The Villain's Second Time

Chapter 20

Of course, the reason I speak so recklessly isn't simply because I'm annoyed.

As I mentioned before, I am a Demon who preys on the weak and fears the strong. Unless it's within my calculated limits, I never provoke Demons stronger than me.

Yet here I am, daring to mock the Southern Grand Duke, King.

"Oh?"

It was all to grab his attention, just as I am doing now.

"An odd one, aren't you."

King, the old relic who lives only because he cannot die.

Having endured countless storms of the world, he possesses an even greater laziness than I do.

He has witnessed the Divine-Devil War of old, the battle between Angels and Devils, as well as the Great Upheaval, when the Continent and the Demon Realm twisted apart and separated.

He has served hundreds of Demon Kings and clashed with thousands of Heroes. While they lived blood-soaked lives, killing and being killed, King grew weary of it all and chose to remain in his ducal estate.

Even the Demon Kings of history never treated King carelessly. Though they held greater power, they acknowledged his unique authority and treated him differently from other Dukes.

In truth, he was practically the unofficial elder of the Demon Realm.

"Well, being an odd one is subjective, isn't it?"

"Even from a societal perspective, you're quite the oddity."

"In the ruthless Demon society, being called an oddity could be considered a compliment, no?"

"Do people often call you shameless?"

"I plan to hear it more often in the future."

King's tomato-red eyes gleamed as he looked at me.

He examined me carefully with a gaze filled with curiosity.

Though the curiosity faded quickly, it was necessary. If I wanted to have a proper conversation with King, that was the first step.

"What brings you to this old relic of the Demon Realm?"

"I have something to ask."

The statement that no one dared to treat King carelessly...

...meant that for tens of thousands of years, King had always been treated with respect.

Even the Demon King, the highest authority in the Demon Realm, treated him that way. What kind of reckless Demon would dare act rudely toward him?

And yet, here I was, a mere child.

A child who looked no older than eight.

What would it be like if such a young Demon, one so green, displayed boldness and composure that no one else dared to show? Even going so far as to tease him with playful remarks?

"Heh... something to ask, you say..."

I couldn't fully understand it, not having lived as long as he had.

But surely, it must be quite intriguing.

While such antics wouldn't work on the hot-tempered Demons, it was possible with King, whose laziness had reached its peak.

"Let me introduce myself first. I am Oscar, the youngest of the Lucifer Northern Ducal House."

"Ah, so you're the youngest of the Lucifer family who was born not too long ago?"

"That 'not too long ago' was nearly ten years, but you're not wrong."

"Oscar Lucifer... it has a nice ring to it. Who named you?"

"Of course, my father did."

"I didn't think that cold-hearted Northern Duke had such a knack for naming. I'm seeing him in a new light today."

My father, the current Northern Grand Duke, is a cold and ruthless man. King's comment stems from that reputation.

"But..."

King's lips, made of vines, twitched slightly.

"Did you think this old man would provide the information you want for free?"

His tone implied that I needed to offer something in return, but there was no greed in his words.

As expected, mere impudence wasn't enough to fully capture King's interest.

"For someone who's lived so long, you're quite greedy."

"I never said I wanted wealth."

"Oh? Then what should I offer you?"

"......."

I feigned innocence and asked as if I had no idea.

King pondered for a moment before smiling with his plant-like, grotesque face.

"Play a game of chess with me."

"Heh."

It was the answer I had anticipated.

"What, don't want to?"

"Of course not. I love chess."

"'I love chess,' you say? That makes it sound like I love chess too."

"Don't you? That's what I heard."

"...We've only just met today, yet you act as if you've known me for ages."

King erased his smile and wore a puzzled expression. I simply grinned cheekily.

Chess was King's only hobby. Additionally, in my previous life, it had been our shared pastime.

Whenever I didn't want to follow the Demon King's orders, I would deliberately visit King to play chess. If the Demon King contacted me to demand why I wasn't on the battlefield, I could claim I was in the middle of a battle and hang up.

Playing chess with King was always thrilling, no matter the game.

"Bring out the chessboard."

"It's been a long time since I've played chess with another Demon."

King waved his grape-like arm.

Woom—

Purple mana billowed up, opening a drawer in the corner.

