At that moment, Mrs. Kugui's finger was still pressed against the doorbell. When Keika Kiyotaki suddenly appeared before her, she showed a brief look of surprise—but quickly regained her composure.
She merely assumed that Keika had heard the sound of the car parking and had been waiting by the door in advance.
"Welcome. I'm Keika Kiyotaki."
Keika greeted Mrs. Kugui with an open and natural smile, showing no hint of restraint or awkwardness.
Her polite and confident demeanor immediately left a good impression on Mrs. Kugui. At least for a first meeting, it was a pleasant one.
"Thank you for having us. I'm Yuri Kugui."
"Good afternoon, Keika-nee."
After Yuri finished her greeting, little Machi Kugui—whose hand she was holding—also bowed politely to Keika.
"Good afternoon, Machi. Please, come in."
Smiling warmly, Keika reached out to gently pat Machi's small head, then turned her gaze toward Yuri.
"Miss Yuri, please come inside. My father and some friends are waiting for you."
As she spoke, Keika stepped aside to make room for them.
Yuri nodded politely and walked in with Machi, still holding her daughter's hand.
Once they were both inside, Keika closed the door behind them and led the mother and daughter toward the reception room.
...
When Yuri and Machi entered the reception room, their eyes were instantly drawn to Eriri, who was sitting beside Frieren.
It was no surprise that their attention went straight to her—Eriri's presence was simply too striking.
Even Yuri, a noblewoman who had seen all kinds of distinguished people, was awed by Eriri's aura and beauty. Her breathtakingly perfect features and ethereal grace made even the refined Mrs. Kugui feel humbled.
As for Machi, the moment she saw Eriri, her face lit up with an expression of pure delight.
"It's been so long, Lady Eriri!"
She released her mother's hand, ran up to Eriri, and bowed respectfully.
Looking at the slightly nervous little girl before her, Eriri smiled and reached out to pinch her cheeks gently.
"Has it really been that long? We just saw each other yesterday afternoon."
"Well... for me, it already feels like a long time!"
Machi laughed awkwardly, her cheeks turning slightly red. She didn't resist Eriri's affectionate gesture—in fact, she looked happy to receive it.
Seeing her daughter act that way, Yuri immediately realized that this extraordinary-looking girl must be the person Machi had mentioned so many times yesterday.
At the time, she had thought her daughter's descriptions were somewhat exaggerated—but now that she saw Eriri in person, Yuri felt her daughter had actually understated things.
Indeed, even she couldn't find proper words to describe Eriri.
At that moment, Kousuke Kiyotaki, upon seeing Yuri enter the reception room, immediately stood to greet her.
As the host, it was his duty to properly welcome guests.
"Hello, Miss Kugui. I'm Kousuke Kiyotaki, Keika's father."
Kousuke smiled warmly and extended his right hand.
Hearing his words, Yuri quickly shifted her gaze from Eriri to Kousuke and responded with respectful politeness.
"I've long heard of your name, Master Kiyotaki. It's an honor to meet you. I apologize for visiting unannounced like this."
She shook his hand briefly before letting go, maintaining a tone of genuine respect.
After all, a professional 8-dan shogi player held high social status in this world.
"There's no need to apologize. If anything, it's my daughter who's at fault for causing you the trouble of coming in person."
Hearing her father's words, Keika immediately frowned and shot him an annoyed look.
"What do you mean 'at fault'? I've done nothing wrong! This is a serious matter—and with my current shogi skills, teaching an elementary schooler shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Seeing his daughter get irritated, Kousuke Kiyotaki quickly raised both hands in mock surrender.
"Ah, don't take it the wrong way! I was just being polite. Of course I believe in your ability."
"Hmph, at least you know what's good for you!"
Keika shot him another glare before walking over to where Eriri and the others were sitting, leaving Kousuke and Yuri Kugui standing face to face, exchanging slightly awkward smiles.
"Well... please don't mind her. Kids get harder to handle as they grow up."
Kousuke scratched the back of his head in mild embarrassment.
"It's all right. You and your daughter seem to have a wonderful relationship."
Yuri shook her head lightly, unconcerned. The brief exchange she had witnessed between Kousuke and Keika made her feel a touch of envy.
Her relationship with her own daughter was also close, but they didn't share that same casual, open dynamic.
Hearing her words, Kousuke's face softened with a proud, gentle smile—it was clear her comment struck right at his heart.
However, rather than continuing on that topic, he decided to steer the conversation toward the main reason for their visit.
"I heard from Keika that you came today to discuss whether your daughter will formally apprentice under her, correct?"
"That's right."
"And what are your thoughts on the matter?" Kousuke asked curiously.
He had great confidence in his daughter's current shogi skill. After all, he had personally watched her grow from a complete beginner into someone who could now challenge him seriously.
"To be honest," Yuri said softly, "I don't really want Machi to pursue shogi professionally. But she refuses to listen to either me or her father, so we're rather helpless."
"Why is that? Liking shogi isn't a bad thing," Kousuke said with mild confusion. As a professional player himself, shogi was deeply important to him.
He had never once tried to stop Keika from playing—even when she hadn't shown much talent at the beginning.
