Dave
John used the key but the door was already opened.
He knocks and enter the room and found his roommate was already there.
"Pardon my intrusion, I am John von Sebastian, your new roommate."
John saw his roommate sitting on a chair muttering something.
"Argh! This is so hard! Not even my 'eye power' can solve this. I am so screwed, I hope she doesn't kill me."
The male figure scratches his head as he wails in despair.
The male figure then looks at the door and found John waiting.
"I am sorry, I was studying a chess game. Please come in and make yourself at home."
John nods.
He carried his luggage inside the room.
John saw his notes had many chess moves.
[Ding!]
[Ultimate Chess System Menu
Would you like to import the game?
>Yes No
]
John was surprised that the system suddenly prompts him an alert.
John contemplated and finally decides to accept.
[Ultimate Chess System Menu
FEN Import has been saved
]
"Hello?"
John's roommate saw him standing still.
John snaps out of his thoughts.
"Sorry about that, I'm John von Sebastian, a freshman and your new roommate. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Dave de Cresseau, I'm a freshman. Mind if I help you arranging your luggage?"
John shook hands with Dave.
"Thank you very much"
Dave had a small lean body and an unkempt spiky blue hair. His face looks handsome, on his crimson eyes had a tired look. He wore standard outgoing clothes and shoes.
John accepted his help.
He was getting sore all over his body and he needs to rest.
Dave offered his help made it much faster to arrange his belongings.
The room is small and enough to fit two people. There was a cabinet, a table, a double-deck bed and a single lamp in the center. The room was pretty much lightened up by the light stone. And on the walls, there were racks mounted and on it were female figurines and books.
"Thank you for helping me with my luggage."
John gratefully thanked Dave for his help.
"No problem, if you need any help don't hesitate to ask me. Now if you excuse me, I will continue my study and by the way, one hour from now we need to go out and have our lunch in the cafeteria."
"Thank you."
John rested his tired body for a moment on the bed.
Dave's bed was on the bottom part while John was on the upper part of the deck. John felt he was back again at school.
John looked on the window and saw the light that the buildings were giving off.
It was like a modern city and he saw some people walking on the street of the school. By no means, the school is large that it might fit three towns. The school have many different facilities which Bart told about but mostly his talks were diverted directly about his life story.
'I need to check the map tomorrow and take note of the room where I will be assigned.'
John saw that his roommate Dave was solving a chess problem.
He had a hard expression that he did not get what the answer was.
'A puzzle?'
John saw that the notes Dave wrote had drawings of the chessboard and he was studying how he was going to solve it.
John could solve it but he wanted to test the system he got and navigated to the PGN / FEN.
[Ultimate Chess System Menu
PGN / FEN
1. Analyze
2. Import
3. History
]
John selected on the import option and saw an untitled chess game.
John willed his thoughts and changed the title to "Dave's Chess Problem".
John then saw an option to analyze it and will his thoughts to select it.
The system immediately activated.
[Analyzing 1%]
[Analyzing 24%]
[Analyzing 45%]
[Analyzing 76%]
[Analyzing 97%]
[Analyzing 100%]
Analyzing CompleteIt took at least one minute to finally completing its analysis.
'It even included all their variations. Neat!'
John saw the moves that forced a checkmate and their different variations.
John was ecstatic that it worked.
He didn't expect that it would also calculate variations.
He wanted to tell Dave the answer for helping him.
"John, let's go to the cafeteria and have our dinner. I'm starving and don't forget to bring your ID with you."
Dave got up from his seat and stretches his muscles.
"Alright."
Both of them walks out of the room.
***
"John, are you a transferee here?"
Dave asked a question.
He was curious about John.
It was unusual for someone to transfer just after the school year started and it made him interested in him.
"Yes"
"What was your previous school like?"
Dave looked at John.
John had a hard expression plastered on his face.
"I'm sorry for asking you about it. I was happy that I had a roommate as most of my previous roommates transferred because I was a weirdo."
Dave was sorry he asked a difficult question.
On the inside, Dave was happy that he had a roommate as he was getting bored being alone and John came at the right time.
"Don't worry about it."
John had a curious look on his eyes.
Dave was something like an introvert but also an extrovert at the same time.
"By the way, why do you have so many figurines in the room?"
John earlier carefully looked inside the room and saw that there were many cute female figurines.
It was unusual for a teen having female figurines in the room. It made him wonder why would he brought that when clearly he was a male.
"I'm glad you asked!"
Dave grins.
"You see, I'm a devote believer of cute things. All men should understand that all cute things are justice!"
Dave curl is hand into a fist as he raised it into the air.
'What the heck is this? This can't be real?'
John's face was cringing.
He can believe someone like this exists in this world.
'An otaku!?'
"And you, I sense that you have the potential to become one. Yes, I can sense it with my 'Right Eye of Universal Truth!'"
