Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 3 - Chapter 3.2

  AGE LIMIT

“No practice groups, sessions or anything with you, today.”

Sunday morning. I spent the night here with my apprentice on our day off, working our fingers to the bone for a chance to have a practice session, so this came as a shock.

“W-Why not?! …… No! D-Don’t tell me …… It’s because you found out I’ve been secretly drinking milk on the job and taking the almost-used-up bars of soap home with me!?”

“Oh, have you now? I’ll be taking that out of your paycheck now by the way.”

I’m not getting paid.

“But really, why? Do you have some other plan? Visiting Asuka’s school or something like that?”

“A practice session, if you must know.”

“Come again? …… What? Seriously?! A practice session?!”

“Yeah. With a Sub Leaguer.”

“With someone in Sub League?!”

“You don’t need to act so surprised.”

“But, wait …… Mr. Oishi, you never do practice sessions ……”

“Sure, I said stuck-up things like that all the time when I was younger. What good could come from pros swapping information? A pro worthy of the name does his own research. Or something like that. Pff …… Ah, youth.”

“Hold up, hold up! If you’re open to that, let me have some practice sessions without all this extra work!”

“Those young’uns have such flexible imaginations. Makes for a nice jolt to my system.”

“…… So, you’re saying the Ryuo’s imagination doesn’t give you that jolt?”

The Maestro didn’t say anything, only chuckled through his nose. Damn …… 

“The one I’m practicing with, they’re one heck of a researcher. Even I’m impressed and a little stunned.”

“T-That much ……?”

Is there anyone in the Kansai Sub League that Mr. Oishi would think so highly of? Since he’s taking his own time to do a practice session, could it be someone from Kanto ……?

Just like how the anti-Goki Central strategy Extreme Speed!   3 Seven Silver originally came out of the Sub League, times have changed to the point that pros are too scared to play Shogi without keeping tabs on the Sub League. Even the lone wolf of the Shogi world, the Worldly Maestro, has had to adapt …… 

“So yeah, I’m not playing you today. We’ll be over at the main building, so the two of you have the bathhouse and the classroom all to yourselves. Sorry, but try to keep things running on your own.”

So, that’s how today turned into my first lesson with my apprentice in a while but–––.

“We’re heeere!”

Four elementary school girls are standing in line just inside the doorway, holding their own bags.

The always energetic Mio Mizukoshi (4th grade).

The very ladylike Ayano Sadatou (4th grade).

My first apprentice, Ai Hinatsuru (4th grade).

And …… the blonde angel, Charlette Isoir (1st grade).

“Welcome, everyone. Want to go to the baths first? Or play Shogi?”

“Shogi!!”

The happy, bubbling voices greet me as I step out front. They love Shogi.

“You know ……? This is Cha’s fwirst big bath?!”

Little Charlette is so excited her cheeks are turning pink even before getting in the bath. That level of cuteness can make a guy’s head spin.

Ai starts explaining everything like a seasoned veteran as I take everyone up to the second floor.

“All of the customers here play Ranging Rook!”

“It’s true! And pretty much everyone uses Central Rook!”

Ayano’s big eyes are sparkling under her glasses. Ranging Rook party, through and through.

“Central Rook? Then Mio, let’s try out that Central Rook anaguma we’ve been practicing!”

The little All-Rounder Mio starts rolling up her sleeves.

She’s certainly her usual self but …… anaguma?

“You’ve been practicing anaguma, Mio? That’s new. I thought you and my apprentice liked not worrying about formations, hitting early and often.”

“Oh, I do. Attacking is so much fun, but I’m having a hard time in the Practice League right now …… I can’t always attack, so I thought it’d be a good idea to learn how to play defense!”

“Ahhh …… I hear that.”

A Practice League member and the Ryuo share the same problem. I hear that …… 

“Changing up environments might be just what you need to try out a new strategy. Alright, let’s do this!”

I make a Match Card for all of them and set the girls loose in the classroom.

Except for Charlette, all of the grade schoolers are part of Kansai’s Practice League. The customers here are all pretty good, but they hold their own. Actually, they look like they’re having even more fun than the customers.

The one standing out the most is–––.

“I knew you’d do well today, Ayano. Those were some worldly moves right there, and great form.”

“T-That was nothing special! I’m not …… all that good ……”

“Give yourself more credit; that was impressive. You’ve got a better feel for it than I do.”

