The Sakimori (Guardians)—those who claimed the title with a pledge to truly protect the realm of Nihon, taking upon themselves all purity and corruption alike in their desire for the nation's survival and prosperity. Their name was taken from the Sakimori of old, the defenders stationed in northern Kyushu to repel invasions from the continent.
In this country, the existence of magic was a secret kept strictly among the Imperial Family and a portion of the high nobility, never brought out into the open. Yet, as a result of pride born from such power, it undeniably influenced secular history; many past events whose true causes remain unclear are suspected of having magic working behind the scenes.
As governance shifted in the modern era from faith and divine rule to legal order, magic gradually faded into the realm of folklore. But an incident at the end of the 20th century dragged magic into the public eye, recasting it as a form of technology.
At the apex of this country's true governance stands the Genroin (Elder Council). Originally, all four seats of the Yondairo (Four Great Elders) were ruled by Guardian families. However, after two world wars left two of those bloodlines extinct, the empty seats were reluctantly filled by the Todo family—the main branch of Toei-zan—and the Kashiwa family, linked to the Hyoefu (Middle Palace Guards).
Hence, between the long-established lines of Kagurazaka and Kamiizumi, who have shouldered the shadows for centuries, and the relative newcomers of Todo and Kashiwa, who remain traditional practitioners despite their new status, a sharp divide in their vision for the Genroin was inevitable.
The reason Todo and Kashiwa cannot claim the name of Sakimori—a title held by Kagurazaka and Kamiizumi—lies in their fundamental departure from the true role of the Guardian: to protect those who contribute to the order of the nation, untethered by personal concepts of good and evil.
Naturally, neither Kagurazaka nor Kamiizumi meddle in public history without cause. However, now that magic has been dragged out onto the world stage, the role of the Elder Council must adapt. Understanding this better than anyone, the Guardians stepped onto the stage of history as the true protectors of the realm.
Those who understood this immediately; those who strived to understand it; and those who, unable to let go of legacy power, harbored envy and resentment toward the former two. The current Elder Council can truly be said to be in the absolute depth of chaos.
To business.
Yugen, dressed in a sharp suit suitable for the Jinko-kai (Divine Might Society), walked down to the commuter station he usually used for school. Being a day off, the platform was sparse. But when an autonomous limousine—the kind typically reserved for cabinet ministers or royalty—pulled up to fetch him, even he couldn't help a slight, twitching smile.
Whether noticing it or not, the driver stepped out and bowed deferentially. Though young in appearance, the firm build of his muscles and the flow of his Psions instantly revealed him as a fellow disciple of the same school.
"Kagurazaka-sama, my deepest apologies for keeping you waiting."
"Please, don't mind it."
"You are too kind. Please, get in."
The driver opened the door, and as soon as Yugen stepped inside, it shut smoothly. The driver got back behind the wheel, and the limousine glided toward its destination. Still, a limousine cruising through downtown on a weekend was bound to draw suspicious glances from quite a few passersby.
The vehicle brought them to the official residence of the Prime Minister—the center of the head of state's daily life. As Yugen stepped out following the driver opening the door, the Prime Minister and his chief secretary were already waiting, flanked by armed guards.
"Ah, Kagurazaka-sama. Thank you so much for taking the time to come."
"Think nothing of it. Shall we head inside?"
"Yes, of course."
Under normal circumstances, the sight of a nation's leader humbling himself before a youth would be deemed nothing short of surreal. Though the secretary and guards had likely been briefed, expressions of quiet confusion flickered across their faces. Noticing this, the Prime Minister voiced a quiet apology.
"Forgive them, Kagurazaka-sama. I explained the situation in advance, but..."
"I don't mind at all, Prime Minister. I am well aware of my own youth."
"...I deeply appreciate your generosity."
The current head of the Guardians, a youth destined to assume one of the Four Great Elder seats in the Council, and the leader of the Ten Master Clans Council—the head of Japan's magical community—was a boy more than two generations younger than the Prime Minister himself. Even knowing his background, it was natural for onlookers to harbor doubts when confronted with a high school student in such a position.
