Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 2 - Chapter 5

  NUMBER ONE

“Master.”

Once we got home and I had my apprentice’s cooking for the first time in a while, Ai was setting out teacups on the low table in the tatami room and saying “Master” over and over.

“Master. Master, Master. Maaaster.”

“Yeah? Something wrong?”

“Just saying hello! E-heh♡”

A-dor-a-ble.

“Ughh …… whoaaaaaaa ……!”

I couldn’t stop my spirit’s cry of joy from leaking out. She’s just so cute. Way too cute. I’d love to pat her head and give her a piece of candy, do anything for her. Give her a big hug and …… Wait, wait, wait! I gotta be more careful?! That’s the first step down the Loli path?!

Calm down. Cool your head. This is just the affection a Master feels for their apprentice, that’s all it is ……

“Um …… Master? Were you lonely …… when I was gone?”

“Very. You have no idea.”

“E-heh♡ E-heh♡”

My apprentice sits down on her ankles next to the table, hiding her face like she’s embarrassed. So cute!

I can’t imagine what it would be like not having her here anymore.

It wasn’t all that long ago that I was living on my own, fighting all by myself …… But that feeling of emptiness when my apprentice was gone, I’ve never felt anything like it before.

But then again.

Even though Ai is back here, that same kind of emptiness is still clamping down on me.

“…… Ai. Can we talk?”

“What is it, Master?”

“Something very important.”

I hurt her by hiding things.

That’s why I want to say everything up front. I won’t be making that mistake again.

“Well, do you …… want a younger sister?”

“………?”

Her eyes went blank.

“In other words, basically …… it’s about the girl you played against this afternoon, Ai Yashajin–––.”

“!!”

Flinch! Her whole body just snapped away from me. She’s on high alert ……

“…… If I took her as an apprentice, would you object?”

I said it.

I really didn’t know what I wanted to do about Ai Yashajin until just now, when the words came out of my mouth.

But, I just couldn’t let her go off on her own after all. I think that’s the worst thing I could do. But, it’s not because of what Akira said.

Her playing style intrigues me. I can’t help it.

“…… But she’s already Mr. Chairman’s apprentice, right?”

“Yes, well …… That’s true but ……”

I scratch my head but say as clearly and firmly as possible.

“I’ll take her. By force if I have to.”

“…………”

Ai stays seated, but deftly turns away. Her back to me, she says, “…… Who is number one?”

“Huh?”

No idea what she meant, I ask for clarification and she repeats herself.

“Master, who is number one to you?”

Say what?! What kind of question is that?

Ah, is she talking about who my first apprentice is?

“That’s you, Ai.”

“…… Really?”

“Of course. Who else would it be?”

“That Ai, or Auntie …… Ginko-sensei. Or Keika ……”

Big Sis? Keika? They’re my sibling apprentices, not apprentices.

And Ai Yashajin would be the second in my apprentice lineage, so of course she would be number two. As long as Ai Hinatsuru doesn’t leave, it’ll always be that way.

“What’re you so worried about? No matter how many apprentices I take …… Hypothetically, okay? Only hypothetical.”

Half of a very angry face appeared over my apprentice’s shoulder and I had to scramble to clarify myself.

“I don’t plan on taking any more but …… Hypothetically speaking, no matter how many apprentices I take–––number one will always be you, Ai.”

“……”

Ai, her back still to me, doesn’t say anything.

But, her toes are wiggling back and forth and the curls in her hair are swishing side to side like a dog’s tail. Is …… she happy? She is, right?

“So …… Ai? About taking another apprentice–––.”

“…… How many matches did you play with her?”

“Come again?”

“How many games of Shogi did you play?”

“H-How many ……? Not very many at all. I basically just had her play against people in the city …… If I had to guess, I’d say we played maybe twenty games tops–––.” 

“No maybes!!”

“Whoa?! Ahh, ok, weeell …… There was the first game, and then at the classroom, one, two, three, four …… E-Eighteen all together? At least, I think so ……”

“Okay, play nineteen times with me right now.”

“Huuuh?! R-Right now?! I have a league match tomorrow–––.”

“Okay, then once that match is over! Anyway, Master has to play the most matches with me!!”

“O-Okay, okay! I will! We’ll play nineteen games as soon as I get home tomorrow!!”

“That’s a promise?! I won’t forgive you if you break this one?!”

Ai spins back around and starts lining up pieces on my Shogi board as if reserving it for our promised matches.

Seeing my apprentice’s renewed craving to play Shogi tells for sure that what I did to teach her was the right choice.

Losing to Ai Yashajin must have lit her competitive fire.

So, she wants an edge over her, even if it’s just one more match against me.

No doubt! This is directly because of my teachings! Master knows best!

“…… Ai, you’ve grown!”

“Huh? It’s only been a week since I ran away ……?”

What happens when you don’t see an elementary school girl for three days? They grow like weeds. Very, very quickly.

I swear! Grade schoolers are the best!! …… That didn’t come out right, a bit to Loli-ish. I gotta be more careful ……

But anyway, kids grow up just fine on their own. Especially the strong ones.

So, Ai Yashajin will be just fine, even if I’m not with her.

Once she becomes an apprentice to one of the best players around, just as she wanted, she’ll probably join the Women’s League in no time. As the chairman’s apprentice, as the Shogi world’s princess.

But.

I just can’t accept that ending as it is.

That’s why I’m going to break into the castle and rescue the princess. Take her out from right under the king’s nose. I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to do something that Sir Ayumu would call evil, an insolent, diabolical act.

The Ryuo’s work is never done.