From within, a chessboard floated out and began to drift toward us.

The 64 black-and-white squares on the board stood in stark contrast.

"I've played chess with countless Heroes, but this is my first time playing with a child under ten."

"Oh, really? When was the last time you played with someone?"

"The previous Hero, Odrias. That friend was quite skilled at chess."

Ha, playing chess with the enemy commander? What if the Demon King had found out?

Truly, an unpredictable Demon.

"Now then, enough chit-chat. A true player communicates through chess pieces."

With that, it was time to focus.

On this one match.

Somehow, I needed to pique the interest of our lazy and indifferent Duke.

Clatter—

"I'll take black."

"You're offering me white, then."

Starting boldly by conceding white, which generally has a higher win rate than black.

*****

Chess is a reflection of the life its player has walked.

At least, that's the philosophy of the Southern Grand Duke, the King.

The chess pieces move—pawns, rooks, bishops, and knights taking their turns roaming the squares of the board.

A small war unfolds fiercely on the flat battlefield of sixty-four squares, each side unleashing their strategies, tactics, and plans without restraint.

As one plays chess, life becomes visible. The path they've walked, their stance in life, their perspective—all of it.

Everything is revealed.

Tap—

'I had some expectations, but it turns out there's nothing special.'

That was why the King had suddenly proposed a game of chess to Oscar, whom he was meeting for the first time.

What kind of ideology drives this audacious Demon to behave this way toward him?

He wanted to uncover that.

'From the start until now, only pawns... no clever moves. Just an ordinary fellow, after all.'

Tap—

The image of him standing nonchalantly in front of the mansion, cracking jokes.

The way he kept throwing out frivolous remarks, that ridiculous demeanor.

It had been, for a moment, somewhat intriguing.

'How dull. I should end this quickly.'

Tap—

The King's hand moved the pieces faster.

Tap—

Thinking over each move was something only beginners did.

Tap—

For the King, who had learned the gods' chess by watching over their shoulders since the dawn of the world, thinking was a luxury.

Tap—

As soon as Oscar made a move, the King immediately responded with his next move, as if he'd been waiting. This pattern continued for dozens of moves.

A few pieces had been captured, but neither side held a clear advantage. The state of the chessboard was evenly matched, as if predetermined.

......Tap.

It was then that the King felt an inexplicable unease.

'Why... is it still so evenly matched...?'

When the young Demon before him had made the first move.

Specifically, when he had nudged a pawn forward.

The King had been certain. This Demon had little experience handling chess pieces. The slight awkwardness in his hand movements was proof enough.

The boldness of offering white and the pretense of having played countless games of chess were merely a facade.

Stripping away the mask and standing on the true chessboard, his unimpressive nature had been revealed.

Or so he thought.

So he had believed.

'I haven't made any mistakes.'

Every move he'd made had been the best possible choice given the circumstances. His unerring memory, which never deteriorated, confirmed this.

And yet, why was the situation still so evenly matched?

By now, he had arrogantly assumed he would have at least eliminated one of the opponent's bishops.

A couple of pawns.

Over the course of dozens of moves, that was the only accomplishment he'd achieved.

'I need to slow the tempo a bit. Be cautious... just a little more cautious.'

Tap—

Resolving to change his approach, the King made his next move.

Tap—

This time, Oscar immediately followed up with his move.

......Tap.

As planned, the King paused to study the chessboard before making his move.

Tap—

Once again, Oscar quickly countered, as if mimicking the King's earlier pace.

......Tap.

Tap—

......Tap.

Tap—

At that, the King, suddenly curious, posed a question.

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

Oscar brought a finger to his lips and answered briefly.

"Shh."

"What?"

"The dawn before chaos arrives must remain silent."

"You speak in riddles."

Thinking that this peculiar individual might actually be an eccentric, the King shifted his gaze back to the chessboard.

It was at that moment.

'Huh?'

Things that had been invisible while he was engrossed in the game began to creep into the King's vision.

'Was it always this... disordered?'

The pieces on the chessboard were jumbled to an absurd degree. Haphazardly.

He didn't know when such a chaotic state had taken over, but the King shook his head as if to clear his mind and refocused on the game.

'First... I should take that rook. Leaving it so exposed is a mistake.'

