Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 4 - Chapter 3.1

  HARAJUKU

The city of youth, Harajuku.

It’s surprisingly close to the Shogi Association, only about fifteen minutes away on foot if you really hoof it.

I walk down Harajuku’s most recognizable area, Takeshita Street, with Big Sis.

“Come on, Big Sis. Please, lighten up.”

“……”

“I admit it’s my fault I was late but …… It wasn’t all my fault, okay? I had to work ten hours straight yesterday on Nico Live, remember? And my apprentice was really upset with me right afterward ……”

“Work? Hah! What work?” Big Sis spits back.

“All you did was ogle a flirty Women’s League player with big boobs. Then you got kissed by a little girl after she barged in …… You call that working? If it weren’t for that pipsqueak, I would’ve grilled you alive.”

“Come again? Big Sis, were you watching Nico Live yesterday?”

“No.”

“Huh? But–––.”

“Shut up and move it!”

Big Sis grabs my ear and pulls me into one of the smaller side roads branching out from Takeshita Street.

Now we’re on a narrow, dim road called Brahms Lane that’s sandwiched between buildings.

“…… It’s amazing how much can change just by turning a corner.”

It’s so quiet back here that all the fanfare out on Takeshita Street feels like some far-off dream. With a bunch of antique shops lining the street, this calm area has a hideaway-home kind of vibe to it.

Enjoying the relaxing atmosphere, we proceed along the stone pavement.

It wasn’t hard to spot our destination right away.

“Here.”

Big Sis stops in front of me.

In front of her–––is a building that looks like it came right out of a Western fairytale, almost like an old church.

There’s a plaque with some fancy letters embedded in the thick stone wall.

“Sch, Schne? …… What does that say? What language is that?”

“Schneewittchen.”

“Meaning?”

“…… No idea.”

Big Sis collapses her parasol and pushes against the heavy-looking stone and iron door. There’s a sign that says Closed on it, but she doesn’t seem to care. The hinges creak as the door starts to open–––.

“How very punctual, Ginko.”

There was a woman sitting on a chair with an extremely high backrest–––more like a throne waiting for us inside.

“And you, young Ryuo. I bid you welcome …… to my castle.”

Eternal Queen Rina Shakando.

The top Women’s League player, she’s held the Women’s Myouseki, or Women’s Legend title for nearly twenty years.

By the way, that title was originally going to be Women’s Meijin, but it was thought that someone having that awe-inspiring of a title in the league would cause confusion. So they eventually settled on Women’s Legend.

But that isn’t Ms. Shakando’s only title.

She also holds the four Eternals–––the title of Eternal Queen.

Back when the Women’s League only had four titles, she had them all at once …… and long enough to earn the Eternal designation. That means just what it says: she’ll be known as Queen forever.

Ms. Shakando has a combined 51 title seasons.

She’s 6-dan, the highest rank in the Women’s League.

Also, she holds the same status as any other pro with the Shogi Association, which means she has a vote as a board member and the right to take apprentices.

Along with holding that influential position, she has run her own boutique in Harajuku for decades now and became a unique player because she has her own fashion brand.

“What say you, young Ryuo? I would love to hear your thoughts on this, your first visit to my castle.”

“Wheew …… Ayumu told me about it, but what can I say ……? Words don’t really do it justice ……”

She happens to be my training partner, Ayumu Kannabe’s Master.

Ayumu is the only pro in the Shogi world with a Women’s League member as their Master.

One look at this place is enough to realize how much of an impact that has had not only on his Shogi, but on his fashion sense—and a whole host of other things too. It fits very well.

“This is usually a clothing store, right?”

“Precisely. I sell attire as well as accessories. I have a large space to host fashion shows and I run a small studio for magazine catalog photo shoots. Ginko informed me that you would accompany her, young Ryuo. So, I closed them all for the day. Oh yes–––,” Ms. Shakando says with a sideways glance at Big Sis. “That space can also be used for weddings, so please let me know when you have a need for it.”

“Thanks for the offer, but both Big Sis and I are too young to get married ……”

“It’s standard procedure to secure a venue far in advance, young Ryuo.”

“It’s not like we have anyone in mind. Right, Big Sis?”

“………… None.”

Dammmmmn, she sounds pissed.

Yeah, I knew I shouldn’t have been late. She’s going to be in a bad mood all day, I just know it.

“S-So, Ms. Shakando? Where’s Ayumu? There isn’t a second to waste, so I’d like to get our Practice Session started asap.”

It’s best to let a pissed Big Sis be. The more space there is between us, the better.

Ms. Shakando points to a nearby stairwell with one of her delicate fingers and says, “God Cauldron awaits you on the second floor …… however …”

“However?”

“First, I insist you observe a match between Ginko and myself.”

“……! Sensei, that’s–––.”

“… perfectly all right. Yes, Ginko?”

The Queen silences Big Sis’s objection with a smile.

“Surely, I can’t be the only one who occasionally wants to show the young Ryuo what she can do?”