The Ruin of the Kondo Family
Councilor Kondo’s PoV
I finally met with my lawyer.
He is a corporate lawyer hired by the company. He is a very capable man. Even when we have caused problems, they have not developed into real problems because he handles them well. So he will handle this problem well too.
“Ah, Kondo-san. I cannot defend your son. As you can imagine, even I can’t help him if he gets that bad. I don’t fight when I know I’m going to lose. Please, no offense.”
His sharp words hurt my self-esteem a little, but right now I’m more concerned about my own safety than my son’s.
“It doesn’t matter. Can you exonerate me? Can you cover up the bribery?”
The lawyer parries my devilish expression with a wry smile.
“I don’t know. It seems that Nagatacho wants to get rid of you by cutting you off like a lizard’s tail. We can only try to avoid disadvantages as much as possible, considering the various circumstances. After that, I will read the air and solve the problem immediately so that no harm will come to the center.”
“Hey, I’m the one who hired the lawyer. You should only think about my safety.”
“But, Kondo-san, your company is over now. Your eligibility to bid for the prefecture and city has already been suspended. There’s nothing you can do, right? All you can do now is wait for it to go under. The only reason I’m defending you is because the bigwigs at the center are paying for your defense. Actually, I would like to withdraw now. A loss would be a black mark on my career. But, well, by taking on your defense, I can make connections with big names, so I can tolerate that level of loss.”
I resent the fact that my fate has already been decided by someone else. But I’m facing a fate that I can’t even change.
“What will happen to me?”
“Yes, you will be deeply in debt. Even if you minimize your wounds in this case, you will still be socially erased. No matter how you turn out, you’re finished.”
A cold blade pierces my heart. So far, I have been able to live an upper-class life, but if things continue like this, I will live a life of debt. What will happen? I hate it. I hate it. I hate it so much.
“I don’t want that. I don’t want to struggle with money. But, hey, Sensei, I’ll go bankrupt. If I go bankrupt, that’s okay, right? I mean, my debts will be forgiven, right?”
The lawyer sighed deeply at my request.
“You are too naive.” He looks at me with disdain.
“You know what? Society isn’t naive enough to think that bankruptcy can solve everything. Even in this case, the company’s bribery and window dressing started with your malice. The damage was caused by your wrongful act. It’s not like the courts are going to be blind to that. There is no way you can be completely forgiven for doing something wrong. How naive are you? You’re really…”
“That’s a lie. Please tell me it’s a lie!!!”
“Ah, and there’s basically nothing you can do to make up for the damage caused by your son’s criminal acts. Make sure you take responsibility.”
I heard the sound of despair, which plunged me into the depths of despair.
“Can’t you do something?”
“It’s impossible. It’s rare for someone to screw up this much. Please take responsibility for your failure. You are a good adult, right?”
I was so shocked that I couldn’t breathe properly.
Even though I was in agony, the lawyer was not the least bit surprised.
“No way! No way!! No way!!!”
I’ve always been very generous, but when I’m broke…
No one is on my side.
“No one will forgive you even if you scream like that. Your company will barely survive. Once you run out of money, you’re finished. Bankruptcies are only a matter of time. So please admit all this as soon as possible. And if you work for the big guys, maybe someone will help you. Well, the chances are slim.”
As if in mockery, the lawyer spat as he walked away.
“Kondo-san. After all, you hold people together with the power of money. Otherwise, you have no value. It’s clear now, isn’t it? Please think about it. I think the sooner you admit it, the better.”
Even if I didn’t get the death penalty, my social elimination was just around the corner.