On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Two Hundred And Forty-One

“So, first we need to establish what we all know about the situation and what is going to happen in the future. I know a decent amount, so of course, I’ll expect suitable compensation for my reveals.” I said, and the Prime Minister raised an eyebrow at that.

“What about your patriotism and sense of civic responsibility?” he said mildly, and at that I had to smile.

“Patriotic? Well, I do love my country. Of course I do. But… I’m a half, right? Luckily I can pass quite easily as a pure Japanese, though I’m quite tall and my eyes are grey, I still look largely Japanese. My sister too, other than her eyes and build. But even so, as kids we did face some discrimination and bullying, until I put a stop to it.” It helps that my sis is cute, so once I stepped in, the harassment stopped quite early, I doubt she even remembers it now. “My mom, she’s British, right? So when she moved to Nishimorioka, the first few years she wasn’t accepted, and if she didn’t have auntie and uncle in her corner, it might have taken even longer. It’s fine now, as when you get accepted as Japanese, even if you were born a foreigner, everyone treats you well, but… don’t try and tell me to support the country unconditionally. Especially now.”

“You raise a fair point. There’s a lot of outdated customs and behaviours that need to go. The war changed a lot, but even so, too much remained stagnant.” Fukumoto-san said, earning a look of ire from Takatsukasa-san.

“If that is a complaint about…” he began, and I sighed loudly.

“Look, I’m not here to open old arguments. I get what the nobility is for, and I don’t disagree, in principle. Japan has a unique culture, with a lot worth preserving. We also have a deep history of faith, which could well save us. All I’m saying is… we have to decide, now, what we are willing to set aside to preserve what truly matters. Grandfather…” this time I was addressing Tsumura-san, but he was my grandfather too. Motoko was mine now, and no matter how it started, I was really warming up to her. “You have some Candidates among the soldiers. A couple are here right?” I nodded at the two I recognised, and they smiled back, relieved they didn’t have to fight me earlier, as they could feel that my strength and League outstripped theirs significantly. “You too, Ichijou-san, Hinata told me your granddaughter said you had gathered several under your banner. So… you must know. Of the oncoming danger to the entire world.”

“If I may have permission to speak?” one of the soldier Candidates asked, and Tsumura-san nodded.

“I don’t know what you were told, but I was informed when I was chosen I would need to fight, to protect my country and the world. I’m a soldier, the choice is an easy one. But I am not entirely clear on who or when.”

The other soldier also asked for permission and added his thoughts. “I am a chosen of Bishamon, which is also apt. I didn’t see his face in my dream where I was chosen, but only a shadow. But he did warn me that the time of destruction was coming.”

“Indeed. Those who serve great kami seem to have merely seen shadows or heralds.” Takakura-sama said pensively. “And the shrines of Kyoto are empty of deities, barring the lesser, like your Shirohebizumi shrine. Even so, the message is the same. The old ways are returning, but with that comes great danger. So, I expect you could not see Tyr, being as he is a god of power.”

I guess that’s one good thing about Japan, our religions are very accepting about other gods from other cultures. Some countries and faiths are going to struggle badly. “No, not Tyr. Instead I was greeted by a Valkyrie, though she was hidden under a cloak at the time so I didn’t even know she was female until… well, until later.” There’s no need to discuss the connection between us yet. I mean, it’s obvious the powers come with attachments. After all, she did say she was hoping when we succeeded saving Earth, I’d stand with her camp. Norse Pantheon then, I guess? Whether that hope has some means of… enforcement… I wouldn’t like to speculate on. Yet. One problem at a time.

“I think, due to my fortunate meeting with Shaeula, that I know a lot about the Boundary and lower Astral beyond it. I expect that there simply isn’t enough… well, ether and spiritual power, I guess… to support such mighty beings. I think they dwell up in the higher Astral, well beyond our reach. For now.” I looked at everyone, my eyes serious, drawing their attention with my Charm and Majesty. Majesty should make people more likely to listen to and agree with me. And I need that now more than ever. “I believe that’s the danger. There are civilisations out there in the lower Astral. Many, like the Fae and the Night Parade, lived partially in our Material world before, when ether was plentiful. And above us dwell gods and civilisations we can only dream of. Think about it. I can already shrug off a lot of modern weapons, run as fast as a sports car, heal grievous injuries, wield elemental abilities. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, but… the Night Parade, the Fae, they already have many as strong as me or stronger. Do you think these higher civilisations above us are any weaker?” Might as well get in a brag about my strength to deter any attempts to pressure me…

“That seems unlikely.” Fujiwara-san said, frowning. “So, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying, the danger and the apocalypse… as the inevitable increase in ether happens as the Boundary dissipates, drawing the lower Astral and Earth together, we’ll become vulnerable. Fae, the Night Parade, Yokai… they’ll walk amongst us again, like they did more than fifteen hundred years ago. Worshipping gods and kami will likely be a matter of power, rather than faith, and society itself will collapse unless we prepare. But that isn’t what I fear. I’m already preparing. After all, I’m going to be married into the ruling class of the Seelie Court, the Fae, and Shaeula is also of the Night Parade.”

At that, Takakura-san gasped, and I grinned, having revealed one trump card I had that held great value to the Conclave, especially if the Night Parade was killing Candidates from the shrines in Kyoto.

“I’m planning to help Shaeula with both, and if I can safely integrate them into the mortal world, we have the advantage. So don’t tell me I’m not patriotic. Who else could do as much?” Though again, I’m doing it for Shaeula, rather than the country, though since my family and friends and lovers live here, of course I want to preserve it. “No, I fear invasion from other, higher lands. An army of people like me… well, we’d be done, despite all our weapons and technology. And who is to say that they don’t have technology better than ours? I was always more a studious guy than a sporty one, and I remember my history. What happens when a technologically advanced, more powerful civilisation sets its sights on a weaker one? Even from Japanese history, there’s been enough examples, right?”

“Yes, well, we have not always acted… humanely… as a nation, though of course, we had justification.” The Prime Minister trotted out the official line, and I understood he had to. My mom made sure Aiko and I (and Eri too, by association), had a more balanced view of history. Still, I wasn’t here to debate the past. I was here to learn from it.

“Yeah, well, the history of wars and slavery around the world tells the same story. The British Empire, Conquistadors, the slave trade… Ortlinde, my Valkyrie, she told me that the major gods have agreed to leave us alone for a while, though to be honest I suspect that’s because it’s not worth their effort yet, and that it would take time for the Boundary to become fragile enough for Earth to be noticed by outsiders. How long that is though, she didn’t say. It could be weeks, months, or years. I’m hoping not weeks.” I grinned.

“Your Valkyrie, she seems quite talkative.” Takakura-san said. “Only the Diviner seems to have gathered as much information.” The Diviner? Sounds important, who’s that? On seeing my inquisitive gaze, he smiled back, his grin matching mine, despite his advancing age.

“The Diviner is a state and religious secret, so this information should pay for some of yours.”

