Do you know this man?
Shirahata Kiichiro!
He's a diplomat who once worked for the ambassador to Britain.
I believe he's currently confined to his villa in Izu.
We suspect this Shirahata has learned the specifics of high command's "Grand Strategy."
Wh-What?!
Someone like Shirahata, of all people?!
He was adamantly opposed to joining forces with Germany.
Moreover, he's a Western sympathizer,
and I hear he has numerous close friends in Britain.
In particular, he's known the British consul general,
Ernest Graham, for ages.
It has not been made public yet,
but Graham suddenly made plans to return to Britain in the very near future.
Don't tell me that Shirahata...
We can't let the "Grand Strategy,"
our army's most valuable secret,
be leaked to Britain!
Can't we arrest Shirahata and Graham?
We need concrete evidence before we can investigate.
And if we can secure the location of the delivery,
we'll have an extra card to play in British negotiations.
Not to mention an excuse to suppress the Western sympathizers in our country.
This situation requires immediate action.
Use them.
As the embers of world war smoldered
in autumn of 1937,
the Imperial Army
Greater East Asia Cultural Society
established a clandestine spy training agency.
The histories, names, and even ages
of the elite men who pass its rigorous application process
are all treated as top-secret information.
They easily complete training exercises that push them
to their physical and mental limits.
Under the command of founder Lieutenant Colonel Yuuki,
they operate worldwide, within the shadows.
And so a brand-new intelligence agency was created.
Its name is "D-Agency."
Yokohama
British Consul's Estate
Check.
Episode 8 - Double Joker (Part 1)
I wasn't prepared for that...
Now I've won 15 and lost 17, with six stalemates.
I know you're busy, Consul, so let's call it a day.
This program is a work of fiction. The characters, organizations, locations, laws, names, etc. being portrayed are unrelated to actual events.
Hold on, now.
We can play one more game.
Dear...
Er...
May I interrupt?
What's wrong?
That man at the back gate was there yesterday, too.
Who?
He told the maid he's with the waterworks...
But something about him unnerves me.
What do you think?
He's probably a military policeman.
Why do you say that?
His face is very tan.
But from his forehead up, his skin's oddly pale.
Therefore, his real job must not only have him walking around outside all day,
but also require him to wear a hat while on duty.
If he's not wearing his hat now,
it's because it would be a dead giveaway of his real job.
The only occupation I can think of
that requires a specific hat, and that one would keep secret,
is military policeman.
Or something like it, yes.
Surprising, right?
For a kid his age,
and a Japanese at that, he's quite sharp.
Mr. Gamou,
Japan is heading further and further down the wrong path.
Its actions in China,
and now, sending spies to our home...
It's shameful.
No! Jane, stop it.
Mr. Gamou is employed by Taylor Terashima and is a friend of mine.
He's not affiliated with Japan's government or military.
Yes... You're right.
I apologize, Mr. Gamou.
It's all right, no offense taken.
Go out, get some fresh air, and try to relax.
Yes.
And take the parasol I bought you.
I don't want your face ending up like that MP's.
Sorry about that.
She's not used to the climate here,
so she's been having trouble sleeping at night.
Now, shall we continue the competition?
I'm afraid I'll have to decline.
I have some business
with one other customer today.
In that case, I suppose we'll have to wait.
We'll pick up next time.
Take care.
Thank you.
Imbecile.
Spying is a job for a gentleman.
A lowlife like him could never make it as a spy.
Mooncakes
Mid-Autumn Festival
Chou-san.
What's going on?
I could see you were tailing me.
Yes, on Graham-san's orders.
Why?
I don't know why, specifically,
but he's been extremely high-strung this past week.
It's not just you. He's had nearly all his visitors tailed after they leave.
I was scared that he might've found out you introduced me to this place.
No, I believe it's work-related.
He was excited about getting promoted if things went well...
Has anything else changed?
Graham-san is going to leave Japan soon.
He received some confidential orders from back home.
For what reason?
He hasn't told the servants any of the details.
I see.
Well, do enjoy yourself this evening...
Or so I'd like to say...
But you still haven't paid back the money I loaned you the other day.
Please, can you wait just one more week?
I've lent you a total of 15,000 yen.
A whole five years' worth of your salary.
You're not going to get that in a week.
There's nothing left to say.
W-Wait, please.
Three days! I swear I'll get the money!
A-At this rate, I'll...
I-I'm begging you. I'll do anything!
Take care.
Chess is a simple game, but it's that very simplicity
that makes the players' personalities come out.
What chess taught me about Graham's personality is...
He's simple.
And yet, he's eager to carry out his plans.
He's twice as cautious as the average person.
A show-off. Ambitious.
The information to be gained from the "Grand Strategy" could earn him
a prominent position in Britain.
He must want it so badly he can taste it.
