Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 4 - Chapter 1.4

  INTERVIEW

“Please look this way!”

“How do you feel after your victories today?!”

“Any thoughts on the preliminary match?!”

Ai Hinatsuru and Ai Yashajin were the center of attention during the post-final block match interviews in one of the smaller rooms.

Of course they were. How could they not be–––?

“…… Did it. Four in a row …,” I mumble to myself, stunned as I watch the excited adults swarm in on my apprentices, camera flashes going off nonstop.

Part of me thought …… it was possible, but–––.

“Miss Yashajin! At nine years and seven months old, you are the youngest girl to ever advance to the Preliminaries. Your thoughts?!”

“Nothing much.”

“Who did you celebrate with first after your victory?!”

“My Master. He happened to be close by.”

“T-That four-game win streak, how did you do it? Did …… did your Master, the Ryuo, give you any specific strategies?”

“I think that my opponents simply weren’t that good.”

With a bouquet of flowers that everyone advancing to the Preliminaries receives in her arms, Ai Yashajin answers questions from journalists with the same kind of merciless tact she used during her matches.

She sounded arrogant to me, but the journalists–––.

“Saying something like that after dominating Kayunita Women’s 3-dan ……”

“That’s a real prodigy ……”

“So cute.”

“The birth of a new heroine!”

“If only she’d humiliate me.”

“What a cute kid.”

Rather than getting angry, they’re putting her up on a pedestal. There was a weird guy in there somewhere though ……

In the Shogi world, youth is the greatest sign of talent. Possessing the ability to speak your mind in front of others and having an up-front, blunt personality is also seen as a talent.

But there’s another, more important talent for Women’s League players–––.

“Pathetic ingrates, do your jobs! How can you not see that My Lady is cutest at this angle?!! There, see?!!”

“W-Who do you think you are?!”

Akira bursts into the room and starts telling the journalists exactly how to take pictures. The real icing on the cake is that she wrestled away one of their cameras and started taking pictures herself.

The one talent that reigns supreme for Women’s League players–––their looks.

The real reason that Ai and Ai are this popular is because the two of them are cute girls to begin with. In a way, their looks alone could be worth more to the Women’s League than their Shogi talent.

I’m sure it’ll be on display at the Preliminaries.

“C-Could you repeat that?! Y-You said you started Shogi …… only seven months ago?!”

The journalists interviewing Ai Hinatsuru couldn’t hide their shock.

Who could? I’m their Master, I know these two better than anyone else and I’m stunned.

I had a feeling that Ai Yashajin would play without taking many risks going against Women’s League players, that she had a chance to win if she could use her favorite playing styles.

But …… I never expected Ai Hinatsuru to win four in a row.

“Was today really the first time you played against Women’s League players without a handicap? A-And you won four in a row?!”

“Your favorite strategy is the Double Wing Attack?! So then, you’re part of the Static Rook party …… Huh?! You play Ranging Rook too?!”

The journalist is beyond surprised, more like bewildered at this point.

An elementary school girl. A nine-year-old.

Been playing Shogi for seven months. Zero tournament appearances.

A girl with that background just cut down Women’s League players with decades worth of experience.

“And …… all with perfect match records.”

Ai has always been the stereotypical come from behind type of player.

I don’t think she’s looking down on her opponents, more like there’s a part of her that’s thinking I’ll just come back and win later if I fall behind in the early game! Basically, she’s a slow starter. She paid less attention to early-game standards, and that drove me up the wall.

But today–––her early game was flawless.

“I, uh …… I’m still not very good and have so much more to learn but …… I will win in the Preliminaries!!”

Asked for thoughts on the preliminary match in two weeks, Ai spoke with all the strength she could muster.

I thought she’d be really shy, nothing more than a nervous wreck surrounded by all these journalists, but she’s knocking these interviews out of the park.

Maybe it’s the tournament that’s motivating her?

I mean, she was zoned in this morning and she stayed surprisingly quiet after winning her matches. Usually she comes to find me when she wins, wanting compliments like an excited puppy wagging its tail ……

I have no idea when it happened, but it looks like she grew up.

While it makes me proud to see her like this …… I’m also kind of sad.

“…… She could’ve wanted my attention and made me worry a little longer ……”

Those words came out before I knew it. But, just as they did.

“Miss Hinatsuru, you are one of the Ryuo’s apprentices just like Miss Yashajin, are you not?”

“Yes, I am!”

“Do you have many opportunities to learn from him?”

“Yes! Lots and lots!”

“As in, on the weekends?”

“Every day!!”

“E-Every day?”

“Yes!! He teaches me every day at home!!”

Oh.

Crap.

“Do you mean …… your home, Miss Hinatsuru?”

“Master’s home!”

“HUH?!”

“He teaches me the most right after bath time! Then we solve Shogi puzzles in bed! Oh, and recently he’s been blow-drying my hair as a reward when I win–––.”

“S-STOOOOP! STOP RIGHT THE––––––RE!!”

I charge in, desperate to shut down the interview but, “Ryuo! Please explain the details!”

“Is it true that you are bringing an elementary school girl into your place of residence?!”

“Are the lolicon rumors true?!”

“Are you cheating on the Women’s Queen?!”

Crap, crap, CRAP!!

“Ho-hold up a second! This is all a misunderstanding! What she means by me teaching her at home is–––the Internet! I teach her over the Internet! And I have no relationship with Big Sis whatsoever!”

“That’s right! Master and Sora-sensei aren’t together and the only ones who spend the night are Grade Schooler Practice Group members!!”

“Ai!! Please be quiet!!”

“Uwhee!? Mguhhgh!!”

I clamp my apprentice’s mouth shut in a panic, but it’s already too late.

“Grade Schooler Practice Group?!”

“You mean there are more?!”

“What is going on, Ryuo?!”

“Do you have a thing for young girls?!”

“Have you been teaching them more than just Shogi?!”

The journalists start asking harder questions one after another …… It wasn’t long before they turned my apprentice’s interview session into an all-out lolicon investigation.

What Keika said to me back in the bullet train this morning runs through the back of my mind.

The Shogi world is going to be turned on its head once these two take center stage. They might even get on the national news like Ginko.

Yep. Sure did.