Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 14 - Chapter Pr1

  PROLOGUE AI YASHAJIN

It’s my first time back at the Kanto Shogi Association building in Sendagaya in a while, but this strange air has completely taken over.

“………… Does she really ………… get to keep them? The Board of Directors …… They’re tyrants …………”

“That’s not what ………… They said at today’s press conference …………”

The murmurs are passing through every corner of the building. I glance coldly at a few of the Women’s players chatting away in the corner of the arena.

Today I’m taking part in the final stage of the Women’s Throne League. It’s for the title that Ginko Sora vacated along with Queen after promoting into the professional leagues.

With the invincible Snow White out of the way, everyone had fire in their eyes at first. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity had arrived.

However, this stir in the air is coming from something else.

“…… Worry about that after you’ve won, why don’t you?”

I practically spit under my breath as I sit down in the lower seat and wait for my opponent.

Except the upper seat is still empty at 10 o’clock. Just as alarm was starting to spread to the staff …… she finally walks in.

Since the rules clearly state that a tardy player will be penalized by losing three times the amount they were late in waiting time, she barely has any left at all.

I do my best to ignore the fact that I have an overwhelming advantage before the first move is even played, clear my mind and greet her.

“Let’s have a good match.”

She doesn’t answer. Not that I care one way or the other.

After all, my opponent today is known for bizarre behavior.

Word is that her bizarre antics have died down recently …… But now that I’m here in Kanto, I can tell that isn’t the case.

It isn’t that she’s becoming normal.

She’s become so bizarre that it’s easy to forget what’s normal. That’s what they meant.

Jagged stripes through the pupils of jittery eyes. An upper body that continuously sways to and fro with a dancer’s ferocity. Amateurish manners, like using only her pointer finger to slide pieces around the board …… none of which is appropriate for a title holder.

A feeling closer to pity than anger wells up within me as I quip, “Sad …… that this is what happened to a woman who once played versus matches against my Master.”

Her swaying comes to a sudden stop, her eyes focusing on one spot for the first time. I can see my face reflected in those giant eyeballs.

“You ………………… you’re Yaichi’s…?”

“Yes. His apprentice. For now.”

Yes, for now. I’m just simply his apprentice right now. However, I have no intention of letting it end there. I’m letting another woman rent him for the time being, but he will be mine in the end. Just like the Women’s Throne Title.

Then, now that my opponent knows I’m Yaichi’s apprentice–––.

“………… Ahaaa.”

Uttering that strange sound, she suddenly lunges forward! On the board, of course.

I never once considered this timing for an attack, so I was shocked. It’s completely unprepared.

Not me. She wasn’t ready.

“Your King …… You’re going to fight with it still at 7 Two?”

The enemy King is just sitting there, one move away from completing a Mino Castle formation.

I couldn’t help but point that out and ask, “Are you mocking me?”

That position is even worse than the King having not moved at all.

It’s a bad formation. A terrible formation. Call it what you like, but this is not Shogi.

“As you wish ………… I’ll crush you.”

I thought it was some kind of invitation, so I’ll just trample through any and all of the traps she puts in my way!

The match ends in the blink of an eye.

Not to mention that she had almost zero waiting time to begin with, so her moves were extremely inefficient. Her King is cornered before the lunch break.

“Seven, eight, niiiiiiiiiii–––…” The match recorder drags that number out abnormally long. My opponent isn’t even reaching for the board. She has no moves to make.

“U-Um …… Please make a m–––.”

“Time is up, yes? I win.”

My opponent, vanquished due to a rule violation, doesn’t put her hand on the piece stand or bow her head …… She just keeps tapping her King with her finger over and over again.

The same way that a kid would poke at a dead bug on the ground out of boredom.

Just what is this attitude?

Is she upset that she lost to someone younger than herself? Well, not that I really care.

“Your King was too wide open. Yet your offensive push was unorganized at best. It would be better to decide if you’re going for a rapid attack strategy or trying to draw out the match beforehand, otherwise your formations won’t hold up in the mid game.”

The response to my assessment was short.

Her face splits open at her mouth, seemingly going all the way back to her ears, as she makes one simple sound.

“Ahaaa.”

That’s it for this review session.

I stand up and leave the room with my opponent still tapping her King. While I want to get back to Kobe as quickly as possible, there’s still something I have to do here in Tokyo.

Someone I want to see …………… in an agamic sense.