Ryuuou no Oshigoto! Volume 1 prologue

"Master's OO…is so hard…"

Three months after I, 16 years old, became the Ryuuou, I had an elementary school girl as my first disciple. Due to various reasons, we're living together.

"Hooo…it's really hard…"

The nine-year-old disciple is seated before me, the round cheeks dyed a sakura pink, bringing her cheeks to the master's Ou, moaning like a puppy.

She's a cute, angelic girl.

Faced with such purity, innocence of a girl who could be considered a really young girl, my stiff self-caused me to feel really guilty, but I had no intention to back off.

This stubbornness is basically violence.

"Nn…"

My first disciple-Ai Hinatsuru, lets out a warm breath, showing the deepest part of her before me, luring me in. She proceeds with a bold technique that was atypical of an elementary school kid.

But this action is really…

"…Is this okay? Ai?"

I see my young disciple make this decision, and ask her again.

Ai-

Nods silently, s.h.i.+vering a little…

A little tentative, I finally make up my mind to accept that invitation.

"Here I go…"

"Y-yes…!"

I reach out towards the deepest part of my disciple's zone.

And right when my fingers are about to touch there-

"Ah! Th-this is no good after all!!"

Ai shouted, her body quivering on its own.

She's rather fl.u.s.tered as she let me reach into an unexpected place. That reaction makes me feel good.

"Master, that…wait…"

"No can do."

I coldly stop her. I can't wait for this kind of thing.

"There's no such thing as 'wait' in professional Shogi."

"Hii…!" Ai gives me a look of someone on the verge of tears.

It's no wonder she's showing such a reaction when she let me fork on both the O-Sho and the Rook at the same time.

April, in Osaka.

It was the season where the Sakuras have already bloomed In Osaka Park, and started to scatter. Whenever the warm Spring winds blow, countless petals flutter onto the ground like snow.

The visitors viewing the flowers around us look surprised,

"…What are they doing?"

"…Shogi? At this place?"

"That cute little girl's able to play Shogi too…"

"Anyway, did they bring that all the way here? That chessboard looks very heavy…"

"Hey, isn't that the pro player Yaichi Kuzuryuu?"

Some Shogi fans have realized my ident.i.ty, and aim their cellphones at me.

Ai and I are under the most magnificent Sakura Tree at the Nis.h.i.+nomaru Garden. We came here early to book our spot and play Shogi, so Ai's fluttering hair has some Sakura petals on.

I sweep away the petals that have landed on the chessboard, and point at the chess clock at the side of the chessboard, prompting my disciple to take action.

"Hey, time's going to run out if you don't hurry, you know?"

"Uumuuuuu…!"

And then she continues to attack hard in a manner different from a typical elementary school kid, but unable to withstand the attacks of the Ryuuou as she was in an overwhelming disadvantage, and could only admit defeat.[1]

"…I lost."

She looks really regretful, saying that.

And then, she points at my King and the many defensive pieces around it.

"You're too much, Master! Really cruel! How am I supposed to attack when you defend the king so much?"

"Didn't I tell you? You're not gonna beat me if we're playing on equal terms."

It's to be expected that an elementary school kid will lose badly against a pro who doesn't play with any handicap.

But in any case, this girl isn't an ordinary elementary school girl.

It's because I've seen her talent that I'm able to sit here and go all out against her, and have her as my disciple. This girl has the most important talent for a Shogi player.

That talent is-

"Again! Let's play again!!"

"Again? How many dozens of rounds has it been again…?"

We've been playing since early in the morning, and she's still not satisfied, but I can't say that I don't empathize with her.

A Shogi player is one who does not sing a song after stepping into a karaoke box, but would bring Shogi pieces and the chessboard in for a few rounds. I'm one of those.

I remember, back when I was at the beach, the Shogi pieces were washed away by the sea. When climbing up the hill, I had a quick match, and due to air thinness, I got giddy…

"Anyway, anedes.h.i.+ and Haika-san sure are late, aren't they? Mio-chan and the others…"

"Yeah. Ah, since they aren't here yet, why don't we continue playing while waiting? 'kay? 'kay?"

Hearing those words, I had a thought.

"Ai, you…told them that we're watching the flowers today, right?"

"I did though?"[2]

"You didn't, right?"

"I did! Just that…I told them that it's a little later."

"Hey!!?"

"it's okay. Everyone will be here 4 hours later."

4 hours?

"So that means we're starting at night!? Why did you do this?"

"B-but…"

Ai lowers her eyes, bites her lips, and utters,

"…I want to play lots of rounds with you, Shogi rounds…"

"Ugh…!!"

That's illegal. I thought.

In this vast Osaka Park, this adorable girl capable of getting everyone's attention start to have tears in her large eyes, pleading for me to play shogi with her.

And seated in front of me is my first disciple-my best disciple.

This is impossible! I can't help but pamper her, it's impossible!!

"…10 minutes of timer, and once time runs out, 30 seconds."

"Okaay!! I love you, master ♡"

"Okay okay."

My heart skip a beat after she says this so honestly, but I immediately remind myself that she's an elementary school girl, and I'm not a lolicon. But she's cute. Ugh…

I feel startled at how much I can't help but pamper my disciple as I rearrange the Shogi pieces like I'm playing catch, letting out crisp sounds on the board.

There's a little girl seated before the thick Shogi board.

On a certain day, this angelic girl suddenly appeared before me, and saved me.

What saved me was her innocence. And her 'love for Shogi'.

"Please take care of me!"

Ai finishes arranging, straightens herself, and sits in a Seiza, bows towards me, her forehead nearly touching the board.

We bow to each other, lift our heads, and her little hand dancing on the board like fluttering Sakura petals, looking as though she's anxious to pick up a piece.

"…Nn!"

With a flick of her fingertips, followed by a high-pitched clicking sound, Ai makes a move on the board. All the visitors here to look at the Sakuras see the movement that's prettier and more fleeting than the flowers, and can't help but marvel in unison.

And so, Ai raises herself slightly, reaching her pet.i.te body as best as she can, and taps the switch of the chess clock by the side.

It's my turn.

As I look at the clock that begins to tick, I suddenly recall.

The day I first met Ai-the day the duo's chess clock started to move.