Reiwa Chemist Yōko Takatsukasa Reincarnation: Saving Japan with Plastic Material

Course

Fumiko Chisaka is almost certainly a fictional character. Takamasa Chisaka may have had a daughter, but she would not have had such a high spec and her name would be different.

- Toshitsugu Utei

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"Yōko, you're strong," Nobuhiro suddenly spoke on the Tōhoku Main Line train heading to Sendai.

"Oh no, I'm just a frail schoolgirl."

"I thought you might say that, but I don't mean it that way. You have a clear strength in organic chemistry. But that's not all. There's a curiosity to excel in that strength."

"Well, aside from playing the piano, watching birds in Nobusuke-oniisama's room, and visiting Father's horses, there's not much else to do, so I naturally ended up with a life full of experiments."

In this era, there were no online games that Yōko had been passionate about in her previous life. Fortunately, she had plenty of money to spare, so she could try anything she came up with and enjoy it. Even if she turned cotton into nitrocellulose with concentrated sulfuric acid and fuming nitric acid, there was no one here to give her disapproving looks.

"That's right. I don't have that. Nobusuke-oniichan is obsessed with birds, so I worked hard to take his place and join the Army. Father and the instructors at the artillery school recognize me. But that's all there is to it. My efforts are like a hollow castle in the sand, and I don't have the substance or foundation to accomplish something like you."

Nobuhiro was too versatile. This was generally true of the people in the Takatsukasa family, but because they were so good at meeting other people's expectations and could do almost anything when asked, there was a danger that someone like Nobuhiro, who couldn't become passionate about something like Nobusuke or Yōko, would lose their way.

"...In that case, will you listen to my dream?"

"I wanted to hear that from a woman other than you," Nobuhiro sighed ruefully, and Yōko thought to herself, 'Of course.'

"The Army realized this during the Russo-Japanese War, but the future of warfare will be determined by weapons and technology. Relying on mental strength and leadership in war will eventually lead to failure. So, isn't it the technicians who should be the true stars, rather than the generals who command large armies?"

"What's in it for you?"

"Make me the leader of the Army's weapon development, as my right hand."

The peculiar spoke with a mysterious glint in her eyes.

"And send work to my company. You've got the nerve, don't you?"

"If you can create good things, there's no need for it to be our company. If Teijin has presented inferior weapons compared to other companies, don't hesitate to reject them. Unfortunately, in the times to come, the importance of the military will only increase. At that time, I want you to create and select what is needed on the battlefield."

Yōko's wish was to prevent the destruction of Japan. It was impossible for a single company, Teijin, to revolutionize all of Japan's weapons. She also wanted her father, Hiromichi, to enjoy a quiet retirement by the time World War II began. Therefore, someone was needed to evolve the direction of the Army's weapons in place of her, Teijin.

"So... I'll be going to the Tokyo Imperial University two years from now, right?"

"First, yes. And please develop weapons that fit the form of future wars, starting with the upcoming European War."