[ALTERNATIVE] Harutoshi Fukui's Traces of Six Stains (Story.02)

Continuing on if anyone is interested. The "English" title for this is She said "Don't fall for me."

Just a couple of notations here. Sorry, I'm rambling with some, but it requires extrapolating from future installments.

Tatamizan: A method of fortune-telling traditionally practiced by women, particularly in pleasure districts, using tatami floor mats as a divine medium. The practice centered on casting ornamental hairpins (kanzashi), long-stemmed tobacco pipes (kiseru), or similar personal items onto tatami mats. The seeker's fortune was determined in two ways: by counting the mat's woven lines from where the object landed to the edge of the mat, and by interpreting the direction of the hairpin's stem. Even numbers (cho) were interpreted as a sign that an anticipated visitor would arrive, while odd numbers (han) suggested they would not. This system extended to various other predictions of fortune and misfortune. Also referred to as tatami-ura. The title of this story can also be rendered as Tatami Divination.

DAIS/Ichigaya: The Defense Agency Intelligence Service or Ministry of Defense Information Service (MODIS) is a fictional covert intelligence agency of the Japan Defense Agency/Self-Defense Forces that appears across multiple novels by Fukui. Its headquarters is located in underground facilities beneath the Defense Agency (Ministry of Defense) building, JGSDF Ichigaya Station, JMSDF Ichigaya District, and JASDF Ichigaya Base. It operates under the cover of the real-world Defense Intelligence Headquarters. In the stories, it's often referred to by the code name "Ichigaya." While the English abbreviation is DAIS (pronounced "dice"), this designation wasn't used until late in the novel How Deep is your River, Mr. Guard?

As of 2022, DAIS appears in the novels How Deep is your River, Mr. Guard, Twelve Y.O., Invincible Shield of a Ruined Country, Six Traces of Stains, C-blossom case729, Op. Rosedust, and The Human Trust. Its existence is also implied in Samurai Commando: Mission 1549, and a predecessor organization is suggested in Lorelei at the End of War. While DAIS doesn't directly appear in After the Earthquake, two former DAIS agents reappear, and its existence is referenced in dialogue.

OVERVIEW

DAIS is authorized to conduct "extra-legal countermeasures" within "the scope approved by the National Public Safety Commission and Information Activity Oversight Committee" against threats to national security and public safety. The National Public Safety Commission is an independent administrative commission under the Cabinet Office, while the Information Activity Oversight Committee consists of multiple Diet members from both ruling and opposition parties. When the National Public Safety Commission assigns a case, operations begin only after approval from multiple designated Diet members (or the Prime Minister who oversees the Commission in critical situations).

The organization maintains its own independent recruitment, personnel, and command systems, and its existence is not public knowledge. Even among high-ranking officials in its parent organization (Defense Agency/Ministry and Self-Defense Forces), few are aware of its existence.

DAIS maintains intelligence networks both domestically and internationally, working to detect and prevent major crimes beyond police capability and foreign incursions. When prevention fails, they respond with force. All operations must remain confidential and concealed from the public, requiring thorough cleanup of operation sites. While civilians may occasionally discover DAIS's existence or operations, such individuals are placed under permanent surveillance.

As mentioned, their activities involve extra-legal measures, meaning they operate outside legal frameworks for security maintenance. In worst-case scenarios, this can include assassinating Japanese citizens they're meant to protect. If operations fail or are aborted with potential information leaks, they may "liquidate" (assassinate) involved agents to prevent exposure.

Phew! All that mumbo jumbo was worse than translating Gundam terminology!

Sakuradamon: Also known as the Sakurada Gate, this is a metonym for the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department (think similar to how Scotland Yard is used for the Metropolitan Police Service).