Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 4 - Chapter 4

  AUGUST 1ST

August 1st–––the day of the Mynavi Preliminary Matches.

Exactly two weeks after the challenge matches, our group rode the bullet train to Tokyo once again.

But things were different from last time–––.

“Yaichi. Open this.”

“Ah, sure.”

Big Sis, sitting next to me, holds out a bottle of water. Her blood pressure is so low that she’s about as strong as tissue paper in the morning. Not only that, she looks five times more ticked off than usual—which is saying something because she always looks angry to me ……

We’ve got a row of three reversed seats.

From the window, it’s Keika, Big Sis, then me.

The two Ais are sitting in the two-seat row across the aisle.

It’s the same group as last time except that Big Sis has taken Akira’s place. I was sure that Akira would come with us and she seemed raring to go.

But, Akira isn’t here.

I asked Ai Yashajin about her when we met up at Shin-Osaka Station and she simply said, “I left Akira behind.”

I got a message from Akira almost immediately afterward: “Tokyo Banana.” She must want me to pick up some of the cream-filled banana-flavored pastries as a souvenir, so I sent her a basic you got it! emoji and left it at that. I’ll buy a box if I remember. I’ll probably forget.

“Here, Big Sis. It’s open.”

“Hnn ……”

Then, in the moment I hand the bottle back to her …… Big Sis’s smooth, delicate, white hand barely brushes up against mine.

“……!!”

Both of us jump back on the spot.

Just the tiniest touch. I’m not sure if our hands made contact at all.

But, just that little bit …… sent a strong jolt all the way to my toes.

“S-Sorry ……”

“It’s …… okay ……”

Bullet train …… Big Sis …… hands …… It’s just like the other day …… To be specific, remembering that Big Sis (too cute) is making my heart race and it’s not slowing down.

Keika, watching the two of us, says, “…… Did something happen between you two?”

“Huh?! D-Did something …… Like what? Nothing happened at all, right Big Sis?”

“………”

Big Sis didn’t answer, just gulped down water. She must have been thirsty because that water is disappearing pretty quick. Practically chugging it.

“Is that so?”

Keika gives me a suspicious glance but doesn’t press any further. Then she looks back down at the book of Shogi standards in her hands. Her match only a few hours away, she’s probably more focused on that.

But I’m not out of the woods yet.

“…………”

Slowly, very slowly, I look across the aisle.

Ai Yashajin is in the aisle seat and has an eye mask on. Looks like she’s asleep.

Ai Hinatsuru is by the window …… Several sheets of paper are spread out over her tray table. She keeps writing things down and erasing them over and over again.

She’s concentrating really hard. I don’t think she noticed what just happened over here.

Normally, Ai’s insanely sharp, prodigy-level awareness would have detected that something happened between me and Big Sis and she’d be over here investigating by now ……

Now that I think about it, Ai has never let me sit next to Big Sis before. She would have insisted on me being next to her in the two-seat row or she’d be sitting right between the two of us here in the three-seat row to break us apart …… Either way, she would have wanted to sit by me.

But she came up to me earlier today and asked, point-blank, “May I sit next to Ai today?” I know it’s because she wants to concentrate on her matches, but still ……

She taps Ai Yashajin’s arm to wake her up but doesn’t realize I’m looking right at her.

“Ai, would you have a look?”

“……”

Despite being woken up, Ai Yashajin doesn’t look irritated at all as she removes her eye mask and glances down to read what Ai Hinatsuru had written on those papers. “…… Looks fine to me,” she says.

Are they going over strategies for today?

Because if they are, they could just ask their Master for advice ……

It’s not like I don’t understand them wanting to win on their own steam. I think that’s wonderful. I’ve got the Ryuo Title Match to prepare for, so I won’t be able to spend as much time with them as I have …… Their desire to be independent should be great news.

I should be welcoming it with open arms …… But I feel left out somehow.

Once we’re off the bullet train at Tokyo station, the sun is already bearing down on us.

“Looks like it’s going to be a scorcher today …… Much hotter than it was two weeks ago ……”

“You’re complaining because …? It’s an indoor arena, so it doesn’t matter.”

Big Sis completely destroys my thoughtful observation.

“Um …… Big Sis? Please work with me during the commentary today, okay?”

“That’s the plan. I’m practicing right now.”

“……”

Last time I just showed up and got roped into doing a guest spot, but I was formally invited to do commentary this time.

Unlike the challenge matches, the preliminary matches are open to the public and have a live audience.

While Women’s League players are all battling it out in the arena, pros and other Women’s League members provide analysis and commentary in the large venue hall nearby.

