Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 18 - Chapter 2.06

  Master Kiyotaki’s Visit

“Ginko. You have a visitor. A man, by the way.”

I was on my way back to my room after my usual checkup when a staff member I’ve come to know very well flags me over.

“A very handsome man in a kimono!”

―――Yaichi ……? No way!

After showing up out of the blue and disappearing without a word, did he come back?

But he’s about to defend his Crown title. I haven’t checked to see who the challenger is yet, though. He’s probably wrapped up in his preparations right now.

―――Maybe he wanted to show me the new kimono he’s going to wear? …… Yeah, right.

He’d never come before a title match. Obviously.

Even so, this painful twinge in my chest has to mean part of me is hoping …… hoping that he prioritized me over Shogi.

“……!”

I’m willing myself to stay calm, but my feet speed up all on their own.

Then, I step into my room and have a reunion with a very important person in my life.

“This place ain’t half bad.”

“Master ……”

The pain in my chest leaves in a literal heartbeat. Surprisingly fast. The sight of that geezer’s beard is a miracle drug. He should get licensed and start selling.

“Disappointed, are ya?”

“Not really.”

I zoom past him and slide under my bed covers in no time flat.

Next comes one of Master’s long-winded sighs.

“Really, Ginko ……? Is that any way to greet yar Master after all this time? I wanted to come see ya earlier, but Keika kept insistin’ that ya’d reject anyone in the Shogi world other than her and wouldn’t let me―――”

“Where’s she now?”

“Got her clock cleaned in the first round of the MyNavi Prelims, see? Musta been a real shock to her system ’cause she’s been cooped up in her room ever since. Had tons of jobs lined up workin’ the big board and doin’ live commentary for the Crown Title Match, but she canceled ’em all. I ain’t got a clue what’s goin’ through her head no more ……”

“…………”

“Hm? Do ya?”

“Not really.”

Actually, I do.

Keika has been at my side all the time since I was transferred out here.

She stood by at the Shogi Association building the whole time I was playing against Ika Sainokami, which turned out to be the match that forced me to take a leave of absence. She’s also secretly been my personal liaison with the association.

Coming here at least once a week, being here for me when I needed to talk with someone, bringing her favorite books for me to read so I wouldn’t get bored, taking me camping on the facility grounds …… I’m more certain now than ever that it’s a good thing Keika is around.

…… But something has started to dawn on me.

Is she …… using me as an excuse to run away from reality.

Hmm.

I have no room to talk since I ran away myself—but she’s spending half the week over here, lazing around with her nose in some romance novels, complaining: “I highly doubt anything in My Abusive Family Sold Me Off to Some Sleazy Rich Folks But the Guy I Married Turned Out to Be Nice and Jealous of All the Attention I Got From My Abusive Family would ever happen.”

Her complaints about them are oddly specific, too.

“That kind of a twist never happens…… Just no. This author has no idea what real life is like…… The marrying a high-spec-macho-guy to become rich isn’t trending anymore. Right now, the buy-and-raise-your-own-younger-guy is what people like. The cute boy trend has come back around.”

But wait, Keika has always been into that stuff, hasn’t she?

So that’s why I told her.

“If you’ve got so many gripes, why not write it yourself?”

It just so happened that the volume she was reading had an ad for a newbie writer’s contest ……

That’s probably what’s going on.

“Then I’ll ask you, Master. Why’re you here? She told you not to come, didn’t she?”

I have to change the subject before it comes out that this is my fault.

Master’s response wasn’t what I expected, though.

“Got a message from Shoko, to tell ya the truth.”

“My mother contacted you?”

“Yeah. Said Yaichi was here.”

“…………… Chatterbox ……”

I let my guard down.

My mother had always stayed as far away from the Shogi world as she could.

It had been a good ten years since she talked with Yaichi, so part of me just assumed she’d be the last person to tell someone where I am.

“I dunno if ya know or not, but Mr. Kannabe is challengin’ for the Crown Title.”

“Ayu- …… Kannabe 8-dan is?”

“Those two’re meetin’ in a title match.”

Master heaves out a long, tired sigh.

“I told papers and magazines that I wanted to get into A League ’n be Meijin, too. But time passed me by. It’s takin’ all I got to keep my spot and I dunno how long I’ll last. Times are changin’ way too quick, I tell ya ……”

“………… Yes.”

