Earning Money

A bored woman looking down on the world. Well, it’s none of my business, I was about to leave, but Enuma’s suggestion surprised me.

Enuma said, "Boy! Accept that little girl’s challenge. The prize would be convenient, maybe even earn some money"

I replied, "Whoa, come on, what are you talking about? No matter what prize they are declaring, she’s a national level talent. I’m not that good at it."

I don’t know how strong she is, but if you’re betting on 20 consecutive wins or a prize, you know she’s a pretty big shot. For me to beat such an opponent.

Enuma simplified the matter, saying, "You need only engage as I instruct."

That proposal left me frozen with my mouth open.

Enuma said, "Indeed, it is I who shall play. This is no issue. After all, it is but a small girl. She is no opponent to me."

I never thought that Enuma would step up himself.

Enuma elaborated, "Were it simply to earn meager funds, I would not intervene as it is the boy’s trial, but the circumstances are special this time. For the time being, I wish to reward the ogre for saving the child as the Demon King. If this is to buy a cake and other articles, then I shall assist you."

This is not for me, but for Aka. In a way, Enuma, who was once the King of all Demons. Trying to reward a demon that lives in the present makes a lot of sense.

I raised my hand to the woman and the old man as they were about to leave the stand due to lack of challengers. I blurt out loud, “I’ll play you!”

Crowd shocked at the new challenger,” Eh!?”

The girl named Vin, “Oh, oh, this is a manly challenger! Are you sure?”

I ask, “Yes! You’ll give me a prize if I win?”

Vin confirmed, “Of course I will. If you win, it’s 100,000 rupee!” 

Stunned, I murmured, “100,000…”

If we win, 100,000 rupee given my penniless state. Normally it would feel amazing, but this less than my one-month allowance. Still, I need the money, and I wanted to get some cake. 

Then, spectators gathered around and cheered me on as well. Laughing bitterly at such voices, I sat face-to-face across the woman,

Vin asked, “Are you about my age?”

I replied, “I’m 15”

Vin asked, “Oh. Citizen of the Empire?”

I confirmed, “Well, I grew up in Imperial City.”

Sitting still in front of me, the woman looks me over again with great interest and laughs a little. No, I get the feeling that she is looking down on me for my origins. 

Kouga spoke up, “Oh, wait a minute, if you intend to challenge the young lady, pay 10,000 rupee.”

I am astonished, “Huh!? You’re taking money!??”

Well, they’re going to bet money on it, so it’s only natural that a challenger’s fee will be taken here as well. I don’t have 10,000 now.

Vin said, “I don’t mind, Kouga. I can beat a boy of my age, so I’ll provide that much service.”

Kouga address Vin, “If young lady says so but are you sure? If you lose, won’t your pocket money be gone?”

Vin chuckled, “Fu… you’re worried about me. Thank you.”

Vin turned and looked at me, “Then, the first move is yours. Come on.”

I’m grateful to you for the opportunity, but I’m so nervous that I’m not sure what to do. “Ah.”

Enuma started, "Hmph! good! Now then. Upper right corner, stars."

I confirmed to him, "Osu"

And Enuma’s first move was unleashed through me. Vin immediately strikes the second move.

Go. The game of conquering territory on the board.

A game in which you destroy your opponent’s defense with your own pieces and expand your territory, preventing and intercepting enemies that attack at the same time.

Vin muttered with a slightly thoughtful expression as we talked to each other about a few moves in. , “The campaign is a little dated.”

I was startled, ”Eh?”

Enuma seems to have understood the true meaning of Vin’s muttering. But isn’t that bad? Enuma said, "My tactics are from fifteen years ago. I suppose this girl is saying dated in that sense."

Enuma's ability is unknown, but his knowledge of Go stopped as of 15 years ago. Just like civilization, the tactics of Go will change in 15 year.

If so……

However, it was then Enuma gave a new command. "Advance the first formation forward."

After they had played each other by about a dozen hands, Vin opened her eyes and stopped her hands. She muttered, “Uh. This is…”

And not only stopped. She leaned forward, looking at the entire board as if she were taking it all in. In this early stage too. 

Enuma chuckled and explained to me, "Fufufu… you want to beat the units that have advanced, but to do so, you will have to break the defensive formation that you are trying to complete in a few more moves. Furthermore, if you send troops to destroy that unit, the troops themselves will become obstacles, and subsequent proper attack formations will not be possible."

Vin finally made her next move with a click of her tongue, Enuma nodded with a slightly gentle face, saying right as if he were teaching her.

Enuma then said about Vin, "I wonder. In this situation, I shall play the same move. Your formations have more or less been broken, if you hit the troops now, whatever future move you play, it seems that you can be read perfectly."

Enuma then spoke to me, "Oi, boy. Do not play so casually. Go requires deep thought and the ability to read ahead. It improves your concentration, thinking, analytical and anticipatory skills. As it were, I read the opponent’s best moves and guided them as I wished…. tis always useful in combat."

I see. This is also a way for Enuma to train me. 

Enuma elaborated, "While playing, think about my intentions as well. From now on, we shall play together. This will train your concentration, reading and thinking skills, so I will play you a lot from now on."

It like another useful skill to train, just like speed reading. Well, I’ll do it, and if Enuma says so. Because I’m a disciple. 

Vin spoke out again. This time, it’s a pretty surprised voice. “Oh… Guh … u ….“

Vin has a cold, sharp expression. At the same time, the crowd suddenly began to buzz.

