The victor was clear, and the applause rippled through the crowd. Congratulations were given freely, but not everyone was so quick to accept what they had witnessed.
"I can't believe it," Kassandra muttered, her arms crossed tightly across her chest.
"What do you mean?" Hoyo asked, tilting his head.
"You're telling me that someone who didn't even know what the King's Gambit was managed to play that well?" she demanded. "Not only did he execute moves perfectly, but he also led his opponent into traps several moves ahead. That doesn't just happen! He must have known the game."
"Does it matter?" Hoyo countered with a grin. "We get to skip the exams thanks to him. Trust me, if someone tricks me, but I get to pass an exam, they can fool me as often as they want!" He clapped loudly for Ludwig, a grin stretching from ear to ear.