The Mynavi Preliminaries have come to be known as the Women’s Shogi Festival because of all the fanfare … and today’s the day.

Since the extremely popular commentator Ms. Rokuroba is participating in the tournament itself, the organizers decided to go for the ace up their sleeve and ask for the Queen titleholder to take her place–––Big Sis.

Big Sis normally wouldn’t even think about accepting this gig, so it must be a sense of duty as titleholder that brought her to Tokyo like this.

“Everyone: win today no matter what! Fight hard!!” Ai says with gusto to Keika and Ai Yashajin, looking back over her shoulder after coming off the bullet train. It’s still early morning, but she’s eager to get started.

The bandanna with the word Victory sewn into it that she had tied around her forehead by the time we got to the bottom of the stairs was all the proof I needed. Maybe she’s psyching herself up, but she looks like a cute grade schooler about to run a relay on Sports Day. My heart’s all soft and fluffy from the adorableness.

Also, Ai’s got a huge backpack strapped to her shoulders, much bigger than the one she had last time.

“So …… What’s in there?” Ai Yashajin asks, the backpack thumping against her as she walks.

“E-he-he, my secret weapon♪ Oh! I almost forgot! Ai, Keika: I made bandannas for you too, so I’ll give them to you now! Everyone in the practice group signed them!”

“Th … thank you, Ai. So, I should …… put this on somewhere when I play?”

“……… What am I supposed to do with this thing ……?”

Keika smiles to be nice, but Ai Yashajin takes a bandanna like it’s some piece of unwanted baggage. Sure, she’s complaining, but kind Lady Ai accepts it anyway.

While all that was going on, we got on the subway at Tokyo station and entered the Palace Side Building just like two weeks ago but–––.

“Wha ……? There weren’t this many people here last time.”

Just as Ai Hinatsuru’s startled voice said this from the front of the group, the building that had been so empty during the challenge matches was now overflowing with people.

“Since the preliminary matches are open to the public, around two hundred fans come to watch every year but …… What’s going on?! There’s got to be five hundred people here?!”

“P-Perhaps they’re Ginko’s fans?”

Keika has a point. Big Sis is probably part of it.

However–––there’s something else drawing in the fans just as much, possibly even more than her.

“It’s them ……!”

–––Chatter!!

The Shogi fans who recognize us swarm in en masse, all speaking at the same time.

“Those two ……”

“Tiny ……”

“S-So adorable ……!!”

Their eyes are all pointing in the same direction–––at Ai and Ai.

But not everyone was talking about them.

“Kuzuryuo, that piece of trash …… Having two grade schoolers that cute all to himself ……”

“One of them is a live-in apprentice too ……”

“Oh, he’s made moves for sure ……”

“Got kissed by that golden loli ……”

“He went too far, taking Snow White. And now this ……”

“Someone just eliminate that pervert already ……”

My apprentices’ popularity has reached dangerous levels, dangerous for me.

“E-Everyone! Let’s hurry on inside! Move, move!!”

Surprised at all the attention, my apprentices are just standing there in front of the crowd. I push them forward from behind and usher Ai and Ai into the arena lobby.

But an even bigger shock was waiting for me.

“T-That’s ……?!”

What caught my eye–––was the customary Mynavi Preliminary Match Private Sponsor board.

Visitors who pay extra money to become sponsors get to sit closer to the boards and also take pictures with participants of their choice after the matches are over. Only Mynavi has this unique system.

The Basic Sponsor level is $100.

The Special Sponsor level is $150.

By the way, Tamayo Rokuroba Women’s 2-dan was last year’s most sponsored player with nineteen (four Special Sponsors and fifteen Basic Sponsors). Nothing to sneeze at, sure, but–––.

My apprentices got more.

Ai Hinatsuru …… 199 (Special Sponsors 117 - Basic Sponsors 82)

Ai Yashajin …… 201 (Special Sponsors 141 - Basic Sponsors 60)

“That’s gotta be a mistake!!”

The words blast out of my throat. Why’re two kids this popular!!?

“…… What? Is that a lot?”

“Master? There’s lots of stickers next to my name. What do they mean?”

Ai and Ai don’t understand how the system works. They’re staring at the board, heads tilted in confusion, but the highest number of sponsors anyone gets in any given year caps out at thirty. Three digits is unheard of. That figure may as well be from a different dimension.

“Well, um …… T-These are called Private Sponsors.”

How am I supposed to explain it to them ……?

