When Senhime asked, it turned out Curtis had been receiving classified intelligence from the President and was one of the few USNA officials who knew Yugen and Tatsuya's true identities.
"Regardless, once Senator Curtis has irrefutable evidence in hand, he will be forced to move. We'll leave the internal USNA matters to him."
"Agreed."
It was impossible to predict how domestic and international affairs would shift. The human-interest riots in the New Soviet Union could easily spread to Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, or Central Asia.
Even though the probability of riots within Japan had plummeted, Yugen saw no reason to lower his guard against the cornered Toyama or Kudou families. In the former's case, they might move as a unit of the National Defense Force's intelligence department rather than as a clan.
"My immediate concern is the Great Asian Alliance. How do you see them, Yugen-kun?"
"...There is no point in showing mercy to that country. In fact, it might be more meaningful to have Taiwan unify the mainland."
As long as hardliners remained on both sides, and undercurrents of resentment bubbled beneath any peace treaty, a truly friendly relationship was impossible without a "spiritual rebirth" of the nation.
The incidents in Okinawa and Yokohama had made that clear. In that case, it might be more peaceful to have the independent nation of Taiwan unify the mainland under the banner of the "Restoration of the Republic of China." There might be lingering resentment from WWII, but with pro-Japanese sentiment still strong there, they would be a reliable neighbor.
The mainland had been plagued by internal and external conflict since before the old Republic era. Neither the Great Han nor the Great Asian Alliance had changed their "Mainland Supremacy" core. That was why Yugen had warned Chen Xiangshan. If the man refused to listen, Yugen had already resolved to kill him with his own hands.
Toshikazu Chiba.
The eldest son of the Chiba family—the main lineage of the Hundred Families—and the current head of the Chiba household. However, the actual family headship was still held by his father, Jouichiro. In the original timeline, Toshikazu was meant to die during the Gu Jie incident, but in this world, he had survived thanks to Yugen Kanzaka.
As a swordsman, he watched his younger brother steadily accumulate achievements and his younger sister already surpass both her brothers under the influence of her childhood friend. He envied them, but as he savored a rare moment of peace in his apartment on his day off, his rest was cut short by a single phone call.
"Hello... Right now? Understood... My boss really is a slave driver, calling me in at a time like this."
Realizing complaining was futile, Toshikazu got ready, drove to the Police Ministry, and spotted his subordinate, Detective Inagaki, waiting at the entrance.
"Good morning. Were you called in too, Superintendent?"
"Morning. You too, Inagaki-kun? I've got a bad feeling about this."
The moment a magician from the Police Ministry was summoned, a "bad feeling" was a given. But if both Toshikazu and Inagaki were called, it was no small matter. Inagaki grimaced at Toshikazu's comment.
"The fact that a Superintendent is being deployed makes it a 'big deal' by default."
"Don't judge the severity of the situation just by looking at me, Inagaki-kun."
The two headed to the office of the Chief of the Special Investigation Division. While the majority of the Wide-Area Special Investigation teams were magicians, they fell under the jurisdiction of the Special Investigation Division. The word "Magic" was deliberately left out of the department name to avoid causing unnecessary fear among non-magicians, as they were police officers sworn to protect all citizens.
Their superior handed them a set of orders, and the two drove toward their destination.
"A single scrap of paper saying 'Proceed to the designated location and make contact with the protection target'... Surely the other side has their own guards? This doesn't feel like a job for the police. This should be the Riot Police's territory."
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