The Day You Vanished with the Stars/Story/Chess Moves
Last updated 2026-04-26
Chess Moves is the 3rd chapter of the The Day You Vanished with the Stars storyline.
Summary
Kongming recalls the events of the past three months over the win - Huodou broke the seal, despite Kongming reinforcing it, and attacked Emberya after it escaped. Envoys were sent to the other two kingdoms but never came back and no reinforcements arrived.
Kongming finding Rita's corpse.
Rita went to fight the beast alone as Kongming was developing a new formation. By the time the formation was finished and Kongming rushed to help Rita, Huodou was already defeated and Rita was found dead from the wounds it inflicted.
Wishing to avenge Rita, Kongming would conquer the other two kingdoms whose rulers both died today. Kongming nots that Theresa is unaware of Rita's death and wouldn't believe it anyway.
Captain making the first move.
Kongming invites Captain for a game of chess (Xiangqi) if he wants to know more. As they play, Kongming continues with events that followed Rita's death and hints that immortality doesn't equal invincibility. Captain notices slight changes in Kongming's condition, but she dismisses his concerns. As the game nears its end, Kongming loses her composure and collapses for the first time.
Script
Transcluded Script
This section contains story script that was transcluded from the game with the help of OCR tools to avoid human-made mistakes as much as possible. Generally speaking, it shouldn't be altered unless the in-game equivalent has been changed. Any typos or other errors that are also present in the game are to be retained on the wiki but can be marked via {{sic}}.Chinese and Japanese romanizations and translations, if present, are unofficial.- Last updated: January 4, 2022
Characters Present
Captain
Zhuge Kongming
Start
The chancellor is... dead?
🔇 N/A
🔇 N/ACaptain
No way... Theresa was asking about her just now. Wouldn't she know?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AKongming took another sip and continuecontinue to fiddle with her cup.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/A
Zhuge Kongming
I suppose you've noticed, that you came here three months later than me... A lot has happened since I arrived alone.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
It all started with the three years I stayed on the island.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
I had reinforced the seal on Huodou several times, but three years was too long for it to be left unchecked.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
After it broke free, the empire became its first victim.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
So when you returned... Rita was already fighting Huodou?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AKongming nodded. Beneath her usual composure, I could feel unwanted memories surging up.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
A thousand years ago, I once sealed Huodou with my formation to protect Emberya.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
But when I tried to activate the formation again this time, I found the old partners by my side all gone...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Without their help, it's far more difficult to seal the beast again.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Couldn't you ask the neighbor kingdoms for help?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
As for the help I asked... even the two envoys I sent didn't make it back, let alone any reply.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
So that's why you called the other two kingdoms "onlookers"...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AThis explains her bad blood with the Arch Imperator and Corsair Queen...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
The two kingdoms stood idle while we fought Huodou, trying to prey on us once we were weakened.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
When I finally developed a new formation and went to Rita so we could stop Huodou together...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/A< The screen goes black, then switches to the battlefield, where the Captain will have control of Theresa's [Starlit Astrologos] battlesuit. >
< Find traces of Rita and defeat all enemies on the stage. >
< Interact with the first checkpoint. >
Kongming
This seems to belong to Rita...
< Interact with the second checkpoint. >
Kongming
And this too...
< Interact with the third checkpoint. >
< Defeat the enemies. >
Kongming
We won't lose...
< Enemies defeated. >
< Enter the portal. >
< Interact with the fourth checkpoint. >
< Defeat the enemies. >
< Enemies defeated. >
< Enter the portal. >
< Move to the beach-looking third part of the stage. >
Kongming
The downstream...
Kongming
That's... Rita's scythe?!
