Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 4 - Chapter 5.4

  CURTAIN CALL

The match and the Shogi life of one of the women involved were drawing to a close.

Sen Kouzui Women’s League 3-kyu and amateur Keika Kiyotaki.

Keika–––was fighting back tears.

“Hic ……… Ugh ……”

She clamped her mouth shut but couldn’t prevent all the little noises from escaping.

“…………”

Meanwhile, Sen was calmly moving pieces about the board. Her gaze was fixed solely on her own territory.

The board––––––favored Keika. Overwhelmingly.

This match was as good as over in the early game. Sen was unable to make any decisive moves while Keika kept up a continuous offensive as if something snapped inside her.

“Ghh ……! Ughhh ……!!”

Keika was clearly sobbing. Her tears dripped onto the board.

She thought she wanted to win. She was sure of it. A victory here put her within reach of her lifelong dream.

But other thoughts were also swirling in her mind.

Sen, please! Attack me!

Make your move! Put me in checkmate!!

Those thoughts came through so clearly on the board it was painful to watch.

Keika had stretched her formation dangerously thin during the assault. It was powerful, but wide open to counterattacks like an overzealous, arcing punch. The record would make the match appear as though Keika mercilessly dismantled her opponent and grinded her into dust.

But … knowledge of the circumstances …

Witnessing the match firsthand.

Another story beyond Shogi would come into focus.

The fact that many fans in the audience watching their match were tearing up proved it.

Even with no hope of victory, Sen continued to move her pieces back and forth.

The moves were monotonous, their sole purpose was to prolong her surrender.

But she couldn’t delay the inevitable much longer.

Sen reached to grab a piece off her piece stand, but her hand curled into a fist before it got there. Then, “……………”

Her head jerked downwards as if her neck had snapped. There was no verbal concession.

“Ah ……”

Keika reflexively bowed in return.

In that moment–––Sen Kouzui Women’s League 3-kyu returned to the amateur ranks and Keika Kiyotaki moved to within one win of becoming a certified Women’s League player.

“………”

No one said a word …… Not the players, nor the audience.

Everyone knew what the outcome meant.

That’s why no one said a word. Fans chock full of adrenaline after watching Ai and Ika’s match were now suffocating in silence.

“……… I shouldn’t have done that,” Sen said in a wispy voice, gesturing to a spot on the board …… where she forced Keika to play Ranging Rook, her first move.

“…… Trying to avoid an opponent’s best strategy, that’s where I went wrong ……”

Pieces clacked against the board as Sen repeated that move over and over. Their high-pitched echoes gave sound to her heart’s painful screams.

Sen had regretted that move through the entire match.

Playing respectable Shogi in that state of mind is impossible.

For that reason, the match had been decided on that first turn.

“I should’ve played my way, used my best strategy in my last match …… Actually, I was going to …… But, by the time I knew what was happening, I’d gone a different way ……”

“……”

“Kei.”

Choking back tears, Sen addressed her old training partner.

“After becoming a Women’s League player …… I never had fun, not once. I finally got what I always wanted, joining the Women’s League like I’d always dreamed of, but it was hell on earth. Worse than the Practice League …… Of course it was, right? You get matched up with more really, really strong people than you ever did as an amateur.”

“……”

“I couldn’t win against more experienced Women’s League members, even amateurs started beating me …… I have nothing but painful memories over the past two years. Can I be honest with you? Right now, I’m a little relieved. I don’t have to suffer anymore ……”

“……”

“You and I are a lot alike, Kei …… Saying this now might make me sound like a sore loser, but our Shogi skills and personalities are almost the same. So, you know? So ……”

“Sen ……”

Keika understood what Sen was trying to say.

So–––.

“Even so, I want to join the Women’s League.”

Her voice was crystal clear.

“Even if I’m not good enough, even if hell on earth is waiting for me …… As long as there’s a chance, I want to see this through to the very end. You were the same way too, right Sen?”

“………… Yes.”

Lovingly running her fingers over the pieces …

Sen turned to face straightforward and said, “This match is full of regrets but …… I have to tell you. I don’t have a single regret about becoming a Women’s League player! Not one!”

…… After the tournament, Sen became certified as a Promotion Instructor and returned to her hometown to teach children how to play Shogi.

Her message: Always play the way you want to play!