Chapter 99: Game of Hearts

Chapter 99: Chapter 99: Game of Hearts

Elysia tilted her head.

"Did you have something else in mind, my lord?"

Cassiel averted his gaze, his tone deliberately vague.

"I just thought... we might spend time looking over some of the new books or something."

He quickly redirected the conversation.

"How do you know I play chess?"

His diversion proved effective. Elysia’s attention immediately shifted.

She recounted, "My brother told me! Lord Reeve Alderdice of Merlinspire is a chess prodigy. He had never lost a match and was so arrogant that he would wager heavily, even demanding that opponents give up chess altogether after defeating them. Eventually, he nearly ruined the spirit of the game in Aveanlor."

"Then you challenged him. The wager was simple: the loser would serve as the other’s personal manservant for three days. Lord Reeve accepted... and lost the very first game."

The actual story had been far more dramatic than Elysia’s brief account suggested.

The match between Reeve and Cassiel had attracted enormous crowds. Elysia had been staying at her grandfather’s estate at the time, so she had missed it entirely and only heard the story from Asher afterward.

According to Asher, Cassiel had remained perfectly calm throughout the match, leisurely pausing to take a sip of tea during the game. Meanwhile, Reeve had been agonizing over every move.

At one point, Cassiel had casually turned to Bran.

"I’m hungry. Fetch me some snacks."

And somehow, despite his apparent lack of concentration, Reeve had still lost.

Cassiel had even picked up a pastry afterward and offered one to his opponent.

"Care for one?"

Reeve had ignored the pastry and the offer alike, grinding his teeth in frustration.

"One game doesn’t count! I wasn’t prepared! Best of three!"

Reeve lost the second game as well.

He had stared at the board in disbelief before looking up at Cassiel, his fists clenched at his sides.

Cassiel had merely raised an eyebrow.

"Best of five?"

Reeve, too stubborn to retreat, had nodded.

He lost the third game too.

This time, he didn’t ask for another rematch. He just solemnly vowed, "I will never touch a chessboard again..."

"No need," Cassiel had interrupted.

Reeve had looked at him blankly.

"Just don’t touch one for the next three days."

"The next three days?"

Cassiel reminded him, "The wager was three days of service. During that time, you’re my servant. I don’t permit my servants to play chess."

Reeve had frozen.

"But once those three days are over, whether you play or not is your own concern. As the young lord of Merlinspire, I have no say in that."

Reeve had finally understood.

He had lost.

Not only had he been defeated three times, but he had effectively volunteered to become Cassiel’s servant for three days.

Afterward, the chess circles of Aveanlor gradually returned to normal. Yet the match between Reeve and Cassiel became a legend, repeated whenever anyone grew overly confident about their chess skills.

Elysia smiled softly.

"I also heard that you learned chess from Dowager Queen Sereia. You and Her Majesty used to play together, often late into the night."

Cassiel’s expression softened almost imperceptibly.

"I may not be very skilled," Elysia continued, "but I thought... perhaps you miss those days?"

Cassiel’s heart stirred.

He did.

He missed them.

His mother had possessed a quiet, formidable strength. Had she been born a man, she might have become Aveanlor’s greatest chess master.

But as a woman chosen for the palace, she had learned to conceal her true ability.

When playing against the King, she would deliberately make mistakes and allow him to win, preserving his dignity.

When teaching her sons, however, she showed no such mercy.

She had taught both him and his brother everything she knew, only to defeat them thoroughly game after game.

Those evenings remained among his fondest memories of his mother.

"Well, my lord?"

Elysia’s eyes shone with anticipation.

"Shall we play?"

Something shifted within Cassiel as he looked at her.

Interest stirred, followed by a faint smile that appeared almost without his permission.

"Let’s."

Elysia immediately fetched the chessboard and arranged the pieces on the table.

Then she looked at him with unusual seriousness.

"Your Grace, don’t go easy on me. The important thing is that you enjoy yourself!"

Cassiel raised an eyebrow.

"Is that your concern?"

"Of course."

She smiled brightly.

"If you deliberately lose, then neither of us will enjoy the game."

Cassiel’s gaze lingered on her for a moment.

"Very well."

The game began.

Before long, Cassiel discovered that Elysia was far more skilled than he had expected.

Her play was precise and thoughtful, perhaps even surpassing Reeve’s.

Truly, she was clever.

She didn’t rush her moves. Instead, she watched the board carefully, often anticipating his intentions before responding.

As the game progressed into the middle stage, however, Elysia began to struggle.

She would stare at the board for long stretches, her brows knitting as she considered each possibility. More than once, she reached for a piece only to pause and reconsider.

Cassiel watched her quietly.

Then, almost imperceptibly, he eased the pressure of his attack.

He left behind openings that looked natural enough to escape suspicion.

Elysia took the bait.

The game continued until she finally placed her last piece.

She stared at the board.

Then at Cassiel.

Then back at the board.

"I won?"

Cassiel smiled.

"Indeed."

"I actually won?"

"You did."

Elysia blinked several times.

"My lord... did you let me win?"

Cassiel leaned back slightly.

"Did it feel as though I did?"

Elysia thought carefully.

Then she shook her head.

No. It hadn’t.

"Then you won," Cassiel said.

After a moment, he added casually, "It’s been some time since I played. I’m a little out of practice."

Elysia looked at him, then at the chessboard.

A delighted smile slowly spread across her face.

Under the warm lamplight, her eyes seemed to brighten, and the tension that had so often lingered around her expression disappeared.

It reminded Cassiel of winter giving way to spring, of frozen streams beginning to flow and flowers returning to hillsides after the cold.

For a long moment, he found himself simply watching her.

He thought he finally understood why his mother had always allowed his father to win.

Perhaps seeing someone she cared about smile had been worth more than victory.

"Happy?" he asked.

Elysia nodded.

Yet a faint confusion remained in her eyes.

Wasn’t she supposed to be the one making him happy?

She studied him quietly.

Cassiel’s gaze softened.

"Then let me make you happier."

Elysia blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"I’ll take you to meet someone."

"Who?"

Cassiel’s lips curved faintly.

"You’ll find out soon enough."

---

After the meeting, Elysia decided the plan would proceed.

Ismeria and her nephew would come as scheduled.

The guest list had simply grown by one.