Web of light. Part 1-7. part 27

Money. Strangely enough, this question wasn't in front of me right now. It was a unique situation, but there were enough available funds for what could be legally purchased. Of course, I would not refuse to purchase several sets of automatic weapons, and unloading bulletproof vests would not hurt, but I categorically did not believe in the possibility of buying or otherwise "unnoticeably" obtaining such equipment. Yes, even if you manage to remain incognito, it's exactly until the first bullet gets stuck in the wall, or the cartridge case is not picked up... Right now, I need a reputation. More precisely, the "group" needs a reputation among the spirits. What for? Well, I managed to make a plan, a concrete plan for the implementation of my and my allies' goals: to a first approximation, it became like this:

By exercising control over the city by setting up patrols and introducing clear rules on the territory before mass tourism begins in the person of those interested in free food or just "to live", I will be able to create a precedent. The situation should be as follows: a yokai who comes to the city, having met with a patrol, should not run right into it (that's why you need to "rock a turnip"), but quietly and peacefully listen to the rules of the territory and commit to behave here according to them. But we do not pursue him and provide some comfortable conditions: we guarantee the non-aggression of the exorcists, disputes between the conflicting parties are settled by the "holder" of the city, the weak but sane are protected from strong violators. True, for a really long time I will be able to provide protection from non-aggression only by blocking the aura with an amulet like mine — when I learn how to make them, but this is for the best: the amulets will be given personalized, in fact, an analogue of a passport. We will have to "screw" the tag tracking function to the territory control system (also think about how to implement it), and we will get a parallel police system for nonhumans that is not entirely correct from the point of view of identity secrecy, but reliable. A city with such conditions, if I understand correctly, will attract quite a lot of non-human population, including mixed families, after spreading information among the spirits. And among them there will be candidates for vassalage and joining the "Amakawa group" (think about renaming so that there is no publicity!). The Yokai is a very unpleasant opponent in the city: when the situation opens up, and it will certainly open up, the Japanese government will suddenly discover that the population of Takamiya has actually been held hostage by an organized group of spirits and people, and without mass casualties and destruction, normal yokai who have tasted a taste of normal life cannot be expelled from here. A subtle point comes into play here: you need to throw in some kind of trick for Japan that will force financially interested circles of the government and the clans associated with them to leave Takamiya alone for a while: like the city produces a valuable resource and at least in the near future it is more profitable to cooperate. Maybe this is a close collaboration with representatives of the Japanese Self-Defense forces, where new materials from my authorship will be relevant, maybe high-capacity batteries (just not on superconductors, otherwise the city will definitely suffer the fate of Tokyo-3!) for some large corporation like Hitachi, perhaps something else. Play on contradictions... and get involved in local politics. To gain the support of local universities, industries, and an influential part of the population (funnily enough, I have even managed to take the first steps in this direction)... A decade of stability and good financial performance, and my "society" will have imitators in other cities. During this time (and behind this screen), prepare a sharp leap in technology... and "pull" into space.

I also read with satisfaction "there" a certain utopian author by the name of Rozov. And one simple thought struck me: the slowdown in the development of society at the "economic impasse" is simply due to the lack of a promising direction in which the human economy can develop expansively. It exists, this niche, and it is called "near space". But so far, structural materials and energy resources are not able to ensure profitability... more precisely, they are not capable there. But here humanity has a humble self, and I can literally provide a "leap up" with a wave of my hand. The main thing is to survive while this breakthrough is taking place, and then the locomotive of civilization will rush forward on its own... and the comrades with the "first slippers" are literally waiting for astronomical prospects!..

Damn, it's cool, of course, but I'm so intensely remembering the speech of Ostap, our unforgettable Bender at the chess tournament, right up to the imaginary bumps on his head. The problem is that I don't categorically disagree with "just living a life" — they won't let me! And nothing less global than the established system of political and economic ties between old families, in which my place is that of a sacrificial pawn, cannot be penetrated by me. And there's nothing left but to tell yourself, "do what you have to do, and come what may." In the end, I won't forgive myself if I don't even try to use this crazy, insane, almost unrealistic CHANCE!

