The Eastern Nation was changing for the better; they were now paying more attention to nature due to the previous events that had traumatized them.
Nic was lying down in his inn.
"Are the problems really over..."
[ No one knows for sure, Master Nic. ]
"Hah... at least I don't have to act like a hero anymore. Time to relax..."
Just as he was about to relax, someone knocked on Nic's door.
It was a male voice. Curious, Nic went to open it, thinking maybe it was a neighbor staying at the same inn.
"Hello, I'm the new neighbor in the next room. Sorry if I disturb you, I can be a bit noisy sometimes—eh... HEEEEE!??? SENIOR NICC!??" said the guy, who turned out to be Zane.
"Huh? Zane? What are you doing here?" Nic asked.
"Ah, well, Solis Academy is doing a student exchange with one of the best schools in the Eastern. I'm happy because I can study in such a beautiful country and don't have to fight those wannabe-tough gangs anymore," Zane said.
"Hm, come inside first."
Nic invited Zane in to talk further.
"By the way, Senior Nic, regarding the big incident in the West... everyone already knows who Senior Nic really is... Turns out you were the face behind the Death Raven?" Zane said.
Nic nodded since he couldn't deny it anymore. "Yeah, but you don't need to talk about that here, okay?"
"SAFE, SENIOR! By the way, there are some Unity members who joined the student exchange," Zane said, showing a photo taken before they left.
In the photo, only 3 Unity members—or rather, Nic's girlfriends—were visible: Olivia, Lily, and Chloe.
"Hm, I thought Leona and Vivi would be chosen too," Nic said, confused.
"They were actually chosen, but because their intentions didn't seem serious, they were replaced," Zane explained.
"Geez, those two... so, are you the only one staying here?" Nic asked.
"Correct. I deliberately separated myself to stay at a village inn, while the others are at a hotel in the Eastern Capital area."
"Hm, I see... I have an order for you." Nic pointed at Zane seriously.
"Huh, my first mission?? WHAT IS IT, SENIOR!!" Zane said excitedly.
"Tell all the Solis Academy students that I am here. But when they return or even right now, they must not tell anyone outside the Eastern that I am here, understood?" Nic explained.
"Hehe, that's easy, Senior Nic. Alright then, I'll excuse myself first! The bus is coming soon!" Zane left quickly.
Nic smiled. "Olivia... Lily... and Chloe?? Looks like I'll be meeting them. AGH, I FORGOT TO ASK ZANE WHICH SCHOOL HE'S DOING THE EXCHANGE WITH!?"
[ He said the best school here, Master Nic. You can just ask someone else. ]
"Oh, right... I'll try asking Hinata."
Nic immediately rushed to Hinata's house, but she wasn't there; likely she was in the garden. In front of her house, only Aurelia was watering the plants.
"Hello, Aurelia," Nic greeted warmly.
"Oh, hello Nic! What's up?" Aurelia said with a smile.
"Do you know the best school in the Eastern?" Nic asked.
"The best school? Obviously I know, since I happen to be an alumna there, haha. The school is in the Osaqi territory near the capital, and its name is Qwelin Academy."
"Wow, you're an alumna there? Thanks for the info!" Nic said, leaving immediately.
Aurelia just tilted her head in confusion. "Hm, you're welcome..."
After that, Nic tried to check out Qwelin Academy.
---
A few moments later, Nic arrived in Osaqi territory, which was extremely clean and well-organized, from the height of the buildings to the decorative trees.
"Hm, looks like the leader of Osaqi territory is a huge perfectionist," Nic said in admiration.
Then Nic arrived in front of the Qwelin Academy area. The academy looked massive, seemingly capable of accommodating hundreds of students.
Suddenly, Nic was greeted from behind by a girl wearing a neat Qwelin Academy uniform with sharp eyes. She was holding Chess and Go pieces.
"Hey, are you a Qwelin student?" the girl asked while lifting her Chess and Go pieces.
Before Nic could answer, she cut him off again.
"Okay, no need to answer. Now choose one of the two pieces I'm holding."
The girl showed a black Knight piece from Chess and a black stone from Go.
Nic was confused.
"Hm... well then, I choose this round one. I've never played it before either." Nic pointed at the black Go stone.
The girl smiled, clenched the black Go stone, and tossed away the black Chess Knight.
"In that case... ahem!!!"The girl snapped her fingers, and maids appeared.
The maids brought cushions to sit on, a Go board table, and even drinks.
"Huh, we're playing right here? But this is outside, and lots of people are passing by," Nic said, confused.
"We're just playing, not doing anything weird. Anyway, since you chose, come fight me." The girl insisted.
"Wait, but I don't understand what the game is like!"
The girl clapped her hands, and her maid appeared again, immediately explaining how to play to Nic, but in a voice as tiny as an ant and very fast, making Nic annoyed and speechless.
"Useless... better ask Zeta. Zeta, explain this Go game," Nic said internally.
[ Master Nic doesn't want to use the Fusion Esport Skill directly? ]
"That would make me good at it, but it's pointless if I don't understand it... at least let me understand the basics first," Nic said, annoyed.
[ Very well, here is how to play: Go is a territory control game. You and your opponent take turns placing stones on the intersections of the grid. The goal is to surround empty areas to claim them as territory. If you surround your opponent's stones completely, you capture them. The player with the most territory at the end wins. ]
While this was being explained, students from Qwelin Academy who had just arrived weren't surprised to see someone playing Go outside like this.
"Ahah, looks like someone got caught again by the board game queen maniac," one student said.
"Heyyy Lingmei, the welcoming ceremony for the exchange students is starting soon, don't you want to go in?" Lingmei's friend said.
"Wait, I'm about to play Go. Hey, come on, do you understand yet?" Lingmei said.
Nic looked at her and decided to play casually first, not aiming to win yet.
"Huh... I'm ready if you insist," Nic said.
Lingmei smiled and laughed, and then they started playing.
Meanwhile, from a distance at the Qwelin Academy entrance gate, Olivia, Lily, and Chloe stood there, looking in Nic's direction.
"Is that Nic...?"
To be continued...