Business Association Management Consultant 26: Collapse—The Sound of 'Power' Ending [#CreativeAward2025 #WorkplaceNovelCategory]
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It was the sound of a camera shutter that broke the tense silence.
Starting with that, the assembly hall erupted into chaos.
The press stood up in unison and thrust their microphones forward.
"Mayor Kawasaki, please explain the facts!"
"Director Takimoto, is the audio from earlier authentic!?"
"President Murakami, there is testimony that the fraudulent receipt of city subsidies is true!"
The television station lights flared all at once, and flashes intersected.
It was like a 'storm of interrogation' dragging the truth out into the light of day.
Takimoto, who was in the center seat, was completely speechless in the face of the rain of questions.
He loosened his tie and wiped the sweat from his forehead with trembling fingers.
He tried to stand up by leaning on the conference table, but his legs tangled, and his chair fell over with a clatter.
"...This is a political conspiracy... to bring me down..."
He muttered as if squeezing the words out, but no one saw him as an 'authority' anymore.
His figure was more like a crumbling stone statue.
His pride and dignity had already collapsed.
Next to him, Mayor Kawasaki was desperately trying to maintain his composure.
"Everyone, please be calm! We will conduct an internal city investigation—"
But his voice was drowned out by the wave of angry shouts and camera flashes.
Voices also rose from the citizens in the gallery.
"Calm? Even though you've treated us 'coldly' until now...!"
"You've trampled on the voices of the residents, what's with this 'calm' now!"
Finally, the secretary in front of the mayor's seat whispered.
"...Mayor, the police are waiting outside the building."
At those words, Kawasaki's face froze.
Meanwhile, there was a man trying to slip away toward the door next to the podium.
—Hideaki Murakami, representative of Tokai Development.
The reporters' flashes focused on his back as he quietly pulled back his chair and turned away, hoping no one would notice.
"President Murakami! Where are you going!"
"Do you have a comment on the evidence just presented!? What about the return of the subsidies!?"
Without a word, he turned up his coat collar and reached for the door.
…But waiting there—were two police officers standing in silence.
At that moment, Murakami's body stiffened with a jolt.
Only his eyes darted back and forth, and he shook his head as if unable to accept the situation.
"...It's a lie... This... shouldn't be..."
Without a sound, he fell to his knees as if his strength had left him.
There was no longer—any escape route.
In a voice so small it seemed it would reach no one, Miura asked the air.
"Is this the sound of 'power' ending..."
He felt that the voices of those who had lost everything had finally been heard.
Surrounded by reporters, Yuto stood on the podium again and looked out over the assembly hall.
His hands were no longer trembling.
"...This is the 'truth' we have grasped."
"Power only has meaning when it is backed by 'justice' worthy of belief."
"In order to continue living in this city—from here on out."
At his words, someone in the gallery began to clap softly.
It gradually spread like a wave.
The assembly hall was enveloped in applause.
Fujishima, the reporter who had been watching from behind the scenes, quietly put down his camera.
In a place where no one could see, he wiped his eyes.
At that moment, a ray of light shone down from the ceiling of the assembly hall.
It was as if it were the 'dawn' that had finally broken over this city.
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