Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 2 - Chapter 4.1

  MASTER AND APPRENTICE CONTRACT

The following weekend. The Practice Leagues regular activities day.

Sensing that time was now, I brought Ai Yashajin to the main office at the Kansai Shogi Association.

“Nervous?”

“Hardly.”

She already has a pretty face, but dressing head to toe in black makes her stand out like a sore thumb at the association. Walking through, I thought I could hear whispers saying, “The Ryuo’s brought another little girl in ……,” and “So it’s true, the guy really has a thing for ……,” but I’m sure it was all in my head.

And Ai isn’t getting attention just because of her looks.

Personally trained by the Ryuo, she’s about to become the Eternal Meijin’s apprentice.

How could anyone like that not be the center of attention? I heard one staff member who was particularly on the ball mutter, “Should I get her autograph now?” That may have been a joke on one hand, but not entirely.

“Now then, Kuzuryu-sensei. Miss Yashajin will participate in the Practice League activities starting today. The supervisor, Kuruno-sensei, has already been informed.”

“Thank you.”

Arrangements for Ai’s entrance test have already been made and it was set up so that she could join the Practice League activities as soon as I gave the green light.

All we have to do is finish the necessary paperwork before the Practice League gets started.

“Just to confirm, Chairman Tsukimitsu will be registered as her Master, correct Ms. Oga?”

“Yes. One has made it so.”

I ask so as to make sure and the chairman’s secretary Sasari Oga answers.

Finally, I turn to the girl about to become his apprentice and ask for the last time.

“You don’t have any complaints about Chairman Tsukimitsu, right? Just as you wanted, he’s in A Class Pro and even holds the title of Eternal Meijin. I don’t even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath.”

“………”

“What’s wrong? I’m not good enough for you, right?”

“……Yes. That’s right.”

She glares up at me and unloads everything at once.

“You’re just a C-2 class player who was lucky enough to claim a title out of sheer luck, whose winning record has dropped below thirty percent, the trash Kuzuryu! How could the likes of you be worthy enough to be my Master?! Don’t ask such obvious questions!! Kuzu!!”

“Y-You don’t pull any punches, do you ……?”

Well, it’s all true so I can’t say anything back.

“That person is fine. A Master is just a name on a piece of paper after all.”

Ai answers, talking as if she outranked me. This brat is a real piece of work, but all talented kids are that way. So, that’s a positive in the Shogi world. Even the people in the room have looks on their faces like “Just what I’d expect from the chairman’s future apprentice.”

Then everything was signed–––Ai Yashajin officially became part of the Tsukimitsu Shogi family tree.

“So, you’re the chairman’s apprentice ……,” said Ms. Oga as she stared down at Ai.

“You can refer to one as Mrs. Tsukimitsu if you wish.”

“Huh? Why?”

Well, she’s on high alert.

“I don’t know about all this chairman and Eternal Meijin and whatnot—but why isn’t he here to greet me in person?”

“Probably because he doesn’t want to run into me. We’ve got a league match coming up.”

No matter how nice and friendly two players are, they do their best to avoid each other before matches.

They stop participating in practice groups until the match is over, keep it to a quick “hello” if they happen to see each other at the association and stay at opposite sides of the room if they’re at the same dinner or party.

That’s what matches are to pro Shogi players.

Relationships, lifestyle, work …… All of them revolve around Shogi. Ms. Oga looks at me and says, “The chairman asked me to deliver a message to you, Ryuo. I thank you for your efforts thus far. However, I plan on playing at full strength during our match so don’t hold this against me.”

“Sounds just like him.”

A diversion …… But not quite. He’s probably trying to prevent me from getting a little too motivated before the match. This will be our first league match. Even my competitive juices are flowing.

“Please deliver my response to the chairman. You did so much for me ever since I started training, so it’s about time I show you my gratitude.”

Yes. For me, this is a gratitude match.

Because I’m playing against someone who very nearly became my Master.