Damn, dealing with these old men keeps me on my toes. Still, give and take is necessary for any negotiations. At my affirming nod he continued. “She was blessed from a very young age, able to see visions of the future, cryptic but also precise. Several disasters have been avoided due to her visions. She has now been Chosen, as you would expect, by Tsukuyomi, and through her vision she was able to communicate with the kami, though it was brief and much was beyond concepts she could understand.”

Well, isn’t this interesting. “Please, go on.”

“It is as you surmise. The tides are shallow around our world, and we are beneath the notice of the sun, the moon and the stars high above. Yet as the tides wash down, the filth will be cleaned from this jewel we call Earth, and the shining gem will be lifted by the waves, drawing notice. Many then would spend the effort to stoop down and pluck such a bauble.”

“So, how long?” I asked, and he shrugged.

“Even the Diviner did not know, but hearing the voice of the moon, it seems that acts within or without can hasten the process, cracking the shell of filth that surrounds us, letting the jewel within shine.”

“Well, that makes sense. Though it’d be helpful to know just what we should avoid.” I sighed. “So, look. This goes beyond money, patriotism, history. The very world is at stake. And we don’t have a timescale. So we need to prepare now. Agreed?”

“Of course. You think we haven’t been considering this?” The Prime Minister said. “Not just us, internationally as well. Though our discussions with the US have been influenced by your actions.” At that implied criticism I shrugged.

“Well, I hope you’ve been getting insight from those of us who have expertise.” I said. “As if we get this wrong, it’ll be a disaster.”

“Well, that’s why you are here, right?” Fukumoto-san laughed.

The door opened then, and Haru-san and her father came out. Haru-san came to my side, sitting down, and gave me a teary smile, while her father took his seat again.

“Everything all right?” I asked, and she nodded.

“Yes, everything’s better than all right. I’m… I’m home.” she said, wiping at her eyes. “So now, I have to help you, right?”

“I appreciate it. Anyway, now we’ve established the danger, we need to look at the key issues.”

“And what are those?” the Prime Minister asked, curious.

“Well, obviously, the defence against incoming threats, the way to deal with ownership of land representing Japan in the Boundary and astral. Ether, aether and the ability to provide it to and extract it from others, and immigration, especially non-human immigrants. Also the timing of and way we reveal this to Japan at large. Oh, and there is one small concession I would like as well, though it’s not directly related to this matter. More regarding… a promise.”

“I see. So, does anyone have any objections to having a preliminary look at these issues?” the Prime Minister asked, and Fujiwara-san shook his head.

“This is why we are here, is it not? Not just to reunite a father with his daughter, worthy though that is. So, Oshiro-san, please, share your thoughts.”

“Well, I believe security should be first, as it’s where the greatest mistakes can be made, and mistakes won’t just sink our country, but perhaps the world.” Dramatic, but clearly true. “It also ties into land claims.”

“Is that why you’ve been busy recently, wasting your money, Kenji-san?” Takatsukasa-san asked, irritation plain, though he was again feeling wonder at how clear his breathing was. “Dedicating a park, buying the lease on a struggling shopping complex. Bad business. Buying a lot of land and cheap real estate around the area where this man dwells too. You should stick to electronics.”

“Look, I don’t know what’s coming. But I know this. Having control of land both here and in the Boundary gives many benefits, not least greater ether density. I’m sure there has to be a reason for that. But that’s for later. First, there are a limited pool of Candidates, right? I don’t know if there’ll be a second wave, but we have to assume what we got was all we’ll get. Ortlinde told me she expected a few thousand countrywide, so we are looking at around a hundred to two hundred thousand worldwide. And we are losing plenty already.” At that Takakura-san agreed, thinking of the lost Chosen of faith.

“It’s an issue of national power. Hence why the US has crossed the line. Oh, by the way, tell him the good news, Akimitsu-san.”

“Oh, yes, that’s … I have the documents here.” He shuffled around on his desk, looking dazed yet happy. “I think it was ten million more dollars we extracted for you…” he began, only for Haru-san to surprise us all by speaking.

“Ten million? That doesn’t sound fair. We received another fifty million in debt forgiveness, as well as… hmm…” she frowned, concentrating. “… a deal to modernise military equipment which had been stalled, with significant discounts. I know the diplomats had to negotiate for that, daddy, but don’t you think you are short-changing Akio-san here? It’s frankly insulting.”

Suzuki-san choked at that, looking shocked, while the Prime Minister was smiling wryly. Fukumoto-san was laughing heartily too. “Sorry daddy.” She said, her smile light and refreshed. “But I work for Akio-san now, so I read your mind. It’s giving me a headache, but if I don’t master it I’ll never be fully well. Anyway, surely you can do better than that?”

“I can’t believe you’d do that to me…” he muttered, surprised.

“Don’t be jealous, daddy. I love you a lot. But… I owe Akio-san, and I’ve been observing him and his allies for a while now. They can be trusted. So, considering… oh, you only paid ten million last time and got so much more. For shame, Prime Minister.” She giggled. “I think you ought to show sincerity.”

“Well, isn’t this surprising.” The Prime Minister chuckled, chagrined. “I think I get your point now though. With a wide variety of abilities and strengths we can’t predict, each Chosen is a national treasure, that likely will only decline in number yet increase in worth. So we should value you all more.”

“Yes. I expect you are trying to replicate our training school in the military, right grandfather?” I asked, and Tsumura-san agreed, looking at his soldiers.

“Of course. My Motoko does talk. She’s stronger and faster than before, noticeably so. I’ve obviously tested her and Natsumi-chan, during their morning sparring. The gains are modest compared to the soldiers who were Chosen, but even so… a young girl can compete with a strong man and win. So I assume an already strong man would break records.”

“Yeah. Though there’s obviously a limit to what can be done via Chirurgery.” I’ll keep elements and classes to myself for now. “But I don’t claim to be the only one who can come up with a way to strengthen others. I’m just ahead of the game. The boosts won’t be earth-shaking, but just imagine an army with significantly better intelligence, reaction speeds, perception… they’d still die to bombs and bullets, sure, but I expect battlefield casualties would go down and combat results way up.”

“Obviously.” Tsumura-san agreed, and everyone was watching our conversation intently. Haru-san reached over to hold my hand, squeezing me gently, and I guessed that was her way of communicating her thoughts. I think that means I’m on the right track here.

“Test results in training show our few Chosen soldiers, even without using their unique gifts, which they struggle with here, they can easily outperform small squads of other soldiers.” He continued. “Though the figures you provided us with were helpful, I suspect they are out of date?”

“I’m afraid so. This is why to grow, we need to control the other world. It’s a mirror to this one, so I dare say some would say the government owns it, and many wealthy people would argue that if it’s a mirror of their own land, they should have control of it too. Some countries might go that route, but I believe we won’t be that foolish.”

“How so? I’m curious to hear your reasons.” The Prime Minister asked.

