How to Live as an Immortal - Chapter 271
Only Noblemtl
How to Live Immortally Episode 271
271 It’s annoying
* * *
Passing through the Japanese sand garden, Karesansui, you enter the house. Following the footsteps of the main hall, a wall-sized fusuma opens to the left and right.
Sunlight streams through the gaps between the slats, illuminating the cell at the end.
At the center was the medical pod, Anima. Megacorp, Inatomi Corporation’s masterpiece and million-seller.
When I look inside, I see an old man with wrinkles and stubbornness engraved on his face. If he had been on life support since morning―
“You must be feeling quite unwell. Surely you wouldn’t be asking someone like this to do something for you? Even if he’s a swordsman, don’t you think it’s too harsh to ask him to use his name and leave behind a will?”
“What do you think of me, our Gaon?”
“Then why is someone like the chairman in a place like this?”
At the question filled with innocence, Alice put her hand to her cheek as if embarrassed.
“… … That’s a bit difficult to explain.”
“I guess it’s that level of illness.”
“No, that’s not it.”
Alice, who was moving her lips as if trying to say something, was playing with her poor hair.
“Well, Mr. Gaon, you’ll know when you see it.”
As Alice manipulates the control pad, the cover opens. At the same time, the old man stands up, holding his chin and the outer edge of the anima. The moment his bent back straightens with both feet on the ground, a huge shadow is cast on the ground.
I didn’t notice it when he was lying down, but when I saw him standing up, he seemed to be over two meters tall.
There, it had six fingers, whether it had polydactyly or not. It also had three arms instead of two. It didn’t have a sub-arm or a separate unit attached.
Literally an innate characteristic. An appearance that only those who have absorbed the gene pool to its limit have―
‘Are you a genius?’
It seemed clear that someone, whether intentional or natural, had a lot of desire for the old man.
It was then that an old man wearing a haori hanging nearby fell down on the sofa with deft movements.
I wanted to bring up the story, but he just yawned and closed his eyes with a tired expression on his face.
match!
Alice opened her mouth, clapping her hands as if to repel the demon.
“Look who’s here.”
“Haam. Who is this? Isn’t he a crybaby?”
“I think it’s time you forgot that nickname. Anyway, it’s been a while, Nobita.”
Nobita Okamoto.
The president of Yohanekai, which dominates the area.
I heard that he was a man of great ability who rose to the center of the Miyauchi-gumi from the body of a mere blacksmith, but in Gaon’s eyes, he was just a lazy person.
“It must be a personal matter since you came without even making an appointment.”
“I have a favor to ask.”
“If it’s a sword, I think I brought one last time… … .”
Just when it seemed like his words were fading, Nobita collapsed again. It wasn’t that his condition had gotten worse. It was his tofu-like mind that had gotten worse.
“Nobita, please don’t embarrass me.”
“Life is really annoying. Every day I eat, wash, and poop. Every week I have to cut my hair, clip my fingernails, and go out. Every year on my birthday, on holidays, and on condolence days, I repeat this until I die. The more I think about it, the more exhausted I become.”
I think I knew what Alice was trying to say.
From his innate cunning to the burnout syndrome he suffered in his later years—the old man named Nobita was the embodiment of helplessness.
Aristo continued the conversation freely, as if it wasn’t the first or second time he had experienced it.
“Greetings, Mr. Gaon. This is the president of Yohanekai, Mr. Nobita Okamoto. Now, please greet Mr. Nobita as well.”
“It’s annoying. In a situation where the situation is so obvious, it’s annoying to add more formality. It’s annoying to even say the obvious out loud.”
“… … .”
Alice shrugged her shoulders as if she had both hands and feet raised. Regardless, Nobita turned his head. Suddenly, a piercing gaze stared straight at Gaon.
“Okay, dear. What do you want?”
“I would like you to make a sword for me. I heard from Miss Seventy that there is no other blacksmith as good as you.”
“You want me to make a sword for you? No.”
It was a firm rejection, but Gaon was not discouraged. All the craftsmen he met had a picky side. Nobita was a master in the industry. He was in a position where he was not chosen.
“Can you tell me why? If you think I am not worthy of your sword, then try to prove it.”
“Who said something like that? It’s true that I have pride as a craftsman, but it’s not enough to be selective about who I accept. You also have a recommendation from our Alice, so you’re probably a pretty famous swordsman outside of the company. But… … .”
“but?”
“it’s bothering.”
In the end, it came full circle.
“At this age, it’s hard to endure the scorching heat and work. And what about the thirst? If you hammer for a long time, your shoulders get numb, your head starts to ring, and your muscles start to hurt. There’s nothing more difficult and annoying than that.”
When Nobita, who had become one with the sofa, acted as if it was natural, Alice urged him.
“Mr. Nobita.”
“Ah, now I’m starting to feel tired of breathing. I want to go into Anima and rest. If the coffin is more comfortable, I’m willing to go in right now.”
Nobita covers his ears like a child and praises modern civilization.
“It’s serious.”
“… … I can guarantee your abilities. They are at a level that you can’t even find in the Martian Defense Forces. If you weren’t a member of the Four Major Dark Forces, you would have been treated well by Megacorp or the city government.”