Tap—.

The rook. A piece more valuable than any except the King and Queen.

Just now, one of Oscar's rooks disappeared from the chessboard.

Tap—.

In exchange, Oscar captured one of the King's knights. A knight was far less valuable than a rook, making it an undeniably advantageous trade.

'Now he's left a bishop wide open. Let me see, if I take that... he'll probably sacrifice one of my pawns. Why is he making such unreasonable trades? Does he not understand the game?'

If it had happened only once, it could be dismissed as a mistake born of a narrow perspective, but twice raised strong suspicions of intent.

Still, it changed nothing. A gain was a gain, and even if there was a move he hadn't foreseen, the bishop was a piece worth the risk.

Determined to leave no stone unturned, the King subtly observed his opponent's expression.

His opponent was smiling faintly, as if amused by something. It was a smile that revealed nothing of his inner thoughts.

"Strange fellow."

Tap—.

Muttering under his breath, the King captured Oscar's bishop.

Tap—.

As expected, Oscar took one of the King's pawns in return.

This left one of Oscar's knights exposed, and after a moment of deliberation, the King reluctantly captured it.

Oscar immediately retaliated by capturing another of the King's pawns.

Once again, the King felt a twinge of unease.

Tap—.

......Tap.

Tap—.

......Tap.

Tap—.

......Tap.

About fifteen moves of rapid exchanges passed, unlike the earlier, more deliberate pace.

'What is this?'

The King paused, overwhelmed by a growing sense of unease that had snowballed without him realizing.

'Why... does this feel so chaotic?'

The trades had been undeniably advantageous. Each one, without exception, had been a gain.

'But it's dizzying.'

Yet the overall state of the board felt off.

In pursuing immediate gains, he had ventured too deeply. While not inherently dangerous, what stood out was that his opponent had also infiltrated his territory.

In this configuration, it felt as though they could swap places without any sense of incongruity.

'Why is my army facing each other as if they're enemies?'

Enemy pieces clashed with enemy pieces, and allied pieces clashed with allies. The King had chosen only the best possible moves, yet it felt as though the game was unfolding according to someone else's design.

Despite the heavy losses inflicted, their numbers were nearly equal. While the King had far more high-ranking pieces remaining, he began to doubt whether they truly belonged to him. Though painted white, they felt foreign.

Chaos.

Disorder.

Confusion.

Turmoil.

Pandemonium.

That was exactly what the chessboard had become.

The once monotonous game had transformed into a storm of intensity, as if the earlier moves had never existed. Every move resulted in a loss for one side, and a similar loss for the other.

The hierarchy and value of the pieces seemed to have vanished. It was bizarre. A queen should be more valuable than a rook, a rook more than a bishop, a bishop more than a knight, and a knight more than a pawn. Yet in this chaos, the pieces failed to assert their worth.

It was fortunate that he was observing from above.

If he were one of the soldiers caught in the war on the chessboard?

He wouldn't even be able to distinguish friend from foe, unable to separate the enemy's camp from his own, wandering aimlessly.

There would be no chain of command to be found anywhere on the chessboard. Everyone on the battlefield would be cutting down anything in sight without hesitation, driven solely by the need to survive.

"Huff, huff...."

Of course, this was all assuming it were an actual war.

What they were commanding now was not a war but a game of chess. From above, they could observe the entire situation at a glance and move the pieces omnipotently within the rules.

............Tap.

'Why does my head feel so heavy....'

Even so, the King's noticeably labored breathing revealed just how deeply immersed he was in this game of chess.

Tap—.

......Tap.

Tap—.

Tap—.

......Tap.

Thus, the chess game, which had somehow transformed into a tension-filled battle, continued.

"Do you know something?"

"Hmm?"

Suddenly, Oscar opened his mouth, a sly grin tugging at his lips.

"The greatest virtue of chaos."

"What nonsense are you spouting in the middle of a game?"

"It is none other than..."

After a brief pause, Oscar spoke.

As if explaining the life he had lived to the King.

"Fairness. Fairness. The hierarchy and ranks created by fixed rules and order become meaningless in the face of chaos."

Hearing those words, the King smirked.

"Indeed, that might be true."

Tap—.

Placing his piece with confident determination.

