Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
26. Chess Player (1) [1]
“Did You return, head-nim?”
“Yes, I’m back sir.” [2]
The Seo tribe’s head [3] greeted them respectfully.
The moment they heard the respectful words, the head’s subordinates unconsciously tensed.
The self-proclaimed Cunning, or the head of the Seo tribe, treated everyone disrespectfully regardless of who they were as a principle, but when he was extremely excited, he used respectful speech.
“… Did something happen?”
The subordinates began to worry that the head had started something again.
After one of the subordinates asked the Seo tribe’s head as a representative, Cunning replied joyfully.
“I checked the humans Jane requested me to investigate.”
“Are you talking about the request of the Blue Violinist? You went to investigate personally?”
“Yes.”
‘You were wasting time on useless things again, huh!’, even though the subordinates thought so, they were deeply impressed.
The competent Seo tribe’s head, even though he liked to play games by mixing among humans, he never neglected the operation of the Seo tribe.
In addition, even when he went as far as going out personally to gather the information, the head’s time management ability was nothing but outstanding.
“One human has a bothering background.”
“Head-nim was requested to investigate two humans. Two people from the Eungwang School’s 1st year class 0… Are you speaking about one of them?”
“Yes, that’s right. The female student is also interesting, but the male student is bothering me more.”
“You’re talking about Unknown Supernova, Jo Uisin, who survived against the Ung tribe’s family member.”
Seo tribe’s head nodded.
“Yes.”
“For his age group, he belongs to amazing Players, but… Eungwang School has students with even more extraordinary accomplishments. What point is head-nim bothered about?”
“His career before becoming a Player.”
The Seo tribe’s head opened a hologram.
What came up on the hologram was a name list of winners of national chess tournaments for the last 3 years.
Among all of the highest rankings, the name ‘Jo Uisin’ wasn’t missing.
“That student was a professional chess player?”
“Yes. But he didn’t participate from a certain point during the previous year. That point bothers me.”
“Isn’t it because he would be turning 17 years old shortly and become an official Player?”
The official Players couldn’t enter chess rankings based on Elo ratings managed by FIDE and also couldn’t receive a master title.
It wasn’t a weird speculation that he played chess as a hobby and then quit just before becoming an official Player.
“What you said is correct. Even so, it bothers me.”
The Seo tribe’s head recalled the reactions of people with whom he talked in person as he spoke:
“First, Jo Uisin’s opponents, who remain in records, don’t remember Jo Uisin properly.”
Jo Uisin’s opponents varied in their age, gender and occupation, but they couldn’t recall Jo Uisin all the same.
“The chess players have rather outstanding mental ability. But none of them could remember Jo Uisin properly. It’s strange that the impression of the chess player who left such a reward record is so blurry.”
Videos, photos, texts.
Jo Uisin’s record was perfect.
However, be it his opponents or Chess Association’s officials, none of them could remember Jo Uisin properly.
They all showed the same reaction: ‘Thinking back, he was also there’.
It seemed as if a large-scale information manipulation happened.
“Second, Jo Uisin, who cut ties with chess for more than half a year after losing his entire family in the incident previous year, is participating in Eungwang School’s chess tournament.”
Is it bothering that he who had quit chess after the shock of losing his family, simply starts again after half a year?
The subordinates, who listened to the Seo tribe’s head’s words, tilted their heads.
“Third, the attitude of the human Player I bestowed a blessing upon was subtle.”
“Subtle?”
“The information of the female student was handed over easily, but Jo Uisin’s information felt as if it was erased here and there before being handed over.”
“What kind of things are we speaking of?”
The Seo tribe’s head smiled as he added a word.
“I, something feels very good about it.” [4]
The subordinates couldn’t comprehend what the hell was good, but they nodded their heads, pretending to roughly understand it.
***
Early morning.
After finishing training and checking the device, there were no eye-catching messages.
‘But Hong Gyubin seemed to have something to say.’
Hong Gyubin’s chat room as usual was filled with nothing but typical regards and whining sounds like ‘Nothing particular?’, ‘Is school alright?’, ‘Overwork is hard ㅠㅠ‘
‘He is busy, so should I stop pressing on it?’
I was a bit bothered by it, but I decided to leave it alone for now.
While preparing for school, I checked Eungwang School web community general bulletin board and saw a post from the 3rd year class 0’s president come up.
[3rd year class 0’s end of surrender epilogue]
I thought there was no way when they published the post about Teacher’s Day ‘Process of surrender epilogue’ the previous time, but he really published the end of surrender epilogue.
[Subtitle: Homeroom teacher is too strong]
I read nothing but the title, but I wanted to stop reading.
