Episode 170: Cabinet Meeting
The “Roar of the Raijuu” members were gathered in the free space on the eighth floor of Elceed’s headquarters building.
Tennoji, with bandages wrapped around his arm, and the others sitting on the sofas wore heavy, somber expressions. Rui, in particular, looked deeply troubled.
He sat on a bench sofa slightly apart from the others, staring at his clasped hands.
“Damn it! How did things end up like this!?”
Taizen, pacing around the room alone, spat out the words in frustration.
“We thought we were fighting a Monster, but it turns out it was a human? And Rui’s friend, no less? How is that even possible!?”
“Taizen, sit down.”
Tennoji tried to calm him, but Taizen continued to pace, agitated. The Seekers who had fought the Black Armor were shocked by the fact that their opponent was human, unable to fully accept it.
Because it meant they had been trying to kill a human.
As each of them silently hung their heads, the door to the room opened. Honda, the director of operations, entered.
“Honda-san, how did it go?”
Tennoji stood up and approached Honda. Rui also immediately looked up, and the other members gathered around Honda.
“I just spoke with high-ranking government officials, and the situation is grim.”
At Honda’s words, Rui snapped, “What do you mean!?”
“Our Elceed and some researchers argued that the Black Armor should be treated as a human, but among the Politicians, there are many voices calling for the Black Armor to be disposed of as a Monster.”
“No way…”
Rui was speechless and stood frozen.
“Does Prime Minister Iwaki feel the same way!?”
Tennoji frowned and asked Honda.
“I don’t know. I hear he’s wavering, but the statements from overseas forces… especially Albert, seem to be troubling the Prime Minister.”
“Albert? What did he say?”
Honda made a grim face and sighed.
“He said, ‘That is not the power of a Lord. It is the power of a higher, more powerful Monster.'”
The expressions of those present clouded over. Albert was the only one who had ever defeated a Lord. If Albert said so, it must be true.
More than anything, they themselves had been shown the power of the “Black Armor” firsthand.
The overwhelming strength and the bone-chilling terror. Even so, Tennoji raised his head.
“Honda-san, please negotiate with the government. The ‘Roar of the Raijuu’ will accept the Black Armor… Mitaka Yuma. A Seeker as strong as him is someone we absolutely need!”
Honda’s face was stern.
“However, if he goes on a rampage, we alone won’t be able to stop him. You understand that, Tennoji. It took eighty of the world’s strongest Seekers to barely capture him. There won’t be a next time.”
Tennoji shook his head in protest.
“Mitaka Yuma, who we fought, didn’t hurt anyone. I think that’s impossible without human consciousness!”
“I understand what you’re saying. But whether he can truly be called human is a matter of debate even among experts! We can’t assume there’s no danger.”
“That may be true. But right now, Mana is overflowing onto the ground, and we don’t know what kind of Monsters will appear. In such a situation, he would be a valuable asset. Please, Honda-san!”
As Tennoji lowered his head, Rui, who had been silent, spoke up.
“Yuma… that guy isn’t a Monster. There must be some reason why he’s in that form… Yuma’s parents and friends are all worried and waiting for him to come home. I’m begging you too.”
Rui also bowed deeply. Seeing this, Honda closed his eyes and sighed.
“Alright. I’ll see what I can do. But don’t get your hopes up.”
“Yes!”
Rui, raising his head, brightened up.
◇◇◇
“Oh, how are you doing? Tanaka-san.”
“Ah, President!”
In a hospital room, Tanaka, with bandages wrapped around his head, sat up in bed and spoke with Maika, who had come to visit.
“I’m totally fine. More importantly, what happened to Yuma-kun? I heard he’s being detained…”
As Tanaka asked anxiously, Maika, who was next to him, also spoke up.
“When will Yuma-kun be able to come home? He’s not going to be arrested, is he?”
Kanzaki scratched his head and approached Maika.
“I don’t know. And Aisha and I might get arrested too.”
“What!” Maika’s eyes widened.
“The police took all the company’s documents, and my dad is being questioned! And yet…”
Tanaka also made a sorrowful face.
“The company can’t function without the president… What’s going to happen to us? To D-Minor?”
Kanzaki felt unbearable seeing the two of them looking down anxiously. This was exactly the time he needed to pull through as president.
“Don’t worry! I’ll do everything I can. I’ll take care of the company and Yuma, so leave it to me.”
“But, Dad, if you really get arrested, you won’t be able to do anything, right?”
“Well, yeah, that’s true…”
As Maika and Tanaka looked at him anxiously, Kanzaki could only force a wry smile.
◇◇◇
Prime Minister’s Office in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo —
An emergency cabinet meeting was being held. The opinions of each minister flew back and forth, and the discussion became confused.
“Prime Minister! Why are you hesitating!? Public opinion overwhelmingly calls for the ‘Black Armor’ to be killed. If we continue like this, it will affect the next House of Councillors election!”
The one who raised his voice was Hosokawa, the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare. He was a leading figure in the ruling party who had reached the age of eighty and had a strong influence within the administration.
Prime Minister Iwaki listened to Hosokawa’s words with his arms crossed. He had a stout build and hair streaked with gray.
Deep wrinkles were etched into his face, which had weathered the battlefields of politics.
“I agree with Hosokawa-san. Keeping the ‘Black Armor’ alive is like harboring an unnecessary risk… We should dispose of him as soon as possible!”
The one who suggested this was Ogasawara, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. He was the youngest among the cabinet members and was very popular with the public, so Iwaki could not dismiss his opinion.
Meanwhile, Takakura, the Minister of Defense, who was participating in the cabinet meeting, listened to the discussion in silence.
Takakura himself did not have a clear answer regarding the Black Armor’s fate. The opinions of the cabinet members were divided, with about 60% saying that the Black Armor should be disposed of.
The rest were cautious.
In particular, Eto, the Minister of Justice, raised an objection. Shaking his large belly, he leaned forward and looked at Iwaki.
“Prime Minister, if we are to dispose of a single Japanese citizen, we need a reasonable legal basis. It may also violate the Constitution, so I think we should consider this carefully.”
“Hmm…”
Iwaki crossed his arms and closed his eyelids. The biggest problem at hand was what to do with the “Black Armor,” Mitaka Yuma.
Since it had been confirmed that he was a citizen with a family register, they could not kill him immediately.
Some argued that he should be treated as a Monster rather than a human, but there were no reports of Mitaka Yuma killing anyone or causing harm to anyone.
Therefore, it had become difficult to determine that he was a Monster.
If he had not harmed anyone, it was proof that he had human will. Several scholars had come forward to argue this.
Iwaki felt frustrated that he could not decide on a course of action quickly.
He himself — believed that the Black Armor should be killed.