The Mage of Leavenworth (6)
Ota sometimes found himself seriously questioning the rank system of the United States military. And that thought had not changed even now.
The young man before him—Captain Yujin Kim.
A former brigadier general.
The hero of Cambrai, the defender of Amiens.
And a key figure in the Korean community in America.
He could not be underestimated just because of his youth.
Nor could he be dismissed as a mere rigid soldier.
Japan, too, had plenty of nouveau riche who had amassed enormous wealth through this great war—but when a man not yet thirty became both a war hero and a tycoon, that was an entirely different matter.
Carefully.
He had to gauge this man's intentions—determine whether he was someone who could stand with the Empire.
To probe the true motives hidden in his heart, Ota began laying his groundwork with care.
***
Ota Tamekichi.
He had passed the higher civil service examination, become a diplomat, and served in places such as Hong Kong and the Kwantung Government-General. Having spent a long time in North America—across the United States, Canada, and Mexico—he was well-versed in American affairs.
This was my first time dealing with a diplomat—let alone a foreign one.
And not just any country, but Japan. My tension was at its peak, but I couldn't show it.
The atmosphere in the consulate was… peculiar.
There was no outright hostility in their gaze, but neither could it be called friendly.
Hah. Is this what it feels like to stick your head into a tiger's jaws and perform a circus act? One wrong sneeze and it feels like my head would be chopped clean off.
"The reason I invited you today is because I wished to meet the great hero of East Asia, Captain Kim Yujin."
"A great hero? Hearing such words makes my skin crawl. Ha ha."
"For over a hundred years now, the peoples of Asia have suffered under Western encroachment. Admiral Togo has already shown the spirit of the Empire's sons upon the seas—so is it not only natural that a great general should appear on land as well?"
"I am always grateful for the goodwill Admiral Togo has shown."
As we exchanged pleasantries, a junior staff member entered and brought out whiskey.
"This is one of the advantages of a consulate. America's Prohibition does not apply here—please, drink freely."
"It has truly been a long time since I've had a drink. Thank you."
Clink.
Our glasses lightly touched, and we each took a long sip.
There's no way he invited me just because he wanted to see me.
The reason for calling me now was obvious. This must be about my brother's marriage.
As expected of a diplomat, the conversation drifted across all sorts of topics.
Complaints about not being able to eat sashimi often, the difficulty of obtaining alcohol, a play he had seen and whether I had watched it too, what kind of cigarettes I smoked, whether I liked dogs, what I did on my days off…
Stop.
I was wrong, so please spare me.
I will never again underestimate diplomats.
I was completely drained. He kept talking like a chatty old woman, jumping from one topic to another—and I had to analyze whether each remark had some hidden meaning. My brain felt like it was being fried dry. My brain… my brain is shaking…
"Are the wedding preparations going well?"
"I am already a married man."
"Haha. I was, of course, referring to the marriage of Mr. Kim Yushin, the head of San-FranKo, who practically sustains California. Is it not the hottest topic among those who pride themselves on having good ears in San Francisco these days?"
"I'm always traveling and rarely at home. Since my younger brother effectively acts as the head of the household, I'm sure he and my father will handle things well."
Huh. Has the news already spread that far?
Well, the information network at the top here is beyond imagination—so maybe it has.
But maybe I'm just being paranoid… why does bringing that up feel like it has another purpose?
"As this is the marriage of the esteemed Kim family, I would very much like to attend the celebration in a personal capacity. If it would not be improper, may I do so?"
"Of course. We would be most grateful for such an honored guest to grace the occasion."
Grateful, my ass. Why are there so many people who seem determined to kill me?
Teacher Dosan officiating the wedding, and the Japanese Consul General attending. What a mess. This… is diplomacy.
"I had assumed that someone of Mr. Yushin's standing might marry into a distinguished family from New York or Washington, D.C. Yet to see a union with a daughter of the Empire—it is truly moving. Haha."
A sharp thrust. This is troublesome.
If I say, "She's Okinawan, not Japanese," that's a problem.
If I smile and go along with "Yes, he's marrying a Japanese woman," that's also a problem.
It felt like I was being baited—but here, the only option was to flip the board.
