Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 15 - Chapter 4.7

  HOWL

The hand of the man up on the screen tremble harder every minute.

“The Meijin …… No, the Monarch’s hand is quivering!! Does that mean he’s won?!”

The Fifth Monarch Title Match.

This series is at a full set. The final match is being held in the special arena in Tokyo’s Shogi Association Building. I’m in the Analysis Room, called the Katsura no Ma, watching the match with Rokuroba-sensei.

The Katsura no Ma is on the fourth floor, the same as the special arena. This means that a title match is happening just down the hall.

With all that tension in the air–––.

“S-So? Ms. …… Hintasuru? H-Have you …… adjusted to life in Tokyo ……?”

The Women’s League player talking with me is Tsubasa Gakumeki-sensei.

I fought against her to qualify for the Women’s Legend League. She’s a really strong sensei, and she was nice enough to come up and talk to me when we saw each other again for the first time after that.

It’s just so nice to talk with someone that I’m not paying much attention to the match.

“The Player’s Room in Kansai isn’t on the same floor as the arenas, so it feels strange to be analyzing it so close to the players. Um …… Can they hear us?”

“Oh, I see …… Yes, if we speak loud enough, they might hear …… but they’re concentrating so hard, it shouldn’t affect the match ………… I don’t think ……”

“Thank you, Gakumeki-sensei! Oh, and please call me Ai if you’d like!”

“Heh. He-he-he …… Th-Then, please call me ………… Ts-Ts-Tsu …… Tsubasa. We joined the Women’s League around the same time …… A-And, I’m only Women’s 1-kyu, and you …… A-A-Ai …… outrank me ……”

“I will! Thank you for being my friend, Tsubasa!”

“A-Ai ………… We’re …… friends …… Heh ……! He-he-he ……♡”

Tsubasa used to be 2-kyu in the Sub League.

She’s taken tons and tons of match records, so she’s done an analysis with a whole bunch of pro senseis even though Women’s League players don’t normally come into the Katsura no Ma.

I have to work hard to become a regular in this room like Tsubasa!

“Well? Does Jin-Jin have a shot?”

Rokuroba-sensei isn’t looking at the analysis board at all. Instead, she has her eyes on the screen and all the journalists are huddled over their laptop computers.

Both players are already out of waiting time and playing one-minute Shogi.

The Meijin won the first move with the piece flip and built a yagura that’s very popular these days, and Natagiri-sensei chose to do an aggressive rapid attack.

Even though he’s at a disadvantage on defense, Natagiri-sensei has used everything he discovered in those late-night research sessions to stay even with the Meijin all the way to the late-game.

Now–––.

“The defender is opening a lead, bit by bit! Natagiri’s strong!!”

The software’s rating updates, showing the defender is starting to take command.

“But how?! The Meijin’s hand has been trembling the whole time …… Doesn’t that mean he’s read to the end?!”

“Maybe the formations are too complex for even the Meijin to understand ……?”

Everyone is so uneasy that they’re calling the Monarch the Meijin instead.

Rokuroba-sensei puts her hand on my shoulder and whispers in my ear, “All that late-game practice is paying off. Jin-Jin might win this because of you.”

“………………”

…… But, it’s …………?

Here, then here, here, here, here, here, here ………

“I-It’s official! The defender is in a position to win!! As long as Natagiri 8-dan doesn’t make any mistakes …… the title is his!!”

Rokuroba-sensei squeezes my shoulder.

“Yay! H-He’s going to have his first title ……!!”

“No.”

I take a look at the computer screen next to me and reach a different conclusion right away.

“The rating is wrong. I think the computer is missing the check path for the defending King.”

“B-But the computer says that Jin-Jin is going to win! Besides, where the heck do you see a check path, huh?!”

I reach for the analysis board.

“If the Dragon attacks the defenses here, a check path opens up.”

“………… Agh?!”

It’s a flashy move that everyone notices once I point it out.

But I don’t think they saw it because the software is saying he can’t be checkmated. This kind of thing happened a lot in the Kansai Player’s Room, too.

“It’s overlooking the check path. That happens sometimes.”

I puff out my chest a bit.

It’s nice to show them what I can do because I haven’t had a chance to speak with many people at all since I came to Tokyo.

But.

I thought they were going to be impressed, instead …… they’re looking at me like I’m a monster–––.

“………… A check path that software didn’t recognize… spotted by a grade school girl ……? Th-That can’t be right ……”

“I-It’s true …… It’s just as she says. Software can’t read too deep so fast …… It overlooks long-sequence check paths sometimes ……”

“But ………… how many professional players are in here? Not a single one of them read it. B-But she–––.”

The one who has the strongest reaction is the person in front of me: Tsubasa.

“Unngh ……!!”

She covers her mouth with both hands and tumbles her way to the corner of the room before almost throwing up.