Chapter 125.

In general, planning is such a useful thing that, on the one hand, is absolutely necessary, but on the other, nothing ever goes as planned. In general, after looking at my notes the next day with an "armed eye" (this time I just wrote in word, you can break or steal the password to the mail if you want, but now I have "friends" from the Committee), I decided that for now it's enough to keep in mind the first, clearly achievable goal.. City control.

What is territory control? Well, quite simply, everything in this territory should be the way I want it to be. Well, not everything, but everything that is important to me. And what is important to me? The execution of the rules in relation to the yokai. The fulfillment of the rules by the spirits themselves. So that the territory pays off the costs? It's also a plus. Also, so that city services and organizations would not interfere with me, but rather help me in my work and activities. Not for free, of course, but for your profit. Achievable? Well, if you think about it, yes. With this approach, there is a chance to organize everything so that they try to move me globally: hunters "eat" from the yokai resource. In fact, I'm going to use this resource as well, but in a different way. Through me, the government can get an "alternative" way to control the situation based on mystical manifestations, and this is a lever for some kind of influence on the clans. Since, as I suspect, there are levers for inter-clan struggle for every exorcist association, I will be "on the topic" and will not upset the balance, but simply expand the niche. Moreover, the perfume I need is actually less than one percent of the total. Only this information will need to be publicly leaked.

Another question is, will the Yokai want to work? Well, let's bet that some people will want it themselves. And the rest, desiring the benefits of human society, will be forced to do something like that. And, because I know that spirits can do "something like that" better than the average person (at least twice as much physical strength on average). My group (and I'm tempted to say "control") is working very efficiently. As for space... we'll see. I've read a lot of assumptions, but practice will show what really happens. But — "planes first" (c).

Okay, let's assume that I've figured out what I want to get. And now — what exactly should I do now?

First, prepare for the opening of the "hidden". It sounds like it! Secondly, to drive the "group" in patrol mode: at least let them understand what I want from them. Third— figure out what to do with the "perfume road" in the bay. And fourthly, to continue our useful activities in the field of cooperation with the Polytechnic, to do club business, and also to load the Magic club with its president. And we also need normal projection amulets, one for the whole body — that's fifth. KSO! I don't even have time to rest, it turns out. Okay, they harnessed up and dragged. Stop! Why should I be the only one planning everything? I've got an expert analyst hanging around here. Telephone. Contacts. Kaname Hiroe.

"Hiroe-chan, hello! I have an idea about a salary. Yes, that's right. I'll tell you tomorrow after school, is there any cozy cafe? Yes, I'll call the girls myself."

Chapter 126.

"It's a cool place," I said, "the amount of lace is definitely above the norm... Once every forty years!"

"It even depresses me," Yu agreed with me, "Who would have thought that we have such a place in our city."

"I would have brought you to the maid cafe," Kaname giggled, "But here's the problem, there isn't one. I have to here..."

"Pervert," Mizuchi chuckled to the side, examining the interior.

"Since everyone liked it so much, shouldn't we appoint Croissant as an operational base?" The shorn-haired woman made innocent eyes. We snorted in unison, looked at each other in disbelief, and burst out laughing.

"Well, okay", when we finally calmed down and sat down, I took the floor again, "I want to say that now such meetings will be held regularly. It may have turned out a little spontaneously, but here we found ourselves each representing our own "department" in our small, nameless society..."

"What about me?" asked Rinko.

"And you," I reassured, "You're the head of our department... Well, let it be "law enforcement"."

"Me?!" Kuzaki, who had learned a lot about herself, pressed her palms to her chest, pointing at herself.

"I also don't know how it's done," I ignored Kaname's soft "snort." "But the Internet wasn't just invented by people. The main thing is to learn from the experience of others, because, as far as we know, no one has tried to establish patrolling by Yokai forces before us."

"Rinko-san, I can help you with the search," Yu clarified, "I'm good at it! By the way, which department am I?"

