Chapter 3: Rumors, Princesses, and Image Strategy
Behind the big news of cutting ties with the Goldhead Dragon Group, it seemed that Kawashima’s name was also appearing in the public news.
But it was not a joyful piece of news, it was extremely bad news. Though, it’s not that we directly did anything…but our civilian services were apparently being used in inappropriate places, causing an outcry from the outside.
[There’s an issue where a member of the Ground Self-Defense Force used a civilian delivery service during training. This delivery service uses drones to deliver products to customers no matter where they are…]
“Ah…why would the Self-Defense Force people do something so reckless and careless…”
Mars scratched his nose with a disgruntled look while watching the news on TV.
“Apparently there was an injured person in the dungeon during training, and a squad member who was an adventurer as a hobby used points to order a tourniquet and disinfectant.”
“Eh, if that’s the case, they didn’t need to make such a fuss about it, did they?”
“It was supposed to be an internal matter, but some idiot tried to make it into an uplifting story and posted a video they happened to film on social media. That’s why it became such a big deal.”
This is the same kind of complaint as when a public servant was spotted at a family restaurant still in uniform. Except the Self-Defense Force had recently failed in repelling the massive serpent Saitama Six Dungeon, so there were many people who wanted to criticize them no matter what.
“But still, this is a matter of life and death, right? Are the critics saying they should have just let the person die without treatment?”
What Mars said was the right argument, but when emotions are running high, the right argument often falls on deaf ears – that’s public opinion for you.
…That said, news driven solely by baseless emotions doesn’t tend to last long. Like other news, it would eventually fade away. At least, that’s what I thought.
I thought so, but…
[Do you know how many of the Type 10 special armored vehicles were destroyed by Saitama Six incident? Four of them! Four! To think our tax money is being poured into things like this is just infuriating! At a time when the rural areas are quite literally spitting blood to maintain their survival zones, the Tokyo Self-Defense Force was apparently casually ordering meals to be delivered during training!]
On the TV playing during dinnertime, an intellectual commentator who seemed to proudly flaunt his upbringing in Tokyo was passionately ranting about such things on another program.
A week had passed, but the issue showed no signs of dying down. The news involving us did not fade away; instead, it was gleefully being used as perfect fodder for bashing the Self-Defense Force in the wake of the Saitama Six serpent incident.
“It really does seem like these kinds of news have been dominating lately.”
“This is right after a citizens’ group staged a sit-in in front of a dungeon and got some people arrested…they really know how to stir things up…”
“Princess has been trying to make sure the news doesn’t turn into bashing Kawashima, but the Self-Defense Force criticism is difficult because there are too many people involved. Unlike government officials, there are plenty of people who have nothing to lose, and if we try too hard, it might expose that Kawashima is manipulating information.”
If even Princess couldn’t do anything about it, it would be impossible for anyone else. Anyway, the idea of a single person trying to suppress public opinion by using a network was something I could never ask for.
“Princess, Sierra wants more curry.”
“Okay, okay.”
As Sierra, seated in a child’s chair, raised her empty plate, Princess took it and headed to the kitchen.
I took a spoonful of the curry rice with fried potatoes and scrambled eggs on the side, then used my little finger to press the remote on the desk and change the channel.
“Are they showing anything?”
“Ever since the Saitama incident, it’s been mostly reruns or news programs…”
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The shattering of the Greater Tokyo Area’s myth of safety must have been a big deal. The TV stations seemed to have lost quite a few sponsors, as their recent programming consisted mostly of inexpensive options like reruns, talk shows, and news.
The appearances of local talents that used to be seen occasionally had disappeared entirely, giving the sense that Tokyo was faltering as the center of culture and economy.
“I used to watch TV shows with Tonbo, but it really has become kind of depressing, hasn’t it? Even with that serpent incident, this overreaction seems a bit much – wasn’t the Greater Tokyo Area mostly unaffected before this?”
“Yeah, there was a small incident in Chiba, but I don’t think it was that close to Tokyo.”
I said that to Mars, but truthfully, I didn’t really remember the details very well either. People tend to forget what they learned in middle and high school once they’re done with university entrance exams.
“Well, the myth of safety has become a thing of the past, which is why it was a myth. With the population leaving Tokyo, maybe this city will become a bit more livable?”
As I stroked the fur of the orange cat, Mars had a point – as foreign companies withdrew from the Greater Tokyo Area, some Japanese companies and their employees were also leaving Tokyo.
A friend who took the same lectures as me at university apparently moved to Kyoto with his parents, a place that had never experienced a dungeon disaster. As someone who came to Tokyo because I was enthralled by its glittering image, I felt a tinge of sadness.
“I guess I still feel a bit sad about Tokyo losing its population.”
“But Tonbo hardly interacts with people to begin with,”
Princess retorted as she returned, placing a plate of curry in front of Sierra and opening a bag of what seemed to be churros she had brought.
“Well, maybe we should just leave the difficult stuff to the politicians. Since the population is decreasing in Tokyo, why don’t we go somewhere for fun? Even crowded places might not have long lines now.”
“Ah, that’s a good point. I’d like to give Sierra a tour of Tokyo too.”
As I said that and stroked Sierra’s fluffy head, she put down her curry spoon and raised her right paw straight up. Was that her way of indicating she wanted to go?
“I’ve only really been to dungeons and the company myself.”
“Then how about there? Tonbo’s hometown, Mouse Land.”
“Well, it still calls itself Tokyo, so I guess it counts as part of the Tokyo quota.”
Though even with the population decrease, I have a feeling that place will still be insanely crowded.
With one vote in favor and none against, our winter outing was decided to be Mouse Land, the dreamland of wonders, where we went to play amidst the twinkling Christmas illuminations.
In the park that seemed to have all of Tokyo’s population crammed inside, we froze while waiting for the attractions, ate food so expensive it was enough to make you cry, and watched the sparkling parade. And right after enjoying all that and returning home, we were about to get sucker-punched from an unexpected direction.
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