‘I want to stop reading, but I’m bothered.’
In the end, I couldn’t suppress curiosity and continued to read.
The content was unexpectedly ordinary.
Starting the 3rd year class 0’s survival game training process, it continued through dozens of paragraphs of earnest content, summarized as (Overall, the homeroom teacher is too strong content).
Compared to the feats left by class 0 in the meantime, it was a pretty safe epilogue.
‘Then why are there so many comments?’
That doubt was solved on the last page.
[The biggest reason for defeat was the betrayal of ‘Energy of Universe’. We trusted it, how could it do something like this? Our 3rd year class 0 decided to beat up[5] the ‘Energy of Universe’.
We will find it.
And when we find it
We will take revenge.
Epilogue over.]
Energy of Universe? Betrayal? Revenge?
What the hell was that sound?
I didn’t understand, but it seemed that they were planning to fight the Energy of Universe.
The 3rd year class 0’s epilogue’s last paragraph, which was at best a few lines long, sent the minds of people who read it to Andromeda.
It was worthy of so many comments.
[What did I just read? *shivers*]
[Summary: In conclusion, it’s the Universe]
[Isn’t Energy of Universe nonsense a smokescreen for secret training? Is it real? ㅋㅋㅋㅋ[6]]
[The 3rd year class 0 president bastard looked somewhat sane, but he is still an exemplary madman;;;;;]
[↑ Circumstances are so important…]
[Energy of Universe was wrong!]
[We should also hear Energy of Universe’s stance on it.]
[↑ Is there a need to trouble ourselves to know about it?]
In any case, the 3rd year class 0 surrendered to homeroom teacher Im Yeonhwa, but it seemed their fight would continue.
Looking at 2nd and 3rd year class 0 seniors, I once again felt that our class children were immeasurably kind and docile.
I had to be careful that the 1st year class 0 children won’t become like the rest of class 0.
Of course, it seemed too late for Hwang Jiho in many ways, so I’d make an exception.
***
Then the day, which was noisy about 3rd year class 0’s proclamation of war against the Universe, ended.
After classes.
General Club Council building’s Newspaper Club room.
Before I could enter the 1st year room of the Newspaper Club room together with Hwang Jiho, the Newspaper Club’s president called me.
“We asked for the interview with senior Kwon Jane-nim, and their side came out with the designated reporter to cover the story.”
Kwon Jane rarely appeared on broadcasts and never gave interviews.
When she occasionally appeared on music programs, it was under a condition that she would only give a performance.
It was to the degree that the face of the Eternal Lake was Kwon Jane, but its voice was Jared Lee.
‘Kwon Jane is thinking about actively promoting her album this time? That’s also weird.’
Just today, Kwon Jane’s new music piece ‘귀향 (Homecoming)’[7] was announced.
It was the first song which announced the start of the performance which was held in the Hoyeon building, starting with pizzicato.
The reaction to the Homecoming’s announcement was explosive from the second 0.
It was to the degree that various cover versions of Homecoming, recorded in the morning during the practice by club members of music-related clubs, were used throughout the entire day as class bells.
Kwon Jane’s new piece announcement became the center of hot topics again.
The Newspaper Club’s president said that even though he thought it wouldn’t be possible, he tried to make a request to the Eternal Lake to cover Kwon Jane’s story.
“I was surprised when they replied straight away! They said that if it’s you, Uisin, who comes as a reporter, they will accept an interview. Are you acquainted with senior Kwon Jane-nim?”
“When senior Kwon Jane-nim was performing at the Hoyeon building, I worked as a show staff and briefly said hello.”
“It was like this, huh! Uisin, let’s think about the question together. Please make an interview!”
There were a few things about Kwon Jane.
I recalled the sense of incongruity I felt during the performance.
With this interview, I may be able to solve those doubts and the sense of incongruity.
I willingly nodded my head.
“Yes. May I have help with gathering materials?”
The Newspaper Club president smiled brightly as he replied.
“Excellent! Saeron is already investigating.”
I would be able to investigate Kwon Jane as I received the help of the best informant in the Newspaper Club and PMH.
***
After the club activities ended.
Before I parted with Hwang Jiho.
“Are you really not curious?”
Hwang Jiho’s questions about ‘that’, which he said he wouldn’t tell me about, increased.
It seemed that Hwang Jiho was becoming impatient as he wanted to talk about it.
I was starting to become a bit curious, but I was stubborn until now, so I didn’t want to ask about it.
“Uh. I’m really not curious.”
Hwang Jiho made a displeased face, then swiftly turned around to leave.
He didn’t head towards the main gates like usual, was he going somewhere else?
