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Thus the Die is Cast – Part 04

About thirty minutes ago, Ayano found herself alone in front of Fujinota Station.

“Hmm… that detective didn’t share anything at all.”

After leaving the Doyama residence, Ayano made her way to the Fujinota police station to verify whether the thugs from the previous day had been released. Despite Ayano claiming she was the victim, the police staunchly refused to disclose any information about the thugs’ fate. Ayano did not consider that perhaps the police were reluctant to share anything because of the slim chance that the thugs might be victims themselves.

“You never know when those people might strike. It’s terrifying!”

She continued to assert that she was a victim, attempting to extract information.

Being a journalist for Nitto Shimbun didn’t aid Ayano’s cause. This led the police to adopt a defensive stance, fearing that any slip might end up in the newspaper.

As a result, the detective Ayano talked to provided no useful information.

“This country’s police force is corrupt!”

Feeling somewhat relieved after expressing this pseudo-socially conscious sentiment, Ayano decided to roam the town with her camera in search of information.

“If they’re buying up plots of land, there must be a buyer. Either they’re staying at a business hotel or they have a branch in this town. Am I smart, or what?”

She first approached a taxi waiting in front of the station to gather information. Since the driver, to whom she had given her business card before, was idly using his phone, she initiated a conversation.

“Hmm? Thugs? I didn’t pick up any,” the driver said. “Anyway, with journalists coming for stories, young folks visiting, and the local youth putting in effort, it looks like Fujinota is flourishing. People are starting new companies.”

By young folks visiting, he meant Hikaru and Lavia, but Ayano didn’t catch that detail.

The taxi driver went on, unaware of Ayano’s frustration over not obtaining the information she wanted. As a journalist, Ayano’s primary focus was exposing the nefarious forces targeting Mr. Doyama, not the future of Fujinota.

“Have you interviewed members of the society?” the driver asked.

“No, I haven’t. What do you mean by society? I’ve never heard of that before.”

“Really? I thought if you were interviewing Mr. Doyama, you might have gone to them too.”

According to the taxi driver, the organization was called the Fujinota Future Society, and it seemed to have formed recently.

“There’s this youngster who left Fujinota and came back. He’s apparently working to connect this place and Tokyo. I don’t really know the details, but you know how you can do a lot with a computer nowadays, right?”

“And what’s the connection to Mr. Doyama?”

“Oh, yeah. It seems they want to buy land for the society.”

“Aha! This must be a new method of land acquisition! Another way to buy up land!”

“Huh? N-No, I don’t think so. What are you talking about?”

“Thanks for the intel!”

With her phone in hand, Ayano darted away, searching for the term Fujinota Future Society.

“Wait, Miss Journalist! Are you sure you don’t have the wrong idea?! It’s a company run by people who lived here before!”

The driver couldn’t stop Ayano.

While she sprinted with enthusiasm, Ayano couldn’t search on her phone. Fortunately for her, posters of the Fujinota Future Society were displayed on the bulletin board in front of the station, so she quickly found out where it was located—down a street off the shopping district.

The society’s office was on the first floor of a mixed-use building on a street with occasional residential houses.

“This must be the land sharks’ hideout!”

Looking through the large glass window, she could see notices of local festivals and JSDF recruitment posters on the wall. The shelves displayed carvings and ceramics, local specialties of Fujinota, but it was an otherwise unremarkable place that might be mistaken for a tourist information center.

Several men in their twenties were inside, all dressed casually in shirts or sweaters with jeans.

“Hmm… huh?!”

Ayano was so incompetent as a journalist that Hikaru believed that it wasn’t mistreatment at her company preventing her from covering stories, but her lack of aptitude, resulting in her ostracization. But luck was on her side. And she had a good memory.

Ayano recognized one of the people inside. Kijima, the office worker-looking guy who brought the thugs yesterday.

Because he wasn’t wearing a suit, he looked completely different at first glance, and an ordinary person probably wouldn’t recognize him. But Ayano did.

“M-My camera!”

Ayano swiftly pulled out the SLR camera hanging from her shoulder with a strap, and aimed it towards the Fujinota Future Society.

Her deduction was correct; the company called the Fujinota Future Society was indeed involved in buying up lands.