“Th …… Thanks … Thank you so much …… ♡”

She’s being modest, but the corners of her mouth are curling up. She’s failing to control it, but it’s so cute watching her try. My face relaxes too, without even realizing it.

“…… Darabuchi.”

My face snaps back into place once I hear my apprentice’s voice coming from somewhere.

“Alright, now! Who thinks they’ve got what it takes to take on my Central Rook anaguma?!”

Mio fires herself up, actively seeking out another opponent to try the latest trending strategy.

I swear, this girl is always a beaming ball of energy.

The four elementary school girls have very different personalities, but they all get along so well because Mio is at the center of their group. It’s also thanks to her that Ai adjusted to Osaka so quickly.

If she’s in a slump, I’d like to do what I can to help her out …… I should probably be more worried about myself first, though.

Mio is now going head-to-head with Charlette–––this level of cuteness shouldn’t be humanly possible.

The little blonde girl grabs the Rook with her tiny little hand and snaps it down in front of her King with an adorable grin on her face and says, “Centwal Wook.”

“No, it’s Central Rook.”

“Centwaaal Woook.”

Charlette is smiling and trying so hard, but her tongue just doesn’t want to work that way. Mio points at her own lips and blasts out the sounds, trying to teach her the correct pronunciation, “Not Wook, it’s Rook. Cen-tral R-oo-k!”

“Cwentwral …… Wock?

“CEN! TRAL! ROO! K!!”

“Centwal Wook.”

“Yep! That’ll work!”

“Wook♡”

I’m so at peace right now; it’s not even funny.

Several hours later.

“Haaaa …… That was fun, wasn’t it!”

“I’ve had enough Central Rook for one day ……”

“All of you did great today. Tell you what, I’ll let you in the bath early!”

“Yay! Bath time!”

The grade schoolers jump for joy. The bathhouse isn’t open for business yet, so it’s all ours. For a little while, anyway.

Asuka, who was busy getting everything ready, turned bright red as she talked to the girls for the first time. She greeted them with open arms and led them inside.

“Now then …… I suppose I should take a dip now too.”

I go into the men’s changing room and start unbuttoning my shirt when–––.

Tap, tap, tap.

The cutest footsteps I’ve ever heard come in the room behind me.

“Masta♡”

“Hm? Is something wrong, Charlette? This is the men’s side. You need to go to the room on the opposite end.”

“You know, Cha ……?”

The angel pulls at my pant leg.

“Cha, wants to bwathe with Masta.”

 ……… Huh?

“Charlette, did you just say you want to bathe with me?”

“In the twub.”

“Um, yeah. That’s not okay.”

I smile and turn her down, but she really doesn’t seem to understand. It’s written all over her face.

“Why? Cha’s gonna be Masta’s bwide?”

“W-Well …… yeah, but there’s a bit more to it.”

Back when I refused to take her as my apprentice, I went into my bag of tricks and pulled out the I’ll make you my bride trick, so she wouldn’t get upset.

Of course, it was just a joke, but the pure and innocent Charlette must’ve taken me seriously. And now she’s …… How do I put it …… Wanting to act like a couple?

Well, now that I think about it …… I see young girls, like preschool age, go into the men’s side with their fathers all the time …… 

“Hmmm …… A six-year-old …… Six …… First grader ……”

Thinking time.

“………… Right on the edge, yeah?”

While her age is what it is, she is smaller than most kids her age and it’d be dangerous for a little girl from France, unfamiliar with Japanese-style bathhouses like Charlette, to go in without proper supervision, so it’d be safer for her if she was with me–––.

“No, no, no! Absolutely not! It’s definitely not okay!!”

What the hell was that logic just now?! It doesn’t matter if she’s a six-year-old from France, there’s no way her going in with me would ever be allowed–––.

“Awhh, hey! Charlette, no fair!”

Mio, wearing just a T-shirt and panties, bursts into the men’s changing room before looking back over her shoulder and yelling toward the girls coming in after her.

“If you’re going in, then I want to go with Kujuryu-sensei too. Yeah, Ayano!”

“I, I, um ……… will go along with everyone else ……”

Ayano’s face goes completely red, quietly mumbling under her breath. Taking off her glasses, she looks down at the floor and starts stealing glances in my direction.

Looks kind of like something a grown-up would do if you ask me …… Hold it, Ryuo. Get a hold of yourself. She’s a fourth grader, an elementary school girl in the fourth grade …… 

I grimace and try to laugh it off, but the girls keep upping the ante.

