Starting With The Sefirah Castle In The Anime World-Chapter 166: Opportunities for the Non-Professional Group

At that moment, Miwako rushed into Superintendent Matsumoto's office.

Bang!

"Inspector Megure! Superintendent Matsumoto! The supermarket robbers have made their move again!"

"I just received information that an SOS distress signal has appeared on the glass of Kaminari Supermarket on Akasaka Street."

"Additionally, I have confirmed that the robbers are armed."

This chapt𝓮r is updat𝒆d by ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom.

"!?"

Both Megure Juzo and Matsumoto Kiyonaga immediately stood up.

They had been struggling to deal with this group of robbers for a while.

These criminals were extremely cunning, planning their actions meticulously each time. Their reconnaissance was precise, allowing them to fully grasp the security conditions of their target supermarkets—even disabling the security systems before striking.

With so few leads, tracking them down had proven incredibly difficult.

If they had more time, they might be able to gather additional clues, but time was something they didn't have.

After the incident on Tsukikage Island, most of their manpower had been deployed to pursue those damn drug traffickers.

Since that was a high-priority case, a large number of officers from various departments had been reassigned, leaving the rest of the force stretched thin.

Otherwise, if they had more personnel available to investigate, they wouldn't have gone several days without finding a single lead.

Now, with increasing pressure from the higher-ups, both Megure Juzo and Matsumoto Kiyonaga had been racking their brains for a breakthrough.

So when they suddenly heard what Miwako said, how could they not be pleased?

"Officer Sato, where did this information come from?"

Megure Juzo asked instinctively, but he quickly noticed that Sato Miwako was avoiding his gaze.

Cough!

Matsumoto Kiyonaga cleared his throat, steering the conversation back on track.

"Officer Sato, can you guarantee the accuracy of this information?"

"...Yes, I can."

Miwako hesitated briefly before revealing her source.

"I can confirm that the information is accurate."

"But I promised my informant that he would not be disturbed."

"That's understandable."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga nodded in agreement. Providing intelligence to the police was no simple matter.

If an informant's identity were to be exposed, it could cause them significant trouble.

He himself had several informants who assisted in investigations and intelligence gathering, so he understood the concern well.

"Officer Sato, you don't need to disclose your informant's identity, but are you willing to take full responsibility for the credibility of the information?"

"I am!"

"Good."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga gave a small nod. He didn't need to dig deeper into the source, but whoever provided the intelligence had to be reliable.

"You've given a definite answer, which means you trust this informant."

"That's enough confirmation for me."

Then, Matsumoto Kiyonaga turned to Megure Juzo, who still seemed uncertain.

"Megure, you need to stop treating Officer Sato like a child."

"She needs room to grow and improve."

"Not everything should be decided for her."

"Besides, you should have more faith in her abilities."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga gave Megure Juzo a meaningful glance.

Though Megure Juzo wasn't entirely convinced, he nodded slightly.

"Officer Sato, you will personally take charge of this case."

"Your promotion file has just been submitted. If you handle this well, I believe your evaluation will be finalized soon."

"Eh?"

Miwako's eyes widened in surprise.

She had known that she met the requirements for a promotion, but becoming an Inspector required more than just qualifications—it required seniority.

She had assumed that her turn hadn't come yet.

But who would have thought that Superintendent Matsumoto would give her such an unexpected opportunity?

"What, do you not want it?"

Inspector Megure reminded her with a slight smirk.

Realizing her hesitation, she quickly responded.

"Yes!"

"Then get moving."

"The robbers are armed and have taken some security guards hostage. How you handle this is up to you."

"Yes! I'll arrange the operation immediately!"

Brimming with determination, Miwako left to make preparations.

Meanwhile, Megure Juzo remained in the office, looking at Superintendent Matsumoto with a hint of confusion.

"Superintendent Matsumoto, isn't this against protocol?"

Matsumoto Kiyonaga loosened his tie and sat back in his chair.

"Megure, you're aware that her final rank will be Police Inspector, aren't you?"

Megure Juzo hadn't expected that statement, but he nodded slightly.

"You know how dangerous our job on the front lines is."

"...But that doesn't mean—"

"Megure, has Sato ever had an informant before?"

Megure Juzo froze for a moment, then shook his head.

"No... When did she acquire one?"

He thought back carefully, then it hit him.

"After she returned from Tsukikage Island."

"Exactly."

Matsumoto Kiyonaga nodded slightly.

"She was only supposed to protect those young ladies on Tsukikage Island."

"So tell me, who do you think her informants are?"

"The people around those young ladies."

Seeing Megure Juzo's realization finally dawn, Matsumoto Kiyonaga nodded again.

"That girl isn't part of the professional track, her situation is different from Shiratori's."

"So she's going to stay on the front lines for a long time."

"...And her final rank will likely only be Police Inspector."

Megure Juzo's expression grew complicated.

As someone who had held the Police Inspector rank for decades, he understood all too well what Matsumoto Kiyonaga was implying.

Miwako didn't have any special connections or background. She was a traditional criminal investigator—a member of the non-professional track.

That meant her career path was predetermined: she would gain experience, serve for a certain number of years, and maybe get promoted—eventually.

This system was undoubtedly unfair to a capable female officer like her, but the world itself was unfair.

Yes, there were women in high-ranking positions within the police force, but the majority of them were merely Police Inspectors and most were nearing retirement age.

Every one of them had earned their position through years of experience.

Sato Miwako was no exception.

Her future was set, she would continue gathering experience, and that was it.

"...But now, she has an opportunity."

"By connecting with those young ladies, she has created a valuable network for herself."

"This is an undeniable advantage."

"With this, she will have a special background moving forward."

"And that background has ties to both politics and business."

"This is not a bad thing. Do you understand?"

Matsumoto Kiyonaga's voice carried a rare sense of patience.

"I know you've always looked after Sato out of concern for justice and you even see her as a daughter."

"But precisely because of that, I believe this is the best thing for her."

"At least now, she has a real opportunity, one that will allow her to move forward without being stuck in the endless cycle of 'gaining experience.'"

Megure Juzo was silent for a moment.

Then, after considering it carefully, he nodded.

He had to admit—Matsumoto Kiyonaga was right.

(To be continued.)