Chiyoda Ward.
Underground Shelter.
Temporary conference area.
"Minister Fujiwara, are you certain this is the Hidden Management Department's response?"
Looking at the document before him, Ishii Kazuo raised his head in barely concealed delight as he addressed Fujiwara Daichi sitting beside him.
At this moment, Fujiwara Daichi wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief and, under the gaze of the Prime Minister and numerous Cabinet colleagues, explained:
"Yes, we've received confirmation. The mastermind behind this ice disaster - that high-ranking member of Truth Astronomy, the Witch of the Notaria - has been captured alive by the Hidden Management Department."
"Aside from that, another participant, a high-ranking demon, was also eliminated on the spot."
"One could say the mastermind behind this incident has been dealt with. At present, we can consider moving into the subsequent cleanup phase."
As these words fell, the meeting area immediately erupted into clamour.
"Has it finally ended then?"
"So we can finally get some sleep?"
"The Hidden Management Department's efficiency isn't bad, is it? In that case, the price paid seems rather worthwhile."
"Surrendering Chiba Port... though regrettable... if it resolves the matter, we'll have to agree."
Just then, a voice abruptly interjected:
"If you find it regrettable, couldn't we negotiate with them to reduce the price further?"
Silence instantly descended upon the room.
Numerous peculiar gazes turned from various ministers towards the one who had spoken.
The minister from Chiba Prefecture, seeing this reaction—especially the expressionless faces of the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Minister of Internal Affairs—immediately bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle and apologised:
"Please forgive my earlier presumptuous words! I sincerely apologise!!"
The Prime Minister stared at the minister's exaggerated bow for a long moment before finally withdrawing his gaze and speaking in a calm voice:
"I believe this emergency has made all colleagues here understand the current threat posed by those Demigod sorcerers."
"In light of these special circumstances, I propose applying to the Diet for a special disaster response fund to handle current disasters and future dangers."
"For now, let's tentatively set this special disaster response fund at five trillion yen annually."
Hearing this, Daichi Fujiwara kept his eyes downcast, saying nothing as he fought off drowsiness.
The numerous colleagues present shared the same attitude.
After all, everyone knew how furious this proposal would make taxpayers. Yet everyone also understood this money had to be squeezed from the populace.
Did they expect them to spend their own money hiring those Demigods with bottomless appetites?
Without extracting these funds, where would the government get money to handle future disasters involving Demigods? How would they satisfy the Director of the Hidden Management Department's voracious demands?
While aware of public opposition and objections from opposition parties, those present tacitly accepted the Prime Minister's proposal.
At this point, the Deputy Prime Minister sighed, wearing an expression of helpless regret as he said:
"Given these disaster circumstances, surely the public will understand our actions."
With Tokyo currently disaster-stricken, if the government didn't capitalise on public sympathy to push through tax increases now, securing funds later would prove far more difficult.
Five trillion yen in additional annual taxes equalled nearly one-twentieth of the national budget.
The sheer scale of this tax hike left everyone astonished at the Prime Minister's audacity—and drooling with sorrowful delight at the windfall.
Though most would go toward Tokyo's reconstruction in the early years, after that initial expenditure, this would become virtually free money.
As for the citizens...
Well, the people would just have to endure hardship.
Not that they hadn't endured it before.
As everyone tacitly approved the tax plan and the Prime Minister hammered it through, the atmosphere immediately grew animated.
The ministers were racking their brains, beginning to propose demands for the public.
"Do we still need the Bujin-shū and the Onmyou Agency to maintain the snowfall?"
"Let it continue for two more days, then gradually dissipate. We need to unify the media's narrative and ensure that this ice disaster is portrayed as an unexpected natural calamity."
"What about the handover at Chiba Port?"
"Speed up the process. Follow the instructions of the Hidden Management Department. We will observe the situation; their conflicts with the Union must outweigh their issues with us."
"What is the plan for reassuring the public?"
"With the Metropolitan Police Department as the core, all rescue departments will cooperate."
"What does His Majesty the Emperor say?"
"The Imperial Household Agency has reported that Miss Kaguya has reassured the royal family, so we don't need to consider that situation for now."
"How should we handle the reconstruction of the roads?"
"The Ministry of Land is responsible, with the Ministry of Finance cooperating, and other ministries will assist. We must restore the damaged public facilities as quickly as possible."
Next, some ministers engaged in heated arguments over how to swiftly restore the disaster-stricken areas. Some men in their sixties were arguing passionately in the cramped space.
At the centre of the commotion, Daichi Fujiwara remained calm.
He scanned the room, matching each face to those who had dealings with his father.
'Kobayashi from the Forestry Agency, although he is my subordinate, he can be a bit disobedient. His family seems to be the largest real estate developer in Kyoto. Is he trying to involve the Kansai builders in the reconstruction due to this disaster, meddling in Tokyo's real estate?'
'What is he thinking? This portion of the profit is Fujii's territory from the Fire Department. With such severe damage, how could he bear to give up these juicy morsels?'
'As for the losses from this disaster, not to mention the official agencies, just the repairs to residential homes could feed a few leading companies in the construction industry, involving human resources and voters, at least several million people.'
'Would the Fire Department be willing to relinquish this portion to the Kansai faction? What are they thinking!'
Although the loudest arguments came from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Daichi Fujiwara remained very composed.
Because he had already received a hint from the Prime Minister.
The Minister of Internal Affairs was getting on in years, and for the next term, he hoped Daichi Fujiwara would take over.
As for his elder brother, who his father valued and was the true pillar of the Fujiwara family? He was currently studying in prison.
If he were wise, his brother would have recently been granted bail; if not, he would remain incarcerated until he acknowledged Daichi Fujiwara's position.
In light of this, with his interests well-fed, Daichi Fujiwara was naturally very calm.
No matter how the interests were contested, given the current situation, the Fujiwara family's interests would undoubtedly be protected.
As long as they could maintain a steady connection with the Hidden Management Department...
For Daichi Fujiwara, rather than arguing here, it would be better to conserve his energy and focus on how to stabilise the relationship with the Hidden Management Department.
'Speaking of which, according to my driver, Oki, it seems Chika has recently been secretly tampering with the access control system, sneaking out every day to find Lord Luo Shu at the Hidden Management Department.'
'Perhaps I should hold off on repairing the access control system for now?'
Just as Daichi Fujiwara was pondering this, a rapid knocking echoed at the door.
Before the quarrelling ministers could react, a staff member pushed open the door to the meeting venue and quickly made his way to the prime minister's side, whispering a few words.
Instantly, an astonished exclamation erupted from the usually unflappable prime minister:
"What did you say?"
"The ice and snow in the disaster zones have completely melted?!"
"All residential and commercial buildings have returned to normal without damage, with only some transport and power facilities affected?"
Hearing this, Minister of Land Ishii Kazuo froze in shock:
"If the public's losses have been restored, then our tax increase plan..."
"Prime Minister?"
"Your Excellency!!"
"Call the medical team, the prime minister has fainted!!"
"Wait, get more help, the deputy prime minister has collapsed too!!!"
Watching the chaotic scene unfold in the conference room, Daichi Fujiwara silently removed his glasses, wiped them with a handkerchief, and put them back on, thinking to himself:
'A large-scale ice disaster affecting millions, yet only harming official facilities while leaving civilian infrastructure untouched?'
'Is this the power of those sorcerers from the mystic side...'
'Perhaps I should consider abandoning politics for the mystic path?'
Daichi Fujiwara fell into deep contemplation...