The last of the papers settled, Goryo sighed, thanking the laywer as he left his newly closed Hokkaido office, the second closure that week.
The destruction of the group's headquarters had lost the Goryo Group much of its membership and appeal. The deaths and property damage had been enormous, which in itself had necessitated some degree of downsizing, but the sudden influx of lost items found in the building's remains had cast the group in suspicion.
Sensing a scandal, many of the hired executors left before their reputations could be sullied, and what would have been their pay went to the lawyers defending the group against the countless emerging accusations.
"Tch- goes to show that most of them were only loyal to my father."
Walking out into the open, Goryo instantly spotted Ebisu, holding open the door of the idling car. Goryo ignored the fearful expression on his chauffeur's face as he approached the vehicle.
"M-Master Goryo! I just heard a very distressing rumor I think we should discuss immediately!"
"Good, I needed to talk to you anyhow." Goryo slammed shut the door Ebisu was holding open. "Get in."
As Ebisu scrambled for the driver's seat, he watched as Goryo flippantly walked around the front of the car and climbed into the passenger seat. After a second of hesitation, Ebisu looked to the road and got the car moving.
"So? You know I like to know what's being said about me."
"Oh!" Ebisu's eyes darted to Goryo before returning to the road. "Yes, well, you see, on the way here I heard that you changed your will... That you made me an heir.
"Oh, that's out already, is it?" Ebisu slammed down on the breaks, just avoiding hitting the cross-traffic.
"You can't be serious! You actually did that!?"
"I did."
"WHEN?"
Goryo sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Earlier this week, when we shut down the other office. I just had it arranged that the lawyer in charge of the closure bring a few extra papers." Nearly missing the green light, Ebisu drove and spoke with equal ferocity.
"Do you have any idea how controversial your actions are!? The Goryo Group has been in your family for generations! To even think of entrusting it to- well, me, is-"
"Shouldn't you be grateful, swine?" Goryo's irritated tone silenced him. "Really, I grant you such an honor and all you do is complain." Giving another short sigh, Goryo stretched out so his hand rested on Ebisu's elbow. "It doesn't even mean anything, really. It's just security." He gave Ebisu a determined smile that made him look away from the street in front of them to meet his gaze. "If I ever die in battle, I don't expect you to be hiding safely out of range."
Goryo thought about if he did die; perhaps some covert assassination, and some other Goryo, some member of an irrelevant branch family, took his place. He imagined Ebisu serving this new Goryo, teaching them their new responsibilities, looking after them; it disgusted him. Ebisu was his, and his alone.
"No, remember, clown. You're to serve me, as my hands and feet, until the day you die. If that day comes after mine, well, then you'll have to make this dream of ours come true without me."
Goryo turned to the window to notice the car had stopped. "Ebisu, why are we-?" He stopped short when he looked at his driver. He was crying.
"Master G-Goryo, I- I can't accept this-!"
"It's not a gift, fool. It's an order, and a burden..." Goryo wiped a stray tear off of Ebisu's face, suddenly unable to hold back a smile of his own. "You're disgusting..." Ebisu looked pathetic, reaching for a handkerchief in a vain attempt to compose himself. "But you're the only one other than myself who has what it takes to make this group the most powerful in the world." Goryo wiped another tear from his check and, with false disdain, wiped his hand on the cloth of his shirt. "Now neaten yourself up. I'm a long way from dying and in the meantime I have things to do."
Ebisu nodded, laughing a bit as he pulled the car away from where he had pulled over.
"Right away, Master Goryo!"