I entered the room, guided by Kirie-san after passing through the entrance.
As soon as Kirie-san entered, followed by Evia and myself, all eyes turned to us.
The gazes were naturally from the individuals who had entered and were waiting in the room. Three men in formal attire, three men in suits like us, and behind them, perhaps SPs, five men with somewhat stern visages.
“… ”
And then, my eyes were drawn to a certain corner.
Though she didn’t show it on her face, Evia’s gaze momentarily stopped there due to the atmosphere. I felt the same. I believe I managed to keep my composure, so they likely didn’t notice anything. However, the matter was too significant to ignore.
“Your seats are here.”
However, this was not the time to pursue that. The fact that they were tacitly allowing it meant there was some reason. We would ask why later. We took our seats as Kirie-san indicated. The room, about thirty tatami mats in size, had a round table, perhaps to signify the lack of a hierarchy. The distances between each organization were set at equal intervals to maintain distinction, but close enough for conversation. Our seats were prepared near the entrance, but only Evia would sit there; I would stand quietly behind her. My seat was also prepared, but I was here to support, not to stand at the negotiating table with my current status. I bowed silently to Kirie-san and relinquished my chair.
“…Now that everyone is assembled, I would like to begin with greetings from Haruteru Abe, Vice Chairman of the Japan Shiju Jutsu Association.”
No one in the room objected to this. The focus was clearly on the negotiating parties, and my presence was temporarily set aside. It was a stroke of luck to gain an overview perspective. I could pay attention to the SPs’ movements and also keep an eye on the garden visible beyond. It was an excellent position from which to act instantly if necessary. Having secured a good starting position, Kirie-san moved to the seat on my left and called out the name of an elderly man, presumably the highest-ranking member of the Association. The man called, who used the surname Abe, must be a descendant of a famous onmyoji. He appeared to be in his seventies, with white hair that was still abundant, a lean physique devoid of excess fat, and not frail as one might expect with age; his posture as he stood hinted at his strength. His narrow eyes gave him an inscrutable expression. He gave me the impression of a snake rather than a badger.
“Indeed, although this is an informal gathering, I sincerely hope it will serve as a place to forge a good relationship between nations. Now, as Haruteru Abe, Vice Chairman of the Japan Shiju Jutsu Association, I shall commence our discussion.”
His voice, neither hoarse nor weak, resonated with a quiet but powerful presence, making me instinctively straighten my back. It was a strangely captivating voice. I wondered if something had already been set in motion. Without moving my gaze, I observed Evia, but she showed no signs of activity. So, it was still a waiting game.
“For the facilitation of this meeting, Kirie Sagami, the Kanto Branch Chief of the Japan Shiju Jutsu Association, will continue to preside. Additionally, from our Association, Vice Chairman Abe and myself will be joined by Tomikazu Naniwa, Vice Branch Chief of the Kansai Branch. We look forward to working with all of you.”
I decided to follow their lead and gather information. First, Kirie-san and the Association. Kirie-san, my aunt, was fine, but then there was Vice Chairman Abe, the snake-like old man, and Naniwa, a man with a typical plump, tanuki-like face who looked as though he might suffer from lifestyle diseases. He smiled amiably, bowing and saying he looked forward to working with us, but somehow, it didn’t strike me as a good sign. Despite his seemingly good nature, his demeanor didn’t match. My own principle is never to let my guard down around such individuals. In conclusion, neither the Vice Chairman nor the Vice Branch Chief could be underestimated.
“Then, next…”
“Is it our turn?”
Just the self-introductions caused such heavy air. Meetings between government organizations had a different atmosphere than those in the private sector. I thought to myself, without showing it on my face, that the old me might have had a stomach ache. I reflected on how many people, if standing here instead of me, could dismiss this as a mere acquaintance meeting and wear a smile as they sat in these seats. Following the flow of the air, the next to announce themselves were individuals from the Japanese government.
“I am Eisuke Kase, belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.”
“I am Yasushi Akebono, a bureaucrat from the Ministry of Defense. The three behind me are responsible for our security. Please be aware.”
The two men, standing with a relaxed yet not slovenly posture, looked like career officials. The man from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was bare-faced with a square face and a seven-three split hairstyle. The man from the Ministry of Defense wore glasses and had a buzz cut. Both had distinctive appearances that were hard to forget once seen. Two men in their forties, for whom suits were their uniform, stood side by side. They finished their introductions, stating that they would exchange business cards later, and returned to their seats. The three SPs standing behind them were their guards, so the question became…
“Ah, it’s my turn next, isn’t it?”
My inner anticipation of whose turn it was coincided with a fluent Japanese speech that belied his appearance. A blond man in a gray suit. It was undeniable he wasn’t Japanese by appearance. As he stood from his seat, he walked directly towards Evia’s seat without hesitation. Neither the Association nor the Japanese government said anything. They seemed to be watching the proceedings, but perhaps there was a subtle tremor of emotion, if I could call it that. In plain terms, they were displaying their displeasure. From that perspective, it seemed he hadn’t joined this meeting in good spirits.
“I am Joseph Neumann, from the United States Department of State. It’s a pleasure to meet you, person from another world.”
Showing not the slightest sign of noticing their gazes, he extended his right hand. How friendly. Thinking this was a difference in cultures, I wondered how Evia would respond.
“I am Evia Nordis, Head of the Royal Guard of the Demon Lord’s Army and Assistant to the President of MAO Corporation. I apologize, but escalating matters beyond necessity is not in our best interest. Let’s postpone handshakes for later.”
She brushed him off with ease. This man also appeared to be in his forties, and with his American physique and cheerful personality, he was quite handsome, but even his smile didn’t cause Evia’s expression to flicker.
