Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 5 - Chapter 5.1

  ARCANA

Getting back to my room, my apprentice jumps out like an excited puppy.

“Master!!”

She takes hold of my waist as I stagger inside and supports me as I drift my way into the room.

“Master! Do you want to take off your kimono?!”

“No. But the hakama pants, yes. And I’d like to loosen the sash, too. Please help.”

“Of course!!”

With my fingers about as strong as tissue paper, Ai loosens it for me.

Still standing, I do everything I can to forget about the match that just finished.

If the committee decides to treat it like a regular Repetition Draw, I’ve only got thirty minutes to rest.

I’ll lose for sure if my brain is still stuck on the first match.

Finally able to take a deep breath now that my sash is hanging loose around my waist, I take a seat on the floor cushion. Ai appears a second later with a tray full of food in her arms.

“Rice balls! They’ve got salmon in them, your favorite! There’s some fried eggs, too!!”

“Thanks. This is great.”

Everything is fresh and still steaming like they’re right out of the cooker. Of course, Ai made them all by herself.

Taking a bite, I didn’t know food this good even existed.

Anything and everything tastes wonderful when you’re running on fumes but …… Ai’s cooking goes beyond that. I could keep on eating this forever.

Memories of sunlight filtering in through the trees at the park pop into my head.

The place where the two of us always eat lunch, that park.

“…… That was delicious.”

I cleaned the plate, but Ai sounds a bit disappointed.

“I wanted to make curry for you …… But, there wasn’t enough time ……”

“Nah …… Yeah. Just the thought is enough.”

She looks genuinely sorry, but I still make sure to thank her.

That curry, it’s one of the tastiest things I’ve ever had but …… It makes me … pass out …… 

But there’s something else on my mind.

Ai must’ve left early to come back here and get everything ready. The heaters have been on long enough that the whole room is the perfect temperature and the bathtub is full.

It’s all perfect …… A little too perfect.

“Ai. Did you …… read how that situation would turn out?”

“I, um ……………………………………… Yes.”

Just as I thought …… 

“But I wasn’t sure if the Pawn Drop Mate would happen or not so …… I thought there’d be a chance you’d have to play another match. The first thing I had to do was get the bath water running and then go prepare food in the kitchen, all before waiting for you to come back to your room–––.”

“Ah, I gotcha …… Thanks,” I say as I pat her head. 

Ai looks so happy.

My adorable, tiny apprentice …… But this girl here saw Final Judgment coming before me, and maybe even before the Meijin. That’s almost scary. My cute little Shogi demon.

My hand going back and forth through her hair, Ai gets up the courage to ask, “… How … will it turn out?”

“No clue.”

That’s the one thing I really don’t know.

“They won’t just say I outright … lost …… I don’t think so anyway. I know the chairman won’t suggest it at the very least, and the committee will listen to him because he’s the observer.”

The real question is when the rematch will happen–––.

“There’s a very good chance the next match will happen today.”

I have to stay battle ready. But, at the same time, I need to rest up.

I’ve been pushing myself way past my limits for the past two days. Both my brain and my body are spent and begging for a breather.

I don’t say anything to Ai because she’ll get worried, but I actually can’t see very well at all. My nose isn’t bleeding anymore, but there’s a real possibility it could start leaking again when my blood pressure goes through the roof during one-minute Shogi. I gotta get some rest …… 

I take some eyedrops out of my bag and use them.

“I’m going to lie down until they make a decision. Wake me up if someone comes.”

“S …… Sure!”

I close my eyes and wait for the cooling drops to soak in.

Then, when I open my eyes again …… A very determined Ai is sitting on her ankles in front of me and says, “Um ………… Master.”

“Yeah?”

“Please … use …… use my lap!”

Lap?

Use her lap? As what? Oh, as a pillow?

…… Put my head … in a grade school girl’s lap …… 

“Uh, thanks for the offer, but I’m happy knowing you want to help.”

But of course, that’s too much. That kind of contact with a grade school girl? Way too much. No amount of explaining would ever be enough if someone saw me do that. Forget about Shogi. It’s too risky to take up that offer with a small horde of media people gathered here. Cannot happen.

Shogi matches can be replayed …… Life … not so much …… 

“But … I’ll just put my head on one of these cushions and get some shut-eye.”

“N-O.” “Gah?! What do you think you’re doing, throwing the cushions like that?!”

“There, go ahead♡”

Ai pats her tiny hands against her knees.

“…………”

“Go ahead♡”

She scooches her way closer without getting up.

Everything from the look on her face to her body language is saying: You won’t run away, right?

…… I’ve got no way out of it. This is checkmate.

“……………………………………… Well, okay then …………”

I’m conflicted.

But right now, what takes top priority is …… Getting every second of rest I can.

Spending energy on an argument with my apprentice right now would be the worst move I could make. Pros are duty-bound to always give their best performance. The risk of getting arrested for a bit of skin-ship with an elementary school girl is nothing compared to failing in my duty as a Shogi pro.

And, really, there’s nothing all that dirty about it, right? I’m just falling asleep in her lap. She’s the one who offered, too.

All those excuses running through my mind, I lower my head onto Ai’s knees–––.

Plush♡

“Ohh ……?!”

Her knees are …… small, but warm. That sound was already out of my mouth before I knew it …… 

That special kind of heat that only kids have melts into my neck, soothing every ache and pain. The soft yet firm support is something no fancy, top-of-the-line pillow could ever hope to copy. This is some good healing right here.

