Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 9 - Chapter 3.1

  THORN PRINCESS

“Is there any point to this?”

That’s become Ai Yashajin’s favorite phrase over the past couple of days and she says it yet again.

Ai Hinatsuru, walking by her side, tries to reason with her.

“T-Ten-chan …… Master already set this up for you, so ……”

“Then he should’ve been looking for someone I could practice with! I have the first move in the next match, which gives me an advantage …… I can’t afford to lose this one ……!”

“Cramming in tons of practice matches at this point wouldn’t make much difference.”

Walking ahead of them, I look over my shoulder and say, “How many matches do you think you can squeeze in before the second match? Surely you know your skills won’t get all that much better so quickly just playing matches.”

“…… Then what am I supposed to do? Are you saying there’s a way to improve without playing?”

“Yes.”

“……?!”

“Probably.”

“What?! Are you trying to tease me?!”

“I’m not sure myself, okay? That’s why we’re going to ask.”

People try to recover lost confidence by sharpening their skills, researching day and night, playing practice matches and so on.

But they’re just running away.

I learned that firsthand during my Ryuo Title Match against the Meijin.

When facing an opponent you think you could never defeat, the first thing you have to do is get to the point mentally where you realize there is no such thing as never.

“So, um …… Master? The person we’re going to meet today, was she the most recent Women’s Throne challenger?”

Sensing things are getting awkward, Ai Hinatsuru jumps into the conversation.

“Yes. She’s the most recent Women’s League player to face off against Big Sis. What’s more, she’s such a strong player that she had her on the ropes, too.”

“Then, does she know Sora-sensei’s weaknesses?”

“No. What makes her truly impressive is that she got to a title match right after giving birth and taking care of her oldest kid at the same time. She’s actually better now than she was before she had kids despite losing all that research time to take care of them. That’s what’s amazing. Sure, her husband is a pro Shogi player, too, but–––.”

“They’re husband and wife, and both Shogi players?! She’ll know all sorts of things!!”

“Y-Yeah …… Don’t you think? You can learn a lot from her.”

“Yes! I’ll ask everything I can think of!!”

S-She’s gung-ho …… Ai Hinatsuru’s really determined to become a better Shogi player!

But Ai Yashajin is not taking the bait. This could be a problem.

“Big Sis is getting stronger, too. Her getting into the 3-dan division proves it. But I can tell just by watching that the gap separating her and Big Sis is much smaller than before.”

“Humph,” says Ai Yashajin, swishing her black hair over her shoulder before flatly saying, “She still lost.”

“That she did. Along with every other Women’s League player that Big Sis has ever faced.”

Ever since appearing on the Women’s Shogi scene at the age of 11, Big Sis has never lost to a member of the Women’s League.

Five years undefeated: 55 matches and 55 victories. Not a single stalemate or Repetition Draw either.

Yeah, Big Sis is truly a monster.

The very first title holder that that monster tore to shreds is the one who we’re about to see today.

“She was the first person to be bestowed Queen the year the Queen Title Match was created. After that, she claimed the Women’s Throne title and was well on her way to taking the top spot in Women’s Shogi away from Rina Shakando only to have a grade school girl take both titles away from her.”

In other words, you can call her Big Sis’s first victim.

“Her playing style back then was based on getting rid of wasted moves and personifying efficiency. I doubt she ever did a single review session. Everything had to have some positive effect on her Shogi, going as far as isolating herself from other people as much as possible in her daily life. The nickname people gave her was–––.”

“Thorn Princess,” Ai Yashajin answers.

Sounding surprised, Ai Hinatsuru asks, “Do you know her, Ten-chan?”

“…… More or less.”

My second apprentice seems to be implying something as she continues with a nod.

“Actually, I’m shocked that you’ve never heard of her.”

“Don’t be too hard on her. Ai has only been a part of the Shogi world for a year now. After two pregnancies and taking care of those kids, the Thorn Princess has taken a lot of time off over the past few years. She hasn’t been around long enough to know about her.”

Honestly, it’s more surprising to me that Ai Yashajin knows about the Thorn Princess.

Her nickname used to show up in Shogi magazines all the time way back when… but almost no one calls her that anymore.

And why is that?

Because more than just her playing style and personality, her overall look has changed quite a bit.

The Thorn Princess who looked like actual royalty when she was bestowed the first Queen title has become–––.

A whole lot less prickly. Heart and body.

“Oh, and who have we here?! What cute apprentices!! Oh my, oh my, oh my!!”

Northern Osaka. At an apartment complex in front of a spacious park just a few minutes’ walk from Senri-Chuo Station.

I ring the doorbell outside of a room, and a slightly chubby beauty of woman flies out of the front door with a baby in her arms.

“It has been a long time, Ms. Hanadachi. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule today to–––.”

