you, I'm Grace, a new teacher."

"A teacher?"

Saya Takagi frowned at my words.

"I don't recall ever seeing you."

"I just said I'm new."

I shrugged, which just made her glare at me more.

"So…what are you doing up here?"

"Err…taking a nap?"

"…"

"…"

Ahh…it became awkward again…

It's been around two hours since I decided to take a nap, and Dea-chan joined me. A few minutes ago, my instincts roused me up, and I realised someone was making their way up. Of course, that wouldn't matter to me since I was lying on top of the astronomy department's observation telescope, in a way that I wouldn't be seen unless someone actively looks for me.

But alas, this pink haired self-proclaimed genius just so happened to be looking for me.

"Although I'm a teacher, my class isn't till after noon, and I had all my preparations for the class done already, so I came here to take a nap…"

Then I looked at the pink head right in the eyes.

"The more important question is, what are you doing here, Takagi?"

She frowned, but perhaps considering my status as a teacher, answered,

"I was in the astronomy department's library looking for a book when I noticed the telescope was left open. When I was closing it, I caught a glimpse of something."

She then looked at me, or more precisely, at my feet.

"On looking closer, I realised that it was a foot. Your foot."

"Ahh! Haha, sorry about that."

I realised that based on my position, my feet, or rather my left foot, would have probably been over the telescope's lens.

"By the way, if you're a new teacher, why do you know who I am?"

Takagi looked at me inquisitively, making me smile.

"I was told of some of the more…how do I say it, notable characters. You, who call yourself a genius, happen to be one of them."

She frowned at my words.

"I don't call myself a genius, I am one."

"Really now?", I say as I 'smile' at her, not the normal smile, but the one that clearly says 'I don't believe you.'

Takagi's frown deepens, making me smirk inside.

'I wanted to explore the school after I wake up, but where's the fun in that when there's a Tsundere in front of you?'

I suddenly felt my sadistic side tickle me, and felt the urge to play with the pink head in front of me.

Never one to reject my own desires…

"Do you play chess, Takagi?"

"Yes?"

"Chess, the game. The board game? You know, where there are sixteen pieces with both players…"

"I know what chess is, what of it?", she asks impatiently, making me give her a challenging smirk.

"How about a game? There should be a chess club in school right? I'm sure they wouldn't mind us borrowing a set."

"Or is the self-proclaimed genius afraid her claims would be proven false?", I taunt her further, making her mouth, which she opened to refuse me based on her expression, shut tight.

"I'd totally understand if that's the case. And don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I'm still a teacher after all, I'd be unqualified of my title if I tarnish a student's reputation simply based on a harmless exaggeration."

"I…"

Takagi was about to refute me, but someone else was quicker.

"Takagi isn't a lier!"

Hearing the loud and hot-blooded voice made me smile like a certain badass shinigami whose plans just got realised on the inside.

Outside, though, I acted surprised by the sudden intrusion, and 'searched' for the source of the voice before finding it.

"You are…"

"My name is Komuro Takashi. I don't know who you are, but Takagi is a real genius. She isn't a lier!"

The protagonist of HOTD, Takashi Komuro. And his friends, Hisahi Igo and Rei Miyamoto.

Judging by the lunch boxes in their hands, they must be here to have lunch. I guess it's sort of a cliche to have lunch on the roof top huh?

Strange, I thought the three of them were estranged, with Rei wanting to arouse Takashi's jealousy by acting like she and Hisashi were together and all that…

Well, whatever.

"You must be friends of Takagi then?"

"That's right!"

I could see Saya's expression darken ever so slightly at being friend-zoned so openly, but she looked like she was used to that. Poor girl.

And Rei didn't look that happy having her crush support her rival either, but it seems her relationship with Saya was still good enough for her to support her.

As for Hisashi…

'What's up with this guy? He's been staring at me like I'm a slab of meat…'

I actually knew that gaze. I felt it every time I went out for 'stress relief', but it was from women most of the time.

Now though…

'But he seems conflicted…and keeps staring at the former MC…ohoho, things are getting interesting…'

All this, of course, took me mere millionths of nanoseconds to think of, meaning there was little to no gap in the conversation.

"I see. And the ones behind you are…?"

"My name is Miyamoto Rei. It's not nice to meet you."

Oof, such open hostility.

"I am Hisashi Igo. Please don't mind these two, they are just angry you tried to defame Takagi-san."

Hmm, this guy looks polite and kind, and I can tell he's genuine, unless he's a much better actor than me which is pretty much impossible, no flag intended.

I like him. Think I'll try to let his dream come true.

It'll be interesting to see Rei's reaction when her false boyfriend ends up in bed with her crush…

Yeah, my sadistic side woke up a little more just now.

