Volume 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)
The First Morning
“…U…nn…?”
Kok kok Tok tok I woke up to those sounds
“…Smell of…miso soup?”
A homely scent reaches me, and I, who just woke up, am left confused
Strange? This is…where is this place?
“…Did I wander into Master’s house? Keika-san’s cooking…?”
Was I actually drea my discipleshi+p? So I wondered, but it was not the case
I opened my eyes, and found that it was the 2DK apart that it was almost noon
“Ah…speaking of which, we played shogi until late into the night…”
Rather than late into the night, it would be more precise to say that it was almost dawn My opponent was unable to withstand the sleepiness, and was drowsy, so we ended our match, and went to bed
As for that opponent, I remember–
“Ah! Master! Good !”
I walked out of the bedrooreeted me
There was an ele at the kitchen
“…”
I got to repeat this, since it’s very important
There’s soirl!! Standing there!!
“…Erm””
“Ai! Ai Hinatsuru! I became your disciple yesterday!”
“Eh? No, I never said anything about taking disciples–”
“Breakfast is almost done here! Please enter the bath, Master!”
“B-bath?”
I entered the bathroo me from behind, and found that there was already hot water inside
Ever since I started living by ht be the first time I had a leisurely bath in my house Also–
“There’s some nice smell from the hot water…”
“Yes! I brought some ‘Wakura Bath Salt’ from home! It’s a bath soap that contains ue and ood♪”
Right, this kid’s family owns an onsen inn…
An inn, but it felt like a luxurious hotel That place won the top prize in japan for consecutive years, and the E Christmas Eve…
Huh?
Then, isn’t this kid…some rich princess?
“Please put your dirty clothes in the basket there I shall wash thee of clothes and the towel here?”
“Ah, yeah”
Before I knew it, this eleirl knehere the clothes and toere at This development surely isn’t nory
It felt as though I arrived in a hotel, having a towel fight I soaked racious care
“Master! Breakfast is ready!”
“Ah, yes”
“I’ll serve it immediately”
I had a nice good bath while the sun was high, and with much relief, sat at the short japanese table as plain but intricately prepared, piping hot food was served beforeskills overwhelmed me,
“Sorry I took the food froe”
“It’s fine…”
The scrumptious meal before my eyes stunned me, and I took the bowl It was a hill of rice
“A?”
“Yes! There was a lot of food in the fridge, so I can’t help but use that much”
“What’s this black thing?”
“Seaweed! Simmered Seaweed!” (TN: Nori no Tsukudani Nori, or the japanese term for edible seaweed Tsukudani is basically food simmered in soy sauce and mirin)
“Why is there simmered seaweed here?”
“I made it There’s dried seaweed and sauces here”
“Eh? You can make that at home?”
“A frying pan will do though?”
“I-I see…itadakimasu…”
“Sorry that it’s just some simple dishes”
With the ele at me, I reached my chopsticks for the dishes
So, let’s see how it tastes–
“U!”
“Ehehe♡”
Upon hearinglike a puppy
At the very least, it was different from how tentative she was the previous day
I guess this was her true nature Shogi could show the personality of an opponent, and this girl was a feisty one ould not back down 100 full offense Most fei players are like this, like anedeshi+, and anedeshi+, and anedeshi+
“H?”
“Yes! I have to serve you, Master! I’m the disciple!”
“Enough with that, let’s eat together You’re hungry now, right?”
I was very concerned by her service Besides, I never agreed to take her in as a disciple
I had hersit opposite the table, and we faced each other as we had our meals
“Then…erm, itadakimasu…”
“Yep”
“…”
“…”
…Just aard
There was a strange feeling as I face her, having this irl? I just ht?
It’s one thing if it’s playing shogi, but any other occasions, and it’s a co as we had to face soender Even if she’s an elementary school student…
“Ere Do you cook for yourself?”
“Hm? Ahh, that’s not me, but my anedeshi+…”
“Ane? Master, you have an older sister?” (TN: Ane: older sister)
“Not exactly…well, kinda”
Anedeshi+ would always co by herself’, so she said (at the very least, it looked like cooking) To be honest, the (what appears to be) cooking was hard to s, but if I did not eat, I would be whacked by the corners of a 7 inch board, so I could only force myself to s A 7 inch board would nor loan
“Well, leaving that aside…I rei for three months? How did you study?”
“Ah, yes!”
Ai put her hands down, and sat properly
“Back in our hotel, i, and had a lot of books about shogi, so I read theh…”
“That’s it?”
“And then, when I helped out at hoi My household owns an onsen inn, and I needed to help in lots of things, so solving theame puzzles to check as staleiven that you can replenish your board, so all problems are considered mates)
I see, I see Tsuame
It’s not that solving tsui abilities There are soi However, this ht suit her
“Anyway, I’ out ork”
Nori while helping, but this was i player If you have the tii? This is the world for us
“Ehehe It was tough trying to memorize the puzzles at first, but I can easily recite them now”
Hm, memorize…the puzzles?