Dave looks at John while using his hands to cover his right eye and using his other hand pointing towards him.
'Oh, f*ck me. Not only he's an otaku but also a chunnibyou. Damn, a perfect combination'
John wanted to facepalm.
Now he knows why his previous roommates transferred.
He wanted to transfer as he didn't want to be infected by his chunni style.
'Now what do I do?'
John had a headache.
He can just transfer to another room if he requested but in mind, it was also interesting that he saw someone like him. In his previous life, he had a dark past that he never wanted it to surface but someone here has 'actually' got this syndrome.
'Hays, let's just ignore the situation for now.'
John ignored the situation that he got paired up with a chunnibyou.
"No, I am not."
John replied as he continued to walk down the stairs.
"Maybe not for now but sooner or later you will and you will help me in my quest to discover cute things."
'Ugh, what the f*ck. Please stop.'
John reddens up as Dave continued speaking towards cute things and justice.
'I can't believe this. Why is your kind even here? This is illogical!'
"Yeah, yeah."
John replied as he wore a poker face.
"Anyway, where is the cafeteria?"
"It's on the first floor. Damn, I'm starving, John we need to go fast or we will be left with leftovers."
John heaves a sigh of relief.
He finally got out of that situation and followed Dave.
***
John and Dave continued to walk down and finally arrived at the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was on the first floor and there were already many students queuing up.
The cafeteria is large and there were at least 170 tables inside and half of them are occupied. At the front was a counter that serves students as they come in the line.
"The cafeteria is sure large enough."
John commented.
It was unusual for him to see such sights. To be exact, he didn't experience eating one as he stayed mostly in the classroom.
"Yeah, anyway let's queue up or we won't be having dinner tonight."
Dave spoke as he was afraid that all the food will be gone.
"Alright."
John and Dave both queued up.
"As you can see the best thing about this is everything is free!"
Dave puffs proudly.
He was happy that something like this exists.
"We can pick anything we like?"
John replied.
He was expecting to eat different cuisines.
"Yeah… But you can't for the most part."
Dave replied with a sad look.
"Why? You said everything was free. Don't tell me there's a condition?"
John asks Dave.
"You can pick the food you want depending on what rank you were assigned."
"Oh? Tell me more."
"You brought your ID, right? On the bottom part, you can see which rank you were assigned."
John then took a look at his ID.
"I'm assigned on Rank F."
John replied.
He was curious what does this signifies but he sensed that this is bad.
"Oh, well we are the same."
Dave then took his ID and showed it to John.
"The class here is divided into 4 class from A-D and rank from A-F"
"The rank F is we get the lowest cuisines while the rank A gets the premium cuisines."
Dave replied with a disappointed face.
"But the food is not bad tho, it's just bland."
"I see."
John replied.
His prediction was accurate.
"Is there any way we can have premium cuisines?"
"Yeah, by winning the chess tournament at the end of each semester. Each winning will improve the rank based on the opponent you beat."
Dave replied.
The chess tournament is one of the events that are the most highlighted at the end of the semester. This event is the culmination of what the students learned from their studies.
"The competition is fierce and there are cases that monochrome will happen."
John looks at Dave who showed a serious expression.
"Is there anything wrong?"
"No…"
Dave returned back to his self.
"Anyways, it's our turn we need to pick the good ones before they are all gone."
John and Dave got close to the counter.
Both of them looked which cuisines were available as they showed their ID's on the staff.
"I would like the egg souffle with bread and lettuce and a soup."
Dave quickly ordered.
After skimming on the available cuisines left he found what he wanted. Most of the food isn't tasty to his tongue as he like soft foods.
John on the side look which food he will get.
'Dave didn't lie, the food here looks bland.'
John thought as he saw most of the lowest cuisines are dry, oily, and doesn't look fresh.
'A beggars food if I may say so.'
John now finally got what Dave was saying.
Everything here is free for all event and the latecomers can only endure a coarse, hard, dry, oily cuisines.
John had a hard time deciding.
"Dave, any recommendations?"
"Just chose the same as mine. This is by far the tasty food in the lowest cuisine."
John nods.
John then ordered the same as Dave.
The staff quickly filled his plate and both of them left the counter.
***
John and Dave walked around and heads to an empty table.
"Did you tried all of the dishes in the lowest cuisines?"
"Yeah, I tried different combinations that will fit and by far this is the optimal combination."
Dave replied as he was proud of himself.
It took him two weeks to find the combinations that would bring out the flavour.
The egg souffle is a little sweeter but had a soft texture and less greasy which made it good to combine with the bread and lettuce and for the soup is to fill one's body with the sufficient nutrients.
"I had suffered many times as I tested each, I sometimes thought my 'Right Eye of Universal Truth' is failing but luckily I had found the combination."