And looking at this board, even I could understand the state of the battle.

I still asked Enuma. "Hey, Enuma. Is this woman strong?"

Enuma replied. "Oh, she is impressive. She has a well-balanced, steady play style. At this young age, she is quite formidable."

Shocked I said, "That much?"

Enuma confirmed, "If you replace the perspective to an actual warrior, Imperial Knight. Then she has the power of the advanced warrior class."

I was astonished, "Seriously!?"

Enuma who crushes the attacks on the board and annihilates them. Vin's side was set up to build a strong wall for her defense. Yet Enuma cut it in two!

Usually, a game of Go is often played for tens of minutes, or hours if you’re not proficient. Yet, just a few minutes, dozens of hands. Without making her next move, the woman in front of me surrendered. Vin said, “I-I-I lost.”

It was over in just a blink of an eye. I said, “T-Thank you very much.”

The old man beside Vin called Kouga is also stunned. “Yong Lady lost? That is impossible, young lady is hailed as godchild of Go. What was this man?”

That is, due to the extent of such an overwhelming victory they are totally at a loss for words.

I asked, "Hey, Enuma, even if a little. Couldn’t you have held back?"

Enuma smirked, "Well, I could afford to stay my hand a tad, but it has been so long time since last I played the game, and she was a formidable opponent. I got a little excited."

Vin immediately raises her face. Staring straight at me with her dignified eyes, she took out her wallet from her pocket and slammed it on the desk. She said, “For the time being, as promised, I’ll pay you. Who the hell are you?”

Anyway, money is money. Let’s get out of here and buy a cake without making a fuss or getting entangled. I replied, “Ah, yes. Well, that’s it.”

With everything that happened, surely Vin will have a lot of questions. “Hey, hey, how long have you been playing Go for?”

I try to reach for the money on the desk. All of a sudden, Vin grabbed my wrist and held it tight.

Vin blurted out “One more time, let’s play again. Can you give me that?”

I react ”Eh?”

Vin still pressing for a rematch, “A loss is a loss. But I’m sorry for underestimating you, I made a mistake in handing you the first move.”

I start to reply “Oh, that not necc-”

She still persistent, “But, even without it, I know you are far stronger than me. But I want to fight with all my might and see the difference between you and I.”

It’s like she saw through my intention to quickly leave before getting dragged into something bothersome. To make sure I wouldn’t escape, with her blank expression, she tightly grasped me so hard it was painful.

Vin then started to ramble, “In my hometown, I’ve never lost to anyone my age. I never lost at Go, my school grades, my beauty. Look, I have big breasts, you know.”

I am lost for words, “Is that so…”

Vin still said “Without exception, until now that is. I took the boys of Imperial City too lightly.”

Unfortunately, it was not me of the same age that played you, but a Demon King who lived for thousands of years. I mean, sure she has a big chest, but the princess is still bigger. Wait, that doesn’t matter.

I replied, “No, no. I have a lot of plans.”

She asked, “You live in the Imperial City, then we’re going to the Imperial City next, so how about that?”

I said, “Oh, no. I have some business to do, not in the Imperial City, but somewhere else.”

She asked, “Where are you staying? Then, let’s play it in your room.” 

What’s with, this woman, her face is expressionless, yet I feel such staggering pressure. Kouga spoke up “Please, young lady-”

Vin scolded him “Can you be silent, Kouga?”

Kouga tried to reply “B-But-”

Vin was so determined, she said, “If I let this once-in-a-lifetime encounter end, my heart would feel much disgrace.”

With that said, Vin rejects old man Kouga’s voice as he tried to intervene. Not good, this woman. She might be a bad type to get involved with.

Kouga said, “But young lady. it’s about time you met with the leader.”

She replied. “Then, can you tell my brother that I’ll go later.”

Kouga stomped his foot, saying, “No, no, no, you were strictly told to be punctual! Even if you don’t have a quest today, you’re sure to perform a formation review exercise.”

She rolled her eyes and said, “~Oh, I know already.”

Then she turned back to me and said, “Hey, you. I have to go now. Where can I find you tonight?”

Oh, it’s no good. I made up on the fly, “…I’ll stay at the inn on that street tonight.”

She replied, “Good. Then you we can continue this later. With me alone, such a beauty and big boobs is a good reward for you?”

Then something slipped out of her outfit and thudded on the ground. Which made Vin panic “!!??”

It’s like a slime that fell to the ground. I was left stunned “Eh?… it got smaller.”

The Vin's chest, which should have been there, was gone. The moment everyone noticed it, Vin quickly picked up what had fallen to the ground and hid it.

Vin panicked and rambled, “I decided comprehensively that a bra made of this slime, commonly known as Sobra was very suitable for the defense. So, I thought to make my chest bigger, I don’t care about them being small, in the first place. My age is still in a growth period, so they will grow bigger in the future―”

Anyway, the old man Kouga sadly put his hand on her shoulder, “Young lady. True, there is still a future.” 

Vin and the old man, whose expressionless faces turned red for the first time, left the place abruptly. With Vin shouting back to me. ”Anyway, promised me tonight? I’ve already remembered you. Okay!”

I told Enuma, "She was a strange woman."

Enuma replied, "Tonight. I care not if you intend to play."

I rejected the idea. "No way. I don’t want to get involved. Quickly, just leave this town."

I said it unintentionally, but I didn’t want to get involved with her anymore. I decided to buy a cake quickly and leave town. So, I went to the cake shop.