Elyandra walked through the academy corridors, still deep in thought. The shiny floor showed her blurred reflection, something that, in a way, mirrored her mind. "What do I want to do? Goals and goals, where do I even start?" she wondered. She stopped in front of a large hall door, not looking inside, her eyes reflecting a somewhat uncomfortable curiosity. She glanced sideways at the window and saw the academy fields brightened by the afternoon sunlight. "There are even fewer people here today. Apparently many have already been disqualified. What will those people do after this?" she pondered, placing her hand under her chin as she tilted her face upward. "Damn… things are so much simpler in games. Living is really tiring… I just want to play something."
As she shifted her eyes from side to side, a little bored, Elyandra noticed the room she had stopped in front of earlier. It was a large recreation hall. The girl's eyes widened.
— What do we have here? — she murmured, excited.
She entered the hall, her curious eyes sweeping the surroundings. She saw some students talking in groups, others studying at tables with extremely diverse bookshelves. The hall itself was ridiculously large, in celestial and eye-catching colors. She observed everything with curious eyes until she reached an area with empty tables. Next to the tables, there were boxes. The design of both was practically mystical, in white marble. She approached a table and sat down in an equally elegant chair. She looked around and noticed that some people were playing games. Her eyes sparkled when she saw they were playing strategy board games. The girl sketched a small smile.
Glancing quickly at the box beside the table, Elyandra stretched out her arm, touching the surface of the box, which opened in a mystical way. She looked inside and found several small boxes that she knew exactly what they were. Her hands passed over the boxes and chose a white one with golden ornaments, pulling it toward her. Subtly, she placed the box on the table and opened it, revealing chess pieces along with a mystical and seductive board.
Elyandra's golden eyes shone as she set up the board. "I should have come here earlier. I'm sure Armand showed us this place, but at the time I was so distracted thinking about the tests that I didn't even remember it existed. But look at these pieces — even my own boards don't have such unique pieces!" she thought, stars dancing in her eyes. She finished setting up the board and stared at it with a warm smile.
— Really, this board gives such an overwhelmingly grand feeling.
At that moment, Elyandra brought her hand to her chin, thoughtful. "Okay… but why did I set this up if I don't have anyone to play with? Damn, if someone sees me putting it away now, I'll look really pathetic." Her expression remained the same on the outside, but inside she felt a flushed agony.
Suddenly, the sound of a chair being pulled caught her attention. She looked forward and saw a candidate who was taking the exam sitting down in front of her. He looked her in the eyes.
— Good morning, Lady Valemortis. May I play with you?
Elyandra stared at the student, curiosity awakened.
— Of course, it would be a great pleasure for me — she replied. "Who is this guy?" she thought.
That question went unanswered, because at the same moment Elyandra noticed that some candidates were gathering near her table, watching the game. "Why did these people come over here?" she wondered.
The boy in front of her said:
— Can I be the black pieces?
Elyandra turned her eyes forward.
— Ah, yes, of course. I'll take the white ones.
They decided who would start the game, and the boy made the first move. The match proceeded calmly. Elyandra thought: "This boy lacks strategy. He's not a challenge. I'd say this is like stepping on an ant." In just a few moves, Elyandra delivered a definitive checkmate.
The boy then smiled.
— You're very good. Thank you for the game.
Elyandra stared at him.
— Not really, but thank you for playing with me.
The boy stood up, and Elyandra began to put the pieces away. "Anyway, it was nice to play a little." That thought was abruptly interrupted when a girl sat down in the chair, already saying:
— My turn! My turn!
Elyandra was surprised, her eyes widening. The girl continued:
— Can I start?!
Elyandra let out a light laugh.
— Sure, sure… I'll take the white pieces.
The new game began. Once again, Elyandra won quickly, only for another person to sit in the chair ready to play against her. And so it continued, with Elyandra defeating one after another while an audience formed beside the girl.
After yet another checkmate, Elyandra thanked the boy for the game and thought: "How depressing. I didn't even get a single challenge here. I miss Callen — it was more fun playing chess with him." Elyandra's thoughts pushed away the compliments from the candidates around her, who were creating a certain commotion as they watched the noble's matches.
It was then that a presence passed through them, making everyone fall silent. Elyandra, with her eyes closed, was thinking about how nice it would be to play with Callen again, until the sound of a chair being pulled and someone sitting down caught her attention. She sighed, thinking: "Well… I guess I'll play just one more game." She opened her eyes and found herself facing a girl with black hair that covered one of her eyes. She stared into Elyandra's eyes.
— It seems you're a little bored, Lady Valemortis.
Elyandra found herself looking at Seraphina. The noble's presence carried an aura of challenge that made something sparkle inside Elyandra. She smiled.
— Would you like to play with me, Lady Vancroft?
Seraphina looked around, analyzing the curious audience forming around the chess table.
— You've gathered quite an audience, haven't you? — she said, her lips curving into a subtle smile. — One of the benefits of being an influential noble.
