A King's offer

While I try to remember where I know the old man from people started staring at me as I finally remembered this body's memory of the King.

"Idiot bow down!"

Chief Gargandor told me as he walked towards the King and bowed but not as low as the commoners. Apparently in this country, the bigger the difference in status is the lower your bow and an incorrect bow is boorish attitude.

Immediately bow down as well not wanting to be hanged for disrespect which the king can do as well here, damn their giving this king way too much power.

"Your Majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

As Chief of the village Garreth is obligated to entertain all high ranking officials and serve them howerever he can, even more so for the King.

Rex just simply walked passed him and approached me.

"One more game…"

He said in a calm and confident manner as if he was commanding a dog to fetch and just his voice was enough to put some of the villagers in a stunned state of worship.

It gave me an idea for starting a cult actually. I mean it's not that I'm in any way religious but Jesus Christ played a huge role in brainwashing Europe and in America they used his name to "Righteously" burn some people they didn't like to death. Maybe I'll do the same here and burn that asshole father of mine in a stake.

"Uh… as… you… wish"

I replied stuttering. I mean I could speak in a normal way but if I do that who knows what sort of unforeseen punishment I get for not fearing the king. Nonetheless following him is the only option I have right now.

"B-but you m-majesty h-he is a c-cheater!"

The loan shark exclaimed from behind knowing that the King can give me permission to leave and escape my debt to him.

Rex sighed in aggravation and the creditor's men frustratingly looked at each other.

"Take him to the dungeons"

Upon the Kings orders the creditor's own guards captured him and took him away. That was surprisingly satisfying.

Then the king told the chief something that I could roughly hear as "bring a cheese hoard"

Well that might just be my hungry stomach taking but a cheese hoard sound really nice right about now.

From behind me two young maids escorted me to the Cheif's mansion as they led me to a large garden and at the center of it are a checkered design of black and white.

I look around and some men dressed in different battle suits march towards the center while the maids unmovingly stand beside me smiling while standing and not replying to anything I ask like salesladies when you want to call their manager.

After a while the King arrived wearing a monarchical robe and behind him with a lowered head is Garreth.

The rest of the soldiers arrived and I was surprised to see some dressed as priest and I chuckled to the idea of priests having sword fights with knights while wearing those dresses.

Wait I see the patterns, this can't be a chess game right?

Rexcarius then moved to the empty center column at the end of the board and said.

"Pawn to e4"

The King said and like in chess the pawn in the 5th column moved 2 blocks ahead. Wait this doesn't make sense! I mean sure chess could also exist here but the resemblance is too close and the alphabet of this place is also by syllabus too they shouldn't know about the letter e yet.

Everyone stared at me as the King finished as if wanting me to make my move.

I mirror Rexcarius as he stood in the place where the king piece in chess was supposed to be and did the same.

"Pawn to e5"

I say slightly mirroring Rexcarius' move as to neither confirm or deny if I know how to play this game. Damn this is a dilemma, not that, we're playing chess because I'm actually pretty good at it but the fact that I shouldn't even know how to play and that this game shouldn't exist here.

I came to two conclusions, one is that the someplace faraway from here are the 7 continents I know of and they developed the same while later on travelling in Cebunilla and introducing chess, or two that I'm not the only one who transported worlds and that someone came before me and introduced this game. I have little information of this world to confirm either one yet.

"Pawn to d4"

Damn now is a crucial moment, do I mirror him as to not reveal anything I know? Pros is that it wouldn't make me standout since I'm just following his moves but cons is that Rexcarius might be offended and that I have little chance of entertaining him and once he losses interest he might send me to the dungeons as well.

.

"Queen to h4"

As I made my move everyone was stunned that I knew how to play, everyone but Rexcarius who immediately made the next move.

"Pawn d capture e5"

And as the soldier playing as pawn followed he killed the soldier standing there. Wow this game just became brutal! I'll try to end this soon avoiding any deaths in my side.

"Bishop to c5"

To those who play chess you might realise I am playing the scholar's mate or just simply 4 moves mate and if Chess really wasn't popularised yet this should be a rare move still.

"Knight to f3"

Rexcarius moved as to target my queen who is now in the knight's range but he blundered and lost the game as my final move was

"Bishop captures f2, checkmate"

At that move Rexcarius laughed in surprise while everyone else was either shocked or worried of the bishop piece soldier pointing its staff at the king, sorry for that.

"Splendid, splendid! Come here boy!"

