Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 3 - Chapter SS

REVIEW SESSION

Sigh …… 

Promising to play a versus match against Big Sis, I made my way into one of the association’s third-floor player rooms. Ryou Tsukiyomizaka and Machi Kugui were inside, both bored out of their minds.

“W-What’s wrong? Sighs like that don’t happen every day …,” I work up the courage to ask.

And Ryou answers with a dejected look in her eyes, “…… Ain’t got one.”

“Come again? One what?”

“A match,” they say in unison, sounding exhausted with their heads down on the desk.

“Don’t matter if you’re at the top of the Women’s League, one loss and it’s forever until you play again ……”

“The losses don’t bother me, it’s the absence of a match that’s unbearable ……”

“Ahh …… So that’s what’s up.”

The Women’s League has six different title leagues. Since that’s only one less than the professionals, it doesn’t look all that different.

But, pros have league placement matches. Those alone guarantee around ten matches a year, and there’s a decent number of matches that aren’t related to titles. You could lose left and right and still have about twenty matches to play each year, so that ends up being one or two a month.

“I agree that Women’s League players have it rough. There aren’t many matches to begin with, and most tournaments are sudden-death style …… I mean, heck, I had an eleven-game losing streak and still had matches to play (haha).”

“Stop laughing. You’re pissing me off.”

“S-Sorry ……”

Yep, Ryou is totally down in the dumps. She is aggressive enough on a good day, but she’s many times worse right now. Practically a wounded wild animal. I wish someone’d put her out of her misery.

Even sprawled out with her face plastered on the desk, Machi looks up at me with jealousy in her eyes.

“…… You seem to be in good form as of late, Ryuo.”

“Got that right. I was watching, you know. That Ken-ou League broadcast. Beating Natagiri-sensei with three gentei aigoma in a row, now that’s something else.”

“Nah♡ I am the Ryuo, after all♪”

“No beating around the bush now. What’s the key to your good form?”

“The …… key?” Machi asks. 

I tilt my head. “Umm ……”

Sequences happened to go my way, and there are a lot of other reasons but …… 

“I’d say the secret to upping your game would be …… an apprentice, probably—”

“An apprentice?”

“Yeah. I think taking a live-in apprentice is what helped me out.”

They both eye me like some shady guy, so I explain a bit more. “The apprentice I live with is a nine-year-old girl, and one thing’s for sure: early to bed, early to rise becomes a lifestyle when you live with an elementary school student. Since I can’t live on takeout every day, there’s no other option but to eat right as much as possible. I think that’s why I have more energy.”

“Ohhh ……?”

The two bored girls suddenly have sparkles in their eyes.

“The best part is that my apprentice is really good around the house, even though she’s still in grade school! Her cooking is delicious, no matter what food she makes. She packs lunches for me, and even brews tea from special leaves and has been making desserts for me a lot recently. Since she’s so good at managing finances, I only have to worry about upcoming matches. Also–––.”

“Ryuo, Ryuo?”

“That ain’t some apprentice anymore. That’s a wife, a young wife.”

 …… Wife?

“That would be ample explanation. It all makes sense now. Your recent good form is due to having a young wife ……”

“Ah! It’s that marriage boost that players sometimes talk about.”

“M-Marriage boost? What’s that?”

“When a young player who has lived on their own by their own rules settles down to make a family and starts living properly. Their form improves dramatically with a sense of responsibility on their shoulders …… That is the marriage boost! It explains your good form to the letter, Ryuo!!”

“Poke!!” Machi declares, jutting out her finger at me.

Ryou jumps to her feet with a loud clatter!!

“Then, if we get hitched ……?!”

“Indeed!!”

Ah, I don’t like where this is going.

Suddenly full of energy, Ryou and Machi descend on me in the blink of an eye, each taking hold of one of my hands before I can react and yell.

“Marry me!!”

“Marry me!!”

Crap, crap, crap!

“W-Why me of all people?!”

“You were around.” 

“You seem simple enough.”

CRAAAAAAAAP!

Trembling at one of the strangest marriage proposals ever–––.

Both of them suddenly turn pale as a ghost, let go of me and retreat back into the corner of the room.

“W-Well, you are already betrothed, yes Ryuo?”

“G-Got that right! You’ve already got someone that’s a perfect match! We’ll, erm, find someone else!”

“Listen, that’s not the kind of relationship I have with my apprentice. She’s in grade school—.”

“Nope, not her. Ginko.”

“Say whaaat …?”

Why’d Big Sis’s name come up?

“N-Now that I’ve had time to consider, you only claimed your own title once you started living on your own, Ryuo.”

“And …… that’s a big room for just living by yourself. Plus, you and Ginko chose that room together. D-Don’t you think that’s a great match?”

“Hang on, hold up, hold up! Are you trying to say that Big Sis and I …… were living together?! And that’s why I became Ryuo?! You must be joking!!”

I deny it flat out.

“I’ll have you know that Ai is so much better with house stuff than Big Sis ever was! Big Sis burns everything she puts in an oven! It turns out like ash! Oh, and guess what happened the time I asked her to do laundry every once in a while?! She started pouring dish soap into the laundry machine with an I’m useful look on her face?!”

“B …… But, come on?! You have to admit Ginko is pretty cute?!”

“That’s right, that’s right! She’s started filling out this past year as well! I don’t think you could find a more attractive wife anywhere else!”

“Hah! She’s so flat and smooth down there that even a grade schooler called her out on it! Attractive, give me a break! Big Sis doesn’t have any adult attractiveness at all, just killer instincts.”

“………” Ryou and Machi are trembling, clinging to each other for dear life.

Their eyes are glued–––not to me, but over my shoulder. W-Why ……?

That’s when.

“……?!”

Zing …! A chill ran up my spine as a cold air passed by my neck. It’s–––killer instinct?!

Only then did it occur to me.

The reason why I came to this player’s room in the first place.

Who it was I was waiting for.

“………”

I slowly turned around, stiff as a board.

“…… My bad. Sorry for being an unattractive, flat and smooth cold-blooded killer ……”

What I saw …… was silver ……………