Tanya's group was now in the bar instead of underground, Miakil was "Spreading her wings" outside the bar but was ordered by Tanya not to leave the area where the bar was. Tanya was also back in the outfit Nana's grandfather made for her, the encounter with "Blank" yesterday made her feel like she would be safer without her military uniform on. Still she kept it in a safe place, despite her less than enjoyed time in her previous life, she still had enough fond memories to keep the uniform.

Hannis leaned back in his seat, "Unfortunately the elf is our biggest problem. She has the most power out of all four bosses and even has influence on their senate. So I could only get so much information in trade from her."

Tanya nodded, "Indeed, I probably have enough information to take on the Dwarf and Werebeast bosses even if I challenged them directly. But with Elf while it is still possible to win a game against her, I would stand a better chance if I got to decide the rules of the game, so she would have to challenge me."

Tanya looked over her plans some more, "But I would like to have all three of them taken down at the same time, So Ideally I would need to play against all three of them."

Nana gasped, "A four-way game? That sounds fun!"

Tanya looked over her shoulder and noticed Nana was playing darts instead of looking over the paper of lessons she had requested from Tanya! "Nana, if I catch you not reviewing the sheet again, I am telling your grandparents you've been hanging out at a bar."

Nana nearly fell over from being distraught, "F-fine Master!" She went back to the sheet.

Then everyone inside the bar heard the door forced open despite it being on a lock

"Jibril I told you I could open it!"

"Well Miakil you were delaying me with such an egregious and boring conversation and I had to deliver my master's message to 'Tanya-chan' as soon as I could.

"My Mistress is too busy for the so-crowned King and Queen!"

"I don't think you are given a choice in a monarchy, she will have to answer the summons right?"

By the time Tanya made it to the door a crowd had formed, all seeing two Flügel argue outside.

Tanya did not have the time for this but technically Jibril was right, she could not exactly deny the summons of the rulers of Elkia unless she won that right, 'maybe I should just avoid this in the future,' she thought to herself before loudly clapping her hands together.

"Miakil, get inside."

"B-but Mistress Tanya-"

"Don't call me that!" Great now all these people had heard it and knew it referred to Tanya. Much to the girl's dismay.

"Now you, other Flügel, what do you want?"

Jibril looked offended, "Surely you have not forgotten my name."

"No, I just did not care to call you by it since you caused a scene."

It was a fair enough point for Jibril to drop it, for now. 'Honestly, I wonder where this feeling of power comes from. I informed my masters that I felt the Spirit Circuits had a connection to this girl here. But I could not tell how. Miakil probably knows though.' She is sure her masters will figure out how Tanya's power works later.

"My masters ordered me to deliver this letter of summons to you Tanya-chan."

"Don't call me that either," Of the few things Tanya missed from her previous world, It was being called Major or other military titles, neither of those made her feel awkward like how 'chan' and 'mistress' did. She took the letter and looked it over.

To our dearest friend Tanya-chan,

We of 『 』invite you to the castle this evening to get to know each other by partaking in the best bonding activity there is.

-yours truly, King Sora and Queen Shiro

A vein popped on Tanya's forehead, this was what they sent Jibril here for?! To deliver a written letter that they or Jibril could have told her? What is with these two? Tanya did not even want to know what those NEET perverts defined the "Best bonding activity" as. And yet she did not have a choice.

"Fine, but know I am leaving the moment things get weird." Tanya knew it was unlikely she could keep that promise. Before she left though she went back into the bar and grabbed Miakil and Nana, she felt they would be needed.

At Elkia Castle Jibril had led Tanya and her group all the way to the throne room. Tanya had to make sure Nana did not steal anything, the kid was just begging for Tet to punish her for constantly breaking the first pledge. Tanya thinks the only reason Nana is still alive is because she could technically win ownership of anything she steals, but she actually has to challenge someone to do that.

When they got to the throne room they saw Stephanie finishing off dusting the room, something that should have been a castle maids job.

"Dola, why are you cleaning the throne room?"

Stephanie huffed, "Those two somehow left a mess on the throne."

Jibril looked around at the spotless room, "But why is the whole room-"

Stephanie held her hands together and overly sweetly said, "Because Sora asked me to make sure the room was spick and span."

There were no maids in the room, Steph had turned their help away when they insisted they do it. She then realized what she was doing and banged her head against the floor multiple times, "No not again! no!"

Miakil giggled a little, "That woman sure is a strange one."

If Tanya could guess, this princess became infatuated with Sora after losing a game, or rather she was forced to after Sora won. Tanya cursed that boy in her head. But speaking of one of the siblings, just where were they? She was told to come here by their letter after all.

