穏やかな麻雀教室

[Ichihime] Our fun mahjong class is starting now, nyaa! Let's hear some applause!
[Sakura Matou] I-I look forward to your guidance...!
[Rin Tohsaka] So you're going to be the teacher?
[Ichihime] I can't hear you clearly, nyaa! You won't win the mahjong competition if you speak so softly. Show me your spirit!
[Sakura Matou] O-Okay!
[Rin Tohsaka] You better not forget that we're not learning how to play mahjong in order to win the competition.
[Rin Tohsaka] A small mahjong competition will be held in the city tomorrow before the competition held at Mahjong Soul Shrine this weekend.
[Rin Tohsaka] The kidnappers will definitely keep an eye on tomorrow's competition to see if there are any skilled players in the competition and whether they will participate in the weekend competition at Mahjong Soul Shrine.
[Rin Tohsaka] We just need to identify and track down the kidnappers to find Emiya.
[Rin Tohsaka] We're just joining this competition as bait. We only need a crash course on some basic knowledge – not enough to win it.
[Ichihime] Stop right there, nyaa! Just bait? It doesn't matter if you win or not? If you're that timid, you'll blow matches you could've won. The kidnappers wouldn't even glance your way, nyaa!
[Ichihime] If you're competing as my apprentices, your goal is to win the competition, nyaa! Or are you telling me that it's too hard for you, nyaa?
[Rin Tohsaka] Huh? There's nothing I can't do!
[Rin Tohsaka] Fine, I'm going to win it! I never liked the idea of being bait anyway!
[Fu Ji] Oh, the atmosphere is lively... Sakura, you came up with a really great idea. Now, let me teach you how to play mahjong.
[Sakura Matou] N-Not at all. I didn't expect there would be another competition at this time.
[Fu Ji] In this city, if you look past the scale, there's some kind of mahjong competition going on every day.
[Ichihime] The first thing you need to learn is vocalization, nyaa! Pon, nyaa! Chii, nyaa! Kan, nyaa!
[Rin Tohsaka] Vocalization?! Why do we have to learn that first?!
[Fu Ji] It looks like they have started over there. Let's get started too.
[Sakura Matou] Okay, I'm ready!
[Fu Ji] Let's begin with the textbook. This is a beginner's textbook I borrowed from an acquaintance.
[Fu Ji] We'll start practicing after you finish reading the first chapter. Tell me when you're finished.
[Sakura Matou] O-Okay.
[Fu Ji] Come to think of it, this is the first time I've taught someone for free!
[Fu Ji] By the way, aren't the other two going to learn too?
[Sakura Matou] They'll focus on tracking down the kidnappers. They won't be participating in the competition.
[Fu Ji] I see. Those two seem to have some hidden strength?
[Sakura Matou] Well, um...
[Fu Ji] Don't sweat it. You don't need to say anything if it's not convenient.
[Sakura Matou] Sorry... It's hard to explain...
[Fu Ji] I understand. There are some questions I'll never answer too.
[Sakura Matou] Really? Like what, Miss Fu Ji?
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Sakura Matou] S-Sorry…
[Ichihime] Like asking about her age, nyaa? It seems that people who have asked that question all mysteriously moved away from One Han City, nyaa...
[Fu Ji] ICHI~HIME~? I wouldn't mind letting my fan explain why those people
[Sakura Matou] I-I see. I thought we were about the same age...
[Fu Ji] ...How old do you think I am?
[Sakura Matou] Oh! I-I'm sorry. That's not what I meant...
[Fu Ji] Haha, I'll forgive you this time as an exception. I know you don't have any bad intentions, Sakura.
[Fu Ji] I can tell from how you're so determined to save your friend that you're an earnest, dedicated person.
[Fu Ji] People like you are very suitable for playing mahjong.
[Sakura Matou] I'm very suitable for playing mahjong...? But I don't see how a Jyanshi's personality would give them an edge in the game...
[Fu Ji] True, but mahjong is a game with its own path to mastery. It's better to be steady and focused rather than just dreaming of instant success.
[Fu Ji] You're almost perfect in that respect, Sakura. Would you be interested in joining my dojo?
[Sakura Matou] ...Hehe, thank you for your kind words, Miss Fu Ji. I'm feeling more confident now.
[Fu Ji] You should be done with the first chapter by now, right? It's time for you to play a real game. Let's go and get those two over there.
[Sakura Matou] Okay.
[Sakura Matou] Miss Ichihime, Miss Fu Ji is calling you.
[Ichihime] Nyaa? It's this late already? Let's end the theory class here and play some games. It's time for the real fun now, nyaa!
[Sakura Matou] Tohsaka senpai also... Oh, you're reading this book too.
[Rin Tohsaka] Huh? Yes, but I was reading it while listening to Ichihime's lecture.
[Sakura Matou] Miss Fu Ji also brought this book. She said it's for beginners. I was just reading it myself.
[Rin Tohsaka] No wonder it was so easy to understand. I finished the whole book in no time.
[Sakura Matou] ...The whole book?
[Rin Tohsaka] Now that I've read it, I think I know how to play mahjong. Let's go and play a real game with them, Sakura.
[Sakura Matou] Um, well, I...