Knowing how many eyes are watching during their public tournament debut would surely put even more pressure on their shoulders ……

Also, players get prize money for matches where Private Sponsors are involved, like this one. The more sponsors they have, the bigger the prize. Sumo wrestling has the same system. And with numbers like these, they’ll get one heck of a prize if they win. About as much as pros make ……

While I’m busy trying to deal with the shock, Keika comes over to whisper in my ear.

“Think about it, their challenge match records and …… They were on Nico Live too, remember? That’d be enough of a spark for fans.”

“Ah, that makes sense ……”

“Master? What’s a Private Sponsor?” Ai Hinatsuru asks as she tugs at my sleeve. Cute.

“…… Rubbing it in our faces.”

“He’s all in. The Ryuo’s gone all in.”

“Loli King ……”

Owch ……! All the piercing stares and sharp whispers hurt like hell ……!!

“P-Private Sponsors are, well, basically–––.”

“Sponsors don’t give you extra Shogi pieces during your matches, nor do they affect the outcome. Forget them.”

Big Sis steps in to answer for me but doesn’t stop there.

“Participants have their own waiting room, so get going, Yaichi, to the commentator’s hall … now.”

“Huh?! Already?! I haven’t given any masterly words of advice and we haven’t taken any pictures yet–––.”

“Shut up and move.”

Big Sis yanks my ear, pulling me all the way to the other side of the lobby. Owwwch!

“D-Do your beeeeeest ………!” I yell some words of encouragement to my apprentices fading into the distance.

There weren’t any chairs in the commentator’s hall when we got there.

“It’s because the Ryuo and Queen are hosting. We’re expecting more people than the usual yearly turnout, so we made this event standing room only,” a particularly excited staff member explains.

“I have to tell you, Kuzuryu-sensei, you’re an absolute godsend! Thank you so much for raising those two cute apprentices! They’re nothing less than the future of the Women’s League!!”

“It-It’s nothing …… Hahaha.”

I’m public enemy number one for many Shogi fans because of it.

“And by agreeing to do commentary, Sora-Queen accepted our offer–––.”

“Come again? …… How do you mean?”

“Huh? Sora-Queen said she’d only agree to this if you were with her.”

“I did not,” Big Sis says in a murderous tone with a glare that could kill.

“I did not say that …… Right?”

“Ah! N-No! It was a misunderstanding on my part, please forgive meeeee!!”

The staff member bows to Big Sis over and over again, his head a blur.

Then, “P-Please wait in the break room until it’s time to begin!!” With that, he left like he was running for his life.

“Um …… Big Sis? What was that about–––?”

“I said that you’d be acceptable as a commentator because your apprentices are part of the tournament anyway. I’m only here because it’s my duty as a titleholder. Am I missing something?”

“No, nothing.”

“……… Well, thinking of this job as a present from your elder sister apprentice, would be all right ……”

“Present?”

“Come on, Yaichi. Today’s ……”

“Ahh …… Yeah. That’s true.”

Yes, today is a special day for me.

One that only comes around once a year–––a day that I can receive presents.

“Then again, you’ve already gotten better presents from your cute apprentices anyway, right?”

“They haven’t given me anything …… because I never brought it up.”

“So, they don’t know?”

“I wanted them to focus on their matches. I can’t do anything to help, so the least I can do is not be a distraction.”

“…… They’re that important to you?”

“Important …… might not be the right word. Responsibility, maybe? Of course, my apprentices are important but–––.”

Organizing my thoughts out loud, I say what’s on my mind.

“The Ryuo Title Match Qualifiers start in two weeks, and I’ll need to prepare for the challenger right after that. Once the Ryuo Title Match starts before the end of the year, I won’t have any time to spend with my apprentices. That’s why I want to do what I can for them right now at the very least …… I want them to grow … grow enough that they can get stronger on their own.”

I want them to get the kind of strength Ms. Shakando was talking about as soon as possible.

And I want them to know how it feels. I want them to know what it is to be a Women’s League player here at the preliminaries.

“Sorry for droning on like that. But could you keep this between us and not mention it to the Ais? I’d also appreciate it if you didn’t bring it up during the commentary today.”

“Wasn’t planning to from the start.”

“I, uh, I see ……”

“But what a lonely guy you are. Working on a day like today and no one to celebrate with.”

“Ugh ……!”

“Still, think how lonely you’d be if you didn’t have work to do. It’s not like you had anything else to do today, right?”

“Urgh ……!!”

“Be grateful. I’m spending my time with a lonely guy on his special day.”

Big Sis gleefully enjoys tormenting me from the bottom of her heart. Even that smile on her lips is sparkling.