“Well, when someone holds up a mirror opposite your house and it’s reflected, do you own the mirror then? Obviously not. But more importantly, we are specifically tasked by those who chose us to gain ownership of a Territory. I believe that doing so will give us the best possible chance of defending against our future enemies. Stronger Buildings, more defences… now, as time passes, I suspect there will be more overlap, like Shaeula tells me there was in the past. Faerie glades, the Ryūgū-jō, Dragon King’s Palace, all strange areas that occupied spaces we could get to. I’d say they were myths, but Shaeula says they weren’t. When overlap happens that might cause issues, but… well, have any of you seen a dungeon?” I asked the two soldiers, and one nodded.

“You mean those areas of warped space, which are much bigger on the inside, right?” Bishamon’s Candidate said. “I’ve been in one, it was pretty crazy.”

“Yeah. So… again, this is just speculation, but imagine what will happen if something like that merges with Earth. It seems impossible, but who can say what is and isn’t now? After all, I have it on good authority there wasn’t a Boundary until recently, and fifteen hundred years ago it was just the Astral and Material. Doesn’t that mean if areas overlap, Earth would technically be getting bigger, while staying the same size? So who would get a claim over that? Is it who controlled the original land, the government, or the Candidate who causes it to happen?”

“Yes, I can see this is a mess. So, let’s hear your proposal first.” The Prime Minister said, and I took a deep breath, giving voice to ideas I had been thinking about deeply, and Hinata had given me input too.

“Okay, well let’s say there are three layers. The Astral, the Boundary and the Material. There might be more above that, who knows, but for now let’s concentrate on what we know. I propose that land in the Astral and Boundary belong to those who claim it, via their Anchors. The system itself is set up that way. Besides, only other Candidates, or those they have trained and invited can enter anyway.”

“I see. Go on.”

“Well, as for land that merges, overlapping, I don’t believe it’s right or fair to usurp people who have owned the land, but it’s also not fair for the effort we Candidates put in to be wasted either. It is also going to depend on the price you put on extra ether and probable defences. This is largely speculation, but imagine if your house was on merged land, and a military invasion happened. It would be much harder to attack it, and could offer numerous benefits that are impossible to enjoy now. So, I believe that a tax should be levied to cover those benefits, a stated maximum based on the level of services provided, at the discretion of the Candidate.”

“You should have first refusal to purchase any overlapping land or facilities that are for sale, legally. And the government should come to an agreement to cede non-essential works such as parks and so on, and pay a levy for essential government buildings, just like private citizens would.”

“Yeah, it’s not ideal, and I don’t know how often or even if mergers will happen, but I’d rather have a set of laws drafted first, rather than fight about it later.”

“More taxes are always a hard sell to the electorate.” Suzuki-san muttered. “Passing them will be hell.”

“Really? I think if they are included as part of a larger bill covering these secret matters, most people will write it off as a joke or a mistake and forget about them.”

“The Opposition Party will have a field day. Only the leader and a few of their Diet representatives are aware of the changing world.” The Prime Minister said, and Haru-san squeezed me again. I see.

“Maybe so. But you had the misfortune to be Prime Minister right now, so deal with it.” I smirked. “Do you see any issues in principle? Ideally, I’d like to go further with another suggestion.”

“Oh, go on.”

“This is more a… personal… request. Still, I’m prepared to offer fair compensation. I’d like the government to help me buy up as much of my Territory as possible, around certain critical areas. I mean, I’m sure my grandfather here will help, but in the unlikely event of the merger we fear, Territories have certain areas that should not be compromised. In fact, I’d go so far as to say other Candidates who align with the state should get the same privilege. But that’s next on the agenda. In exchange… ether. I believe we have to strengthen the overall ether density of the country.” Onto part two, the harder sell…

“That would be shockingly expensive, and an abuse of taxpayer money, ordinarily.” Suzuki-san noted, but his daughter disagreed.

“Don’t say that, daddy. I can see how much benefit Akio-san has caused the country, putting his life on the line against foreign agents. And you fobbed him off with pitiful remuneration, I didn’t know you were so petty!”

“Well,  that’s simply politics, Haru, you worked for the Government, you know that…” he began, but she pouted fiercely at him.

“I know without Akio-san, you’d be flailing in the dark. Are these people from the Shrines considering this?” she asked Takakura-san fiercely.

“No, in fact they are more concerned with securing Spiritual Kyoto. They own their own shrines of course, so the issue may not have occurred to them. But perhaps it should have.” He conceded.

“See? Akio-san is offering expertise. He’s engaged to a princess of the Fae, he has knowledge nobody else does! And you are quibbling over money? What price safety and security for our citizens!” she continued, heated. “Evildoers like… the man who killed me…” she stammered over that, before steeling herself. “… if they are within a Territory, they’ll be weakened, right?”

“Yeah, in Las Vegas I was definitely affected by the Territory there.” I agreed. “A Territory where the Candidate has control offers a ton of utility, much of which we likely don’t even know about yet. It’s worth trying to achieve, but also control. I don’t believe that we should be forced to disclose our abilities, there are dangers with that, but Territory claims… there needs to be a department to monitor and regulate them. And hopefully prevent needless wars like Kyoto at the moment.” I know I need to raise Conqueror, but I’ve proved I can do it by destroying hostile Territories in the lower Astral too. I’d rather form alliances, work together. Though bad people like Kondou Kazuo will have to be removed from the Boundary…

“Look, at the very least, having a higher ether density here in Japan is going to be a necessity. Anyone who has been to Shirohebizumi shrine can feel the difference. I believe that ether is important, as it enables faster, better training, and easier use of esoteric abilities. An enemy force attacking would find it far harder to go up against a land filled with ether, as the defenders would be able to exercise their full might. Besides…” I’ve been thinking about this for a while too. “… I think aether, which is what the body refines ether into, is helpful to the body, perhaps even necessary. During training and also in Las Vegas I discovered that ordinary people being drained of too much aether could cause headaches and lethargy, and Shaeula, who knows more than me…” Even if she doesn’t fully understand mortal physiology, she’s still massively more knowledgeable about subtle bodies. “… thinks that too much drain can damage the subtle networks within the body, causing permanent harm. Conversely, I believe ordinary people, even without training or Chirurgery, will see gradual gains in a high-ether area. Perhaps it’ll be minor, a point or two on each statistic, but a country with an overall healthier, stronger and smarter population is going to dominate the world stage, right? Think of the savings on healthcare and social welfare programs alone.”

“I would like to test that.” Tsumura-san said, thinking. “Motoko and Natsumi-chan did tell me that it was far easier to train at your school than when they do it in our family dojo. And progress of your trainees seems abnormally fast…” he paused then. “But there is one anomaly. This girl, Mori-san. Motoko tells me she has far outstripped the gains you talk about via mere Chirurgery. Do you want to talk about that?”

Not really, but again, it’s a value only I can provide, currently. It might not last, so I have to milk it now. “Well, Eri is a bit of a special case. She underwent Chirurgery like the others, but her additional strength comes from a skill of mine. It’s limited, though… I do anticipate Motoko and Hinata, Natsumi too, will see larger benefits than the other trainees.”

