Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters.
A group of high-ranking officials sat around a U-shaped conference table, smoke curling lazily through the sealed room as they waited for further news.
At the center sat the highest-ranking official of the Metropolitan Police Department—Superintendent-General Hakuba.
Below him were:
Deputy Superintendent-General Moroboshi Toshio
Director of the Criminal Affairs Bureau Odagiri Toshio
First Investigation Division Chief Matsumoto Kiyonaga
Also present were representatives from various regional forces—Hattori Heizo, Superintendent of the Osaka Prefectural Police, Terabayashi Shoji of Chiba, and several others.
Everyone here either held authority over an entire region or occupied a key position within the MPD itself.
Some held cigarettes hesitantly. Others glanced toward Superintendent Hakuba with doubt flickering in their eyes.
None of them had witnessed the divine manifestation surrounding the Shitamachi Goddess firsthand.
Based solely on the reports from Megure Juzo and Matsumoto Kiyonaga, skepticism was inevitable.
Until—
Hakuba silently ordered the surveillance footage to be played.
The moment the video began, the room fell into complete silence.
No one dared blink.
Extraordinary phenomena.Curses.And—
"…God?"
Moroboshi Toshio let out a bitter, disbelieving laugh.
If it were not for Hakuba's personal guarantee, he would have dismissed this as madness.
Yet even now, his heartbeat refused to calm.
After the shock faded, what remained was a burning, dangerous yearning.
"Superintendent-General Hakuba," Moroboshi asked cautiously,"Is it possible to… make contact with Granny Takeda?"
At once, several gazes sharpened.
Some eyes glowed faintly with undisguised desire.
Hakuba coughed heavily.
"Enough."
The authority in his voice silenced the room.
No matter how extraordinary power might be distributed in the future, the Metropolitan Police Department would not be excluded.
As for religious groups, landowning families, and—
"…Yukinoshita?"
Hakuba frowned briefly.
At first, he hadn't understood how such a minor force had entered this circle at all.
Then it dawned on him.
A textbook example of luck.
At a time like this, no one would dare play dirty tricks.
Especially not after hearing Takeda Mie's words—
'Those who do not cultivate virtue, and do not respect the gods.'
That warning alone was enough to chill even seasoned officials.
Still, doubts were voiced.
"Why have these phenomena only appeared now?""Did they always exist, or were they born recently?""What is their purpose?""Are they part of reality… or something beyond it?"
A pause.
Hakuba spoke calmly.
"These are questions we will answer later.
"For now, understand this—Takeda Mie is a national asset of Japan.
"And if she is real… then what of the others?"
Odagiri Toshio stiffened.
If Granny Takeda was genuine—
Then what about the long-recognized 'treasures' of other traditions?
For example…
Hashimoto Kyoaki, the Great Onmyoji.
Hakuba nodded faintly.
"Call him in."
The door opened.
Megure Juzo stepped inside—and nearly froze.
So many superiors.
Any one of them could crush him effortlessly.
The way their eyes focused on him sent cold sweat down his spine.
Hakuba gestured.
"Inspector Megure. You will brief them."
"Yes, sir!"
Megure quickly activated the projection.
A familiar figure appeared on screen.
"Our next step," Megure said steadily,"is to approach Granny Takeda with care and respect.
"She has proven herself beyond doubt."
...
Tsk.
Yukinoshita Haruno felt it immediately.
They were late.
They had rushed—but others had moved faster.
Shitamachi District.
The residence of the Shitamachi Goddess — Takeda Mie.
A shop divided into two parts.
The front served as a psychic storefront.The back was her living quarters.
Simple. Almost austere.
Haruno's thoughts drifted instinctively toward the word asceticism.
Standing before her were two women.
One, short-haired, smiling warmly—Sato Miwako.The other, long black hair and an innocent curiosity—Chitanda Eru.
They exchanged polite greetings.
Yet no one knocked.
Because inside—
"Kneel."
Pah! Pah!
The High Priest and Archbishop dropped to the floor without hesitation.
They had no choice.
Before them stood two figures.
One—Takeda Mie, bearer of undeniable extraordinary power.The other—Hashimoto Kyoaki, the Great Onmyoji.
One was real.
The other was revered.
Their careless words had offended the wrong person.
Takeda Mie waved her hand impatiently.
"That's enough. I don't like this sort of thing."
Hashimoto hesitated, then snapped sharply,
"Thank Granny Takeda at once!"
His posture was humble—almost desperate.
Once, they had spoken as equals.
Now, the distance between them was immeasurable.
Hashimoto had come despite everything.
Just like Takeda Mie once had—
Even if he could not step into the divine realm…
He would rather die standing at its threshold than live ignorant of its existence.
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