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“I will not choose the author.”

The prisoner Luna pointed at was moved along with the iron bars.

It was a truly bizarre sight.

The Imperial Guard Knights were dragging the iron cage containing the prisoner, endlessly circling the round arena.

It was like watching a rotating table at a fancy Chinese restaurant.

The Emperor and I simply sat and chose the prisoners we wanted.

“Hmm…”

I looked at one of the prisoners in the iron cage.

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Character Profile

Name: Merlin

Age: 27

Occupation: Death Row Inmate

Personality: None

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Seeing that all the prisoners so far had “Death Row Inmate” listed under their occupation, it didn’t seem like the Emperor had lied to me.

I was inwardly amazed at how many death row inmates there were, regardless of their crimes.

“Please choose me!”

Huh?

One of the men in the iron cage shouted at us.

“I used to be a mercenary! If I put my mind to it, I can kill everyone here! Just give me the chance!”

Then, a murmur spread among the surrounding prisoners.

“I-I can kill them all too! Please, choose me for the game!”

“I was once a knight! If you choose me, I’ll repay your kindness!”

Judging by their reactions, it seemed they had heard something before coming here.

Probably that if they were chosen for this game and won, they would be spared.

From their perspective, dying as a chess piece or being executed was the same, so they were desperate.

As the commotion grew, the Imperial Guards drew their swords and shouted.

“You bastards…! How dare you raise your voices in front of His Majesty! Can’t you be quiet?!”

“Leave them be.”

“Your Majesty…?!”

I looked to the side and saw Luna chuckling.

“Isn’t it amusing? Watching these bugs struggle to survive.”

“Your Majesty…”

“I will specially allow your outbursts. Entertain me. But, be quiet and take turns. If not, I’ll have your heads.”

The murmuring among the prisoners stopped.

Fear appeared on their faces.

With a single word from the Emperor, their lives could vanish like a candle in the wind.

“Hmm, good. It seems the bugs understand my words well. I’m pleased.”

The cruel Empress, Luna Meikhael, nodded with satisfaction.

Like Tristan, she too was a human lacking something important.

She was the type who could calmly eat a meal and order dessert while watching someone die.

Well, it’s strange for someone born for revenge to be normal.

You reap what you sow.

Just by looking at Tristan’s unique personality, you could tell what kind of person he was.

I crossed my legs.

From now on, I would choose 10 death row inmates to face off against the 10 chosen by the Emperor.

This game, named Human Chess, was as the Emperor said—most importantly about discernment.

After all, it was a battle fought solely by the abilities of the prisoners chosen as chess pieces.

“I will…”

“Alright. I’ll choose you.”

“?! Th-thank you!”

In that regard, the Emperor seemed to have a good eye.

She had already picked out decent prisoners ahead of me. From my perspective, they had useful personalities.

She chose without hesitation those with good physical strength or talent in magic.

“My eye for people is quite accurate.”

“So it seems.”

“In that sense, you are unworthy of this.”

“…?”

Luna subtly gestured to the woman standing behind me, Helga Wolfbert.

“I heard Gale has a daughter, but I didn’t know she had such talent.”

“Talent?”

“Yes. I can tell just by looking. Helga, was it? Truly a strong one. She has excellent combat sense and innate talent to back it up. I can’t think of anyone who could stop her one-on-one except Marco.”

Quite an accurate assessment.

At least the part about her being strong was true.

“Though I hate to admit it, your discernment is no less than mine, which is why you have someone like that by your side.”

Luna subtly proposed to me.

“If you die by my hand today, would you consider taking that child under your wing?”

“…Are you showing mercy? Is that it?”

“Yes. I have no intention of sparing anyone who opposes me. Be it a child or an old man. But that child is a pity. She’s the most promising among Gale’s children.”

“Talking like this already, you must be confident in defeating me.”

“Hey, you… Don’t you understand why I’m saying this?”

Luna spoke as if it were obvious.

“While I’ve chosen 8, you haven’t even chosen 1 yet, have you?”

Ah.

Now that I think about it, that’s true.

Perhaps I was too absorbed in watching the prisoners.

I hadn’t chosen a single person, just wasting time.

But, due to my ‘pride,’ I asked her with a very relaxed expression.

“Are you worried about me?”

“……Have I gone mad?”

Luna made a disgusted face and turned back to face forward.

Though I had put on a great show of bravado, I needed to quickly choose the prisoners, as Luna said.

Soon, I would have seen all the prepared death row inmates at least once.

I sat in my usual arrogant posture, calmly observing the prisoners.

But my eyes were busy moving.

To be honest, it was partly because my standards were too high.

I couldn’t easily choose because I expected there to be named characters among the prisoners.

Who knows?

If there were many valuable named characters, saving them could become a strong force in the future.

But that didn’t happen.

Right. Named characters who would show their faces in the story wouldn’t be in a place like this, facing death…

‘Huh?’

Just as I thought that, I found one.

Such a named character.

