I just hope to live a leisurely life in the world of anime.

The girl thought for a moment.

With more and more empty spaces on the board, the most powerful Queen has more room to move, and predicting how many moves your opponent will make is no longer meaningful; it all comes down to improvisation.

Because of the pawn he had just sacrificed, the Queen at F3 was able to keep an eye on the pawn at B7, and his chariot at B8 was blocked.

Then... let's jump the horse out first!

"White Horse A3 advances to C4".

'Want to escape the horse in the corner first? Then...'

"...Black Queen E5 enters D4."

'Hold the king up to check on the horse; the horse must not retreat!'

"White King C2 advances to B3"

"Black Queen d4 retreats d7".

'Aiming at the pawn on B7? Planning to rescue the blocked chariot on D8 first? No, my king must move one square, otherwise he'll be checkmated after taking the pawn, and then a chariot and a queen on the same line are easily wiped out.'

As time went on, the girl became increasingly clear-headed.

"White King b3 into d3".

"Should we go this way?" The boy hesitated, a rare occurrence for him.

"The chariot still needs two steps to move out; first, the horse needs to jump. Now that H7's pawn has moved, the king isn't afraid of the enemy advancing unimpeded."

"Dark horse F6 advances to D5, checkmate."

"White King c3 draws d3."

"Black car B8 enters B7, and eats soldiers."

'His car is out, we're on the defensive again. No, Wang has to run ahead of time!' The girl's eyes sharpened.

'It's not easy to keep giving away the initiative... Has this guy started to fight back?'

"White King d3 retreats e2".

"Black car B7 enters B4."

'If the chariot goes there but doesn't choose the general, it's trying to eat my horse. Even if the general doesn't die, there's no benefit. Then I'll jump to E5 and eat your queen at D7!'

"White Horse E5 enters D7".

"Black Queen D7 to D6"

'Well, even knowing he's not that stupid, I'm still hoping he'll move the Queen somewhere else... after all, that would kill his horse. Oh well...'

"White Queen moves from f3 to f7, captures a pawn, and checks the enemy."

"Black King G8 enters H7".

"The White Queen moves from F7 to H5, captures a pawn, and checks the enemy."

'Now she's lost two pawns in a row. Compared to the opponent's pieces, she's in the same position, except she has one more pawn.' The boy gradually felt the pressure.

"Black King H7 retreats G8".

"..." If we can't checkmate him, and we can't checkmate him either, then it'll be a draw. We should move the king back first; otherwise, his position is a bit dangerous. The girl made her decision.

"White King e2 into f2".

"Black car B4 enters B2, General."

"White King f2 retreats g1".

"Black Queen d6 flat e6".

"White Horse E6 enters G6".

"Black Queen E6 advances to E3, checkmate."

"White King g1 flat h1".

"After black, e3 retreats to e4."

"White back h5 retreat f3".

Her move...

Ayanokoji Kiyotaka hesitated once again.

This move broke the stalemate between the two sides, where neither could gain the upper hand.

Is she trying to trade me for the queen or for a horse?

I originally intended to keep an eye on her horse on G6 so that her queen on H5 wouldn't dare to leave, but the white queen suddenly jumped to F3. If I were to eat her white horse, my black horse on D5 would also die.

No, I still have troops in C5. If I switch horses, I'll be giving away a troop for nothing.

Did she calculate that I, the Empress, would have to be replaced by her?

Kiyotaka Ayanokoji used his left index fingernail to lightly scratch the pad of his thumb as he pondered.

"Black Queen E4 enters F3, eats White Queen."

We have to switch; otherwise, we might lose. We're already halfway into their rhythm, and this move was a mistake.

"White car moves from F1 to F3, then eats the black car."

"Black car A2 moves into B1 and takes out a soldier."

"White car moves from F3 to F8, checkmate."

Is she sticking to her own Black King? But she can't use the Black King to eat because her White Horse is on G6.

"Black King G8 enters H7".

"White Horse G6 retreats to E5".

Because the white horse is within the attack range of the black king h7, it has to run away.

"Dark horse D5 advances to E3."

"Battle soldier H2 advances to H4."

He couldn't be like him just now, squeezed into a corner and too passive. He had to make room for the White King first.

"Black car A2 flat E2".

"White chariot f8 to c8." Preparing to capture the black pawn at c5.

"Dark Horse E3 retreats to D5".

Did the black horse retreat, exposing its white horse to the attack range of its black chariot...? Hmm.

"White Horse E5 enters D7".

"Black car E2 enters E1, General."

"White King 1 enters G2".

"Black pawn moves from C5 to C4."

"White King g2 flat f2".

"Black car E1 refund E4".

Hehe, so you want to see his black pawn? Well, there are only two black pawns left, they can't afford to lose any more.

However, I won.

The girl smiled faintly.

"White horse d7 advances to f8, checkmate."

"Black King H7 retreats G8".

"White horse F8 retreats to E6, checkmate." This time, the white chariot on C8 has checkmated him, and there is more.

"Black King G8 enters F7".

"White Horse E6 returns to G5, General adds a car draw."

The girl let out a long sigh of relief and smiled at the genius opposite her, whose brows had become slightly furrowed: "Shall we continue, Ayanokouji-san, in order to try and secure a draw?"

"...There's a problem."

"Um"

"You moved your rook to c8 not to capture my black pawn, but to wait for my rook to return and checkmate you, right?"

The girl didn't answer, but smiled faintly, though the answer was already clear.

"Oh, I've lost. My black pawn is doomed too. I'm left with only a knight, a pawn, and a king. Even a draw is impossible now."

"Hehehe, you flatter me, Ayanokouji-kun."

The girl seemed very happy; her gentle laughter was as melodious as a wind chime tinkling in the breeze.

###Chapter 604 Anticipation###

“I didn’t initially intend to win completely.” Sakayanagi Arisu sipped her tea, exhaling hot breath. “For me, even a draw would be a victory.”

"why"

"Why do you want to know?" Sakayanagi Arisu took off her hat and placed it beside her, tilting her head thoughtfully in a girlish manner before offering an answer, "If you really want to know, all I need to do is prove that I'm not inferior to you, this so-called 'most outstanding genius,' and that will be enough to prove that your father's experiment is a joke!"

"Hehe, hey, what's with that look from Teacher Anshu? Does she think I'm a very competitive girl? It's really too much to presume to have negative opinions about a lady!"

Actually, this should be the truth, right? An Shu guiltily turned her head away. She was clearly very competitive, that was for sure.

"The master is fantasizing about other girls again."

"You can't just casually say something that could lead to misunderstandings!"

So, the gentle little maid was corrupted by her silly older sister after all?

Hmm... the little girl might have done her part, Hitomi might have too, and Aurelia might have too...

It seems... I've overheard something incredible...

Faced with the harmonious scene in the counseling room, Horikita Suzune lowered her head, holding her teacup and lost in thought.