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Reversi
「It’s snowing a lot today」
Looking out of the window from the mansion’s living room, I could see that the world outside was snowing heavily. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
As the season approaches winter from autumn, days where it’s snowing all day long, like today, started to increase.
「It’s also difficult to go out to take a walk when it’s snowing this much」
「Kuuun」
When I told him that there was going to be no walk today, Fuku’s ears drooped as he let out a disappointed cry.
I rub Fuku’s head and ears to console him.
It won’t be a problem if it’s just a little snow but the wind is also blowing strongly.
It might be possible for Fuku himself to go out and play, but I’m just a normal human and I can’t go out in such weather. There’s nothing I can do about this
「How about we play frisbee instead?」
I take out the frisbee from the mystery bag and move around as if to invite him to play with me
「Wan!」
Fuku was dejected, he couldn’t go out to take a walk, but he came over happily as he seemed to want to play and do a physical activity.
You normally can’t play frisbee indoors, but our house is a huge mansion after all.
As expected, we will get scolded if we play in the living room, but we should be able to play at the entrance hall or the hallway.
But of course, it’s not as free as playing outside.
「Ah, I also want to play if it’s frisbee!」
As we were about to move to the entrance hall to play frisbee, Chloe - who had been studying something in the living room - came over.
「.....what about your study?」
「I won’t be able to continue if I don’t take a break once in a while like this」
I feel like I’ve heard a similar line recently.
「.......what?」
「No, it’s nothing」
They were really father and daughter after all, but she would get angry if I said something unnecessary so I just laughed it off and dodged it.
We play frisbee once we arrive at the entrance.
「There!」
I snap my wrist and throw the frisbee horizontally. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Fuku quickly reacted and started running, reached the point where it would land, and jumped to catch the frisbee before it hit the ground.
He catches the frisbee in the air with his mouth. That was an excellent catch as always.
When Fuku returned with the frisbee in his mouth, this time it was Chloe’s turn to throw it.
「Here we go!! Teii!」
The frisbee thrown by Chloe - who is not used to throwing the frisbee - couldn’t make her throw straight as it flew low and veered off in a completely different direction.
「Uwa, neesan is such a brute」
「Tha, that’s not on purpose!」
It’s hard to predict her form and moreover, the frisbee flies low and falls low. It would probably be difficult even for Fuku to catch the frisbee that flies without a bounce.
So I thought, but Fuku showed an astounding reaction speed as he splendidly caught the frisbee that was thrown in another direction.
「Awesome! Fuku can also catch the frisbee with poor control from neesan!」
「…………sorry for my ‘poor control’」
When I collected the frisbee and stroked Fuku’s head, I saw Chloe - who was listening at the side - looking annoyed.
As we were playing and throwing the frisbee like that, Fuku suddenly stopped chasing the frisbee.
「Huh? Arc, Fuku won’t let me take the frisbee!」
「Ahー, I think he got bored」
I realized something as I didn’t move from the entrance at all as I watched Fuku freely roaming around.
Shiba Inu are an intelligent breed and they are also known for getting bored easily.
The first time we played frisbee, he had so much fun that he kept pestering me to play frisbee for half a day, but since he’s used to the game already, he doesn’t pester me anymore. It feels like 30 minutes of playing is enough now. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「What to do?」
「I guess we’re done playing frisbee if he’s like this」
Since Fuku himself is tired of the game, then there’s nothing we can do, even if we invite him to play frisbee.
When we quietly returned to the living room from the entrance, Ziroul - who should be in his office - was inside.
「Ah, tousan」
「If the two of you are free, want to play a game for a bit? I got an interesting toy」
Ziruol grinned and showed us a thin wooden plate-like thing.
It’s a toy I’ve seen somewhere before.
「Is your job alright?」
「.......I need to take a break once in a while」
Ziruol said a line I heard of somewhere before when I asked.
Chloe also has a somewhat uncertain look on her face, perhaps because she thought it was a line she could relate to.
She must feel a mixed feeling that she is steadily becoming more and more like her parent. It might be fine if it’s her mother Runoa, but she probably feels more so when it’s Ziruol.
「What is wrong? What is this strange atmosphere?」
「It’s nothing. Rather than that, what is this interesting toy?」
I evade Ziruo’s question - as he sensed the peculiar atmosphere - and urge him on while taking a seat.
「It is a toy I recently got from the Misphilt kingdom. It is called 『Reversi』」
「Reversi?」
Could it be a toy from my previous world? No, as expected, that must not be the same game. I’m sure it’s a completely different game just with the same name.