Hehehe…

Anyway, looking at the three, I nodded in greeting.

"Nice to meet you all, then, I'm a new teacher here, Grace."

"!?"

"Te-teacher!?"

"Ah…"

The three of them looked shocked, as though they didn't know that. Which is understandable since I made sure to control my voice when I introduced myself to not be heard by the three who were eavesdropping even then.

"Yes, and I've head of you three. But enough of that."

I look back towards Takagi whose frown hadn't left.

"Well? Are you game, self-proclaimed genius?"

"…sure."

I literally had to fight back smirking like a typical evil villain whose plans just succeeded.

That didn't stop me from my thoughts though.

'Kukuku…all according to keikaku.'

Keikaku means 'plan' by the way, to those who're reading this after translating to another language.

. . . . . .

Our group of five, with the Takashi, Rei, and Hisashi apologising for their behaviour and me being the generous gentleman I was just laughing it away, were currently in the room designated to the Chess Club, me and Takagi seated face-to-face with a chess board between us and the three sitting around.

"Choose.", I said as I held the white kind and the black king in each hand, closing them so she wouldn't know which was which.

She pointed at my left hand which held the white king, and I felt tempted to make use of my infinite speed to exchange them, but decided not to.

It didn't really matter when I have my turn or even if all I had were my King and the eight pawns, with 'Infinite Intelligence' making the speed and capacity of my thoughts beyond imagination, even if I had no clue as to how the game is played, just give me the rules and I could go from illiterate to grandmaster in far less than a second, which to me would seem more like hours, days, weeks, even months of simulated games.

I might not be a genius, but considering my infinite stats in pretty much everything, it's like a second for normal people can extend to years to me.

Time cheats are OP aren't they?

But I don't think I'll use it often. I mean, it's not like I'm in a hurry to master anything since I can literally do it anytime, and where's the fun in spending several years in nearly-stopped time single mindedly developing some skill?

Back to the world of the living, though, I open the hand that Saya pointed towards.

"White, you have good luck at least."

I smile at her provocatively, and her inexperience shows as she growls lightly even as she tries to contain her irritation.

We had already set the table, so I merely shifted the board to have white on her side and black on mine.

"Ready?"

It was kind of like an official match, only without the timer and notepads.

Also, readers might skip the following few paragraphs since it's the description of how the game went.

"E4." (Saya)

She moved her pawn two steps forward.

"E5.", I moved the pawn in front of her's to face it.

"Knight to F3." (Saya)

"Knight to C6."

"Bishop to B5." (Saya)

"Knight to F6."

"D3." (Saya)

"Bishop to C5."

"Bishop captures in C6.", Saya smirks as her Bishop takes my Knight.

Just from that alone, it was obvious she was an amateur. No professional would let their emotions show, especially in the midst of a game.

"D captures C6.", my pawn in D7 takes her Bishop in C6.

"Knight B to B2." (Saya)

"Bishop to G4."

"H3.", she moves her pawn forward.

"Bishop to H5."

"G4.", she moves another pawn forward.

"Bishop to G6."

"Knight to B3." (Saya)

"Bishop to D6."

"Bishop to G5.", she places her Bishop in between her pawn at G4 and my Bishop at G6.

"H6.", I move my pawn to attack her Bishop.

"Bishop to H4.", she moves her Bishop away from harm.

"H5.", I say, moving my pawn to attack her Pawn at G4.

"Rook to G1.", she moves her Rook one step to the side.

"H captures G4.", I take her G4 Pawn with my Pawn at H5.

"H captures G4.", a similar sentence, but this time with her Pawn at H3 taking mine at G4.

"Queen to E7.", I finally move my Queen.

"Queen to E2.", she moves her Queen as well, preparing her King to castle Queen side and freeing up a Pawn to support if necessary.

"Castle Queen side.", I say as I shift my King from E8 to C8, and my Rook from A8 to D8.

"Castle Queen side.", she does the same, moving her King from E1 to C1 and her Rook from A1 to D1.

"Queen to E6.", I move my Queen forward, giving me a possible route to capture her Knight and Pawn at B3 and A2, though I'd be an idiot to take the Knight just to open up to her Pawns.

I could take her Pawn at A2, however…

"King to B1.", a route she quickly closes by moving her King, ready to take my Queen if I go through with that foolish move.

"Rook D to E8." I move the Rook I had previously used in Castling to the side.

"Rook to G3.", she moves her Rook forward, possibly to move it to support at E3 or maybe shift it to attack at some point.

Good move, just not good enough.

"Knight to D7.", I move my Knight out of the way to possibly move my Pawn at F7 to F6, moving my Bishop to F7 instead.

