Chapter 116
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Mr. Sunset (3)
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The chaotic, crash-bang raid on the Japanese Empire by Eugene Kim!
Even if the gates had flung open on the first day of entry, it wouldn't have been this disorganized, you loose screws.
We hurried to the embassy, and the moment the heavy embassy doors slammed shut, Hodge—who'd been feigning illness—sprang right up.
Yeah, good work.
"Welcome. I'm Charles B. Warren, the Ambassador to Japan. It's truly a pleasure to meet the hero of Amiens in this distant land."
"Nice to meet you. I've heard you were quite active at the Paris Peace Conference."
"Haha. Hearing even my modest news like this makes me think I need to work even harder."
With that opener, Warren lowered his voice a touch.
"So, what exactly happened?"
"It seems the Army and Navy still haven't ironed out their differences on my protocol."
"Ah, protocol. Annoying, but vital. For any organization, protocol and rank are its lifeblood."
He was a lieutenant colonel who'd served in rear-echelon administration during the Great War. No wonder his goodwill overflowed.
"There's a telegram from home."
"Any specific instructions?"
"No, looks personal."
I took the telegram he handed over. Figured it might be from the family, but nope—Marshall.
- I'll kill you.
Short and brutal.
Mom's scary. Even an ice pick to the gut in a blizzard wouldn't chill me like this.
Marshall had finally pieced together why I'd bolted for the Japan-bound ship like a fugitive. His dynamite had blown. Eh, it's fine. A few years, and they'll all forget. Has to be.
I stuffed the bloodthirsty death threat into my pocket and brushed it off to Warren as nothing, diving back into the discussion.
"With our Japanese friends botching things this badly, what's the best way forward?"
"Hmm. Trying to squeeze some gain out of this would be shortsighted. The Japanese are touchy about face, and since it's not a major breach, better to show off Major Kim's magnanimity."
"Figured as much."
We spent the next bit chatting about goings-on back home, mostly small talk.
Before long, an embassy staffer approached to say we had a visitor.
"Isn't that Viscount Kaneko!"
"Haha, it's been ages."
"This is Viscount Kaneko Kentaro, a Japanese elder statesman with a storied career in politics and diplomacy. Harvard graduate, no less."
"Way too kind. I'm just a doddering old retiree these days."
The old man—Viscount Kaneko—looked so frail and ancient it was a mystery why he hadn't been laid in his coffin yet.
He traded brief greetings with Warren in fluent English, then—before even taking his seat—bowed a sharp ninety degrees.
"My deepest apologies."
"No, please don't."
"Today's incident was unmistakably a breach of etiquette by our Empire. I'm no official representative, but here—as a stand-in for the Imperial subjects—I offer my apologies to Major Kim."
No, this is bad. I've still got that ingrained respect-for-elders mindset, you know?
Diplomat, my foot—he went straight for the jugular, nothing like I'd expected.
I'd always figured Japanese favored vague, highfalutin phrases, but this tongue-lashing type left me with zilch to say.
"It's fine. If anything, I hope this doesn't trouble Japan's various dignitaries."
"Your generosity humbles me. The Empire has hashed out the broad strokes, so we'd like your thoughts, Major Kim."
He passed along the mediation proposal they'd hammered out in desperate talks with Japan's bigwigs.
1. Long-range security handled by police.
2. Close protection by a task force split evenly between Army and Navy detachments.
3. A residence arranged for your stay; security there by joint Army-Navy-police agreement.
The more I heard, the more I wondered if those clowns could pull off actual protection. But that's on the Japs. If I got hurt for real, something spectacular would go down.
"And the schedule going forward?"
"We can nail that down through step-by-step consultations."
Nothing set in stone. Their side's a circus too.
"No objections from me. I fully endorse your nation's stance."
"Thank you. Truly."
Quit groveling like that. You're making me super uncomfortable.
"And, also..."
He flicked a few glances at Ambassador Warren, who caught on, stood up, and grabbed Hodge.
"Come on, you follow me. I'll give you the embassy tour."
"Okay to step out now?"
"You need the layout to brief Major Kim, right? Quietly now."
That oblivious blockhead.
Looks like they wanted privacy, so the ambassador's clearing the room. No wonder things went to hell under USAMGIK in the original timeline!
With the ambassador half-dragging Hodge away, we were finally alone. What could this geezer and I possibly have to discuss?
The door clicked shut, and Viscount Kaneko took a light sip of tea.
"I've heard the rough details from Consul General Ota."
