Volume 13 Chapter 237 Mary, For Everyone’s Smiles
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
A few days after Kanoa and Anon was born.
I led a small group of trusted allies, journeying far from Japan──deep into the Arctic, into the hidden depths of Toa’s underground network.
”Number 46, only the Committee members may proceed beyond this point.”
Cloaked in a hood and mask, I raise my hand and give the signal.
My loyal followers──disguised and vigilant──hesitate, but they know this is no place for hesitation.
Not here.
Not now.
They dislike leaving my side, but we can’t afford even one mistake.
No slip-ups, no cracks in our plan.
Decades of careful infiltration──months, years, building trust──done with relentless patience.
I refuse to let that all turn to ash over some reckless misstep.
”Number 46, you may enter.”
Checked for weapons with futuristic scanners, I pass through a sleek, high-tech gate and walk toward the grand hall──where the committee members gather in hidden shadows.
Hundreds of years ago──before Mary Stars Goshennight even came into the world──this organization existed.
Long before the chaos that tilted our world’s balance.
Its name: Women’s Mutual Aid Society.
The Society exists to support women in a world where men are few and far between.
Protect the weak, build a better future──together, step by step.
That’s how it all began.
Our mission──our foundation.
There are 108 committee members.
Now, those same faces control politics and economics behind the scenes.
So I had no choice but to infiltrate, no matter what.
I had to get inside.
”It’s been a while, comrade. How have you been?”
”Same here──good to see you looking well.”
As I walk through the corridor into the hall, I spot a few masked, face-concealed members sharing whispers, their hands clasped tightly.
The criteria to become a Society member aren’t wealth nor bloodline──no, it’s faith, conviction, and the strength to pass the torch before you die.
There’s even a backup──priority candidates ready to carry on if tragedy strikes prematurely.
Of course, back then, I wrestled with the impossible: problems too big for gold or power to fix.
These members pass down their beliefs like sacred heirlooms──techniques, philosophies──fading traditions preserved through unbreakable will.
And for those lost before passing on their convictions, a spare team stands ready, carrying the torch on their behalf.
Back then, the fight against the overwhelming power of money and influence kept me awake at night.
And that’s why I had to *force* my way in──into the very core of this secret society.
The goal? To shape the future by controlling the whispers behind the scenes.
To influence the tide of the world’s course.
For this, I’ve studied every move: the politics, the schemes, the subtle manipulations.
I’ve watched the shadows from outside, learned their language, their tactics──waiting for the right moment.
And more──understanding the true power behind these influences, the unseen forces shaping our destiny.
That’s what this is all about.
The *heart* of the Society’s true purpose.
To support, to protect──fighting the tides of injustice, even from within.
Because I believe in the strength of true solidarity.
That’s how we rise──together, in defiance of chaos.
”Mary Stars Goshenight. You’ve really made it all the way to me, haven’t you?”
I’m Number 46 of the Women’s Mutual Aid Society, Shirakawa Hakuo Arisunomiya.
From the 6 noble families that once ruled Japan, I’m just a commoner with the blood of Yukishiro and Sumeragi running through my veins.
That’s what the Shirakawa Hakuo family was.
It all began when a Yukishiro and a Sumeragi, madly in love, forsook their clans to marry.
Neither family had rights as nobility anymore, yet our blood was too heavy to treat us merely as commoners, which left the 6 noble families at a loss on how to handle us.
So, when she died in that accident, severing the bloodline, I heard that the Kokucho family──so obsessed with power and wealth──smirked with glee.
For Kokucho, a family with ties to both their rival Yukishiro and their master Sumeragi was nothing short of a nightmare.
’I have little time left. I bestow upon you the will of Number 46.’
’You’re trusting me with this? We’ve just met.’
At that moment, her words startled me.
I had thought I’d found a thread of hope, clinging to it like a lifeline, yet here I was, shaken by her immediate declaration.
’The moment you reached me, all tests were complete. I considered leaving it all behind without passing anything on, but you… you’ll be fine. Yes, you must be… right?’
