The crowd dispersed. Muko was utterly bewildered by what had happened and turned on Amartia.
“What did you do that for? Why ever did you declare a
draw?”
Voices from the retreating crowd explained: “There was no point in playing the game because the positioning of the girl's pieces gave her such an advantage that Trupacius couldn't possibly have won.”
Amartia said quietly to Muko: “It was the best way out of a bad situation.”
They left the scene quietly with Paidia and Gelio following in their wake.