✔️Rise to Eminence (Ugly Duckling Princess III) (completed )

Chapter 5: Strategies (Part 1)

Adiya's POV

"Why do we have to play chess everyday at noon time?" I questioned Sahil who ruined my mood to have a nap.

"Because I need someone to give me a tough competition." He just muttered.

"So you think I am strong" I asked him again. Usually he treats me as if I am the weakest student. He had called me a weak student once.

"You have no idea how strong you are." He just muttered and played his turn. It was my turn to play.

To be frank, it was tough to focus on the game. I mean look at him! Those muscles looked majestic. And the small black dot on the right side of his chin!

I didn't know why but since the commencement of the year, I have been feeling quiet distracted. Studying with males helped me not to bother about how I look. But when Sahil would be nearby, suddenly I would grow conscious about how I look. Luckily the scar that I had got on my face had started healing. I hoped that it would slowly fade away from my face.

I played my turn. I wanted to check and mate him. So In order to distract him intentionally made my Wazir (Or Queen) as a bait as it's the most powerful tool in the game of the chess. So that he would focus on killing it. And I would get access to corner his King within the next 4 moves. And then the game would be over.

However he used his moves to kill my horse. That bewildered me because technically Wazir (ie Queen) is considered to be more powerful than horse.

"Why didn't you kill my Wazir (Queen)? You had a chance!" I Exclaimed

"Because your horse is more powerful" he muttered.

After the game was over (he won), I again asked him the same question.

"Always remember one thing in your life. It's not who is the most powerful person in a war who needs to be killed. The target must be to kill the strategic player even if he has the lesser powers or resources. You know how to use your horse better than your Knight. So why should I kill your Knight when your horse can do three times more damage to my game than your Knight"?

I considered it for a moment and agreed.

"Umm Sahil, can I ask you something?" I asked him when he was leaving my hut.

"Yes?" He mummered

"Why doesn't Guruji take us towards the waterfall? I mean I could hear it's sounds from miles away." I asked him.

"Because the water current is too much for the any normal person to swim. It would be risky." He said.

"I want to go. I think I would take everyone with me during the free time tomorrow and we all would have great time under the waterfall!" I Exclaimed.

Sahil seemed to think for a while. And then for a split of a second I thought I saw a grin on his face before he replaced it with more serious expression.

"It's said that the waterfall houses many crocodiles. A few years back, a student dared go venture into the waterfall but he was eaten alive. Since then Guruji avoids taking us there!" He said.

I found it hard to believe. I mean we students sometimes fetch water from the nearby river and there are no crocodiles out there. But again, I didn't want to take any risks. Since Sahil is my senior, I must abide to what he says.

"Okay I won't go there." I concluded.

"Good" Said Sahil as we both ventured out of the hut for next lessons to be given by Guruji.