My gut feeling is that he's "black."
That's clear from the way he's had Chou follow his guests all week.
But I haven't seen a single trace of any attempts
by Graham to contact anyone.
The circumstances suggest he's "white."
You saw through me, huh?
Such novice diversionary tactics won't fool me.
You're a step above me when it comes
to both perception and deception.
Trying to get me to lower my guard?
I guess I'll have to confirm things myself.
Get the guard on duty to take this drug.
It's tasteless and odorless.
Mixed into a drink, it's undetectable.
There's nothing to worry about.
It's just a knockout drug,
and I'll only take the money.
If nobody causes trouble, nobody will get hurt.
I hate to sound repetitive, but the money's inside the safe, correct?
Yes.
We split it 50-50. That's 20,000 apiece.
Besides, that money came from the English selling opium all over China.
There's no reason to feel guilty about it.
As you instructed,
I had a duplicate safe key made.
I just need to leave the front door unlocked, right?
Nothing.
I've gone through everything in the safe,
but there's nothing about getting the "Grand Strategy" from Shirahata.
The only thing left is this journal...
I guess Graham is "white" after all?
I received the umbrella I ordered. I'll give it to Jane tomorrow.
This was a present for his wife?
Go out, get some fresh air, and try to relax.
Yes.
And take the parasol I bought you.
I don't want your face ending up like that MP's.
Is someone there?
Satisfied now? Let's go to bed.
Is something wrong?
No, it was nothing.
After investigating,
I can confirm Graham is "black."
I found an incriminating message
in the hollowed-out handle of the umbrella he gave to his wife.
He used his wife as a messenger,
but the woman herself was unaware.
I marked it with the special ink you loaned me, and followed her.
It was on the fingers of the maitre'd at a nearby restaurant,
the cloakroom coat checker at a building she entered,
and the waiter at a coffee shop.
And, of course,
on Ernest Graham's fingertips.
Shirahata's plan
is to hand over the information at his Izu villa in one week,
and for Graham to immediately return to England afterwards.
Mooncakes
Mid-Autumn Festival
Mooncakes
What the hell?
No money was stolen from the safe!
I know. Change of plans.
What about my money?!
I did everything you asked—
Just relax.
That money...
What did you...
Here's 20,000.
And I'll call off the debt you owe me, too.
I killed my accomplice, Chou,
by making it appear as if he tried to rob me.
There's absolutely no evidence linking me to his death.
That concludes my report.
Kill without hesitation.
Die with honor.
You're now officially a part of "Wind Agency."
Six Months Earlier
A pleasure to see you again, Akutsu, Your Excellency.
Relax.
Officially, this visit isn't happening.
You and I never met today.
Sir.
I received your report the other day.
Summarize the situation for me, Lieutenant Colonel Kazato Akimasa.
Sir.
Information is becoming more and more critical in modern warfare.
It's plain as the nose on your face that,
today, there are spies from all over the world
operating in the imperial capital.
To defend our secrets
from the spies of the world powers,
I believe it's imperative that
we establish intelligence schools and espionage agencies as soon as possible.
Since the founding of the empire in the Meiji era,
we've fought our battles without such cowardly tactics as using spies.
The Imperial Army prides itself
on fighting fair and square.
To trifle with crafty strategies
is an insult to the army's honor!
Now...
That isn't how I actually feel.
It's the majority opinion within the army.
The truth is, there's already
a secret spy agency within the army.
Let me guess, you've never heard of such an agency?
It was founded about a year ago.
They call it "D-Agency."
The founder, also a lieutenant colonel, started it himself.
However, D-Agency is a horse of a different color
compared to what you proposed.
"Don't die. Don't kill."
Despite being part of the Imperial Army,
they're using local civilians to carry out their plans.
Impossible.
Why would a spy agency,
of all things, be using citizens?
"We can't use War College grads."
What did you say?
The words of D-Agency's founder, Yuuki.
"I can't use military men.
I won't even accidentally allow anyone from
the Army War College through my doors."
His words.
Yuuki...
Kill without hesitation. Die with honor.
Throughout the course of your studies,
that's the kind of logical methodology
you'll need to rely on
as members of the Imperial Army's espionage agency.
I'm told you connected Shirahata to Graham.
Can you secure the location of the exchange?
Yes. I've already planted an operative inside Shirahata's villa.
So preparations are complete, then.
Once you successfully complete this operation,
your "Wind Agency" will be
officially recognized as the Imperial Army's espionage agency.
I expect great things.
D-Agency has also been informed of the Shirahata situation.
I have no intention of playing a double-joker game.
Whichever one of you fails will be considered the spare.
Preview
What's wrong?
You have to destroy your opponent's composure to win.
Chess isn't about winning or losing.
Episode 9 - Double Joker (Part 2)
It's about living or dying.