The scene shifted to the next day, within one of the quiet chambers of the royal mansion. The faint clink of chess pieces echoed softly in the room as Kazuki and Shristi sat across from each other, locked in a game of strategy and will.
Shristi's eyes gleamed with playful competitiveness as she moved her black bishop, claiming one of Kazuki's knights."Your move, little brother," she teased.
Kazuki, playing as white, furrowed his brow — putting on the innocent expression of an 8-year-old struggling to keep up. The early game had gone somewhat evenly, but by the middle game, Shristi had seized control of the board with precision.
The pieces slowly dwindled, one by one. Kazuki's defenses crumbled under Shristi's relentless tactics, and though he made a few clever moves, none could turn the tide.
As the endgame approached, Shristi's dominance was absolute.
And then — with a satisfied smile — she moved her queen into position."Checkmate."
Kazuki looked down at the board, then at his smiling sister. After a pause, he burst into a childish pout.
"Sister, this is unfair! You're way too good at this!" he exclaimed, folding his arms dramatically.
Shristi laughed, standing up and patting his head."Well then, get better, kiddo." She winked. "You'll need to if you want to beat me next time."
With that, she left the room, still chuckling to herself.
As the door closed, Kazuki's smile lingered — but its nature shifted. He reached down and picked up the fallen white king, holding it between his fingers.
His crimson eyes gleamed faintly.
"Though there's a big difference between being greater in a game… and being greater in real life," he thought."And the fact is — I'm greater than you in both."
A subtle smirk crossed his lips before he placed the king back on the board and rose from his seat.
Later that morning, Kazuki made his way toward the Royal Academy. The streets of South Ryehem were bustling with activity — merchants calling out their wares, knights patrolling on horseback, and citizens going about their daily routines. Yet within the Academy's walls, the atmosphere was anything but ordinary.
As soon as Kazuki entered the classroom, a thick cloud of tension settled around him. Students huddled in small groups, whispering anxiously. The aftermath of the Eligibility Exam had left the room restless, with fear and uncertainty on every face.
Some students nervously glanced at Kazuki as he passed. Others outright stared, their voices hushed yet clearly audible in the anxious silence.
"He didn't even flinch during the exam…"
"Maybe he cheated."
"Or maybe he already knew all the questions somehow."
Kazuki, as if unaffected by the murmurs, made his way to his usual bench. He calmly set his bag down and rested his head on the desk. The cold surface was oddly comforting amidst the classroom's suffocating anxiety.
The whispers didn't stop.
"He's not normal."
"No way an 8-year-old can solve that paper with a smile on his face."
"Or maybe…" one student hesitated, a fearful tremor in their voice."Maybe he's a prodigy beyond what a prodigy should be."
A faint grin tugged at the corner of Kazuki's mouth. The voices, the suspicion, the awe — all of it was predictable.
He closed his eyes, allowing himself a moment of quiet.
"Let them whisper," he thought. "Their doubts are nothing compared to what lies ahead."
The scene held there — the prince in the midst of uncertainty, unshaken, unbothered, and smiling in silence.