"Where the hell is 'blank' right now? I came all the way here and while I expected there would be a reason, I feel like at bare minimum they should be here if they were going to make me come all the way here," Tanya spoke formerly, a feigning act of respect to two people she could not respect any less. The two are lucky she has no evidence they are communists, she would speak vial of them at every mention of them.

"Oh right, guess they never left." Stephanie grumbled a little, "First they push off looking through the library they just won from Jibril, and now they don't show up for the thing they pushed it off for!"

"Where are they now?" Tanya dared to ask.

What she saw a few minutes later was both depressing and yet not surprising, given their proud NEET status.

She was brought to a room that was an actual hovel, and there the two were, playing a game while lying on a futon of hay.

Stephanie cleared her throat getting the sibling's attention.

"Oh hey Steph, are you here to remind us that Tanya-chan is on her way?"

Stephanie clenched a poor innocent piece of paper in her hands, "No because I got distracted from cleaning up the mess you two left."

Shiro yawned, "Don't be such a Steph, Steph. We did not mean it- Oh hey Tanya-Chan is behind her."

Shiro and Sora ran up to Tanya before the girl could even say so much as a 'hey' to them, Shiro managed to hug Tanya and rub her face against Tanya's cheek.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Tanya then glared at Sora before he could even reach her, "Touch me. I'll castrate you. And I never make empty threats."

Sora held where his precious manhood was and moved back a little, "J-jeez what did I do."

He also looks disappointed, "and where is your military uniform?"

Tanya pushed Shiro off her with her hand, "Honestly, having me come all this way just to waste my time. I am leaving."

Tanya made for the door Jibril was in the way and Miakil and Nana were still on the other side.

"Wait sorry Tanya-chan, we actually did have a very good reason to get you here," Sora said with a tinge of remorse in his voice for almost scaring her off, again. Shiro nodded to confirm she too thought it was important.

"Fine, you have five minutes to give me an actual reason to stay."

Tanya and the others followed after Sora and Shiro through the castle as they were headed to a specific room but not the throne room like Tanya thought. Stephanie was about to say something but Sora cut her off as if he knew she was going to give away their intentions.

"You see I think we got off on the wrong foot the other day. We came in unannounced. You said mean words that you said out of frustration."

"No, I meant every word I said, especially the insulting one," Tanya said clearly.

Sora held his chest as Shiro rubbed her arm for comfort. He then went on with what he was saying, "Well I think we just need to get to know each other better-"

Tanya tapped her left arm with her right hand's pointer finger, "You know more than you should. Or was hearing about the basics of my second life somehow not enough?"

Sora abruptly looked back at Tanya, "Can you let me finish at least?"

After waiting for a bit he continued, "So we need something to bond us and put contentions aside, and there is but one big bonding experience that never fails."

Sora and Shiro push a door open, inside is a large bathhouse room, and both Sora and Shiro say, "Bathing together."

Tanya's eyes twitch, again, she is not surprised but she is shocked she did not anticipate this.

Nana brushed her hair a little, "Oh I love baths! but I've never seen a whole room for it! This is perfect."

Miakil hummed, "Maybe I can clean my Mistress and get some close inspection while I am-"

"NO!" Tanya's voice boomed loudly.

"This really was a waste of my time."

Sora sulked, "But I actually thought it would be helpful."

Shiro patted her brother on the back, "It is alright, we just did the bathing event without getting enough hearts yet."

Tanya was not going to stick around any further, but now that they were here she could do something to ensure they could not waste her time again.

"I have more important things to do and I can't have you possibly using your royal status as a reason to get me here in the future, So I challenge you to a game."

Sora stopped sulking and smirked a little, "Oh is that so? We were also hoping to play an actual game with you anyways, so this works as well."

Tanya crossed her arms together, "If I win, you will be unable to summon me to the castle again. If you actually need me for something important, His and Her Royal Highness will have to come to me." Her vitriolic tone made it clear she did not think they deserved the title of king and queen but did not care to usurp power from them just keep them away from her.

Sora and Shiro had no push back from that as they knew exactly what they would get if they won, "fine, but if we win, you have to join us here," Sora pointed behind him with his thumb at the bathhouse, Shiro then added, "also, if it somehow ends in a draw again, we both get what we want."

Tanya smiled with a bit of disdain painted on her face, "I fully intend to win, don't expect the mercy of a draw again."

Sora and Shiro back with a look of confidence, "Same to you. Because no matter what, Blank does not lose."

