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Chapter 80 – Spring Bullet Tour? (2)

“Welcome, Princess.”

“Princess, we have been awaiting your arrival.”

That morning, upon arriving in Kobe by train, I was greeted by two burly men.

They were Yagami Genbu and Wan Paijin, who had protected me at the Ryouga Oil Field.

One of them looked like a well-balanced warrior type, standing somewhere in the 180 cm range. The other was a physical monster type—at least 190 cm tall and nothing but muscle.

They were both likely in their mid-to-late twenties, but from the perspective of a little girl like me, they were definitely “old men.”

And for some reason, they always played the princess-and-retainers game with me.

“Huh? Yagami-ossan and Mr. Wang? What’s going on?”

“We received orders and have come accordingly. We humbly request to accompany you on your journey.”

“That’s right. It’s a command from above. We’ll be guarding you and Torasaburou-sama from here until your return.”

“I don’t really get it, but… sure, I’ll count on you.”

Torasaburou accepted without hesitation, but I felt like he should at least stop to think about it a little.

Not that I expected there to be any real danger in Japan, but I guess it made sense. I’m basically a walking ransom target.

Of course, Yagami-ossan had already seen right through my thoughts.

“A princess should act like one and be protected. That’s part of the job.”

“A job, huh. Well then, thank you for your service. I’ll see you’re rewarded accordingly.”

“Leave it to us, Princess.”

“With my life on the line.”

The two of them acted the same as always, though while Yagami-ossan was relatively restrained, I felt like Wang-san was getting a bit too into character. I didn’t think he was just playing around—maybe he genuinely enjoyed this whole pretend-retainer game.

Anyway, with the two of them added to our party, our first destination was the headquarters of Suzuki Shoten in central Kobe.

Some of the attendants split off here and moved on to our next lodging location to begin preparations for the following leg of our journey. After all, travel in this era was no easy task.

Then we headed to Suzuki Shoten by car.

Its headquarters had been scaled down significantly after becoming part of the Ootori Group’s holdings, with Ootori Holdings now functioning as the parent company, and the trading division folded into Ootori Trading.

Still, it remained the command center of Suzuki Shoten and, together with Ootori, a major base in the Kansai region.

Personally, I felt that Ootori’s core base should eventually move to Osaka, the commercial capital—but Osaka was already the stronghold of financial giants like Mitsui and Sumitomo, dating back to the Edo period. Trying to establish dominance there would be like walking into enemy territory, so anything beyond a branch office was probably unrealistic.

Besides, for Suzuki, which had risen through overseas trade, the international trading port of Kobe suited it far better.

“It’s really right by the sea.”

“And the mountains are so close, too. It kind of reminds me of Yokosuka.”

“Well, one’s a trading port and the other’s a naval port, but I guess both being port towns makes them feel similar.”

Aside from the two muscleheads, everyone seemed reasonably impressed—Kobe’s city center really does sit astonishingly close between the sea and the mountains. It was hard to believe it was part of a major city; despite being by the seaside, the mountains loomed nearby, covered in dense green.

As for the coastline itself, aside from the absence of a large man-made island offshore, it didn’t look all that different from what I remembered from my past life.

What felt a little disappointing to me was the lack of the large red arched bridge that stretches out toward the artificial island—which, of course, didn’t exist yet.

(I guess that’s how it was almost a century back… fewer “holy sites.” Nishinomiya probably doesn’t have anything yet either. Maybe just the old Western houses that are still in use?)

Entertaining those silly thoughts, we made our way into the headquarters of Suzuki Shoten, located in the old foreign settlement by the sea.

“Welcome to the Suzuki Headquarters, Ootori Torasaburou-sama, Reiko-sama.”

“Oh, Suzuki-san. This is the third time, I think? Anyway, she’s the one here to talk business. I’m just the chaperone and bodyguard.”

“Reiko-sama, you are?”

