[ The unexpected challenge from Claude has both of Sylvain’s eyebrows arching upwards in surprise before he starts laughing. ]

So your birthday wish is to play strip chess, huh? [ That is such a sneaky Claude idea he can’t even say he’s all that surprised by it. ] So for every lost piece one of us loses an article of clothing, huh? You’re just trying to distract me from beating you, aren’t you?

[ Eyeing the board, he’s pretty sure that piece is a lost cause, but he can angle another in behind it. Fair’s fair, after all. If he’s losing some of his clothes, so should Claude. ]