Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 10 - Chapter 2.2

  HALF DEAD

“Consecutive victories. Just what I expected from Naniwa’s Snow White,” the younger of the two directors tells me.

It’s the victor’s responsibility to stamp the loser’s record as well. My being here again means that I won the match.

Today–––I get to stamp two ○○ victory stars next to my name.

Seeing that, joy spreads through my heart for the first time.

“Including yourself, Miss Sora, four 3-dan players in Kanto went undefeated today. Keep up the good work.”

“…… Thank you.”

I look calm on the outside, but I’m so happy I may as well be floating. My legs were heavier than lead from exhaustion just minutes ago, but now they’re so light I could skip down the hallway.

Consecutive victories.

It’s only temporary, but being at the top of the 3-dan division gives me a gigantic confidence boost.

I look at the rows next to my name on the paper.

–––Mr. Karako and Sota are playing in Kansai today, so their results still haven’t come in ……

Away from home in Kanto for the season’s opening day and against the top-ranking member of the division. I was mentally prepared to lose both matches. But, honestly, it feels anticlimactic now, like I thought there would be more to the 3-dan division.

“Um …… Am I allowed to go home now?”

“Of course.”

The young director nods, confused.

“Now that I think about it, the Kansai Sub League conducts their meetings after their matches rather than in the morning so they can announce the results, yes? Isn’t that awkward?”

“I always thought that’s the way it was done ……”

Yes, it gets awkward when someone is forced to retire.

It downright hurts when someone gets promoted because they defeated you.

Especially in Kansai where critical matches often happen against your biggest rivals. It’s practically tradition.

That also means that, in most cases, those matches are against people you know very well.

“How does Kanto handle forced retirements? Do they have to come back next time just to say goodbye?”

“That happened from time to time when I was in the Sub League, but not so much anymore. Almost no one wants to say anything on their way out anyway. Everyone quietly slips out the door.”

“……”

“There was a kyu-ranking young woman who dropped out not too long ago. She still comes by the Shogi Association because she became a Women’s League player and I made that announcement to the Sub League for her, but ……”

The young director makes a painful sigh.

“The thing is, I almost never see her at the association anymore. I guess coming here is just too uncomfortable for her.”

I understand exactly how she feels.

If I don’t make it to 4-dan, what then?

Become a Women’s player?

Quit playing Shogi?

Or ………… Quit living altogether?

“She had a lot of expectations on her shoulders …… As a director, I feel partially responsible that she didn’t live up to them. I don’t want to make excuses, but that may have played a part in my Double Pawn violation and missing my chance to promote in the last Placement Match last season ……”

“……!”

Just then, I finally remember who this Sensei is and what role he had in my own life.

Satoru Hatomachi 5-dan.

He fought with Yaichi in last year’s C-2 Division Placement Matches to promote to C-1 …… It was thanks to him breaking the rules that Yaichi was able to grab a victory from the jaws of defeat and advance.

That was the day that Yaichi buried his face in my knees and cried, wasn’t it ……?

“…… I’m sorry.”

“Ah! No, no, no! I don’t have any bad feelings toward you or Mr. Kuzuryu at all!! Actually, I’m grateful.”

“Huh?”

“That loss made me realize that I could have been doing so much more as a Sub League Director …… A part of me had been regretting it this whole time.”

Which is why, Hatomachi-sensei tells me, he wanted to do whatever he could to help that girl …… After saying so, he goes back to what we were talking about.

“Years ago, people would forfeit the remaining matches once their retirement was set in stone, but many come back to finish out the season these days. The curious thing is they usually either win out or lose every single match they play after that.”

Losing because all the tension is gone from the match or winning because there’s no pressure anymore.

Physical endurance is necessary to play Shogi, but I think a strong fighting spirit is just as important.

–––Speaking of which ……

Just out of curiosity, I look at how my first opponent today, Sakanashi 3-dan did.

Looking at the top-ranking slot at the top of the sheet–––●●. Two black stars.

“What?”

The word comes out before I could stop it.

–––Consecutive losses?! The person who won 13 matches last year ……?

“Miss Sora.”

One of the association’s PR staff members calls my name and I look up.

“A taxi will be arriving for you in 10 minutes. Can I get a comment from you before then?”

“Ah ………… S-Sure.”

Forcing myself to forget about Mr. Sakanashi for the moment, I start thinking about what I want to say to the media.

The taxi slowly works its way through the swarm of reporters and journalists.

Passing by Hatomori Shrine, I catch a glimpse of the Tokyo City Gymnasium as we come to a stop at a red light just outside Sendagaya Station. A woman working for the association riding in the front seat of the taxi asks me.

“Would you like to go straight to Shinagawa Station to catch the bullet train? Or is there somewhere you would like to go first?”

“Please take me to the station. I can buy souvenirs there.”

“Souvenirs? For your family?”

“No, for my Master. Our Shogi family tree is having a get-together. I can tell them about today–––.”

One glance out the window and words fail me.

Right in the middle of the throng of people crisscrossing the crosswalk, I see someone.

Someone I know.

“Ah ……”

Sakanashi 3-dan.

Is he walking to Sendagaya Station?

But, compared to the savage, shark-eyed man I played against earlier today, this person looks like someone else entirely.

Hunched over, staring at his feet …… He looks many, many times smaller than before.

However, I can see something much more horrifying.

Mr. Sakanashi––––––is just standing there … crying.

“…………!”

What a bizarre sight.

A man in his mid-twenties standing in the middle of the walkway with tears of anguish rolling down his cheeks.

The pedestrian walk sign is green, but he hasn’t budged.

How long has he been standing there?

How many times has the signal changed?

Passersby are pretending not to see him as they scuttle on by.

As if abandoning the fish that got tired of swimming, left at school and now waiting to be eaten ……

Then, it hits me.

The 3-dan division is 18 matches over six months.

The bare minimum necessary to promote is 14 wins.

In other words, you can only lose four times …… Lose consecutively and half the matches you can afford to lose are gone.

–––He half-died today.

Consecutive victories out of the gate.

Undefeated and on top.

However, all that means is that my heart is still beating.

–––…… If I’d lost that first match ………… Right now, I’d be …………

My light-as-a-feather body suddenly feels much heavier.

Something has a hold of my ankles.

Looking down, souls of the dead are grabbing at my feet.

And the one looking up at me ……………… has Mr. Sakanashi’s face.

“Eeek ……!!”

I kick my legs as hard as I can to shake off the phantoms.

Shocked by my sudden outburst, the association employee in the front seat turns around to face me.

“Miss Sora?! What’s the matter?!”

My heart is pounding so hard I can’t breathe. My chest hurts. The pain ……

“Miss Sora? Are you all right? We can turn back if you need to rest.”

“…………… It’s nothing. Please keep going.”

The light changes and we leave the minnow crying in the same spot where he was when we arrived.

The 63rd 3-dan division has begun.

Hell has begun.