Chapter 166: Advancement (2) Part 1

In the Imperial Palace, the officials were, of course, learning Go—one might even say they tried desperately to master it. In the Empire, the Empress’s favor was nothing short of divine grace and honor, and Go, despite her legendary lethargy, was the one pastime that genuinely held her interest.

“Let the match begin,” Sophien declared.

Therefore, the officials observed the match with tense expressions, aware that the opponent was none other than Professor Deculein—the only one deemed worthy to challenge Sophien on the Go board.

“Have you readied yourself?” Sophien inquired.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Deculein replied, nodding without a hint of tension or doubt.

Sophien extended the bowl of stones to him. The Empress played black, and the professor, white. Each drew their stones, and the two players locked eyes.

“Referee,” Sophien called.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” replied the elderly man in traditional robes as he stepped forward.

The man’s name was Aldo, a Go master from the Archipelago, who could provide commentary and record each move of the match.

“I am Aldo, acting as the interim referee today. Now, let us begin the third match in the best-of-five series between Her Majesty, Empress Sophien, and Professor Deculein,” Aldo announced, his eyes gleaming with interest as he glanced from Sophien to Deculein, signaling the start of the match.

Tap—!

As the match commenced, Sophien opened by placing her black stone on the lower left star point, while Deculein responded with white on the upper right. Black moved next to the small star in the lower right, and white followed to the upper left. Although the opening moves were simple, the audience watched in rapt silence.

"... Indeed, it seems Professor Deculein stands as a worthy match for Her Majesty."

“They are evenly matched—quite remarkable, indeed.”

“Just look at Her Majesty’s focused expression. It is truly remarkable—such pride it brings to witness how she has blossomed into herself...”

While the officials watched in admiration, Romelock and the senior ministers observed Deculein’s skill with thinly veiled discontent.

Tap—!

“Your Majesty,” Deculein said, breaking the silence.

Sophien lifted her head, and her eyes locked firmly onto Deculein.

Meeting her frigid stare, Deculein asked, "What compels Your Majesty to invest so deeply in the game of Go?"

Then, he placed the thirtieth stone on the board.

Sophien felt a prickle of annoyance, suspecting he was only trying to break her focus, but she answered, "Because, if nothing else, it provides me with some entertainment."

Tap—!

With her thirty-first move, Sophien made a strike that skillfully pressed into the gap in the upper right corner.

Tap.

“Is that so,” Deculein murmured, deftly countering her move.

This man—his moves had such an effortless lightness to them. Has he always played with such ease?

Sophien thought, her brows twitching.

It wasn’t just a matter of his stance or gestures. While he still possessed the demeanor of a sage, his presence now radiated an effortless calm, a quiet strength running through him like a steady, unbroken stream.

"And what drives you to ask such a question?" Sophien remarked, setting down the thirty-third stone.

"Because witnessing such passion in Your Majesty is nothing short of inspiring."

"... Enough with the bullshit; shut your mouth."

Deculein sat in focused silence, absorbed in the Go board. Across from him, Sophien placed each stone with measured precision, analyzing every move as though tracing the flow of all possible outcomes. Slowly, the black and white stones on the board arranged themselves, gathering their strength for the clash ahead.

By the time they arrived at the 54th move...

"I am now confident, Your Majesty, that you will now channel that passion into guiding the Empire, broadening its influence, and furthering your own wisdom," Deculein said.

Sophien found his words disturbing. Though she held a slight edge over Deculein, the lead was as fragile as a thread; a single misstep could shift the balance of the game. It felt like treading on thin ice, but Sophien refused to admit it—even the faintest hint of struggle was something she wouldn’t allow herself to show.

Therefore, Sophien replied with a calm edge, "You arrogant fool. Do you really think you're fit to lecture me about passion? Very well. Since you're so intent on offering needless remarks, I'll ask you a question in return."

Sophien looked at Deculein with eyes as sharp as a blade’s edge, but Deculein did not waver, meeting her fierce stare without the slightest flinch.

"Professor, you are aware of who attempted to poison me in the past."

A single breath carried the weight of her words, and a cold silence settled over the room. Deculein and Sophien locked eyes across the Go board, as if it were a wall between them. Both remained composed, while the officials caught in the charged silence were a sight to behold.

Gasp— Gasp—

From the moment Sophien spoke her shocking words, the officials’ faces went ashen, frozen like startled toads. Their eyes widened as if ready to pop, breaths caught in their throats, gasping and choking as though on the edge of collapse. An endless silence settled thickly over the room—until it was broken by the soft click of a stone.

Tap—

The white stone’s 86th move sent a ripple across the board, as gentle as a disturbance in still water. However, Sophien’s attention was elsewhere, her eyes drifting away from the Go board.

With her focus fixed on Deculein, Sophien continued, "That poison left me with nothing but the gift of ennui and lethargy."

Sophien’s voice flowed steadily, devoid of even the slightest tremor or hint of emotion.

"But in the end, I decided it was far too tiresome to continue wasting my time searching—"

Deculein stared silently at Sophien for a moment and then remarked, "Your Majesty, perhaps it would be best to turn your attention back to the Go board."

