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The Count's Go board was of Chinese design, wide and heavy, with low legs so that it could be placed on a table, with the legs carved to resemble bamboo and on the corners decorated with bamboo leaves. It was superbly made and, Touya was sure, unique in the world.

"Shall we start?" the Count asked, after arranging the Go board on the table below to his satisfaction. He took a seat opposite them, every movement languid and dainty, and inclined his head politely with a smile.

There was danger in that smile. Something told Touya that the Count was no amateur at the game. Despite his young-looking face, the Count gave him the impression of someone who had played hundreds and thousands of games, and had triumphed in them without the least difficulty. Odd, because surely no ordinary human should have been able to give that impression of experience.

Shindou nodded eagerly. "Yeah, of course," he said, leaning forward in anticipation. "Shall we nigiri?"

"Ah, but my dear boy," the Count said, tittering. "You are a professional. Highly ranked, I'm sure. Don't you think you ought to give me a handicap?" he teased.

Touya swallowed as all signs turned to 'danger' at that. The Count, he was sure, was tricking Shindou into insulting him. Shindou, he wanted to say, don't give him a handicap. And without knowing how, Touya sensed that it would be deadly to offer this Count D an insult.

Seconds passed. Shindou stared at the Count in perplexity. "A handicap?" Shindou asked in genuine confusion. "Why?"

Touya remembered belatedly that in all the years he had turned pro, Shindou had never seen the necessity of offering a handicap except to his students. Even with amateurs, strangers, and other challengers, Shindou always took them at face value, and played with them without compromise. It earned him a dangerous reputation, as he often ending up defeating other players in no time.

The Count smiled a little. "I was thinking that it might make it fairer to me," he suggested in his friendliest voice.

Touya shivered.

Shindou blinked, and shook his head. "No need." His hand went to the fan in his pocket, and brought it out. "In fact," Shindou continued, his eyes narrowed for a second, his grip on the fan showing how serious he was. "I think you should give me a handicap."

The Count stared at him for a second, his eyes widening to their fullest, as though to take in all of Shindou in one look. "Me? I'm just an amateur," he said.

Shindou hesitated, before glancing at Touya as though to ask, 'Am I crazy?'

Touya wondered if there was a way to convey the message, "DANGER", mentally.

With an almost imperceptible nod, Shindou turned to the Count again. "Yes, really," he said, as though to an unspoken question.

The Count's eyes narrowed for a split-second, before he seemed to regain his calm, and even smiled. "Two stones, shall we say?" he asked in an amused voice.

"Pathetically insufficient," Shindou declared, sounding as though he had decided to enter into the spirit of the exchange. "But I'll take it."

Touya watched as Shindou exchanged his white stones for the black ones and placed two stones on the board. His hands went back to his fan, holding it as he bowed. "Please give me your guidance."

The Count eyed the fan, before breaking into a soft laugh. "Ah, let's see how you'll play, then," he said, and waited.

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