The Partial Grandmaster

Rage swelled up in me to the extent I could feel my ears produce steam as I re-read the title of the book.

"How To Play Chess (for dummies)"

The main title wasn't that much of a problem but what came after it, 'for dummies'.

"Huhuhuhu! It seems you are so happy your face is flushed red and you can't speak. No need to thank me. I am a kind person," Windstrum smiled brightly like a little kid when given a treat.

"HOW THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO APPRECIATE THIS? YOU STUPID OLD FART!!!" I breathed heavily and my chest thumped rapidly. Old skunks would probably be the reason I die young.

"Ooh! So scary~ Is that the way to talk to the director of this school?" Windstrum asked jokingly. He was doing this on purpose.

"Screw you! What in the world am I supposed to do with this?" I extended the book to Windstrum and massaged my temples with the freehand.

"Ummm...read it?"

"And why do you think I can grow stronger if I read a book for dummies? Ben got the director himself as his mentor, even though he lost and Elise got the backing of the entire school. Then I, the original person that made my team win, gets a book made for dummies?"

"If you think I'll offer more then you're mistaken, young lad."

"What the?! Arrrgh!" There was no strength left in refuting the decision Windstrum came to, so I could only just swallow my anger.

"Sigh… Appreciate it, kid. We both know you need that book," Windstrum went and sat on his chair.

I calmed down to think, 'I couldn't get anything useful from this old skunk. Sigh, at least he should be able to tell me more about Constantine.'

"I heard you taught the current Chess King."

"Yes. What is it?"

"At least can you tell me more about him?"

"Why do you want to know more about him?"

"Sigh… I already know you know I'm a candidate," Why else would he have given me a book specifically about chess? It was obvious he already knew.

"You're a candidate? No wonder Grant wanted me to give you that book."

"Grant? As in, Grant Grail? Why would he want to help me?" I asked, confused.

"I don't know. He just said to help him give you the book for dullards. Huhuhuhu."

I didn't pay attention to Windstrum's mockery as I muttered silently, 'I have to be wary of that four-eyes. He's helping out his opponent. I bet he has some ulterior motive… what a sly fox.'

"Now that the book wasn't even from you, can you at least tell me more about your former student?"

Windstrum appeared to be in thought be speaking, "He's the most kind-hearted person that has ever walked the face of the earth."

"Huh?" I couldn't find the right words to express my disbelief.

"I took him in because his parents passed away and he showed promising talent. Sigh… he puts people before himself too much. I consider him dumb, but truth be told… I somewhat envy him." Windstrum twisted slightly and looked out the large glass pane. He had a sad and worried look on his face.

'There's no possible way Windstrum is right about Constantine. Maybe he was like that as a kid but he ultimately changed. Haha… this old skunk doesn't even know about his atrocities and is pitying him.' I thought, before thinking of other necessary questions.

"Tell me about his magic ty--" I didn't finish asking before Windstrum cut me off.

"That's all I will tell you. So don't ask for more."

I weighed my options, 'Since Windstrum said we're friends then I could ask him in the future. It doesn't seem too appropriate to pry it out from him this time since he lacks lustre.'

"You have classes this morning so I wouldn't hold you here any longer. Take the uniform on that couch over there," Windstrum pointed at the mini parlour with the chessboard on the table.

'At least Windstrum still has a tiny shred of impartiality left,' I walked over then took it and placed it with the book in my hands.

"I'll add that to your expenses. Leave quickly, and don't expect me to take you back," Windstrum added.

'...I spoke too soon.'

I calmly walked over to the large door with patterns and designs, then glanced back at Windstrum, 'This isn't over.'

I took my leave and began my journey back to the hostel with only a white long-sleeve vest, a pair of trousers and my brown leather boots. I was already ready to go get a new pair of uniforms.

***

I got to the hostel and made my way back to the dorm. It took me about 20 minutes to get back.

