==================================================
"Checkmate!"
Su Ran celebrated his decisive victory, glancing with excitement at Kamisato Ayaka, who sat across from him looking less than pleased. In the short span of two hours, they had already played seven games.
Except for the first game, where Ayaka had walked him through the rules, Su Ran had shown astonishing progress. By the second game, his rapid improvement allowed him to force a draw against a genius of shogi like Ayaka. While she hadn't taken the first two games very seriously, she stopped underestimating this deity who had only just encountered the game by the third.
Determined to teach him a lesson, she went all out to prove that she, Kamisato Ayaka, was no pushover. After all, having studied the game for years, how could she simply lose to a novice?
Her arrogance was met with a harsh reality. She didn't extend her unbeaten streak; she lost the third game outright. By the fourth, she was pulling out all the stops, treating Su Ran as a formidable opponent. Yet, she still underestimated him. Once Su Ran applied the same analytical focus to shogi that he used for scientific research, Ayaka became remarkably easy to handle. What had been a challenge at the start quickly devolved into a one-sided affair.
The more they played, the more Ayaka felt her composure slipping. "Lord Su Ran, I must ask—is this truly your first time playing shogi?"
Having lost multiple times, Ayaka briefly entertained the thought of never touching a shogi board again. How could a beginner possibly crush a genius who had practiced since childhood?
"I have no reason to lie to you about that. This is my first time in Inazuma, so naturally, I have never been exposed to the game before."
Seeing Ayaka's崩溃, or mental collapse, brought him a sense of amusement. Perhaps it was his own confidence in his abilities that made her defeat so jarring. Truly gifted individuals rarely handle failure well.
"But I have been training since I was young. Why did I lose so quickly?"
If she had managed to win a few games before falling, she wouldn't feel quite so helpless. Excluding that first tutorial match, she hadn't won a single time. Even a god should play by some logic, shouldn't they?
"It is because your heart is in turmoil."
"My heart is in turmoil?" Ayaka looked at him with confusion in her eyes.
"I am a genius. I learn everything quickly. I have already mastered the game, yet you still treat me like a novice."
But aren't you a novice? Ayaka wanted to protest. You are not a complete amateur, and your learning speed is monstrous, but you cannot deny you have only been playing for two hours. She longed to retort, but she understood his point. It was essentially saying that she could no longer look at him as a beginner, but rather as a master. Thinking about it only made her frustration deepen, as she was already disheartened by his god-like talent. The lost games were merely a symptom of that deeper realization.
"One more game?" Su Ran invited.
If she refused, it would mean her spirit had truly shattered. If she accepted, he decided he would throw the next one.
Ayaka stared at him, expressionless. "Lord Su Ran, do you find it enjoyable to keep bullying me?"
"I cannot deny it, but I truly think you look beautiful when you play."
The sincerity in his voice reached her clearly. Ayaka looked at Su Ran with intense scrutiny, finally surrendering as if disarmed. "If it is your wish, Lord Su Ran, then let us play one more."
Raiden Ei, standing behind her and watching the board, felt a flicker of annoyance. How was this girl even easier to fool than Ei herself?
However, with a settled mind and a serious approach, Ayaka did not lose quite as easily this time. With Su Ran intentionally holding back, she finally managed a narrow victory.
"Phew..."
Although she won, Ayaka didn't feel the joy she expected. She could clearly perceive that the pressure had eased significantly during this match.
"Even if you wanted to help me regain my confidence, you did not have to hold back so much."
If he was going to throw the game, could he at least be a bit more subtle? An ordinary observer might not have noticed, but having lost so many times, she knew something was off. Even a draw or a close victory wouldn't have left her feeling so hollow.
"It is never good to bully a young lady."
Su Ran acted the part of a gentleman, as if he weren't the same man who had just dominated her in every previous game.
"Hearing that from you is truly rare."
Ayaka wasn't fooled. A moment ago, he had said he loved to bully her, and now he claimed it was wrong. Was he not contradicting himself?
"May I play a game?"
The voice from behind made Ayaka's entire body stiffen. She turned to look at the softly spoken Raiden Ei.
"Shogun?"
"No, I am Ei. I am not the Shogun you speak of."
Seeing Ayaka's face, Ei realized she was a refined lady of high standing. Her upbringing and etiquette were superior even to her own, and her appearance was stunning. It was no wonder she was the object of Su Ran's pursuit.
"Lady Ei, please, take a seat."
Ayaka immediately realized that this was the gentle Raiden deity Su Ran had mentioned.
"Thank you."
Ei knelt on the cushion Ayaka had just vacated and reset the pieces on the board. She looked at Su Ran. "I have some knowledge of shogi as well. Would you be willing to play a game with me, Mr. Su Ran?"
"Of course. It is difficult for me to refuse a request from a beautiful young lady."
Playing against Ayaka had been a one-sided crush, but this deity, who had lived for thousands of years, should provide a real challenge. He did not fear challenges.
As the two began their match, Ayaka turned her gaze to the other Raiden Shogun standing nearby.
"Shogun?" she asked softly.
"I am Ei."
Lady Ei? How did you become so tall? Ayaka could hardly believe it. Just yesterday, she had been able to hold Ei in her arms, yet today, she appeared taller than her.