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***
Past
«Mate in four moves, - coldly, but with a hidden note of pride informed his opponent.
At the age of ten, young demons are introduced to each other. Parents want the little demons to begin to establish ties, which in the future may grow into full-fledged political alliances. They organize "children's" receptions, various picnics and events. And if families have been friends for hundreds of years, are in a tight political alliance and, most incredibly, have two heirs of about the same age, then close acquaintance between them is only a matter of time.
In the case of the Sitri and Gremory families, this is the second time in a row that this has happened. It's an incredible coincidence.
One of the biggest problems with demons as a race was simply a catastrophically low birth rate. "Making" children was loved, and the result was close in a mathematical joke, just some kind of mocking error. It takes a close and loving pair of demons more than a hundred years to have a child of their own. This happens mostly in the Pillars of Hell, here in the demons of lower rank things are better, but still not close to the birth rate of humans.
Gremory and Sitri's first children, Aldis and Serafall, were twenty years apart in age. They were born almost at the same time by demon standards.
And the difference between Emeric and Sona was a measly three years. It was an incredibly favorable outcome for the Pillars to be so close.
The older sisters had wanted to force the process before, but somehow it was not customary for demons to bring out little demons too early.
All the families had high hopes that their youngest offspring would become good friends at once, and in the best outcome one could think of engagement, but...
«I don't understand... - spinning a bishop piece in front of him, Emeric asked his "friend" - Why play chess? Why don't we run around, jump around? I have game consoles...
«Emeric, Emeric," Sona interrupted him irritatingly condescendingly. - You shouldn't treat our people's favorite game like that. Chess is the game of kings; it is not just a leisure game for the mind, but a true art of strategy and tactics. In every move there are hidden thoughts and intrigues, decisions and risks. Like great generals, chess pieces strive for victory, building slender lines of defense and accurate attacks. Chess is not just a game, it is a story, where each game tells its own unique narrative. All your immaturity is instantly revealed in such moments....
«Immaturity? - he mockingly stretched out. - You think that if you wear glasses, you can judge the "immaturity" of others? Why do you need them anyway? We're demons! We always have perfect eyesight!
«You!.... - with flushed cheeks she started to tell him, but took a breath and calmed down. Emeric's attitude and his "jokes" sounded suspiciously familiar. One might even say annoyingly familiar. In such cases, one shouldn't be taken in by the person one was talking to. - Walk on.
After looking at the annoying person and considering a few options, Emeric realized that he would probably not be able to get even. There were numerous rumors among the upper classes about the younger Sitri's incredible talent at chess. Allegedly, at the age of thirteen, Sona had already beaten the grandmasters and could outplay anyone her age plus three hundred years. Emeric realized this after the tenth move, his intentions were being calculated and splintered, and the constant long-playing traps were getting to him.
Emeric slipped his hand into his jacket pocket. We'll have to improvise...
«I have four aces," he showed her the cards triumphantly. - I win!
«They don't use cards in chess! - Sitri exploded instantly.
«Well, then go to jail!
«YOU ALWAYS KEEP YOUR MONOPOLY CARDS WITH YOU?!
«THE INVINCIBLE EXODIA!
Ice and Flame. At last the characters of both children were fully revealed and confronted each other. Sona was by nature a rather strict person, who tried to put rationality above other qualities, and Emeric never liked to be pushed to the limits. The only thing they had in common was a complete unwillingness to lose to each other.
«Girls are better magicians!
«What do you know, you stupid woman?! What's cooler than fireballs and ninjas? Only ninjas who throw fireballs!
«In Naruto, ninjas are in name only! In what sick universe does the perfect ninja need to be able to blow up mountains and change the landscape?!
«In Naruto, ninjas are only in name!
«You! Stop repeating after me!
«Stop repeating after me!
«Moron! Fool! Idiot! Die! Die! Die, you stupid barbarian!
*****
Present
«It's the Red Prince!
«He's walking along with his Cold Queen! They're holding hands as always!
«How romantic...
Red Prince? The Cold Queen? What kind of crazy nicknames are these? I feel like he's in some second-rate high school anime.....
