Persona 5 - The Jester's Point Of View

Scene 41

Honestly… Goro couldn't believe what he was doing here! He didn’t exactly know what had overcome him. In fact it even got him a little taken aback. He didn’t need to nor wanted to go that far to directly involve them. Sure, they wanted to keep a very close eye on their investigation progress but like this? Involving them officially would not be beneficial, would it!? In fact it could make everything worse! And then there was also Nijima–San to account for… Oh she will ask unnecessary questions won’t she? Especially if they present as Anja… And Nijima–San knew who she was.

“Right… I should have been more specific. I’m talking about Wolf’s daughter… I think Anja was her name?”

That was literally what she had said some time ago, when having spotted the two together apparently. So Nijima–San knew. This will be something… Something he had not completely thought through for once. Or… He did but at the same time it didn’t feel like it. Something was clouding his judgment here. The question was what though… But he had no answer for that. This is something… It didn’t want to come to him. As much as he hated to say it. He had no clue in the end and that was infuriating. But what’s done is done and now… The scene had been playing out. 

Though it had all started with Nijima staring in silence, at least for a moment. Anja themself was a little confused however when seeing her with the wide eyes. “Wait… Isn’t that…” She was about to ask yet then her glare shot right at Goro, unpleased. “Care to explain yourself?”

“Nijima–San, please. Calm down. I ruled her out as a suspect a long time ago, remember?” That was not a lie. They weren’t a suspect in his case at all. Just someone who needed a leash… 

“A… Suspect? What’s going on?” They would ask however, confused at first and who wouldn’t be? Anyone would be startled.

“Don’t worry. There’s just a misunderstanding going on here.” He decided to throw in. After all, this was his doing. “Maybe I should have warned you before Nijima–San. But Anja… Well, I think she would be beneficial for our operation.”

Was that something the prosecutor wanted to hear however? No, probably not. Not at first at least. “In what way? You are aware that she is—”

“What if I said that the strategy I mentioned to you was all her doing?”

“Huh? You say that she is your source?”

“I wouldn’t call her a mere ‘source’ per se.” Anja wasn’t that but they still had some value here. “But she has been a help so far. Plus her theory is interesting. Didn’t you think so as well?”

“I did say that, yes.” She sighed eventually, then turning her attention to the young person right caught in between the conversation, who was confused. “So. You’re the one Akechi told me about.”

“Huh? He… did?”

“Yeah. Your contributions did not go unnoticed.”

It had gotten them a little flustered for a moment, perhaps having a hard time to deal with compliments. However, they shook it off shortly after, their head visibly shaking. “I’m glad to hear that but… You happen to know me?”

“You did not forget who your father was, did you?” Said unusually sharp from the prosecutor. One may ask what had crawled up her skin at that point. 

“N… No, that’s not—”

“Nijima–San, please. You’re acting as if she was the one who committed the crime.” Goro would usually not interfere but he felt like he had to if he didn’t want things to go south at this very moment. “Cut her some slack, alright?”

“How unusually defensive of you.”

“Don’t they say ‘innocent until plead guilty’?” He added with his usual smile, only making Nijima grunt as a response. Yeah, she was probably thinking of him as a smartmouth right now. She had even rolled her eyes as he was still talking. “I think you should reconsider and maybe involve her more as well?”

There was a silence between them all. And yet, these were arguments she couldn’t go against. He knew and that was the plan. He saw her give in at the end after all. “Fine. I’ll see what I can do.”

“So wait… You’ll have me? Just like that!?” Anja finally threw in after a good moment of silence. One could see how tense they were, how scared. And yet, when hearing that they became luckily calmer. 

“There is no time to reconsider… And if even Akechi says you’d be valuable to us in some way, I will allow it. But don’t overstep your boundaries at any point. One wrong move and it’s—”

“Ah, I understand of course, Miss Nishima! Don’t worry! I will make sure to earn your trust as well!”

“It’s Nijima.”

“Eh? Is i— It is! Whoops, sorry. I’m not that good with names. Heh…”

“Then learn quickly, will you?”

“Y… Yes Ma’am!”

This will be a long one, won’t it? And yet… Maybe this wasn’t the worst move Goro could make. He would have preferred to keep them out of it altogether but maybe he could get a better hold of them like this… Yeah, maybe that was why he had said so. He could work with that…  Maybe things will work out in the end.