Tap-
The black piece was placed gently atop the latticed wooden board. The 87th move was enough to satisfy Sophien.
Tap-
The 88th move of the white piece blocked the black piece. However, while it was the best she could do, it wasn’t enough to overturn her situation.
Tap-
Therefore, the black pieces continued their attack with ease, akin to a hermit fanning himself by the stream.
Tap-
On the other hand, the white side was pressed for time. There was anxiety in every move, like a general facing a war without any tactics.
Tap-
Despite the plight of the white pieces, the offensive of the black pieces finally surrounded them. The white pieces, blocked on all sides, slowly withered.
Tap- Tap- Tap-
The game continued, though it didn’t mean much because the winner was almost decided. The white side waited for defeat.
Tap… Tap… Tap-
The slow sound of the pieces being laid. The result was the black side’s victory by a wide margin, but Sophien wasn’t very happy. This was because only one person was playing the game.
“…Gosh.”
An imaginary game. The white side was played by Sophien, and the black side was also played by Sophien.
“I’m not even playing with stones or anything.”
Belatedly, a sense of emptiness washed in. Sophien picked up a handful of the pieces in the box and then threw them everywhere. The pieces scattered like firecrackers as a smirk bloomed on Sophien’s lips.
“Hmph. It’s more fun than this.”
She put her hand back into the box and threw them again. And again.
“…”
As if that wasn’t enough, this time, she completely overturned the box.
Bang, bang, bang…
She grabbed the empty box and hit it over and over.
—Knock, knock. Your Majesty. It’s Jolang. Do you have a minute?
Just then, the eunuch knocked.
“What do you want?”
—We have been learning the game that Your Majesty has been enjoying these days.”
“…”
Sophien opened the door, using Psychokinesis like Deculein.
“Did you learn the game of Go?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We’ve learned it by using our heads together.”
It wasn’t just Jolang. Ten eunuchs stood in a line behind him. Surely, if it were ten brains against her one, it would be less boring.
“Good. Sit down.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Jolang thought this was a way to look good to the Emperor. So, he spent all day and night learning the game of Go. Sophien picked up the Go pieces with magic.
“White. Black. Choose one.”
“I’ll choose white.”
Jolang and the eunuchs sat facing Sophien.
“I’ll go first.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Tap-
Sophien’s Black took the lead. Jolang’s white made a counter-move.
“Ohh. I see you have learned.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
“Hmph.”
These eunuchs seemed to have learned to some extent, but…
Exactly 23 minutes later.
“Tsk. You’re lame; you’re lame.”
“…I apologize.”
The game ended in around 60 moves. Sophien put a finger to her temple.
“Even with ten of your heads, your calculation speed is infinitely slow, so it’s rather negative.”
“…I apologize.”
“I apologize, my ass. That’s a waste of energy, you moron. Get out of here. It’ll get even more boring if I keep playing with you guys.”
“We apolo-“
“Just go away quietly!”
Sophien kicked out the group of eunuchs. Then, she fiddled with the bow tie around her neck. Today she was in a tailcoat, a top-notch suit from the Yukline family.
“Man… tsk. They’re so bad.”
But it encouraged her to spread it to the continent. If she waited, talented people would appear. But the process was tedious.
“…Should I just wait for Deculein?”
Her only hope left now was the Professor.
“…”
Sophien started playing Go again, thinking of Deculein, who would come in two weeks.
Tap… Tap…
The sound of friction between stone and wood resounded quietly through her room.
* * *
“…Hmm.”
I was looking into the Rare Attribute Catalog, still thinking. This fastidious personality led to plenty of difficulties in decision-making.
“…”
The encryption obtained last time was quite useful. In particular, the inventory function could be used in magic theory, such as in preventing starvation or death or homelessness, as well as encrypting formulas. However, this rare catalog was…
There was no answer between toughness and duct tape.
“Duct tape.”
It didn’t mean anything other than actual duct tape. It was a trait made as a meme in the development process, and the universal use of duct tape in the United States was almost equivalent to a new faith.
──「Duct Tape 」──
◆ Rating: Rare
◆ Description
: This tape is magic and religion. If the phrase ‘all-around’ were materialized, wouldn’t it be this tape?
──────
As a meme characteristic, the description was a bit crude, but its performance was certain. First of all, it went well with my magic class, Manipulation, and could be used in almost any case. In terms of universality alone, it could be said to be the most outstanding of the rare traits.