Before them was a chess board, Sora and Shiro as the challenged party got to pick the game, so they picked chess. While the game was set up, the two had told Tanya Shiro that they had never lost a game against chess a.i, and systems meant to beat pros and masters of chess. Sora and Shiro were very confident they could beat her. But Tanya was not worried, she could win as well if the battlefield has taught her anything, it is that no matter how many numbers they have or how strategically planned the enemy was, they will always leave an opening. It is that you strike.

Aschente!

Sora and Shiro went first, Shiro moving the first white pawn that was in front of the king, to e3.

Tanya moved her first black pawn from the front of a rook to h6.

"Interesting."

Tanya heard Sora but did not say anything, whatever he thinks she did or however he thinks it is to his advantage, he is wrong. She will not let them psych her out.

Sora and Shiro make their next move by moving their next pawn right across from the first pawn Tanya moved, to the h4 spot.

Tanya wondered what their plan was as she worried they already figured out a way to win so early on. But that was ridiculous, so she moved her right-most knight to f6.

'So long as they don't move their bishop and knight as well, I could have the all-clear to win this quickly. But that would be too easy.' Despite how they carry themselves Tanya knew the siblings were smarter than they looked.

Sora and Shiro meanwhile had their own thoughts running through their minds, Sora, in particular, thought something interesting, 'I think I see her moves, she is planning on getting more than just pawns out while also clearing the way for her king to have no pieces between it and a rook. That means we...'

He moved another pawn to g4. Tanya in turn moved a pawn forward one space to e6. It was just as Sora thought or so it seemed. He moved the pawn he moved before up one to g5, putting it in range of getting Tanya's knight which would force her to move it. At least it should have.

Tanya instead moved her bishop to c5.

Sora was surprised as we Shiro, who decided that she should take the knight anyways in exchange for the pawn, which was how the exchange went down, making it their turn again.

'Why would she sacrifice her knight like that?' Sora then remembered Tanya was not phased after they told her of Shiro's calculated victories against any and all advantaged Chess programs. He looked at Shiro, it was just like with Tet, Shiro could beat any program because it would always make the most sensible and best play, but a human could make a terrible move on purpose to trap someone else. But what trap could this be? A move like that made more sense later in the game.

But then Tanya spoke, "I have to make advanced calculations in my head all the time now," Tanya had not told them in their previous meeting that she still had magic but she was sure Jibril had informed them of a possible reading, if Miakil could do it Jibril could as well. But neither of them could know that now she had to do all the magic formulas and calculations in her own mind to actually make the magic happen, unlike the previous world where they had machinery and analog systems that did that for mages. So chess predictions and calculations were a cake walk for her now.

"I know just as many moves ahead of time as you can make. Logically, that means all I have to do is make moves that would ruin a perfect game to win." Tanya knew how little that made sense, but it was truthful, you make dumb moves when it makes the least amount of sense to throw your opponents off. Her telling them this was also part of her plan because her conclusion was they would overthink their every move.

But she was not the only one to make surprising plays, as Sora just moved an unmoved pawn to f4, "Shiro you just keep an eye out for any mistakes I make. I will be the only one to make moves though."

Shiro nodded, they could beat Tanya together just like they beat Tet.

Tanya not see another easy move, just moved a pawn up to a5. Then Sora moved a pawn to d4, once again putting a piece of hers in range of attack, but he also left his king open. Curious about what he would do, Tanya put her bishop in B4, checking his king. She had expected him to move a pawn forward but instead, he put a knight in the way. Either goading her into exchanging a knight for a bishop or making her piece retreat, Tanya chose the latter option and moved the bishop to D6 and out of harm's way.

'until then they only moved pawns, so why now?' she had to think about it since every move had a meaning.

Sora moved a pawn to b4, basically leaving that pawn open since there was nothing to attack her pawn in range if she moved it, so she did, taking that pawn. Sora then moved his knight to b5 which would allow him to take the bishop Tanya had moved before. So she was once again forced to move it for safety giving the siblings another turn.

Sora moved a pawn up to a4, right next to her pawn that had taken his pawn before. it was then Tanya moved a pawn up to c6, putting his knight in danger. Sora however just moved a pawn up to c3. This could have made her use her pawn to take the knight, it seemed perfect for her, to perfect. Instead, she had the pawn from before taking the pawn that was just moved. Sora again, just moved a pawn piece forward one space.

He was leaving his knight open and it felt like a trap. So she moved a pawn forward to h5.

