Konbini Ossan Volume 6 Chapter 18 — The Truth and the Will Behind It
“I asked Arisa-san. I asked why she was doing all this.”
Maria continued, still looking exasperated with me.
“She said it was because her skill told her so.”
“Her skill? You mean «Calculator».”
“Most likely.”
It seemed even Arisa’s choice came with «Calculator»’s guarantee.
All the more reason for me to believe I had no place interfering.
“During the base inspection, she saw you and the Saint embracing each other. She said everything became clear to her then.”
The moment she said it, I realized it.
That was the day everything started to go wrong.
“She concluded she wasn’t necessary. That you’d always have plenty of other women. That you would never struggle for affection.
…
And that if she married the Marquis, it would yield the greatest benefit to you. She said that was why she should choose him — because it was the optimal outcome.”
“But why? Why would Arisa-san care about my benefit?”
“Because she loves you!”
Maria’s voice sharpened, tinged with frustration.
“She said she loves you. And because she loves you, your greatest happiness becomes her greatest happiness. That’s what she told me.”
Ah. Yes.
That is a logic I can understand.
It mirrored my own misguided reasoning so precisely it hurt.
“She said the same answer kept resurfacing in her mind. That using herself to support your dreams and goals — helping you grow — was what made her happiest.
…
And she said her skill showed her that.”
“I see. Then if «Calculator» derived that conclusion, it must be correct.”
The instant those words left my mouth—
A sharp SMACK! cracked through the air as Maria slapped me across the face.
“Don’t be ridiculous! A conclusion from a skill does not define a person’s happiness. Absolutely not!”
“But «Calculator» is a skill the goddess gave—”
“So what? Are you saying people without that skill can’t be happy? That people who never receive ‘the right answer’ are doomed to be wrong, miserable, and full of failures?
…
Nonsense. People choose their own happiness. Skill or no skill.”
Her logic was sound.
And yet «Calculator» was supposed to provide the “correct” answer…
Thinking that far, I finally saw it.
«Calculator» derives answers.
Nothing more.
It predicts outcomes from what it sees and hears, from available information.
Which means emotional distortion — biased input — can produce distorted conclusions.
If someone forces down their true feelings…
If they feed the skill only rationalized, suppressed, incomplete data…
«Calculator» might easily undervalue emotional happiness.
Then of course… of course the answer would become warped.
And I knew exactly when that distortion began.
From the day Arisa confessed her feelings.
I denied her. Again and again.
I refused her, pushed her away, told her she could never be that to me.
On our journey I continued rejecting her.
But she never gave up — she kept saying she loved me.
And still I refused to accept it.
Then she saw me with Mimori-san — and that became the final piece.
«Calculator» had no remaining emotional evidence for any conclusion except that she should give up on me.
Input twisted.
Output, also twisted.
All of it traced back to me.
My rejection created the “logical” conclusion she followed.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
Her abrupt change of attitude.
Her prioritizing my benefit over her own happiness.
All of it was simply «Calculator» producing the “most reasonable” answer from the warped data I gave her.
“You seem to understand now.”
Maria’s relieved voice floated over to me.
She must have assumed my long silence meant comprehension.
And she wasn’t wrong — about the flaw in «Calculator», at least.
“Now then.”
She straightened, meeting my eyes.
“One last question, Otsugi-sama. What will you do?”
Her tone made it clear.
This was the real issue.
The one I could no longer run from.
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E/N:
Now RUN! Run like your life depends on it, Ossan, towards the one you LOVE!
Stay tuned! (2/3 chapters)
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