I twisted my expression into a scowl with all my might.
"I am a soldier by nature—I do not understand roundabout speech. Rather than misunderstand each other and build resentment, why don't you just speak plainly?"
If you keep talking like that, I'm going to get very unpleasant. Say what you want directly.
At that, Ota, as if he had been waiting for it, made an exceedingly Japanese gesture of apology.
"No, no, of course not. Since you ask me to speak plainly, let me first clarify that this is neither my opinion nor the Empire's. However, some of my subordinates are concerned that perhaps… undesirable elements from Okinawa might interfere with the Kim family due to this marriage."
"Undesirable elements? How could such people possibly touch my family?"
"You know as well as I do—the nature of in-law relations can be… quite delicate."
"Once a woman marries, she becomes an outsider. And as the saying goes, a wife must follow her husband. How could a mere woman dare to interfere in matters of the family? What right would she have to voice opinions beyond her household duties?"
This was the kind of outdated nonsense that made my teeth grind—but in this era, it worked perfectly.
"Indeed. That is most correct."
"So what you're saying is that our family cannot even control its own household. When the hen crows, the household falls into ruin. If she were to act so arrogantly, she would be cast out at once—hmph!"
I am a Confucian extremist. A master of the Three Bonds and Five Relationships. A fossil who sees XX chromosomes as not quite human…
At my self-hypnotically charged words, Ota fell silent. What could he even say? One more word and it would become an irrecoverable insult.
I had successfully neutralized his offensive.
If I hesitated now, the diplomat before me would open a new front.
No matter what, I had to counterattack and seize the initiative.
"To be honest, I have been quite disappointed in your country."
"What do you mean by that? Has some subject of the Empire shown you disrespect?"
"No. Not an individual—disappointment in your country itself."
A chill slowly crept into his expression.
But go on—listen. I've brought quite a generous gift box for you today anyway.
"I am an American. My loyalty and patriotism lie solely with the United States. However, as an American, I believe that the path forward for this country is to reflect the voices of its many minority communities as much as possible."
"We are always grateful for your efforts on behalf of the Empire and Japanese Americans. If there has been any misunderstanding, I hope we can resolve it here."
I may not be great at sweet-talking people, but when it comes to locking someone into a position I've already set up? That's my specialty.
Let's really go at it today.
"I do not act for the benefit of the mere tens of thousands of Koreans alone. My priority is that Koreans—and beyond them, Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, and all minority groups—are treated as proud citizens of the United States."
"If you would kindly explain in what way you are disappointed with the Empire, we will do our utmost to assist in realizing your noble ideals. The Empire would very much like to stand alongside you, Captain."
"Very well. I'll ask plainly. Your country's associates have been actively lobbying in D.C., and as a result, the voices are already becoming fragmented. Minority groups can't even find a clear lobbying target—dribbling their influence here and there without focus. How can there be any progress like that?"
Ota's eyes tightened slightly, as if he was beginning to see my intent.
"When you say… lobbying…"
"What's there to explain? I'm talking about immigration law."
That's right. This is all your fault.
Here I am, reliable Yujin Kim, trying to fight this immigration bill on a national level—and yet you people are doing your own thing separately?
He probably didn't expect immigration law to be brought up so abruptly. Before he could gather himself, I had to press harder.
If the immigration bill currently being discussed in D.C. passed as it was, not only the Chinese—already banned—but nearly all minorities, including East Asians and Eastern Europeans, would effectively be barred from immigrating to the United States.
Naturally, Japan was trying to block it as well—but from what I'd gathered through my various channels, their lobbying efforts were… clumsy.
Nothing like the Japan of the original history, which poured vast amounts of yen into lobbying without hesitation. The difference was night and day.
So why not just outsource it to me?
"Why is it that instead of forming a united voice through pan-minority solidarity, your country and the Japanese community are leading internal divisions among minority groups—splitting them into Koreans, Chinese, Okinawans? With the rear this unstable, how am I supposed to fight comfortably in D.C.?"
"As Consul General, I strive to protect the rights of Japanese nationals and Japanese Americans. However, I cannot intervene in the individual activities of Japanese Americans. I ask for your understanding in this matter."