"Hey Tanya-chan, want to trade Bishops with me?" Sora said calmly as he placed a bishop in a3, putting it right in the line of her Bishop. However, if she attacked it would allow a rook to take it. However, she realized something very quickly, no matter what she did she would lose this bishop. Because the pawn she had in the g was now in the f collum, so she could not move the bishop that way. And if she moved back Sora's bishop could still take it, the only pawn she could use to block it would still leave her open next turn and if she took the bishop then the knight could take the bishop. No matter what, the bishop was gone. So it was up to her how this bishop exchange went down. She chooses the order of pawn, bishop, bishop, knight. Simply because right afterward, her queen took the knight just as it put the king in check.

Now both of them had lost a bishop and a knight. A bead of sweat went down Tanya's neck whole at the same not some sweat came down Sora and Shiro's faces. Both had nowhere to go from here for once, their assumptions and moves led them here but neither could predict the other's moves perfectly.

But Tanya was sure Sora had a reason for doing that Bishop exchange. She just could not think of what it was, they had used her own logic against her to place her bishop in a trap, only now it left them with just pawns out of their original spots.

Then at Shiro's suggestion, Sora moved a rook to h3, placing it in range of the pawn that had been moved the most forward by Tanya. deciding she needed them to move their queen anyway, Tanya moved the pawn forward, forcing the other queen to take it.

Tanya then moved a pawn to b5, either she would take the pawn's next turn or they would take the pawn on this turn, leaving their other rook open for her rook. Instead, they made the smarter play of just moving the pawn forward, so that if she took it with her rook it would be exposed instead. An obvious play of course she should have expected that.

'And yet...' Tanya bit her thumb, she became exactly what she tried to get Sora and Shiro to do, an overthinker of every move. But the same could be said of Sora and Shiro.

Both Tanya and the siblings thought the same things, 'If I make this next move, how will they respond?' constantly. They could only plan so many moves ahead before it was squandered by their opponent's very next move.

Another series of moves caused another bishop exchange to happen, leaving both sides without a bishop. Sora tried to trap Tanya's queen but it left a pawn open which saved Tanya's queen. Tanya decided to castle a few turns later as she felt like Sora was setting her up for check again. Soon rooks were exchanged as well.

Then after another three turns in an attempt to take Sora's queen, She left her own queen open to pawn of all things.

over the next seven turns, Tanya had gotten Sora and Shiro's final rook only to lose her final knight two turns later, she herself had lost her final rook before that, leaving just pawns and kings left for either side.

Both Tanya and Sora had managed to turn one pawn into a queen, but it was for naught as both got exchanged to save Sora's king. after that it was down to one pawn each. And one king each. Both pawns are in a position to become a queen, both in a position to be immediately taken by the king or even taken right now.

"Unbelievable," Tanya muttered, the moment the pawns were lost it would just be the kings, meaning it would be a stalemate. Making it a draw. AGAIN!

"No kidding, thought for sure I had this three turns ago," Sora muttered into his hand.

Shiro raised a hand, "I propose a redo!"

Tanya nodded, "Agreed."

By the time Nana had fallen asleep, their second did not end any better. Instead, this time it ended in a dead position, each only had pawns and kings left. None of the pawns could move forward because there was a pawn in front of them but none were in a position where they could be attacked. The king was entirely cut off from the other side of the board and while they could carefully pick off pawns with their kings, that would once again leave them with just their kings. Meaning no matter what they did they would have insufficient material to place the other in check. Hence, dead position.

Sora scratched his head, "So, we either accept the draw or play again."

"Yup," Shiro said with a blank expression as she was just surprised it happened twice in the same game.

Tanya had a deadpan look, once again a tie was the better option. Probability dictated eventually one side would win even if they tied time and time again eventually there would be a clear winner. But each game would weigh on their patience, and no matter what the three of them would do, eventually, their brain would clock out for them and they would make horrible plays, and this time not on purpose. Which could end badly for her.

Sora held out a hand, "So, if we accept the draw, we can't make you come to us but you have to do that bonding we mentioned before you leave today. I don't mind continuing though, but I think we both don't want to take the chance of luck turning against us."

Tanya stared at Sora and Shiro, if she did not know any better she would think this was the outcome they wanted, 'that could not be though. Even they seemed perturbed when we drawed twice.'

"Fine, but I refuse to have you there as well," Tanya said while she shook the hand.

"Oh that is fine," Shiro smiled brightly, "You see aside from hating baths, if I must take one I have to have Sora nearby. But because it would be wrong and illegal if he saw me naked he has to stay in a place close by where he can't see me. So you will be safe as well. Oh, also steam is very important!"

