No matter how unenthusiastic everyone had been about the meal, once it was cooked, they still had to eat.
Although Masutaka Shirokuchi looked thoroughly displeased, the reason the group had chosen to stay overnight at his villa was ultimately because he had bought a place so far from the city. So aside from a few sarcastic remarks, there was little he could say.
Masutaka Shirokuchi was a bully accustomed to oppressing and tormenting others, but Tangze found his sarcasm did zero damage.
Whether it was age or experience as a detective, mockery about his youth and shallow outlook had no effect on Tangze whatsoever.
That was not merely because Tangze was not the real Akechi Goro. More importantly, Shirokuchi had completely missed the mark.
So when faced with lines like, "Young people who can reach this salary level must be very hardworking," and, "You need to learn more from Mori Detective," Tangze merely smiled faintly.
"Shouldn't I be thanking you, Mr. Shirokuchi? The magazine is putting tremendous effort into promoting your new work. I do feel that I'm still rather young and may not be suited to taking part in your discussions directly, so when the newspaper approached us, my agency specifically replied that they hoped I could serve as the host moderating the pace of the conversation rather than participate in the detailed Q&A... I'm glad you understand."
His words were gentle and modest, and there was nothing wrong with them on the surface. Yet the few points he had casually highlighted were enough to deal real damage.
First, he had made it clear that he really was expensive, and that his influence in public opinion far outweighed his actual abilities—but Shirokuchi himself was the one paying for him.
The cost of this interview would also be counted under