"Ah, Isagi? Misago caught a man, so I'll leave the rest to you."
That was the first thing I heard when I picked up a direct call from the Prime Minister's Office—from a number that seemed vaguely familiar.
"…Huh?!"
I shouted instinctively. Even if the message was meant to be brief, that was far too abrupt.
I remembered the name Misago—she was essentially our youngest daughter-like figure. She's been doted on one way or another.
I'd been helped by that inn a few times, so I was familiar with her.
"You're Yata-sama, right? Sorry, but could you please explain a bit more?"
I lowered my head slightly—even though I was on the phone—as I asked clearly and carefully, emphasizing every part of the sentence.
"Why so formal? Aren't we practically family?"
"Distinguishing between public and private matters is important. I'll decide how to proceed after hearing the details."
Although the tone was friendly, this person was a walking bomb in many ways. If you made her an enemy, all your allies would turn against you too. In terms of influence within our circles, she could easily surpass me.
To give an idea of how extreme she is—she's like a visible bomb, a landmine, a dangling Sword of Damocles in politics. All the officials who were involved in sending that idiot man got completely wiped out in the elections. It was so clean, it was almost surreal.
By the way, when I say "family," I mean members of a harem—sisters with shared lovers or common fathers, half-siblings, and so on. Blood is thicker than water, lust is stronger, and the milk-sisters who were raised together have deep bonds. Even though Kohaku-sama is no longer with us, it takes more than luck or a whim to be her number one legal wife.
"Misago found a boy along the flooded coastline of Oyashirazu, rescued him as an emergency evacuee. He seems confused, like he doesn't fully understand what's going on, but he's calm. They got mutual consent, so I'm keeping him with me for now. If we can, we'll collect semen or whatever and send it over. Alright, he's your responsibility now."
Even over the phone, I could clearly imagine the smirk in her voice as she spoke the last part.
"…Understood."
The information was too much and too unclear, but for now, I decided to accept it.
"Contact the Men's Protection Bureau. Check for any reports of missing men in Fukugata Prefecture, especially the old Niigata region and Oyashirazu Coast, as well as surrounding areas—ASAP."
I covered the receiver and instructed my secretary. If this turned out to be a kidnapping, there'd be no defending it. We needed to verify if things were legit.
The secretary nodded silently and began making contact with various departments.
"I'll wait until things settle down before taking further steps, so please be discreet, alright?"
Even through the phone, the pressure was intense enough to send chills down my spine.
"Yes…"
Now that I was faced with her directly, I realized it wasn't just her age—this woman had an entirely different level of presence and power.
"If there's no matching missing person, it's a marebito (mysterious stranger), right? If possible, handle it under that classification."
Apparently she'd been listening in. A shiver ran down my spine. Kohaku-sama was also classified as marebito back then—though that was decades ago.
It was said that lax family registration laws allowed for that at the time. With current systems like family registries and MyNumber, it seemed impossible for someone to just "appear" anymore. Genetically, this should be ruled out.
"Yes, I'd prefer it to be that way as well."
Later that same day, semen of unusually high quality was delivered to the medical institution. The genetic data didn't match anything in the database—it caused a stir, with some wondering if it had appeared from thin air.
Investigations hadn't gone deep yet, but even a superficial analysis was enough to create this much buzz.
This was already classified above Rank B. Anything above B is considered a national strategic asset and must be managed under strict supervision.
"…Can't believe it actually happened just as she said."
I stared at the document in shock. Given the location, he could be a foreign castaway, but genetically, he's unmistakably from Hinomoto (Japan).
His background could involve abduction, escape, or being raised in hiding—but that doesn't make sense. There's no benefit in hiding a man and giving up the mountain of subsidies available—hundreds of thousands annually, and eventually millions.
Though there are obligations tied to donating semen…
Well, that's just how things are.
No missing persons were found despite thorough checks, so the classification shifted officially to marebito. For discretion's sake, the male guards and protection officers—who should've arrived the same night the report came in—were delayed. By the time they got there, he had already signed the marriage documents with Misago. Likely due to some guidance from her, but damn, that was fast.
Once a marriage is established, government interference is forbidden—stress affects semen quality, and disrupting a marriage can degrade it. It's a taboo.
Like being kicked by a horse, as the saying goes.
Apparently, even Hachikuma got married in the aftermath. She was kind of a leftover within the group, so it was a relief.
Later still, semen taken from Hisui—the marebito—turned out to be clearly superior even to Kohaku-sama's legendary sample.
The final data on fertilization and early cell division isn't in yet, but initial reports were enough to make everyone on site, and even the higher-ups, practically dance with joy. It might even become a ceremonial celebration.
They're debating whether to create a new rank above A—maybe an S—since even A-tier doesn't exist domestically anymore. But because Hisui's quality surpasses Kohaku-sama's, they'll need to differentiate somehow.
Semen of this caliber moves billions on the international market. This is no joke.
One personal bodyguard wouldn't be enough anymore. It's not just personal assault to worry about—international kidnapping rings could target him.
They're considering deploying a unit of the Self-Defense Forces, but if they send the wrong people, Yata-sama might blow up. It's best to send insiders who can handle her.
She has a soft spot for her own, after all.
So maybe Hakuto or Ojiro…
They're well-known as protectors of the north, so it's a bit of a loss, but…
Any obvious moves might tip off foreign nations.
BEEP—BEEP
That's when an alarm reported a scramble within territorial waters. A reconnaissance plane from a neighboring country.
Usually we just chase them off, but I used it as a convenient excuse and issued an interception order. If we act too lenient, they'll take advantage. Sometimes you have to knock one down to send a message.
It was the perfect excuse to justify a transfer. I smirked internally.