Upon arrival, the guys were already ready apart from Ben. Riley said he shook several times but he didn't even budge.

I took it upon myself to wake him up from his deep slumber by walking to the side of his bed and whispered into his ear.

Suddenly, he sprung up from his bed and ran outside the dorm!

I scoffed as I looked at Riley who was in shock, "Hehe… so gullible."

"What did you tell him?" He asked, curiously.

"That's a trade secret," I changed into my uniform –which was the same dark blue blazer with the school logo on the chest, long-sleeve white shirt and black trousers– then waited for Ben.

We arrived at the dining hall just when breakfast was over but after constant pleas to the dining attendant, we got our breakfast.

After, we all set out and went our various ways. Ben went to his enforcer-mage class, Bruce went to his berserker-mage class, Riley went to his sorcerer-mage class, and I pitifully went to my scribe-mage class.

It was a Tuesday, so there was no general class for the daytime, according to the hand-out I received.

My class was in the first building on the right side of the school, using the wizard statue as a reference. It was on the first floor.

The bells had already rung a few minutes before I arrived so as I entered the classroom they were already undergoing lectures.

Apparently, all the doors to enter the classrooms were always at the back, probably because they don't want the teacher to be disrupted whilst teaching.

The classroom wasn't like the former ones I have been in. The desks and seats were all evenly spaced and a blackboard was in front of the class.

The classroom wasn't that large and the students barely occupied all the desks.

I sat down at the first free desk I encountered, which was at the last row and about half a metre away from the door.

"Pick up your writing material and carefully lay down what I am about to do. Remember to follow all the steps and not miss a single one," The teacher said. The current subject was Handwriting I and II, which is essential in inscribing. He said the words need to be written in a way magic can easily flow through.

"Hey!" The boy with a long face, dishevelled black hair and brown eyes at my side, tapped me, "From the looks of things you're new, and I'm new too. The name's Luis Circo."

I was doing as the teacher instructed before I was tapped and I didn't want to have to do it all over again so I just glanced at him and smiled, then said, "My name's Danton Stonehead."

"Pfft~" Luis and my 'classmates' sitting around me stifled a laugh.

I immediately shot Luis a glare and he turned his stifled laugh into the clearing of his throat.

"Mhrrm! So which girl are you hitting on?" Luis asked with all seriousness.

"What the?! Why is that of your concern? And shouldn't you be focused on learning so you could secure a future for yourself?"

"That's all crap talk. We're scribes and our future is ours for the taking. There's no need to gain a title, all we have to do is write some fancy stuff down. What we gain from classes are supplementary to how much knowledge we are to have. I'll have you know that I plan to be the Overlord's scribe," Luis said, brimming with hope and dreams, "I'm still young so that can wait. Right now, I need to know we're not targeting the same girl."

"Sigh, you can have all the girls in this school if you like. None of them catches my fancy," I had to focus on getting stronger and getting revenge.

"...what a weird dude," Luis said with looks of intense scrutiny.

'You're hitting on girls when you're not more than 13 years old and let's not consider the fact that you both have nothing to offer each other. Then I'm the weird one?'

The lesson ended and three other lessons followed. Each lesson was about two hours and it was time for lunch after two of the succeeding lessons.

Soon after, the bell that signified the end of classes for the day rang.

I was about to leave my class after arranging my materials but I heard a sharp sound ring my head and the following message was displayed before me.

'Ttri-ting!'

…

[Quest: Revise topics]

[Requirements: None]

[Description: You need to revise, to recall all that you have learnt and make it part of you]

[-Objectives-]

[•Stay in the classroom and revise all that you have learnt]

[•Jot down key/crucial points in the various topics]

[Time Limit: 2hrs]

[Rewards: Intelligence +2, EXP +2]

[Failure: Random punishment chosen by system]

…

'This… This can no longer be called fair,' I couldn't help but feel resentment towards that blurred-faced man.