The Queen’s Gambit

Emily distributed documents to the various princes, dukes, and ministers.

“Please observe, esteemed sirs, that at the time of the incident, our Princess Hizeta was out shopping with her maids.”

“Surely, she couldn’t have been shopping and assassinating the Queen at the same time?”

“Similarly, Hizeta’s sword has been missing for several days, and all the maids searched for it in vain. This fact is corroborated by several maids and the butler. Therefore, it is simply a matter of Hizeta’s sword having been stolen, nothing more.”

An alibi? Ophelia was somewhat stunned; the thought had never even occurred to her. Vina and Emily… truly clever and reliable!

Excellent! It was time to teach this morally blind male protagonist a small lesson!

“Next, please observe, sirs, that our Luca left his room at the time of the incident, and concurrently purchased a lollipop. This lollipop, along with a bucket of water, was later found not far from the crime scene.”

“Therefore…” Emily’s gaze shifted to Luca.

****

Below the dais.

Delores’s lips parted slightly.

She had only known that Luca and Eli would use Hizeta as a pawn, but she had been unaware that Vina held such a powerful contingency. After a moment of faint shock, she nodded to herself, acknowledging that such a contingency was entirely reasonable.

Yet, she also felt a flicker of doubt.

Was Vina targeting Eli, or was she trying to crush Luca completely? From this day forward, Delores had bound herself to Vina and the Queen’s warship, and discerning Vina’s true intentions would allow her to cooperate more effectively.

The assembled princes, dukes, and ministers exchanged uneasy glances.

Their hushed whispers, which had begun earlier, now ceased entirely. They maintained a profound silence, for no matter their noble standing, most could now discern the waning influence of Eli’s faction, while Vina and Emily were seizing the opportunity to strike a fallen foe. They remained silent, secretly calculating in their minds.

‘Is this a good moment to say something in agreement?’

‘What could I say to leave a lasting impression on the Queen, or perhaps Vina?’

The Queen sat there, uttering not a single word, poised and melancholic. A veil obscured her face, making her expression unreadable. Suddenly, they realized they had underestimated the Queen, and a cold sweat secretly pricked at their skin.

‘We haven’t provoked her, have we?’

Luca’s pupils constricted.

‘Such a contingency plan effectively sealed off all his pieces…’

‘But how could the opposition have played such a hand? How did they anticipate that I would use a sacrificial pawn? Do they already know that I was the one who attempted to assassinate the Queen?’

Luca lifted his head.

Vina met his gaze, her eyes deep and devoid of emotion. She stood there, regal as a sovereign.

Ophelia sat poised, her beauty unmarred by the veil. Her melancholic aura and dignified posture perfectly embodied a benevolent queen. Though she remained silent throughout, her very silence and the hidden expression only made her inner thoughts more unfathomable.

‘Which of them was the true player?’

He took a deep breath. At this moment, he had to clear his name. The most effective lie always contained an element of truth, so he lowered his head once more.

“Yes, I discovered Vina’s presence there a long time ago. On one occasion, I even tried to persuade Vina to come home with me. You recall that, do you not?”

Vina’s eyes held a hint of amusement as she nodded.

Luca took another deep breath.

“So, afterwards, intending to bring you home, I bought a lollipop and drew a bucket of water, hoping you might refresh yourself. However, to my dismay, I happened to witness a flamboyant jester attempting to assassinate the Queen. I was utterly terrified, losing my wits, and so I abandoned my belongings and fled.”

“It was shameful, but I had no choice; I possessed no power to aid the Queen.”

Ophelia felt a moment of bewilderment.

Luca truly excelled at twisting black into white. Yet, it was no surprise; the book had described him as possessing such talent.

‘Perhaps a small setback is sufficient…?’

“You possessed no power to aid the Queen; that is not your fault,” Vina spoke, a playful glint in her eyes.

“Conversely, you also lack the qualifications to assist the Queen in state affairs, do you not?”

Ophelia froze again.

Delores’s heart lurched. She glanced around, observing the nobles exchanging uneasy looks.

‘She… she wants the Queen to wield absolute power? She won’t permit Luca to infringe upon the Queen’s interests?’

Luca looked up for the first time.

His gaze startled Ophelia. The book had described Luca’s eyes as terrifying, but she hadn’t realized just how chilling they truly were.

She suddenly recalled the King’s words from his diary:

‘Luca, possessing the gaze of a hawk and the predatory glance of a wolf, he does not appear to be a loyal minister.’

But this intense look lasted only a moment before Luca lowered his head, concealing his eyes.

“Your Majesty, I believe those are two separate matters. While I may lack the strength to assist the Queen, I possess the wisdom to do so. Governing state affairs does not require my physical power, does it not?”

