Konbini Ossan Volume 2 Chapter 19 – Otogi’s Future Plan

“So, old man, you think this country’s screwed because of the war?”

Arisa asked, her voice uneasy. My explanation must have stirred up some anxiety in her.

“No, not necessarily. But I don’t think this country can provide the same level of safety as modern Japan.

…

Though, honestly, that would be true even without the war. You’ve experienced it yourself, haven’t you?

…

Living in a place with poor public safety makes life much more difficult.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true…”

Arisa had once been harassed by adventurers — an incident where she genuinely feared for her safety.

That level of danger is normal in this world. With that in mind, even thousands of gold coins would be an insufficient guarantee of safety.

Even if we were to somehow acquire tens of thousands of gold coins, it still wouldn’t match the safety and stability of modern Japan.

“And Marceline-san, I think you’ve misunderstood my goal.”

“My apologies? Your goal, Otogi-dono? I assumed you just wished to live a peaceful life as a regular citizen, avoiding involvement in the war.”

“Well, yes, I do wish for that kind of peace. But the standard I’m aiming for is likely far beyond what the people of this world imagine.”

With that, I began to explain in more detail.

“To begin with, the world Arisa-san and I came from was incredibly peaceful and prosperous.

…

There were no violent organizations like adventurers. Instead, elite units — much smaller in number — protected nations using weapons more powerful than anything a hero could wield.

…

With such overwhelming strength held by every major nation, the damage from starting a war far outweighed any potential benefits. Thus, no one dared to begin a war.

…

People lived in safe cities where adventurers weren’t even necessary, enjoying guaranteed food, clothing, and shelter. There was no need to fear hunger.”

“That’s… hard to imagine”, Marceline said, still skeptical.

I admit, my explanation was full of analogies and left out many details of Japan’s geopolitical context.

But for now, what’s important is that our world was more peaceful and wealthy — that much I needed her to understand.

“Believe it or not, that’s up to you, Marceline-san. But the point is: the value of a single day differs vastly between this world and ours.

…

Even if we had the exact same experiences today, the weight of happiness would differ.

…

Here, the bread you eat today might never be available again tomorrow. In our world, we could count on that same bread being there every single day without fail.”

“I see… So that’s the kind of world you came from, Otogi-dono.”

It seems Marceline had decided — for now — to accept my explanation. I nodded in affirmation.

And now, I moved to the heart of the matter.

“So the kind of life we consider ‘satisfying’ is far more luxurious than you might imagine.

…

We lived in security and abundance all our lives. Naturally, we expect the same here.

…

After all, it’s a standard we took for granted in our world. Continuing to pursue it here isn’t unreasonable, is it?”

“Now that you mention it… I do recall many of the heroes acting somewhat out of touch.

…

Even though they lived in what we considered luxurious conditions, they’d often complain about it. If they grew up in the world you described, then I suppose it makes sense.”

Marceline nodded thoughtfully, recalling her own experiences. Then she looked at me again.

“And you are the same, then, Otogi-dono? From our perspective, even thousands of gold coins would be overly generous — but to you, it’s still not enough to satisfy?”

“Yes. That amount is still too little to ensure the kind of lifestyle I desire.”

“I finally understand now.”

It seemed she had finally come to terms with my way of thinking.

“In that case,” Shuri-kun said, his eyes sparkling with curiosity, “I’d love to hear what you consider a truly satisfying life, Otogin.”

“What I need in life?”

“Yep! I mean, it’s not just about the gold coins, right? You’re even asking the country for funding. What is it you’re planning to do?”

So that’s what he’s after. Shuri-kun wants to know what kind of standard of living I’m aiming for — and what I intend to do to achieve it.

Well, I suppose there’s no harm in telling him. Both Shuri-kun and Marceline — and Arisa too — are people I trust.

“Let’s see. What I require in life is absolute safety and a standard of food, clothing, and shelter equivalent to that of my world.

…

Of course, this world isn’t entirely hopeless in that regard, but when it comes to convenience and safety, it still doesn’t compare.”

“Hmm… You sure use the word ‘safety’ a lot, Otogin. That seems to be your biggest priority, isn’t it?”

“Exactly, Shuri-kun. You catch on quickly.”

“Hehehe~”

I patted Shuri-kun’s head, and he smiled blissfully. It was a warm moment — but we couldn’t afford to get sidetracked.

“Just as Shuri-kun said, my highest priority is safety. And currently, there are two main factors that threaten safety in this world:

…

First, the ongoing war. Second, the presence of unruly individuals like adventurers roaming the streets.”

“Old man, I’ve been meaning to ask for a while now, but you really don’t think highly of adventurers, huh?”

“Of course not. They make a living by violence. In Japanese terms, they’re basically gangsters.”

“Okay, now even I think that’s going too far.”

“Well, let’s not get caught up in the details.”

I brushed the topic aside, and though Arisa didn’t look satisfied, she held her tongue.

“To ensure our safety, I’ve come to one clear conclusion.”

My dramatic pause caused everyone to lean in slightly, holding their breath.

And then, I declared:

“I will stop the war. That is my ultimate goal.”

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E/N:

(2/3)2nd chapter of consecutive release! Ossan has a difficult ambition and the yapping doesn't end here so stay tuned!

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