“I see. I think I understand.” Tsumura-san said. “A pity. If it could be replicated…”

“I’m sure there will be others who can empower their allies.” I said, thinking. “As Candidates are such a limited resource it only makes sense to find those. Countries with a larger population such as Russia, China, India, the USA… they have an advantage in that regard. But it’s only theoretical. Right now… I can use Chirurgery, and provide ether, and strengthen a few others still further, and bring in immigrants who have great powers, equalling a Candidate. That’s one way of offsetting the limited numbers.”

“When you say it like that, you do offer much.” The Prime Minster said, but Ichijou-san shook his head.

“Immigration though. The Opposition Party is hard-line on immigration, and as you have said, the population at large is insular. Immigration is a sensitive topic and immigrants are not always treated as well as they perhaps should be. As you know.”

“Well, anyone who tries to bully my immigrants is a fool.” I grinned wolfishly. “But I know the nobility doesn’t look favourably on change. You worry that the culture and heritage of Japan will be diluted. Well, that’s why we are dealing with this now. It’s a bit off-topic, but I suggest a change to immigration laws. A special status. Consider it a sort of diplomatic passport. Japan is one of the countries that doesn’t really allow dual nationality. I get why. But… why not introduce a special dual nationality, sort of like a diplomat. That way, Shaeula and the others can be integrated easily. Candidates could get it as well, if they wanted state support.”

“Interesting. That would create less legislative issues, and if the numbers were low…” The Prime Minster mused.

“Look, Shaeula, Ixitt, Grulgor, the others… each of them is a match for a lot of Candidates. If we don’t take advantage, other countries will. Get a system in place now for … well, call it fast-track immigrants. If the time comes when whole species of yokai and spiritual beings end up back in the world, well… that might be more complicated, but if we have well-integrated forerunners, they can help us resolve the inevitable issues and conflicts. Besides, Shaeula is very taken with Japanese culture. It’s time to decide what parts of it we want to preserve, and what we will sacrifice or allow to change.”

“You make a good point.” Ichijou-san conceded. “I can see you have thought about this.”

“Yeah, and now might be a good time for that favour. I propose that special passport holders can have polygamous marriage. Hell, you can just make Polygamy legal if you want, but I doubt that the electorate would go for it.”

At that everyone looked rather shocked, except for Fukumoto-san, Tsumura-san, and surprisingly Haru-san, who was rolling her eyes at me.

“What does that have to do with what we are talking about?” The Prime Minster asked, confused, and I grinned.

“Pretty much nothing. But I made a promise to my girls. I want to marry them all legally, so they can have proper weddings with friends and family all looking on happily. After all, Natsumi does want to see everyone wed in clothes she and her family made. It’s not that much of a favour, surely.” I looked at the high-ranking rulers of Japan. “After all, nobility does it de-facto with concubines and mistresses. So dress it up as a special trial to address the falling birth rate or something. I don’t care how. But I promised my girls I’d make them happy, and every girl dreams of marriage. Don’t you want to see your granddaughters in their bridal gowns, grandfathers?”

“Well, I must confess to wanting to see Motoko have a grand ceremony, yes.” Tsumura-san conceded.

“Oh, don’t be so stiff, Tsumura-san.” Fukumoto-san chuckled. “Instead, be happy that Akio-kun here is thinking of our granddaughters so deeply. I know it was a political arrangement at first, but it warms my heart to see his affection for Hinata. I think he’s a breath of fresh air. The nobility needs that.”

“Change is inevitable.” Fujiwara-san said slowly, thinking. “We persevered through the war, though your house suffered greatly and has not fully recovered, Itsuki. And this change is likely to be even greater. So yes, what do we preserve, and what do we let fade into history? My Miyu is already involved.” He fixed me with a piercing gaze. “You say she has a Territory around my mansion? So can this have this ether density too?”

“I believe that since she’s my vassal, if either she or I had ownership of the land on Earth, yes, though as my Territory is stronger, if it’s her, it would probably show a weaker effect for now.”

“Trying to seek another wife, eh?” Ichijou-san snorted, and I shook my head.

“No way. I’m done with arranged marriages. I’ve agreed to what I agreed with, but I want to concentrate on loving who I have now.” This elf… I’ll find other ways to deal with securing support for Shaeula. Don’t get me wrong, I’m curious to see elves, but I’m not going to marry one just for that… “Besides, I have enough ties to the nobility, right? And while I don’t agree with everything you do, I do see the need for preservation of the soul of Japan.”

“Ideally, you should be tied to one of the Three Great Houses…” Takatsukasa-san began, only for me to shut him down.

“Oh, but I am, grandfather. After all, Hinata is your granddaughter, right? I’m sure your granddaughters are all good girls, but I’m not interested.”

“Well, you have a sister, what about…” he began, and Haru-san squeezed my hand again while I took a moment and a long breath to calm down.

“My sister… well, I don’t speak for Aiko, but no marriage will be arranged without her consent. Aiko will marry for love. Well, if you think you have a relative good enough to win her heart, feel free, I won’t stop you, but conversely, hurt her or break her heart, and… well, I don’t think I could let that slide.”

“So passionate, but we are getting off track here…” the Prime Minster laughed. “Seriously, Oshiro-san , you are like a doting father. Still, I understand. My daughter is quite the handful. Anyway… I think the special diplomatic-style citizenships could work. As for polygamy… it’ll draw criticism from the electorate, for sure, even on such limited scope…”

“Well, I’m sure I can offer adequate compensation for the trouble. So… land control.” I reminded him, and he nodded.

“I see no issue with those that register with the state using this passport scheme having control of this Boundary. Though… the effects of ether and deprivation of it need to be tested. I won’t put our citizens at risk. We need hard data. As for the unlikely event of mergers… that needs more work, and legislative thought. I’m currently thinking that any expanded land goes to the owner of the land around it.”

I see, not ideal, but we can work on it. “Well, it’s a start. I still think that the benefits of a Territory on the Material mean you should think carefully about it. But I admit, as yet we have little data.”

“Speaking of data.” Haru-san’s father spoke up. “Why don’t you agree with disclosing the abilities of each of you? Surely that information is necessary for national security reasons? After all, crimes committed by people with strange powers like… like that bastard…” he growled. “… we need to prevent them, or find those that do abuse their powers.”

“Yeah, but there’s a problem.” I said in answer. “If the information is public, or even gets out… I suspect there are Candidates who can steal powers from others. After all, one of the Night Parade we killed could do it, so it doesn’t seem unlikely.” To say nothing of Conqueror and my suspicions about that…

“I see. So not only would such a register be a catalogue for that, it would probably enable someone to see if they could defeat you too, right?” Tsumura-san, the military mind, said. “And if it was leaked to foreign powers… well, the US has already proved what lengths they will go to, and they are not alone.”

