Amidst the events coinciding with Tinei's resolve and the title match against President Geikō—the showdown between Master and Pupil—Ai confirmed her qualification for the final of the Mynavi Women's Open. As both of them prepare to break the record for the youngest challenger to the Queen title, excitement is peaking ahead of the final day of the Ranking League (Junisen). ... Kozuryū recently managed to turn the tables on the 9th Dan, Zaō, winning despite being at a disadvantage. It is frightening how he can assess and handle his late-stage position so effectively.
Today marks the final day for the C1 Group. If I win today, I will advance to the next highest group regardless of my ranking, given my perfect win record. But, my goodness, the atmosphere of the shogi hall on the final day of the Ranking League is truly strange.
(Why is it so quiet?) (Ai)
(All Martian forces are transforming and returning.) (Ōki)
(... If I came under fire right now, would it relate to Tinei?) (Ai)
(Ah, that's right. Good grief, I cannot plant a "Death Flag" so explicitly.) (Ōki)
I exchanged words with Ai as I walked toward the table alone. No... it is not that I lack friends in the C1 Group; rather, on this specific day, even friends cannot easily speak to each other.
(My opponent today will begin with a Yagura castle after a Bishop exchange.) (Ōki)
(Well, that opening is within the scope of your studies even if you play. ... Why did you switch from the Perched Silver General to the Silver General Yagura?) (Ai)
(Just a mood. It's perfectly suited for deviating from the usual study range, isn't it?) (Ōki)
(The opponent is giving some thought to his position, as you hold the initiative and he is playing with the black pieces. A Silver General Yagura might be suitable for forcing a defensive player to attack. ... No, I completely disagree. Are you mocking your opponent, Master?) (Ai)
(Stop flipping your hand in anger. Ah, it's almost time to switch. It is scary to launch the attack myself from now on.) (Ōki)
(Then, play seriously from the start. Fine, so be it.) (Ai)
In today's match, my opponent was a Static Rook professional, and the game evolved into a mutual Yagura setup. After we both spent a number of moves building our castles, Ai launched an attack to burn down my opponent's fortifications. Like a flamethrower, it precisely dismantled the opponent's defensive pieces, and after stripping him bare, Ai delivered a brilliant Checkmate sequence, ending the game. As usual in the Ranking League, the only clock time I used was the two minutes I spent going to the restroom.
「Master! Congratulations on your promotion!」 (Tinai)
「Thank you. Most likely, I would have been promoted even if I lost. However, a perfect victory guarantees the promotion, and it's good that I won in the end. Ah, it's fine for you to say that now because the match is over, but remember that discussing Ranking League results before they are final is an implicit taboo, so be careful!」 (Ōki)
「Yes, I understand.」 (Tinai)
Although Tinai was very busy planning her match against Ai, she came to the shogi hall to congratulate me, which shows she is a kind-hearted pupil who cares for her master. While teaching her the unwritten rules of the Ranking League, I took her on the way to drop her off at home.
(What a great thing it is to be promoted from the C1 Group to the B2 Group. Salary-wise, of course.) (Ōki)
(The base salary will increase significantly. The bonuses will also go up... Are you going to buy a new graphics card this time?) (Ai)
(I'm still thinking about what I'll do. Maybe I'll upgrade the quality of my meals.) (Ōki)
(You've started losing weight even though you've been eating nothing but ice cream lately. We should eat high-calorie, high-protein foods whenever possible.) (Ai)
Everyone gives their all in the Ranking League because a player's assigned group directly correlates with their base salary. In the C2 Group—the group new professional players join—the base salary is about
¥180,000
, rising to
¥250,000
in the C1 Group. My current promotion from C1 to B2 will raise my base salary from
¥250,000
to approximately
¥360,000
. That is an increase equivalent to 500 containers of Häagen-Dazs!
... Recently, the probability of me getting stomach pains from eating Häagen-Dazs during matches has decreased. Has my stomach simply become stronger? I thought internal organs could not be trained, but if that is the case, it will be easier for me to compensate for sugar with ice cream.
(If it's about sugar compensation, I think a Super Cup might be better, but I can't eat a Super Cup every time.) (Ōki)
(Any cold, sweet ice cream contains a large amount of sugar. The size of a Häagen-Dazs container is just right to finish, so I see no reason to forcefully change it.) (Ai)
Shogi is a brain sport, so many players eat sweets during matches. Some put 5 or 6 sugar cubes in their coffee cup. A vanilla Häagen-Dazs container contains the equivalent of 5 sugar cubes. It is a complete brain food.
... Strangely, some fans have started imitating me by eating ice cream. One person who became a professional last December eats Häagen-Dazs in the same way I do in all his matches. He is older than me but respects me to a frightening degree. It is terrifying that he continues to revere me even though I dropped him to third place in the final round of the Third-Dan League (San-Dan League).
Well, that person follows the "hot coffee and ice cream" method together. This combination supposedly compensates for sugar and reduces the chance of stomach upset. Therefore, although it is not a direct imitation, perhaps I should also order "hot coffee and Häagen-Dazs" together.
By eating Häagen-Dazs daily, I also want to get rid of my thinness. This is the perfect time; perhaps I should buy a large quantity.
(You are thinking of gifting Tinei Häagen-Dazs for White Day next week, aren't you? Shouldn't you consider a slightly better gift?) (Ai)
(... Hmm? But I think Tinei likes Häagen-Dazs too? Also, making something handmade is difficult, and buying a ready-made product is inevitable.) (Ōki)
(Couldn't it be a non-edible gift? You need to judge based on whether she would be happy to receive a large quantity of Häagen-Dazs.) (Ai)
(I personally would be happy. Well, maybe it should be something non-edible, like a doll or an accessory.) (Ōki)
Last month for Valentine's Day, after the Mynavi championship semi-finals, I received a large heart-shaped chocolate from Tinei. It was also store-bought. Tinei was adorable as she handed me the chocolate with slight nervousness; she couldn't turn her face or body towards me, but only her eyes looked at me. Simultaneously, many internal struggles and feelings of self-disgust swept over me.
(Shouldn't you admit it now? That you were charmed by her at first sight. You and I ultimately share the same roots; what I want is what you want, and what you want is what I want.) (Ai)
(Silence. Do not let me be categorized as a "lolicon." I may have been charmed by her beauty, but it did not reach "love at first sight"... At least, that is what I hope.) (Ōki)
After careful consideration for the White Day gift, I finally settled on a diamond-encrusted necklace. Tinei's chocolate was worth about
¥4,000
, and I was asked to reciprocate the gift ten times over, so a
¥40,000
necklace seems appropriate.
A small diamond-encrusted necklace might be something Tinei doesn't need, given that she is a wealthy girl with a black credit card, but I already ordered it from Amazon and cannot back out now. ... Good grief, what if she doesn't like it?
_____________
Read +90 chapters ahead on my p.a.t.r.e.o.n : Raven737