"Frey, you must remember that this is a world where how smart you are dictate how your future will look like. Knowledge and wits are everything." said a middle-aged man with shining silver hair and a beard extending down to his chest.

"Yes, grandfather!" replied the boy.

“Hahaha! Good! Come, let grandpa teach you how to play Virtuoso.”

Frey, with his sparkling amber colored eyes, slowly stood up and sat on his grandfather’s lap and got comfortable. An autumn breeze gently blew inside the window, making his crimson hair messy.

His grandfather carefully fixed his hair and started to talk. “Let us begin then? First of all, Virtuoso is a game where two people compete on who can outsmart the other. Do you understand, kiddo?”

On the words of his grandfather, his smiling face turned dim and looked at him while pouting “But… I’m not smart.”

“Nonsense! You’re just four years old. How would you know that? Ehem, moving on. Virtuoso has three rounds. You already know that.”

“Round 1, as I told you before, is general knowledge. Players are given the chance to ask 20 questions on an agreed subject to the opponent, and whoever gets the most correct answers win the round. Which is the reason why I always teach you at least 6 hours a day and ask you to read.” 

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“Round 2 is a game of deception. Here, the two people tell 5 statements backed up with information to confuse the other; 2 truths, 2 lies, and one decoy statement. The opponent must decipher whether the statement is true or false. A wrong assumption by an opponent gives a point to whoever said the statement.”

“Grandfather, what does assumption mean?” asked the boy.

“Bah, let me sum it up for you. it’s a round of the game where you both lie and find out if your opponent’s lying.” answered the old man with a harrumph.

“Mother always said that lying is bad. Will I be bad if I play Virtuoso?”

“Ah, the purity of a child. How I wish you would stay like this forever.” the old man murmured as he gave a doting look to his only grandchild.

“Proceeding to Round 3, A gauge of wisdom. In this last round, a person not acquainted with any of the players will be randomly selected from a crowd and asked to stand in front of them. The players are given 5 minutes to determine the person's livelihood, personality, and economic status. The person who guesses more accurately will be the winner of the round.”

“Grandfa-“

BANG!

A loud thud sounded as the door opened behind the two.

“Father! You’re doing it again, aren’t you?” said a man that had crimson hair that looked like he was in his early thirties. “Would you please stop teaching Frey to play the game? He’s still a child.”

“You stupid son of mine! Frey will be my successor in your stead. What you couldn’t do, he will. That’s what you get for running away from home at such a young age.” Rebutted the old man while sticking his tongue out playfully. “Isn’t your grandfather just the best, little Frey?”

Nodding his head vigorously, Frey puffed up his chest and proudly declared “Grandfather! When I grow up I will be the best just like you!”

“HAHAHA! Of course, you will be the best, because you…”

“…You are my grandchild!”