Chapter 41: Minister Otsuka

The meeting with Everlong’s contact in the Imperial Government was a bit different than what Hiyori was expecting at first. Arriving in Sapporo, parking close to the city hall, walking towards the old, brick-colored building, she had to go through the usual forms, filling out everything, then letting them take her picture for the new licenses. The only difference was, besides Everlong and herself, no other people were present. Except the clerks of course, who asked zero questions. After the short but weird ordeal, they were let into a sizable conference room, where a man was already waiting for them, sitting at the end of an oval table with the room’s windows at his back. 

 

“So you were not bluffing, Everlong.” stood up the older looking man. His short, black hair was still shiny, just as his black eyes. Even though the years already put some creases on his face, the vigor of his was on par with that of a teenager. 

 

“Mr. Otsuka.” bowed a little Everlong “Let me introduce you, she is Tenmei Hiyori. Hiyori, he is Otsuka Akio. He leads the region’s Ministry of the Occult.”

 

“Never heard of a ministry like that.” replied Hiyori with an honest surprise.

 

“Glad to hear to not hear about it!” chuckled Otsuka, nodding at them as they sat down close to him. “It is not an arm of the government that we would like people to have knowledge of!”

 

“It must be hard, especially with the internet around us all!” nodded Hiyori, agreeing with the sentiment. 

 

“The internet is easier to handle than you would think. People usually debate themselves to a point where they stop believing in even concrete evidence!” laughed “If nothing else, we just need to plant the seed of doubt by our agents and the rest takes care of itself! The real problem comes when something way too big happens! Especially if it is because of your peer, sitting next to you!” shook his head, but Everlong just let it slide by “But he is a great asset so we are putting up with the constant clean ups! He just leaves the mess behind, expecting us to wipe his ass! The sad thing is, he is right!” groaned, letting out a long breath “Like the five destroyed shops! Sources for our own occult materials! The unauthorized exorcism of demons is just an added bonus!” aimed sharp words at Everlong immediately, making Hiyori flinch in her chair, just after finally sitting down.

 

“If Minister Otsuka has read my report…” opened his mouth Everlong, looking at him sideways.

 

“I did!” placed his hand on the table and even if he did not slap onto it, it still carried a tangible weight by just moving his hand. “Haah… how long have we known each other?”

 

“Since you were a clerk in the lower levels.” closed his eyes Everlong with a nostalgic smile “You had none of the wrinkles on your face yet!”

 

“And you are responsible for all of them!” grumbled immediately. “Damn it, I don’t care if you go around blasting these hellspawns back to where they came from, but why did you burn the goods too?!”

 

“To send a message.” replied calmly.

 

“Damn it, you are not the Joker!” scolded him Otsuka as Everlong quickly looked at Hiyori with a questioning gaze.

 

“A movie reference. I’ll tell you about it later.” whispered Hiyori, finding it funny, trying to hold back a laugh.

 

“You should’ve sent them back to Hell, call us and let us place the shops under lockdown! Saying we are investigating, and confiscating the goods until further notice!” leaned forward Otsuka “At least think of us too when you do something like this!” pleaded and Hiyori was surprised why the minister was angry. It was not about the demons but the valuables.

 

“Figures…” murmured very quietly, rolling her eyes.

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“You are going to have your chance.” smiled Everlong as he slowly reached into his inner pocket of his vest, picking out an envelope, sliding it before Otsuka. “It is the location of Troduc’s warehouse. It’s underwater, off the coast, a few kilometers away.” As he was explaining it, the minister was already reading the unfolded paper. Hiyori saw his eyes lighting up almost immediately and she swore, she saw him drool for a moment. “Just wait two days from now on, before making a move!”

 

“Why?” asked, with a strict voice, still looking at the coordinates contained in the letter. 

 

“Because I am making a trade with him. I know him well, after the exchange he is going to disappear for a few decades. Maybe even move to a different country! I am 99% sure he is in the middle of moving his most valuable assets to a different location, before contacting me again with what I want!” explained it but Hiyori was sure, this explanation was more for her than for the Minister.

 

“That would leave us with nothing then!” stood up Otsuka but sat back down after a moment of silence, recollecting his calm demeanor. 

 

“Not entirely. Troduc does not have much time so a lot of things are going to be left behind! Plus, if you move now, your men would die a horrible death.” warned him with a flat tone, watching his face change, truly considering his words. “Wait until I finish my deal with him and you can move in to seize the leftovers. You are going to get more than even if you bagged all five shops’ inventory!”

 

“...” watched his eyes Otsuka, not blinking for a minute straight before nodding “Okay! I’ll hold the information back for two days, my superiors would not listen to your advice. They don’t trust you at all.”

 

“I know. Few do.” smiled Everlong, unbothered by the truth.

 

“Now tell me, why are you giving this to us?”

 

“Returning a favor, that is all.” leaned back Everlong.

 

“Bullshit! I have known you for three decades by now! You just want to rub it under our nose when we call you back here to ask you about some weird shit you pulled! Argh, whatever! Just, try not to shovel the shit into an industrial fan, okay? Keep it small! For once!” 

 

“No promises! But I’ll try!”

 

“Sure…” gave up Otsuka, raising his hands before standing up “We recorded you into the official files.” spoke to Hiyori now “In our eyes, for now at least, you are under Everlong’s supervision. Everything done by you is going to be connected to him and vice versa. This is the rulebook, based on the principles of the Agency and that of the Sigil Bearers.” placed a pretty thick book before Hiyori “Try to follow it more than your boss, okay?” said it to her with a tired expression. 

 

“I’ll try my best!” nodded Hiyori, picking up the heavy “gift”, grimacing because it felt like it weighed almost 20 kilos.

 

“That is already more than I can expect from Everlong!” replied the Minister, watching them leave his office. For a minute there he just stood, watching the night sky, before opening the window and lighting up a cigar. “I need to do this under the table…” thought to himself, pocketing the letter, containing Troduc’s warehouse’s coordinates. “We have to bank all of it and leave the Agency or the Sigilites out of it… damned parasites.”

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