“…Wait aany book or copies along?”
“Yes Er with me, but et, so it’s fine even though ot confiscated!”
“An-anyway…how o?”
“About 30 puzzles? If they’re long, 10 puzzles at most”
Wait ait wait…
It’s already a that she’s able to memorize the puzzles and solve them in her head, but she could et after she memorize them once? What’s her mind made of…
“W-what kind of puzzles did you solve? 3 step tsui?”
“I just solved this recently”
Ai took out an old book fro in the corner of the room
And the words written on the book was ‘Shogi Drawings’ (TN: Shogizukou, 将棋図巧)
“I couldn’t solve the last puzzle at all, until I finallythe train here! It’s really difficult”
“Y-you really……solved that…one?”
“Yes, six hundred and eleven steps, right?”
…Correct No way…
“Shogi Puzzles”, a fai puzzles by a shogi player in the Edo Period called Kanju Ito, and there are 100 puzzles altogether
Each of theht, but the last three, ‘Naked Gyoku’, ‘Sest i history, artistic, and unbelievable in difficulty It’s definitely not so an elementary school kid can simply solve and then say “It’s difficult, that’s all” (TN: ‘Naked King’, or Naked King, where you literally beat the opponent with just a king: youtubecom/watch?v=6UNRA8cYo))
Just to note, the follow is an ordinary tsui (mate in 3 steps)
(TN: Just a note to all readers, there is a rule unique to shogi called Drop Instead ofa piece, you can use a turn to place one of your captured pieces onto the board Answer: Drop gold generals down 5-three and 5-two)
And this is the final puzzle ‘Long Life’ in the ‘Shogi Drawings’
(TN: 611 steps …kids, just watch the video, though there is somehow one additional piece youtubecom/watch?v=TQv4i3tfvCc)
A terrifying board, isn’t it?
Unbelievable, right?
This is tsui, and then…
She solved it in six hundred and eleven steps, inside her head, without using any board…
“I spent 2 weeks solving every puzzle in this book, but I was really happy when I was done! I feel like i too♪”
Seeing that innocent, delighted face on that elementary school kid, I couldn’t help but feel a chill up my spine
This kid is…way too weird
Her talent’s definitely extraordinary A pro player will need severalin the past that anyone who can solve this ‘Drawings’ and another really difficult tsui Unrivaled’ can becoi Musou, written by Soukan Ito III, the older brother of Kanju Ito)
A girl who only started shogi threewith housework, solved it in 2 weeks…
It was too startling, and I could only stare at the simmered seaweed, while Ai-chan was probably worried by my attitude, as she worriedly asked,
“Er?”
The opposite
“W-well…it’s rather alance though”
“…I guess”
“This ‘Long Life’ has six hundred and eleven steps, but it’s still a work froi puzzles that are longer”
“Like how?”
“‘Micro Cosmos’ one thousand five hundred and twenty five moves”
“Eh?”
“One thousand five hundred and twenty five )
“Hii…hiiiiiii…!”
“All pro players can solve it”
If I’er than the Abenos Harukas (TN: Located in Osaka, the building is also known as Harukas 300, for the 300ht, the tallest skyscraper in japan)
“Pro players are a!” I triedateyes as she commented, and asked,
“…And? Any other methods you learned with?”
“Ah yes I played shogi on the school internet”
“Internet shogi?”
“Like ‘Two Four’ and ‘Wars’
So Shogi Club 24 and Shogi Wars That’s basic
“I would borrow a sht the class, I’ll reflect on the ”
Hohoh, playing internet shogi on the tablet in school huh?
Tie brat sound like an old geezer here, but I did not continuefrom Middle School, and it had been a year since I left school, so everything felt nostalgic
“…I’m full”
“Yes! I’m full! Ah, I’ll brew tea for you now”
She cleared the cutlery and utensils, and brewed tea She really was a girl thorough hat she does
Once she skilfully brewed tea for me, Ai washed the utensils at breakneck pace, and asked me,
“Sorry, Master, may I borrow the washroom too…?”
“Ah, yeah Take your time…and also, I’m not your Master”
“Yes! Master!!”