“Oh, pardon me. Do you not shake hands in your country?”
“Regrettably, we do not have such customs.”
Without even rising from her chair, she looked directly up at Joseph’s face. Though she was the oldest present in terms of age, she appeared younger than anyone else and exuded an aura that overwhelmed the man who seemed more than a decade older and larger than her.
“Then, this is a good opportunity. Let’s get to know each other.”
“That is the purpose of this meeting. I pray we can become good neighbors.”
“Yes, I pray for that too.”
The third force, the great power of America, which should not have been present here. Their presence indicated they had obtained information from somewhere and deployed personnel. And Japan had permitted it. When Evia first entered this room, I had wondered why foreigners, including their escorts, were here. This might turn out to be more troublesome than I thought. For the Association, it was too early an intervention. For Japan, although a friendly nation, they were a difficult country to establish a sense of distance with. Despite being on home ground, they now had to be cautious in their statements due to the global power balance. Joseph returned to his seat, and with that, the floor was reset by Evia.
“Let me reintroduce myself. I am Evia Nordis, belonging to the Demon Lord’s Army, Head of the Royal Guard, and Assistant to the President of MAO Corporation. I have been entrusted with the comprehensive representation of our country for this meeting.”
She then repeated her earlier self-introduction to Joseph to everyone present. There was no particular reaction. Basic information had been provided beforehand through Kirie-san as documents. This self-introduction was merely a formality for everyone except the Americans. The main topic was yet to come.
“Now, regarding the agenda for this diplomatic meeting—”
“Ah, excuse me, Ms. Sagami. Before we get to the main topic, there’s just one thing I’d like to confirm.”
“…Yes?”
However, Joseph, as if to cut her off, interrupted Kirie-san’s words with his question. I conveyed my annoyance with his attitude, but Joseph seemed unfazed.
“Well, everyone here is thinking it. We’ve read the documents you provided from Japan. However, it’s a story that would be better written by a B-movie screenwriter with more sincerity; we can’t just accept it at face value. Even if you’ve seen it, we haven’t.”
He added, “Except for you, Ms. Sagami,” with a smile. Without asking what to show or what to do, he simply stared at Evia, who had taken human form. What could be the meaning of his words? It wasn’t that I couldn’t fathom it; the others likely felt the same. In fact, only Kirie-san had witnessed Evia’s true form as a demon. No one else had.
“There’s no point in hiding my form, is there?”
Understanding the meaning of his gaze, Evia considered the demerits of continuing to hide versus the merits of revealing herself, and then her wings appeared on her back and horns on her head. The sudden appearance of these two from empty space shocked everyone present, except for myself and Kirie-san.
“Are you satisfied now?”
I asked Joseph, not satirically, but simply to confirm.
“By the way, are they real?”
“Would you like to touch them? Instead, I shall report that your country, after doubting us, touched a foreign woman’s body without permission.”
Still casting a doubtful glance, Joseph’s words were met with a provocative movement of her wings. If she were to sue him for sexual harassment, she would win.
“OK. Your wings and horns are real. I apologize for my earlier rudeness as an individual.”
Joseph frankly lowered his head, admitting that was a bad move. He then shrewdly added that his questions and rudeness were his own personal actions and not sanctioned by his country. This created a foundation for America to minimize damage by disavowing Joseph. Whether he was sent for this purpose from the start or this was his way of managing himself was unclear. The wound was too shallow to be fatal, leaving room for recovery.
“Understood, I accept your apology. After all, from your perspective, we are people from another world. There will be differences in cultural norms.”
The Demon Lord’s Army, not wanting to exploit this and waste the meeting, couldn’t pursue it further. What Evia felt, accepting the apology outwardly, was something there was no way to confirm. I made an effort to keep my expressionless.
“However…”
But our demoness is a bit proud and dislikes being underestimated. She wouldn’t let things end with just that.
“You should be more careful next time.”
The atmosphere changed. The SPs quickly reached into their pockets, and the three members of the Association found slips of paper in their hands. The three men in suits, unable to react, were frozen.
“The Demon Lord’s Army has many hot-blooded individuals. I cannot deny that they can be considered barbaric in your world’s civilized society.”
Despite being wary of the opponent, Evia spoke without concern for their magic power, simply suppressing the situation with her glare. She just sat there, looking at them, and showing off her power. The individuals she spoke of immediately brought to mind the two instructors. Yes, with such an attitude, those two would surely be… not killed immediately but made to regret being born. I almost grimaced, unable to deny Evia’s words, but I forced myself to maintain a calm expression.
“That’s why we have many capable individuals. If something like that happens carelessly, who knows what might occur.”
While I was desperately trying to keep a straight face, Evia was talking with a hint of amusement. The three men in suits, who had been relaxed moments before, were now sweating.
“It might even lead to things more serious than just burns.”
Even one of the instructors, if given just three minutes to act freely, would become a formidable localized tactical weapon. It was no joke at all. A discussion between nations. Even as a proxy, I understood the importance of not being underestimated, but Evia…
“Please keep that in mind.”
“Yes, I will inform my homeland.”
Wasn’t that a bit excessive?
Word of the day: Usable abilities and unusable abilities; how you utilize them depends on your skill.
Thank you for your continued feedback and corrections. If you found this interesting, please leave comments, ratings, and bookmarks.
*The first volume of this novel has been published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book version was released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume was released on December 19. The third volume was released on February 20, 2019. These editions have been revised and expanded from the content posted on Shosetsuka ni Narou, with additional unpublished intermissions included. Please also consider purchasing the new releases! I look forward to your continued support of this work.
