Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 16 - Chapter 5.05

  EX-BOYFRIEND, ADMIRATION, BEST FRIEND

“Wh-What an unexpected turn of events! The challenger has elected not to press forward like in the first match, but to draw out this one as much as possible!”

The professional player doing analysis is in a state of disbelief at how the match was unfolding. Ryou Tsukiyomizaka stood on a small cliff overlooking the Nagara River listening to every word.

The Women’s League player doing commentary looked confused.

“The rating shows that Shakando-Women’s Legend has an edge. Do you think Miss Hinatsuru has miscalculated?”

“Hmmm …… Weak moves happen all too often when trying to attack. Especially in meaningful Shogi like this.”

“Then, do you think pressure will be the reason the challenger loses if she can’t recover?”

“That may be one way to put it, yes …… However, I think it’s a little harsh. Expecting that kind of mental fortitude out of a girl her age sounds a bit unrealistic.”

“…… No clue.”

Ryou turned off her the device before picking up stones at her feet and roughly hurling them into the river below.

“They’ve got no clue at all! Not even close!”

Spaloosh! Spaloosh! Spaloosh!

Large splashes erupted one after another as the stones rain down, but the river calmed instantaneously as it flowed by.

“…………”

Ayumu Kannabe quietly watched her tantrum.

The two stood on the low bluffs directly opposite the venue and had a direct view of the room where the match was taking place. At the very least, they wanted to watch over the match from afar.

“…… Hey. Tell me something and be honest.”

Ryou, bored of throwing stones, turned to ask Ayumu.

“Back when I was in the Sub League …… Do ya think I could’ve lasted longer if I played just to get stronger like she’s doing rather than getting caught up in victory stars?”

“I do,” Ayumu answered without missing a beat.

Ryou snorted, “You’ve grown a ton as a man, you know that?”

“In what regard?”

Ryou Tsukiyomizaka answered to her ex-boyfriend’s question.

“You’re better at lying.”

“Dad, are you watching?”

Keika Kiyotaki came downstairs to find her father, Kousuke Kiyotaki 9-dan glued to the computer in the tatami room.

They were the first words father and daughter had exchanged in nearly a month.

“Yeah …………,” her father responded, but his mind was clearly somewhere else.

Keika couldn’t harbor anger toward him any longer.

Apparently, he had dauntlessly told Yaichi that he couldn’t forget his wife, but …… Seeing the way her father looked at Shakado-sensei on the screen, his lingering attachment was palpable.

–––I know Yaichi isn’t any different, but why are men like this ……?

“She really is incredible, Shakando-sensei.”

Keika sat down next to her father for a closer look at the screen while searching her own memories.

“The first instructional match she gave me was when I was in the fourth grade. I remember it so clearly, even now …… After all, it was the reason why I wanted to join the Women’s League in the first place.”

Someone so beautiful and strong existed in this world ……

She was far more appealing than any actress or singer in Keika’s eyes.

The whole experience had been like a dream, but she couldn’t remember anything about the instructional match itself.

The one thing that did remain in her memory …… was how her admiration lead her to write that letter.

A letter from her 10-year-old self to her 20-year-old self.

At the same time, however …… Shakando-sensei was also her reason for giving up on Shogi in the sixth grade.

–––The summit was just too far away ……

“Wasn’t it Shakando-sensei who said no soul remembers the name of the second highest peak? That’s just how big the difference is between first and second place ……”

When it dawned on her that she would never be able to become like Rina Shakando, Keika quit Shogi in a heartbeat.

–––I was worthless in the Shogi world if I couldn’t become number one.

That same feeling caused her to sputter when she made her second attempt to join the Women’s League and clouded her Shogi senses.

But.

The girl facing off against Rina Shakando on that screen at this very moment taught her a valuable lesson.

She made Keika realize her pure love for Shogi.

So long as that held true …… she could pursue her dream even without any special talent to set her apart.

Therefore, Keika was rooting for Ai with all her heart.

Then again …… a lonely twinge set in at the same time.

“Back then …… if this were the Shakando-sensei who gave me an instructional match, Ai wouldn’t have stood a chance. I know it was a fluke, but even I managed to beat …… this older version of Shakando-sensei ……”

“Ya got it all wrong, Keika.”

“Huh?”

“Rina’s the strongest and most beautiful she’s ever been. I can tell jus’ by lookin’ that she’s much stronger than when she played me in our first league match,” said the elder Kiyotaki without taking his eyes off the screen, but his voice carried no traces of flattery.

In fact …… It sounded as though a clean-shaven, virile man in his thirties were sitting next to her–––

“?! ……… Couldn’t be.”

Taking a moment to rub her eyes, Keika saw that, sure enough, a bearded man in his fifties was there.

Ai Hinatsuru and Rina Shakando’s match was also receiving international attention.

That included a certain country in Europe.

“The defender has this! She’s a Grand Master who’s had all those titles, so how could she lose?”

“Are you crazy? The offense has it in the bag! Youth and momentum are everything, no matter what sport it is!”

The Internet allowed people to watch the match live despite the considerable time difference. One group was engaged in a heated discussion.

They had gathered in front of one laptop before the crack of dawn to watch the match.

A girl about Ai’s age was in the middle of them.

Board games flourished in this country due to heavy snowfall at high latitude. Specifically, analog board games that pitted two people against each other like chess were commonplace.

Which is why it was only a matter of time before the unusual board game made of wood that the girl brought with her from an island in the East would catch on.

Congenial, she had established enough connections to organize a tournament of nearly 100 people already.

“Rather than appearances, we should discuss who has the advantage on the board instead.”

The arguments came to a halt. Whenever that slim man spoke quietly, people stopped talking to listen

He held a Grand Master rank in chess and even a few European Go titles. Despite having only picked up Shogi six months prior, he was already holding his own against high dan-ranked amateurs.

“The AI says the defender has the edge. From what I can tell, it’s nearly impossible for the offense to turn the tables at this point. That’s assuming the defender doesn’t make a horrible mistake …… But this woman named Sha-kan-doh is playing nearly every move the AI recommends. Were I in the offense’s position, I would have resigned long ago.”

His words were convincing, and everyone agreed.

With one exception–––

“The little girl will win.”

The young girl’s comment reignited the discussion.

She had shown enough competitive knowhow to force a draw against a Grand Master the first time she ever played chess in this country.

It was the allure of that overwhelming talent she displayed that allowed Shogi, the game she introduced, to spread so quickly.

“She never gives up no matter what the odds are and she grows faster than anyone. That’s why she’s going to win.”

“Why do you believe in her that much, Mio?” the group asked and she responded with a clear-cut answer.

“Why ……? Ai is my best friend and my biggest rival!”