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Character Profile

Name: Rian

Age: ???

Occupation: ???

Personality: ???

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The fact that everything except the name was hidden made it stand out even more.

I stared at the named character trapped in the iron cage.

It was a pitiful body.

Only bones and skin remained.

Among the prisoners clamoring to be chosen, this one was the only one who didn’t say a word.

Just lying down, perhaps annoyed by the situation.

Seeing this, the Imperial Guard Knight dragging the cage hurried his steps.

Meanwhile, Luna, having chosen her 10, seemed uninterested and indifferent.

In the midst of this, I spoke.

“I’ll take that one.”

The Imperial Guard Knights hesitated.

Seeing the iron cage I pointed at, they frowned as if they had made a pact.

“Th-this one?”

“Yes.”

Luna, who was looking at the prisoner I chose, narrowed her eyes.

“You… Did you drink before coming here?”

“I quit drinking. I hate hangovers.”

“…I don’t care about that. I’m just asking because I’m extremely disappointed in your discernment today.”

Understandable.

Honestly, even after choosing, I was unsure.

If it wasn’t a case of the same name, I doubted whether this was the ‘Rian’ I knew.

This won’t do. I need to check for myself.

“Can I take a look at him for a moment?”

“What…?”

“Excuse me.”

“Wait?! Stop! I haven’t given permission yet!”

“Then give it. I’ll be right back.”

“What? This guy is saying nonsense…”

Ignoring Luna, who was flustered with anger and confusion, I stood up.

I felt Helga quickly catching up behind me as I walked to the iron cage.

The Imperial Guard Knights hesitated and stepped back at my relentless approach.

I asked the withered figure inside the cage.

“What is your name?”

“……”

No answer.

No, there wasn’t even a reaction.

At this point, Helga stepped in.

“Can I borrow that spear for a moment?”

“Huh? Uh, sure…”

Helga took the spear from the guard and poked it through the bars.

Of course, with the blunt end.

Poke.

“Hey. The Count is calling you.”

“……”

She kept poking his side with the blunt end, but there was no reaction.

At this point, I decided to use my last resort.

Pouring the emotions boiling inside me.

“Get up.”

“……!”

Finally, he reacted to my ‘wrath.’

His trembling upper body rose.

His emaciated, skeleton-like body turned toward me.

Through his disheveled hair, red eyes were visible.

Those eyes were staring straight at me.

“What is your crime?”

“……”

But he just stared at me, and no matter how long I waited, no answer came.

Finally, it was the Imperial Guard Knight next to the cage who spoke, flipping through some documents.

“Ah, found it. This one is Rian. He was caught for habitual theft and is already sentenced to death by starvation, just waiting to die.”

“…So that’s why he’s so emaciated.”

“Yes. He probably doesn’t even have the energy to answer.”

I see… So the execution is already underway.

Then it seemed this was the ‘Rian’ I knew.

Above all, his gaze matched the original description.

He was staring at me with a body that couldn’t even produce a voice.

I touched the thick iron bars.

“Do you want to live?”

As my fingers touched the sharp part of the rough bars, I felt a sting.

“Or are you hungry?”

The red eyes wavered.

I knew what he wanted.

“Then fight for me.”

I removed my hand from the iron bars.

A drop of blood remained on the bar I had touched.

That was enough.

I turned around and returned to my seat.

Luna shot me a look of disbelief.

“…Did you see something different up close?”

“Nothing.”

“Hmph. I thought so. I’ll give you another chance to choose a different prisoner. Even if your discernment is lacking, choosing a dying guy like that, what are you thinking?”

But I shook my head.

“No. I’ve already made my choice. I have no intention of changing it.”

“How absurd… Is it pity? Do you feel sorry for him and want to save him?”

“Maybe.”

I answered nonchalantly and sipped the tea beside me.

I knew full well that such an attitude would only irritate her authoritative nature.

“…Fine. I clearly gave you a chance. Choose the remaining 9 well and let’s have a game that won’t embarrass me.”

“No. I don’t need to choose anymore.”

“…What?”

“That one is enough.”

“Ha……”

Finally, Luna lost her temper.

“Are you really blind? Or are you mocking me?”

“Neither. I’m not blind, and I’m not mocking you.”

“Then take the game seriously!”

“I am serious.”

The Emperor had already taken all the prisoners with useful personalities.

Even if I chose from the remaining ones, the chances were slim.

“By the way, if I win, what reward do you plan to give me?”

“Reward?”

At my words, Luna snorted.

“Hmph. This was a game you proposed by offering your neck. And now you’re expecting a reward?”

“A game is for enjoyment. Nothing is as boring as a game without a reward.”

“You shameless… Do you even understand your situation? It’s 1:10. There’s no way I can lose, and even if I win this unfair game, I won’t feel the slightest bit of joy.”

“Too much talk.”

I put down the teacup.

And with a smile full of ‘pride,’ I asked her.

“Are you afraid of me again?”

 

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