Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 12 - Chapter 3.4

  ONE MORE TIME

A constant pitter-patter of rain echoed throughout the elementary school hallways.

Despite a large group of people engrossed in instructional matches and Animal Shogi not too far away, Ai Hinatsuru sat by herself just inside the front hallway.

It was her job to draw in any customers who happened to pass by.

–––…… That’s… not all ……

The printouts she made are stacked in a pile on the desk in front of her, Ai lets her legs swing beneath her folding chair as she, stubbornly, avoids looking at the group.

After all, there was something there she would rather not see.

Much to her dismay, that something not only approached, but started talking to her.

“May I sit?”

“No.”

“Thanks,” Ginko Sora snaps in response and takes a seat next to Ai without another word.

Ai, looking the other way, grumbles, “………… I said no.”

“Did you say something? You need to speak up when it’s raining this hard, otherwise I won’t hear you.”

“Darabuchi ……”

“As I don’t know what that means, I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Then, Ginko puts on an arrogant air as she appraises the summer festival.

“Things turned out pretty well for being planned by a pipsqueak. About 60 points, maybe?”

“It would’ve been a perfect 100 if someone hadn’t shown up and brought rain with them.”

“…………”

“…………”

The air between the two was rife with tension despite the lack of eye contact.

I can’t stand this girl!

That was the one thing they agreed upon. That, and that alone.

“Heh ……,” Ginko scoffed through her nose, glancing down at Ai’s printouts like a sister-in-law berating a wife who can’t cook or clean.

“What is this Shogi puzzle supposed to be? Are you trying to push fans away, giving people who know nothing about Shogi something this difficult? Besides, what’s the point in working through so many moves in the first place?”

“Solving puzzles has been said to be the best training method for a long, long time. Since you seem to be having trouble in the 3-dan division, Sora-sensei, would you like my copies of Shogi Musou and Shogi Zukou? I’ve already solved and memorized all their puzzles!”

“The boastings of a child who doesn’t know real competition. Solve all the puzzles you want; they’ll never make you stronger.”

“You don’t have to act all high and mighty just because you can’t solve it.”

“Say that again.”

Ginko grabs a printout off the pile and starts reading.

“………Reverse Check and idouai, yes? Interesting, but that combination would never happen in an actual match.”

The key to her puzzle revealed in an instant, Ai was flabbergasted.

Reverse Check is a situation in which a player in check moves their King out of the way or deploys a piece, which consequently puts their opponent in check.

An idouai is when a player’s only viable option is to move a piece already on the board to block a check rather than deploy a piece from their piece stand.

On their own, both only appear in matches once in a blue moon.

Therefore, they are a blind spot of sorts for many players and thus often used in Shogi puzzles.

This particular puzzle has over 100 possible sequences, and only once the end is reached can someone realize they are the key to the final answer.

In other words, Ginko worked through that many sequences in the blink of an eye. She got to the core of Ai’s painstakingly crafted puzzle in mere seconds.

–––Is this …… how strong 3-dans are ……?

In an attempt to cheer herself up after this overwhelming realization, Ai put on airs of her own.

“S-So? That’s one of the easy ones! I could make something so much harder if I tried!!”

Then she flipped a printout over and started drawing out a brand-new puzzle.

“This one is based on a sequence I used in a real match, for your information. If you can’t solve it, that means you’ll never figure it out in a real match!! It’s a Double King problem, the piece stand has–––.”

Ginko watched the girl set to work for a few moments before whispering under her breath.

“………… Please, watch out for Yaichi.”

“Huh?”

“He doesn’t see anything else when he is focused on Shogi, especially during title matches. He’ll work himself sick, forget to eat ……”

Ginko thinks through a virtual treasure trove of memories and recounts one in particular.

“He’s always been that way. He nearly got pneumonia more than once because he came up with something in the bathtub and got out to work through that sequence, but forgot to put on clothes first. Seriously, Shogi is all he thinks about. Falling into open manholes, missing his train stop and causing all sort of problems …… I had to go get him every time something happened… so that he wouldn’t end up on the other side.”

“………… What’s that supposed to mean ……?” Ai retorted, trembling. “Is that your way of telling me you’ve known him longer than I have?! Well, I know more about him than you do!! I live with him, so I know so many things that you don’t!!”

“Sorry to break it to you, but I’m not backing down. I’m number one,” said Ginko in no uncertain terms. “But please: stop Yaichi if he starts going astray. Grab his hand and pull him back.”

“If you’re that worried–––!”

Then why don’t you do it yourself?!

Ai managed to stop herself from saying that at the last second. The very thought of Ginko saying, “Then I will,” frightened her beyond words.

She had her suspicions.

But …… she was afraid to find out for sure.

“…………………”

Ai fell silent. In a Shogi match that has already been lost, the situation worsens no matter what move is made.

However …… she would not give in. Surrendering was the one thing she absolutely refused to do ……

“Your Shogi is good enough as it is,” Ginko said as she neatly folded Ai’s newly drawn Shogi puzzle and put it into her pocket as she stood up. “Keep going straight forward on your own path. I may not need these long sequence puzzles, but they could be vital to your success. You may be able to absorb ideas Yaichi comes up with that I will never understand… being the Shogi Martians that both of you are.”

Shogi Martians?

Ai couldn’t understand the meaning behind Ginko’s words.

Was this some backhanded attempt at encouragement? Or–––.

“I was hoping for one more chance ………… to play against a stronger Ai Hinatsuru.”

“Huh ……?”

–––She, she just said my name for the first time ever ……?! Wait, before that ……

However, Ginko opened an umbrella and stepped outside before Ai had a chance to ask.

She disappeared into the squall in a matter of moments.

All by herself… into the darkness.

“What did you mean by that ……?” Ai whispers at the frigid air still glinting silver where Ginko had passed.

For some reason, she couldn’t stop trembling.