Chapter 30.1: ???? ?????? ???????? ???? ?????? ???????? ???????? ???????? (??)
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I never imagined it, but it was really Go. Except for the fact that it was an old-fashioned Go without komi, everything else was the same.
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“This is how you make a house and win. Do you understand?”
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“I understand.”
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“Well, shall we y and learn?”
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Suetlg said, rubbing his palms together. He had been wondering how to pass the time, and it seemed like a good opportunity. ying with this knight dastard on the Go board would also be fun.
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‘???????? ????????????. . . ??????????’?? ???????? ???????? ???? ?? ?????? ???????????? ???? ??????????????, ?????????????? ????’?? ???? ?????????? ?????????’
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The old man seemed to have no conscience, fitting for a wizard. He said it would be with a handicap but didn’t give any points at all. How could this be. . .
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Johan was deep in thought.
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He was much more confident in Go than chess, having spent a lot of time on it as a hobby in the past. Johan, who had held his own against professional yers with just a two-point difference in the opening, felt underestimated by the wizard.
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‘?????? ??’???? ???? ???? ????????.’
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Since the opponent might be an unexpectedly great master, Johan decided to y his best.
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????????????
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“. . . . . .”
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Suetlg’s mouth was agape. His hands were trembling.
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“I swear by the Ipa?l River, this isn’t the skill of a first-timer. . .!”
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“It is my first time.”
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“Even a sultan’s chess yer couldn’t y like this!”
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‘But you can’t.’
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Johan thought to himself but kept his mouth shut. He had many questions for the wizard.
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Honestly, Suetlg’s skills were at best third-ss. Moreover, he only used very old openings, so there was no way he couldpete with Johan.
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It was only because Johan had been considerate from the mid-game that it ended like this; otherwise, Suetlg would have been in tears.
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“Anyway, since I won, may I ask?”
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“One. . .”
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“?”
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“Would you y one more game?”
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“No, the promise is. . .”
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“I’ll keep the promise! I swear on the Ipa?l River’s name, just one more game!”
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‘???????? ???? ????????. . .’
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Johan was incredulous. But he could understand the feeling; Go yers often think they lost due to apse in concentration.
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“If I lose this time, I’ll give you a gift.”
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“Hmm. In that case. . .”
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Johan pretended to hesitate, then quickly epted.
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I thought he had no other talent than wielding a sword, but this was useful!
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????????????
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Suetlg sat with a dazed face. He had been utterly defeated by a young knight new to Go.
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Johan waited patiently out of consideration.
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‘???????? ???? ???? ???????????? ?????? ?????????????? ???? ???????????’
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But Suetlg was not that shameful a wizard. He was initially shocked but soon collected himself and spoke.
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“Ask what you want to know.”
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“Thank you. Then. . .”
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“But if you had yed like this in Go. . .”
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“. . . . . .”
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“Ah. Sorry. Go ahead and ask.”
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“So, what is magic?”
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“It’s listening to the vast nature and understanding itsnguage, then asking them for help.”
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Suetlg answered promptly. It seemed like he had been asked this question more than once.
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“I don’t quite understand.”
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“Of course, you wouldn’t. This is my way of using magic. If you ask another wizard, you’ll get a different answer. Some find secrets in the sequences and patterns of numbers, others discover something among the fumes of sulfur and mercury.”
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“Isn’t it all the same?”
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Suetlg responded irritably to the thoughtless question.
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“Do you handle all weapons well? If there’s a knight who’s good with a sword, there might be one good with a spear. It’s the same with wizards. You shouldn’t think of magic as too easy, nor too hard. Magic is. . . a kind of secret. Those who understand and handle this secret are called wizards. Did that answer your question?”
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“It’s both understandable and not.”
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“If you understood right away, what would I be?”
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“Then I’ll ask more simply. Can I learn magic?”
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“. . .Are you a knight?”
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An outstanding wizard was revered by feudal lords as a trusted advisor or philosopher. They held a position much higher than that of a lower noble. . .
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Just as a knight who earns well doesn’t envy a merchant, it was the same for a wizard.
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“Are there no knights who use magic?”
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“As far as I know, there aren’t. It’s not an easy discipline to learn, and why would a knight bother? I’m called the sage of the Ipa?l River because I learned from my master about the secrets of the Ipa?l River and how to control water and the river. My master learned it from his master. The Ipa?l River is capricious and cunning. . .
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And doesn’t easily reveal its favorite passages. Even if I told you, it’s not something you could easily follow.”
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As Suetlg finished speaking, he pushed the go board aside and called a ve. The ve brought a copper basin with a unique pattern engraved on it.
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“I never thought I’d say this, but. . . there’s nothing good about learning magic. Just be sessful andmand a wizard.”
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If the knights under a feudal lord feared or disliked magic, Suetlg would tease them even more.
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However, Johan couldn’t help but wonder what kind of knight would want to learn magic.
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“Do you know why I took out this bowl?”
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“?”
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“Your next question is, what can be done with magic, isn’t it?”
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“!”