That they would become popular when they came to a regular school was basically predictable. Demons and other supernatural races were naturally much more beautiful than ordinary humans. In many ways, the very genetics that were passed on to their offspring could change under the pressure of will. Among demons, especially long-lived ones, there would not be one who was dissatisfied with his own appearance. The size of breasts and other body parts could change over time, simply adjusting to the intention.
It was no wonder that the school, the foundation of which was girls, would begin to buzz and fill with rumors when they, along with Sona's entourage, entered this one here. Scraps of some of the tales and legends he had already heard by the edge of his ear, and it hadn't even been a week! Never underestimate the power of a teenage girl's imagination.
«Where to!!! - Valerie hissed at him as he tried to turn the other way. - The student council is the other way...
Well, I'm sorry he was thinking and accidentally turned the other way! It happens to everybody. It just happens to him a lot.
And yet, he and Sona had quickly divided their spheres of influence. How could Sona instantly occupy the entire student council? I mean, it wasn't even a week ago! Shouldn't there be some sort of election among the students? Emeric doubted that Sona had used hypnosis, she was a proud person and would hardly use such a method. But still, how?
She and Valerie stood in front of a huge decorated door. Better than the one in the principal's office, by the way! Now he was sure that this was where Sona was hiding. After all, his building had already been decorated in such a way. Demons' favorite superpower is money.
Exchanging solidarity glances with his queen, Emeric pulled the doors sharply toward him.
It was a spacious room with a large window that overlooked the main entrance to the school and the alley in front of it. There were several doors on the right and left walls, which most likely led to some additional rooms, such as a recreation room and a small storage room. On the right and left side of the room were the workstations of the other members of Sona's entourage, and right in front of them was the largest seat, Sitri's immediate seat, where she looked at them with an icy calmness.
The others in the room abruptly stopped what they were doing and looked in her and Valerie's direction. The unexpected intrusion made them wary.
Emeric began to listen to his senses and analyze all the figures in Sona's entourage. He was only familiar with her queen, Tsubaki Shinra, and the others she had recruited in just six months.
Seven pieces, not counting Sona. Two pawns, one knight, one rook, two bishops and a queen. It's almost a complete set, and in comparison, it's heaven and earth.
«So-chan!... - Valerie finally let go of his hand, and he headed towards Sonya with a joyful shout.
«Freeze! - The commanding tone made him stop. Sona irritably corrected her glasses. - First of all, don't call me that, how many times do I have to tell you! Second, well-bred gentlemen knock before they enter.
«Well," he sat down in the chair across from the table and shook his pants off carelessly. - I'm a demon, so the laws of human morality are no barrier to me. - He smiled mockingly.
Sona flashed her glasses menacingly and snorted uncharacteristically. She had long ago learned not to get into losing battles, especially against that red-haired jerk! She took out her favorite chess set and began to arrange the pieces while Tsubaki poured tea for them and brought Valerie a chair to sit beside her king.
«Have you met the rest of my figures yet? - Having made the first move, his friend asked him.
«Okay," he shrugged. - I know the names, and we'll get to know them better in time. - He nodded to the rest of her entourage.
«Okay," she said thoughtfully. - Actually, why I invited you. Why are you fending off my familiars?
Valerie and Akeno had indeed been chasing her familiars around town on a regular basis for the past week.
«You know... - he was trying to find the words. - They're so restless. - he finished embarrassed.
«And it has nothing to do with Ichika Hiedo? - She ironically laid out her awareness.
She had known her friend for almost ten years. The seemingly chaotic course of action hid a clear intent that was mostly accompanied by the trademark mess. So when she realized he was trying to hide something - on the contrary she started digging her nose into the ground and came across Emerick's concrete interest in the freshman girl.
Ichika Hiedo. Only child in an ordinary Japanese family. No previous contact with the supernatural world. No police record. Just an ordinary Japanese schoolgirl. A closer examination suggests some kind of weak Sacred Mechanism. On any other day, Sona probably would have ignored it, but Emerick's involvement in this case had forced her to give it her full attention. Emeric had always had catastrophic luck, and he himself possessed simply incredible intuition. On the plus side comes the fact that he is overly picky in the recruitment of his entourage. An ordinary Japanese schoolgirl can turn out to be very, very unusual.
Suspicious!
***
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