Chapter 338 – #74_The Witch of Laziness (3)
#336
One.
What does a witch do in her free time?
This question is not much different from the question, “What are your hobbies?”
This is because the options are divided according to tastes and preferences, and different answers will be heard for each.
Someone reads a book, someone rides a horse and runs through the hills, someone watches a play, and someone takes a half-bath in a public bath.
But what if two witches spend their free time together? If you ask me, the story is a little different.
There is one folk game that is by far the most popular among bored witches in Gehenna, which lacks a bit of entertainment, and its name is the Witch board.
In its most basic form, a translucent hologram of a regular dodecahedron rises above a crystal ball that stores mana.
The shape of the large regular dodecahedron that emerged in this way is filled with small regular dodecahedrons.
This hologram is the board on which the game takes place, such as a chessboard.
The rules are:
1) On a given board, one corner means one ‘pass’, and at the vertex, ‘runes’ essential for drawing magic formulas are randomly placed using a random number algorithm in the crystal ball.
2) Magic cannot be completed with only passes and runes.
Therefore, each player is given three ‘magic sources’ and starts the game by placing them in the desired position.
3) After that, when the game starts in earnest, players alternately perform moves as if playing Go, creating magic using runes at the vertices and passes at the corners.
4) Attack the opponent’s magic source with the created magic, or defend against the opponent’s attack.
5) The side that captures 3 of the opponent’s magic power first or surrenders wins.
Diana finished the explanation as quickly and concisely as possible.
“Something seems difficult….”
Diana expressed her intention that she would like to compete with Shiu on the position board.
Since the location board itself is a popular game, I just brought several of them from the cafe on the 3rd floor….
Something messy
After hearing the explanation, Siu expressed his honest feelings.
“I know when I try. It’s the first time, so I’ll look at it a lot.”
So, in short, connect the lines within this and place the runes appropriately to create magic.
Break the opponent’s power source with it, and defend the attack.
It seems to be some kind of simulation game like chess or Go….
I tried to create magic by connecting a few lines with an eye patch.
It’s not that hard.
This is because the magic that can be implemented is limited to use such a rigid board and randomly scattered runes.
“It’s a fair game. Unlike real magic combat, you can only take one move per turn.”
“It certainly is.”
That’s why this game is so popular.
Actual magic battles involve a lot of innate elements.
No matter how excellent the magical thinking ability is, if there is a difference in the hierarchy and the amount of magical power, the battle will not be established.
On the other hand, on this location board, the Apprentice Witch and the Archwitch can alternately take only one move.
Moreover, the use of high-level magic beyond a certain level is restricted.
In order to implement complex magnetism magic, you have to spend hundreds of turns, but your opponent can’t wait for you in the meantime.
In other words, it’s a good game to judge the ability and flexibility of purely magical thinking.
“Is this your first time?”
“Yes, this is my first time doing it myself.”
“I’ll give you nine turns. Please set me free.”
For reference, Diana was very confident in this game.
The location board is one of Diana’s hobbies.
As much as she has a brilliant talent, she is Diana who fights against Count Yesod.
On this game board where all conditions are equal, she is confident that she can deal with any witch.
“Can I just do it?”
“First of all, we have to decide where to put the magic source. You can put three at each vertex of a large regular dodecahedron.”
“Hmm, I see.”
As a player, Siwoo caught the black spot.
Without any sign of worry, he quickly occupied three places.
Upon seeing that, Diana tilted her head.
This is because the vertices he selected as power sources were closely attached to each other.
Not only was that a far cry from the norm, but it was an ineffective play, even a little bit magically.
The board can be used wider only when the power source at the vertex meets as many corners as possible.
If you put them in the same regular pentagon like that, the space to use will be narrowed and the types of magic will be limited.
It seems that the expectations were too high.
“Nine, it’s over.”
“…….”
Diana’s thoughts were solidified after seeing Siwoo finally exercise the conceded 9 move.
If you efficiently arrange the first nine moves, you can put one of Diana’s magic sources into a state of destruction and play the game.
There is a difference in the amount of magic power that can be used naturally, so the gap widens.
Even if it’s your first time, if you have knowledge in magic, you’ll have to look at that level.
Can’t even do that
Certainly, rumors were just rumors, and the only thing I could think of was that there were too many bubbles.
“Now it is my turn.”
Play alternately after that.
Diana’s number was almost standard.
After all, what you need to use colorful magic is randomly placed runes here and there.
He effectively occupied this rune, read the opponent’s intention to use magic, and controlled essential runes to his advantage.
With so many runes, he makes various builds, and makes a profit by betting on the opponent without rest.
Even if the number is the same, the side with the most runes can use high-efficiency attack magic.
The same goes for defense.
One last move with this.
Siwoo, who was swung from the beginning, was naturally pushed back in the power struggle.
In the end, all attack magic was blocked, all defense magic was sunk by Diana’s attack, and all three magic power sources were lost.
It was a crushing defeat that took less than 10 minutes from start to finish.
“It’s easy.”
Diana triumphantly declared her own victory.
In fact, her victory itself was preordained.
There is always a gap between a novice and an expert that cannot be bridged by nine numbers.
What matters is the process.
Since she perfectly blocked the attack from the middle and won, if you compare it to chess, it is no different than winning without losing 4 of her pieces.
Siwoo looked at the board where the game was over.
It seemed to be restored after the game was over.
