Executive
“There’s somebody I’d like you to meet.”
This was the first thing that I thought when Rokuroba-sensei sent me that message.
Finally, it’s about time.
This phrasing could only mean one thing and one thing only. The big one.
――― A marriage announcement.
Contacting me this way is a bit too formal, though.
After all, I lived with Tamayon-sensei and her fiancé Jin Natagiri 8-dan for a while.
“I wonder if she’ll ask me to be a greeter at the ceremony. I’m pretty sure she’ll ask Rinrin-sensei to do a speech …… Oh! Maybe I’ll get to be the flower girl!!”
Tamayon-sensei told me to come to a really classy restaurant in Tokyo’s Minato Ward in her message. I put on my best clothes and made the trip. So I can almost hear the wedding bells as I open the door and spot her dressed up as a lovey-dovey college student.
The man sitting at her side is, of course―――
“Hello there. Tamayo has told me so much about you.”
“………… Whaaa?”
That’s …… not Natagiri-sensei.
He’s not even Japanese.
This white man has blonde hair and blue eyes, looks around 50, incredible fashion sense and is probably rich ……
At first, I thought maybe he was her father, but no. Tamayon-sensei’s parents are Japanese.
Huuuuuuuuuh ……?
Wh-What is this? Why was I invited to come to a fancy restaurant in the Minato Ward to meet a white man who’s even older than my father ……?
Worse, I’m right here but the two of them are pretty much all over each other as they start going over the menu.
“Papaaa. Can you order this wine for me, pleeease? ♡”
“I don’t see why not.”
“Oh, can I have some pocket money, too! ♡”
“Keep this up, and my wallet won’t survive many more days out with you, Tamayo.”
A sugar daddy ……!!
“Oh, please, Mr. Executive. ☆ You’ve got plenty to spare!”
“He-he-he. But you’re eating up most of my executive pay checks.”
“Tee-hee-hee~♡ You’re the best, Papa! ♡♡♡”
………… Just what is going on here?
So this middle-aged man has to be a big time executive for a company. On the board of directors, for sure. He calls the shots.
Which means he’s using the company’s money to wine and dine Rokuroba-sensei!
“Tamayon-sensei ……”
“Hm? Oh, sorry. You’re still underage, so I’ll get you a soft drink―――”
“I was wrong about you!!”
I glare at her through the tears in my eyes.
“It doesn’t matter how much you like dandy, over-the-hill men! What are you doing living it up in Minato Ward with a sugar daddy when you have a wonderful partner in Natagiri-sensei …… This is unforgivable, darabuchi!!”
“Wh-What’s with you?! Why are you so angry?! And a sugar daddy?! Whoever said I had a thing for over-the-hill guys, anyway?!”
“All the men you fall for are geezers with money, Rokuroba-sensei! Are a handsome face and a thick wallet your only standards?!”
“Ngh!!”
I must have hit a sore spot because she keels over.
But she stands up straight just as quickly.
“He’s my Master, got that?! MY MASTER! Bruno Redmond 9-dan! He’s the executive director! Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of him?!”
Master?!
Then she―――
“N-No matter how hard it is to find sugar daddies these days, for you to do nasty things with him for money and call him Master …… The Master-apprentice relationship is sacred! You disgust me!!”
“That’s rich, coming from someone pining for their own Master!!”
We lunge at each other, only for a waiter to pull us apart. Only then were we able to sit and calmly listen to each other.
“Th-Then ………… You really are a professional sensei ……?”
“Perhaps seeing my Promoted Pawn badge would make you believe me?”
Redmond 9-dan runs his finger under the collar of his expensive suit to make the badge shine.
The golden, Shogi piece–shaped badge with a と written on it proves that he is employed by the Shogi Association proper. I received one of those myself when I won my title not too long ago.
Okay …… It seems I jumped to the wrong conclusion ………… Haauuu …………
“I was never blessed with a child of my own, so I interact with all of my apprentices as if they were my children. That’s why I ask them to call me papa, but that seems to have caused confusion here.”