「……how do you play it?」
「It is easy to play. You place a piece on the board one by one and put your opponent's pieces between yours to turn them into your color. And when you place your piece, you have to put your opponent's piece between yours - whether vertically, horizontally, or diagonally - and the winner is the person who has the most colored pieces」
When I gingerly asked about it, Ziruol smoothly explained the Reversi to me.
Looking at the thin board, I saw that it was 64 squares arranged in an 8 X 8 grid and the pieces were white on one side and black on the other.
……it’s exactly the same as my previous world’s reversi. Why would this kind of thing appear in another world?
No, there are magic tools that are strikingly similar to refrigerators and dryers, so it’s not strange for there to be such games to be developed here as well. It’s not strange, but would it be possible to be so strikingly similar when you look at its appearance, rules, and even name? www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Say, tousan. Who was the one inventing this toy in the Misphilt kingdom?」
「Apparently, there is someone called Toy King who developed all sorts of toys over there」
「Toy King?」
What’s with that silly name? I wish you could tell me specifically who and where it was made though.....
「And no, I am not joking with you. It seems like no one in the kingdom knows who made it either. One says it was invented by a commoner and the other said it was invented by a certain second son of a countryside lord」
This reversi clearly has the feel of my previous world.
Could it be that there was someone who reincarnated like me, and that person made things from our previous world? The quality of the item was such that it made me doubt it like so.
「I don’t care who made it! You just have to put the opponent’s pieces between yours basically, right? Isn’t that simple!」
「Yosh, then let’s play!」
When Chloe showed eagerness to play, Ziruol cheerfully replied.
「Next will be Arc. Take a good look from there and remember the rules, alright?」
「Okay」
I played a lot in my previous life, so I remember the rules when it comes to reversi.
But, I can’t say that, so I decided to quietly watch over the two of them play against each other with Fuku.
After placing two black and two white pieces in the middle of the board, Ziruol takes the first turn.
Ziruol places a black piece between them and then it’s Chloe’s turn to place a white piece to sandwich them.
There are no big moves since it is the early stages of the game.
They both place their pieces with clicking sounds as they take a few of each other’s pieces in turn.
When the game entered the middle stages, the number of placed pieces increased and the pieces turned over also increased.
「Yay! I was able to put a lot of pieces together!」
「Not bad」
Chloe - the beginner - was the first person able to flip a lot of pieces on the board.
She successfully sandwiched Ziruol’s pieces and made them hers.
She just places her pieces in a place where she can take a lot of pieces from her opponent without thinking of the consequences.
It’s the typical beginner’s mistake.
While allowing Chloe to take his pieces, Ziruol surrounded her pieces calmly to make a comeback later.
Chloe doesn’t realize that her situation is getting worse gradually, as she is happy with the situation before her eyes.
「Tousan, where are you placing your piece next?」
「Hmm, I will place it here. So, this entire row will be flipped, and this diagonal row becomes sandwiched between them so they also become mine」
「......eh eh?」
When Ziruol placed his piece with a click, the pieces that had been Chloe’s started to get flipped over one after another. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
With each turn, Ziruol flips the pieces and Chloe’s area starts to get smaller.
「Umm, I will――」
「You can only place your piece where it is between mine. Chloe can only place here and there」
I wonder where her vigor at the start goes, Chloe just placed her piece as she was told.
「...........」
She only flipped one piece.
It is now her opponent’s turn as Ziruol took about 10 pieces of Chloe’s pieces in one go.
As they reached the latter half of the game, Chloe almost had no place to put her piece….
「Hahaha I win!」
「Ehー! Why did I lose?」
The board was mostly covered in Ziruol’s piece color which is black. It’s Ziruol’s overwhelming victory. I thought he was so childish as his opponent was a beginner, but it really seemed like Ziruol to not hold back even if his opponent was a kid.
「Fuhaha! You’re next Arc!」
Changing places with Chloe, it is now my turn to play against Ziruol.
「Arc, take revenge for me!」
「I’ll do my best」
「Did you understand the rules after watching the previous game?」
「Un, somehow」
「I am someone who will not go easy even if it is a game. I am sorry for this, but you are going to go through the same experience as Chloe, you know?」
Anyone will understand after seeing the previous game, but it is refreshing to see him declaring that so honestly like this. While waiting for the game to start with Fuku on my lap, Ziruol cleared the pieces on the board and placed two of each piece in the middle.
「I will let you have the first turn」
「Thank you」
The color of each of us is the same as in the previous game, Ziruol is black, while mine is white.
Since he gave me the first move this time, I placed my white piece first, and then followed by Ziruol’s black piece.
In the case of a match between beginners, the one who took the corners first will almost always win.
The standard moves are to first get the corners and play so the opponent won’t be able to take them.
Your chance to win will increase just by being mindful not to place your piece on the X-square, one space inside from the corner.