“What?”

The tone was one of pure arrogance and reckless boldness. Sophien felt a twist of fury deep inside her at being interrupted, but she eventually looked down at the Go board. As her crimson eyes traced the intricate arrangement of stones, a flicker of shock surfaced in them.

A single move. Deculein’s white stone struck the board, breaking the delicate balance between black and white. Every thought vanished from her mind. Her hand, still holding a stone, began to tremble. It felt as though the whole world had dissolved around her. Lost in a fog of disbelief, Sophien’s eyes blankly lingered on the Go board.

“This...”

A sudden shift in the board’s balance rippled through it, so intricate that it defied her understanding. Deculein’s 86th move—a masterstroke she had never envisioned—broke the delicate surface they had been treading, like a crack spreading across thin ice.

Subtle tremors swept across the board, crawling over every line and stone like the first stirrings of a storm. Sophien felt tension coil tightly in her throat—a sensation unlike anything she had ever experienced.

However, she had no reason for concern. Her experience told her that Deculein lacked the skill to navigate a match to its endgame. For reasons unknown, he was prone to falter in the endgame. All she needed to do was remain composed and respond with patience; soon enough, his weaknesses would reveal themselves.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Like drops of sweat, each Go stone fell onto the board, one by one. In a single moment, the balance of power shifted. Black, once holding a slight advantage, was now forced into a desperate chase after the white stones. However, even in the face of inevitable ruin, Sophien refused to surrender.

She blocked every possible path, defended the front line, and sought every chance to turn the tide with traps of her own making. She played every move within her reach. The match was not over yet; surely, a path to victory remained hidden somewhere on the board. In Go, there was no such thing as an inevitable loss—and she had not yet been defeated.

However...

Tap, Tap, Tap—

The once-gentle cadence of the Go stones, murmuring like whispers of a forgotten melody, fell into sudden silence. Sophien’s hand stilled in the air, suspended as if caught by the weight of the moment. The white stones she failed to capture formed an invulnerable group, claiming dominion over the center of the board.

Grit.

Sophien clenched her teeth, her eyes sliding upward. In her cold, unfeeling stare, Deculein was all she could see. Her lips twisted as a fire ignited deep within her chest, though she willed all her strength to remain unshaken.

“Begin the count,” Sophien commanded.

"By a margin of two and a half points, Your Majesty, I have won the match," Deculein replied.

Sophien’s eyes rested on Deculein, the frosted stillness within them—once as implacable as eternal ice—beginning to tremble as if on the verge of shattering.

"...

Ha

," Sophien murmured, a faint, trembling breath escaped her violet lips.

“My apologies, Your Majesty. It seems I have honed my skills a bit further,” Deculein said.

Sophien’s face revealed nothing, but in her mind, she heard a sharp crack—something deep within her broke.

“This—”

Sophien’s hand slipped beneath the Go board, and at once, the entire board trembled, resonating with a deep, ceaseless vibration. Deculein watched her in calm silence, his eyes fixed and unblinking, as if carved from stone.

“Is fucking— bullshit—”

Crash—!

The Empress hurled the Go board high into the air. It shot up like a rocket, embedding itself in the ceiling. Shattered pieces scattered as countless stones rained down, drifting gently like a snowfall of black and white.

***

“Were you greatly upset?” I asked, once thirty minutes had passed and Sophien had finally regained her composure.

She leaned back in her chair without a word. We were once again in the Hall of Learning within the Imperial Palace.

“Your Majesty.”

“... I did consider the chance of losing. But actually experiencing defeat—it brought up a rather strange feeling,” Sophien murmured, pressing her fingers to her temple, a rare hint of self-mockery in her voice.

“Still, your 86th and 107th moves were remarkable. As for your irritating comments beforehand—they continue to grate on my nerves, though I must admit, it was partly my own fault for falling into your psychological tricks.”

A slight smile crossed my lips.

“What is it that brings that smile to your lips?” Sophien said, her eyes sharp as daggers, piercing through me. “You’re making me want to crack your skull open.”

“Only relieved,” I replied, setting a stone on the board as I replayed the match.

Sophien glanced at the move and asked, “And what, exactly, do you find so relieving?”

“Because what Your Majesty experienced just now was not anger.”

“... You arrogant fool. By what right do you presume to name my emotions?"

I shook my head. The feeling that stirred in Sophien as she overturned the Go board was far from anger. No, it was something else—something essential, something she needed now more than ever, the rekindling of ambition.

𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

“It was not anger, but a burning desire for victory, Your Majesty.”

Sophien fell silent, her eyes narrowing to sharp slits, her lips pressed tightly, and her brows arched in a storm of silent irritation. She regarded me with open disdain, clicking her tongue and twisting her mouth in a silent expression of annoyance. Without another word, she turned her attention back to the game records.

"Let us convene for another match in a month's time. I assure you, I will not be defeated next time."

"As do I. Indeed, I mean to widen the margin."

"Enough of your boasting—now, get lost."

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I replied, rising to my feet. I observed Sophien as she pored over the game records, intent on mastering her defeat. With a measured step back, I withdrew in silence.