“Master ……”

Ai leans over my head and I feel her little fingers go to work on the tense spots. She gently presses up under my eyebrows and kneads little circles around my forehead. She’s massaging my whole head.

Th …… this is ………… awesome …… ♡

“It’s all right …… You will win, Master ……”

My apprentice’s soft voice in my ears, I slowly drift off into a light snooze.

The heat coming from those tiny knees and the palms of her hands are so soothing.

Exhaustion fades away everywhere she touches–––.

“?! My eyes ……?!”

What a miracle! I was blind as a bat, but now …… I can see!! I can see!!

This grade schooler arcana gave me the power to break my own limits ……?!

–––With this …… I just might … win …… 

Surrounded by my apprentice’s warmth, I see myself giving an interview after defeating the Meijin.

What led to your victory in the rematch?

Sleeping in a little girl’s lap is what did it. It’s surprisingly effective. Ha ha ha!

I’m so done.

“Um …… Ai? I should get up and get ready–––.”

I really should wrap this up before someone sees or things could get real bad.

And, just as I was about to sit up, my worst fears come true.

“Yaichi! The rematch has …… been …… set ……”

Big Sis bursts into the room and gets halfway through what she was going to say before freezing up.

So does Keika when she comes in a second later.

“My, my,” she says, a bit surprised.

And right behind her, Ms. Mato jumps in saying, “Now that’s a scoop!!” taking pictures nonstop. Please, cut that out, I’m begging you!!

“It’s not what it looks like!! Nothing dirty happened, I just needed to relax–––.”

I jump to my feet to do damage control.

But, with my loose sash the only thing keeping my kimono together, the robes open up–––and expose everything underneath.

Everything? Of course, my boxers.

“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!!”

It’s not every day Big Sis squeals at the top of her lungs.

“H-H-Hold on …… Just hold on a sec ……!”

I scramble to keep the kimono from falling off completely and fail miserably. Big Sis looks away, letting out another high-pitched scream.

“Yaichi, your hakama! Why’d you take it off and loosen the sash?! What were you doing, dressed like that with a grade school girl in here?! Y-You wouldn’t …… violate the sanctity of a match–––.”

“I haven’t done anything!!”

“Then why are you almost naked?! With a nosebleed!!”

“I have to rest up anyway I can, you know?! Come on, Big Sis. You wear kimono all the time, so you know it’s hard to breathe when that sash is too tight!! I needed air!! And my nose has been bleeding since the middle of the last match, okay!!”

Then, Ms. Mato throws questions at me.

“Does that mean you have been resting with an elementary school girl?!”

“You shut up and never say another word!!” I yell at her, but she’s grinning like a sly fox. That had no effect at all.

“Oh, yes. My younger sister sent me a message for the Ryuo.”

“Sister? …… Oh yeah, your younger sister apprentice.”

Ms. Mato’s younger sister apprentice–––she’s talking about Ayano.

“She and her friends seem to be having a sleepover. From what she’s told me, they wanted to come up here to cheer you on in person.”

Sounds like the members of the Grade Schooler Practice Group are still awake and watching over my battle.

Ms. Mato pulls out her smartphone and hands it over to show me a picture.

It’s a selfie of the practice group, all fresh out of the tub, wearing pajamas and making hearts with their fingers.

Check out our cute picture! Keep trying hard! —Mio

Do the best you can! —Ayano

Masta, lub you♡ —Charlette

Each one wrote a message to go along with it.

The corners of my eyes get hot the instant I see it.

“Everybody ……”

Such cute, upstanding kids …… It’s so nice how they can come out and say they like me. I couldn’t help but smile as a warm, fuzzy feeling wraps around my heart.

Though I’m sure people seeing me grin at a picture of grade school girls right after a bath won’t help my case …… I guess I got so touched by their support that now my nose is bleeding again, too …… 

“Isn’t that nice. Master.”

Ai looks at the picture of her friends and smiles. I’m not sure why, but that smile is terrifying.

Big Sis’s voice is ice cold, too. Below freezing.

“…… Hm? They sent you this kind of picture? This is what makes you happy?”

“No, I never asked for it. This was all their idea.”

“Die! Drop dead right now!!”

“Um, Big Sis? This isn’t anything–––.”

“Ready to have a pike through your skull?!”

She picks up an oversized vase that was sitting in the alcove in my room and hoists it up to hurl it in my direction. DOOOON’T! THAT’LL KILL MEEEEEE!!

“Come on, that’s enough, you two. This is no time for fooling around. Yaichi, hurry up and tie your sash. Check your bag and make sure you have everything. Do you have your handkerchief?”

I manage to survive the encounter with Big Sis and not die before battle with the Meijin thanks to Keika stepping in. See, I knew she was a saint. But, that wasn’t fooling around. I was literally almost killed.

“……………”

Big Sis keeps picking up the vase and putting it back down while I was getting my kimono back on like all that anger had no place to go.

But, in the end, she puts the vase back and says, “…… You said you wanted to talk to me when the match is over, right?”

“Y-Yes ……”

“I’ll give you a piece of my mind when you’re done. So–––.”

Her whole face twists like she bit into a piece of sour fruit as she whips her arm around in a full swing.

It slams–––into my back at full power.

“Get out there and finish this!”