Tanya was not sure how to take all of that. But then again she was not safe from Shiro, was she?

"M-master this soap is weird!" Nana said as she along with Steph, Shiro, and Tanya were caught up in the odd squiggly dispenser of the Flügel's special shampoo and soap.

"I-I swear you better get this under control or I will make you pay for this," Tanya said with a bit of pink on her cheeks as Shiro was basically forced against her by the dispenser that had them wrapped up.

"I-it is hard enough just to clean Shiro's hair with this thing let alone two or even three girls! Jibril, Miakil, at least give me something less demeaning to use!"

Shiro hummed, "I do not mind, I think Tanya-chan and I can still reach each other's hair like this."

Tanya grumbled a little before shouting, "You are enjoying this a little too much!"

"No fair I wanted to wash master's hair!" Nana complained as Steph struggled to get the shampoo into their hair.

Miakil was holding her lips, watching with eager anticipation, "M-maybe Mistress needs help with her hair. That Shiro girl as well."

Sora meanwhile puffed air from his nose, "Missing all the action and hearing it all makes it feel like torture." He said while trying to focus on his phone.

"Master, are you perhaps jealous you cannot take part?" Jibril smiled cheekily, "Because Tanya, Shiro, And Nana are in there?"

Sora rapidly waved his hands in front of him, "I-I swear it is not like that. I am not a lolicon!"

Suddenly something destroyed the camera Sora and Shiro had Jibril plant beforehand, that was Tanya's magic who managed to cover it up thanks to the steam. At least she thought, but a quiet exchange between Sora and Jibril led them to confirm what Jibril told them, Tanya did have magic.

"I need to find out how though, she had magic in her previous life but how did she keep it here? According to her story last time, she should not be able to use it without the proper equipment."

Jibril nodded, "Indeed master, but I felt a specific connection to the Spirit Circuits from her when she fired her magic at the camera."

Sora sighed, "Well at least we confirmed it. But we also know she did not use magic to beat us at the game. If she had you would have felt it like you did now."

He clenched his fist and some tears came down his eyes, "Wish we did not lose the camera though. The footage would have been all foggy but at least it was something."

Jibril flew over the partition, "You are just lucky Tanya is too distracted to pay close attention to you right now."

Stephanie with Miakil's help had finally managed to separate Shiro and Tanya. finally allowing her to clean their hair. Unlike Shiro, though Tanya did not mind this cleaning, it felt refreshing. Still, she would not let this get to her, if that camera was anything to go by, she was right to make her prize what it was.

When Tanya, Nana, and Miakil did leave the siblings called out to Tanya a little which stopped her for a second.

"Hey Tanya, we may not be able to request or summon you here. But if you do ever feel like coming over to relax or play a game," Sora started to say before Shiro finished, "We would love to have you over again."

Tanya did not respond at first but had noticed they just called her Tanya without any addition to the name, she waved a backhand at them when walking off, "Whether you mean castle doors or your sad little hovel room, I am not interested."

When they got a little far away from the castle Nana asked, "Hey master, why are you being so cold to the king and queen."

Tanya rubbed her head as if she had a headache, "Because I despise people like them."

Nana's eyebrows lowered slightly like she did not believe Tanya, "But you seemed their company."

Tanya shook her head, "I would never enjoy their company and now I don't have to worry about them ever again. Just got to get out of here before they enviable bet away what little land remains for Imanity."

Nana walked slower so Tanya was walking ahead of her, Miakil flew slightly next to Nana, "I rather enjoyed what I saw from Mistress Tanya."

the other girl looked displeased with Miakil, "I am sure she intends to punish you for how you acted during the bathing."

Miakil held her cheeks, "Hopefully. But I don't mean like that. I meant during the game."

Nana looked at Tanya from behind as they walked. She pictured back when the second game of chess began, both Tanya, Sora, and Shiro had a similar smile at that moment. But wondered if either one of them noticed.

Back at the castle Sora and Shiro were back in their hovel.

"Do you think Tanya will be back?" Shiro asked while she lay against the hay and yawned.

"Of course, she will, But I am pretty sure next time it will be to kill us after we meet with the Werebeasts," Sora said while tapping away at his phone.

Elsewhere an Elf and a girl with purple hair stared at the water where somehow they were able to view what was going on at Elkia's castle. They saw Tanya come to and leave the castle.

The girl with purple hair leaned forward to get a better look, "we need to meet with this girl."

The Elf girl would wave her hand and the view would switch to Tanya, watching to see where she went so that they could find her later.