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Chapter 49 – Secret Talk at the Ryotei

March of 1927 was incredibly hectic.

While small-scale deployments and diplomatic activities were happening due to changes on the continent, domestically, a huge uproar broke out involving Ootori because of the budget approval.

Moreover, the approval of the supplementary budget dragged on to the very last moment over the issue of disaster bonds, with the House of Peers passing it on March 23.
The incident on the continent started to escalate seriously on the 22nd and fully flared up on the 24th.

On the other hand, the “Showa Financial Crisis” in my previous life occurred on March 14.

And since the budget approval was on March 23, it wouldn’t have been strange for it to happen then.
In the history of my previous life, many banks collapsed one after another during this period.

However, the presence of one great man acted like a strong breakwater preventing this.

That was Finance Minister Takahashi Korekiyo.

In my previous life, the “Showa Financial Crisis” was caused by the finance minister’s slip of the tongue and acceptance of disaster bonds, but the Tanaka Giichi Cabinet—a coalition of the Seiyukai and Reform Club that formed nearly six months earlier than my previous life—was debating the budget passage for disaster bonds up until the last minute.

However, there was no way Takahashi Korekiyo would blunder or misspeak as finance minister, and depositors did not rush to bank counters all over Japan in panic.

Of course, no bank went bankrupt anywhere.

Because I knew this from the history of my previous life, if this incident were to happen, I planned to take the classic approach of piling up cash at each Ootori bank to reassure depositors—but that turned out to be completely unnecessary.

More than that, the Ootori conglomerate, or rather the Ootori main family, holds an absurd amount of dollars, so even if Japan collapses, we wouldn’t fall.
On the contrary, if America were to collapse now, we’d be in a terrible situation.

I definitely want the movement of American stocks to proceed just as it did in my previous life.

Meanwhile, Suzuki Shoten (the zaibatsu) fell into hardship because it could no longer handle its huge amount of bad debt.
Suzuki might collapse because of this, but the issue should be contained to Suzuki alone. 

Banks like Taiwan Bank have greatly reduced their handling of conglomerate bad debts, so there should be no problems.

The “Showa Financial Crisis” is, for now, effectively broken along with its flags.

Then, one day in early March, I was summoned by my great-grandfather.

“Reiko, I need you to go somewhere separate from me.”

“Yes. Where to?”

“If you were to go alone, it would be to a place more than ten years in the future. Tokita will accompany me, so come with your lady-in-waiting and stay next to our room.”

“Yes. May I ask why?”

“I received a confidential invitation from Mr. Kaneko of Suzuki.”

(Mr. Kaneko of Suzuki can only be Kaneko Naokichi, the chief clerk of Suzuki Shoten, right?)

While reviewing this in my mind, I decided to bring up the topic they would probably start with.

“Is it about a loan request, perhaps?”

“Or maybe the sale of part of some companies. They might try to save Suzuki itself that way. They’re already that cornered. Mitsui and others are licking their lips waiting.”

(Ugh, competition between zaibatsus is scary. And we might have ended up like Suzuki too.)

“What does Souichirou-sama intend to do?”

I accidentally spoke politely.

“On the contrary, I want to ask. My role is to entrust Ootori to the next generation. What do you want? What do you think should be done? Or haven’t you seen anything in your dreams?”

His tone and expression are gentle, but his eyes shine with an abnormal intensity and seriousness.

I can’t give a half-hearted answer—no, I’m not allowed to.
I unconsciously swallow an imaginary gulp.

“The dream I saw was the bankruptcy of both Suzuki and Ootori. Ootori will hang by a thread, but lose its power.”

“That’s right. And you didn’t show any other path, did you?”

“Yes. But as for me, if it can be absorbed, I think we should swallow Suzuki whole. Production rationalization works better on a larger scale.”

“So, a fight with Mitsui, then?”

“At this point, it’s inevitable. From Mitsui’s perspective, Ootori is an upstart too.”

“No doubt. Well, we’ll have a word with Mitsubishi first, but it depends on today’s discussion. Since it’ll be late tonight, get plenty of rest during the day.”

“Okay!”

I answered the last part like a little girl, but thinking about standing again at a turning point in history, there’s no way I wouldn’t be nervous.
That’s probably why, even though I took a rather long nap, I couldn’t really sleep well after all.

That night, I went out by car with Shizu.
We arrived at a grand ryotei with tradition and prestige.

In Japan, secret meetings between political and business figures are typically held at ryotei, but I never imagined I would visit such a place at this age.

Honestly, my great-grandfather is way too harsh on me.
I think treating me a little more like a young girl wouldn’t hurt.

On the other hand, my grandfather—did not go, nor did my great-uncle Zenkichi, the head of the conglomerate.
Bringing Tokita along means this is a formality for the Ootori main family and the Ootori eldest child to hear the discussion.

It’s already public knowledge that Tokita is my personal butler, but basically, he is seen as belonging to my grandfather Kiichiro, my great-grandfather’s son.
I am considered next or the one after Kiichiro, and the man who will become my husband is expected to become the head of the conglomerate and the clan.

That said, while the Ootori family is fully intent on having the head of the clan and the family assets inherited by the eldest child—regardless of the conglomerate leader—from the outside, that’s not so easy to see.

Because of that, Kaneko-san probably won’t pay too much attention to Tokita.

“Normally, I’d say we begin with a drink, but would it be alright if we talked before the alcohol?”

“Of course. I myself can’t beat the effects of age, you see. I’ve been holding back on alcohol lately, so I appreciate it.”

With that, the discussion began in a tatami room, separated by just a sliding door.
Tokita didn’t say anything, but he probably gave a courteous bow.

