A Position Second Only to One and Above All Others as the Bride Price

Akasaka did not answer C.C. He said he needed to go out, grabbed his coat, and left.

He did not explain anything to C.C. either.

C.C. did not press him for answers. Instead, she blankly stared at the Akasaka clone working in Akasaka's place. "Hey, what exactly are you?"

The Akasaka clone stopped stamping documents and said helplessly, "I'm not a thing. I'm a clone."

Meanwhile, Akasaka arrived at Maruo Nakano's hospital to visit the previous Japanese prime minister, Kiryuin Kijima.

When Kijima saw Akasaka arrive, he lifted his head from the hospital bed and said irritably, "Congratulations. You're Japan's prime minister now. You can let me go, right?"

He was referring to how Akasaka had stationed people outside the ward to watch him.

Akasaka put on an utterly harmless expression, placed the fruit basket he had brought on the bedside table, and said to Kiryuin Kijima on the bed.

"I'm only taking precautions. It's for your safety."

Kiryuin Kijima scoffed disdainfully. "Heh, protecting my safety? More like you were afraid I'd stir up trouble during your election, weren't you?"

Akasaka did not deny it. He pulled over a chair and sat down, then peeled an apple from the fruit basket he had brought for his nominal uncle. Once he had finished peeling it, he handed it over.

Kiryuin Kijima accepted it without ceremony and took a bite. "Mm, not bad. Quite sweet."

Akasaka said proudly, "Of course it's sweet. These are the best apples I bought—the most expensive ones too. That one apple alone is worth nearly 20,000 yen."

Kiryuin Kijima glanced at Akasaka from the corner of his eye. "You're quite filial, then."

Although Kiryuin Kijima still held some resentment over Akasaka taking his position as Japan's prime minister, Akasaka had seized it through his own ability. Kijima