Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 4 - Chapter 5.5

  PRESENT

Once all the matches finished up, there was one last event to do at the arena: draw straws.

All twelve players who made it through the preliminary matches took turns pulling numbers out of a box one by one in front of the fans to determine who they’d play in the Finals.

“Next up is an amateur who advanced her pieces all the way to the Finals, Miss Keika Kiyotaki! Please come to the front!”

“Y …… Yes!”

Keika, who’d been sitting behind a small podium, nervously made her way to center stage. Flashes of light envelope her all at once as media members staked out in front take her picture and the Shogi fans give her a warm round of applause. She bows and flashes a big smile before giving her take on the upcoming Finals.

It goes without saying that both the Ais are sitting behind their own small podiums. Ai Hinatsuru is clapping louder than anyone as Ai Yashajin looks like she’d give her left arm to be anywhere else but claps along anyway. It’s so cute how she keeps up this act.

Ika Sainokami is nowhere to be seen.

She didn’t try to find me after her match and was gone before I knew it.

She’ll probably keep her head down for a while …… Losing like that isn’t the easiest to take.

“Miss Kiyotaki. Please draw your number.”

“H-Here goes ………………………… This one!”

The number she snatched hit her against–––.

“Ohhh! There we have it, ladies and gentlemen! Miss Kiyotaki’s opponent in the first round will be–––Women’s Legend Rina Shakando!”

“……” ”

Every last bit of expression leaves Keika’s face.

“…… Ouch ……”

“…… Keika …… Of all people ……”

I watch it all happen from the guest chairs next to Big Sis, both of us holding our heads.

Getting matched up with one of the four players seeded into the Finals, and drawing the strongest one …… Why do you have to have this kind of luck now ……?

…… Well, then again–––.

“It’s pretty amazing that all three made it to the Finals together like this.”

“You don’t look all that happy about it.”

“No, really, I am. But …… I just feel so worthless. A Master who can’t do anything for his apprentices ……”

I couldn’t be there beside them, let alone lend a hand.

“But yeah, they probably don’t even need me anymore! Ika might not’ve taken her seriously, but Ai’s gotten strong enough to win against a title holder in an even match. Haha!”

“Very true.”

“Urgh …… You could at least pretend to deny it ……”

“…… If you still haven’t figured out why the pipsqueak suddenly got so strong, you fail as a Master.”

“Come again?”

What’s that supposed to mean?

“Miss Kiyotaki. Would you share your aspirations for the Finals?”

“It’s …… hard to think right now, knowing I’m going against such a remarkable opponent ……”

Keika is staring off into space.

“But, I’ll still be …… doing everything I can to prepare for the match. I won’t be getting stronger overnight …… But I’ve been working toward my dream up until now, and I plan to keep going.”

“Thank you very much. Best of luck to you.”

Keika gives one long, deep bow before returning to her seat with tears glistening in her eyes.

There’s the same kind of glistening light coming from Big Sis right next to me, watching from a distance.

“Next up, please.”

“Yes!”

Energetically jumping to her feet–––is Ai Hinatsuru.

And–––.

“…… Huh? Both of them?”

All the other players have been coming up one at a time, but for some reason Ai Yashajin stands up too.

My first apprentice looks so nervous, her face bright red as she pulls my less than enthusiastic second apprentice toward the stage by the wrist.

Deafening applause and blinding flashes all at once. Their popularity is on another level.

These two are already idols in the Shogi world.

––– …… They really don’t need me anymore.

I’ve only ever seen them as kids, but now they’re playing with sound technique and aiming to win. When did that start happening? At this rate, they’ll keep getting better on their own …… Heck, they’re already shooting toward the top of the Shogi world. I bet they’ll both nail this interview too, no problem.

Here I am, feeling sad that the chicks are leaving the nest when–––.

“Miss Hinatsuru, Miss Yashajin, your victories today were intended to be a present to a special someone. Is that correct?”

“Yes!”

Ai Hinatsuru takes a neatly folded piece of paper out of her pocket while she waits for the staff to adjust the microphone. Then, she starts reading.

“Dear Master.”

…………… Come again?

A speech from out of the blue.

What she said–––completely blindsided me.

“Happy seventeenth birthday!”

…… She … knew ……?

Knew that …… today, August 1st …… is my birthday?

“…… It’s not exactly the hardest day to remember. Eight one, ya ichi, it’s your name,” Big Sis mumbles in a low voice next to me.

She’s right. My parents named me after the day I was born, the first day of the eighth month. I always thought it was because there are eighty-one squares on a Shogi board, but it turns out Shogi had nothing to do with it.

“…… Look who’s talking, Ginko. Were you named after your hair ……?”

“Are you trying to pick a fight?”

“Shhh!”

I shush Big Sis to focus on the rest of Ai’s speech. For some reason, Big Sis’s mood took a nosedive as soon as she got started.

“I can’t believe that four months have already passed since we first met. Cherry blossoms were blooming back then, but now it’s already summer vacation. Where did the time go?