Dave wanted to cry as he suffered most of his experiment.
"You had a rough life."
John replied as he saw Dave curl his fist as he recalled his memories.
"Anyway, let's eat I'm starving."
John and Dave ate their dinner.
John tasted the sweet egg souffle as he put it inside the bread to make a sandwich. The lettuce on the bread made the egg wash the sweetness but also it provides a cool sensation to his tongue which reset his palate.
John then picked up his spoon and tasted the soup.
'The soup isn't bad and can fill your needs, it's lacking in flavour but the bread complimented it. Not bad.'
John praised.
Dave did found the optimal combination.
"It's good right?"
"Yeah."
Dave smiles and continued eating.
John agreed.
'I miss her food.'
John misses Emily's food.
The food she makes is basically the best he tasted in his entire life.
Dave who was quietly eating saw John smiling while thinking about something.
"I sense it!"
John snaps out of his thoughts as he looks at Dave.
"Kukukuku, nothing can escape my 'Right Eye of Universal Truth'."
Dave returned to his chunni style.
"Tell me, is she cute?"
John was flabbergasted.
'What the f*ck man, how do you know?!'
John had a hard face as he dodges the question.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
"Kukukukuku, you can hide it all you want but my 'Right Eye of Universal Truth' can see it. I can sense that you miss her. Ah, so much cuteness it's drowning me!"
Dave ate while speaking cringy lines.
No wonder anyone who was with him would be embarrassed about being with him.
"Yeah, yeah right, just hurry and eat fast, Dave."
John was done with his dinner and waited for Dave to finish.
As John was waiting for him somebody arrived on their table.
It was a group of students wearing classy clothes.
"Hey Dave, I want money so give me some"
Dave had a fearful look towards them.
Dave stood motionless in his seat for a moment and finally replied.
"I don't have one, you already know I'm only eating here in the cafeteria."
Dave had a fearful look.
He was really afraid of them.
John had a cold face watching their behaviour towards Dave.
He never would have thought that there were still some 'cliché' bullies here in the school and the way they act is really disturbing the students who were peacefully eating and talking.
John wanted to play it safe and go back towards their room.
John got up from his seat and moved towards Dave and told him. But John's action did not go unnoticed from them as they stop John from interfering with Dave.
John casually sways their hand on his shoulder and left money on the table.
"Let's go back"
John grabs Dave's hands and dragged him outside the cafeteria.
"Hoho, someone here is sensible enough. Thank you for the patronage hehe~. Boys! We gonna have fun tonight~"
The students who bullied Dave picked up the money John left on the table and finally left.
The students who were eating was relieved that they left.
***
On the room, John and Dave had a silent atmosphere.
John finally talks.
"Don't mention it. It was nothing and more importantly, you are safe and that's good enough"
John had given those students enough money to do their business.
"Thank you, John. Sorry for not telling you about this."
Dave shed tears.
It was difficult for him that he was under constant threat by them and John helped him.
"No problem. I am your friend and friends help each other"
"But John they won't stop just like this. Sooner or later they will be back"
Dave already knows their ways and won't stop asking for more.
"I know"
John would need to come up with a plan that would prevent this from happening.
He then suddenly remembered the monochrome and had a smile.
"Say, the monochrome is absolute right?"
John asked a question.
"Yes, why?"
"I want to challenge them to a monochrome"
John had a resolved look and wanted to crush them.
There was one thing he never liked and that was to be underestimated. It was an insult to his pride that some plebeians acting so high that doesn't belong in their place.
He wanted to beat the sh*t out of them and make these worms know their place.
They were lucky that there were so many people watching and he didn't want to draw their attention towards him.
"No! John, I know what you are thinking but don't do it."
"Why?"
John asked with confusion.
With the system at his side, everything is perfect and all that is waiting is making them squirm like a worm they are.
"They are a good chess player and also had some magic powers. Please don't or you will lose, I don't want you to suffer the same fate as mine."
Dave grits his teeth.
He can't help but admit that those students are really good chess players. He once played with them on monochrome and as the game progresses he suddenly felt sluggish like his mind is getting dizzier he retaliated by using his magic to bolster his resistance but it proved difficult as he had minuscule magic powers and finally, he lost.
John contemplated.
He was already confident in beating the sh*t out of those plebeians but they had magic at their disposal which introduced an unknown variable to the equation.
'Damn it'
John grit his teeth.
If there wasn't magic involve then he would already have devoured them whole without leaving any bones.
"Alright"
John obeyed for now.
As there are so many unknowns right now and getting information is his first priority and making a contingency plan if they go back again.
"Thank you"
Dave was finally relieved.
He didn't want John to suffer the same fate as he did.
He had bet his allowance he had every month with them and lost.
"Let's go to sleep"
John spoke as he lied down his tired body on his bed and sleep.
Dave also lied down and sleep.