“Toughness.”
On the other hand, toughness. It was a very simple trait that raised mental strength, but this one drop of mental power could take me to another level…
“I have to go with the situation.”
It didn’t matter which one I learned first, so I would make a decision based on how the next quest would continue. I put away the Catalog and then went back to preparing for class.
“…”
There were several stones the size of a ping-pong ball on the table in the [Head Professor’s Lab] right now. This was the core material of this class. I applied the magic resistance technique to these stones, gave them the characteristic Iron Man, sealed them all with encryption, and applied double and triple quenching…
Through these processes, the Magical Resistance Stone was completed.
“Well made.”
I put the stones I had prepared in a velvet bag and left the lab.
—Assistant Professor. What is this Go game?
—Oh~, that’s a famous game in the Eastern Archipelago. It’s a battle of brains. It is similar to chess but much more complex.
—Really? Her Majesty the Emperor enjoys that complicated game?
—Because she’s the Emperor~.
On the other side of the hallway, Epherene and Allen were chatting.
“Allen.”
“Oh, yes! Professor!”
“We’re preparing for class.”
“Yes!”
Allen came running. Epherene bowed her head and tagged along.
“Hello, Professor.”
“Today’s class will be in the hall. Arrive on time.
“Yes.”
I boarded the elevator with Allen. Our destination was the special floor of the tower, the so-called Hall on the 99th floor.
“Take this, Allen.”
I handed Allen the velvet pouch. She was intrigued, taking it with both hands.
“Okay. What is this?”
“It’s a stone.”
“Oh~, a magic stone?”
“No. Just stones.”
“…What?”
“For today’s class.”
“…”
Allen didn’t seem to understand, but she still nodded along.
Ding-
Then we arrived at the Hall. Nothing was missing on the special floor. The main space was, first of all, a literal hall, and quite a few convenient facilities were surrounding it, such as a research lab, training room, restaurant, magic supplies storage room, thesis library, and more. It was like a small town for magic tower wizards, but there were no people.
I had rented the entire floor.
“Wow~, this is my first time coming to the Hall. It’s like a town square.”
I took out a pen without answering and began writing on the huge blackboard. From today’s lecture, there would be no need for further explanation. No, even if I explained, only the talented ones would understand, so there was no point.
* * *
Epherene arrived at the Hall shortly after, seeing no one inside except for Deculein and his class.
“Everyone. Is everyone gathered?”
At noon, Deculein spoke to those gathered. Epherene looked around. All the wizards, including Rose Rio, Gindalf, and Drent, had already arrived.
“Then, look.”
Snap-!
Deculein snapped his fingers. The curtains in the main Hall pulled back, revealing the blackboard.
Gulp—
The wizards swallowed. The theory on the chalkboard was astonishing and complex, but frankly, it wasn’t disconcerting anymore. They were used to his methods.
“It is this theory that you will have to get familiar with, but I am not going to give a lecture on this theory today.”
“…?”
But it was quite strange. He wouldn’t explain the theory?
“That’s why I had to rent the Hall. In this Hall, you can do everything in your daily life without having to leave. If you have understood the theory on this board correctly and perfectly-“
Deculein moved the stones with Psychokinesis. It took 1,000 mana to move only a few hundred stones.
“You can handle this stone with magic.”
That was the end.
“However, you’re free to give up.”
Deculein went into the elevator and-
Ding-!
The door closed. All the students stared blankly as he disappeared.
“…What is this?”
Rose Rio spoke for everyone’s feelings. Each of them glanced at the stones in their hands. Epherene shook her head.
“What are we supposed to do?”
“Yeah. What is this stone?”
Rose Rio fiddled with the stone and activated Psychokinesis.
“…?”
However, nothing happened. Mana had permeated the stone, but the stone did not move. Rose Rio tilted her head and activated Psychokinesis again. The result was the same.
“Huh. This is pissing me off.”
Rose Rio activated Psychokinesis. By now, her veins were ready to pop out of her temples, and her mana was being drained rapidly.
“Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh… ugh!”
But the stone remained still. Rose Rio grabbed at her eye, feeling blood seeping from it.
“What is this stone? Fuck, this hurts!”
“Eh? What’s wrong?”
“What? What is this?”
Epherene and the other wizards began to show interest. At the same time, they used advanced manipulation magic, such as Psychokinesis, Rotation, or Wind of Resonance. There was only one object they focused on – the stone each held.
“What, it doesn’t work.”
