Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 10 - Chapter 4.5

  PARTING SONG

“Today was truly an eye-opening experience! I had no idea that Shogi matches had such a majestic element to them …… It just goes to show that it’s impossible to know without seeing for yourself!! I am thoroughly impressed!”

After dropping by the Association’s office to thank the staff, Kanegasaka-sensei catches up to me on the third-floor hallway and can’t contain her excitement.

On a side note, Mio has joined the rest of the students to listen to Keika talk about being a Women’s League Player. Meanwhile, Ai is in another room talking to Shogi journalists about today’s match.

“Miss Hinatsuru is now officially part of the Women’s Legend League, correct?! In the event she claims the title, we must have an award ceremony at the school …… No, no! That scale simply won’t do, will it?! To think, a prodigy at that level is in my class …… I’m still shivering ……!”

“See? What did I tell you?”

I have to admit that anyone and their mother would be moved by watching today’s Shogi. Now, the reaction would be just the opposite if it were just a run-of-the-mill match.

In that way, Ai has literally cut her own path.

“So, um …… Will you permit Ai and I to live together ……?”

She might just say yes if I asked her when she’s in this kind of mood, so I give it a try, but ……

“…………… Honestly, today made me even less certain.”

“Huh?”

“Watching you teaching in the classroom, Mr. Kuzuryu, I saw no problem entrusting you with a child at such an impressionable age. But today, after learning of your training methods firsthand …… At the very least, they don’t resemble anything like ‘education’ as I was trained to understand it.”

“…………”

“The young man who explained that manners are important to becoming stronger and that you must prioritize becoming a good human being over the Shogi path …… and Yaichi Kuzuryu the Shogi Player I met today seem like completely different people. That’s why …… I can’t make a decision at the moment.”

“…… I understand.”

Our original agreement was going to be based on the results of the King of Naniwa Tournament, so I can’t blame her for not being able to answer right now.

But, I get the feeling it’s going to be bad news.

From Kanegasaka-sensei’s point of view, what I’m trying to do probably looks crazy.

Pressure my apprentice all the way to the brink of death and then have her trample on her opponents’ dignity.

What I’m doing all boils down to that in the end.

All for the sake of Shogi.

“By the way …… Concerning Miss Mizukoshi.”

“Mio? I thought she did all right, considering it was her first time being a match recorder. The tea she made wasn’t half bad, either.”

I’d say she just barely made the grade.

“I think that recording Ai’s match today will become good motivation for her. Sure, it probably stung to call her classmate ‘Sensei’ and serve her tea, but that could be just the spark she needs to make a big leap …… I think she’s already strong enough to win a tournament. It’s just, a particularly strong girl will be in this–––.”

“That’s not what I was referring to.”

Kanegasaka-sensei cuts me off and tells me about the last thing I expected to hear.

“Miss Mizukoshi’s father works for a pharmaceutical company based here in Osaka, but …… Said company has recently acquired a large company overseas.”

“……?”

This topic came from so far out of nowhere, all I can do is just stand and listen.

The pharmaceutical company thing has been on the news, so I’ve heard about it. But, I have no idea how it’s connected to the world we live in.

“Miss Mizukoshi spoke with me herself on the day of the opening ceremony. It seems there is a high probability that her father will be transferred to Europe at the beginning of the second semester …… And that her family is seriously considering going there with him.”

“Huh?”

The whole family moving abroad?

So, in other words–––.

“Mio ……… would be transferring schools ………?”

And, to a different country?

In Japan, she could still take part in the Practice League. There are branches all around the country.

Commuting from a different country, however, is impossible.

So long as there isn’t a system in place that would allow Pros and Women’s League Players to be active and live abroad at the same time, there’s no point in continuing to participate in the Practice League, the system that trains those Players in the first place.

Basically, she’d be quitting the Practice League.

Which would mean …… She would have to give up on playing Shogi as a profession.

The same girl who told me she wanted to be a Woman’s League Player and is even now following my advice by playing in a tournament ……

“Wh-Who else, knows about this ……?”

“Miss Mizukoshi is a leader amongst her classmates …… Her absence will surely have an immeasurable impact on the class as a whole. I have therefore decided to proceed with caution and haven’t told anyone as of yet.”

“Including Ai?”

“Of course.”

“………… Do you think she’s trying to use the King of Naniwa Tournament results as a way to convince her parents to allow her to stay in Japan to continue her Shogi training?”

“Well …… I’m not aware of her exact reasonings for wanting to participate in that tournament, but–––.”

Kanegasaka-sensei calls me “Sensei” and says.

“No matter how frightening of a human being you may be ……. When it comes to Shogi, you are the only one to which I can turn, Kuzuryu-sensei. Please see her through all the way to the end.”

She finishes with a deep, deep bow.