“T-Tsubasa?! Are you alright?!”

“I …… I’m …… okay ………………… He-he-he ……Y-You’re really good, Ai ………… Despairingly …… so ……”

She has turned pale as a ghost. Rokuroba-sensei sighs and rubs Tsubasa’s back.

“You’ve traumatized Undying Wings …… No wonder Naniwa’s Snow White lost heart. I’m amazed that the Demon King lasted so long with that kind of barbaric talent close by……”

“Barbaric? All I did was solve a Shogi puzzle.”

“Simple-minded, too.”

She practically curses at me. Only then did I realize what I had done.

“Ahh …………!!” 

I …… pointed out how the person who took me in is going to lose, and I bragged about it ……

Immediately after that.

The Meijin’s trembling hand picks up the Dragon and does what I said.

That hand doesn’t just tremble, it shakes. He nearly drops the piece before playing it.

“WHHOOOOOOAAAAAAAAA?!”

The computer ratings waiver until showing that the Monarch has all but won the match and the room erupts. The players had to have heard them ……

Looking at Natagiri-sensei on the screen, it’s like watching his spirit die right before my eyes.

He sits up straight, fixes his kimono and pours himself a cup of water.

Once he takes a drink–––.

“I lost.”

He gives up without playing another move.

Then he asks the winner a question.

“Where did I go wrong? I don’t understand. Why …… did I lose?”

The review session is different from the match in that both players look relaxed.

Rokuroba-sensei and I are sitting behind the media people in the arena. We were allowed to come in and observe, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a peaceful review session before.

Natagiri-sensei and the Meijin have been research partners for a long time now. It’s easy to tell how much respect they have for each other just by being in the room.

I think that kind of relationship is wonderful.

Thanks to that, Natagiri-sensei is smiling again even though he just lost his chance for a title. He looks optimistic and ready to move on as he tries to find out why he lost.

He was one step away from the title he’d always wanted …… But here he is, looking forward with his head held high. That strong heart is almost blinding.

“Natagiri-sensei is very strong …… I’m impressed.”

“……………”

Rokuroba-sensei doesn’t say anything back to me.

Since the after-party schedule is tight, the review session only lasts 30 minutes. Both players go back to their rooms to change out of their kimonos.

The media people start talking once they’re out of the room.

“It looks like Mitsuru Oishi and Yo Okito are the only ones from that generation who will ever have a title.”

“Oishi already lost his, and Okito is just the King now. Taishi Shinokubo already had a title, and he’s how many years younger than they are? If you look at ratings, Ayumu Kannabe has already overtaken the lot of them. This was probably the last chance they had……”

“And don’t forget: a prodigy in Kansai will probably take all the titles for himself at some point—The Demon King of the West.”

“That generation just can’t catch a break. I feel sorry for those guys.”

…… They could have waited to have that conversation someplace else.

It reminds me of when Master lost three straight matches to the Meijin during the Ryuo Title Match.

All right! It’s up to me and Rokuroba-sensei to keep these kinds of comments from ever reaching Natagiri-sensei at the party!

“We’re going home.”

“Huh ……?”

Going home? Already?

Shouldn’t we–––?

“Shouldn’t we go home with Natagiri-sensei?”

“Just come.”

Yank! Rokuroba-sensei tugs on my arm with strength I didn’t know she had and announces to the crowd in a bright and cheerful voice, “So-o-orry, but it’s the elementary school girl’s bedtime. We’ll be leaving now.”

“What? The college girl is going to miss out on the party?”

“The college girl has the Women’s Legend League finale to prepare for, so we’ll be on our way! ☆”

She dodges all their invitations beautifully and pulls me out of the association building at the same time.

…… Leaving Natagiri-sensei to fend for himself.

When we get home, Rokuroba-sensei starts taking off her clothes as soon we walk inside.

“Hurry up. We’re taking a bath and getting to bed.”

“Huh? We’re not going to wait for Natagiri-sensei to come back?”

For the first time, I’m starting to feel a little angry.

Natagiri-sensei looked fine during the review session, but I’m sure he’s hurting a lot right now. Are we going to ignore that just because of our own matches?

That’s heartless. Downright cruel!

If you want to sleep so badly, go ahead and I’ll wait up for him!

“When Master lost …… I cooked something warm for him to eat and drew a bath. He got angry at me for staying up so late, but …… I at least want to make something for Natagiri-sensei so he can come back to–––.”

“Just stop.”

She’s at her wit’s end.

But she doesn’t look angry …… more like an appeal of some kind. The look on her face comes as such a surprise, I couldn’t say anything back.

In the end, we took a bath together. Rokuroba-sensei would compete very well with Keika ……

“Okay, off the bed. You’ll be sleeping over here tonight.”

Now in pajamas, she slides over to make space for me to lie down in her bed.

