SCIAW: Chapter 169/170

Chapter 169: Not an Idiot Policeman

"Haaah~"

After a long night of hard work, Miwako wasn't in the best mental state this morning.

Even so, her mood was quite good.

Yesterday, she had led her team in capturing the notorious supermarket robbery gang that had been causing a stir recently.

Their leader had been shot dead on the spot, while the four core members were successfully apprehended.

Since this gang had been creating quite a bit of trouble, their capture was a significant achievement.

Not only did Miwako earn credit for the operation, but all the officers who participated in the arrest also shared in the merit.

However, because Miwako had been the one to provide the crucial intel on the robbers' hideout, her promotion file had been moved up the chain.

"Yesterday's success was really thanks to his information."

Miwako was truly grateful that she had trusted the intel Ren had provided.

To be honest, even she hadn't been completely sure of its accuracy.

But she had instinctively felt that he was trustworthy.

And as it turned out, everything was exactly as Ren had described.

"I still can't figure out how he knew for sure."

Miwako pursed her lips slightly, her curiosity about the young man growing.

Of course, no matter what, she needed to properly thank him for his help.

And from what Inspector Matsumoto had said, it seemed he supported her in doing so.

Yet, Inspector Matsumoto's attitude had been somewhat unusual.

Miwako had noticed the oddity in his reaction.

Inspector Megure had remained silent at the time, but she knew that the whole situation was rather unorthodox.

Still, Inspector Matsumoto hadn't seemed concerned about where she had gotten the information.

Miwako paused, feeling a bit confused by it all.

She looked down at the phone in her hand, and suddenly, an idea struck her.

Checking the time, she saw that it was 6:35 AM—around the usual time people would be waking up.

With that thought in mind, she called Ren.

The call connected quickly.

"Good morning. Yesterday's case has been wrapped up, and I finally got some time to rest."

"…While I'd love to say congratulations, Officer Sato, I'm not your superior."

The implication was clear, there was no need to call him so early just to report in.

"I know. I actually wanted to ask for your opinion on something—I can't quite figure it out."

"Something you don't understand?"

Hearing this so early in the morning, Ren was momentarily thrown off.

"What is it?"

"It's about the information you gave me yesterday."

"In general, informants need to be reported—especially to higher-ups."

"But for some reason, Superintendent Matsumoto chose to overlook that."

"After confirming that I could take responsibility for the intel, he just let it go."

"I don't understand why."

There was silence on the other end of the line.

"…Hold on."

Ren took out a maple leaf coin and flipped it, watching how it landed.

"Officer Sato, this is just my personal guess."

"Before Tsukikage Island, did you have any informants?"

"No."

"In that case, your informant only appeared after Tsukikage Island?"

"Yes."

"Then, Officer Sato, do you think Superintendent Matsumoto might have already guessed where your intel came from, through the connections of the young ladies you protect?"

"…Ah!"

It suddenly clicked for Miwako.

"So, Superintendent Matsumoto deliberately chose to let it slide?"

"No, I think Superintendent Matsumoto overlooked it for a different reason—he wants to give you more room to advance."

Ren flipped the coin in his hand again. It landed the same way as before, confirming his suspicion.

"Officer Sato, you're not from the professional track, right?"

"Hmm…"

As a non-career-track officer, she did indeed lack certain advantages, especially when it came to promotion channels.

"Superintendent Matsumoto likely understands that too, which is why he's left you with a unique path to rise through the ranks."

"But I think they're mistaken."

"I don't have any special connections that could help you get promoted."

Miwako chuckled, unconcerned.

"That doesn't matter."

"Compared to sitting in an office drinking tea, I'd rather be out on the field."

"I think Superintendent Matsumoto and Inspector Megure hope to push me toward the rank of inspector."

Now, Miwako understood their intentions.

She couldn't help but feel a little exasperated at their excessive concern.

Though she appreciated their support, their real goal was to see her promoted to inspector.

She had a good idea of how both Inspector Megure and Superintendent Matsumoto thought.

Especially considering what had happened at Superintendent Matsumoto's daughter's wedding not long ago.

She figured that Superintendent Matsumoto must be feeling a lot of pressure, which explained his reaction.

"Most inspectors don't personally rush into dangerous situations."

"Well, at least not on the front lines of combat."

While inspectors still handled cases directly, they were more like commanders at the scene rather than officers engaging in direct confrontations.

"Although they might have misunderstood my intentions, I can't really say this arrangement is bad for me."

"And since this was a one-time thing, I don't have to explain myself too much in the future."

"Officer Sato, you're really… a very traditional police officer."

You're not rigid, nor do you stubbornly cling to rules. But at the same time, you genuinely enjoy police work.

Ren thought that Miwako was the kind of officer who simply wanted to do her job well.

She didn't particularly care about rank or promotion—she just loved being a cop.

"Officer Sato, you just don't want to deal with the dirty politics that come with higher positions, do you?"

The maple leaf coin flipped once more and landed the same way again.

"…"

"Seems like I guessed right."

It wasn't surprising.

Miwako wasn't naïve—she was well aware that the upper ranks of the Metropolitan Police Department had their own set of unspoken rules.

Only officers at the inspector level and above were privy to those inner workings.

That was precisely why she had little desire for promotion. She preferred to focus on her work rather than navigating bureaucratic power plays.

"Inspector Megure and Superintendent Matsumoto probably know your thoughts on this as well."

"That's why they don't want you constantly throwing yourself into danger."

"By pushing you toward an inspector position, they're hoping to rein in your reckless tendencies."

