[390] : Winning by Losing—Chess Game Compromise

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Facing such a race, Riku didn't dare utter a single curse.

This being wasn't an individual—it was a collective. If he angered it, he could very well make an enemy of the entire Ex-Machina race.

The thought alone was terrifying.

Riku forced himself to calm down, and a new question immediately surfaced.

What does an Ex-Machina want with me?

Besides their hive-mind nature, the Ex-Machina had another defining characteristic: they never initiated attacks on other races unless they were attacked first.

Because of this, the other major races had strict orders for their members not to engage the Ex-Machina. No one wanted to anger such an enemy. Furthermore, as mechanical beings, they had no need for food or other biological necessities—so they rarely came into conflict with other races.

So why had this one attacked him?

Though he didn't understand the reason, Riku quickly formulated a countermeasure. Since it wouldn't attack without provocation, he would simply remain silent and wait for it to leave.

That was his plan.

He never would have imagined that he was its target from the very beginning.

—————

"Oh, so that's the little one who's been observing Riku?"

Back in Mika's room in the human settlement, the group had all stopped what they were doing, their attention focused on the scene unfolding on the screen.

"Yes, that's her," Athena confirmed with a nod.

"Well, she's certainly interesting," Yahweh remarked, a faint smile on her lips. She saw something fascinating in this mechanical individual, something a machine should not possess.

It undoubtedly piqued her curiosity.

What kind of relationship will Riku form with this Ex-Machina girl?

Just then, a knock came at the door, followed by Couronne's voice.

"Everyone, I've brought snacks!"

The door swung open, and the cheerful smile on Couronne's face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of sheer terror.

"RIKU!?"

The screen in the middle of the room had captured her full attention. Seeing her brother in mortal danger, Couronne cried out his name, her voice filled with panic. She was so agitated that the tray in her hands wobbled, about to fall.

In the nick of time, Alfia appeared at her side, catching the falling tray of snacks and placing a firm hand on Couronne's shoulder.

"Calm down, Couronne. Riku is fine," Alfia said, her voice steady. "Don't forget the power Mika and the others possess. As long as we can watch Riku's situation on this screen, he won't be in any real danger. So please, don't panic."

Alfia's words cut through Couronne's fear, and she quickly regained her composure. As one of the settlement's leaders, she was capable of staying calm in a crisis. But the one in danger was her little brother, someone she had thought would be safe on this mission. That was why she had lost her composure.

Calming herself, she took in the scene, analyzing the situation. She took the tray back from Alfia, placed it on a table, and asked with a puzzled expression, "What's happening to Riku?"

"He's met an Ex-Machina girl," Yahweh explained with a mischievous grin. "And she's propositioned him."

"EHHH!?"

The news hit Couronne like a bolt of lightning. "A human… was propositioned by an Ex-Machina?"

The situation was utterly baffling.

Though she couldn't comprehend it, the scene on the screen was providing undeniable evidence. Listening to the borderline-suggestive exchange between Riku and the Ex-Machina, Couronne was finally forced to believe that Yahweh was telling the truth.

At the same time, she understood why Mika and the others hadn't rushed to save him. The girl on top of Riku posed no real threat. Couronne now recalled the intelligence they had on the Ex-Machina.

They were a race that did not attack unprovoked.

"Don't worry, Riku won't be harmed," Athena reassured her, gently patting her head.

"Mika always keeps his word. He would never let something happen to him."

Feeling the warmth of Athena's hand, Couronne nodded slowly. She had absolute faith in Mika and his companions. After learning of her interest in supernatural abilities, they had taken her outside the settlement to witness their power firsthand.

Her belief in them was unshakable.

Still, with her brother's safety on the line, she had to ask. "Is it really okay to just leave him like that?"

"Relax. The defensive item on Riku hasn't even activated yet," Mika said with a light laugh, his eyes still on the screen. "And from what we can tell, this Ex-Machina girl doesn't seem to have any intention of hurting him."

————

"How did it come to this?"

Staring at the chessboard before him, Riku's mind was in turmoil.

He had just finished a tense negotiation with the Ex-Machina girl and had managed to gather a few key pieces of information.

First, she had disconnected herself from the Ex-Machina collective and had been wandering the world in search of something called the "heart." Her search had led her to him.

Now, she had latched onto him, determined to find the "heart" by observing him. Her proposed method? Engaging in reproductive acts with him.

Riku had, of course, refused this bizarre request. But the girl held all the cards, possessing absolute physical superiority. He couldn't fight back.

Ultimately, the Ex-Machina girl proposed a game of chess...

If Riku won, she would let him go.

If she won, he would have to take her back to the human settlement so she could observe him up close.

This was the compromise Riku had managed to negotiate after a heated argument.

In reality, the girl's original proposal had the same outcome regardless of who won. It was only through Riku's forceful reasoning that he had managed to secure these terms.

Not that he actually expected to win.

She was an Ex-Machina. Based on his intelligence and his understanding of their abilities, a race that specialized in analysis, parsing, and calculation would be a master of chess. A human could never beat a machine at a game of pure calculation, especially not an ultimate thinking machine like her.

He had no chance of winning.

But he wouldn't lose, either.

Through their conversation, he had grasped her motive. She had come here to find something in him, and to do that, she needed to follow him back to the human settlement.

The old Riku would have refused this at all costs.

But the current Riku was fearless.

Because now, the human settlement had Mika and the others—ultimate warriors who could traverse worlds and challenge gods.

What was one little Ex-Machina to them? Especially one that had been disconnected from its collective.

So, Riku's new plan was simple: fight her with all his might on the chessboard, and then lose convincingly. He would then lead her back to Mika and the others, all without her suspecting a thing.

'But that's just the backup plan,' he thought. 'What if I actually win? Then I can continue my exploration.'

Besides, when it comes to chess, aside from 'That person', I've never lost to anyone.

Picking up a chess piece, Riku began the battle on the board with a surge of excitement.

————

"Damn it, I lost."

Staring at the final board state, Riku wore a look of frustration.

It had taken only twenty-nine moves. He was defeated. As expected, against a race specialized in analysis, he was no match.

But in another sense, he hadn't lost at all. In fact, he had been the winner from the very beginning.

[Query]: Why are you pretending to be frustrated`

"She saw through me?" Hearing the Ex-Machina's question, Riku's expression faltered.

When she had been on top of him, she had been able to read his thoughts through his physiological reactions.

Could she still read his acting, even without physical contact?

Riku was surprised. He couldn't let her keep seeing through him like this. If she found out he was planning to lure her back to the human settlement to be dealt with by Mika, things would get much more complicated.

But he quickly came up with a solution.

He forced himself to push the existence of Mika and the others out of his mind, to interact with her as if he were truly alone. He then introduced himself and, on the spot, gave her a name:

Schwi.

He created a backstory for her, disguising her as an ordinary little girl.

After all the preparations were complete, looking at Schwi, who was now clutching his sleeve and nervously calling him "brother," Riku felt an unexpected tug at his heart.

————

With everything settled, Riku began the journey back to the human settlement with Schwi.

Or rather, she carried him back.

The journey that had taken Riku five days on horseback, Schwi covered in a matter of hours, all while carrying him. And according to her, her abilities were below average for her race.

It was another stark reminder of how powerful the other races truly were.

"Riku, I never knew you were a lolicon! I'm so disappointed in you."

"EHHH!?"

Looking at Couronne, who was admonishing him, Riku was utterly bewildered.

What is going on?

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