CH 125

Self-Centeredness theory

Translated by Dawn

Edited by Dawn

Self-Centeredness theory

After saying goodbye to the brother, we teleported to the office of Vice Minister Sayuri.

“You came. Sorry to interrupt your trip.”

“This is more important than that. What do you mean they turned it down?”

As I rushed over to her, Vice Minister Sayuri got up from her seat.

“I mean it as it is. The draft of the entertainment program we proposed for the battle of different abilities was written in draft form and sent to the ministries, with the details to be discussed later.”

Biting her teeth in frustration, Vice Minister Sayuri’s expression turned clouded.

“It is dangerous to let high school students fight each other. Rather, it will make known the dangers of people with combat abilities. Don’t act on baseless pessimism when it hasn’t happened yet. With that said, neither the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, nor the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare would listen to me.”

“But Vice Minister Sayuri, you have a track record of success so far, don’t you?”

In contrast to me, who was intensifying my tone, Vice Minister Sayuri sighed.

“It’s pathetic, but they don’t seem to like that. I am only 24 years old. You guys are still minors. They must be growing jealous and fearful of us, who have accomplished the revitalization of the Japanese economy, which they could not even begin to do themselves, and who are rapidly expanding from a department to a bureau and eventually to a ministry.”

“No way…”

I was speechless at how unreasonable it was.

I thought I was used to unreasonableness.

I had been bullied by Bando since I was a child.

The Japanese economy collapsed because of the Prime Minister’s friendship appointments.

The Bank of Japan president’s self-aggrandizement almost made us a traitor to our country.

Ijuin’s personal greed almost got Kiriha and Maria killed.

And yet, I just couldn’t stay calm.

“Even though, in reality, people with combat-related abilities are restricted from entering some places?”

To placate me, Vice-Minister Sayuri held out her hand lightly to calm me down.

“I understand. But the government bureaucrats and the ministers above them don’t care about that. What is important for the bureaucrats is not to create more work. What is important to politicians is their honor.”

“But the prime minister is cooperative, right? That’s why the Extraordinary Ability Department has been upgraded to a bureau, and there are plans to upgrade it to a ministry, right?”

“The ruling party is not all monolithic. There are factions within the same party, and ministers are decided after considering the balance of power among these factions. The prime minister is merely the coordinator of the factions. The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry and the Minister of Health, Labor, and Welfare are from different factions. The Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications is greedy and fears that the Extraordinary Ability Bureau will become independent from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and that the authority of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications will fall.”

Vice Minister Sayuri shook her head from side to side as if she was having trouble understanding.

I felt the same way.

It was painful as if I had swallowed poison.

People who were not afraid to sacrifice others for their own reasons.

People who didn’t implement ways to help others because it was too much trouble.

People who prioritized their own merit, profit, and comfort over the lives of others.

I once used the term “self-centered theory” in reference to the ancient belief that the heavenly bodies move around the earth, which was called “Geocentrism”. 

It was a sarcastic phrase that I, a child in the sense that I was still a minor, came up with.

However, the same thoughts I had about children like Bando apply to adults as well.

Adults, politicians, and government bureaucrats, who were in charge of a country, were acting with the same principles as elementary school children.

How could such unreasonableness be allowed to go unchecked?

Why wasn’t this much unreasonableness sanctioned?

I knew it would be called “green”.

Maybe an adult could see that ‘that’s just the way the world is’.

But I guess it was because I have been able to solve all kinds of problems since April.

I had never been that mature.

But this time, it was not a problem that could be solved by teleportation.

I felt a sense of entrapment as if my body was being held back by an invisible force.

“Umm.”

It was when I was feeling frustrated, I closed my eyes hard and slumped over when I heard an out-of-place nonchalant voice.

When I looked up, I saw Miina lightly raising her hand with a soft expression on her face, as usual.

“You know, all it takes to put on a show is a place, money, personnel, publicity, etc., right?”

“Hmm? Yes, that’s right.”

“Then I’ll pay for it all.”

—Eh?

When I looked into her eyes, Miina’s smile shone like the sun.

“Please use the extra 60 billion yen in salaries for May, June, and July.”

—Eeehhhh!?

Following Miina, Kiriha, and Shisae raised their hands.

“Ah, I see. Then, I’ll provide my three months’ salary, too.”

“Shisae will also provide hundreds of millions of yen ♪”

I was taken aback.

—Come to think of it, we’re getting paid in the hundreds of millions, aren’t we?

I had completely forgotten about it.

The amount was too large for me to realize, and since I had been busy studying and dealing with OU for the past three months, I had left my bank book unattended.

“Wait, isn’t Miina’s salary 2 billion yen?”

“I think our salaries are a fair price because the Japanese economy is about to be revitalized. I think it was written in the salary notice.”

—I-I didn’t read it.

“If so, I’ll provide three months’ worth of my salary, too! That should take care of the budget side of things!”

When I said so as if I insisted on it, Vice-Minister Sayuri slurred her words.

“Sure, that’s that, but the rest of it is…”

“And we can also make full use of my [Rebuilding], too.”

At Miina’s words, Vice Minister Sayuri’s complexion changed.

“Then we can take care of the problem of preparing and repairing the facilities. With your full cooperation…we can manage the publicity. We can use an unused stadium for the location. Fortunately, with the economic collapse, a number of events have been canceled, so there is plenty of space available.”

After solving one problem after another in her soliloquy, Vice Minister Sayuri nodded her head.

“Mhm, this might work. But then you guys would have to work full-time, no? You’d really lose your summer vacation, you know?”

“I don’t mind. This is a plan to protect those of us who have abilities. If the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare don’t act, we, Inou Gakuen, will monopolize the Extraordinary Ability Bureau alone!”

At the word “monopolize,” Vice Minister Sayuri smiled wryly.

“You’re right. No, sorry, you woke me up.”

She laughed and stuck out her chest in a good mood.

“They are stupid. They are foolish to give up such a big business by themselves. However, it is inevitable that we, Extraordinary Ability Bureau, will be in charge of the battle of different abilities. No one will complain!”

When Vice Minister Sayuri regained her confidence, Maya also puffed out her chest.

“I will do my best, too.”

“Hahaha, that’s very reassuring.”

I doubted that there was anything that Maya, who had Detection ability, could do, but I was glad to hear her feeling.

Vice Minister Sayuri, too, nodded her head in agreement with Maya’s enthusiasm.

“Yes. I can only use my detection skills, but I can be a ring girl.”

A moment later, the air in the place was tense.

Ring girl Maya. It smelled very, very naughty.

“We will work hard together, Maiko.”

“Fuyaa!? Is a ring girl supposed to wear a bikini or something like that? Impossible, I can’t wear it, that bit will stick out!”

—What bit!?

I couldn’t help but ask.

“What’s sticking out!? What!?”

—Shisae, I respect you sometimes.

Maria, completely unfazed by the situation, said,

“Vice-Minister Sayuri. If you need help, please let us know. We can always put each minister’s treasure folder on the Internet using my Thoughtography.”

“Wait, Maria, that’s a real last resort.”

—Oh, I’m willing to do it as the last resort.

As a fellow man, I felt a bit sorry for them.

“Then, I know we’re going to be busy, but let’s all get through this difficult time together!”

Vice Minister Sayuri raised her fist in the air and we raised our voices together.

At any rate, this was a step forward to a brighter future.