"Applied and theoretical magic. Yes, I understand that you don't have the abilities, but neither do others."

"And you?" Shimomura frowned in perplexity.

"The block is up to 16 years old. I can only use my Ferry of Light, and that's not magic. It's like an innate gift. And in any case, I got the task with the technical development of our "corporation". Plus, I have overall control, personnel work with the spirits (along with Shizuka). Hiroe is an analyst and financier, and in the future, he will be a cadre among people. Shizuka is the intelligence coordinator of our society, and Kashi, who is absent here, is the spirit coordinator in general. A spiritual leader, you might say. It's a pity that I couldn't take him to the meeting: five schoolchildren in a cafe is normal, but with an adult it's already memorable and unnecessarily attracts attention. Here you go," I handed out four A4 sheets on which were printed "official duties" and the first assignments. "It is better to remember this, and tear the sheets smaller before throwing them away."

"Are we encrypted as Yakuza?" Yu smiled contentedly.

"We encrypt ourselves in order not to cause unnecessary problems with our sloppiness," I answered in the same tone as her and nodded to Shizuka.

"Here," Mizuchi placed a small gold coin with a hole in the middle on the table, with hieroglyphs around the hole, "is a golden kotesen."

The coin looked a little dim, but in his hands it pleased with its genuine weight.

"Medieval Japan," Hiroe nodded, examining the coin in turn, "Do you have many of them?"

"There aren't many of them, you know," the Goddess of Rivers shrugged, "but there are still others."

"Yeah, it's definitely not worth shouting about at every corner," Yu agreed seriously.

"The main thing is to get rid of all thoughts like "I can't do this because I don't know anything." If people approached all issues this way, the stone axe would still be the pinnacle of our civilization." I noticed the hostess of the cafe moving towards our table with a tray, and I put the coin in my pocket.

"Here, help yourself," the hostess, a rosy-cheeked, not skinny madam in her fifties in a dress, of course, with lace, in the manner of "I'm little red riding hood 80 level," put a tray in front of us. And, since we were almost the only customers, she began to chat as she set out cups and plates (with roses!).

"You don't often find such a group: one boy and four girls."

"This is our future husband," Hiroe gave it away without batting an eye, "We're dividing it up right now."

Rinko, who had time to take a bite of her signature bun, almost choked on it, and I experienced similar problems. The teapot in the hostess's hands trembled.

"Ah, ah, ah... Aren't you too young for that yet?!"

"When we're not too busy, we'll just have time to divide it up." melancholically stirring the sugar in the cup, Mizuchi joined in the conversation.

"We decided to meet with the whole staff regularly to resolve such issues," Yu flashed her glasses, nodded carefully, and waved the paper I had given her. "today we decided to sort out our future marriage contract."

With a titanic effort of will, I kept the expression "well, yes, and what's the big deal?" The painfully red Rinko buried her face in her cup. The hostess blushed, turned pale, blotched, muttered, "excuse me, please, my curiosity, dear customers," and ran behind the counter at the speed of sound. We were attacked by a "coughing fit", all except Kuzaki, who looked at us and tiredly gave us away:

"Well, you know!.."

Chapter 127.

"Here you go," Hiroe handed me a printout.

It's a big break, and the class is half scattered across the school's courtyard, roof, friends in neighboring classrooms, and clubrooms: everyone is enjoying the last weeks of warmth and sunshine. Autumn is still quite imperceptibly tinting the first leaves in gold and red. It gets a little colder in the mornings and evenings, and the days have become noticeably shorter. Just a month of summer holidays is insanely short, it seems that they rush by like an airliner taking passengers to a resort for a vacation... And it's only after a month of study that you realize how long the rest has been dragging on: the first month of school generally skips like a supersonic stealth fighter, o-o-o-one, and that's it. But this is for everyone, for me, the feeling of this month has remained completely different — as if six months have passed, so many events.

I read the printout... and he looked up at the pleased girl.

"Hiroe, I don't think I've told you this yet, but you're a genius. Without any exaggeration."