Yet, given the extraordinary nature of his standing, standard age-based hierarchy did not apply. Legend had it that a former Prime Minister who once acted disrespectfully toward a Guardian head was forced to dissolve his cabinet the very next day. Guided by the leader, Yugen entered what resembled a conference room, where Kamiizumi Mototsugu, head of the Kamiizumi family, was already seated.
"Kamiizumi-dono. Apologies for keeping you waiting."
"We still have fifteen minutes before the meeting starts. You're not late at all, Kagurazaka-dono."
Normally, the Prime Minister would be expected to travel to the Kamiizumi or Kagurazaka estates. However, following the recent invasion by the New Soviet Union, the Joint Staff Council had been established and put on high alert against potential secondary or tertiary attacks. Leaving the capital region recklessly was out of the question.
Understanding the government's predicament, both Yugen and Mototsugu had agreed that forcing the Prime Minister out of the capital was unwise. Given the international situation, holding the meeting at the Prime Minister's official residence had been planned from the start, avoiding any unnecessary disruption.
With all three participants present, the Prime Minister whispered a brief instruction to his secretary, who bowed slightly and left the room. Once the guards had stepped outside as well, Yugen cast a soundproof field over the entire room before speaking up.
"Now then, Prime Minister. I sent a letter outlining the general agenda beforehand... I assume you have an idea of what we wish to discuss?"
"Yes. It concerned a fundamental improvement to our nation's energy resource situation, if I am not mistaken."
To prevent intelligence leaks in case of interception, the letter had been kept brief, stating only a desire to hold a meeting regarding the chronic energy challenges facing the nation. Naturally, anyone in the know could infer that it involved the Stellar Reactor developed in part by Taurus Silver.
"Precisely. A century and a half ago, during World War II, our vulnerability in that exact area forced us into a war with the former United States—a war we ultimately lost. To ensure we do not repeat such folly, and to secure the foundation of our infrastructure against this country's frequent natural disasters... we proposed this meeting to present a plan for radical reform precisely while the international scene is in turmoil."
"...With all due respect, our nation was attacked by the New Soviet Union just recently. Do you estimate the likelihood of a reinvasion to be low?"
"Allow me to answer that," Mototsugu interjected. "At present, the New Soviet forces have limited assets to deploy on a large scale in the Far East. Even if they were to employ the Strategic-Class Magician 'Igniter,' should they bomb our mainland, we have already devised retaliatory measures that treat it as an unprovoked declaration of war, complete with economic sanctions backed by Europe."
Yugen had heard the full details of the New Soviet forces defeated by Tatsuya directly from the source. Had Bezobrazov gone all-out there, substantial damage would have been inflicted not only on the Japanese forces but on the New Soviet military as well. If the New Soviet government intended to claim they were merely attacking fishing vessels, Japan stood ready to counter by releasing all intelligence, including satellite photography from the encounter.
Furthermore, even if the New Soviet Union occupied territory similar to the former USSR, the reality remained that their usable ice-free ports were severely limited. Should they attempt a full-scale military invasion, Japan was prepared to execute a wide array of countermeasures, including civilian-level economic sanctions.
"Even so, as long as the possibility of them striking with Strategic-Class power remains, please command your forces to stay vigilant without dropping their guard," Yugen added.
"I have already instructed the Minister of Defense to that effect. Now, Kagurazaka-dono, could you elaborate on the specifics of this reform plan?"
"Certainly. Our current energy supply relies primarily on renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power, supplemented by fuel cells. However, in their present state, these sources are insufficient to meet the nation's total power demands."
The primary cause of this shortfall was the aggressive phasing out of nuclear power. In his past life, a massive earthquake followed by human error had accelerated the shift away from nuclear energy, straining a power grid that had relied heavily upon it.
In this world, nuclear power plants—frequent targets for terrorists due to nuclear proliferation risks—were decommissioned one after another. Though radioactive waste and contaminated equipment were handled under strict protocols, the reality was that disposal was far from complete.
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