“Hey now, Yaichi. There’s no need for all the formalities. I’ve been so busy with my little ones that I’m dying for some real conversation. Guests are always welcome, always!”

Azami Hanadachi Women’s League 5-dan.

She was originally called the Thorn Princess because her home prefecture, Ibaraki, has ibara, which means thorn, in its name, but she moved to Osaka after her first daughter was born to be closer to her husband’s family in Kansai. She transferred her registration to the Kansai Shogi Association as well.

She took a long leave of absence to take care of her baby, but suddenly returned to the Shogi world while pregnant with her second.

What really shocked everyone was that she went on a tear and got all the way to a title match her first season back.

No matter how much she explained that she was in a stable stage of her pregnancy, one look at her bulging baby bump put everyone on edge, thinking she might go into labor in the middle of the match.

“I still can’t believe that that little Yaichi is already at the age to be taking apprentices …… And already making them both into Women’s League members. I must really be getting old.”

“You’re in your twenties, Ms. Hanadachi. You’re still very young.”

“Oh, wow! You even know how to flatter a lady!”

“Argh?!”

Smack! She hits my back so hard I tumble forward.

Maybe it’s because she’s put on a bit of weight, but how in the world is she that strong ……? She used to be so skinny and not care about other people at all, but now she’s downright chatty and has become an Osakan mom through and through. I guess having kids changes everything ……

We follow her into the living room and find a little girl who must be about two years old sitting on the floor.

“Sakura. Big brother Yaichi is here.”

The toddler tosses the toy she was holding to the side, climbs to her feet, and waddles her way over to me.

“Yaachi♡ Yaachi♡”

“Nice to see you again, Sakura. You’re bigger than I remember.”

I haven’t seen Ms. Hanadachi’s oldest daughter Sakura since she was in the break room during the last Women’s Throne Title Match.

Looking just like her mother, she’s a beautiful little girl.

“It’s been quite a while, but it looks like she remembers me.”

“I always have your matches hooked up to the TV through the Internet, Yaichi. She can watch you for a long, long time happily squealing Yaachi♡ without getting bored. You have no idea how much that helps.”

“Oh, I gotcha. When kids grow up in a house where both parents are pro Shogi players, they get hooked on match coverage before kids shows ……”

“She doesn’t understand the rules yet, though. Now then–––.”

Setting the baby down in a crib, Ms. Hanadachi turns to face us before sitting on her ankles and properly introducing herself to my apprentices.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Women’s League player Azami Hanadachi of the Hiroshi Muroga Shogi family.”

The one who plops down on her ankles and introduces herself right away is–––.

“Kuzuryu Shogi family, first apprentice Ai Hinatsuru! I was told you have many important things to teach me and I can’t wait!”

“What’s this? Won’t you get bored listening to an old lady like me?”

“No, not at all! I would love to hear how you and your husband met, how he proposed and what it’s like living as a professional Shogi couple!!”

“Are you sure? Yaichi told me that you wanted some tips on doing Shogi research ……”

“Keep it to Shogi, please. Just Shogi …… Ai, introduce yourself.”

While my first apprentice’s sudden enthusiasm throws me for a loop, I instruct my second apprentice to greet our host.

“…… Ai. Ai Yashajin.”

“How nice to meet you! Teeheehee.”

Ms. Hanadachi seems to find Ai Yashajin’s grumbled greeting to be entertaining.

“Cwass fwowew bud, Sakuwa Hanadachi ……”

The vibe was getting pretty tense until Sakura imitates their self-introductions by adding her preschool class instead of a Master: flower bud by the sound of it.

Sakura clings to me as her mother asks.

“Yaichi, you like kids, don’t you?”

“Huh?”

Ai Hinatsuru interrupts in a slightly cold tone before I can say anything, “As far as Master is concerned, the smaller the better. Isn’t that right, Ten-chan?”

“Yes. They’re his favorites.”

Oh, come on ……

“Y-You’re going to give her the wrong impression! Actually, I’m into older girls, so don’t make her think toddlers do anything for–––.”

“…… Yaachi, yew don’t like Saa?”

“No, no, no! Of course I like you, Sakura–––Sure do!” I say to the little girl on the verge of tears and give her a hug.

“Saa woves Yaachi♡.”

Then, she pats her hands against my cheeks. Now, that’s cute♡.

But.

“…… Master? I’ll call the police on you for being a loli-con if you keep ogling at the baby ……” 

“…… Is she the real reason you wanted to come here in the first place?”

My two apprentices are glaring ice daggers at me …… Ouch!!

On the other hand, the Thorn Princess says, without any prickle at all, “Why don’t you take her out to the park and play? We’ll have our own Women’s League players–only teatime, okay?”

With that, I get chased out of the room.