image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
14) SOPHIA RETURNS TO NORMAL LIFE AND ENTERS COLLEGE
Sophia was supposed to be flying through the fog, the hum of the autogyro and Reinhart's voice lingering in her ears. But when she suddenly woke, she found herself still seated in the cockpit, the engine silent and the peaceful sounds of the forest around her. Sunlight filtered through the trees, and the familiar garage and autogyro reassured her that everything was normal.
"Was it... just a dream?" she murmured, straightening up and shaking off the sense of confusion. The events in the mist had felt so real—too real—but now, here she was, back home. She slapped her cheeks lightly. "Pull it together, Sophie!"
At her feet, Reinhart nuzzled her leg. "Did you fall asleep again?" he asked, his voice calm and clear.
"Wait, what... Reinhart, you're talking? Again?"
"Of course. Remember what happened in the fog?" the Chihuahua replied, tilting his head with an amused expression. Though Sophia was startled, she began to accept the reality of the talking dog. Whatever had happened in the mist had left its mark on her world. Reinhart could speak, and that strange boy—Ardelbert—lingered in her thoughts.
"Ardelbert von Ritterstein," Sofia murmured, staring at the screen. "Von Ritterstein" — ancient words meaning "of the knight." His achievements appeared on the screen one after another:
* Age 9: Deciphered mysterious runic scripts
* Age 12: Discovered a stone tablet with runic inscriptions
* Age 14: Enrolled at Stanford University
* Age 16: Successfully decoded the Danish runic alphabet "Futhark"
* Age 17: Developed an AI app for decoding runic scripts
* Age 18: Pioneered the use of laser-equipped drones for ancient ruin exploration
* Present: A young genius serving as a university professor
As Sofia read through his accomplishments, she began to doubt whether that dream had really been just a dream.
"He's... real," she whispered. "I wonder what he's doing now?"
A year later, as she entered college, Ardelbert's existence remained etched in her heart. She wandered through the campus clubs but found nothing related to autogyros, her grandfather's cherished machine. Just as she was about to give up, a sweet scent caught her attention. She followed it to a table laden with cookies, macarons, éclairs—her favorite treats.
"Wow... so many sweets..." she whispered, drawn to the display.
"Help yourself! We're the Chess Club!" a senior called out, smiling brightly. Chess. The word sent a ripple through her. Memories of the fog, the chess pieces, and Ardelbert flashed before her eyes.
"Chess... I’m not very good at it," Sophia admitted, feeling a bit unsure.
"That’s alright! It’s all about having fun," they encouraged.
Sophia smiled, taking an éclair. As the rich custard and chocolate melted in her mouth, she felt a strange pull, a connection to the dream that wouldn’t let her go. Maybe this was how she would find the answers she was looking for.
"Okay," she said, gathering her courage. "I’ll join the Chess Club."
The seniors cheered, and as they explained the club’s activities, Sophia felt a quiet resolve build in her heart. She didn’t know where this path would lead, but perhaps through chess, she would one day find Ardelbert again. Smiling, she took another bite of the éclair, ready to move forward.
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
15) SOPHIA'S NEW BEGINNING
During her high school days, Sophia was completely absorbed in her love for machines, especially her gyrocopter. With her hair often pulled back in a messy ponytail and her mechanic’s overalls always on, she wasn’t known for her looks but rather as the oddball who was obsessed with machines.
But college brought unexpected changes. For the first time, Sophia made a friend.
Her new companion was a shy girl named Lucy, who had just arrived from the countryside. On their very first day, Lucy had wandered into Sophia’s dorm room looking lost. They quickly became friends, bonding over their mutual awkwardness in the new environment. Lucy, in an effort to break the ice, had even brought along a box of éclairs.
"Soph, let me braid your hair today. Why not try to enjoy college a bit more?" Lucy smiled warmly.
Sophia had never let anyone do her hair before, but as Lucy’s hands worked, the messy ponytail was transformed into a neat, pretty braid.