“Yeah. Even having the passport-style scheme has its dangers, but in exchange for state support and protection of Territory, I think it’s a risk worth taking. I don’t want Japan to descend into anarchy, with every Candidate in a free-for-all.” I looked at Tsumura-san. “Grandfather, I’m sure you have been using your military Candidates to scout Tokyo and the surrounds, right? You must have detected Territories of others. I’d like to know that information.”

“That’s troublesome. You are correct, but that information is a miliary secret.”

“Well, all of this is fascinating, but I’m more certain than ever we need a proper solution.” The Prime Minister said. “One thing every world leader I’ve spoken to is agreed on, is keeping matters secret for now, until the situation and the risks become clear. Even countries we are not friendly with, such as South Korea, agrees. But that is just a stopgap. Some commit crimes like Kondou Kazuo, others… well, see for yourself.” He flipped around a laptop, revealing some YouTube videos by various people. The first one was an Australian, and he was manipulating water into dragons and small armies. It was quite impressive.

“So, that’s genuine, right? He’s playing it off as a prank, special effects, but our data analysts reckon that’s not possible.”

“Hmm, yeah. Looks like water manipulation to me. Wait, he has how many views?” I was shocked at the tens of millions of views this guy had.

“Yes, it’s not just him, we’ve found four or five others.” The Prime Minister sighed. “As of now, almost everyone thinks it’s a clever joke, but rumours are starting to spread. We’ve had to cover up a few incidents here in Japan, and worldwide there have been more. We are on a tight timescale to prepare. It’s not likely to be a government announcement that sets this all off, but an idiot like this, or perhaps some psychopath blowing up something important in public.”

That makes sense. Hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, sooner or later one of them is going to do something that can’t be hidden. “Yeah, I’ve already started working with a Detective to start thinking about Candidate criminals, and how to deal with ordinary crime with the advantage of powers, but it’s likely going to need a military and Candidate component…” I mused.

“Yes, you’ve been busy. Hinata told me you helped out a young woman with her problems. Detective Kato Reiji. A career detective, married, has daughters. A straight arrow. Nearly killed in the… diplomatic incident at the shrine. Currently rooting out sleaze within the force with information you provided. Yes, your approach shows promise. We had… well, in Sapporo we had to use the military after one fool killed two police officers who tried to stop him robbing a bank. Five civilians were killed too. We had to frame it as a tragic accident and gas leak, blowing the building up.”

“Another waste of a Candidate then.” Haru-san squeezed my hand, this time in gratitude for my next words as I smiled at her. “Luckily, Haru-san here, and Miyu, and also Kikuchi-san… we have a few who aren’t liabilities. And as training seems to be my special gift… hopefully we’ll do well.”

“So, it’s clear to me, that this interferes in almost every aspect of our country and will change everything.” The Prime Minster said. “And that’s even before the potential but likely threat of war. Even before any possible apocalypse, China is making very dangerous moves. We can hardly complain at the Americans having embedded spies, after all, we and they have them in China too. Most of ours are dead or turned though. But what we did learn is the CCP is bringing in almost all of their Chosen under the banner of a new Ministry. They also apparently have old lineages like our shrines and temples. Cultivators.” He snorted. “Who would have thought it? America is struggling, but is trying the same, but they have no old legacy of faith remaining, most of Europe is the same. Funnily enough though, your mothers’ country, The United Kingdom, is one of the more helpful. Ever since Brexit they’ve been a little estranged from their usual allies in Europe, and after we agreed a wide-ranging trade deal, diplomacy between our two nations has been strong and profitable. Whatever you think of the politics involved, it benefitted us. Apparently they have a deep legacy like us and China, and have reached out to us, as well as the US and others in our political sphere. So, I would say if we don’t act, we’ll be left behind. So to that end, I believe we should set up a new Ministry. I have the power to add a number in an emergency.”

“The Opposition won’t like that.” I said. “You should bring them onside. This is bigger than squabbling over ideology.”

“Would you be willing to meet with them?” the Prime Minster asked and I held in a sigh, knowing it was coming.

“I’m a busy man, but I suppose it’s for the best. Damn, Fae politics and Japanese and International politics. A few months ago, I was an ordinary guy.”

“Well, this new Ministry, the Ministry of Spiritual Matters, can be passed off as a faith-based project to start with. I’ll garner some criticism, but I can weather it. It’ll need input from Law, Police, the Military, obviously some Chosen, Foreign Affairs… ugh, it’ll be involved in every aspect of our modern life. It’s not exactly unprecedented, but I was hoping to appoint you to Minister. I have the power to do so, even if you’ve not been elected to the Diet, even if I’ll get slaughtered by the press and Opposition parties.”

“No way.” I declined. “That’s one hell of a conflict of interest. I could use it to set everything up to be favourable to me and not my enemies. Don’t get me wrong, you all owe me significant support for my help, but I intend a fair exchange. Besides, such a major decision will require cross-party support and… huh?”

I noticed everyone was looking at me. The Prime Minster was smiling wryly, while Takakura-san was nodding. Fukumoto-san was grinning, and Tsumura-san also looked pleased. The Prime Minister oppressed a button on his laptop, and it was suddenly displaying a live-feed, of a man I recognised of leader of the Opposition party.

“See?” The Prime Minster said. “I told you he was trustworthy. We’ve been keeping an eye on him for a while. He didn’t take advantage of Fujiwara-san’s granddaughter, and he cares about his family deeply. He’s no crazed warmonger, despite his power.”

“I’ll allow that. He also seems to have a good idea of what needs to be done.” The leader of the Opposition was a man in his forties, wiry, lean and aggressive. He looked at me with his dark eyes, weighing me up. “You’ll not be Minister. As it happens, the Minister for Spiritual Matters will come from my party, while the Vice-Minister will be one of Abe-san’s. You…” he frowned. “…will be a Special Advisor.”

“The Diviner too, I shall persuade her to represent the faiths.” Takakura-san declared. “Though I would hope that Conclave can be concluded safety and end the needless infighting and wasteful sacrifices first. Even I have not the influence to stop that. She is the only one who can bridge the factions as it stands and be accepted by all.”

“I see.” I laughed. “Looks like you have been thinking about this already.”

“Yes. I did enjoy some of your words, knowing my esteemed opponent here could hear them. Still, your honesty was refreshing. And it’s true, you do seem to know more than our own Chosen, such as the ones in the military, or those the nobility have gathered. You say there’s three pillars, right Fujiwara-san?” the Prime Minster said, and he nodded.

“The nobility, the shrines and temples, and the Imperial family.”

“Well, actually I’d say there are six, nowadays. Add politics, the press, and big business. We need all six to work together. To that end… I ask for your assistance, Oshiro-san, and in exchange, we’ll be as accommodating as we legally can.”

Fine. Now it’s just a matter of haggling. “Well, it’s in all of our interests to get this right now. But this is gong to be quite an undertaking. How are you going to get the staff for this new ministry?”

“Well, well take your expansion as a model.” Tsumura-san said. “In terms of the military, we have our own Chosen, Candidates as you call them…” he looked at the Prime Minister then. “Should we update the term, officially?”