“If you can tolerate my eccentric nature.”
Gaon didn’t think things would go smoothly either. That’s why he approached Nobita politely.
“I am willing to pay a high price. Perhaps in this era, no one pursues the essence of the sword as much as I do.”
“What’s the price? Do I look like someone who would accept money that you’ve given me? I’m telling you that I’m really annoyed.”
“Contrary to what you claim, your words are getting longer and longer, so it seems like you have a clear idea of what you want. Instead of trying to gain the upper hand, why don’t you get straight to the point? You said that what you hate is pretense?”
Yes, if Nobita really didn’t want to negotiate, he could have just gone back into Anima. But the fact that he didn’t chase away the intruder means that he also wanted something.
“Look at the nonsense that little kid is talking about.”
The answer he got was extremely harsh, perhaps because he had hit the nail on the head. Still, Nobita’s interest seemed piqued, so he sat up straight.
“Well, it seems like you have at least some sense, so I guess it’s worth bringing up.”
Nobita, who was burning a bear cub, exhales smoke.
“My granddaughter has recently been involved in a difficult situation. She needs help.”
“You kept it hidden until now because it was too much trouble?”
“How did you come to that conclusion? No matter how annoying it is, isn’t it unacceptable to abandon your family? What’s wrong with your head?”
It was something Nobita didn’t want to hear.
“so?”
“The child is studying at Isabella Public College. Unfortunately, it is not a place I can visit in person.”
“Because it’s district 15.”
“I’m glad you didn’t have to explain it for long.”
District 15.
The Lucesia family was in charge of the Black Market. Nobita was a Miyauchi-gumi executive, and a senior member at that.
It was certain that he would be on the list maintained by the Lucesia family.
“On the outside, there are only a handful of people who know that the child is my blood relative. I wanted him to live a life unrelated to the Miyauchi-gumi.”
“It’s just a waste of time to step forward and deal with it yourself.”
still-
“Wouldn’t it be better to leave it to someone you can trust?”
“Even if I tell the other guys, it would only be a weakness. And it’s a family problem.”
“Is the problem solver you met for the first time today okay?”
“I don’t trust you, Aesong. I trust Alice’s judgment.”
Alice coughs in vain, seeming embarrassed.
“More details?”
“Let my granddaughter tell you that directly. Then she will be able to judge the incident objectively.”
The general outline was set. Nobita must have been secretly looking forward to Alice’s visit.
“So it’s black?”
“If you can solve it satisfactorily, you might feel motivated. To the point where you can endure the inconvenience.”
“Okay, I’ll accept it for now.”
He gets up from his seat. Aristo also starts wiggling his hips, but Nobita waves his hand to stop him.
“Alice, you should stay and keep company.”
“But Mr. Gaon, you’re the guest I brought with me?”
“If you go, won’t the reason I didn’t go fade away?”
“Oh, I guess so.”
“And if you go with me and complete the mission, I can’t really tell if I should give that guy a sword.”
Gaon’s eyes became triangular as his true feelings flowed out like water.
“You said you didn’t trust Miss Seventy, but now you’re saying you’ll only be satisfied after seeing my skills with your own eyes.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but it’s annoying.”
Nobita, who had placed the bear cub far away, closed his eyes and fell asleep.
* * *
Area 27, underground.
The man asked with a puzzled look on his face as he saw Kaito, who had joined the meeting late.
“You look even more unpleasant today. Did you really dislike being suddenly asked to meet up?”
“No, that’s not it. I just saw an unexpected face on the way here.”
“who?”
“Iris, that is. As always, her head is held up stiffly and she doesn’t know how to bow.”
Hiiragi Alice.
Everyone kept their mouths shut when the name was mentioned. To them, it was a sore finger, an insurmountable wall of tears.
And ultimately, it was an enemy that had to be defeated.
“Isn’t that both her strength and her weakness?”
“I heard you’ve been hanging around here and there these days.”
“You never know, maybe he’s just going to stay in the swordsman’s seat.”
Even within the Miyauchi-gumi, the brilliant members only slander one person. They are all equally qualified to become the next swordsman.
“Well, enough of that petty chatter.”
It was at that moment that Kaito, who had dismissed it like that, glared at the top seat.
“So why did you call us? If you had something to say, you could have just sent it to the device.”
For a moment, all eyes are focused on the host.
“The matter is a bit too serious for that.”
He was a man who always brought meaningful agendas. Everyone’s eyes couldn’t help but sparkle. As expected, this incident was enough to satisfy their desires.
“In the end, today’s topic can be seen as being related to that sword.”
The atmosphere in the room was pulled taut like a rubber band for a moment. The man felt the current on his skin and smiled brightly.
“Maybe it’s because I’m an outsider, but the Miyauchi-gumi tends to overestimate the swordsmanship. Should I say it’s an unconscious reaction that stems from a tradition passed down from generation to generation?”
It’s like grasping at clouds.
Kaito, unable to hold back any longer, muttered softly.
“So what are you trying to say?”
“Oh, that’s… … .”