Determining Lucia's location was most important, so I arranged for Bernadetta and Ave to go everywhere in the name of touring the Imperial Palace with Delfina and Richard.
The royal palace is so large that it would take a week to walk, so this group will take quite a while to find Lucia.
“Even if you find Lucia, don't act immediately, just quietly go to the Jade Palace and let me know.”
“I know, sis.”
Ave jumped up and down on Bernadetta's head.
“Just leave it to me.”
Even when Lucia is found, the next step must be carried out secretly. Because currently we still don't have any countermeasures.
“Um……”
Besides them finding it themselves, I decided to use my brain. In any case, my searching won't help me find Lucia.
And so, Cesar and I were pondering in our bedroom at the Jade Palace. Bodyguard Vittorio stood outside our bedroom. I warned him not to bother him at all because I had something important to discuss privately with Cesar.
Because if what we are about to say reaches the Queen's ears through him, it will be very troublesome.
I placed a few pieces on the chess board. If anyone doubted this situation, I was going to lie and say we were playing chess.
“Perhaps the person holding Lucia captive is……”
I picked up the white bishop and placed it in the middle of the board. Nine black pawns surround it.
Then, I slowly picked up the black Queen and placed it firmly in front of the pawn, making a sound
clack
.
“It's Cornelia.”
That's right. No one other than the Queen can do that. Imprisoning a Count's daughter in the Royal Palace. The strongest piece on the chess board is the Queen.
But even if Lucia is found, the next problem is the difficulty.
I used my fingertips to caress the crown relief engraved on the Queen. I need a means of defeat
Queen
hey.
“If Lucia is detained by order of the Queen, we cannot save her.”
"Why?"
Cesar asked innocently. I used my fingertips to roll the Queen back and forth.
“That is…….we have no good reason to save the child that the Queen has detained.”
“Good reason?”
“Yes……”
Let's say Bernadetta and Ave are lucky enough to find Lucia. But how to save the girl?
I thought of a few possible ways, but they all didn't work out.
"Even if I accidentally found the captive child, people would only suspect her. They would never think that it was related to Black Magic or the curse. The Queen would make everyone think so."
The Queen may even declare that the child we found is not Lucia. Because Lucia is dead, that is, there is no clear record and is dead on paper. Therefore, there was no way to prove that she was the real Lucia.
“Furthermore, if you save the child that way, Countess Elvira will definitely get into trouble.”
The fact that the Countess was threatened by someone could now be considered a given. I took out the white knight and fiddled with it in my hand.
That's right. Definitely Cornelia. Because if the Queen was the one holding her daughter hostage, everything would make sense.
“If what Countess Elvira wants to protect to the point of having her back whipped is her daughter……”
If I suddenly save the child, the Countess might be in danger.
The lady often contacts me under the pretense of monitoring the Jade Palace, so the Queen may misunderstand that there is communication between the two of us.
That's Queen Cornelia. I think she already has countermeasures in such a situation.
"Then?"
I thought carefully. See if there's a way to overturn all of this.
“Umm…….so difficult.”
But I couldn't think of a way. Cause a fire to evacuate everyone? No, this is too dangerous. Lucia could get hurt.
Or pretend to visit Lucia by chance? This is also not reasonable. None of me or anyone close to me had any connection to the Blue Metal Stone Palace, so it was too unusual.
Is there a way to get Lucia out without hurting anyone? Is there any such magic, after which no one can bother anymore?
“What if we hide Lucia?”
At that moment, Cesar spoke innocently.
“Hide it?”
“Yeah, sneak the hidden Lucia out and hide her where Cornelia can't see her.”
“Ahaha, what is that?”
I laughed at those naive words. Cesar also grinned and gently showed me his left hand. The sharp and polished nails shined with a cold light.
"I'll go get it out. This way."
Then he used his fingertips to pinch the white bishop surrounded by black pawns and stuff it into his front pocket.
What a trustworthy statement. With Cesar's power, he could probably save anyone. If so, that's great.
“If it could be taken out that easily, there would be nothing to worry about…… Eh?”
At that moment, a light flashed in my head. Cesar touches the King on the chessboard and knocks it over.
“Take it out, then hide it…… Hide it? If you hide it then the game is over……?”
"Yes, stay away from Cornelia's eyes. Checkmate."
The King rolled down the chessboard and onto the stone floor. At that moment, I stood up startled and grabbed Cesar's hand. Cesar just laughed along with an innocent expression.
“Cesar is truly a genius!”
"YES!"
“Hide it!”
"That's right!"
We looked at each other and cheered inexplicably. That's right. Hiding is the best way.
“Even though I have to think about the method later, at least I've found a way to hide Lucia!”
“Hide it?”
"Yes, hide it. Go to a place where even the Queen can't reach!"
I couldn't contain my joy and had to kiss Cesar on the cheek.
“It's all thanks to Cesar. Thank you.”
Cesar also kissed me on the cheek. At that moment, I suddenly worried about whether I was being too positive.
Speaking of which, after the meeting the day before, the atmosphere between us had never been like this…….
I secretly looked at Cesar, afraid I was paying too much attention. Cesar smiled and curled his eyes at me. Then slowly bring your face closer.
For some reason, I felt like I should blend in with that atmosphere, so I slowly closed my eyes.
Right at that moment.
“Found it!”
Bernadetta opened the door and rushed in. We were startled and separated.
“Eh, eh?”
"Found it! Found it!"
I quickly looked out the door to see if Vittorio was there, but Bernadetta said that Delfina had already taken Vittorio to the garden. Still so thoughtful. Delfina is truly amazing.
“But sister, your face is all red, you're not sick, are you?”
“Eh, eh!”
Tôi giật mình, vội vàng đẩy Cesar ra xa, nhưng cánh tay hắn vòng qua eo tôi quá chặt nên tôi không thể cử động được. Since this wasn't the first time, I finally gave up on pushing him away.
“So where is the baby?”
“Where is it, Ave?”
Ave instead answered about Lucia's whereabouts.
"In the Blue and Golden Stone Palace. I felt the power from the basement there."
"Is that true? You two actually found her."
When I praised them, Ave's neck puffed up.
“Even though it's very small, I feel something wonderful.”
“Yes, I saw a sparkling light there.”
“Starlight……”
Coincidence or not, Lucia, that child's name means light.
“Now is the time for us to save that light.”
Bernadetta asked.
“Sister, what will you do?”
Cesar seemed ready to rush to the Blue and Golden Palace immediately.
"Let me go get her out now, okay? Huh?"
But I shook my head and smiled with triumph.
“No, there is an even better move than that.”
A chess grandmaster once said. Pawns are the soul of chess.
How to defeat the mighty Queen. Sometimes it can be a pawn, which is considered the weakest and most worthless piece.
Queens Gambit
(
Price for the Queen
), as its name suggests, means to stumble
Queen
. It is one of the strategies used in chess, by sacrificing a few pawns to eventually capture the queen.
Even though each pawn is small, when they gather together, they can turn the situation around. That was the prelude to the counterattack.