"I see. So you cannot intervene. That is the position of the Japanese Empire, then. At a time when a massive wave threatens to sweep away all Asians, Japan chooses inaction. Very well. Then I will do my best for the many peoples who trust me—excluding the Japanese."
"That is not what I meant at all. Then… are you saying you consider Japanese Americans… a potential partner for cooperation?"
His tone was filled with disbelief. Of course it was.
"I'll say it again. I am an American. And I have never discriminated against Japanese Americans."
"But the proportion of Japanese in the various businesses your family operates is quite low, is it not?"
"Isn't it the opposite? It seems to me that Japanese Americans avoid us simply because we are a Korean family—as if someone higher up is deliberately blocking them—"
"No. Absolutely not. As I said before, we are not in a position to control Japanese American society."
"In that case, there should be no problem if I actively communicate with Japanese Americans."
"Well, that—"
Finally, he hesitated.
Now I was forcing him to choose.
Let's fight the immigration law together.
But in return, I want to sink some roots into the Japanese American community—and take a bit of initiative while I'm at it.
If you think I'm trying to monopolize everything for Koreans, you're mistaken. This war hero, Yujin Kim, is a true cosmopolitan. Just trust me once—I'll carry the whole thing.
If he refused, I'd gain justification to take a harder stance against Japan.
It wouldn't be me picking a fight—it would be Japan rejecting me. Poor me.
If he accepted, then with the Japanese government's tacit approval, I could "cooperate" with Japanese Americans across various sectors.
Just like the Korean community now—education, jobs, physical protection—offer benefits, and gradually make them dependent on our family's influence.
With the massive issue of immigration law and a booming economy, even the Korean community could be managed.
And when the Pacific ignites twenty years from now, I'll give them a choice:
Lose everything and go quietly to internment camps—
Or take up arms with me and prove their loyalty to the United States.
Of course, I'm the only one who knows the future twenty years ahead.
To Ota, this proposal would be far too tempting to refuse.
Logically speaking, as long as the U.S. and Japan didn't go to war, this was a perfectly reasonable win-win choice.
Without asking further, I took out a cigar.
Victory always tastes sweet.
So—what will you choose?
***
Even after Kim Yujin left, Ota continued to drink and chain-smoke.
His thoughts refused to settle. No—that wasn't quite right. They were settling, but everything he had calculated had been overturned, forcing him to reconsider.
He had expected Yujin Kim to be a hardline nationalist, deeply tied to Korean insurgents, and potentially hostile to the Empire.
But the man he met felt closer to a cunning political operator.
"Korean independence? Do you really think that's possible? Unless one is some superhuman who can turn sand into rice and pinecones into grenades, how could anyone defeat the Imperial Army and liberate the Korean Peninsula?"
"Coexistence doesn't require shared benefits. Sometimes, those who appear to be trying to destroy each other… end up becoming the strongest partners in reinforcing each other's positions."
To him, both Korean insurgents and the Empire were merely partners—tools he could align with or discard at will to strengthen his position within the United States.
"I want more Koreans to come to America. The more there are, the stronger I become. Japanese, Chinese—it doesn't matter. Eventually, they'll all need something to rely on."
"The immigration law currently being debated in D.C.—that is the storm we must face together for our mutual benefit. Do you truly not need my help?"
"…It feels like I've been possessed by a ghost."
No matter how much he drank, the unease wouldn't fade.
Of course, he couldn't take everything Yujin Kim said at face value. A Korean associated with figures like An Chang-ho having no interest in Korean independence?
But the more deeply he pursued Korean independence, the more his position in the United States would shrink. Perhaps he was already searching for the right moment to cut ties with those "terrorists."
If one discarded the prejudice of him being a Korean insurgent and instead viewed him as a rational political actor, then the Japanese Empire itself could become his ideal patron and partner—so much so that it was strange no such discussion had occurred until now.
If—
If Ota himself could forge this alliance with Yujin Kim…
If he could become the conduit connecting the United States and a war hero of Asia…
If he could block the immigration law and protect the rights of Japanese Americans…
"They say if you drink poison, you might as well lick the plate clean."
Before his eyes, a red carpet leading to the position of minister shimmered into view.
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