Chapter 95

“Welcome back, sir.”

“Hello, everyone.”

The Head of the Mouse clan greeted the clan members with polite speech.

As soon as they heard his polite speech, the head’s subordinates became nervous.

The self-proclaimed “wit,” as in “he is such a wit,” the head of the mouse clan always used informal and impolite speech, but when he was excited, he used polite speech. (For more information, google “Korean speech levels”)

“……Did something happen?”

The subordinates began to worry that the head of the clan might do something troublesome.

When one of his subordinates asked on the behalf of all the others, the wit replied cheerfully.

“I took a look at the humans Jae-in told me to investigate.”

“You mean the favor the blue violinist asked you? Did you investigate them yourself?”

“Yes.”

The subordinates thought, ‘He’s wasting his time on useless things again!’ but still was impressed.

the competent head of the Mouse clan enjoyed his time amongst humans but never neglected the operation of the clan.

In addition, he did all the research by himself, so his time management ability was amazing.

“One of the humans had an interesting background.”

“There were two people who were asked to be investigated by you. First-year boy and girl from class 0, Eun-kwang High School…… Are you talking about one of them?”

“Yes, that’s right. The girl was amusing too, but the boy was much more suspicious.”

“You are talking about the Anonymous Supernova, Ui-shin Cho, who survived from the pet of the Bear clan.”

The head of the Mouse clan nodded.

“Yes.”

“He is an excellent player for his age…… But there are more brilliant students in Eun-kwang High. What makes you care about him?”

“His records before he became a player.”

The Head of the Mouse clan displayed a hologram.

The hologram showed a list of winners of the last three years of domestic chess competitions.

At the top of all lists, the name “Ui-shin Cho” was there.

“That student was a chess player.”

“Sure. However, he stopped participating in competitions after some point last year. That’s what bothers me.”

“Isn’t it because he turns 17 soon and becomes a fully registered player?”

Fully registered, professional players were not able to enter chess rankings based on Elo ratings managed by the International Chess Federation(FIDE), nor could they receive master titles.

It was not strange that he played chess as a hobby and quit just before he became a full player.

“That’s right. However, there’s more to the story.”

The head of the Mouse clan recalled the reactions of those whom he met and talked in person.

“First, all of the opponents that are on Ui-shin Cho’s record do not remember Ui-shin Cho.”

Ui-shin Cho’s chess opponents varied in age, gender, and occupation, but they all didn’t recall him.

“The intellectual abilities of chess players are, in general, excellent. But none could remember Ui-shin Cho properly. It’s strange that a chess player with such a history of awards has little to no significance in their memory.”

Video, photo, written text.

Ui-shin Cho’s record was perfect.

However, the chess players and chess Association officials could not recall exactly who Ui-shin Cho was.

All of them responded like, ‘Oh, perhaps there was someone like that.’

It was as if a massive information manipulation had happened.

“Second, Ui-shin Cho, who lost all his family in an accident last year and stopped playing chess altogether for over half a year, is suddenly participating in the Eun-kwang High chess tournament.”

Is quitting chess due to the shock of losing family, then coming back after half a year really that concerning?

The subordinates who were listening to him shrugged their shoulders.

“Third, the attitude of the human player I gave my blessing to was strange.”

“Strange?”

“He gave me information of the girl very willingly, but for Ui-shin Cho’s information, it feels like he erased some parts before giving it to me.”

“What are you implying?”

The head of the Mouse clan laughed and added a word.

“I love it when things like this happen.”

His subordinates didn’t understand what he liked at all, but they nodded anyway.

*    *    *

It was early in the morning.

When I finished training and checked my device, there was no noticeable message.

‘Gyubin Hong seemed to have something to say.’

Gyubin’s texts were saying things like, ‘Are you doing well?’, ‘Nothing’s happening, right?’, and ‘Night shift is so hard :(‘, just whining and regards.

‘He’ll be busy, so I’ll ask him questions later.’

It was a bit concerning, but I decided to leave it for the time being.

As I prepared for school, I checked the general bulletin board of the Eun-kwang High web community, and I saw a post posted by the class president of 3rd-grade class 0.

[3rd-grade class 0 Final Surrender Review]

Their last post was about ‘Mid-surrender review’, and they really did put up a final one.

[Subtitle: Our homeroom teacher is too strong]

I had only read the title but had the urge to stop reading it.

‘I really want to stop reading but it’s intriguing.’

I gave in to my curiosity and scrolled down.

The content was unexpectedly mediocre.

It began with describing 3rd-grade class 0’s survival game training, and the rest of the dozens of sentences were all about how strong their teacher was.

It was a pretty normal review for class 0, considering all their crazy achievements.

‘But why are there so many comments?’

That question was resolved on the last page.

[The biggest losing factor was the betrayal of the ‘Energy of the Universe’. We trusted it, how could it do this to us? Us grade 3 class 0 members have declared to overthrow the ‘Energy of the Universe.’

We will find them.

We will find them

And get revenge.

Our review ends here.]

Energy of the Universe? Betrayal? Revenge?

What the hell is this?

I don’t understand, but they’re going to fight the energy of the universe.

The last paragraph of 3rd-grade class 0’s review sent the mentality of the person reading it to Andromeda.

No wonder it had so many comments.

[WTF did I just read]

[Summary: introduction, development, turn, and Universe Energy]

[I thought the universe thing was just a scam to hide their secret training session? That was REAL? lol]

[Their class pres was the sanest of them but now he’s the craziest…]

[↑Birds of a feather flock together……]

[This is all on Energy of the Universe.]

[NO, you need to listen to what the energy of the universe thinks too.]