"Yes? Uh, yes."
"I respect on-the-ground judgment, but with this tied so closely to the Empire's interests, this old coot had to drag himself out of bed."
Something felt off.
Suddenly, vigor surged from the geezer who'd seemed like an [Automatic Apology Vending Machine Ver. 1.16]. His eyes blazed fierce.
Shit... those burning eyes. A gambler's stare, duel at dawn.
Reminded me of an old game: some dopey skull-headed NPC erupts in blue flames, turns final boss, and rains tears.
On his last legs? Bullshit—this old fox was the ultimate boss, here to probe my hostility toward the Empire.
A chill crawled up my spine. Breath caught, but I had to settle this tonight or no sleep.
"A Korean-American linking arms with the Empire. Sounds nuts, right?"
"The world's full of... stuff that actually happens against all odds."
Now the real deal. Fun-trip salesman Major Kim? Gone.
Time for proper negotiations between Eugene Kim and a pillar of the Japanese Empire.
I swallowed hard, realizing it.
I'd been the idiot cracking up at their power plays and faction fights.
Japan's teeth were still sharp as ever.
Sealed-off island at the world's edge. Civil wars galore, two world wars, decades of dogged will.
Facing the one non-Western great power. No way it's easy.
"What do you want?"
"Fame and glory, naturally. Every uniform's dream."
"Ota's got ambition to burn, prime glory-chasing age. But this near-dead old man's take? Your moves aren't some star-hungry soldier's."
Heavy opener.
Deny it, done. Talks collapse.
Blather about Korean rights? Instant game over.
Time to feed them what they wanna hear.
"Glory's my one and only aim."
"Really. What a shame—"
"The Army Chief of Staff? Just a pit stop."
"!"
Folks who fancy themselves sharp judges of character—what do they make of me?
Prime example lately: Edgar Hoover.
Thanks, pal. Eugene Kim's been power-leveling with every new face. Steady gains—now ready to tango with this battle-hardened vet.
"Know what Admiral Togo said when he saw me?"
"Afraid I didn't hear."
"That I'm a D.C. man. Kid me got half-pouty, shot back Yellow Monkeys can't go to D.C."
Weave in reality.
The tale they crave.
Layer on stories, flesh it out, craft Fake Eugene Kim's life story.
"But then I met my wife, my father-in-law. New perspective."
"Congressman Curtis...!"
"Yup. Time for America's first Asian congressman."
"Not Kansas—California?"
"Kansas ain't home turf. California's the play. But some backwater congressman hacking coughs? Nah."
I love power. Love it to death. Gotta hog it all!
To this old-timer, politico-soldiers are par for the course. Watched the Japanese brass do it nonstop. Why not me?
"Not even thirty, and here I am. Chief of Staff, House seat, Senate, War Secretary. Then what? Impossible?"
"Entirely... possible."
"Which is why Empire and Japanese-American backing means the world to me."
I clammed up. More words would just get pathetic.
Silence fell as I nursed my teacup and Viscount Kaneko pondered.
How much time passed?
"What does the Empire want?"
"Nothing special. Just chains."
"Frankly, no chains makes trust tricky."
"Ota skip that part? Teaming with us costs you. And trust? Necessary?"
"Fair point."
Trust? Please. Unless I'm pocketing regular bribes, forget it. Suicide anyway.
He knows chains tank my market value, yet pulls that crap. Ballsy. If they hated the deal, Ota would've nixed it outright.
"Immigration law then—your plans?"
"Push full open first, pivot to quotas for compromise. Or confine Asians west of the Rockies."
"Hmm."
"My cut: separate Korean quota from Japanese. No budge."
Need more Koreans. Japs fine now, but Korean immigrants? Multiplied benefit.
We swapped intents at a good stopping point, shook on it with satisfaction.
"Just you lingering in Tokyo? Bugs'll swarm. Watch your back."
Bugs. Bugs.
'Bugs' gunning for me? Independence hotheads, fiery Korean nationalists. Hate the sound of that.
"Bug collecting's my hobby, actually. Mind if I snag a few?"
"Snag a few?"
"They'll just pester your country here. I'll feed 'em, keep the terrarium pristine. Taking some off your hands."
"Go ahead. But own the responsibility."
Yeah, you punk.
Folks hanging in Japan? Mostly intellectuals—students especially.
I'll dunk 'em in American sauce, raise 'em right. Twenty years on, release on the Korean Peninsula after you're booted. Rest easy.