A cheerful sound echoed from the bathroom, and I could only drop my shoulders weakly
VERSUS
I had a sip of tea, and started to changeAi as a disciple
“Talent-wise…she does have it”
Tsui abilities, for one can learn how to 'checkmate'
”This i”
This rei, and if one is able to play to an end gah instincts, one would be able to reach out for victory further and faster than the opponent
This is the end game ability
Typically, end ga, but Ai's extraordinary ed to accumulate a precise and vast set of information
”In other words, if that kid…keeps playing shogi, and solves er”
If I'i player,
”Certainly No problems”
And if she was groo a title wouldn’t be difficult for her There’s only a few of such fei players I kneho had such talent
And–
“She only played for three months…”
Ai’s 9 years old
But if she wanted to aii world, she’s a little late when it coe
“Nor ele with actual classes”
There’s a vast difference in shogi ability compared to e of nine
Then again, anedeshi+ was the devil's child, able toat potential, I can't deny that Ai, who ed to improve so much in 3 months, has the talent to possibly surpass anedeshi+ Also, there is a trend of fei players
If one were to ask room her,
”Of course I want to groom her–”
She had outstanding talent
Personality wise, she htforward, but her defiant personalityHearing the hu too
Further her as a new idol in the world of shogi Maybe millions of people would be added to the population of the world of shogi
And all I ould be to see what kind of shogi she would play in the future with that talent of hers
“…Which means I can’t be her Master”
Right
I’ my own business, so how could I possibly take care of an eleirl at that?
It’s impossible for me to have her as my disciple It’s for her sake
“In other words, I need her to be in someone else’s care…hm, who do I leave her to? Someone related to the Hokuriku–”
And right when I ondering about that
Ding Dong♪
The doorbell chimed
“Yes? Who is that?”
“Me”
“Eh?”
“Me”
Ane…deshi+…!?
“HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!”
Hurry! Got to get there fast!!
I rushed to the door at full sprint, grabbing the door handle firmly with both hands
Anedeshi+ has the spare key, so normally, if I did not respond or was not at hoave up on trying to explain to her, but this was a terrible situation! There’s an ele in my house!!
“Wh-what brings you here, anedehi!? Wh-ha-what do you want!?”
“VS”
“So I seeeeeeeeeee!!!”
We proot about it! So s happened!! An elementary school kid just entered my house!!
“Hurry up and open the door It’s hot”
Anedeshi+ pro really impatient This ‘Snow White of Nanihite skin who’s weak to sunlight really hated waiting outside
“No, erht now…?”
“What?”
Anedeshi+ let out an impatient, and skeptical voice
“Y-you see! I haven’t been in top forh I didn’t want to say this!”
“And so?”
“So I wanted to try a playstyle during our match today that I never did! I think I spent too much time…”
“You can try the Cheerful Central Rook or the Bishop Exchange Fourth File Rook all you want, but why do I have to wait outside?” (TN: Cheerful Central Rook: ゴキゲン中飛車, a fore Fourth File Rook, 角交換四間飛車 , also shortened to KKS, is where the rook moves to the Fourth Tile to the lateral opposite side, fourth tile, while preparing s are for offenses)
“Erm…I needed to prepare…”
There’s an ele in here, so please wait! There’s no way I could say that, and I got increasingly unable to fend for myself
I was unable to say anything, so anedeshi+ said,
“…Yaichi, are you bathing?”
She probably mistook because of the shower sounds The bathrooht next to the corridor
“Y-yeah! Th-tha-that’s why I can’t open the door now!!”
If she were to see an ele, then no ht find for myself, anedeshi+ would si to use the 7-inch board, she’s probably going to stuff i pieces and drop me to sink into the Dojima River (TN: That is, a subsection of the Kyu-Yodo River in Osaka…)
“I see A shower”
“Y-yes”
“I’m relaxed then”
“What?”
“…I thought you hate me, Yaichi”
“Anedeshi+…”
If she knew that there’s a nine-year-old kid living in ht now, there’s no way she would relax, but it’s cute when this ignorant her said such words
However…what I said was half the truth
Just two years ago, on October 1st, when I becaht my way froroup ranking battles, to the main battles, and from there, continued to beat down top players with top abilities, becoed up froi world to the top in the shortest distance possible
I attained the honor of the youngest chae of 16 years and 4a pro was the fastest record in history Most shogi players would fight on for thirty years or so, and retire as a 7th dan In a year, I ot a drea cup ramen, it tasted like a Ryuuou, and the takeout food of the ‘Yai Soba’ opposite the road of the association tasted like Ryuuou too, yep
And then, hell began
3 months after I obtained the title of Ryuuou, I never won an officialstreak just kept increasing My win rate fell below 30; htmare
“And then, I finally realized, I ed to win the Ryuuou battle because I was too weak”
“Yaichi…”
“As someone who just turned pro, there’s insufficient data on ainst hly analyzed the data on theies, and because I’m ranked lower, I could play hatever style, whatever despicabletheot impatient, and I came back to win…”
But after becoed completely
My shogi skills were thoroughly analyzed, exposed in front of everyone, and nobody held back fro the weaknesses I laid bare
And not only that Once I got to the highest position in the world of shogi and got everyone’s attention, shogi fans would de of the position
“That’s why I need to analyze all kinds of strategies and play shogi people will agree befits the position of the Ryuuou, and aiet criticized by others–”
“Yaichi”
“What?”