Rexcarius approached me and gave me a cheery hug as he praised me a little. I'd usually hug back but everyone was now staring at me while Garreth still couldn't understand what was happening and stood dumbfounded.

"Come with me boy, let's take a walk!"

He said chuckling. For an arrogant king he sure took that loss quite happily.

"Ah it's been so long since someone gave me a battle so exhilarating! Things have been quite dull for me you see"

Really that was exhilarating? It lasted 4 moves dude and that didn't even require even the least bit of thinking for either us. But alright you might be thinking of our earlier game which I admit made me sweat a little.

"Now boy tell me your name"

"Spade Escroc"

As I said that I flinched as I felt a shock in my wrist as I notice a bracelet that Rexcarius must have put in me while he hugged me.

"No good boy, you see that's a bracelet I gave you as a gift earlier and it shocks anyone who tells lies"

"I see, I am Gurdy Pilte but I have abandoned that name the moment my father abandoned me as well"

"That is quite sad then Gurdy"

"Please call me Spade, that's my name now"

I demanded as I stopped walking.

Rexcarius chuckled and agreed.

"Alright Spade, how about you tell how I lost in that stacking game?"

"My win had nothing to do with your Majesty I was just lucky you slipped"

Another shock pulsed through my body and I again was again stunned.

"Haha! I knew it! You cheated! But how?"

I was forced to answer and I can't lie either, I guess telling the truth wouldn't harm me I guess.

"Earlier I broke the collar I was holding, that was a ploy inorder to put your focus in my right hand while in my left I dent a few coins"

"Wait you were planning on winning by getting the stack to fall in the first place?"

"…yes…"

"So you weren't really mad?"

"… I wasnt…"

"And you lost the stack itself in purpose?"

"… I did…"

Rexcarius laughed again in amazement.

"But how were you sure it wouldn't fall down in your turn?"

"There's a special trick to the dent, it needed to be stacked in a way that it was leaning in one direction for it fall"

"And by putting the many coins in just one stack it was sure that it wouldn't lean in one direction"

I nodded in agreement. Rexcarius paused for a second to think.

"Wait how were you sure that in the last part of the game I would put the coins one by one making it uneven?"

I walked slightly quicker.

"I didn't"

Rexcarius looked at me in confusion.

"But I knew one thing"

I then stopped and looked at him.

"Like me, you're a Showman and when we win we make it flashy"

He smiled one last time in amazement and clapped his hands as he moved towards me.

"Bravo, now I have a proposition for you. By my children's tutor—"

"I refuse"

I stopped him before he could finish but this time he wasn't in a joking mood anymore.

"Don't interrupt me"

And as he said that I became unable to talk.

"Thst bracelet is called a slave driver, it basically makes you my slave and you'll do everything I say"

I still couldn't talk so I just nodded.

"My country is a small one but we stay strong through our absolute intelligence, battle strategies, and control tricks but recently our tricks are being revealed by the enemy so I need someone who is as smart as you to teach my children everything you know so that we remain at the tactical advantage"

I just look at him intensely. I can't accept this deal because if I teach everything I know I will lose the one advantage I have over everyone and I also don't like being controlled.

"Don't look at me like that Spade, it's not a bad deal you know. I will give you a fair amount of payment, even higher if you want and I will pay off your debt and let you leave this village that's an equal tradeoff isn't it?"

Definitely not! My knowledge can save your country from it's inevitable collapse and escaping that fat idiot is much easier than escaping your palace. Prison is a lot like a castle, guards everywhere, hidden treasure, evil people always present, a bunch of smuggled women. A castle is a prison without the anal.

He stopped taking and looked at me waiting for a reply.

"I have three conditions"

"Oh ho, your misunderstanding your situation here but fine what is it?"

"First I want you to free all my slaves, second I want my own magic and combat tutor, and third give my slaves 50,000 quil each. If you can grant all of these I will be at your service"

Rexcarius laughed hysterically.

"I never thought I'd meet someone like you who gives demands to his own captor but very well I grant all you wishes"

"I have one more question"

"Oi learn your limits boy!"

"Is my intelligence the only reason you came for me?"

I look at him seriously expecting a reply.

"Yes, that is the only reason I came for you"

As he said that I felt a spark in my wrist but I hid it. I guess that confirms 3 things, one that this bracelet can not only detect my lies but also of everyone else I'm close to which gives it somewhat more value so I don't have to break it just yet, two that the King really did come for me, and third that he knows more than he is leading on.

You've made an enemy of me Rexcarius and as much as I hate liars I hate those who control me even more and I will make sure you regret the decision of trying to manipulate me.