Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 9 - Chapter 3

  THE FOX’S BRIDE

“And? Is Miss Yashajin feeling depressed?” pics already taken, the beautiful young woman asks me while dipping a long spoon into her parfait.

“She’s fine. On the surface anyway.” I answer with my eyes on my green tea latte. The barista made a heart in the froth.

This thing would be perfect for Instagram. I feel kinda bad about drinking it, but that’s the only thing left to do once the pictures are done …… Like taking the pieces off the board once a Shogi match is over.

“But, I can tell she took a lot of damage.”

“Oh?”

“For the first time ever, she asked me, What did you see in me that convinced you to take me as your apprentice? Point-blank.”

“…… That sounds serious.”

I understand where that question is coming from. Basically, her confidence is shaken and she’s looking for someone else to validate her talent.

But that’s something the normally arrogant Ai Yashajin would never say. That alone proves that her heart is in pieces right now.

“With the way that match ended, Ai Hinatsuru couldn’t finish her article. She missed the deciding moment, too ……”

“Which match will Miss Hinatsuru ultimately be in charge of covering?”

“The third, I think. Zaou-sensei’s explanation about the first pretty much summed everything up and that’s what the papers are using.”

“Not to mention the third match is in Miss Yashajin’s hometown of Kobe.”

“True. But, at this rate ……”

It looks like the third match will be the last one. It’s just as Big Sis predicted.

Sure, a lot of people will come out to support her at her home arena, but having all those people there rooting for you when you’re against the ropes actually piles on a lot of extra pressure.

If she’d like to avoid playing the last match in front of her home crowd, that puts more pressure on the second match and could make her drop two matches in a row if she can’t mentally recover in time.

Long spoon deep in her parfait, the beautiful woman says, “I feel sorry for Miss Hinatsuru, her first assignment as a journalist ending like that. There’s not much time remaining before the third match, the one that counts, is upon us. If you would like, I would be willing to give her a few tips of the trade.”

“That would be great.”

“I’m in charge of blog coverage for an upcoming match, so that would be a perfect opportunity to take her on as an assistant.” With that, she puts on a somewhat sadistic smile and says, “Well, you have nothing to worry about. There are ways to make good articles out of even the most ordinary matches.”

“I’d really prefer it not be an ordinary match, but ……”

“It’s her first title match, and I wouldn’t blame her for being in a bad place mentally after losing the first match to that kind of rule violation. Actually, I’m relieved.”

“Huh?”

“Kobe’s Cinderella is really just a 10-year-old girl.”

The beautiful woman sitting across from me–––the journalist Ms. Mato—finally takes a bite of her parfait after saying that. 

“Mmnn~♡” Sure sounds like she’s in a happy place.

We’re sitting in a café in Kyoto.

One of the local magazines hired her to do a parfaits and lattes fit for Instagram café series, so Ms. Mato has been going to tons of up-and-coming new cafés all around the city to get material.

I’m here to help her out with that.

She needs me to sell the perfect for dates angle, so we’ve been taking pictures of us drinking from the same glass using heart-shaped crazy straws, scooping parfaits into each other’s mouths and pretty much anything that young couples who don’t care about public displays of affection would do.

Normally, a professional model would step in and do these things, but–––.

“Are you sure you want me of all people for this?”

“Yes, you, Ryuo.”

And that’s how it is. Maybe they want someone with normal guy looks to make it more relatable for the readers?

But to be honest, this is just an excuse to talk with her.

I’m keeping a promise that I made during the Yamashiro Ouka Title Match a little while ago …… This is the premise, but I have a question to ask her.

“What do you think I should do? There’s almost no time before the second match and I have no idea what pointers to give …… At the very least, I’d like to help her mentally recover enough to put up a fight.”

“Are you asking me …… how to contend with Ginko Sora?”

Ms. Mato’s spoon comes to a sudden stop.

“If only I could acquire that information myself.”

Looking away and voice trailing off, she lets her hair down and stares out the window before continuing.

“…… All women’s players who’ve played against Ginko have collided with that wall.”

“Wall?”

“That wasn’t in reference to her bustline.”

Sure, her chest is basically a wall, but even I can tell she’s not talking about that ……

Machi Kugui drops her Mato journalist persona right before my eyes as she pokes at her own well-endowed chest with an amused grin on her face before taking a serious tone.

“Talent. Effort. Environment. And a natural affinity for the spotlight. Ginko is beyond the standards for Women’s League players in so many facets. The moment you compare yourself to one as extraordinary as her, maintaining a calm mind during battle becomes an impossibility. Balance inevitably crumbles.”

“But you can’t fight without comparing, right? You have to figure out where your opponent has an advantage and how to deal with it to have a chance …… That goes for single matches and especially full series.”

“Logic of a prodigy, that is.”

“Ai Yashajin is a prodigy in her own right. Her talent level isn’t all that different from Big Sis. Actually, I’d say that Ai is better in the early game.”

“Hmm~ …… We seem not to be reading from the same hymn sheets,” says Machi with a forced smile. “Ryuo, you’re too close to Ginko to fully comprehend her greatness.”

“I certainly don’t think so ……”

“Well, when two who know each other so well square off in a series of matches, surely maintaining calm composure will be beyond your ability… no, Ryuo?”

“I’m aware. That’s why, even though I really want to help, I can’t think of anything to do for Ai no matter how hard I try to come up with something on my own ……”

“And that was your reason for coming straight to me as I have fought both Ginko and Ai in the past?”

“No, you’re the third person I’ve asked.”

“Heeh?”

Machi’s eyes curl into half-moons like a sly fox.

“To think you would seek the advice of two others before mine …… Seems I can’t leave you to your own devices, Ryuo,” says Machi as she runs her tongue all the way down the long spoon.

It looks like she’s smiling, but …… This is kind of scary.

“Well then? What advice did these two individuals impart?”

“Nothing really. I always just have them listen as I ramble on.”

“?”

Machi looks confused, like she’s trying to figure out exactly who I was talking to …… I guess she stopped caring at some point because she starts scooping the last bites out of her parfait.

“I must say, Ryuo, you are a cruel one.”

“Come again?”

“Coming to one such as I for advice concerning Ai. Truly harsh.”

“I ………… am sorry about this. I know it’s a bit rude ……”

Machi lost to Ai in the match to decide the challenger. Those wounds are deep and still very fresh.

She might be secretly enjoying the fact that Ai lost.

I’ve felt the same way about people who have beaten me many times before. I can relate to what she’s going through.

I get it, but ……

“Is she that precious to you? That girl.”

“Yes, she’s my apprentice.”

“……………”

Her gaze falling to the table, Machi wolfs down the rest of her parfait.

–––I should’ve known it was too rude to ask ……

It’s just, she’s older than me and we go way back, so I tend to go to her for help.

Then–––.

“Thorn Princess.”

“Huh?”

Now it’s my turn to be confused.

“The first to face Ginko in battle and the first to collide with that wall. As such, she may possess insight.”

“Ahhh ……!”

I’m almost standing before I realize it.

–––How could I have forgotten about her?

If it’s the Thorn Princess …… Not the way she was back then, but the Thorn Princess she is now, she just might be willing to give Ai some pointers.

“Thank you so much, Machi!”

“You are most welcome, Ryuo.”

She then pokes at my lips with her long spoon and says.

“You can show your gratitude by joining me for another date. Except this time, not for work♡”