Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 14 - Chapter 2.1

  VENTING

“That was beyond pathetic, runt.”

Now that the match recorder stepped out for a sec …… A bunch of stuff I had no idea got built up in my head comes pouring outta my mouth.

“Double Wing from software? What, did you think that Women’s players who only play Ranging Rook wouldn’t be ready for it, huh?”

My heart’s still bangin’ in my chest from bein’ that close to instant death, but that doesn’t stop me from chewin’ out the little punk who’s still bowing to me.

“You basically just copied and pasted somebody’s summer homework and tried to convince me it was yours. Teachers see right through that bullcrap. Worse, you knew it the whole time. Yeah?”

Hooking my fan under the runt’s chin, I force her to look up at me.

I thought she’d be cryin’ her heart out by now, but–––.

“……?! Little punk ……!!”

She’s lookin’ me square in the eyes.

There are no tears, not even a frown. Just sheer determination ……

Okay, now I’m really pissed. Can’t help it.

“Did you think you’d go on a tear like your high and mighty Master or Ginko if you use the software, huh? Think you’d trample over all of us in the Women’s Legend League on your way to a flawless title, hm?”

“That’s not–––.”

“Yes, you were, STUPID RUNT!!!”

I slam my fan on my own piece stand to cut her off.

“Scram. Shogi ain’t THAT easy,” I roar again, and that little grade schooler bows as low as she can go.

Then she says crystal clear, “Thank you for teaching me.”

“……………”

Pushing all the pieces on her side of the board off the center, the puny punk bows one more time before leaving the arena.

I just sit here, alone until …… The match recorder comes back with a printout of our match record. Then she rolls it up and smacks me over the head with it.

“That was so not right, Ryou.”

Rin Koiji Women’s 4-dan.

Since the Women’s League is set up so that Women’s players record matches whenever it’s possible, sometimes the match recorder outranks the ones actually playing.

“Shut your yap …… Who are you to say title holders can’t win by taking advantage of their opponents’ research–––?”

“No, no. That Shogi was, like, pretty good all around.”

“Say what?”

“I had a look see at the other matches, but …… The whole Shogi Association was in shambles today. In one match, a veteran lost by the two Pawn rule. In another, a player totally messed up the Bishop Path and lost because she put it down in the wrong spot. Three matches ended early because someone’s mind was out to lunch and threw in the towel. Actually, two more matches ended in drawn-out stalemates, and are being replayed right now. This Shogi was the best today, by a long shot.”

“You …… gotta be kiddin’.”

That’s messed up. Everyone’s restless, everyone.

Now that Ginko is in the pros …… we’re all having to face the fact that Women’s players aren’t necessary anymore.

Some have given up. Some refuse to admit it. Some are lashing out.

Everyone’s so damn focused on Ginko that they can’t see themselves anymore. That includes me ……

“Her strategy was naïve, sure …… But she might’ve been the only one playing today who only cared about winning her match.”

Koiji sounds jealous as she looks down at the runt’s floor cushion.

There are two long imprints where her knees and ankles were.

She never broke her posture, just sat on her ankles and kept fighting.

That punk was the only one in the whole building …… thinking about Shogi rather than about Ginko.

Even the fact that that Master she loves so much was playing in a title match wasn’t on her radar …… She fought me tooth and nail to the very last move with only victory on her mind ……

“She’s like the Demon King of the West’s apprentice, isn’t she? Even after all her research went up in smoke early on, she still, like, set a trap in the late game. Anyone weaker than you are, Ryou, would’ve lost. Real talk: she almost had you, right?”

“…… She couldn’t have planned that. It was a fluke, that’s all.”

“And that was real harsh at the end, beating her like that. She’s real popular right now, being in the same family line as Ginko. The Women’s League needs her to, like, survive, yes? Think how nice it would be if she’d transfer to Tokyo and come to the events?”

“I know, okay?!”

I snatch the match record out of Koiji’s outstretched hand, crumple it up and dunk it in the garbage can on my way out the door without putting the pieces back in the box.

“Meanie!!” Koiji’s voice follows me down the hall, but why the hell should I care?

I get to my motorcycle in the parking lot and jump on.

Then, once I’m on the open road, I shout as loud as I can at no one at all, “…… Thank you for teaching me, huh?! FREAKIN’ RUNT!! Why does she get to be the only one not tearin’ her hair out right now, huuuh ……?!!”

I’m the one who wants to know.

How far have I gotta ride to get away from this feeling of defeat?