Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 2 - Chapter Ep

  EPILOGUE

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Master’s voice echoes through the neighborhood late at night.

“Ai’s gonna stay ‘ere forever, with MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!” 

I’ve been having Ai stay at Master’s house whenever I’m expecting a match to run late into the night, but since she’s been living here after running away from my apartment, saying goodbye must be much harder this time around. He’s clinging to my leg.

“Yer a monster! Yer not human at all!!”

“I’m the Ryuo, what of it?”

“UggHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!”

I leave Master face down, bawling in the middle of the hallway and head toward the back of the house.

“That’s something else. Has he been like this whole time?”

“He’s doting over her more than an actual granddaughter at this point,” says Keika with a grimace as we walk together.

Not only does Ai always try her best and she’s really cute, plus add in that she’s a Shogi prodigy and she’s the absolute ideal grandchild for any Shogi player. Doting on her isn’t the right word. No one alive wouldn’t dote on Ai Hinatsuru.

Since that’s obvious, I’ll move on.

“…… Do you think Master knew? About Ai Yashajin and her father …… And that I was the recordkeeper for that match–––.”

“I’m pretty sure Seiich …… No, Mr. Tsukimitsu told him about it.”

Keika was about to call the chairman, the same age as Master, by his first name but corrected herself. Since she was late in joining the Shogi world, she probably thought of him as an uncle or maybe like an older brother for years. The chairman looks young for his age, too.

“Apparently he asked my father if he thought you could take on another apprentice. I didn’t find out about it until recently though. Articles from back then were scrapped long ago, so I told Ai myself.”

“I see. All right, thanks Keika.”

I didn’t say it, but I’m also grateful to Master. He’s been watching out for me all this time …… But, I am taking Ai home with me!

I go to the stairs, toward the kid’s room on the second floor–––the room that Big Sis and I once shared and Ai is now using.

But, just as I step onto the first stair, something grabs my shoulder.

“…… Seriously, Master. This is getting ridiculous.”

I turn.

“I’m not mad.”

Big Sis was standing there, dressed in a full kimono and smiling ear to ear.

…… Nah. Not quite.

There’s something about that smile that makes me want to put some distance between us.

“B-Big Sis ……? A-Aren’t you supposed to be …… in Kanagawa Prefecture today? What about your title match at Jinya ……?”

“I defended it.”

Those words came flying out of her even though it’s 11 o’clock at night right now.

Normally, there’s a lot to do after successfully defending a title. Between the press conferences, victory parties and whatnot, people would spend the night considering how far it is between there and here. They’d change out of their kimono at the very least.

She must’ve raced out of the arena and hopped right on the bullet train home like she did after the first match.

Honestly, I’m worried about Ryou Tsukiyomizaka’s state of mind after getting destroyed in three consecutive matches on such a big stage. There’s nothing more embarrassing than losing like that. Well, it’s official: Naniwa’s Snow White maintains a perfect 50-0 against Women’s League professionals. She’s a seven-season titleholder. What a monster ……

And that monster of the Shogi world is glaring up at me with a huge smile on her face. Scary.

“I’m not mad, so tell me. Yaichi, did you take another apprentice?”

“…… Yes.”

“A girl?”

“Yes.”

“In elementary school?”

“Of course.”

“Drop dead!!” 

Big Sis smacks me across the forehead with her fan as she spits out those words. Turning her back on me, she stomps her way to a different part of the house. She sure looks mad to me ……

Keika, who saw the whole thing, looks up at me and slumps her shoulders.

“Ginko, why don’t you change out of that kimono? There’s a tasty surprise waiting for you in the tatami room. I made sure to get some of your favorite Fruit Overload☆Milk Crêpes from Shu Hatakeyama, okay? Let’s have some,” said Keika as she followed Big Sis in an attempt to console her.

“Ouch …… Damn. Why’s Big Sis already back here anyway ……? Actually I’d like to know who blabbed to her. Or was it the Internet? The Internet again?”

I massage the point of impact on my head where the fan struck and make another attempt to go up the stairs. This time, I made it to the second-floor.

I come to a stop in front of the sliding door to the kid’s room and say, “Ai. You awake?”

No answer.

I slide the door open as slowly and quietly as I can–––.

“…… Zzz …… Zzz ……”

My tiny apprentice was making the tiniest snoozing sounds.

She fell asleep holding a large Shogi board. There’s even a piece clutched in her little hand.

She must’ve been sitting here, waiting for me the whole night. Her competitive fire has to be stoked. Those tiny lips of hers quiver as a few words start coming out.

“…… Master …… Shogi ……”

“I won.”

I step lightly on my way over to her and whisper.

“Let’s play Shogi, just as promised. Nineteen …… No. More, much more.”

Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of matches.

Let’s play Shogi. Let’s play more than anyone else.

“…… Ai will always be …… Master’s number one ……”

I gently wrap my first apprentice in a comfy blanket, lift her up and carry her all the way back to my place.

Back to our place.

“Hello? No going to sleep.”

“Ngh? …… Ah, sorry. My bad, my bad.”

Two days later.

I sat across the board from my second apprentice.

We’re in the association’s second-floor classroom. We went to the front office to make corrections to Ai’s Practice League registration paperwork and then came here to do a lesson right afterward. Akira is playing against an elementary school student a few tables away.

Moving pieces across the board, I explain to Ai why I’m exhausted.

It was all to make sure I could take her as an apprentice.

“…… So, yeah, I didn’t get much sleep at all. A full day of Shogi after one of the biggest matches of my life, can you blame me ……?”

“Humph. How pitiful.”

Ai looks up from the board, swishing her long black hair over her shoulder like a glossy flap of a bird’s wing.

“Needing an apprentice’s permission to take on another apprentice? Who’s the Master? Aren’t you ashamed as a professional? You’re a titleholder, but you need to bow to your apprentice? Isn’t that pathetic?”

“Disgraceful, yep ……”

“Who even cares who is number one? All it takes is a game of Shogi to make that clear anyway.”

“Indeed. That’s the right answer for any Shogi player.”

“So?”

“Huh?”

“Who is it?”

Say what?!

Just a second ago …… Didn’t she say she didn’t care who was number one?

“D-Don’t take that the wrong way?! I-I’m asking which one of us is better at Shogi?! I’m not asking which one of us you like more, got it?!” 

“I know! I-I know that!!”

“…… Not that it matters.”

Ai turns away with an irritated humph.

“I won’t be calling you Master.” Cheeks red with anger, she then says, “I’m only here with you because the rules require it–––it’s what my parents wanted, so I had no choice but to become your apprentice. I never wanted it, not even the tiniest bit. So, so ……!”

Sounding a lot like the bratty girl dressed in black when we first met, but wearing a slightly more charming smile than that day, Ai turns to me and says:

“Don’t get the wrong idea––––––Yaichi-sensei!”