“Okay, let’s vote on it! All those who want to take a bath with Kujuryu-sensei, raise your hands! Meee!!”

“Cha, with Masta!”

“……… e too.”

“It-It’s the apprentice’s job to wash their Master’s back! I have to go; it’s my duty!!”

Charlette has both hands high in the air while Ayano is staring at the floor, blushing like mad and lifting her hand just a tiny little bit. Then there’s Ai, throwing her hand into the air as she spouts one reason or another with a very determined look on her face.

The vote was unanimous.

“Hold up, hold up! Just hang on a sec! You know it’s not allowed, right?!”

“Huuuh? Why?”

Mio snaps back, frustrated. The other girls are too, but that’s pure disappointment on her face.

“W-Why ……? All of you are already in elementary school ……”

Desperately searching for answers, I glance around the room and happen to catch a glimpse of Asuka at the attendant’s counter. That’s it, she can provide the defense I need!

More specifically, the law.

“A …… Asuka! Asuuukaaa!!”

I call out for help from the one who lays down the law. I need her to come to the rescue now while I can still think straight!

“Asuka! There’s a law that keeps elementary schoolers on their own side, right?! There’s an age limit?! A law that’s set in stone, yes?!”

“U … um ……… There isn’t ……”

“Come again?”

“There is no clause pertaining to an age limit in the public bathhouse regulations …… In general, bathhouses create and follow their own guidelines ……”

She’s still red as ever, but she’s speaking more fluidly than I’ve ever heard.

“The Regulations for Public Bathhouse Arrangement and Sanitation in Tokyo clearly state in Section 3, Part 11 that individuals over ten shall not bathe with the opposite gender. Kyoto sets the age limit at six, Shiga at seven, and other areas have their own rules …… but Osaka does not ……”

“What ……? There’s, no age limit? Really ……?”

“Y-Yes. There is no established rule for an age limit in Osaka ……”

Seriously?! Osaka, what is wrong with you?!

“B-But, there is one guideline …… The city’s Department of Health and Sanitation does advise that Persons over the age of ten should avoid bathing with the opposite gender ……”

“Then what’s the problem? Charlette is six, and the rest of us are still nine! Yaay!!”

“Yaaay!!”

The girls do a happy dance, hands waving in the air then start stripping. Hey, hey, hey, HEEEYYYY!!

“Wait, wait, stop! This isn’t right! You shouldn’t be getting naked in front of a man–––!”

It came to me just as the words were coming out of my mouth.

If I look away right now …… would that mean I see these elementary school girls in that way, like some kind of pervert? Wouldn’t the more mature, manly thing to do be not worry about being naked and just go along with it ……?

Hell no! That’d be even more illegal than jumping in the bath with adult women, for sure!!

“Asuka, are you sure there’s nothing?! I … I’m not going to be arrested, am I?!”

“I’m sure ……… And, um …… families, as a group may go in together …… at, um, family baths, smaller ones set aside from the main area, but ……”

“Say what?! Does that mean I could have gone in to one of those with Keika while we were still living in the same house?!”

“Y-Yes ……”

“Even now?! It’d be legal for me at sixteen and her at twenty-five?!”

“Y-Yes ……”

“Holy?!! Why did I ever move out of Master’s place?!!”

“To have me as your apprentice, right?” Ai says with a grin and a strong grip on my arm.

She’s smiling, but there’s something scary about it.

“Hey! Ai! Why are you hogging Kujuryu-sensei all to yourself?!”

“I-I’m not hogging!”

“I want to wash Kujuryu-sensei’s back! Ayano does too?! Scrub it nice and clean! As our way of saying thank you for everything he’s done!”

“I-I um …… I’d be willing to wash more, as long as it’s Kuzuryu-sensei ……”

Is it just me or is Ayano fretting a little bit?

While all that was going on, Charlette makes her way over to Asuka, lightly tugs at her shorts and says, “You know, you know? Cha’s his bwide, so no pwablem!”

“O-Oh …… but, there may be a problem …… with a six-year-old wife ……”

Charlette tilts her head to the side like Asuka just gave her a brainteaser.

 …… When the dust settles, the law may say one thing but if rumors like The Ryuo gathers his apprentice and her friends at a bathhouse claiming it’s a practice session and bathes with them start spreading, the Shogi world will end. It’s the obvious conclusion, so I took my bath alone.