“I don’t think it matters. Candidates, Chosen… it’s all the same.”

“Stick with Chosen.” The Prime Minster said. “It’ll make more sense on official documents.”

Damn, already this is annoying, quibbling over terminology. Still, it’s necessary. “Yeah, but we’ll need police, lawyers, diplomats, to say nothing of secretaries, clerical staff…”

“If I may…” Haru-san said timidly, giving me a squeeze, this one wistful and leading. “… I don’t mind undertaking a role. I’ve… I’ve experience in government, and you’d feel better if you had people within the Ministry representing your interests, right?” She looked at her father then. “Daddy, I always wanted to follow you into politics. I was happy when I worked here. Until this. But now… but now I can be happy again, I think. I’m scared to fight, but I know I’ll need to. But Akio-san will protect me, like he does the others. So I’ll do it. But I think maybe… maybe  can be more help to him, to you, to my country, by helping with this. Perhaps…” she shuddered, remembering. “… perhaps that’s why Kiku was there to save my soul from death, and Akio-san was there to save me from her and bring me back.”

“What about the people you knew before?” I asked. “It’ll be a big Ministry, if you run into friends or colleagues…”

“I don’t think she needs to worry about that. The Ministry is going to be staffed entirely by people who will have clearance for the information on Chosen.” The Prime Minister said. “It’s going to be a nightmare vetting everyone, as we can’t afford leaks, so an experienced political secretary such as Suzuki-san would be a godsend. Just don’t abuse your position too much to benefit Oshiro-san.” He grinned, and she looked down, embarrassed.

“Seeing her telepathy in action, it does show we need to get a handle on this. Business and politics, national security too. Everything could be ruined by such abilities.” Fukumoto-san said, thinking. “I’m glad she’s a trustworthy girl and on our side, right?” He winked at me then, and I was struck once more how fortunate I was he liked me and thought I was good for his beloved granddaughter.

“Still, setting up the Ministry is going to be a huge expense, and the yearly budget is going to be a killer. We’ll need special police and soldiers, diplomats, lawyers… the costs will be endless.”

“Yes, but… Akio-san saved this country sums in the hundreds of millions of US dollars. It might not be a huge sum to the US, it probably came out of their black-ops budget.” Haru-san protested. “Or maybe their normal military one, considering the discounts you are getting on that hardware we need for the JSDF, but the initial costs can be covered from that. Besides…” she eyed the Prime Minister. “… you are going to ask Akio-san for more favours. So don’t try and make out it’s an inconvenience.” She sniffed.

“Doing her job already, before we even hired her.” The Prime Minster chuckled, as did the leader of the Opposition party.

“Yes, I think she’ll be an asset.” He agreed. “Still, I think it should be illegal to read the minds of others without their consent.”

“How would you enforce that? No, well, I suppose thinking of such matters is what the Ministry will be for.” The Prime Minister agreed. “It is bad manners though, so please stop it for now. We’ll make sure Oshiro-san is properly compensated.”

“Go on then. What do you want?” I asked. “I’ve made plain what I need, so…”

“Well, obviously, the military.” Tsumura-san said. “We would like to replicate your training school to strengthen our soldiers. I’m sure the US is doing the same, if they can, and while they are our allies still, we have already seen how little that matters right now. The geopolitical climate is gong to change dramatically. Perhaps one strong Chosen might be enough to make a weak country a threat to others. After all, my Motoko believes you could defeat an army by yourself.”

“Well, she’s a good girl, she thinks highly of my strength.” I didn’t deny it, despite it being wildly unlikely. After all, projecting strength would keep me and my family safe. “I see your point, but it’s simply impossible to see results like the training school any time soon. It involved a lot of special effort from Shaeula and I.”

“The Chirurgery. Is it not possible for you to teach our military Chosen that?” Tsumura-san asked.

“Well, that’s a big request.” I sighed. “I’m all for helping the country, but asking for such high level assistance… well, the compensation would be huge, even if they could learn it, not everyone can.”

“I see. Well, I was hoping that we could attach these two as miliary liaisons to your force, as part of the new Ministry.” Tsumura-san nodded to the two soldiers, who saluted me. “Seeing some of your expertise first-hand would be of help to us, and also it might build trust.”

I see. “Well, they can accompany us venturing to Inuyama. That’s all I can offer for now. And again, I’ll expect suitable concessions.”

“Right. Well… how about the Special Forces? There are around three hundred members of the Tokushusakusengun, the true elite of the Japanese military. And best of all, they are already completely trustworthy and can keep state secrets. I suspect that being stronger would be far more useful on such elites than on regular troops too. Could you set up a training school for them?”

Three hundred? Hmm. Shaeula won’t do Chirurgery on the males, and I doubt there are many females in the Special Forces. Still, my skills and aether are far higher, I can certainly handle a fair few each day… “It wouldn’t be impossible if I did a few a day for a few months. At least for the Chirurgery. As for a training programme, I could put one together, but doing that takes time from my own projects, and has quite the opportunity cost…”

“Well, how about this?” Fukumoto-san proposed. “Akio-kun needs land under his control, and the Ministry needs sites. I did manage to get the rights over the best park within ten kilometres of Shirohebizumi shrine, as requested. I did notice there were ample opportunities to purchase land around it too. Why not set up a training facility and Ministry building there. Cede ownership to Akio-kun, on the understanding it has to remain for Ministry business. He then benefits.”

“I do, but it’s not enough.” I said, determined not to sell myself short. Hinata would be sad if I do. “We mentioned the possible effects of ether and aether. Well, I’m prepared to spend some of my precious spiritual resources, which money can’t buy, to create an area that provides a lot of ether, and also an area that drains aether from people. Buy me more land around that site, and help me run tests on normal people, enhanced people who have been through Chirurgery, and other Chosen. Then you can determine the effects of that, with empirical data, and if I’m correct, it’ll also help protect the area against potentially hostile foreign Chosen. It all needs research, so this way everyone wins.”

“Special Forces soldiers are a huge investment.” Haru-san chimed in. “I don’t even need to read your mind to know that, Tsumura-san. If you use some military budget for it, as well as the new Ministry budget Akio-kun has raised through his actions, it seems a worthwhile investment.”

“It is important to have more data. All these strange powers concern me.” The leader of the Opposition said, frowning in thought. “I don’t approve of government money going towards a private citizen, but… in this case it can’t be helped.”

“Fine. I think all the Ministry facilities should be under the same contract.” Haru-san said. “It might be unpresented, and cause you some concern, but… I’ve seen the other world, the Boundary. I’ve attacked a Territory and defended one. If the day comes when the apocalypse Akio-san fears spills over to the world we know, it’ll be too late to wish we had greater defences then.”

“We can’t decide that now.” The Prime Minister sighed. “Like my good friend in Opposition says, it’s… well, problematic. But since our request to train the Special Forces is an imposition, we can allow that facility to be under your aegis, Oshiro-san. And we’ll consent to the experiments too. It’ll be part of the remit of the Ministry to research and codify these new powers. Damn, we’ll need scientists too, and those are some of the hardest people to find that’ll keep secrets…” he sighed, looking tired.

“All right. But I still think I need further renumeration. I’m still being exploited here.” I declared, and Fukumoto-san laughed.

“He’s not wrong. As Suzuki-san said so aptly, the value of Special Forces is massive, and don’t tell me after they are done, you won’t want the Rangers done too, then our top pilots, and so forth… besides, we’ll need to make sure all our clerical staff are worked on too. The last think we want is for our people to be vulnerable to kidnapping. A bit of strength could go a long way to preventing that. Besides to work in this Ministry is to require understanding.”

“True. I would ask for our fighter pilots to have Chirurgery.” Tsumura-san admitted. “The extra reflexes and resistance to G’s could be huge in terms of combat potential.”

“Well, I need all the information on the Chosen that support the military and the nobility. I want to know their Territory locations too, to prevent me from destroying them, if naught else.”

Ichijou-san looked unhappy at that, but Tsumura-san agreed. “Fine. That isn’t a problem. I expect you want to know our information on other locations we have discovered Territories? That I’m not sure we can give, it is likely unconstitutional.”

“Well, in time I’ll find them all myself. But… identifying Chosen is vital. Oh… there is one favour you can give me, and it’s important, if… unpleasant.” I turned to Haru-san then, and at my serious expression and my thoughts which she must have read, she paled, gripping my hands tightly.

“Haru-san, I think you need to face Kondou Kazuo one last time. Otherwise he’ll always haunt you. I won’t force you, but…  I think it’s best. I can’t know what you’ve suffered, though I saw a fraction of it through your light, but when you see he can no longer hurt you, that he faces retribution…” I looked at the Prime Minster and the leader of the Opposition. “… I need permission to experiment on Kondou Kazuo, on what happens when a Territory is destroyed. I hope it won’t hurt him, but… it might. It might even kill him. I… well, I effectively killed him already, he’s awaiting his execution, but… well, it hits different, killing with my own hands. I’ve killed those agents that attacked the shrine, I killed sentient beings in the Boundary and lower Astral… I…”

“Soldiers kill.” One of the Chosen, the one of Bishamon, spoke up. “But we don’t revel in it. It can haunt us, sure, and it’s never easy. But for the right reasons, sometimes we have to take the burden upon ourselves. So that others can live free. Can you honestly say you need to do this, it isn’t for revenge, or selfish reasons?”

“Well, it might be slightly selfish, but…” I looked at Fujiwara-san. “Your granddaughter, Miyu. She wanted to be free of this Candidacy. I thought of several ways, but the risk was awful. I think… I think we need to know if it can be done the way I think. It’s dangerous knowledge, for sure, but knowing is important. It might be the only way to deal with truly dangerous foes, or to save those like Miyu who wish for freedom.” Though Miyu, I’ll make sure she doesn’t need to be free. A girl who wants to have some control over her life, retaining power is better…

“And there’s no other way?” The Prime Minster asked. “Even a prisoner awaiting death has rights and dignity.”

At that, I could see Haru-san looking down, and her father grinding his teeth, angry. I don’t blame him. Scum like Kondou Kazuo have no rights in my mind, still… “No. I don’t ask for this lightly. But if he can assume some risk, or even dies… if it can save a life down the line, I think it’s a sin I’m willing to bear.”

“Fine.” The Prime Minster agreed. “What about you?” he asked the leader of the Opposition, who after a long deliberation, sighed.

“I’ve read the reports. I trust you, Oshiro-san. I trust that this is for good reasons. Try not to harm him though, if he dies, even though he’s vile, it’ll haunt my dreams…”

“And you?” I asked Haru-san. She released my hand when she realised she was gripping with all her might, though it didn’t hurt me.

“Oh, sorry. I… well… can I think about it tonight?”

“Fine.” I agreed. “I don’t want you to have any regrets, so consider it well.”

“Speaking of prisoners…” Tsumura-san said wryly. “The US has officially disavowed those mercenaries who attacked your shrine. I know you wanted to meet with them, perhaps they can be of some use as compensation? Though I doubt we can trust them for anything more than grunt work. They are too loyal to the US and the mercenary code.”

Yeah, I did want to see Aliyah and her brother, see what we could work out. “If they are prepared for it, I might have a way to make them useful, without much danger of betrayal.” We always need trusted manpower, and Shaeula has her befuddling winds. Surely if they consent to it, it’d be stronger… “Well, we’ll see anyway. I at least wanted to talk to them one time anyway.”

“I see, so then, onto the next issue…” the Prime Minister declared, and I stifled a yawn, mentally tired from having to deal with all these politicians and important people…

*********

“So, we are in agreement then, for now.” The Prime Minster said, and murmurs of assent passed around the room.

“Great. Then the Ministry will be approved. The Opposition Party will give me a hard time at first as a cover, and I’ll compromise by giving them the Minister position. Oshiro-san and the Diviner will be special advisors, but with significant sway, due to their knowledge.”

Takakura-san agreed. “I do hope that Conclave will stabilise the infighting between the shrines and temples, allowing us to bring them into the fold. Compelling them to join the Ministry would be difficult politically, but if they don’t they’ll miss a chance to shape the laws to their favour, so I’m hopeful.”

“The Ministry will cover several areas. Law and Power, which will be based near Oshiro-san’s Territory, where we will train the military who can be trusted, as well as a police force. Detective Kato Reiji and his officer will be approached for the role of heading this new force and selecting trustworthy officers. The Military Chosen will be stationed here too, while two will be seconded to Oshiro-san for training and support. There will also be scientists conducting tests on ether, magic and other phenomenon who will be based here. The land will be purchased by the state, and deeded to Oshiro-san, under the understanding he protects it, and makes no changes without Ministry consent.”

Nods all around at that. I was pleased as I was going to inherit a very significant amount of land. The downside was I had a ton of Chirurgery to do, but I was making connections, and the trained troops were likely to have positive feelings towards me, and also likely a fear of going against me.

“A second Ministry site will be established with the other Ministries in central Tokyo. Suzuki-san will be Undersecretary to the Minister. It’s a big role, but…”

“I can handle it!” Haru-san said, excited to be fulfilling one of her dreams she feared lost forever. “I’ll help find suitable recruits too!”

“Indeed. Well, that site will handle legislation such as special immigration, which we have agreed in principle. And…” the Prime Minister rolled his eyes. “… handle permits for polygamy. I can’t believe you expect one person to have the weight to change a long-established law just for their own benefit.”

“Well, you need my help, right? So I think changing a little law for me isn’t such a big deal. It’s cheaper than paying me money, right?” I was still getting the ten million dollars, which was nice, but instead of further monetary compensation I was getting concessions that would otherwise be unthinkable.

