Ryuuou no Oshigoto! - Volume 3 - Chapter 5.6

  START LINE

Ai jumps with a start when Keika admits defeat in a loud and clear voice, not sure what to do before throwing down her head in bow.

“………”

Her train of thought returned to this world from whatever dimension it had been in, and she must have realized what she’d done. Keeping her pale face down, Ai clenches her fists as hard as she can right above her knees.

With that loss, Keika’s chance to remove her B went out the window.

She’s not in danger of dropping down a rank yet but …… that doesn’t change the fact that her path to the Women’s League just got a lot longer.

No one in the arena says anything for a while, the afterglow of an intense battle washing over them.

The first one to break the silence–––was Keika.

“Ai.”

“……!!”

Flinch!

Keika continues talking to my trembling apprentice, “Thank you for not holding back.”

A refreshed smile appears on Keika’s face as she says, “…… I’m really sorry. Putting all that distance between us and acting like I have …… I, I’ve been a horrible example as the eldest member of the Practice League. I’m so, so sorry ……”

“K …… Keikaaa ……!”

“But I’m all better now! Let’s do a review session, okay?”

Ai is on the verge of tears as Keika talks to her in a bright and cheery voice and starts putting the pieces back in the opening formation.

But before she could finish, one of the Practice League members who watched their match speaks up.

“Uh, um …… Ai!”

Mio.

Ai jumps again, surprised to hear her name coming from beside her. She looks over to see Mio throw herself to the tatami mat, bowing so low that her forehead brushes the surface. Full prostration dogeza.

“I’m sorry! Sorry that I cried when I lost last time …… Please forgive me!!” 

“Uwhee?! B, But …… it was my fault! I wasn’t playing with the right mindset …… And Master got mad at me for it–––.”

“What?! Kujuryu-sensei got mad at you because of me?! Sorry, I’m really really sorry!!”

“No, no! I’m the one who owes you–––.”

Ai and Mio face off in double prostrated aidogeza and an infinite apology loop with no end in sight. It’s a perpetual motion machine of cuteness … 

Keika watches the two of them with a gentle smile on her face. But, for the first time all day, her expression wavers.

Her line of sight led to–––.

“Ginko ……”

Big Sis was crying.

She came into the arena sometime during the match and watched it from the corner of the room. Her normally pale skin whiter than usual; she’s wasting away.

She’s never let anyone see her like this before, even after a horrible match.

But right now, she’d probably collapse like a sack of potatoes if it weren’t for the pillar she’s leaning on. She’s in rough shape … But her ash-colored eyes are focused solely on the finalized Shogi board and her younger sister apprentice.

Big Sis opens her mouth to speak. “Keika ……”

“I lost.” Still smiling, Keika cuts her off before she can continue, “I’m sorry, Ginko. You gave me all that precious time and I played a pathetic game of Shogi–––.”

“That was good Shogi.”

“Huh?” Keika asks, confused. Big Sis smiles between her tears and says … 

 … “That was no dress-up doll. That was good Shogi, the kind only you can play.”

“……!”

Tears build up in Keika’s eyes, more and more every second.

She bites her lip to hold them back, but it’s no use. Tears keep coming.

“…… I’m so sorry, Ginko …! ……… Thank you …!”

Big Sis’s words triggered the tears that didn’t come out after the loss. Hot streaks roll down her cheeks as she thanks her and apologizes at the same time.

The kind of tears a doll could never shed, tears that can only come from a person who’s worked as hard as they could. Hot, hot tears.

After that, Keika split the afternoon matches, 1-1.

She’s still in danger of dropping down a rank but–––.

I think that she played very well in both of those matches, the kind of Shogi that only she can play.