Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 3 - Chapter 3.7

  AI YASHAJIN’S VALUES

“…… It’s what’s going on, so ……”

“Ohh, why not die then?”

I explain what’s been happening to Ai Yashajin during our review session, but she looks at me like she couldn’t care less and says so with more than a hint of dry humor.

We’re in the association’s second-floor classroom.

Ai’s bodyguard Akira Ikeda is a few seats away, arms folded and playing against an elementary school kid. She seems really fired up.

“…… Do you think Akira will keep playing Shogi?”

“She’s even more devoted than I am. It’s always My Lady, we must get to the classroom as soon as possible! or My Lady, I can’t win in Shogi wars! Please, teach me the best strategy! with her these days …… It’s gotten quite annoying.”

Sure, her words make it sound like she’s hating this turn of events, but her voice sounds almost happy.

Getting back to what we were talking about before, I bow my head yet again.

“Sorry …… I told you all that to say I can’t take you to my Master’s house yet. I know it would be better to introduce you to him as soon as possible but ……”

Ai is officially my apprentice, but she hasn’t had a proper meeting with Master Kiyotaki.

Of course, I told him how the whole process went down, and I know that Ai’s guardian/grandfather made a phone call to formally introduce himself. 

That’s why I originally planned to take her to Master’s place after our lesson in the association classroom today.

I even told her my plan ahead of time but …… with what Keika is going through and this thing with Big Sis, I decided it would be better to wait a couple of days. Big Sis getting the wrong idea and now could be fatal.

“I will find a good time to introduce you–––.”

“I don’t really care either way. I never planned on getting close to your Shogi family anyway.”

“Again, with the spitefulness …… Don’t worry. We’ll throw you one heck of a party.”

“Strange. That wasn’t spite, but how I actually feel,” Ai claims before flipping her black hair with her small hand and says, “Honestly, what I’d like to know is how you can be so clingy with your opponents.”

“C-Clingy? Watch your–––.”

“Kansai’s Shogi Association has so few members that the chances that you’ll play them in placement matches are very high, no? Doesn’t being so friendly with them make it hurt more for the both of you? Just like now.”

“About that ……”

Kanto Shogi players say that kind of thing all the time.

Everyone gets invited to events and parties in the Kansai Association, but Kanto players only invite their closest friends.

“B-But, I mean, we’re pros. We can draw a line between being friends and playing matches.”

“Aren’t you having trouble now because you can’t do that?”

“Uh ……”

“My word! You’re a useless Master. It’s not like I want to make friends, but you could at least follow through on your word!”

Ai looks down at me, her chin high in the air. I’m getting lectured.

It’s hard to tell who’s the Master and who’s the apprentice anymore.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe your words were: become a member of my Shogi family and I’ll give you a good life. I seem to remember that was your way to convince me.”

“Shh! SHHHHH!! Not, not so loud!!”

Panicking, I tell her to quiet down, but it was already too late.

“Ah-ah, there’s the Ryuo, talking elementary schoolers into things again ……”

“Didn’t the Ryuo say something similar with his first apprentice? Prostrating himself in front of Ai’s parents, yelling: Please give me your daughter! ……?”

“He did what?! So, not just into little girls …… but has multiple wives ……?!”

Other people in the classroom glance at us out of the corners of their eyes, whispering to each other.

Unable to stop the damage from spreading, I just bite my lip and stare at my lap. The title …… Ryuo’s prestige …… 

“S …… So I hear you’re undefeated so far in the Practice League. While it’s great to keep advancing like this, it might be a good idea to start practicing handicaps as the upper player–––.”

“You needn’t worry about that, Sensei. I’m getting plenty of experience in the city.”

“…… The quiet self-motivated apprentice, I see.”

“You can’t take amateur practice sessions and Internet matches lightly. There are plenty of people good enough to be professionals, and they use plenty of early game strategies that professionals have never seen.”

“Yes. I think you have a good point.”

Strategies like Bishop Exchange Fourth File Rook and Central Rook Left anaguma that are making waves in the pro scene right now were originally developed and perfected by amateurs.

There’s almost no waiting time permitted in amateur tournaments, and it’s all sudden-death matches. Therefore, they come up with all sorts of techniques to deal with those conditions that pros would never think of.

Then there’s the fact that those techniques can be easily adapted to the Practice League and Women’s League.

“So, I’m fine by myself. I’ve made it this far always being alone.”

“……”

“As long as …… I have Shogi, that’s enough.”

Watching my apprentice move the pieces across the board with a lonesome air about her, I became painfully aware of my own powerlessness.

When she became a member of my Shogi family …… I’d promised to help her find happiness with Shogi. In reality, I can’t do anything for her.

Do something for her, heck, the way everything is messed up right now, I’ve probably disappointed her …… Lost in my own anguish, Ai looks up at me with an angry red face and continues, “Sh-Shogi and ……… a dim-witted Master is with me ……”

“Huh? What was that?”

Her voice faded out so much in the middle there I couldn’t tell what she said.

I lean in close to make sure I hear her response when suddenly, “MY LAAAAADYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!”

Akira comes flying up to Ai like a toddler crying for her mother.

“You have to listen, My Lady!! That grade school punk, he’s a dirty cheat! He doesn’t play fair!! He’s breaking rulesssss!!”

“B-Breaking rules? Like holding his taken pieces so you can’t see them?”

“Doing extra moves while you’re away from your chair?”

Ai and I try to figure out what happened, but Akira moans with tears in her eyes, saying, “Not that! Something even more cruel!!” 

At last, she tells us the stunning truth.

“He keeps his King in the very corner of the board and makes his defensive walls extremely thick! That’s against the rules! It has to be!!”

That’s a plain anaguma.

“He’s not breaking any rules.”

“A perfectly legal move ……”

“It’s not, I tell you! There’s a rule against it!!”

All that pain and frustration. Akira is stomping the floor like a spoiled kid. There are plenty of those.

But still, I can relate to wanting anaguma to be against the rules. Even in the pro Shogi world, I think so. On the other hand, it’s a very effective strategy to play …… 

“Please, My Lady! That boy, make him suffer!!”

“Haaa …… I suppose it must be done. Which one?”

Ai stands up, a little annoyed, but she’s got the eyes of someone going to avenge her fallen friend. How nice of her.

“You’re going? Seriously, someone at his level isn’t worth your time.”

“…… Not worth my time, you say? Hah!”

Ai flicks her long black hair over her shoulder like a black wing as soon as I said that.

Her next words were so serious, they caught me off guard.

“Don’t hold back, no matter who you’re playing, and win. That’s all.”

That’s who she is in a nutshell. Ai Yashajin: damn cool.