Ayano was so absorbed in this revelation that she paid little heed to how she might appear to others at that moment. Standing in the middle of the street, she held up her camera, pointing the lens towards the mixed-use building.

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News of a Nitto Shimbun journalist being in Fujinota had reached Tokigawa, a secretary to a parliament member, via the newspaper itself. The Fujinota police station had contacted Nitto Shimbun to verify Ayano’s identity, thus revealing that she was in Fujinota.

Though the political affairs section’s chief editor had called in and apologized to Tokigawa, stating, “One of our fools went off the rails. We’ll bring her back immediately. Please rest assured,” Tokigawa couldn’t take those words at face value.

He had outright denied the footage of his dinner with the president of Marumigawa Estate, but he felt a chill inside. Because the truth was he did have a dinner meeting, and they had talked about Fujinota.

He initially thought he was being cautioned. What was the purpose of the recent call?

What if after categorically denying the dinner, the chief editor then sent a journalist to Fujinota to rattle him? In other words, he was the target of their coverage from the start!

“Fuck. You double-crossed me, Nitto Shimbun,” Tokigawa muttered bitterly.

“What’s wrong?”

His boss, the Finance Minister, arrived.

“I-It’s nothing.”

“Is that so? You look pale. Why don’t you take the rest of the day off?”

“I’m completely fine.”

Without responding, the minister headed to the restroom—he had developed a small bladder lately. His attitude only irritated Tokigawa further. It was as if the man had predicted what he was going to say.

“I absolutely can’t let him know about this situation.”

Tokigawa’s strength lay in having Nitto Shimbun completely on his side. He became the secretary to the minister because of this, so if it were revealed to the minister that Tokigawa was being investigated by Nitto Shimbun, not only would his next candidacy in the House of Representatives be in jeopardy, but even his current position would be at risk.

He did all the dirty work. He could be cast aside at any moment like a lizard discarding its tail.

He just had to put up with it until he became a member of the parliament. He was close.

Tokigawa dialed a number on his phone. “Hello. What’s the situation? I heard a journalist from Nitto Shimbun went there.”

The receiver was chewing on their words.

“What’s wrong?”

Usually they would immediately answer with a crisp, “Yes, sir!”

Apparently, they were arrested by the police yesterday when they tried to cause trouble at the Doyama residence.

The person Tokigawa was talking to was none other than Kijima, who was referred to by Marumigawa Estate. Since Marumigawa Estate was slow to act, Tokigawa was directly contacting him to demand action.

“It might be better to take things through the Fujinota Future Society until the situation settles down.”

Kijima was currently using the phone in the office of the Fujinota Future Society.

“Obviously, but time is running out. What’s Marumigawa Estate saying?”

“They keep sending idiots who use their fists before their mouths. They’re useless.”

“It’s your job to figure out how to use them. Are you also an idiot like them?”

“S-Sorry.”

“Move quickly. Is there no one else you can mobilize? Do you know how much this whole ordeal costs?”

“I’ve asked a few people. Also, as you told me before, I contacted them directly, but is it really okay? They’re from the Chinese mafia. If a journalist provokes them, they might kill them.”

“If something happens, you take care of it.”

“Wh-What? I thought you would cover for me.”

“If you deliver, I will, but if you don’t, we’re done. Do you understand?”

“Y-Yes, sir… A-Ah!”

“What is it now? Did you remember something?”

“Uh, well… She’s here.”

“Who?”

“The journalist from Nitto Shimbun. She’s pointing a camera towards us.”

“Seize her quickly! Move, you idiot!” Tokigawa shouted, forgetting that he was in the parliament building.

There was a clatter, and the call ended.

“Idiot? What are you talking about?” asked the Finance Minister, wearing a puzzled expression.

Tokigawa, breathing heavily, was glaring at his phone’s screen. “I-It’s nothing, sir.”

“Your face says otherwise. How about taking the rest of the day off?”

“My apologies for causing concern. I’m fine.”

Without responding, the minister swiftly walked away. His figure said, “Of course you are. Move quickly. Work efficiently.”

Suppressing the urge to utter curses, Tokigawa followed the minister with his gaze.