“Out of respect for the Prince’s recommendation, I shall not refute you,” Vina’s tone grew cheerful. “But you must still prove yourself, must you not? After all, you stood by as a mere observer, not daring to intervene, even abandoning the Queen and fleeing. If your loyalty is insufficient, then your capabilities must be exceptional.”

“Therefore, as the Queen has twice faced assassination attempts, I grant you two months to thoroughly investigate who attempted to assassinate the Queen. How does that sound? If you uncover the truth, you shall be granted the honor of working alongside the Queen. But if you fail to investigate thoroughly—”

Vina’s voice grew both cheerful and low.

“Then you shall drown, clutching your ambitions.”

Luca’s body trembled. He raised his head once more, that frightening gaze returning, but this time Ophelia was mentally prepared.

‘Is this where the story truly begins? Luca entering the stage to investigate the assassination?’

‘However, the identity of the first assassin was never revealed, remaining an unsolved mystery even at the story’s end. The second assassination attempt was Luca himself, making it impossible for him to investigate it…’

‘Oh, dear? Won’t this effectively doom Luca instead?’

Luca lowered his head again.

“As you command,” he said, a hint of gritted teeth in his tone.

The rest of the meeting proceeded smoothly. Vina, feigning impartiality, held a vote, and almost all the ministers and nobles voted in favor of the Queen’s regency. Several state affairs were then finalized, though Ophelia remained silent throughout, with Emily and Vina handling everything for her.

Then the meeting concluded.

Everyone bowed to Ophelia in farewell, a stark contrast to their previous disregard for her.

Ophelia, in turn, bid them a polite farewell, leaving them utterly flattered. They had assumed all of today’s maneuvers were the Queen’s cunning, and now they were astonished by her unexpected gentleness.

Ophelia looked at Hizeta, who still lay unconscious on the ground.

At this point, it was impossible to send her back to Eli.

“Take her back. Protect her for a while,” Ophelia instructed Marta.

Marta, for once, did not object.

Ophelia turned. The night had already stained the sky black. Sitting in the Queen’s seat, she suddenly felt a pang of hunger.

‘An entire day of meetings…’

The night wind rustled bleakly.

Luca suddenly materialized in the doorway, startling her. She hastily glanced around, only to find no one else present.

Luca walked in, shaking off the cloak of night from his shoulders.

“My Queen.” Luca’s gaze was profound, even holding a hint of ruthlessness. He sat unceremoniously in the King’s chair, directly beside Ophelia.

A chessboard lay between them.

“I often observed this chessboard as a child. It’s an endgame,” he said, a cold smile playing on his lips as he looked at Ophelia. “Do you know what the most intriguing aspect of this game is?”

“Wh-what do you mean?” Ophelia tried to maintain her composure.

“No matter what, the Queen will inevitably be captured. The Queen is the most easily sacrificed piece,” Luca replied.

Ophelia fell silent instantly.

The cold wind blew, and she found Luca somewhat terrifying.

“That is indeed true, but do you know something else, Mr. Luca?” A voice came from behind.

Ophelia quickly turned. Emily stood there.

She pointed to the chessboard.

“Look further. If the Queen is captured, the King on the other side will also be captured.”

“Do you understand? Whoever dares to take the Queen will lose the entire game. The Queen is not a piece one can simply take at will.” Emily also offered a cold smile, her words polite but her gaze indifferent.

Luca said nothing. He stood up.

“A very good analysis, Miss Emily. If I require assistance with my investigation, I hope you will cooperate.”

Emily curtsied.

“Naturally, we will cooperate. However, we also hope you will achieve results. It is late; you require rest. Please return.”

Luca looked at Ophelia, then at Emily. He scoffed, then turned and departed, melting into the dense night.

Outside the window, the Milky Way blazed.

The sky was pristine, the myriad stars like dust. Here, the heavens remained untouched by industrial pollution, and the magnificent galaxy spun endlessly.

Vina entered from outside, brushing past Luca, though neither turned their heads.

Luca melted into a darkness that held no stars, while Vina appeared to stride forth from the very constellations.

“My Queen, do you still place your hopes in that man?” Vina abruptly uttered, looking at Ophelia.

Ophelia froze for a moment.

Vina smiled, shaking her head. Then she spread her arms wide, behind her the resplendent galaxy and the city lights of the capital, thousands of homes aglow, the ground as vibrant as day, awash with shimmering light as the evening lamps were lit.

“My Queen, why concern yourself with that jester any longer? Is it not possible that *you* are the true protagonist of this tale?”

Her tone, initially fervent, softened, becoming as gentle as a lover’s whisper:

“Abandon that tiresome fantasy, Ophelia. Our journey lies among the stars and the vast sea; this is *our* era.”