This game is a competition to see how many moves are left before you are forced to play on the X-square.
And to achieve this, I make sure to take as few pieces as possible in the early stages of the game.
「Eh! Arc, you can flip three pieces if you place your piece here you know!」
When I placed a piece where I could only flip over a single piece, Chloe said that while leaning forward. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「It’s fine, I’m placing it here」
「Eh? Are you sure? You’re going to lose at this rate you know」
「Are you sure about that move?」
「It’s fine it’s fine」
Not only Chloe, but even my opponent - Ziruol - asks in concern.
If you could flip 3 of your opponent's pieces at once, you could instead make 3 separate moves that each flip a piece. Just because it’s easier to take 3 pieces at once with a piece, you will only get to make one move.
That would mean shortening the race to the X-square - which I’m trying to avoid - by two moves and effectively shortening my life in the game. So I should take a few pieces at the early stages of the game.
Ignoring Chloe’s voice who constantly asks me in worry, I take as few pieces as I can.
Ziruol has a puzzled expression on his face seeing me purposely taking fewer pieces.
From his perspective, my way of playing may have looked like I was doing it to make myself lose.
Ziruol - who couldn’t see through my strategy - could only be said to be someone who had just left the beginner level, so he wasn’t that skilled in reversi yet.
「Lookー, didn’t I tell you before! Arc has very few pieces left!」
As we continued our turn, I only had nine pieces left, while Ziruol had more than 20 pieces.
If a beginner were to see this, then it might look like it is my overwhelming loss but that is not the actual case.
「No no, the battle only begins now」
I led Ziruol to take the square one space inside from the corner.
When I took the corner as though to put his piece between mine, I flipped his pieces in one go.
「Hooh? You’re doing good, eh」
Although I flipped over many pieces, there is still a big difference in the number of pieces between us.
Ziruol grabs his own piece while smiling calmly.
As we continued placing our pieces with clicking sounds, many of Ziruol’s pieces continued to be flipped.
And in comparison, the number of pieces Ziruol can flip over was very few.
My pieces gradually increase and Ziruol’s pieces start to decrease.
「Huh? There are more and more Arc’s pieces suddenly?」
It seems like Ziruol finally realized it at this point. There are a few places where he can place his pieces.
「Nununu!」
He froze for about 10 seconds and then placed his pieces in the places I led him to.
This could be said to be a bad move in reversi.
If you place those pieces over then later I will just have to slowly place my pieces until I take the corner.
Each time I place my piece, a large number of pieces are flipped. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
It feels really good to continue taking away the opponent’s pieces in one go.
「Next is tousan’s turn」
「Gununu, pass」
As the game entered the latter half, Ziruol had no more place to put his pieces and ended up passing his turn.
While Ziruol can’t place his pieces, I freely place my pieces on the board.
Then, the surface of the board is entirely covered in white pieces, and it is Ziruol’s loss.
「I win」
「Eh! That’s amazing! Arc!」
「Wait! I was just careless before! One more game, Arc!」
The moment I announced my victory, Ziruol said that while leaning forward.
Chloe backs away in response to his desperation.
「Can’t be helped then. Just once okay?」
I decided to accept it since Ziruol was asking so seriously.
But with Ziruol’s skill - which is slightly better than a beginner - he can’t avoid this strategy.
As a result, he lost twice in a row in the same manner.
「Why! How could I lose!」
I often played reversi ever since I was a kid, and even when I became an adult, I played the game on apps. It is simply the difference between experience and knowledge due to the number of matches one has played.
「Arc, once more!」
「Don’t wanna. You said we’re just going to play once!」
「Please just ignore it and let’s play again!」
I don’t know when Ziruol got his hands on the reversi and how many times he played it so it’s natural there’s going to be a difference in our skill, but of course, there’s no way he could know that.
As a result, each time I won Ziruol would request to have another match.
「Ziruol! How long are you going to play with the children? You haven’t finished your work yet!」
As we were having a reversi match, I don’t know how many times it has been, Runoa and the servants entered the living room. It seems like Runoa is angry at Ziruol - who is immersed in the reversi - since she calls out with such a loud voice.
While it’s fine to take a break, it has been about 2 hours since.
It’s no wonder Runoa is angry since this kind of thing happened given that it’s already an incredibly busy time. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Wait a minute! We are just at a good stage right now!」
「No! We are already busy preparing for winter, we don’t have time to play around!」
「Da, darn it, let go! You guys! I’m going to beat Arc and regain my dignity as a father!」
Ziruol resisted being taken out and left the table, but the servants forcibly removed him from the table as a group and dragged him away.
I think that exposing himself to such disgraceful behavior is destroying his dignity as a father instead.
