Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 3 - Chapter 2.1

  KYOUBASHI DUNGEON

“The next station is Kyoubashi, Kyoubashi …”

“Master? We’re getting out here, right?”

“……”

“Master!”

“Ah! W-What’s up?”

“This is Kyoubashi.”

“Seriously?!”

I jumped to my feet. The doors were seconds away from closing.

“Oh crap! Let’s go, Ai!”

My bag, stuffed with my towel and a change of clothes, was clutched in my hand and we managed to get off the train at the last possible second. 

My apprentice looked at me with a look of curious concern in her eyes once we stepped out onto the platform and she asked, “Did something happen, Master? You’ve been in your own little world since we got on the train ……”

“Have I? Nothing’s wrong …… I guess I’m just tired.”

“Okay then, it’s good we’re going to a bathhouse! You can get refreshed!”

Ai, having never been here before, has a bit of pep in her step as we go through the station. But …… that conversation I had over the phone with Keika has been replaying in my head this whole time. What happened to her? She won’t pick up her phone either …… 

We go out the station’s north exit and take a right–––when Ai says with bubbly excitement, “Oh, wow ……!! W-What is this place?!”

“Interesting, wouldn’t you say? The station is literally part of a shopping district.”

This whole area looks like it got lost in time … Well, like a bunch of old bars did anyway.

“Uwhoa …… I’ve never been to such a dark and jumbled place before! It’s like a cave over here! This could be fun!”

“Ha-ha …… A cave, you say.”

It’s hard not to smile at a grade schooler’s blunt way of describing things.

New World is pretty much a tourist destination at this point, but Osaka’s old atmosphere is alive and well at Kyoubashi. It’s called Deep Osaka for a reason.

That being said, it’s a lot safer than it used to be, and there are a lot of really nice houses on the opposite side of the station now, so there are a lot of women and students out and about. There’s even an Animate store around here.

“Oh! Is that the bathhouse you were talking about, Master?!”

Advancing through this dungeon-esque shopping arcade, Ai points to one of the signs lit up by sparkling lights.

“Adult Relaxation Space ~Busty Bubbles~”

Not good.

“No …… that’s …… not really a bathhouse ……”

“It’s not? Okay, then what about Mistress Hot Spring ~Some Like It Hot~?”

“No, definitely not! T-There, that one over there!”

I grab my apprentice’s hand and lead her away from the questionable establishments.

“…… This one.”

Unlike the other places with their neon lights and sparkling signs, this old two-story wooden building looks rather plain.

Ai glances at the curtain hanging outside the front door and tries to read the characters written on it,

“Go-ki-gen-no-yu?”

“That’s right. The Gokigen Bathhouse. It means happy-go-lucky.”

Pulling back the curtain, someone I haven’t seen in a while comes into view.

“Evening, Asuka. Is Maestro upstairs?”

“………”

The girl standing at the attendant’s booth looks back at me in silence, her jaw hanging open.

Five seconds passed before there was any change. Her eyes, hidden behind her bangs, went wide.

“Y-Yai- ……?”

“Ah, yeah. I’m Yaichi. Yaichi Kuzuryu, the Shogi Player. Do you remember me?”

“……!! ……!!”

Her head jolts up and down like there’s a spring in her neck.

“So, is your father upstairs?”

“……!! ……!!”

Even more furious nodding. That’s going to hurt!? A neck sprain maybe!?

“Okay, one adult and one child, please.”

“…… s.”

I hand the money to Asuka over the counter. This bathhouse is more expensive than most, but there’s a reason for it.

“When did your father get back? At the beginning of the month?”

“…… s.”

“I see. Well, then I guess my timing’s perfect.”

“……”

Asuka’s face is the same color as freshly boiled lobster. All hopes of getting answers out of her just went out the window.

“We’ll head to the bath later. First, I’ve got a match to play upstairs.”

With that, I lead my apprentice up the stairwell.

“Master …… Do you know that girl?”

“Her father owns this place. I know her and she knows me, but she’s always so quiet. I don’t think I’ve really talked to her all that much.”

“…… She’s really cute.”

“You think so?”

“…… You know too many girls, Master.”

“Nah, that couldn’t be. You only remember the girls because you’re a girl yourself, Ai.”

“…… Darabuchi.”

She sounds a bit mad …… 

But that anger didn’t last for long.

“Is that …… music?”

Someone’s playing the piano upstairs. That beautiful melody has Ai’s full attention.

Her eyes opened as wide as they could in surprise the moment we stepped onto the second floor.

“Is …… Is this a Shogi classroom?! But this is a bathhouse?! And music ……?”

Just as Ai said, the Gokigen Bathhouse’s second floor is a spacious Shogi classroom.

With live jazz piano filling the air and all the stylish decorations, it’s more like a fancy jazz bar.

And the owner of this unusual place is–––.

“Maestro.”

“…… Ah, Yaichi.”

The black-suited man playing piano in the corner of the classroom slowly turns around to face me.

“Worldly Maestro––––––King. Mitsuru Oishi.”

One of the best of the best, twelve seasons in the A League and six as a titleholder, it’s safe to say that not only the Kansai Shogi world, but half the Shogi fans worldwide revere him.

“It’s been a while, Maestro. Half a year, maybe?”

“The last time we spoke, you had yet to become Ryuo so …… That sounds about right.”

“You went on another pilgrimage through Kyushu, didn’t you? A rather troublesome job fell into my lap because you weren’t here.”

“That apprentice thing? There was a message on my machine from the chairman …… This little lady here is the one?”

“No, she’s another apprentice of mine actually ……”

Mr. Oishi hardly ever comes by the association unless he is scheduled for a match, and he doesn’t participate in any practice groups and doesn’t do versus matches with anyone. The Shogi world’s lone wolf; he tends to be out of the loop. I doubt he knows Ai Hinatsuru.

“Well, have a seat.”

The Worldly Maestro took his fingers away from the piano keys and got to his feet, directing me to an open board as he spoke.

“You came all this way. Why not join me for a slight adventure?”