[Sakura Matou] I-I'll go check on Saber! I feel bad leaving all the investigation and security work to them!
[Rin Tohsaka] Hey, wait up, Sakura!
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Sakura Matou] ...Sigh, what was I thinking?
[Sakura Matou] S-Someone like me...
[Fu Ji] Oh, so this is where you are.
[Sakura Matou] M-Miss Fu Ji! Why are you here?!
[Sakura Matou] ...Sigh, you must have come here to look for me. I'm sorry for making you worry.
[Sakura Matou] It's okay. You can just leave me here and start first.
[Fu Ji] Well, even if you say that, we need four to play mahjong.
[Sakura Matou] Oh...
[Fu Ji] Although we could play three-player mahjong, I don't think it's the best way for a beginner to start.
[Sakura Matou] Sorry...
[Fu Ji] Sakura, can you tell me what's bugging you?
[Sakura Matou] Nothing... It's nothing serious.
[Sakura Matou] I just realized that Tohsaka senpai is more than capable of performing well in tomorrow's competition and attracting the kidnappers' attention.
[Fu Ji] ...Oh?
[Sakura Matou] She is smarter and better than me. She'll definitely be able to master all the mahjong techniques easily in a short time.
[Sakura Matou] If all we need is bait to find and rescue senpai, it would be more efficient for you both to focus on teaching her.
[Sakura Matou] ...I will never be able to surpass her.
[Sakura Matou] I am sorry you're missing a fourth player because of me, but please leave me alone for now.
[Fu Ji] ...
[Fu Ji] ...Let me ask you a question. What do you think makes mahjong fun?
[Sakura Matou] What makes mahjong fun...?
[Fu Ji] Yep, what do you think it is?
[Sakura Matou] ...Mahjong is a game that's meant to be played with others. Is that it?
[Fu Ji] That answer is very you, but that's not it.
[Fu Ji] What makes mahjong fun is that whether you win or lose depends heavily on luck.
[Sakura Matou] L-Luck...?
[Fu Ji] Yep. It's true that skill does make a difference too. If there are two aspects to a person's mahjong ability, then one would definitely be knowledge and skill.
[Fu Ji] But the other one is luck – the draw and the flow of the game, especially when it all comes down to one final match. Nobody can predict how that'll go.
[Fu Ji] Even someone skilled like me will lose when things just aren't meant to be.
[Fu Ji] At the end of the day, it's all about luck.
[Sakura Matou] But in that case, I'm even more...
[Fu Ji] We just met, so I can't say anything really deep.
[Fu Ji] But there's one thing I can tell you. No matter how skilled you are or how big the gap is between your ability and your opponent's, victory is never guaranteed at the mahjong table.
[Sakura Matou] Really...?
[Fu Ji] As long as you've had even a little bit of luck in life and you're still at the mahjong table, there's always a chance to win.
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Fu Ji] That's all I can say as a dojo master. What will you do now, Sakura?
[Sakura Matou] ...I'm sorry for making you wait so long.
[Rin Tohsaka] You're finally back.
[Rin Tohsaka] ...Feeling better now?
[Sakura Matou] ...
[Rin Tohsaka] I think I have an idea of what you were thinking.
[Rin Tohsaka] But you never know until you try it out for real. Of course, I'm not going to go easy on you either!
[Sakura Matou] ...Okay, let's learn from each other!
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Ichihime] Nyaa-hahaha! Nyaa-hahaha! Nyaa-hahaha!!!
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Rin Tohsaka] ...
[Ichihime] I took down all three of you, nyaa! Is this what talent does?! Nyaa-hahahaha! I'm so sorry, I'm just too amazing and lucky, nyaa!
[Fu Ji] ...That's terrible, going all out on beginners like that.
[Fu Ji] Look at their faces. If two mahjong first-timers look like that, it means this class is a total failure.
[Ichihime] Nyaa-hahahahaha! The battlefield leaves no room for mercy, nyaa! I'm just so lucky right now that I can't stop winning, nyaa!
[Rin Tohsaka] ...Hey, Sakura.
[Sakura Matou] ...What is it?
[Rin Tohsaka] Let's put aside our competition for now. Don't you think there is something else we can't just let slide?
[Sakura Matou] Well...
[Ichihime] Nyaa-haha! Did you losers say something? I couldn't hear you clearly, nyaa! Can you speak up, nyaa?!
[Rin Tohsaka] Let's play another game. I don't get why you're so smug about beating beginners. I'll wipe that smirk off your face soon enough!
[Ichihime] That's the spirit I want, nyaa! But I'm still going to win the next game, nyaa!
[Sakura Matou] No matter how skilled you are or how big the gap is between your ability and your opponent's, victory is never guaranteed at the mahjong table. Is that right?
[Sakura Matou] In other words... maybe we'll win the next game.
[Fu Ji] ...Oh, it looks like you're finally getting competitive.
[Ichihime] Nyaa-hahahahaha! Come on! Let's play another game, nyaa!
[Rin Tohsaka] In that case, I'm not stopping today until we win! You okay with that, Sakura?
[Sakura Matou] Okay...! Let's get our first victory here today before we battle it out in tomorrow's competition!