“You don’t have to apologize, Papa. It’s this brat’s fault for thinking I’d ever go out looking for sugar daddies!”
…… There’s so much I want to say right now, but I hold it all back.
This time is my fault. Yes, completely my fault. And I apologize.
But I don’t think I’m the only one who would get the wrong idea …… mumble mumble ……
“You’re still in elementary school, Miss Hinatsuru. I wouldn’t expect you to be familiar with all the inner workings of the Shogi Association. Why don’t I explain what I do as an executive of the Shogi Association while we wait for our food to arrive, hm?”
“………… That would be very nice of you ……”
“The Board of Directors has a large jurisdiction. Five seats are assigned to Kanto and two spots for Kansai. The chairman and other executives are elected from within our ranks as well.”
If anything were to happen to the chairman, the executive director would take over their duties …… apparently.
That means this man is the Shogi Association’s second in command.
Hearing that by itself makes it sound like Chairman Tsukimitsu is higher up―――
“Mr. Tsukimitsu has control over the Kansai directors, but they number less than half of the Kanto group. We’re always the ones who truly decide what happens whenever the board votes on something.”
“The Kanto Association has always had the real power. They still do,” adds Tamayon-sensei with a “he-he.”
All while gobbling down really expensive wine ……
“Kansai players can win all they want, but it won’t matter. That is just how the system is built. Just FYI: we Women’s League players are in pretty much the same boat.”
“Tamayo is absolutely right. Ms. Shakando has been granted a seat on the board due to the increasing membership in the Women’s League, but the fact that she held all the titles herself for so long only worked against her.”
Redmond-sensei's handsome face doesn’t change, but there’s a bit of sadness in his voice.
“In order for Women’s League players to officially join the association, they must either claim a title, as you have done, or achieve a rank of 4-dan or above. The problem with that is that no less than 400 victories are required to rise from Women’s 2-kyu to 4-dan.”
Even with a 50 percent win rate, that would take 800 matches.
It feels so distant.
Even if there are twenty matches every year …… it would still take 40 years to reach ……
“With how few Women’s League matches there are, achieving 4-dan on victory stars alone is quite a tall task.”
“Let me put it this way. Female Association membership never increased because Shakando-sensei and the then–Sub League member Ginko Sora hogged all the titles for themselves.”
“And holding a Women’s Title doesn’t allow Sub League members to join the association, just to be clear.”
These two clearly talk about these things all the time. Just the way Master and I used to talk about Shogi.
Politics and things.
“Are you bored? Please bear with me a little longer.”
Redmond-sensei is considerate and jumps right to the point.
“The Board of Directors’ jurisdiction is clearly defined in the association’s statute. Article 27, Section 4 is entitled Rules, Regulations, and the Alteration or Elimination Thereof.”
“……!”
“The changes you are seeking, Miss Hinatsuru, fall within this category …… That is our interpretation and we have proceeded as such.”
“Do you get it? You’ll never, ever get any traction without the Kanto directors on your side!”
Now I finally understand why Rokuroba-sensei set up this meeting.
―――Support from Kansai players and the Women’s League won’t be enough ……
I thought I just had to get lots of people to support me.
But, I was wrong.
My whole strategy was the same as a beginner stubbornly trading out for stronger pieces, caught in an endless cycle with nowhere to go.
But, cornering the King is the point of Shogi.
And right now …… A King has come out in the open, right in front of me!
“…… U-Umm――――――!!”
Just as I was leaning forward to make my move.
Redmond-sensei beats me to the punch.
“As a representative of the Kanto directors, I have a favor to ask of you, Miss Hinatsuru.”
“A favor …… from me?”
Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
“Yes, indeed. We would like your help. That is the main reason I asked Tamayo to arrange this appointment.”
Executive Director Bruno Redmond flashes a Hollywood grin and speaks so smoothly, it sounded rehearsed.
“It goes without saying that there will be pocket money with your name on it.”
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