The atmosphere is quite sincere.
“Hmm…. It’s a bit unfortunate.”
Could it be that he was really trying to win with such absurd moves?
Diana was a little dumbfounded.
It’s a pity that even if you work with a willingness to learn, it won’t be enough.
Diana, who thought that she had been playing with her hands, reset the game board by pressing the button on the board where the crystal ball was fixed.
“Then shall we try again?”
“Yes, I would like to try again.”
It is not the duty of an old person to beat a beginner, but strictly speaking, the opponent is not a complete beginner.
A person who claims to understand the laws of magic.
If it is enough to use vulgar tricks to attract customers by hitting advertisements as ‘male witches’, it is necessary to show a certain amount of hard work.
Diana, who was so confused, was able to further confirm the reason why she was uncomfortable with his existence.
A subject who said he was walking the path of magic, and misused it as commercial publicity.
Come to think of it, that was something I didn’t like either.
“This time, put the number nine first.”
“Thank you. I will learn a few things.”
Siwoo can mark 3 magic power sources in an instant.
This time, it’s exactly the same as before.
A self-destructive beast that impedes scalability by driving magic power into a confined space.
The next nine counts were also plays that did not improve at all.
“Whoa….”
Tell me this
Thoughtful, Diana opened her mouth.
“Hey, if you put the magic source close like that, later play will be restricted. The routes overlap too much. I’ll give you a chance, so do it again. Grab the vertices of the different pentagons and place them. If you start with a little drop, it will definitely be comfortable.”
In fact, I’ve already heard of it in the game, but neither advising others nor handing down numbers suits Diana’s inclination.
Even so, giving her a chance to do it again is because she didn’t want to win in vain like she just did.
But the answer she got back to him was far-fetched.
“Oh, that’s fine. I’m going to do it in a slightly different way this time. I seem to have caught on.”
Another way?
Get a feel?
Diana, who had been ignored even her long-awaited favor, was even more absurd.
It’s a different way, and that’s a completely different play from the norm….
Jeongseok does not exist for nothing.
A standard is a highly generalized principle after countless trials and errors.
In other words, it is a verified play.
“That’s Okay. Take care.”
Besides, it wasn’t a friendly voice like flattering flattery, but a serious voice and eyes.
It makes me feel worse because I feel like I’m campaigning like a real witch.
Diana gave her verdict.
This male witch has nothing more to look at.
He is an idiot who only has rumors and appearances.
You have to finish it quickly and go home.
Diana and Siu waited for nine numbers like that and then exchanged numbers one by one.
It was easy this time too.
Diana set the stage for her step-by-step victory by stepping on a standard that was slightly different from her previous one.
It’s smooth.
15 passes were secured for the attack and the optimal rune was occupied.
She did not forget her countermeasures so that smooth defense was possible even if a surprise attack was made unexpectedly.
I’ll take this opportunity to show you what happens when you put all the magic sources together.
Diana concocted a plan to blow up the magic source at once by concocting magic to fire magic cannons.
Five more moves ahead of her and her victory would be her own.
“… Uh?”
Diana opened her mouth because she belatedly caught on to something she hadn’t seen since she had been concentrating only on her own play.
“Ah, you noticed. I was hiding it myself.”
Between the intricately intertwined dots, lines, and runes, he opened his teeth ferociously.
There was a trap that I didn’t notice at all.
If Diana made just one more move out of the five moves she had in mind, the trap would be triggered.
“…….”
The magic created by Diana is a magic cannon that has been amplified over and over again.
On the other hand, what Siwoo had created was a large tunnel ring that guided the magic cannon in the opposite direction.
If she went on the offensive like this, it would have swept away Diana’s magic source in order to become a lethal blow.
Why didn’t she notice?
Because of carelessness?
Not like that.
It is because Siwoo’s secret plan was actually cleverly hidden.
“Absolutely.”
Diana flatly lied and corrected her strategy.
The ring tunnel-type magic ceremony that Siwoo had been constructing was first destroyed, and about 20 more turns were consumed to obtain surrender.
It was a bit of a shock.
Needless to say, the opponent’s play is off the beaten path.
It was a strategy like a joker card with no back at the moment of failure.
I was looking down on him for being a complete kid.
It was almost possible to allow a one-bit reversal to such a joker card.
“If you notice this, I can’t stand it. This is Diana’s victory. I lost.”
“…….”
It was a win, but a bittersweet victory.
Diana quickly hit the reset button on her location board.
“Let’s do one more round. I’ll give you nine moves this time too.”
There are a few more things to check.
If that play was intentional.
And if you can do something similar next time, you’ll have to revise your evaluation.
Facing Diana, who was burning with enthusiasm, Siwoo held up an hourglass with a puzzled expression on her face.
“I’m sorry, but the promised time is over. Now is the time for the witches who have already made reservations to come in.”
As I lost my concentration a little, I heard the sounds around me that started to become busier before I knew it.
“I will pay more. Please extend the time.”
“Surely Lady Diana is an apprentice witch of the great Countess Yesod. I hope you understand the importance of the promise.”
Diana, who was about to be stubborn, nodded her head proudly, managing her frown.
“Then, I will come tomorrow before business. Get ready.”
“All right. I will drive you to the front, so please take a look.”
Diana decided to step out in front of the host bar while being seen off by Siu.
I will definitely come back here tomorrow.