(To be continued.)

Chapter 170: A Remote Island That Meets All the Requirements

Friday afternoon, after school.

With the weekend ahead, the Occult Research Club, which had already decided on their upcoming activities, gathered to finalize their plans.

"This will be our second outdoor club activity meeting."

As always, Kaguya took the lead in organizing and hosting the discussion.

Hayasaka had already prepared the map, displaying it on the club's massive TV screen.

The enlarged Tokyo map appeared first, then gradually shifted towards the nearby sea, where a small island was outlined in red.

"This is Tsukikage Island, the location of our last outdoor activity."

"Since we encountered drug dealers there last time, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has tightened security in the surrounding area."

"But there are still many private territories among the nearby islands."

The map then highlighted another island, this time in blue, similar in size to Tsukikage Island.

However, this island was located on the opposite side of Tsukikage Island.

From the map, it was clear that the two islands were completely separate locations.

"So, I've chosen another island that's almost uninhabited."

Kaguya pointed to the blue-marked island.

"This island's situation is quite similar to Tsukikage Island. Both belong to an archipelago located far from central Tokyo, but this one is even more remote."

"It's an archipelago bordering the Tokyo Circle, making it unsuitable for development. Hardly anyone takes an interest in such places."

"Because of its low development potential, the island's price was also quite cheap."

"So, I asked Aunt Nao to purchase it."

"...Buy an island?"

Hearing this, Ran couldn't help but feel as if her entire worldview was being shaken.

Meanwhile, Kaguya remained completely unfazed.

"Actually, I think buying it was the best decision."

"We'll be visiting this weekend for the first time, and after that, we can mark the island as a location using Hayasaka's power."

"We need a secluded place to master our abilities, and this island will serve as a long-term training ground for us."

"It would be too easy to attract attention if we trained in the city."

"Besides, the island wasn't expensive."

"Shinomiya, can I ask how much it cost?"

Ren was a bit curious.

"Well, about 600,000 US dollars."

"...600,000 US dollars?"

That was definitely on the low side—too low, even.

"That does seem suspiciously cheap."

"There must be a reason why this archipelago's land value is so low."

Kaguya nodded slightly.

"There are quite a few reasons."

"For one, there are several dangerous underwater whirlpools near the island."

"There are no shallow areas around it, it's entirely surrounded by deep-sea waters."

"If someone were to fall in, it would be extremely dangerous."

"Additionally, the island has an active volcano that erupts once or twice a year."

"Even though the land is quite fertile due to volcanic ash, the frequent eruptions make it nearly impossible to construct stable buildings there."

"I see… No wonder the price is so low."

Now, Ren fully understood why the island was so cheap.

Located on the outskirts of the Tokyo metropolitan area, surrounded by deep sea, and subject to yearly volcanic eruptions, these factors made it highly undesirable.

Volcanic ash posed serious health risks, and it was also harmful to electrical devices.

With so many issues stacked against it, it made sense that a sizable island would be sold for just 600,000 US dollars.

"Even drug dealers probably wouldn't want to set up shop in a place like that."

"But for us, it's perfect."

"A remote and isolated location where we can make as much noise as we want without attracting attention."

"As for accommodations, that's not a concern."

Amamiya Ren turned his gaze toward Hayasaka Ai.

"As long as Hayasaka has the power of the Door-Door Fruit, we can train on the island while still returning home for meals and rest at night."

Kaguya nodded in agreement.

"Just as Amamiya said."

"For us, this island is a place where no matter how much we stir up trouble, we won't be easily discovered."

"Even if there's an issue with the dimension Hayasaka creates using her ability, our training will remain hidden."

"The environment is truly ideal."

Food and lodging weren't a problem. The island's many supposed 'disadvantages' didn't actually affect them.

In fact, after their initial visit, they wouldn't even need to take a boat to get there in the future.

"Additionally, I've confirmed that the volcano isn't expected to erupt this year—it'll be at least three months before the next period of activity begins."

"There won't be any issues for this weekend's trip."

Kaguya had done her research thoroughly, ensuring there wouldn't be any problems.

"Now, onto the topic of meals after training."

"That's my turn!"

Chika immediately shot up from her seat.

She had been eagerly waiting for this moment throughout the meeting.

Kaguya sighed helplessly.

"Originally, our resting place was supposed to be either my home or the Sanzenin estate."

"But due to someone's… enthusiastic insistence and considering that she can help cover for us if necessary we decided on her house instead."

"Hehe~"

Chika grinned widely, her face filled with excitement.

"My grandpa and grandpa said they'd help us cover things up if anything happened, so I suggested it to Kaguya."

Hearing that, Ren found the arrangement quite reasonable.

"Well, that works out nicely."

"Although we could handle any issues ourselves, having additional support would definitely ease some burdens."

"If the Fujiwara elders are willing to back us up, it's better to involve them sooner rather than later."

"Preparing for the possibility of exposure early on means we can develop contingency plans for what comes after."

"When the time comes, we'll inevitably need some of the Fujiwara family's connections."

"You're already making preparations for that?"

Kaguya was slightly surprised.

"There's nothing wrong with planning ahead, but my concern is that things might escalate too suddenly, leaving us unprepared."

After thinking it over, Kaguya realized he had a point.

Making contingency plans in advance would prevent them from being caught off guard.

"That being said, we still don't have enough power yet."

"There are some things we can afford to expose, but certain channels must remain strictly confidential."

"No matter which organization we're dealing with…"

(To be continued.)