Epherene was perplexed. The other wizards started to groan out as they confirmed it. As Rose Rio said, the stones wouldn’t move.
“That’s what I said. It doesn’t work!”
Rose Rio growled and looked at Deculein’s blackboard.
“Sigh… this professor, he must have done something to them.”
“Huh? But wait.”
Epherene, staring blankly at the blackboard, recalled something from five minutes ago. A certain act by Deculein that he unconsciously passed on.
“The Professor just gave us all of these with Psychokinesis.”
“…”
At that short revelation from Epherene, all the wizards in the main Hall grew lost in their thoughts.
* * *
…Winter.
In mid-November, the Yukline mansion was covered in snow. The gardeners were busy welcoming the early winter. They set up snow-crafted art pieces throughout the mansion. Flowers, horses, trees, snowmen… each were a decoration that delighted its viewer.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes.”
After finishing my morning workout, as usual, today, I climbed into the car. Ren immediately handed me three newspapers: one from the Imperial Newspaper, one from the Principality Newspaper, and one from the Wizard Journal. It was my routine on the way to the tower.
I read the Imperial Newspaper first.
—[# 3333 Her Majesty Sophien’s Manifesto. I will make Go the national sport.]—
Her Majesty’s love for Go continued to spread. The mental game of Go, which was spread from the archipelago to the east, had now become a general trend known to all aristocrats. Her Majesty Sophien was satisfied with this trend, and now Go tournaments, including the Master Game, were being held.
“…Hmm?”
Glancing away from the newspaper, I looked out the window. It was noisy around the tower. Reporters armed with cameras were forming a long line.
─One at a time! Ask questions one at a time, one at a time! I’m not running away!
The person standing proudly in the middle was… Adrienne, as expected. Ren turned back.
—…Then, is the exam in progress?!
I heard the reporters shouting.
—Yes! Professor Deculein’s exam is currently in progress!
“…?”
Exam? It was disconcerting as I had never given them a test.
─Do you think this test will take quite a while? It seems like it started four weeks earlier than the end of previous years!
Adrienne vigorously answered the question that even I didn’t know the answer to.
—Yes! I think it will take a very long time! This time, around a month or so! It’s possible that it’ll take all winter!
─Is it such a difficult exam?!
—Yes! It’s a huge challenge both in practice and in theory!
Was she talking about the stones I handed out two days ago?
─Awesomely simple yet insanely difficult! Indeed, as expected from Professor Deculein! This is a test that will go down in the history of the magic world!
I changed to the next newspaper. This time it was Wizard Journal.
─[Even a wizard of an etheric rank was caught in Deculein’s test!]-
Several wizards, including Rose Rio, have stayed in the Magic Tower for 36 hours straight to complete a test presented by Monarch Deculein.
••••••
Deculein also prepared for a long-term exam in the second semester. According to inside sources, the test was manipulating stones. Although it may seem insignificant at first glance, even the etheric ranked Rose Rio has yet to succeed.
The amount of writing required to manipulate this stone is 100 pages. Since even that is only the essence of the theory, more than 1000 pages of interpretation are likely needed to understand…
──
“I never told them not to go home.”
Of course, I didn’t set a deadline, but I never said they couldn’t leave. Of course, I never said it was a test either.
─If it’ll take all winter… it means that this might be a longer test than the last time!
─Yes!
Maybe it was because of the chairman interviewing over there-
─What is the current exam atmosphere? I know that only wizards who are unfamiliar with failure are gathered inside.
—Yes! I also visited them! It wasn’t a friendly atmosphere, but I could see them making an effort to exchange opinions with each other!
─If you’ve visited, have you also tried the test yourself?!
That question made me a little curious.
—Oh, Deculein’s exam? You’re wondering if I passed?!
—Yes.
─No! I didn’t do it because I thought I’d break it, but I didn’t exactly! My line is destruction! Of course, it seems like I can do it in one day!
“…”
I was perplexed by Adrienne’s answer. No matter if she was an archmage specialized in destruction, she couldn’t control my stones. Did I make a mistake in distributing the magic, or did I misestimate the difficulty of the theory as too much?
…Whatever it was.
—This test will probably be a pretty big event in the magic world at the end of the year! All eyes of the Floating Island will be focused on the magic tower again!
It was good if the wizards were working hard.
“Ahem. Ren, go to the parking lot now.”
“Yes. All right.”
Ren skillfully slipped through the back road.