Waiting in the reception room to greet us was Kaneko Naokichi, the head steward of the Suzuki conglomerate—essentially its CEO, in modern 21st-century terms.

I’d only heard his voice and seen him from a distance before, but he didn’t seem too different from my impression.

He looked a bit tired, but he gave off the impression of a serious and straightforward, yet energetic merchant—one who had powered through the Meiji and Taisho eras and was now approaching old age.

His hair had already thinned considerably, and with his round glasses, he looked almost exactly like the photos I’d seen in textbooks and online archives.

I thought his expression might show a bit of confusion, but instead, he looked at me with interest. At the very least, I could assume he knew something about the so-called “Miko of Ootori.”

“Pleased to meet you, Kaneko-sama. I am Ootori Reiko of the Ootori Count family. I appreciate your support during this educational visit.”

“No, no, the pleasure is mine.”

“So then, would you like an explanation about me?”

“Hmmm…”

At my rather direct question, his speech suddenly shifted into a Kansai dialect. Probably because he had lived in Kobe for a long time—he was halfway a Kansai native by now. But more than that, I saw it as a sign that, like me, he was taking off a mask and showing a bit of his true self.

“May I ask you one thing?”

“Of course. Anything I’m able to answer.”

“Is it correct to say that you, Reiko-han, hold command authority within the Ootori family?”

It was less a question and more a confirmation. And he had said “within the Ootori family.”

Because I was a child, I didn’t hold legal authority or responsibility in the public or societal sense. That’s probably why he phrased it this way.

But I saw it a little differently.

“I merely present the path the Ootori should take. Decisions and orders are made by my great-grandfather, my grandfather, and my great-uncle.”

“So you don’t have decision-making authority yourself?”

“Not unless it’s been entrusted to me by my great-grandfather or grandfather.”

Yes. Even if I’m said to act freely within the Ootori family, this is what it actually means.

Unless an adult entrusts me with the trigger, I cannot pull it, nor am I allowed to.

Because I can’t take responsibility as a public figure.

This man likely just wanted to confirm that part—just in case. Otherwise, there might be things he couldn’t talk about carelessly.

But even after hearing my answer, he simply showed a thoughtful gesture for a moment.

After a few seconds—maybe over ten—he lightly adjusted his glasses and spoke.

“You’re still only nine, aren’t you? It’s impressive you can shoulder something like that. I started my apprenticeship when I was ten, you know.”

“Well, I plan to finish my duties within the year. After that, I intend to return to being a normal child.”

“And yet you’re converting that mountain of stock into dollars? Why’s that?”

He asked with genuine puzzlement. Maybe he also believed that stock prices would never crash.

If that’s the case, then what I need to say is already decided.

“Because it’s obviously going to crash.”

I dropped all formal speech and said it bluntly.

It’s about time I shed the next mask—or rather, in my case, maybe the disguise.

Naturally, Mr. Kaneko’s expression turned to one of complete surprise.

“The American stock market will crash within the year? On what grounds? Is that the power of the miko?”

It seemed he was surprised by something else entirely. Since it was too obvious to me, our perspectives were completely misaligned. I should be more careful when speaking with others going forward.

“You can interpret it that way if you like. If you’re dabbling in American stocks, Mr. Kaneko, I’d recommend liquidating them by autumn.”

“If I had that kind of money, I wouldn’t be meeting with you folks now, would I?”

He replied with a hint of exasperation. That’s fair enough.

Then he raised both hands up to about head level.

“I surrender. Your great-grandfather is impressive enough, but you… I can’t see your bottom. It’s like you’ve got several people inside you. I’m convinced now that you’re a miko. If we’d had someone like you at Suzuki, maybe we wouldn’t have gone under… So, what brings you here today? Just name it.”

I hadn’t intended it at all, but apparently Mr. Kaneko had come into this meeting with considerable resolve.

That said, now I was the one who felt a little thrown off.