“Every day as your live-in apprentice has felt like a dream.

“I’ve learned so much Shogi from you.

“We’ve cooked together.

“You held my hand walking through Osaka and Kobe.

“Playing Shogi has helped me make so many friends, and you’ve been kind enough to host our overnight practice sessions …… Sometimes you’re very strict, but that makes me happy too …… I treasure every moment.”

…… That’s how she’s been looking at everything ……?

Memories of our time together start running through my head, my chest heating up.

“You’ve given me all this, but I can’t give you anything in return. Because I love it all too much ……

“And Master, you’re the Ryuo. You’re at the top of the Shogi world and have talent, money, everything under the sun. And girls love you. That’s why–––.”

Was it just me, or did her tone go down just a bit on that girls part ……? Ai courageously talks about her true feelings.

“That’s why Ai and I made this decision together.

“To show you how strong we’ve become as a birthday present. To win no matter what at the preliminary matches today.”

Because–––Ai continues, “Master will worry …… if we don’t get stronger. The Ryuo Title Match is right around the corner, and you won’t be able to focus–––.”

“……!!”

Never saw that coming. I gulp down the air in my throat in shock.

Now everything makes sense.

Why Ai wasn’t playing like usual, but instead going for the win without leaving any openings.

Why such a quiet girl was so determined to make it through the preliminaries.

When I finally connect the dots …… my chest clamps down and the corners of my eyes start burning.

All of it–––it was all for me.

“Master, you always say that a player is alone when they sit in front of a board …… So, we have to get stronger on our own.

“I think so too. No one can fight alongside us.

“But–––we can fight for someone else.

“During the challenge matches and the preliminary matches, I fought for you, Master.

“For the Master I love.

“So the Master I love would be happy.

“So the Master I love more than anything in the world wouldn’t have to worry …… I’m sure that I would’ve lost if I was fighting only for myself.”

–––For me, her Master, Ai became stronger than everyone else.

My apprentice and her sparkling smile on the stage start getting blurry.

I want nothing more than to burn this image of my grown-up apprentice into my memory, but I can’t see clearly no matter how hard I try.

“Master …… Happy birthday.

“I’m sorry this is the only present I can give you.

“I’ll work harder and harder so I can give you a better present next year.

“And the next, and the next, and for–––ever! I want to keep giving you presents, Master. So …… be my Master forever and ever.”

Folding up her sheet of paper, Ai makes a deep bow.

Then, she grabs Ai Yashajin’s hand and pulls her forward.

“Now it’s your turn, Ai!”

“…… That’s okay, I’m fine.”

“No, no! We promised together, didn’t we?”

“………”

Ai reluctantly takes the microphone and steps to the front.

“…… I only play Shogi for myself. Not for anyone else, just me. I always have and always will.”

She says flat out and then glances right at me–––and says ……

“But, today …… I played for you.”

“……………!!”

The tears I’ve been keeping in are that close to spilling out.

“J-Just today, got that?!”

The way she said that and then jerked her head off in the other direction, Ai’s so precious I can’t stand it.

I just sat in my chair, fighting back the tears when–––wham!

Something shoves me forward. Somebody just kicked the back of my chair.

“Woah?!”

I tumble out, caught completely off guard …… Once I got my bearings, my two apprentices were standing right in front of me. As soon as I saw them–––.

I hug them both.

In front of the audience for all to see.

“Uhwawa?! M-Mas …… ter?”

“H-Hey! What’s the big idea–––.”

Surprised as they were, I whisper how I feel right into their ears.

“Both of you ……… Thank you ……!”

People can call me lolicon all they want. Tears flow as I thank the Ais again and again. I tell them how grateful I am for the best present ever.

“Master ……♡”

“……… Humph.”

Ai Hinatsuru returns the hug. Ai Yashajin doesn’t push it away …… She’s probably embarrassed though.

Ai Hinatsuru leans in close to whisper in my ear.

“…… By the way, Master? When my match was over, Sainokami-sensei said something like: Yaichi’s amazing! You got this strong by livin’ with him, right?! Nothin’s goin’ to stop me from livin’ with my precious, precious, darlin’ Yaichi! I’ll be back when I’m stronger!!”

“She what?! S-She’s still saying stuff like that?!”

“Wait …… What? You’re talking about Empress Ika Sainokami, yes? What’s your relationship with her?”

“You’ll never believe it, Ai! She’s Master’s ex-girl–––.”

“How many times do I have to tell you she’s not?! You worked so hard so that I could focus on the Ryuo Title Match, so why’re you bringing this up now?!”

“Shogi and love lives are two different things!!”

Ai starts going on an angry rant but …… That pure innocence just makes her even more precious.

These two girls in my arms are surprisingly small.

These two tiny apprentices fought against adult Women’s League players all for me. They dug deep, pulled out all the courage they had to fight hard, and it was for me.

I wanted them to know that their admirable and pure feelings were heard.

I’ll win.

No matter who comes. No matter how strong the opponent.

For the two girls who fought for me.