Promising myself that if he would be like that next time, I’d ask him about it out of courtesy, I checked the map on the hologram and moved towards the set coordinates.
‘It seems to be here.’
Gym no. 3 on the premises of the General Club Council building.
The place where the chess tournament was held.
‘They rented a gym, not a meeting room? I guess more people are coming than I thought.’
In front of the gym no. 3.
The participating chess Players and spectators each had to enter through a different entrance.
I showed my student ID to the Chess Small Group Stalemate member with the staff name tag and was guided through the entrance exclusive for chess Players.
Like that, I arrived in the waiting room.
I saw a lot of Playable Characters.
“Hi, Uisin. Let’s work hard today!”
The one who greeted me was Bak Seung-hyeon who I sometimes ran into in the dormitory.
He was also a chess tournament participant.
He was a person who was better at using his head than body, and I knew he had an aptitude for it, but I had no idea he was good at chess.
As if he was excited for the chess tournament, his expression was bright.
It was a completely different face from the one I saw during April Fool’s Day.
“Okay, do your best.”
There were so many Playable Characters who liked chess!
I couldn’t know that as whether the chess tournament was held or not, it didn’t get written in the game story.
‘If it wasn’t for so many Playable Characters participating, I would flee.’
There were people with open holograms, playing chess with AI.
Looking at the chessboard and moving chess pieces materialized with holograms, my head was starting to spin.
The headache felt more intense than when I opened the Exclusive Menu window.
“The opening ceremony will start soon! Please move!”
What opening ceremony for the school chess tournament?
Even though I thought it was weird, I followed behind the staff.
‘It’s wider than I expected.’
The first level was a match ground, and the second level layer was audience seats.
The judges and staff stood at the 1st floor’s stage.
I thought we would go to the 1st floor’s match ground straight away, but under the staff guidance the students participating in the chess tournament also stood on the 1st floor’s stage.
“Before we start, I’ll hold the opening show. Please don’t move for safety.”
Yong Jegeon grabbed the mic and spoke a word.
‘Opening show? Safety?’
The doubts were immediately solved.
Yong Jegeon stretched out both of his hands and with his gesture, the empty gym started to change.
The fist-sized cubes of space made with Yong Jegeon’s Space Art, piled like building blocks making decorations.
Whoaaaa—!
Cheers poured out from the 2nd floor audience seats at the completely changed scenery.
‘Amazing!’
Enormous white and black chess pieces surrounded the gym.
Looking at the delicately placed black and white chess pieces, whose arrangement when looked from above looked like Eungwang School’s symbols, were impressive.
In addition, the 2nd floor’s audience seats were remade into opera theater box seats.
Yong Jegeon coated the small space in color and piled it up like delicate blocks.
Was it because he was constrained from fully displaying his power because of the Teacher Contract? I saw a drop of sweat trickle down from Yong Jegeon’s temples who finished all the work.
Yong Jegeon whose gestures stopped, said:
“Stalemate Cup, I declare Eungwang Highschool chess tournament open.”
The chess tournament started amidst applause from the audience and players.
And my first opponent was a Playable Character, Ma Jinseung.
*~*~*
[1] Chess Player – Player here is the same word as the word used to refer to people with superpowers, not the word for professional chess players (which also means knight, article, engineer, driver… Yes I just keep adding meaning to this word, wait until I memorize all possible meanings).
[2] “Yes, I’m back sir.” – It’s just ‘I’m back’ in raws, but there is no way for me to show that a polite tone is used so I’ll try to somewhat clumsily make up for it when the Seo tribe’s head uses a polite tone.
[3] Seo tribe – rat/mouse tribe
[4] “I, something feels very good about it.” – Ambiguous statement because ‘I’ here has a comma after it, which could also mean that ‘I’ can be interpreted as ‘past’. And probably a few other things. Phrasing is really weird here.
[5] beat up – could also mean overthrown, defeated.
[6] ㅋㅋㅋㅋ – after long deliberations, this translator decided to give up. ㅋ is a cackling sound or ‘kekeke’. I’ve been trying to find a way to transform it into English, but nothing feels right, so from now on I’ll just use consonants. The same will be done for ㅎㅎㅎ (hahaha). This way the comments and messages will finally look a bit more natural. You don’t have to remember that. I’ll be leaving notes.
[7] 귀향 (Homecoming) – 귀향 means homecoming. I just thought it’s a nice detail that Kwon Jane names her pieces both in Korean and English.
Translator’s note: So Jo Uisin has a headache when he looks at the chessboard and menu windows… He also had a headache when he saw himself in the crow mask…
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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