“Um, even if you say ‘anything’… I really did just come by to say hello today. Since I’ll be visiting the Ootori Group’s local companies around here, it would’ve caused issues if I didn’t stop by to greet you.”

“It’s true, Mr. Suzuki. This girl isn’t some kind of miko or monster like you’re imagining. She’s just a brat. No, she’s incredibly sharp, but once you peel off the outer layer, this is what you get. But she sees the future—too clearly, which is why people like you get the wrong idea. That’s all there is to it.”

(Yeah, that’s true. Wait, are you sure you should be spilling that much? This man might not become our enemy, but he’s got a burning hunger—he might try to distance himself from the Ootori Group or even aim to revive Suzuki. He’s that kind of old man.)

I couldn’t help but squint at Torasaburou.

Then, Mr. Kaneko, sitting across from me, let out a small laugh.

“Seems like it, yeah. Mind if I ask you one thing?”

“…Go ahead?”

“If Ootori hadn’t stepped in, what would’ve happened to us? Would we really have gone under and been swallowed up by Mitsui?”

I thought about how to respond for a moment, but it felt right to speak from the history of my previous life.

“Yes. It would’ve turned out even worse. The Taiwan Bank, which held Suzuki Shoten’s earthquake bonds, would’ve collapsed due to a gaffe by the cabinet. That would’ve triggered a run on banks across Japan, plunging the country into a major depression. Naturally, Suzuki would’ve been dismantled piece by piece. Some companies might’ve become independent, but most would’ve been bought up by other zaibatsu. That’s the dream revelation I had.”

He listened to my words with all seriousness—but whether they were true or not, who could say?

It would be easy for him to brush them off as the delusions of a child.

“…Well, if that’s the case, I’d change the cabinet myself to make things move. Anyway, now that it’s come to this, as long as Ootori doesn’t do anything foolish, Suzuki will stay under control with Kaneko at the helm—so go ahead and do as you please. Just now, you said your great-grandfather and your father make the decisions, but no matter what, you’re the standard-bearer, ain’t ya?

Souichirou-san is already preparing for his final journey, and Kiichirou-san isn’t interested in making money. And from what I can tell, Torasaburou-san is just the kind of man you see here. Your head of the family, Zenkichi-san, is steady, but not one to take risks. Among your uncles, Ryuuya-san is exceptional, but he’s a military man. Genji-san, frankly speaking, won’t do. I’ve only met your father, Kiichi-san, once, but if he were still alive, things might’ve turned out differently.

That’s why you’re the one who must lead. I understand that well enough now. If you’re willing to pick a fight with Mitsui, then I’m with you. Leave it to me.”

“Ah, thank you. But… can I just correct one thing?”

“What is it?”

“My opponent isn’t Mitsui.”

“Then who is it? Ootori and Mitsubishi are on good terms, so is it Sumitomo after all? Or maybe the money-hungry Yasuda group in finance? Daiichi? Don’t tell me it’s the government or the military.”

“Hmm… for now, I guess it’s the American zaibatsu. I don’t want to be crushed by them. And after that… maybe the people who hate today’s Japan the most?”

I don’t actually view anyone as an enemy, so even as I answered, my words came out sounding uncertain. If I had to name an enemy, it would probably be the destruction of the game itself—that’s how it feels to me.

But something in what I said must have resonated with Mr. Suzuki, because his face broke into a broad grin.

“Now that’s the kind of talk I like to hear. Just ten years ago, I was fighting the world myself, so I know exactly how that feels. Alright then, let’s take on the world together, you and this old man!”

(No, that’s not what I meant by ‘take on the world’…)

I couldn’t help but give a wry smile as I took the right hand Mr. Kaneko held out to me.

Suzuki Head Office
It’s now a multi-story parking garage, and just north of it is the Kobe City Museum.
Also, since Suzuki changed their headquarters location several times, there isn’t just one “former site” of the head office—somehow that feels very much like Suzuki.