"As a professional, you should know, Master Kiyotaki—there has never been a female professional shogi player. Women in the field are destined to achieve little compared to men. It would be better for her to pursue something more meaningful."
"That's where I disagree," Kousuke replied firmly. "It's true that no female professional has existed before, but I believe it won't be long before the first one appears—and when that happens, the entire world of shogi will change."
"Master Kiyotaki, are you referring to your daughter as that first female professional?" Yuri asked, half teasingly.
"Of course. I'm confident that once Keika enters the training league, it won't take long for her to reach 4-dan—and become the first female professional shogi player in history."
As he said this, Kousuke's face radiated pure pride.
Yuri looked at him with a bemused expression. She didn't believe him in the slightest, assuming he was simply an overindulgent father.
Still, she kept those thoughts to herself—she wasn't foolish enough to say them aloud.
"I see. Then Miss Keika must be quite talented. I'll look forward to that day."
"Heh."
Kousuke chuckled lightly. Of course, he knew she didn't believe him—but that didn't matter. In time, the truth would prove itself.
Meanwhile, Eriri, who had been whispering with Keika, Machi, and Frieren, noticed that the conversation between Kousuke and Yuri had come to an end. She led her group over to where they stood.
"Mom, let me introduce you," Machi said quickly as she brought Eriri forward. "This is Lady Eriri, the person I told you about."
After introducing Eriri, she also briefly mentioned Frieren and Ginko Sora—though the introduction was little more than their names, since she didn't know much else about them.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Eriri. May I address you that way?" Yuri asked carefully, her tone polite but curious.
It was no wonder Yuri Kugui was being so cautious—Eriri's noble and overwhelming aura naturally put pressure on anyone who spoke to her.
"Of course you may. Feel free to speak casually—after all, you're Machi's mother."
Eriri's tone was relaxed—not overly warm, but far from distant either.
Hearing that, Yuri unconsciously let out a small sigh of relief.
Just as she was about to continue speaking, Eriri's voice cut in again.
"It was my suggestion for Machi to apprentice under Keika. I'd like to hear your thoughts on that."
Eriri didn't bother with pleasantries—she went straight to the point, addressing the very matter they had gathered to discuss. Keika and Yuri didn't even need to begin the conversation themselves.
Keika had no objections. Though she had a favorable impression of Machi, whether or not the girl became her disciple didn't make much difference to her personally.
She had agreed to this arrangement simply because Eriri asked her to. Still, if Machi did become her disciple, she would certainly treat her with sincerity, not half-heartedly.
At the side, Machi looked up at her mother with an eager expression after hearing Eriri's words.
Although her mother had already agreed yesterday to let her apprentice under Keika, she couldn't help but worry that she might suddenly change her mind.
But her fears were unfounded. As soon as Yuri heard Eriri's question, not even the slightest trace of resistance appeared in her heart.
Before coming here, she had planned to have a serious discussion about the apprenticeship—she'd even prepared what to say in response to both Eriri and Keika.
However, the moment she saw Eriri in person, all her earlier resolve and arguments evaporated instantly.
"I have no objections," Yuri said sincerely. "It would be an honor for Machi to study under Miss Keika."
"Good. Then it's settled," Eriri replied with a soft smile. "From today on, Machi will officially be Keika's inner disciple."
"Hooray!"
Machi cheered and jumped up excitedly before running forward and throwing herself into her mother's arms.
Looking up at her mother, her face shone with gratitude.
"Thank you, Mama!"
Yuri said nothing—she simply bent down and gently stroked her daughter's hair with a tender smile.
Though becoming an inner disciple meant her daughter would now live at the Kiyotaki residence, that didn't mean they wouldn't be able to see each other anymore.
After all, Kyoto and Osaka were only about fifty kilometers apart. She could visit anytime she wanted.
It was no different from her daughter attending a boarding school.
With that thought, her last trace of hesitation disappeared completely.
"Miss Keika, I'll be entrusting Machi to your care. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to call me."
"Of course. You can rest assured—I'll treat Machi like my own little sister."
Keika patted her chest confidently, promising with a bright smile.
"Thank you. That puts my mind at ease."
...
Just like when Ginko Sora had apprenticed under Kousuke Kiyotaki the day before, Machi and Keika held a simple apprentice ceremony.
By the time it ended, it was already past eleven o'clock—just in time for lunch.
So, Eriri invited Yuri to stay and share a meal before returning home. Once again, she pulled out a lavish spread of dishes from her storage system, turning the occasion into an impromptu apprenticeship feast.
Unsurprisingly, Aoi Kujou's cooking instantly captivated both Yuri and Machi's taste buds.
Knowing that her daughter would now be able to enjoy such exquisite food regularly, Yuri couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.
For a brief moment, she even felt the ridiculous urge to ask if she could apprentice under Keika as well—but of course, that was impossible.
In the end, she could only leave reluctantly, still savoring the lingering taste of the divine meal as she and Machi said their goodbyes to the Kiyotaki family.
She planned to return tomorrow with Machi's belongings and school supplies, along with the paperwork for her school transfer.
After all, since Machi would now be living in Osaka long-term, it was only natural for her to transfer from her elementary school in Kyoto.
—
—
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven