October 10th, 9:00 AM.
Minister's Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
Daichi Fujiwara entered, yawning, arms laden with documents. Spotting Administrative Vice-Minister Akira Fukuda, he called out:
"Ah, Fukuda-san! You're here!"
Waving off the civil servant behind him, he added:
"Could I get a hot chocolate, please? Thanks."
Closing the door, Fujiwara moved towards his ministerial desk while asking:
"So, Fukuda-san, anything urgent in the department?"
Standing at the room's centre, Fukuda turned to face him:
"Minister, I believe departmental matters shouldn't be our priority right now."
"Oh?" Fujiwara's face broke into an amused grin.
"Should we discuss this morning's news instead? The part where the anchor reported on her own sex scandal with that Financial Services Agency bigwig?"
"Ah, you mean that matter..."
Akira Fukuda caught on, scratching his ear as he said:
"I heard that lady wasn't just involved with the Financial Services Agency, but also with the administrative vice-minister of the Ministry of Finance... Ah, Minister, I didn't mean to discuss that."
"Not that matter, then..."
Daichi Fujiwara glanced down at the documents he'd brought back from the small Cabinet meeting, then raised his hand to cover his mouth:
"Is it about the Kyoto situation?"
Akira Fukuda looked at Daichi Fujiwara and nodded.
"What a nuisance. They stare at me during Cabinet meetings, and now back in the ministry, you're chasing me with questions too."
Daichi Fujiwara complained before eyeing Akira Fukuda and asking:
"By the way, who sent you to question me?"
"The Chief Cabinet Secretary."
Akira Fukuda showed no intention of hiding it, answering directly:
"He wanted to inquire about your stance regarding the Hagoromo Group incident in Kyoto."
The Chief Cabinet Secretary, equivalent to the Cabinet Secretary-General, reported directly to the Prime Minister and served as the Cabinet's official spokesperson.
His inquiry might as well have come from the Prime Minister himself.
"What stance could I possibly have?" Daichi Fujiwara propped his cheek on his hand, grumbling. "Does making my parents evacuate Kyoto overnight count?"
"Perhaps, maybe, possibly, it does." Akira Fukuda smiled ambiguously, but his gaze remained fixed on Daichi Fujiwara.
Seeing this, Daichi Fujiwara sighed in exasperation:
"They messed things up, and now they want to drag me into it?"
"Oh, right, Fukuda-san, do you know the specifics?"
Hearing this, Akira Fukuda nodded and pondered before replying:
"If you're referring to last night's Cabinet-ordered decapitation operation against Hagoromo Gitsune, involving the Bujin-shū, Nura Clan, Vampire Elder Council, Ministry of Environment Countermeasures Office, and the Cabinet's Direct Action Team... then yes, I'm aware."
"You know everything already, don't you?"
Daichi Fujiwara stared at Akira Fukuda speechlessly before placing both hands on the table and sighing:
"This direct decapitation operation failed and caused severe consequences."
"Consequences?" Akira Fukuda was taken aback—this didn't match what he knew. Hadn't the mission failed without further repercussions?
"Indeed. According to informed sources at the Cabinet meeting..."
"Or rather, as the Prime Minister put it, current Cabinet ministers may have been blacklisted by Abe no Seimei from Hell. We've been warned to guard against assassination attempts, with the announcement that Bujin-shū personnel will be assigned to protect us recently."
Daichi Fujiwara's expression turned gloomy as he continued:
"The operation plan was secretly approved by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. Why are the rest of us ministers on the hit list, too? This is really..."
Then he glanced at Akira Fukuda and asked:
"What exactly did the Chief Cabinet Secretary want you to ask me?"
Akira Fukuda inquired politely yet respectfully:
"It's regarding your thoughts after the operation's failure."
"What thoughts could I possibly have?"
"Though I didn't support the Bujin-shū's proposal for a strategic strike on Kyoto's Nijo Castle, if the Prime Minister—no, if the Chief Cabinet Secretary thinks I have some solution, he's overestimating me."
Seeing Daichi Fujiwara still playing dumb and skirting the issue, Akira Fukuda could only helplessly remind him:
"You may not have a solution yourself, but you know someone who does, don't you?"
"Ah? Ah~"
Daichi Fujiwara's face lit up with sudden realisation as he repeatedly pointed at Akira Fukuda:
"You mean the SDS?"
"To be precise, the Hidden Management Department." Akira Fukuda maintained a polite yet elegant smile. "As you know, they're world-renowned experts in dealing with supernatural incidents."
"Experts indeed!" Daichi Fujiwara nodded understandingly, then gave Akira Fukuda a meaningful look. "Speaking of which, hiring such experts must be quite expensive, no?"
Hearing this, Akira Fukuda immediately understood this was about demanding benefits.
This had been anticipated, though the specifics regarding Daichi Fujiwara's cut would need discussing later. The SDS matter took priority.
"By the way, Minister, due to this incident, the Chief Cabinet Secretary believes Kyoto City needs to enhance its rapid response capabilities for sudden mystic events."
Here, Akira Fukuda's tone shifted slightly as he smiled:
"And the best way to strengthen rapid response is to employ some experts for effective, long-term monitoring in the Kyoto area."
The implication was clear: Kyoto could establish an SDS branch, with expenses covered by official funds.
This meant carving out a substantial share from the Onmyou Agency, Buddhist sects and Bujin-shū's interests in Kyoto and handing it to the SDS.
Such a concession surprised even Daichi Fujiwara. After all, Kyoto had been Japan's ancient capital, and its strategic location would allow the SDS to extend influence to Osaka and beyond.
Seeing the Cabinet surrender such significant interests was startling. But considering even Cabinet ministers faced death threats, the Prime Minister's pressure must be greater, which explained the concession.
'We're all regular people after all. Pretending not to fear these supernatural threats would be dishonest.'
It had only been ten years since that Prime Minister was burned alive by the Asakura family's terrifying entity. No one in the current Cabinet dared ignore threats from major figures on the mystic side.
Before a decapitation strike succeeds, people might test the waters. After failure and subsequent threats, claiming no fear would be laughable.
Still, Daichi Fujiwara wanted to negotiate – not just for the SDS's Director Luo, but for himself.
Before he could speak, Akira Fukuda said:
"Kyoto's council members seem eager to invite you for lunch."
The mention of Kyoto's politicians immediately made Daichi Fujiwara think of the electoral votes there.
The word "votes" practically dazzled his vision, making him blurt out:
"Deal."
Then, noticing Akira Fukuda's stunned expression, he coughed and amended:
"I'll do my best to coordinate with them."
Akira Fukuda's cheek twitched before replying:
"Then I'll await your good news, Minister."
...
At 9:30am, Luo Shu received a call from Tokyo.