255 6.49 Go Forth And Reshape Fukushima! (2/2)
”The wealth he had gathered, he simply is ready to throw it back to society. The way he invents a scheme seems plausible even to the residents; and business loans? Who would have thought about it? The first person to take the loan was from the Blacksmith and he had been dutifully paying it daily.”
”It takes money to make money. More people are taking up these business loans to help expand their trade and merchandise and with a minimum rate of 12% per year or 24% for 24 months repayment, it would be rather easy for the merchants. Very thoughtful and resourceful.”
”Sigh...if I had known him earlier, I would have appointed him as the Chief Minister or something and he could easily steer Japan out of any economic or financial mess.” and Tokugawa Iemochi sighed inwardly and watched me worked fervently as I discussed about the treaty matters and had revoked almost 90% of the idea of the United States and into his own, safeguarding not his ass first, but for the future of Japan.
”How long would the Governor of Shimoda be arriving?” Tokugawa Iemochi asked me. ”Oh... It would need a flight with 2 or more stops. Don't forget we had the Fasuto Japan Airways. The first-ever airborne mode of transport and correspondences.”
”Knowing His Majesty is here, he would definitely come over. By the way, the flight time would take him about 7 hours roundabout but there is a pit stop at Utsunomiya and Tokyo before reaching Shimoda. In that case, he would be here by 10 in the evening if the weather's good.”
”Hahahahaha...” Tokugawa Iemochi slapped his thighs as he remembered that Fasuto Japan has its own Airways. ”How much did you pay the Tanukis who served to fly there and pick him up?”
”For that round trip, we paid 500 silvers or 50 gold to the Tanukis. The Youkai Taijiya who was acting as a copilot is paid 20 gold per month. He just sits there and enjoys the breeze while escorting the Tanukis and the visitor back. Luckily we have our own Airways because if not we would have to wait some days for him to travel to Kitakata here alone.”
”Excuse me, Your Majesty and Your Excellency, I can't help to overhear your conversation on Fasuto Japan Airways. Is that a new thing right now that's available here in Japan?”
”Only in New Kitakata Town, Mr Townsend. Airways is a new form of transport for goods and people. In terms of sea warfare, our Airways can act as a bombardier. Your cannons could only shoot other ships and small arms fire effective range is 80-100 metres.”
”If we equip our Airways with bombardiers and airdrop bombs from a height of 200 meters, it would prove to be disastrous right? Our Airways could move on land and sea and in the air. So... Keep this in mind. You may have the technology, but we have the supremacy.”
”Supremacy... I like the sound of it. Even if we drop non-incendiary bombs on your ships and populated areas, it would cause massive damage, right? And a massive death toll as well... Eeeeeeeeeee..... Kababoom...”
I demonstrated how an Airways would perform an airdrop and explodes down below. The look of terror flashed on his face and he shuddered at the supremacy u was talking about.
”Relax, Mr Townsend... Japan is not going to hit these towns like Pearl Harbour...” I tapped his shoulder reassuringly.
”Pearl Harbour...? How does this kid know about Pearl Harbour? It was visited by Commodore Matthew Perry some years back in Oahu, Hawaii in the Hawaiian Kingdom and this little lagoon harbour was only known by the United States. It was a secret, no other people know about it. And this kid just casually talked about Pearl Harbour like as if he knew about it. Such knowledge from an 11-year-old kid...! Is he amazing or what?!?”
Townsend Harris looked at me in amazement, wonder, surprise, dumbfoundedness and was really speechless.
”How do you know Pearl Harbour?” he finally asked.
”Oh... I've been places. It's a nice shallow lagoon, yes? Pretty neat to set up a United States harbour there. Quiet little towns. Los of greens. Rolling hills. Clear blue skies. Great place to retire too.”
”NO SHITTING ME...!! This kid even said he went places? Is he 11 or 44? My goodness, I don't know what I'm feeling right now....” Townsend Harris was reeling with utmost shock in hearing my explanation of Pearl Harbour as if he had been there before...
Feeling lightheaded, he excused himself and went out, staggering with his feet and his subordinates supported him as he took a seat outside to steady his nerves.
”What's Pearl Harbour, kid?” Hiko-sama asked me. ”If we let the Westerners do what they wanted to do here in Japan, and giving us technology this we shouldn't be grasping, Japan would come into power one day and be attacking the United States in 1942.”
I whispered to Hiko-sama softly as I do not wish to leak out too much information. Hiko-sama widened his eyes and he saw I was making a whistling and sounds of explosions when I mentioned Fasuto Japan Airways would be performing an airstrike.
He finally understood that dealing with the root of the problem would mean there's no such thing happening somewhere in the near future.