Elyandra, who had no idea this would happen, disguised her surprise with a touch of irony in her tone.
— You think so? I believe they're just a curious public.
Seraphina stretched out her hand, picking up one of the pawns. While analyzing it, she said:
— Curious… I'll take the black pieces.
— Of course, I'll take the white ones — Elyandra replied, a subtle smile playing on her lips. This time, it was Elyandra who would start the game.
However, the opponent in front of her was different. Seraphina began to pressure Elyandra little by little, move after move. Elyandra, surprised, thought: "What is this? I'm being pressured?"
— Chess is a game of intellect, but it is also a game of liars — Seraphina declared, without taking her eyes off the board.
Elyandra stared at her, intrigued.
— Liars? What are you talking about?
The girl made her move, aiming at Seraphina's king. Seraphina moved a piece and said:
— Yes, only liars can deceive their game partners. Want to see?
Almost at the same moment, Seraphina cornered Elyandra with an unexpected move and continued:
— You lie about your strategy and draw the opponent's attention only to devastate them.
At that instant, Elyandra's expression changed. Seraphina's move practically locked down her advance, giving her the feeling of being trapped in a snare waiting for the hunter to come and take her life. She felt pressure falling on her shoulders.
— Devastating enemy strategies is very easy when you know how your opponent thinks — Seraphina finished, her eyes fixed on Elyandra's.
Elyandra felt those words like a clear insult. "Who does she think she's talking to? Do you think you know how I think?" Inside, Elyandra sketched an almost wicked smile, which she hid under the mask of a somewhat hesitant noble. An inner spark flickered in her mind.
— You know, Lady Vancroft — said Elyandra, her voice calm but with a new tone of challenge. — Strategy is not about reading the opponent, it is about reading the game.
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, a sign that the phrase had intrigued her. She began an attack aiming for a quick checkmate. Elyandra smiled. Her gaze became a vague mix with a dark presence that Seraphina noticed, making her feel somewhat apprehensive.
The game between the two continued, with Seraphina beginning to see her advantage gradually slip away. With every piece she took from Elyandra, she lost another and began to get cornered, the positions reversing.
— Reading the game is simple — Elyandra explained, without taking her eyes off the board. — Of course, knowing how your opponent thinks is important, but knowing how the game unfolds is what matters. When you realize how the game unfolds, then it's simple to change the way you behave. You just need to change the way you play and everything changes along with it.
Seraphina brought her hand to her chin, reflecting.
— Change the way you play?
Elyandra turned the game around, cornering Seraphina decisively.
— Change of style. It's something rather simple when you're already used to playing.
Seraphina looked at the board and thought for a few minutes. Elyandra rested her hand on her chin and leaned on the table, staring at the thoughtful Seraphina, until the latter smiled, a smile of recognition.
— Impressive. I thought and thought again, but I couldn't get anywhere.
— Do you still want to continue? — Elyandra asked, her voice soft.
— No, my moves are over — Seraphina replied. — It was an excellent game.
Elyandra smiled, genuine satisfaction on her face.
— Yes, it was an excellent match.
The candidates who had been enjoying the game didn't understand how that game had ended. On the other hand, even though the board looked like it was in the middle of the game, Seraphina already understood that she had nowhere to go. Thus, she accepted a defeat in the middle of the match.
The girl stood up and extended her hand to greet Elyandra. She also stood up and extended her hand, shaking Seraphina's.
— Thank you for the game, Lady Valemortis — said Seraphina.
Elyandra, already wearing her model noble mask and smiling serenely, replied:
— Lady Vancroft, I'm the one who should thank you. You were excellent.
Seraphina smiled.
— Would you like to accompany me?
Elyandra looked at her curiously.
— Of course, just let me put the pieces away.
After carefully putting the pieces away and storing them, the noblewomen left the hall under the admiring gaze of other nobles who had watched them play. As they walked through the corridors, where both clearly drew attention, Seraphina broke the silence.
— Have you already figured out what your goal might be, Lady Valemortis? — The question echoed in Elyandra's ears.
With a short smile, she replied:
— I can't say.
Seraphina seemed a little disappointed. Elyandra then continued, a light laugh escaping:
— I want many things, actually. I made promises that I don't know if I can keep. The strangest thing about all this is that I have good paths to follow, but I don't know if I want to follow them.
Seraphina stared at her, somewhat surprised.
— No goal is simple, is it?
Elyandra stopped in front of a window, looking outside, and Seraphina stopped beside her, observing her. Elyandra recalled her promise to Callen, her daydreams of world conquest, and her current situation and status.
— Yes, nothing is simple — said Elyandra. — And that's what makes a game fun.
— A game? — Seraphina asked, intrigued.
Elyandra stared at Seraphina, a sparkle in her eyes.
— Yes, a game.
She continued walking, and Seraphina stared at her with a thoughtful look. In Elyandra's mind, she thought: "I'm overthinking it, but yes, I need goals. I don't want to be a liar or someone as vague as I was before, so let's take it one step at a time. First, I need to fulfill my promise."