lv 1 skeleton

chapter 83

“This….”

Jillian and Jerna were seated in the lounge room where we had drunk tea just the other day. They had been playing chess but the problem was that Jillian’s face was covered in soot from the charcoal, while the count was maintaining a handstand position.

“Welcome Johra, Ugh!!!”

“Hee hee~”

“Sir Johra!”

When they finally realised that I had entered the room and had been standing idly, they all greeted me with different expressions. The count was red faced, struggling to maintain the handstand. Jillian looked at me like I would be his savior while Jerna had a mischievous expression of a kid who had just been caught doing something naughty.

“Just what has been going on here?”

“Hahah it is….!”

I heard the story from Sion who explained it in full from his upside down position.

Jillian and the count had gotten really into playing chess and despite having played several games they didn’t want to stop. They even skipped dinner time when the servant came calling. Finally Jerna arrived to put an end to their madness because she was very hungry.

Still, they didn’t listen to any of her requests, so she stayed to watch them play and soon began commenting from the sidelines to help her brother out. As a result, Sion lost the game and he challenged his daughter to get his revenge.

From then on both Sion and Jillian lost all of their games against Jerna. Since she soon lost interest in the game because she won too easily, they had to entice her into playing more by bringing up a new punishment rule. This is what led to the ridiculous situation before me.

“If you designed this game then you must be able to beat my daughter!”

“Please calm down count.”

“No I can’t do that, a noble doesn’t easily go back on a promise. If you feel bad for me, then please win against my daughter to bring an end to my punishment. “

“Why don’t you just stand up?”

“There is no such thing as going back on your word in this family, it would be the greatest dishonor.”

I just barely caught myself from asking him what honor could he possibly have left after covering his face in charcoal soot and maintaining a handstand like a clown.

“Sir Johra!”

I took Jillian’s seat and looked at the game. I had to win back the count’s face. Of course I also had to win for myself so as to not be subject to the same penalty.

Judging by the board position it wasn’t that Jillian had been playing poorly, but rather it was Jerna who was too skilled for him.

‘Tch! She only learned the game today, how could she play so well?’

At first I had thought that I could easily turn the tables on her but it appeared that it wouldn’t be so easy.

“Would you prefer to start a new game?”

I shook my head, since I had to win this one in order to absolve the count from his promised penalty. Still, I was black and there wasn’t much room to maneuver.

“Johra, move the King from K6 to K5.”

Luckily I had the greatest cheating ability possible. Normally moving the king wasn’t a good move, but according to Lena’s instruction I had to move the King diagonally in order to avoid the checkmate from Jeran’s knight. Gaining some momentum by playing unexpected moves I was able to push my way through to her side and she wasn’t able to block my sequence.