"I feel... different. Prettier, I guess," Sophia said with a surprised smile, glancing at her reflection.
Together, the two friends decided to explore the college clubs. Lucy, always eager to learn, asked a lot of questions, while Sophia quickly grew weary of the endless presentations.
"Soph, let’s take a break. I brought some éclairs," Lucy said, stopping in front of the Chess Club table.
"Éclairs?" Sophia’s face lit up instantly. She followed Lucy to the booth, eyeing the sweet treats laid out before them.
"Hi there! Interested in chess? Please, have an éclair!" a boy from the club greeted them cheerfully.
Sophia hesitantly grabbed an éclair, savoring the sweetness as she bit into it.
"I don’t really know how to play chess..." she admitted softly.
"That’s okay! Chess is a game of strategy, and you can learn as you go. Why not try a game with me?" the boy offered. "I’ll even give you a head start by playing without my queen and rook."
"Soph, why don’t you give it a try?" Lucy encouraged.
Sophia, with the sweet taste of the éclair calming her nerves, nodded. "Alright, let’s give it a shot."
"Great! Let’s start with the opening moves," the boy explained, pointing at the chessboard. "Most games begin with 1. e4 e5..."
Without thinking, Sophia interrupted. "Then 2. f4 exf4... followed by 3. Bc4 Qh4+... and 4. Kf1 b5..."
The boy blinked, clearly surprised. "That’s the King’s Gambit Accepted! It’s a very bold and aggressive opening. How do you know that?"
"King’s Gambit Accepted..." Sophia echoed the words, remembering the strange dream she had. The forest, the chessboard, and Adelbert... it had all been a chess game.
"You sure you haven’t played chess before?" the boy asked, intrigued.
"No, not really... It just came to me," Sophia said, feeling a strange sense of familiarity with the moves.
"Soph, that’s amazing!" Lucy said, beaming proudly at her friend.
As Sophia stood there, a peculiar feeling washed over her. It was as if she was being drawn into the world of chess, almost like it was meant to be. Adelbert’s face flickered in her mind, and at that moment, Sophia decided to dive deeper into chess.
This was no ordinary game—it was the beginning of a journey that would blend magic, strategy, and fate in ways she couldn’t yet imagine.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
16) SOPHIA IS A BEAUTIFUL GIRL, BUT HER CHESS ISN'T CUTE
Sophia was nibbling on her éclair, her eyes fixed on her senior’s hands as he carefully maneuvered his chess pieces. He was playing with a relaxed expression, mindful of her status as a beginner, but trying to edge ahead in the game. His movements were deliberate, each piece a calculated step in his strategy.
"So, about that opening you mentioned..." He moved a piece and gave her a casual glance. "That was the 'King’s Gambit,' right?"
Sophia nodded. "Yes, 1. e4 e5, then 2. f4 exf4, 3. Bc4 Qh4+, 4. Kf1 b5. After that, a lot of different strategies can unfold, right?"
The senior smiled, slightly impressed. "You’ve got a good memory. But that’s just the opening. The real game starts now." He leaned forward, studying the board.
Meanwhile, Sophia’s mind had shifted into calculation mode. Her love for chess wasn’t based on the traditional beauty of the game. It was a puzzle, and like any good puzzle, it had optimal solutions. Watching his hand hover over the board, her thoughts raced, applying cold, mathematical logic to the scenario in front of her.
"Let’s quantify this," she thought, as if solving a complex equation. She silently calculated the current board’s values. Central control, piece development, king’s safety—all factors translated into numbers.
"In the Classical Defense, the initial central control score starts at 3, increasing by 0.15 for each move..." she mused, tracking his piece development. "King’s safety increases by 0.1 per move... Aggressiveness rises from 0 by 0.2 each time..."
Sophia’s brain whirred like a machine, processing the possibilities. Each calculation led her closer to the optimal move. As her senior made his next move, confidently explaining his strategy, Sophia’s mental algorithm had already run the numbers.