< Get closer to the Skadi of Thrymheim. >
< Cutscene closing in on the scythe plays after which last enemies spawn. >
< Defeat the enemies. >
< Enemies defeated. >
Zhuge Kongming
I found her scythe lying by the river. Huodou was long gone. Only scattered petals rippling with the water.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Rita was lying in the water, as if quietly asleep.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
There were more wounds on her than I could possibly count, but nono bleeding anymore.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
I lifted her up. She was soaked all over, but she felt feather light, as if all the blood in her had bled dry...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
I looked down at her and felt she looked so strange for reasons I couldn't tell.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
I cuddled her cold body and wondered on and on, until night fell and stars rose above the sea.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
The answer finally came to me.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Whenever I saw her, there was always this understated smile on her face. Or in her eyes, to be more exact.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
But... I can't see her eyes anymore.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
I... can't see her eyes anymore.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Is the chancellor...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AI couldn't finish the sentence, but Kongming knew what I meant and nodded silently.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
And you know all about the rest. I'm avenging Rita.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Now the Corsair Queen and Arch Imperator have been served justice. There's one more culprit left before Rita is fully avenged.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
One more?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AKongming fell in her thoughts, and I dared not to disturb her.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
It's... it's not Theresa, is it?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Of course not. Why would I kill a lunatic?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AKongming sighed.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
She won't believe Rita is dead, and she's still thinking about singing for her.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
That's no ruler for the empire, so I relieved her of the throne.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Meanwhile, I ordered her to sing for me and me alone.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
In her mind, it's me who's keeping her from her dear Rita.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AKongming spoke like these were trivial matters of no importance.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AShe lifted her head and emptied the cup in one go. A soft blush began to float up her cheeks.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
It's all history now.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Now... indulge me with a game of chess.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ABefore I could say anything, Kongming took out a chess board and set the game on the table.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AForgive me, but I'm in no mood for chess after what just happened...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Captain may find my proposal intrusive, but some things are better told over the chess board.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
But...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Are you afraid of losing to me, Captain?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AShe winkled with wily eyes. I wondered if it's the wine working, but I felt the old and familiar Kongming came back.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
I'd let you play the first hand. How about that?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Hmm... you're giving me a big advantage.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
...Kongming, please go easy on me.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AI landed my first piece.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Cannon in Lane 2 moving to Lane 4.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Pawn in Lane 5 moving to Lane 6.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
My story hasn't quite finished.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
...Pawn in Lane 4 advancing by 1.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Ironically, thanks to Rita's death, I accomplished in three months what I failed to in the past centuries.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
King in Lane 6 advancing by 1.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
"From this moment, you two become immortal. With no other greater interference. your lives shall last eternally."
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Rook in Lane 3 advancing by 8.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Immortality isn't the same as free from death... King in Lane 6 retreating by 1.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Are these words from the Golem in the ruins?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Rook in Lane 2 advancing by 1.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
I remember the last time, it...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Foremost Pawn moving to Lane 5.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
No, it's from an earlier time...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ANot sure how to continue the topic, I could only pretend to focus on the chess board.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
...Rook in Lane 2 moving to Lane 5.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AThis hand took me a lot of hard thinking.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Pawn in Lane 4 moving to Lane 5.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Er... King in Lane 5 advancing by 1.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Pawn in Lane 6 advancing by 1.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AKongming landed one piece after another with hardly any thinking.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
King in Lane 5 advancing by 1.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ASomehow, I felt her breath became heavier, and her eyes became brighter.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
Rook in Lane 5 moving to Lane 3.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AThe game went on, but my position grew worse and worse. I could barely hold off her offensive.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Rook in Lane 6 moving to Lane 4.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
...Rook... in Lane 9 retreating by 2.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
What happened?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ASomehow, I felt her breath became heavier, but her plays didn't slow down a bit.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
...
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Are you alright?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AKongming waved her hand, signaling me to continue.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Rook in Lane 4 retreating by 7.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
...Rook in Lane 9 retreating by 2.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Rook in Lane 4 advancing by 7.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AHer hands seemed to be shivering in an almost unnoticeable way.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
Kongming, should we take a break?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
I'm fine. Rook in Lane 9 moving to Lane 5.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
King in Lane 5 moving to Lane 4
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AZhuge Kongming
...Captain.
🔇 N/A🔇 N/ACaptain
What, Kongming?
🔇 N/A🔇 N/AEnd