265 IQ in an Otome Game

Chapter 13

The Florente Empire was covered in white fluffy snow. I stared out the window from my room. My heart fluttered, what a matte color all over. My heart felt something special. Something I think I lost a long while ago. This childish excitement. The tips of my fingers touched the cold window. My excitement spiked. I wanna run around in it and play with it. Snow!

I ran out of my bed and put on warm clothes quickly, before running to August's room. Never, never, never, have I been so excited for something as trivial as snow. Maybe this whole reincarnation thing has changed me somewhat.

"August!" I yelled as I rushed into his room. "SHUT U-," he yelled leaping from his laying position into a sitting position. "Man, I didn't think you'd be so mad." I said casually. He sighed and asked, "Well?"

I smiled, "let's go play in the snow." He stared at me unmoving. "Ehh....what are you ? A child?" He asked, a smug smirk on his face. "Yes, Check the law, I'm legally still a child and so are you. Research your topics before saying them, kids!" I replied. He sighed again, "I can never win against you, can I?"

"Don't you wanna go outside and enjoy the snow?" I asked. He shaked his head. "No." August said outrightly. Whaaaaat. But I thought all kids liked snow. "I prefer summer anyway." He said, turning his head away. "Wow." I said shocked. "You sure don't seem like a summer one."

"Hah?"

"Like you seem like a winter person, ya know?" I said. He looked down, " it's because in the summer, everything feels warm."

I stared at him, blankly. "Okay then! Let's not play in the snow!" I yelled.

"Brief chess match?" August suggested. "What are you talking about, chess is time consuming. How does brief play into chess?" I asked. "If you're playing someone new, you can get a checkmate in 2 moves." He replied, setting up a chess board. "but I'm guessing your not new,huh, August?" I said sitting on the chair. August sat down and continued setting up the chess board. "I played by myself most times, but I understand chess at least."

I smiled. The chess pieces were in their places. I was black, August was white. August made the first move, E2 pawn to E4. I moved my E7 pawn to E5. Opening up for my Queen and Bishop. Our pawns were facing each other now. He developed another pawn, he's trying to control the center. I moved my Queen from D8 to H4, targeting the weak F2 pawn. He continued to develop, he surprisingly didn't notice my motives. I moved my king side bishop to C5. He moved his knight to B3, normal development. I then took the weak F2 Pawn with my Queen, check. The king captured my Queen, removing himself from check. But I had placed my bishop as support and now that the king had taken my queen, my bishop followed, and checkmate.

A brilliant scholar's mate if I do say so myself. "4 moves was it?" He asked. I nodded, "it's called Scholar's mate, it's pretty easy to perform on inexperienced players, but it would be an insult to try it on, let's say, world champions and grandmasters."

"Why are you so good at stuff." He asked as he rested his head against the table. I smiled to myself, "I worked hard for it and I started young."

"Leine! August!" My father called as he peeked his head through the door. "Hello father." I said. He smiled warmly, "did you forget what today is?"

Yes actually I think I did, I was too caught up in the snow and chess game. Uh, I looked at August's calendar in his room. Hmmm.........

Ah! I remember! "Of course, I do! I would never forget it." I said, standing up. August commented, "Sure seemed like you did."

"Well, lets get ready and go quickly. I don't want the snow to be too big for us to even walk!" He said. We both nodded. Today was mother's grave visiting day, where we replace her old flowers from last year and make her feel less lonely. Though I never my Madeleine's mother, I do know she was beloved to the king.

My boots crunched and crunched on the snow as we walked. As I breathed in and out, my breath appeared wispily drifting away. It was cold. I smiled as I breathed in the cold December air. Today was also the day my mother died, and the day I was born. I stared at my father's flushed face. It had a warm smile on it, he was carrying pretty colorful flowers, because mother liked them the best.

Maybe it seemed like I was sad, because August held my hand as we approached mother's grave. His hands are always warm, like a piece of summer is always inside them. I guess it fits then, having summer as a favorite season...

I've turned 14 today, I forgot.