/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>44967465 (2/3)
“Count my blessing that she didn’t appear, and there’s going to be two of her soon? I’m going to loathe middle age.” Goro complained.
“That Nue’s pretty resourceful though, wouldn’t be nice to be in her good graces?” I asked.
“An unidentifiable favor sound indistinguishable from luck, why not though, our interests align anyway, I also want to see Anon freed from the HSE.” Goro relented, giving a defeated sigh.
“Fantastic!” I spoke. “Now we’re currently gathering information, but I believe from our contact that the barrier Anon’s being held within can be released safely, what we need is a way to slip Anon out safely after that to the temple.”
He stared at me for a moment, weighing my words, and spoke.
“Our interests do align, but I don’t agree delivering him to that temple is in his best interests.”
Ah, rats. Got to excited there, what a tease acting like a mope only to bite back.
“Your right, I did broker a deal with Yamashrio and it does have to do with the HSE, so I know exactly how she’ll behave. If I tell her the right information, she’ll do everything in her power to keep Anon away from the temple.” Goro threatened.
“Even if it meant keeping him in the HSE?” I asked.
“It won’t come to that. There are plenty of other safe havens, like Eintei, The Great Mausoleum in Senkai, and there was that rumor going around that the great Kanako had affections for the man and some restraint about courting him. The fact remains that that monk and her disciples entered the HSE and did something cruel.” He answered.
This negotiation had taken a turn. Goro wanted Anon out of the HSE, that much was clear, but as to where he went there was disagreement. I had promised Nue to help her figure out this whole situation and although she didn’t say anything, the lass didn’t want to raise her child alone. The best-case scenario for her was if Anon was liberated and safe-guarded at the Temple, but Goro didn’t agree with that, even going so far as to call out their age old rival’s homestead as a possibility.
What made all of it worse was that ability of his ‘making instant, absolute agreements’ which allowed him to broker deals if they had his clients’ best interests at heart and met a few other conditions. While useless in a fight, it’s a fearsome ability to someone who deals with Youkai and fickle people alike, and I think he can allow two parties besides himself to make deals under the same conditions as well.
Being able to clear the fog of behavior and motive was a god-send ability in business. Many alliances could be made much easier without fear of betrayal, so long as both parties truly agreed on their best interests. And what if they didn’t? That would be another useful truth as well…
I smiled and tapped the ash out of my pipe. Would he have taken such a risk without meeting with all parties first? He didn’t fish me out alone, probably was working to set up four or five other meetings to evaluate the field. Sly young devil.
“Deary, deary.” I say, crossing my arms behind my back and approaching him.
Leaning forward I place a single finger on his heart. “You’re planning on meeting quite a few more women, aren’t you? Quite the two-timer, aren’t you?”
“You- “ he squints, but I continue.
“What you’re trying to do is create a deadlock isn’t it? Get all parties involved to sign mutually assured agreements so that no matter what, you get the result you want. And what might that be hmm? Handsome pay from a rich villager with a pregnant daughter? A favor from a great Youkai? An esteemed position with a shrine?” I ask.
“I’m a hopeless romantic.” He answers.
Hmm? I say, smirking.
“When I was young, my father always spoke fondly of Anon, said he was the right mix of gusto and kindness to make even the fearsome Shrine Maiden coo. Made a dumb kid think that it wasn’t so impossible to court a certain evil, Kiketsu leading Youkai.” He starts.
I’ve heard this cover story before, something about working up the nerve to get closer to some dangerous woman. Guess it wasn’t just a fib to keep Byakuren from breaking up his business meetings he conducted on the grounds.
“Then I heard the rumors, saw the papers, grew up through the Hakurei shrine’s decline. Made me feel so stupid for having almost walked headfirst into Hell because I saw a pretty blonde girl when I was a tyke.” He crouched, petting his pup a little.
“I want the fool to be okay otherwise I’ll end up cursing everything in sight like the rest of the village.”
“Ah youthful bleeding hearts.” I say, letting out a happy sigh.
“Well, here you are.” I say, reaching out my hand “I’ll make a deal to keep him safe, if the Temple turns into another hell for him then I’ll steal him away to somewhere new, not like I want my guest room to become storage space for another brothel.”
“My thanks, but its better if you don’t. Your word is enough.” He says, shaking my hand.