"...Kagurazaka-dono, Kamiizumi-dono," the Prime Minister asked cautiously, "what if the USNA strongly pressures us to participate in the project?"
"In that event, I will address the USNA President directly," Yugen said firmly, "using private-sector economic retaliation as a bargaining chip."
As groundwork, Yugen had already begun purchasing shares in major sponsors of prominent media outlets through acquisitions. On the surface, these acquisitions appeared to be conducted by US real estate firms and venture startups, but the capital behind them consisted of interest-free, large-scale loans provided by the Kagasaka Group.
The group did not force these sponsors to sell their shares as a condition for the loans; rather, in exchange for bolstering the assets of these US companies, arrangements were made to receive real-time intelligence from within the US, with Yugen simply dropping a subtle hint that 'it would be helpful if you purchased sponsor shares on the side.' Anyone sharp enough would notice the loans, but because the financing was routed through multiple international banks, tracing the true source was virtually impossible.
If their movements were ever uncovered, Yugen intended to execute an unconditional TOB takeover, silencing opposition with sheer financial force. While executive leadership might be restructured—reassigned to de facto demotions rather than outright firing—the employment of ordinary staff would be guaranteed, and operational policies left intact.
"I expect you will lodge a direct protest, Prime Minister," Yugen added, "but I also happen to have personal acquaintances through my grandfather's connections. Furthermore, one of my fiancées is the President's granddaughter. Fortunately, she has promised to stand by my side, so even a President ruling a superpower might find a total rift with his own family rather difficult to bear."
Should Edward Clark push forward with the 'Dione Project,' he was bound to incur the President's displeasure first. If Raymond manipulated events to bolster their strength by conducting micro-black hole experiments, the destruction of the President's desk would be practically guaranteed. And if they dared frame Lina as a 'spy working with Japan,' he would likely march straight into the Joint Chiefs of Staff equipped with a shotgun and rocket launcher... Given his physical build, which resembled a movie action hero, it was hardly a joke.
Despite being a non-magician, he possessed muscles comparable to a bodybuilder, and during his military service, he had reportedly overwhelmed ordinary magicians in hand-to-hand combat. Confronting fantasy with raw physical force was the very definition of bravado, commanding respect from any man.
Of course, the ultimate combination of such a physical condition refined alongside extraordinary magical talent was none other than Kamiizumi Gozo—the grandfather of both Yugen and Mototsugu.
"...That would indeed be difficult to bear," the Prime Minister murmured.
Having concluded their meeting with the Prime Minister, Yugen and Mototsugu boarded the limousine together to travel to their next destination. As the vehicle glided forward, Mototsugu, who had remained mostly quiet during the conference, broke the silence.
"Yugen, were you truly fine with letting the youth conference proceed without you?"
"Well," Yugen replied calmly, "if they can put together a plan with clear execution and accountability, I have no intention of stopping them."
Setting aside Yugen's personal acquaintances, one could not help but question whether the younger generation was truly fulfilling their responsibilities as members of the Ten Master Clans—most notably the Juumonji and Saegusa representatives, and the Kudo family, or more specifically, Mitsuhiro's elder siblings. Sensing the implication behind Yugen's words, Mototsugu let out a dry, self-deprecating smile.
"If not for you, Yugen, the rest of us—myself, Osamu, Shizuru, Kana, Mika, and Shina—would have ended up as nothing more than slightly above-average magicians. So I suppose I shouldn't judge... but I highly doubt that meeting will yield any meaningful consensus."
After all, the arrangement had essentially excluded the Kagurazaka and Kamiizumi families, despite both falling within the scope of the Master Clans Council. The orchestrator had likely exploited the political circumstances to give his own son a chance to claim credit.
"There's no need to kick them while they're down when they're bound to embarrass themselves anyway," Yugen said. "However, next time, I plan to initiate a conference myself, calling together the younger generation of the Master Clans Council."
"Doing so will completely crush the pride of the Saegusa and Juumonji families," Mototsugu noted.
"This time, I will summon them purely 'as members of the Master Clans Council,' completely setting aside the Defense Forces' agenda. If anyone chooses to absent themselves, I will deem that they have no right to remain in the Master Clans Council and won't hesitate to push for their expulsion. Naturally, I intend to issue the summons after the Toyama family makes its move."
"In the first place, Shippou is already handling the public-facing, idol-like role. Trying to copy that is not only unoriginal, but an outright provocation toward the Shippou family. I understand the desire to project presence through high-visibility grandstanding, but it risks being viewed as a mere political performance—a risk they are hardly prepared to manage."
"Even if they put Shina on the front lines, I doubt the Saegusa family will take full responsibility as the originators," Mototsugu remarked. "At worst, they'll shift the blame onto my father or brother."
Maintaining a polished exterior was a powerful tool, but forcing it into the spotlight prematurely was bound to create friction. The moment the Ten Master Clans or Eighteen Assistant Families tried to push themselves onto the public stage without careful preparation, they succumbed to superficial, idol-like thinking. And as long as their own family suffered no damage, others were all too willing to go along with it.
"During our conference, I will not tolerate any interference from the Defense Forces. If necessary, I will press the Minister of Defense to keep them in check. If they still refuse to listen... I suppose the perpetrators can enjoy hospital food for a while."
"So it comes to that..." Mototsugu sighed before pausing. "By the way, Yugen, regarding what you mentioned earlier—how exactly do they intend to banish magicians into space? Setting aside magic researchers, both you and Tatsuya-kun are still high school students. Even if the National Magic University offers flexible credits, recognizing either of you without prominent public achievements would only invite severe backlash from those around you."
Mototsugu's skepticism was well-founded. Unlike figures like Shinjou 'Cardinal George' or Masaki 'Crimson Prince,' Yugen and Tatsuya could hardly be described as public figures whose contributions to magical society were officially recognized.
If the USNA were to publicly reveal them as Strategic-Class magicians, it would ignite a massive diplomatic firestorm, raising questions as to why an ally was exposing secrets kept hidden by Japan. The situation surrounding 'Taurus Silver' in the original timeline was essentially no different.
"There is one way," Yugen replied smoothly. "If we leverage the name of a figure whose social achievements are already well known to you, Brother."
"...Taurus Silver. But how do you plan to convince them, considering how vital you two already are to this country?"
"Who knows? If such a game-changing move exists, I would certainly love to see it in action."
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