“You suffered consecutive defeats not because you’re too weak You aren’t weak at all This isn’t–“
Right when anedeshi+’s explaining this,
“Master Please get me a towel”
Ai just had to choose this perfect ti to walk out from the bathroom
Her hair was dripping wet, and she was shter of the onsen hotel, she had no issues going around naked, I guess♪ But I’m troubled!”
“Wait!? Hey! Why did you come out while naked?”
“Sorry–(>_<>
I forgot !? You’re fully naked!?
“…Did I just hear a girl’s voice?”
“N-no-no-no-not at all!? Sh-should be the TV, I guess?”
“But you don’t have a TV at home, Yaichi”
“Master? Is there someone outside?”
“Not at all~! nobody’s out there!!”
I yelled, loud enough for both anedeshi+ outside and Ai inside to hear And then–
“…”
I could hear so from outside the door
This is bad! Anedeshi+’s looking for the key!?
“nobody! nobody’s inside here!”
I held the handle fir as loudly as I could
“Anyway, Master, what are you doing here?”
Ai asked, wondering that it was strange for me to be at the corridor She’s still naked
“Do-don’t worry about that! Get a towel and put on your clothes!”
“But the floor will get wet though?”
“It’s fine! It’s fine even if it gets wet! Wear so, and hide in the cupboard!”
“Eh? Why do I have to hide?”
Gacha gacha gacha! Thud!!
“Yaichi! You’re holding onto the handle, right? Didn’t you say you’re showering!? Open up!”
“Eeeekkk!!”
“Master? Did someone come by?”
“Eh, this is…”
“…A woman?”
Ai’s voice got lower out of a sudden Eh, sounds scary
“Master! Who’s that outside!? Were’s that woman from!? Explain clearly!!”
“No! You’re not wearing anything!!”
“Not wearing anything!? There’s a naked girl there?”
The end ga
“Look atme to fall to the floor, and at the same time, anedeshi+ opened the door–
This was the setup Surely it was checkmate
“Yaichi…who, is this young girl…?”
“Master!? Who is this woman!?”
If this was shogi, this could be ended with a surrender Unfortunately, the game called life has no option to surrender, and no reset button Seriously, this is a really shi+tty game
The back of the Shogi Board
“…Anyway, didn’t I say so just now? It’s an unfortunate accident, and I didn’t do anything bad or anything that I should be guilty about!”
I was forced to seat in a seiza in the japanese roo my best to fend for myself
Anedeshi+ asked
“And then?”
“‘And then?’ Look, anedeshi+, did you really hear irl in here, she forced her way into my house! She insisted! Alone! From Hokuriku!”
“And then?”
“And! It’s the daughter of the hotel oho invited us over to the title i association, right? For the ti her safety at the same then”
“And then?”
“A-and then, didn’t you say that I should try the Cheerful Central Rook or the Bishop Exchange Fourth File Rook? So–”
“So you want to try it on a little girl?”
“That’s not it!!”
Anedeshi+ looked atmy honor, and I solemnly protested
“I have no intention of having her as a disciple, but I find that it’s not a bad thing to be teaching her shogi!”
“Ho? Yaichi, since when did you start being so passionate about learning shogi?”
“I-I just felt a littlethe title…”
Ai was seated in seiza, hiding behind me Of course, she was already dressed up
“Pff”
And troubling me was that Ai wasn’t terrified of anedeshi+ at all Those two looked like they’re sizing each other up Elementary schools kids sure don’t knohat fear is…
“Yaichi”
Anedeshi+ called my name, and pointed her fan at the corner of the room
“Bring that 7-inch board here”
“Yes…”
“Turn it around”
“Like this?”
I turned the table upside down Once done, I saw that there were the four legs and a strange ditch at the center, but I did not co behindat the back of the board
“Yaichi, do you knohat kind of shape do these legs of the shogi board take?”
“Legs? Hm…it’s probably some fruit…”
“Gardenia fruit”
“No mouth? (TN: 梔子 and 口無し, both read as kuchinashi+, with respective s)
“In other words, stop finding excuses before the shogi board
I lowered my head, and bit my lips
It’s not ot naked; they’re all beyond i player Shogi players are forbidden fro ‘wait’
Anedeshi+’stonaked, so she brought the board out to teach me, the junior, a lesson (TN: Junior, or otoutodeshi+, Junior disciple, or in this case, little brother disciple Too lazy to type out the japanese title, 6 letters vs 11)
Shogi taught s…
“Also, over here There is a ditch, no?”
“Yep”