Level 0 Master

Chapter 30: Vol.2 - Episode 5

"Since I'm the guest, can I have the first move?" asked Eustasia while taking up a white chess piece.

"Sure."

"Great. Then arrange your pieces."

Then she told Sungjin aggressively.

"Pawns are just shields at the starting point. The king is thoroughly protected in the center. You should know that."

"I told you, this is not my specialty but also not my first time playing this."

"Yes. Each piece has its own position. That's the rule."

She continued moving a pawn that was in the position of the king.

"My king won't accept an extra sitting in his spot. Any plans to step back?"

"He won't?" Sungjin answered with ease as if he expected her question.

But Ereka cut in with anger.

"What are you talking about? That is nonsense."

It was rare to hear Ereka elevate her voice like that.

"As I said. A king has to be an honorable hero. A level 0 extra is not allowed to be one."

Ereka's hand trembled with anger.

"That doesn't make any sense. When this country was under threat of the Blood Ruler, no one tried to help us except for Sungjin. He brought a miraculous victory for us."

Ereka articulated every single word.

"Isn't the person who fights back against injustice when all the other heroes are looking away the most honorable person? Sungjin proved himself and his qualifications to be in his position."

Ereka moved the pawn to the end of the chessboard to make the pawn the queen, the strongest piece of the game.

"A pawn that reaches the end of the chessboard can become any piece but the king." This was the rule of promotion in chess.

"Sungjin started as a level 0 extra but promoted himself with his own abilities."

"Yeah. You are right."

Eustasia didn't try to argue with Ereka.

"Right? And then, I approved him to rule this country with me as I am the rightful ruler of this kingdom. Moreover, people are praising Sungjin because he is a merciful ruler who makes their lives easier. Your king has no right to discuss or approve of my decision."

"You are right. That would be an interference in your domestic affairs."

Again, Eustasia agreed.

"Then do not provoke me anymore."

Ereka made it clear that she wouldn't accept any insults to Sungjin, even if they were friends. That was Ereka's responsibility to the one who saved her.

Looking at Ereka biting her lips with anger, Eustasia put a tiny smile on her face.

She knew that her friend, Ereka, was someone who always tried to find the right way to do things. Killing the dog after the hunting was over was not an option for her.

Ereka was happy that a hero came to save her people.

Her pure heart was beautiful, but the world was not pure.

"But Ereka, a pawn can't become a king."

When Eustasia picked up the pawn that was in the queen's position, the pawn became a pawn again.

"That… that's a chess game you are talking about."

"In the real world, it is more strict. A pawn is just a pawn. An extra is just an extra from the heroes' point of view."

"Sungjin saved this country from the Blood Ruler."

"I know, but the heroes see otherwise. An extra is just an extra. If it was just my king who found it unpleasant, I would have found a way to convince him, but…"

Everyone knew that that was not the case.

"Even the heroes from this country are unhappy about it. If you keep going like this, all the countries will stand against you."

That sounded cold, but it was also a cruel reality.

"Do you remember when there was an epidemic? I stopped you from building hospitals to save everyone."

"I remember. You told me that you would get strong opposition from the heroes. Instead of hospitals, you advised me to isolate the infected and control traffic to prevent additional infections."

"But you didn't listen, telling me you couldn't leave the infected to die in misery."

"I couldn't… leave them."

Ereka's voice was shaking. That was a painful failure.

"As a result, the heroes turned their backs on you and gave the Blood Ruler a chance to take over. It would have been different if you convinced them by telling them that losing the extras would result in losing tax income and that the epidemic was for their own good."

"That is true."

Ereka recalled that day.

Eustasia told her the solution step-by-step from how to grasp reality to finding the best possible solution.

She was not just good at military tactics; she was good at politics, socio-economics, and understood how to lead the heroes without opposition.

On the other hand, Ereka was…

"You were noble to save everyone but also reckless. Even though you intended to do good, the result was still doomed. Most of the heroes are worried about their own benefit and not necessarily what you think is right."

"Ugh."

"We are the rulers. Keep your noble heart to save everyone but keep your head cool so that you can find the best way."

"I… I can't, Sungjin has to…"

"You should do more than that."

"What do you mean by more?"

"You revoked the heroes' rights to use, punish, and tax the extras, right?"

"Yes. I made it impossible for the heroes to abuse the extras."

That would be a world where the people had rights like Sungjin said.

"Set a limit and give back their rights. The other countries are considering your policy a threat."

"I can't. The people need to have a bit of protection."

"That's why I said to set a limit. It has to be a realistic one. And cancel your plans for a school."

"Why should I!?"

"People learn how to read and get knowledge. For the heroes, that sounds like they need to open their sacred areas to the low-lives. Who would like it when someone walks into their bedroom with muddy shoes?"

"Are you saying that Sungjin has to give up his dream and that I need to stop protecting my people and take away their rights to have knowledge?"

"But still, the people will live a better life compared to their lives before," Eustasia responded. "If you don't do this, you will relive the life when there was the Blood Ruler. An extra is just an extra. It is clear that the heroes think they are entitled to be the heroes, and it is impossible to change their fixed ideas on it. We need to adjust ourselves to it."

"The Blood Ruler…"

That incident clearly traumatized Ereka and made her look down.

"I know, I failed."