"Bishop to G5.", she was ready for it. Oh well.

"F6.", I move the Pawn as planned.

"Bishop to E3.", she took her Bishop back.

"Bishop to F7."

Now, if she moves her Knight at B3, I can take her Pawn at A2 by sacrificing my Bishop at F7 instead of my Queen at E6.

And I don't have to worry about my A7 being taken out by her E3 either, as I could simply trap her Bishop, if she's foolish enough to make the move, by moving my Pawn from B7 to B6.

"C4.", she moves her Pawn forward from C2.

Huh, smart move, she stopped my Queen and Bishop from targeting her A2 Pawn, meaning she's free to move her Knight at B3 without having to worry about losing the position.

She left her D3 Pawn weak, but her Rooks at G3 and D1 were already defending it.

"B6.", I move my Pawn forward.

"Knight F to D2.", she moves her other Knight.

"G5.", I move my Pawn at G7 two steps forward.

"D4."

Finally! I though she'd never make that move.

Moving her pawn at D3 to D4, I smirk internally while having my poker face on on the out.

"Capture D4.", I take her Pawn out with my own from E5.

"Knight capture D4.", she smirks, letting her emotions out again.

I can see why though. With her Knight at D4, she attacks both my Queen and my C6 Pawn.

"Queen to E5.", I move my Queen away.

"Knight captures C6.", she takes out the Pawn I sacrificed to save my Queen.

"Queen to E6.", I move my Queen back.

"Rook G to G1.", she moves her Rook back as well.

"King to B7.", I move my King, forcing her Knight away.

"Knight to D4.", she moves her Knight back from danger and attacking my Queen at E6 at the same time.

"Queen to E5."

She laughs softly at my move. If seen from outside, it would seem as though I had just made a blunder with my C6 Pawn.

Did I? Or did I simply sacrifice it?

That's something for me and Dea-chan to know.

Speaking of Dea-chan…

((Go go go! Beat her into submission! You can do it Grace!))

She's been acting as my cheerleader since the game began.

"Knight to F5.", she moves her Knight to not only a strategic place, as getting her other Knight to D5 somehow would make it an excellent move, she also attacked my Bishop.

"Bishop to C5.", I move my Bishop out while also attacking her Bishop at E3.

"F3.", she moved her Pawn at F2 to strengthen her G4 and D4 Pawns.

"Bishop captures E3.", my Bishop at C5 takes her Bishop at E3.

"Knight captures E3.", her Knight takes my Bishop.

"Knight to C5."

She frowned lightly.

"King to A1."

Gotcha.

The game was practically over already. Her King might seem safe with those two Pawns covering it but…

"Rook to D8."

"Knight D to F1." (Saya)

"A5."

Her frown deepens.

"Rook captures D8." (Saya)

"Rook captures D8."

"Knight to G3." (Saya)

She smiles suddenly, as though getting the situation back under control.

"A4."

I sighed at this point. But at the same time, it's quite satisfying when the moving move is made by the Pawn isn't it?

"Admitting defeat?", it seems Saya took my sigh as my defeat, however, making me look at her weirdly.

"The games already over, 'genius'."

I stressed the word 'genius', making her frown.

She looked at her King, and her frown deepened.

"King to B1."

Another wasteful move.

"A3."

"Knight to D5.", she tries to block off my Bishop. Or maybe just for an active Knight at D5?

"C6.", nothing a good ol' Pawn can't take care of.

"Knight to E3.", she moved her Knight I forced away.

"Knight to A4."

Man, at this point, I'm just bullying her aren't I?

"Queen to C2.", she attacks my Knight.

"Knight captures B2."

Yup, I'm definitely bullying her. I mean, just look at her face. She looks like she's ready to cry.

"C5.", she's getting desperate, even trying to open up my King.

"Rook to D3.", I attack her E3 Knight.

"Knight G to F5.", she tries to defend her Knight at E3.

"B captures on C5.", I take her Pawn at C5 with my own from B6.

"Rook to H1."

Another desperate move. Now I'm actually starting to feel bad…

"Queen to E6."

Nah, who am I kidding? I'm totally enjoying crushing her.

My Queen attacks her A2, making her visibly panic.

"Knight to D5.", she could only sacrifice her Knight as an attempt to block it.

"C captures D5.", my Pawn from C6 takes care of the Knight.

"Queen captures on C5.", her Queen takes my Pawn at C5.

"D captures on E4."

Silence.

"Hm?"

Raising my gaze up as the silence continued for almost a minute, I see Saya looking at me and the board unwillingly.

But I suppose she could at least recognise a defect when she sees one.

"I resign…I lost…"