「……I’m finally free」
「Yes, we are going to play next―」
「I wonder if Chloe had enough rest already?」
「I guess it’s time for me to go back studying!」
As Chloe was about to pick up the reversi to play, Runoa’s words made her straighten her back, and she picked up her original studying tool and left the living room.
Even though she was studying in the living room until a while ago.
「Arc can play here, but you can’t bother Chloe, alright?」
「U, un. Okay」
Runoa smiled in satisfaction and left the room after seeing me nodding.
Guess no one could win against an angry mother even in another world.
Once Runoa leaves, the living room becomes quiet. Fuku and I are the only ones left here.
「Wan wan!」
As I was resting and sitting on the chair, Fuku - who had been sitting on my lap - moved to the opposite chair.
He skillfully sat on the chair and barked.
「Eh? Fuku also wants to play reversi?」
「Wan!」
When I asked him to see if he wanted to try, Fuku nodded as if that was the case.
「Are you sure? Do you know the rules?」
「Wan!」
It seems like he knows about it. He might be sitting on my lap the whole time seeing my reversi gane to understand the rules. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Okay. Then let’s try playing first」
After tidying up the board for a while, I returned the board to its initial layout.
「Fuku can go first」
「Wan!」
After telling him to move first, Fuku held the black piece in his mouth and skillfully placed it on the designated square.
Eh? What is that, so cute. I want to keep looking at that forever.
The scene of Fuku picking up each piece and holding it in his mouth was really cute.
I start placing my white piece while being impressed at his smooth progress.
His pieces are not placed randomly. They are placed in positions where they can properly capture the opponent’s pieces while following the rules.
It looks like he understands the rules because he’s been watching our game all along.
........amazing, our pet dog is playing a reversi.
As we continued placing out pieces with clicking sounds while I was feeling emotional about that fact, 90% of the board was filled in with white pieces.
As expected, Fuku couldn’t beat me in a real match even if the smart Fuku watched our match the whole time.
「It’s my win」
「Wan wan」
「One more game? Sure」
After tidying up the pieces on the board, the board is returned to its initial layout and we have a rematch.
It’s also my win for the second match. It’s just that, the white pieces on the board became 80% this time.
I feel like it became just a little bit tougher than before.
Maybe it’s because he watched our match many times that he understands my strategy and Fuku was also starting to use the same strategy.
「Wan wan!」
And when he begged me to have a third match, this time it was also my victory but the white pieces’ proportion on the board became 70%.
It felt like there were times when I was lured to get trapped instead of him falling for my obvious trap. No doubt about it, Fuku becomes stronger with each match.
I might be the one who loses in the next match.
Then, in our fourth match.....
「Waah! I lost!」
Finally, I lost to Fuku and the black piece's proportion on the board was 60% and white was 40%.
Although I was tired due to the successive match against Ziruol, it was shocking for me to lose against the beginner Fuku in our fourth match. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
Even though I’m confident with my skills from the experience from my previous life.
「This is simply frustrating!」
Was it really this frustrating when you lose in a match despite believing that you have an overwhelming advantage than the opponent?
I feel like I understood Ziruol’s feelings when he challenged me to rematch so many times.
「I want to say that we have one more game and this time I will win, but I’m a little tired……」
I would like to play again and have my revenge on Fuku for losing, but as expected, I’ve been playing reversi for 3 hours already,y I was tired now. My head feels foggy and I can’t think clearly.
「Kuuun」
Fuku nudged me with his foreleg as if trying to ask me to play reversi with him as I was lying and rolling on the carpet in exhaustion. Fuku still seemed to want to have a rematch but unfortunately, I couldn’t keep up.
As I was lying on the carpet and playing around with Fuku, Tyrol suddenly entered the living room.
Fuku abruptly raises his body and starts running out as if he found a good playmate.
「Wan wan!」
「Chun?」
Fuku ran around Tyrol’s feet and invited him to play reversi.
After placing the reversi on the carpet so it would be easier for Tyrol to play, Fuku barked and started explaining the rules to Tyrol.
All I can hear are 「Wan wan」 and 「Chun chun」, but I’m pretty sure the two of them are having a detailed conversation over there.
After a few minutes, it seems like Tyrol has grasped the rules of reversi.
Tyrol raised a white piece with his beak and placed it on a square as if to sandwich the initially placed pieces.
Fuku - who has the second turn - puts a black piece in his mouth and starts placing his piece, and then Tyrol calls for and places his white piece.
.......the familiars started to play reversi of their own.
I know that Fuku and Tyrol understand what we are saying, so I knew they are quite intelligent, but I didn’t think it was at the level where they could play reversi.
The sight of Fuku hunched its back and round, plump Tyrol sitting down as they gathered around the reversi board was really endearing I wish I had a camera to capture the moment. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
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