Meanwhile, there’s no food or alcohol on the tray in front of me.
Only tea and some quiet, non-crunchy tea sweets are set out.

And Kaneko-san probably assumes that the room I’m in is either empty or has some Ootori family members or servants in it.
He surely wouldn’t imagine a young girl sitting cross-legged.

Then Kaneko-san breaks the ice.

“Thanks. Lately, I ain’t really in the mood for drinking. Even so, I can’t sleep without it. That’s why I’d really like to cut back.”

Just as he began speaking, he suddenly switched to Kansai dialect.
That must be his default—like he’s taken off a mask.

“Should I take it that what we’re discussing today is the kind of matter that keeps you up without a drink?”

“That’s right. Well, no point beating around the bush with the old master of Ootori. I’ll get straight to it—how about buying some of our stock? Of course, I’ll prioritize shares from the more promising companies.”

“That’s quite generous of you.”

“When I’m in front of Ootori, the one with the flashiest success right now, I tend to be generous. If you want, I’m even willing to sell at your asking price. It’s a hundred times better than being crushed by Mitsui.”

“You’re being very direct. Did something happen with Mitsui again?”\

“That’s right. It seems the Taiwan Bank was threatened with having Mitsui Bank withdraw its capital. They said that if the bank keeps extending loans to us, it raises serious concerns about their management.”

Kaneko-san’s voice had a heavy edge to it. He must really hate Mitsui.

(We’ve picked up that information too. Now then, how will Great-Grandfather respond?)

“Ootori doesn’t have the size or strength to fight a giant like Mitsui.”

“Don’t mess with me. You’re making massive profits from the Dow Index in America. Rumor has it you’re sitting on over a billion dollars in unrealized gains—even a non-banker like me’s heard that.
And on top of that, you’re using some strange foreign-named company as your front, so now there’s even talk that it’s not the Ootori conglomerate or Ootori Bank, but the personal wealth of the Ootori main family.”

“I won’t say there’s absolutely no truth to it, but it’s not something you say right in front of the person involved, is it?”

“That’s how desperate we are… Let me be honest. If the Suzuki group can remain in respectable form, then before we’re torn apart by Mitsui or the like, I’m willing to sell everything to your side.”

“…That’s quite bold.”

It might have been an act, but Great-Grandfather lightly caught his breath.
And Kaneko-san didn’t let up.

“Bold, sure—but we have to be. Mitsui’s only thinking about breaking us up and devouring the pieces. The others are more or less the same. Even the small-timers are circling, hoping for scraps.”

“I think we’re more or less the same, but if you’re offering, there are a few companies we’d like. I wouldn’t go as far as to say ‘name your price,’ but I personally see no issue in buying.”

“I figured as much. But… is this not something the old master can decide on his own?”

His tone was mildly curious.
It’s hard to judge just by tone, but it didn’t seem like he was probing.

“I’m retired. Aside from passing along messages to acquaintances, all I can do is voice a complaint or two. I hold neither the family authority nor the power of the zaibatsu.”

“Even so, weren’t the investments in America made under the head family’s name—that is, by your hand? If not, it wouldn’t make sense.”

(Well, that’s how it would look. If the two who died in the earthquake had survived, things would be different.)

Unlike a few years ago, at this very moment, we do have that power.
And Ootori wants to grow even bigger to prevent being swallowed by other zaibatsu in the future. 

Kaneko-san, in a way, is standing before the most dangerous opponent.
And knowing that, he reached out to us.

“That’s right. Ah, forget subtlety and politeness. Even if you were to swallow us whole once, I believe Suzuki—no, our power—is strong enough to break through and come back. Ootori’s current strength is probably only temporary, anyway.”

“To hear you say that, all we can say is, ‘Well then, suit yourself.’ Even if you fall, we’ll just cozy up with the other zaibatsu and share in the spoils.”

“That’s why I want to avoid that. I’m laying my cards on the table and preparing to sell out like this.”

“Exactly. It’s because I see you’re prepared that I agreed to talk. But we both need to cool our heads a bit. How about meeting again tomorrow?”

After exchanging these passionate words, a silence falls for a moment.
I can feel the atmosphere cooling with time.

“…Very well. No, please—thank you. And I truly hope you’ll give this serious, positive consideration. Depending on the terms, we are also prepared to make further concessions beyond what was discussed today.”

“Understood. It’d be great if tomorrow we can share some good drinks together.”

“…Yes, I’d really like to enjoy a pleasant drink for the first time in a while.”

Takahashi Korekiyo

A financial expert, governor of the Bank of Japan, and politician spanning the Meiji to Showa eras.
Nicknamed “Daruma-san.”

He’s known as one of modern Japan’s top financial figures, and when he was Minister of Finance, there was a tremendous sense of reassurance.
His skill at using exchange rate manipulation and bond issuance to suppress inflation was nearly master-level—an ability no one else could match.

He also implemented Keynesian-style directed production policy before Keynes formally introduced the idea, making him a truly practical giant of finance.

He was assassinated in the 1936 “February 26 Incident” by army officers—something that, no matter what, is unforgivable.

Kaneko Naokichi

He rose from an apprentice to become the “chief steward” of Suzuki Shoten, greatly expanding it during World War I into a conglomerate rivaling the major zaibatsu.
However, after the war, Suzuki Shoten rapidly declined and went bankrupt during the 1927 Showa Financial Crisis.

Because Kaneko lived in Kobe for a long time, his default speech is Kansai dialect, though in the story, he only uses it when in Kansai or with people he wants to grow close to.

(Note: He’s originally from Tosa.)

It’s said that Mitsui viewed Suzuki as a major rival, and in this work, they are truly depicted as bitter enemies.