"But in this chess game, that notion doesn't seem to apply."

"What do you mean?"

"Even amidst the prolonged chaos, it seems the end is finally in sight."

"Is that so? I can't quite see it myself."

Tap—.

"It's over now."

Tap—.

The King's Bishop captured one of Oscar's few remaining pawns.

Now, Oscar had only three pawns and one Knight left.

In contrast, the King still had his Rook, Bishop, and Queen in play.

The King was certain of his victory.

Even with just one Rook, insignificant pieces like pawns couldn't muster any strength. That was the natural "law" of the chessboard.

If he simply pushed forward, his victory would be inevitable.

Any lingering anxiety had completely vanished. The imminent victory only solidified his confidence further.

Tap—.

"Checkmate."

Until one of Oscar's pawns approached his most critical piece—.

Trying to escape to the right, he saw a Knight precisely positioned to target that spot.

Trying to escape to the left, he saw the opposing King within two squares in that direction. Kings cannot approach each other within one square.

Behind him was his strongest ally, the Queen. Yet, the Queen, with her back to the King, was of no help in this situation.

Surrounded on all sides.

The weakest pieces had broken through the defenses of the most valuable ones and encircled his King. In truth, they had been advancing for quite some time, but the chaos and confusion had obscured his vision.

"Ha ha...."

No matter how he looked at it, there was no way out.

"I’ve lost."

The King let out a hollow laugh.

When had it all begun?

When had his defeat been decided?

Chess isn’t a game that changes with a single move. It’s a game where dozens of moves accumulate and intertwine, as players continuously set up and execute their strategies toward a single "possibility."

"I told you, didn’t I? In chaos, the rank of pieces becomes meaningless."

"At what point did you envision this scene?"

"Envision? What do you mean?"

"When did you start planning this? Was it when I was drowning in my arrogance of victory? Or was it when you lured me into capturing your pieces one by one? Or perhaps, was it when the chessboard descended into chaos?"

At some point, the King's face had become filled with curiosity and intrigue.

Having lived for over a million years, storing all the knowledge of this world in his mind, the King—

Found himself unable to suppress an insatiable curiosity toward a young Demon.

"Was it during those tedious early moves we exchanged? Or... could it be... even earlier than that...."

Oscar, still wearing that enigmatic smile on his lips.

Watching Oscar, the King murmured in a voice tinged with disbelief.

"Could it have been from the very first pawn you moved? Were your clumsy hand movements meant to lull me into complacency?"

At that, Oscar chuckled and replied.

"Oh, come on. How could a mere Demon foresee such a distant future and orchestrate it all?"

"Then?"

"I was simply focused on the immediate situation in front of me. Thinking about how I could shake up the board even more. How I could plunge the game into utter chaos."

"That’s absurd... You beat me with such a method...?"

The King muttered to himself in disbelief, his face blank with shock.

For Oscar, the current situation was nothing short of delightful.

'You and I have played thousands of chess games, thousands. Maybe after a few more, we’ll be evenly matched again... but losing on the first game? No way.'

For Oscar, a chess match with the King was as natural as breathing.

Whether the King understood Oscar’s inner thoughts or not, he could only marvel.

'This is not the wisdom or execution of a mere child.'

The King was still replaying the recent game in his mind. The infamous slothful nature of Demons was nowhere to be seen.

'It was as if I was facing a seasoned trickster who had seen it all. He claims to have played carelessly, but this one had been leading me from the very beginning. Even the dozens of moves in the early game were likely a stage set for the final few moves.'

As his thoughts continued, the King began to harbor more fundamental doubts.

'But is it even possible to have such a mind at that age?'

No. There was no need to overthink it.

In the end, the brain is a fusion of knowledge and experience.

It was impossible for a Demon, barely even ten years old, to possess such knowledge and experience.

'Could it be...?'

And the King, who had lived for over a million years,

had encountered a few beings like the one before him—young in appearance but possessing a seasoned mind.

Without exception, they were bizarre, moving as if they could see the future clearly.

As if they wielded the omniscience of the omnipotent, these beings acted with a level of insight that surpassed their peers, even without possessing extraordinary intellect.

The peculiar child before him exuded a similar aura to those beings.

"Are you... a regressor as well?"