Her friend was praised as the greatest general of the four kingdoms, while she was just an incompetent successor who almost lost her own country.

It was not that Ereka didn't like Eustasia, but Eustasia made her look so small.

But Eustasia was telling her to cancel everything that she was trying with Sungjin. Sungjin was the real hero who saved the country. Why was he not allowed to have a dream?

People had their own lives. Why couldn't their lives be respected?

Couldn't people dream a little? Why were their dreams unacceptable?

But am I really making the same mistake again and reliving the Blood Ruler failure? Am I ruining everything by trying too hard? Am I trying too hard?

Ereka felt a pressure on her chest and covered herself with her arms.

"That's not how I see it."

A strong voice came out to cut off all the chains that were pressing on her.

"Huh?"

"Sungjin."

"Ereka alone, it is a bit risky for sure. She always tries to save others, even if that puts her in danger. But that is why…"

That could have sounded diminishing, but Sungjin was looking at Ereka with admiration.

"I wanted to protect her."

"Sungjin…"

Ereka turned away, blushing.

You are right. You defeated the Blood Ruler to help me build hospitals for everyone.

"A king has to be excellent himself but also has to make other excellent people stand by his side. She made me stand by her side to defeat the Blood Ruler and saved everyone. What she tried to do didn't become a reckless idea but the best solution."

Eustasia laughed, realizing she got dealt with.

Ereka's pursuit was noble, but the ruling class wouldn't accept that. That was the cruel reality.

But if there was a power beyond reality, her pursuit would be seen not as a reckless attempt, but the "best solution."

"Hah. Correct. But you came to her by accident. That was just a miracle that doesn't happen in real life."

"Don't worry. This miracle won't be an accident but a reality."

"How?"

"Because I will stay with her and stand by her."

Eustasia laughed when Sungjin confidently said that Ereka would make it just because he would stay with her.

"You will make it happen?"

"No. We will make it happen as a team. She will make this country for the people, and I will become an Arc Master."

I've never seen such a spirit from a guy. This guy is charming.

He was more than what she heard.

"Haha. People said your plans were quite good, but do you think that will work in the future as well?"

"Try me."

"Sure. Let's try."

Eustasia moved her white piece.

It was a close game.

Sungjin was moving his pieces quickly, but Eustasia strictly played by the book.

Her moves could seem boring since she was following the rules, but the rules were called the rules for a reason.

While playing the game, they both respected each other.

This guy. This girl.

A formidable competitor.

They could discuss the game while striking back confidently.

Meeting a person with great ambition and an ability to fulfill your ambition was rare.

They felt connected during an intense game. They both were excited like wild animals to be able to face such an opponent.

But it's time to finish the game.

He didn't plan to finish in a tie. Sungjin suddenly made a provocative move as if he was saying that he stopped playing by the book.

He moved his bishop to an unexpected and unconventional position that looked like a waste.

But Eustasia was not laughing at him. Au contraire, she was impressed.

How did you know this move?

Sungjin's move was invented by the Grand Master of chess 300 years ago. It was a trapping move that looked like a mistake, but if the opponent tried to react by the book, it would trap the opponent's pieces.

It was an unconventional rule that nobody had thought of until the Grand Master invented it.

It was a move that was saying he didn't care if the heroes hated him or not. Eustasia was deeply impressed by Sungjin who knew of this forgotten move from 300 years ago.

He is really good.

But…

"The kings from the other three kingdoms are meeting behind your back, Ereka."

The air in the room became heavy.

"What…!"

"Soon, they will make a joint attack, justifying it by the fact that you let an extra become king."

"Wh… what! Where is the faith of the alliance of the four kingdoms!"

"According to their justification, the Kingdom of Sevrantina broke the faith first when you coronated an extra."

That was why Eustasia talked about the past and the Blood Ruler. She wanted to make Ereka realize, by her past experiences, that her honor would bring destruction to her kingdom.

"While fighting against the Blood Ruler and the three knights, Sevrantina exhausted its power, and coronating an extra made many people angry. Also, the greed to divide your country in three has also ignited the plan. Soon they will declare war."

That was the real risk the Kingdom of Sevrantina was facing.

The harsh wall of reality.

"The heroes will stand against you. I was not warning for the future. You need to make your decision today. A joint attack by the three kingdoms will destroy your country. You will become a prisoner."

Eustasia looked at Sungjin and Ereka.

"When the war starts, I need to hold my sword against you as a general. But I don't want you to be destroyed."

"Hm. Is this for Ereka?"

"Half of it is."

"What about the other half?"

"I felt bad for your people who just got away from the Blood Ruler. Even if you compromise, I know they will live a better life under you guys."

Sungjin's ideal dream was impossible, but destruction was also a sad ending.

"But there's nothing we can do about their harsh feelings against you. You should step down. Then I promise you, I will prevent this war."

There was the law of inertia once something had started. Even if they lost their justification, they still had their greed. It was not a simple task to stop it.

But Eustasia promised to save her friend from destruction and have the people live their lives.

She brought the best possible solution with a compromise.

Then Eustasia moved her rook.

That was her answer to Sungjin's trap move. The perfect move that made the Grand Master's trap move disappeared.

The move that destroyed the trap move.

It was just like an extra who rode high against the heroes for a while only to be destroyed by them.

A joint attack from an alliance of the three kingdoms….

The strength drained out from Ereka's legs.