A Stalemate

Chapter 5

Vedh's POV

The headmaster was a middle-aged man. He was about 5'10 or 5'11 in height and wore a black suit with black loafers. But the most prominent thing about his appearance were his eyes. They were in the color of red.

Is he wearing contacts? Having red eyes are not impossible but they're very rare and if you do have them, you have them paired with albinism. But his skintone is not very white. It's brown and his hair is in the color black. Did he color his hair? But, may be his blood leaked and went into his eyes or is it something else?

"Good morning, students!" We all replied to him after standing up and he made us sit down again.

"Today is the first day of school. It feels like it was just yesterday when I was just a student like you. Anyways, your king will be chosen after a week or two. Then, two months later or more, will be revealed publicly. It is up to the king how to hide his identity. Because once he is discovered, he will be replaced by the queen. In this school, you are always monitored and you are to gain money, which are replaced with visual diamonds, through your achievements and contributions to the school. Those diamonds are like ones from games that are now often played by your generation and can be accessed through your phone. In order to pay here, just tap a button in your app. Just like venmo." Huminga ng malalim ang headmaster bago muling nagsalita.

"I'll be sending you you're diamond with how much it is based on your class." Nilabas nito ang kanyang cellphone at matapos ng ilang minuto ay tumunog ang mga cellphone naming mga estudyante. "Use those well. 1 diamond equals to 5 pesos."

10,000 diamonds. That's the amount of diamonds he gave to each student of my section.

"Your diamonds are added each month base on your achievements." Nang maitago niya na sa kanyang bulsa ang cellphone niya ay tsaka siya muling nagsalita.

"The top section for each year is called "The Chess Master". It doesn't matter what class you were placed in, we'll still call you that if you achieve and deserve the title. Now, you were placed in a class which suits you best. Best, how? Your class are all perfectly snyced in skills and capabilities for team work. Of course the higher the class, the higher the potential. Thus, the higher your class, the more money you have. But there are some cases, you are put to that class for a different reason than your potential." Isang malaking ngiti ang binigay niya sa amin bago siya nagpaalam at pinapunta na kami sa sari-sariling naming classroom.

"Wala ba sa handbook 'yon? Akala ko nandoon na lahat ng sagot sa tanong natin?" tanong ni Viella habang tumatawa.

"Oo nga noh?" sang-ayon ni Lance.

"There's nothing about the diamonds in the handbook. The information about the king and the chess system is also limited in the handout. May be it's because we have to discover how the system works," sabi ni Delphine.

I looked at her and scrunched up my face. Oh well...

"Nagsasalita ka pala?" si Nana. Nakangiti ito habang ang mga kamay ay nasa likuran niya at naglalakad kasabay naming apat.

Her smile is fake...

Once again, Delphine ignored her. Her hand was building to a fist pero binitawan niya ito at malungkot na lang na ngumiti.

"Wag ka ngang masungit. Nana is just trying to be nice and is trying to get to know you," sabi ni Lance nang makauna siya sa harap at hinarap si Delphine.

Nirolyo ni Delphine ang mga mata niya at nauna na sa amin.

"Well, ain't she...moody? Sige na, mauna na ako. Ingat kayo," paalam ni Viella sabay kaway sa amin matapos yakapin si Nana.