A title match between Yaichi and Kannabe-sensei.

Two opponents who I used to play against all the time in the kid’s room at Master’s house …… one that I used to dominate is challenging in a title match. Just hearing that makes a searing pain tear through my chest even worse than before.

But this time, it has nothing to do with my condition.

It’s envy.

“Have ya heard ’bout Ai?”

“Somewhat.”

“She’s fixin’ to turn pro without goin’ through the Sub League.”

Master takes off his glasses so he can massage his eyelids with his fingertips.

“I just ……,” he mumbles as he stares at the ceiling. “I just don’t think she’s doin’ this ’cause she wants to be a professional. The whole time she was Yaichi’s apprentice in Osaka, not once did I ever hear her say she wanted to go pro. Now, outta nowhere, she ……”

Master scratches his scalp.

―――Well, this takes me back.

So many memories flash after seeing that.

Master tends to fidget when his brain is overloaded during matches. Vigorously scratching his head, biting his nails, squeezing his pant leg, thwacking his head with his fan.

There was something that I admired about him when he was in pain.

I knew that I wanted to be a pro just like him.

Starting at some point, I started thinking that playing Shogi was supposed to hurt …… and seeing Master suffer was all the confirmation I needed to know I was right about my own suffering.

―――I’ll never acknowledge anyone who plays Shogi just to have fun.

The same twinge as before rends in my chest. Envy.

And the reason I’m suffering now is―――

“Say the policy does change, and Ai does go pro, I don’t think she’s thinkin’ ’bout what’ll happen after that. Actually …… I’ve got a hunch that she’s after somethin’ else entirely.”

Ai Hinatsuru.

The last time I spoke to that pipsqueak …… I was still in the Sub League. It was right before the final match of the 3-dan division, when I was a complete wreck physically and mentally.

“Please watch out for Yaichi.”

The summer festival at the shopping arcade. That’s what I said to her when the two of us were alone.

Something occurred to me then that’s been on my mind ever since.

What if Yaichi and I had never met?

Wouldn’t he have gotten so much stronger than he is now? He’d have been free to grow any which way and charge headlong into Shogi theory without ever looking back, wouldn’t he?

“Stop Yaichi if he starts going astray. Grab his hand and pull him back.”

That was my request. Not only was she young and healthy, she never hid her feelings for Yaichi and has far more talent than I do.

Ever since she entered the picture, I’ve had a feeling.

A feeling that I’m the shackles holding Yaichi back.

And that the one who gives him wings is …………

“And? Would you get to the point, Master?”

“If I’m fallin’ to pieces like this, plenty of other players are gonna be really shaken up. Even if this gets brought up for discussion at a Player’s Meeting, there ain’t no way we can reach an agreement on our own. What I’m tryin’ to say here is―――”

Master puts his glasses back on.

Then, looking me square in the eyes, he says, “The one whose voice actually matters here …… is the player who took the opposite route from Ai. The pro who didn’t try to dodge the Sub League and endured that trial by fire all the way through …… Namely, Sora 4-dan.”

…… Me?

“My gut tells me yar the tippin’ point, Ginko. A yes from ya, it’ll happen. But if ya say no, it’ll take movin’ heaven an’ earth to make the change.”

“…………”

How am I supposed to process that I still have that kind of influence?

Not too long ago, the pressure would’ve been too much to handle.

But now, I don’t even need to plug my ears. My head is perfectly calm as I listen to what Master has to say.

Which is why I thought.

―――Maybe now …… I can ask.

“Ai’s tenacity won me over but …… to be frank, I still have some doubts. What do ya think is best, Ginko ……?”

“Answer my question and I’ll answer yours.”

“And that is?”

“………… Master―――”

Of course, actually putting the words together makes my heart lurch.

I power through that darkness in my chest and endure the pain.

“Master ………… Did you try that as my spare?”

I didn’t mean it as an attack or criticism.

Just, I wanted the honest opinion of the renowned judge, Kousuke Kiyotaki. Surely the person who molded a prodigy like Yaichi Kuzuryu must have been thinking about it for a long time …… I’m sure he’s spent years and years thinking about it.

About who would be the best match for Yaichi.

“…………………………………”

A long pause.

There are a lot more silver strands in Master’s hair now than when I knew him best. He is staring at the floor, but it’s crystal clear just how hard these last six months have been on him.

Then he opens his bearded mouth.

“I―――”