“It will also handle international diplomacy dealing with Chosen, as well as lawyers and civil servants drafting laws and legislation to handle the new paradigm. Recruitment will be handled here too. Territory claims to this Boundary will be officially registered, as per our discussion, and those that abide by the laws drafted will not have their Territory infringed upon.”

It’s good that at least I am getting national agreement that my Territory in the Boundary is mine. As for potential conflicts if or when the Boundary merges with the Material, that needs further work, it seems. I would also be able to interview every chosen the Military and the nobility had gathered as part of my settlement, and from that I could gather a lot of useful information, and I was also allowed to… deal… with Kondou Kazuo. It was an extra-legal event, outside of the law due to national security, so even if something went wrong, I wouldn’t be held accountable.

“And don’t forget, dealing with the new land law.” Fukumoto-san agreed with a smile.

“Yes, that.” The Prime Minister agreed sourly. That had been the biggest area of haggling, but in the end it was approved. Within a registered Territory, Chosen could now apply to have ownership of public areas, such as roads, parks, government buildings. A nominal rent would be paid by the government, at a single yen per square metre per year, and the Chosen would not be able to make changes without permission from the Ministry, which would have a department managing it. Of course, this was also all pending the results of my ether and aether-depletion research. But if all went well, soon I would have significant overlap with my Territory and the Material. It has of course been agreed that I don’t have to apply, as when it is proven safe, I’ll automatically have everything approved. I also get my special immigrants such as Shaeula, Hyacinth and any others approved without question.

“I’m already envisioning the profit.” Fukumoto-san chuckled, annoying Takatsukasa-san. “I suspect land within your Territory will eventually be as valuable as prime central Tokyo real-estate.”

“If that happens, I hope it’s because we proved ether is beneficial to people at large, not because your speculation about the apocalypse is proven true.” The leader of the Opposition sighed. “I’ll set a date for introducing you to the Minister and Vice-Minister. After this… Conclave, is best, right?”

I nodded. “I hope they are easy to work with.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve just the person for the job.” He laughed.

“In addition, despite your… rather ludicrous… request regarding polygamy…” Tsumura-san and Fukumoto-san looked rather pleased at that, as well they should be, as I did it for their granddaughters, after all. “… we still owe you significant renumeration for your training, research, knowledge and technical support. As well as your agreement to fight, should any Chosen prove problematic and too much for our nascent new police force to handle.” They wanted my support against potential threats, which didn’t come cheap. Hinata would be proud, I was selling myself hard.

“… so you will be paid a yearly retainer, as well as additional renumeration for extra tasks such as the Chirurgery on the Special Forces. It will come out of the budget for the Ministry.” The Prime Minister had a bit of a headache at how much money I was demanding, but I had made it clear I could be persuaded to forgo money in exchange for more… favours. Land too. The state owned a surprising amount of land that unlike parks and other facilities had no current use, and I would be taking a number of sites within my Territory, with all planning permissions already granted. I was going to pass that out to Fukumoto-san to develop for me, since he had connections in business. Even so, I’ll be earning enough money each year that my family, extended even though it is, will never have to worry again.

“… further details such as handling rare and impossible materials, ether tax, and other matters are still up for debate.” The Prime Minister finished. Everyone agreed, and the Secretary sealed the notes, signalling we were finished. I didn’t get everything I wanted, but I got everything I needed. More importantly, Japan was making preparations for the inevitable reveal. Chaos was the last thing any of us wanted.

Haru-san was quiet, probably thinking of Kondou Kazuo, so I turned to my grandfathers. “At some point, you’ll need Chirurgery too. I’ve done mine and Eri’s family, well, I still need to visit Eri’s grandparents and see if I can help their illnesses, they’ve always been frail.”

“I appreciate it, but that can wait. Special Forces first.” Tsumura-san said, and I shrugged.

“Fine. I guess I am getting paid per soldier.” The amount wasn’t trivial, either, at five million yen. Money buys land. I can generate some back by renting it out… It seemed impossible, but I wanted to to own every scrap of land within my Territory, though doing such was surely beyond anyone. Especially when it expands…

“In that case, we are done here.” Ichijou-san said, eyeing me with good humour. “I believe you are holding a meeting of your own tonight, to set your own plans, are you not?”

“Yeah, but how did you know?” I asked, and he grinned happily.

“It seems Mayumi found out from Hinata-chan. They are good friends after all.”

Well, as much as this Mayumi-san actually understands friendship anyway. Hinata was upset by her before, but she wants more than ever to be equal, true friends…

“I see. Yeah, I wanted to set my own course out clearly for my allies. It’s especially important if Conclave is coming up. So?” I asked, getting a raised pale eyebrow in return at my boldness.

“So, I was thinking I’d be interested in seeing how you do things. After all, Ichijou house has found its own Chosen.”

“Yeah, no thanks.” I denied him, earning a laugh from Fukumoto-san, who was going to be present, as he was instrumental in securing me land. “No offense, but even though I don’t want to be enemies with anyone here, or your Chosen, I also don’t think it’s wise tipping my hand. There’s nothing in it for me.”

“So mercenary.” Ichijou-san laughed. “But you’re wrong. You already have a relationship with Fujiwara house, and Takatsukasa house too.”

Takatsukasa-san grumbled a bit at that, but after his healing, there was no way he could deny my request to treat Hinata better, so I supposed Ichijou-san was right. He is her grandfather after all.

“Don’t you want a closer relationship with the last of the Three Great Houses? There are many young men who would jump at the chances of that.”

“Well, I don’t want to be at odds, but that’s very different from disclosing my secrets.”

“Something to hide, a guilty conscience?” he asked, inquisitive, and I shrugged.

“No, my conscience is clear, but of course I have things to hide. I don’t doubt you are the same, and wouldn’t be happy if I asked to sit in on your private meetings?”

“True.” He continued to grin, seeming to enjoy the conversation. “But actually… I am here to offer you a proposal. But first I need to know if it’ll be worth my while, if you are the man I need. Besides, Hinata-chan and I have met a number of times when she has visited my Mayumi. We are on good terms.”

“So, what’s this proposal?” I sighed.

“Ichijou Heavy Engineering is going through a bit of a downturn at the moment. We specialise in military equipment for export and the JSDF, and heavy high-tech machinery for manufacturing, but times are hard, and US and Israeli arms manufacturers are dominating the military fields, while China, India… they are eating up our market share in machinery.”

“Yes, and what does that have to do with me?” I asked. Unless… does he mean to…

“I’m sure you know we are aware of your immigrants, after all, Fujiwara Security Services guards your shrine around the clock. Now, this Ixitt… he is a specialist, right? Why not… put him to use?”

Shit, he was thinking that. Powerful old men are always quick to detect opportunity. “I see. But what do I get out of it?”

“What do you want? A significant shareholding goes without saying. But just imagine it. What wonders could we as a country be first to develop? But such a commitment of my resources, you can’t expect me to invest without being satisfied with your plans, can you?”

Damn, it’s tempting. “Fine, but you have to agree to one thing first, to protect my secrets…”