“Huh?! I-I can sleep in bed with you, Rokuroba-sensei?!”

What’s gotten into her?! We just bathed together …… I’m happy we’re bridging the gap, but doing it so quickly has me confused.

“I’m fine on the floor–––.”

“Just get over here. I’m turning off the lights.”

She grabs my arm and pulls me into bed. Haauuu ……

Then the lights go out.

I was still tense from watching the title match, but I guess that a bath reset everything.

And it’s been forever since I’ve been in an actual bed. It’s so fluffy and cozy! The icing on the cake is how warm and soft Rokuroba-sensei’s breasts are on my back …… I’ll fall asleep in no time ……

Comfy, comfy …………… Drift, drift ……

I did fall asleep right away, but one? maybe two hours later–––.

RRRWWWAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHH! RRRWWWAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHH!

I hear a beastly howl.

“?! …… Huh?”

Suddenly wide awake, I listen very carefully as I tremble under the covers.

RRRAAAUUUUGGGHHH! RRRWWWAAAGGGHHH!

It’s a strange sound that I’ve never heard before in my life. I nearly fall out of bed trying to get away from it.

“Eeep! …… Wh-What’s–––?!”

“Shh! …… Stay quiet.”

I start panicking but Rokuroba-sensei pulls me into a tight hug and whispers into my ear.

“Go back to sleep. Pretend that you aren’t here ………… Yes, that’s right. It’s okay ……”

“…………”

At first …… I wondered what in the world could be howling like that.

After all, I’ve never heard a person make that sound.

But the more I listen to it, the more confused I get ……

Because ………… there’s something familiar about it.

“Huh ………… Is that, Natagiri- …… sensei ……?”

RRRWWWAAAAGGGHHH! AAAAUUUUUURRRRRGGGGHHHH!

I thought whatever is making the sound coming through the wall had completely lost its mind.

There was no way that kind, gentle, always-in-control Natagiri-sensei …… would ever make that sound ……

The roar starts trailing off into small, soft bursts. Then it comes back, stronger and more violent than before, only to be interrupted by soft sobbing …… It goes on for a long time.

Rokuroba-sensei loosens her arm and tells me, “…… Even after he commits that much effort, he still ends up losing against the top players more often than not. That Master of yours probably wins most of those, but even if he loses, they’re still a lot older than him, right? He can still comfort himself by saying he’ll win eventually.”

“……”

“But Jin-Jin doesn’t have that kind of time left.”

She says the same kind of things that people in the Katsura no Ma said earlier today.

So I want to stand up for him.

Natagiri-sensei was one win away from a title!

He’ll win one, for sure! Even against the Meijin next time …!!

But once I heard what Rokuroba-sensei said next …… I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.

“It’s gotten a lot worse since he lost to that Master of yours. It probably made him realize that the torch had been passed from his generation to the next.”

“……………………!”

“The older generation was just too strong. He toiled against them without winning any titles and then suddenly—poof—someone from the next generation down claimed one…… Worse, a 16-year-old took a title and became a dual title-holding monster at the age of 18. Who knows how many titles he’ll have at this time next year?”

I had always wanted Master to win more than anything.

And he always came through for me in the end. He taught me that there is no wall enough effort can’t break through.

So ……

I never thought of him …… as being a wall for someone else ……. not once ……

“He wants a title. Just once is enough …… He wants that undeniable proof that he never lost to anyone at some point. If only he had that …………”

“What would happen ……?”

“He could forgive himself …………… just a little, and that would make his life so much easier ……”

I think if I heard that while I was still living in Osaka, I wouldn’t have understood.

Because playing Shogi for a living was so much fun. There was nothing painful about it at all. Sure, losing made me sad and I cried a few times. But I never thought about making life easier, and I thought the more difficult things were, the more fired up players were to play.

But …… now I think I understand.

The pain that comes with not being number one.

The pressure that clamps down your heart.

When you know that pressure …… will never, ever go away, it makes you rush and feel despair.

Once I found out, I ………… I left Master’s side and came to Tokyo.

“…… I really want to help him get it.”

Rokuroba-sensei’s voice trembles just a little bit. She might be crying, too …… But she’s already rolled over with her face to the wall, so I don’t know for sure.

“Remember before?”

“Huh?”

“You asked me why I stayed in this room so long, didn’t you?”

“…… Yes.”

“It’s because I heard this howl.”

This howl ……?

It’s starting to fade away now, with just a few sobs coming through the wall every now and then. She tells me why.

“Lots of people, guys and girls alike, have seen him sleep or seen him completely naked. But …… I’m the only one who’s heard him make that howl. So yeah …………”

“………… Um?”

“What?”

“I’ve heard it now, too ……”

“You really are simple-minded.”

Then Rokuroba-sensei tells me how she met Natagiri-sensei …… and Shogi.