"How about this?" he said, moving his piece forward. "This is where the real attack starts. It might be tough for a beginner, but it’s fundamental to chess."
Sophia barely heard him. The strategy score flashed in her mind. With precision, she evaluated the risk and reward of his move, calculating the perfect counter.
"The next move is..."
She placed her piece on the board with a subtle smile, her movements as calculated as the chess engines she admired.
Her senior stared at the board, blinking in surprise. The move she made wasn’t one he had anticipated—it was too clean, too precise. For a moment, it felt as though the pieces on the board were moving of their own accord, as if Sophia had become one with the game itself.
"...You know, you’re not very cute when you play chess," he said with a half-amused, half-exasperated grin. "Feels like I’m up against a computer."
Sophia glanced down, momentarily self-conscious, but then she looked up with a smile that carried just a hint of challenge. "Chess is about finding the optimal solution, isn’t it? It’s logic, after all."
Her senior sighed, scratching his head, realizing this was no ordinary match. As he contemplated his next move, Sophia’s mind had already begun recalculating, ready for the next round in their logical battle.
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
17) FOR ÉCLAIRS, I'LL ALWAYS BRING SOPHIA
The senior smirked at the chessboard before glancing up at Sophia, his voice playful yet thoughtful.
“Your moves are, how should I say… aggressive.”
Sophia blinked in surprise. “Aggressive? I’m just trying to find the optimal solution…”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “No, it’s more than that. The way you play—it's like you’re creating chaos deliberately, as if you’re searching for something hidden within the confusion.”
He moved a piece on the board, his gaze steady. “You believe that somewhere in that chaos, there’s an answer waiting to be uncovered, don’t you?”
Sophia tilted her head, thinking. His words had a ring of truth. She did tend to stir things up on the board, taking risks to break through and explore new possibilities. But was it her nature driving the chaos, or was chess itself drawing her into this?
The senior’s voice broke through her thoughts.
“Your pursuit of the perfect strategy is what causes that chaos. But the real challenge in chess is how you control it.”
“Control the chaos…,” Sophia murmured, her eyes drifting back to the board. The concept sparked something within her. It was like solving equations or working through engineering problems—finding clarity amidst confusion, establishing order from disorder.
The senior advanced another piece with a careful hand.
“Take castling, for example. When White castles, it’s a crucial moment. That’s when you can start organizing the game.”
Sophia’s eyes lit up. He was right—castling was a move that could bring structure to the chaos, protecting the King and reshaping the board. It was a moment of calm within the storm.
“Castling is the key…”
It clicked. Finding order within the chaos, creating a path to escape, was exactly what her chess had been missing. It wasn’t about avoiding confusion; it was about mastering it.
“I understand now,” she said, her expression serious.
“Will you teach me how to control the chaos?”
The senior smiled. “Of course. But first, you have to recognize that you’re the one creating it.”
Sophia’s gaze returned to the chessboard, her mind already calculating her next move. A new perspective was forming—how to navigate out of the confusion she had created, and castling would be her starting point.
Next to her, Lucy, who had been quietly observing, suddenly chimed in.
“Sophia, that’s amazing!”
Sophia blinked, momentarily confused. “What? My move?”
Lucy laughed, shaking her head. “No, not the game. I don’t understand chess at all. I’m talking about…”
She pointed to Sophia’s hands.
“The éclairs! That’s your fourth one, isn’t it?”
Sophia looked down, startled, and hurriedly wiped the cream from her lips. “Oh… really? I didn’t even notice…”
The senior chuckled at the scene, shaking his head. “Cute girls rarely visit the chess club. We thought éclairs might help attract some.”
Lucy patted him on the shoulder, laughing. “Well, don’t worry, I’ll bring her along, even without the éclairs!”
Grinning, the senior pulled out a club application form. “So, what do you say? Will you join? You seemed pretty into the game.”