I had only met her once, but her crystalline eyes are etched into my memory even now.
It felt as if she saw right through me, touching the true essence of Mary Stars Goshennight lying hidden beneath.
’Farewell, my distant comrade from a foreign land. I entrust you with the world after my departure. Understand this well: the place you fall into isn’t hell. Once you drop, the only way left is up to heaven. This world will surely change. For you, who continues to choose the only right path among infinite futures, I trust you’ll know that future well, Star Reader-san.’
I still remember our final conversation so clearly, even after all these decades.
Now that I think about it, how much did she really know about me?
Honestly, she was way more suited to the title *Star Reader* than I ever was.
When I got back to my hotel after meeting her, the news was on ── she’d died in an accident.
Was it Kokucho… or something else entirely?
No. It’s pointless to dig into that now.
I’ve got my own goals──Aqua-sama’s happiness, Kanoa, and Anon.
I don’t have time to waste on unnecessary noise.
As I was lost in thought, the chairperson who heads the council suddenly stepped into the room.
”Let’s begin the World Council. Comrades, take your seats.”
I sit down in my assigned seat, steady and calm.
”As you all know, we’ve been pulling the strings behind the scenes──controlling the world’s economy and politics. But lately, there’s a major problem brewing.”
The giant screen flashes Aqua-sama’s face.
Wow, so cool!
…Huh!?!
Coughs!
It’s the first time I saw a private moment of Aqua-sama ── I couldn’t help the excitement.
”As you know, the man on this monitor is single-handedly wrecking this world.”
Pfft!
I nearly burst out laughing.
Heh, if the bulletin board folks were here, they’d be arm-in-arm, nodding along.
Yep, I get it all too well.
”This guy──somehow──has seduced top-tier women like Kanon Stars Goshenite, Sumeragi Kukuri, and Su Shenliu. He’s wiped out an entire major nation from the map, and he’s pushing Japan’s economy into a total monopoly──something we can’t control. At first, we thought he was just some idol with no real power… but look at this now!”
Damn, I shouldn’t even be thinking about the bulletin board guys.
Flashing images of those smug internet folks pop into my head.
So… maybe I should just throw in a ‘whatevs’ and brush it off, huh?
”Holy Aqua Religion?! What kind of ridiculous, made-up name is that? How can some silly cult──created just a year ago──stand against the ages-old Women’s Mutual Aid Society? It’s absolutely absurd!!”
It’s because people like me, Kukuri-chan, and that person back in States noticed your presence and are determined to crush this organization──throwing all our resources at Holy Aqua Religion like it’s trash.
Not to mention, that dubious religion is actually recognized by the public for its volunteer work, charity efforts, crime prevention, and community safety.
If you ask the average citizen who knows nothing about the situation, they’d probably find the Women’s Mutual Aid Society to be the sketchy one.
Let me jump in for the board members.
”Chairwoman, why don’t we just control the political narrative like usual? We can swap the leaders and change the laws to limit Shirogane Aqua’s movements.”
”Are you out of your mind?! Japan’s voter turnout is over 99%!! Plus, Habu Chiyoko’s approval rating exceeds 98%! Do you get it? 98% of the Japanese population is voting for that weirdo who’s constantly apologizing!? How does that even happen!? Is the Japanese populace insane?! Oh right, Shirogane Aqua’s from that country with all kinds of crazy folk. That rings a bell!!”
Chairwoman.
Let’s just dismantle this organization already.
And you should become one of those board members.
With your upbeat spirit and talent for both making jokes and playing the straight man, I’m sure you’d be everyone’s favorite plaything.
I want to say that so badly, but I’ll hold it in.
”What about diplomatic pressure? We could impose high tariffs on food exports to a Japan that relies so much on imported goods.”
”If we go that route, we could stockpile food from Japan beforehand, further lowering their self-sufficiency. We could even stir up another rice riot like we did before! I suggest snatching up their staple food, rice.”
That’s not a bad idea.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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