[↑We don’t really need to know that do we?]

Anyhow, 3rd-grade class 0 surrendered to their teacher Yeon-hwa Lim, but it seems that their fight will continue.

Looking at 2nd and 3rd-year class 0 seniors, I realized once again how nice and calm my classmates were.

I should be careful not to let first-grade class 0 be ‘class 0-fied.’

Of course, it was too late for Jiho Hwang in many ways, so he’s an exception.

*    *    *

The end of an uproarious day, due to 3rd-grade class 0’s declaration of war against the universe.

After school.

The newspaper club room at the general club building.

Before I tried to enter the first-grade room of the newspaper club with Hwang Ji-ho, the leader of the newspaper club called me.

“Jae-in Kwon agreed for an interview, but she designated a reporter to cover it.”

Jae-in Kwon does not make appearances on television, nor does she have interviews.

When she seldom appears in music shows, she participates with the condition that she only plays music.

There was a saying that the face of EverLake is Jae-in Kwon, but the voice is Jared Lee.

‘Is Jae-in Kwon going to be active for this album? Still, that’s strange.’

Coincidently, the soundtrack of her new song ‘Homecoming’ was released today.

The song that was first played in public at that concert in Hoyeon Hall, starting with pizzicato.

Homecoming was released at midnight, and it got explosive reactions.

Various cover versions of Homecoming, recorded by members of music-related clubs, were used as class bells all day.

Jae-in Kwon was in the spotlight again with the release of a new song.

The club leader said they had asked EverLake for an interview with Jae-in Kwon, expecting to be declined.

“I was surprised their answer came right away! They said if you came as the reporter, she’ll come to the interview. Did you know senior Jae-in Kwon?”

“When senior Jae-in Kwon came to perform in Ho-yeon Hall, I worked as a staff member and met her there.”

“I see! Ui-shin, we can think of the questions together. But please do the interview!”

Some things about Jae-in Kwon bothered me.

I remembered some disturbing gut feelings I had at the concert.

This interview may settle those doubts and disturbances.

I nodded willingly.

“Sure. Can you help me do background research?”

Club leader replied gleefully.

“Of course! Saeron is already doing her research.”

I acquired help from the newspaper club and Eun-kwang high’s most skilled informant to investigate Jae-in Kwon.

*    *    *

After club activities.

Before saying goodbye to Jiho Hwang.

“You really don’t want to know?”

Jiho asked again about ‘the thing’ he had refused to tell me.

He seemed very eager to tell me.

I started to wonder a little, but he was so insistent that I didn’t want to ask somehow.

“Yeah. Not at all.”

Jiho made an upset face then spun around and left.

That wasn’t the direction to the school gate, I had no idea where he was going.

If he does that again, I decided to ask what it is out of politeness, and check my hologram map, and went to the designated coordinates.

‘I think it’s here.’

The 3rd gym of the General Club Hall grounds.

That was where the chess tournament was held.

‘They didn’t reserve a conference room? It’s a gym? There must be more people coming than I thought.’

In front of the 3rd gym.

Chess players and spectators were required to enter a different entrance.

I showed my student ID to a Stalemate member with a staff nameplate, and they lead me to the participant exclusive entrance.

I arrived at the waiting room.

There were a bunch of my playable characters.

“Hello, Ui-shin. Let’s try our best today!”

Seung-hyun Park, who I sometimes encountered in the dorm, said hello.

He was also a chess player.

I knew he liked to think than act, and knew he had the ability, but didn’t know he liked chess.

He looked happy as if he was looking forward to the tournament.

It was very different from the face I saw on April Fool’s Day.

“Yeah, let’s do our best.”

There are so many playable characters who love chess.

In the game, this wasn’t mentioned in the story, so I didn’t even know chess tournament was a thing here.

‘If there weren’t so many playable characters, I would’ve definitely run away.’

There were also people who played chess with an AI on a hologram.

When I saw the hologram chessboard and the moving chess pieces, I felt dizzy.

I felt a more severe headache than when I opened the exclusive menu tab.

“The opening ceremony will start soon! This way please!”

What kind of school chess tournament has an opening ceremony.

I thought it was weird but followed the staff.

‘It’s bigger than I thought.’

The stadium was on the first floor, and the second floor was for the audience.

The referee and staff were standing on the stage on the first floor.

I thought we would go straight to the stadium on the first floor, but under the guidance of the staff, the students who participated in the chess tournament stood on the stage on the first floor as well.

Looking down on the stadium from the stage, it seemed quite lonely to have only desks and chairs in the spacious gym.

“Before the tournament begins, we will start the opening show. Please do not move for your safety.”

Je-gun Yong said that on the microphone.

‘Opening show? Safety?’

My questions were soon answered.

The gym began to change with the hands gestures of Je-gun Yong.

With his spatial skills, he made fist-sized cube spaces and stacked them like blocks to create ornaments.

Oooh! Aaah!

With the changing landscape, exclamations poured down from the audience seats on the second floor.

‘Awesome!’

Huge white and black chess pieces surrounded the gym.

The white and black chess pieces were elaborately laid out, and it was impressive that, from bird’s eye view, the arrangement was made to look like the school emblem.

On top of that, the audience seats on the second floor were reconstructed like box seats in the opera theater.

Je-gun Yong colored small blocks of space and carefully stacked them.

Probably because of his teacher’s contract that constrained his power, I saw trickles of sweat on his forehead.

Je-gun, who stopped his hand movements, spoke.

“I now announce the opening of Eun-kwang High Stalemate’s chess tournament. Let the tournament begin.”

The chess tournament began amid applause from the audience and players.

And my first opponent was the playable character Jin-seung Ma.