Sophia hesitated, glancing at Lucy, who shrugged and smiled.
“Come on, it’s just a club. You can always change your mind later.”
Sophia thought for a moment, her eyes flickering between the senior’s hopeful expression and the mountain of éclairs in the background.
“Alright… I’ll give it a try. But, about the éclairs…”
Before she could finish, Lucy pointed at her hand with a grin. “You’re already reaching for your fifth one, Sophie.”
“Ah…” Sophia quickly withdrew her hand, blushing slightly, and reluctantly began filling out the form.
“And so, whether by éclairs or fate,” the senior muttered under his breath, watching as Sophia took another bite, “a new member is born into our chess club.”
Sophia finally put the pen down and sighed, still chewing the éclair.
“I feel like I might’ve gotten myself into something complicated…”
The senior and Lucy exchanged a glance, then burst out laughing together.
image [https://urogyn.sakura.ne.jp/images/2024-10-09chess1.png]
18) SOPHIA'S LODGING
Sophia’s lodging was about three hours from home, an apartment arranged by one of her mother's college friends. The landlady, a graduate of the same literature department as Sophia’s mother, had a particular hobby: curating a residence for talented young individuals, future elites. Photos of her former tenants lined the walls, each with stories of success—one now working in the Foreign Ministry, another tutoring a prince—and in the center, a picture of Sophia's mother posed with the landlady herself.
The apartment exuded an atmosphere of prestige. Its residents were carefully selected, promising students from various fields: music students practicing piano or viola early in the morning, law students discussing their futures, and aspiring lawyers caught up in romantic conversations. Security was tight to keep out burglars, but friends of the residents were welcomed, the landlady trusting that anyone introduced by her tenants must be equally promising. Male visitors, often students from medicine or international law, would wait politely in a special reception room, sometimes holding bouquets. The landlady believed that from these men, future talents who would serve the queen might emerge.
But today, an unexpected figure was waiting in the reception room. He was tall, with a grand mustache, his sharp yet kind eyes radiating an overwhelming presence—an aura of both wisdom and adventure. His name was Wilhelm Weiss, Sophia’s grandfather. A former MIT engineering professor turned renowned adventurer, Wilhelm had earned the nickname “White King” for his achievements. Though often traveling the world, today he had come to see his granddaughter for a special reason.
“Grandpa! You’re back!” Sophia exclaimed, her eyes wide in surprise.
“Oh, Sophie, my dear granddaughter!” Wilhelm spread his arms wide, his smile as warm as ever.
Sophia ran into his embrace. “Grandpa!”
He gently patted her head, clearly pleased. Wilhelm had always shared a special bond with Sophia, one built on love and shared adventure. He was the one who had gifted her the autogyro, sparking her adventurous spirit.
“How’s the autogyro, Sophie?” Wilhelm asked, his eyes gleaming with pride.
“I’m taking great care of it, Grandpa!” Sophia beamed.
“Well, I’ve got a Land Cruiser waiting outside. How about we go on an adventure today?”
“Yes! Just give me a minute to change!” Sophia dashed to her room, excited.
Knowing her grandfather, Sophia anticipated a day full of action—perhaps hiking in the mountains or exploring by a river. She opted for jeans and comfortable clothes, ideal for whatever adventure awaited. But today, she decided to try something new with her hair, braiding it just as her friend Lucy had shown her. Adding a work cap, she admired her reflection with a shy smile.
“Perfect!” she whispered, before running out to meet Wilhelm.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Grandpa!” she called, bounding down the stairs.
Wilhelm's eyes widened in delight. “My, my, Sophie, you’ve become quite the beauty.” He smiled warmly. “Now, let’s go! It’s the perfect day for an adventure.”
Grinning, Sophia took his hand, and they headed out to the waiting Land Cruiser. The engine hummed, ready to whisk them away. Whatever adventure lay ahead, Sophia couldn’t wait.