Kanata and Shuri seemed to have started discussing their aspirations.
“So, Kanata, why did you enlist in the army?”
Shuri, now feeling at ease after deciding to let Shigure-san mediate, changed the subject.
“My aptitude test scores were high. I didn’t have any other talents, either.”
*Actually, it was because I had no other choice, but that’s how it is.* I felt unpleasant.
*Why do I have to lie to Shuri like this?*
“That’s so simplistic.”
“Then why did you enlist, Shuri?”
“I wanted to be useful to Village Chief Marika-san.”
“Isn’t that simplistic too?”
“It is, but I’m glad I got to see the world outside the village.”
*What? You’re glad to see this crooked, insane world!*
“Hey, hey, wouldn’t it be happier not to see the reality of this world? Tragedies like what happened to the Natsume are commonplace!”
“That’s exactly why. I might be able to do something. For now, all I can do is fight for Marika-san and the Commander’s goals.”
*This guy is seriously, ridiculously earnest.*
“The Commander seems to want to change the world. I agree with that. The reality of this world is too much.”
“It is, but even the Commander can’t create a Utopia. I don’t think so.”
“Hmm, I thought you were the type of person who aimed for Utopia, Shuri. Are you a realist after all?”
“I am aiming for it.”
“Utopia is a bit too high a hurdle… Wait, you’re aiming for it, really?!”
“Yes, I am. But you know, I don’t think we can ever reach Utopia. As long as people are people.”
…I understand what Shuri is trying to say.
“The depth of karma is also part of being human, huh? You mean the process of the journey towards a Utopia that can never be reached is the true human endeavor, right?”
“Yes. For a while after leaving the village, I thought we absolutely had to create a Utopia. But as I continued to fight, my thinking changed. I came to believe that it’s important to strive, even a little, to get closer to a Utopia that can never be reached. After all, do you think there’s such a thing as universal justice that applies to all eras?”
“No, justice always changes with the times and circumstances. For example, taking a human life is evil. But what about wicked villains who spread harm? What about dictators who kill based on their convictions? A world where no one has to kill is certainly the ultimate Utopia. But to create that Utopia, we still have to kill people.”
“…It’s a Mobius strip, isn’t it? An endless path with no answer, no matter how far we go. Where are we heading, and what are we fighting for…?”
“…Indeed… Shuri, aiming for a Utopia that can never be reached and continuing an endless journey is too noble for me. It’s not something I can do with my limited capacity. …Something I *can* do… hmm… Maybe creating ‘a world where a moderate amount of compromise is possible,’ I guess.”
“A world where a moderate amount of compromise is possible? What is that?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. A world where, somewhere in the world, conflicts and terrorism occur occasionally, and politicians and officials are corrupt. A world where shocking incidents and accidents happen, where there’s subtle bullying at work and school, and discord and abuse within families. Just a normal world.”
“…Don’t aim for that. I’m being serious.”
“I am too. I want to change the current reality where people kill and hate each other all over the world… let alone where using children for human experiments is commonplace. It’s far from Utopia and injustice and discord exist, but it’s a world where kindness also exists, not just injustice and discord. I’m fine with that. I don’t wish for anything more.”
“…A world where the majority of people, while harboring dissatisfaction, compromise and enjoy a decent level of happiness. That’s good, Kanata. A world like that might be achievable. Although your ambition is a bit low.”
“Considering the reality of this world, it’s still a pretty high hurdle.”
“Perhaps. But aren’t the current news reports terrible? Fierce battles on some front, terrorism killing so many people, anti-government riots suppressed by force… It’s always like that. The occasional news without deaths is about the commendation ceremony for a war hero, isn’t it?”
“Right? Instead of a world full of such bloody news, a world where at least political corruption or corporate fraud makes the news would be something we can compromise with. Now, political and corporate fraud is so common it’s not even news. I’m sick of that kind of world.”
“Yeah, sick of it… You want a world where, after a news report about a politician’s alleged corruption, the next news item is, ‘Next up: Baby ducks were born to the mother duck in ○× Park. Aren’t they adorable~’,” isn’t that the world you want, Kanata?”
That’s right. Japan, my original world. It wasn’t Utopia, but it was a society within the realm of compromise. Looking back now, it wasn’t such a bad world.
It was boring and dull, but that wasn’t society’s fault; I was the one making it dull.
“Kukuku, exactly. A world like that. There are corrupt officials, but…”
I raise my glass of chilled Daiginjō Akudaikan.
“Let’s create a world where there are also good magistrates to bring them to justice.”
Shuri raises her glass of Daiginjō Mejiyō.
“Cheers to a world where a moderate amount of compromise is possible!”
“But this place has long business hours. Isn’t it usually past last order?”
“I feel like we were asked for last order much earlier last time.”
“Maybe their business hours have been extended. But let’s call it a night.”
“Yeah, shall we grab some soba somewhere?”
“Soba is good, but isn’t ramen the ultimate way to finish off a night of drinking?”
“Ramen is good too. I know a great soy sauce ramen place.”
“Hey, when you say ramen, isn’t salt the standard?”
“Kanata, ramen is decided by soy sauce!”
“Salt ramen is the ultimate ramen, allowing you to truly savor the basic soup taste!”
“By that logic, salt would be the way to enjoy the material taste of the chicken in yakitori too!”
“Ugh! W-Yakitori is yakitori, and ramen is ramen, right? It’s unfair to lump them together and argue!”
“Customers, Torigen has a special chicken bone broth ramen on our closing menu. Please do try it.”
Shuri and I jumped up from our seats.
“D-Don’t suddenly appear from behind us!” “Did you train in stealth and enemy contact somewhere to not let me sense you?”
“My apologies. Torigen’s closing ramen is a double soup system, combining our special chicken bone broth with a seafood broth made from dried scallops, clams, and dashi from coarse dried fish. It’s a deeply flavorful dish that can be enjoyed by both young and old. We can season it with either salt or soy sauce to meet every customer’s needs. Of course, we also have miso tare, so we can prepare miso ramen as well.”
“Torigen is amazing!” “A double soup system combining special chicken bone broth and seafood broth, huh? It sounds delicious.”
“We have two types of noodles: curly and straight. You can choose your preferred firmness from very hard to soft. We’ll bring two small dishes so you can share the soup and enjoy it.”
“Then I’ll have the salt ramen. Curly noodles, soft!” “I’ll have the soy sauce. Straight noodles, firm!”
Shuri and I glared at each other, sparks flying.
*It seems our taste in food will never align!*
“The firmness is firm, which is fine. But curly noodles cling to the soup better than straight noodles! It’s common sense!”
“I can overlook curly noodles, but you should enjoy the firm, slightly chewy texture and the wheat flavor!”
Grrr! ……Not only do we have different preferences for noodle type and firmness, but even the points we emphasize don’t match!
“We also have a variety of toppings. Chashu, menma, corn, braised egg…”
“Braised egg!” “Braised egg!”
Our voices calling for the braised egg topping chimed in unison.
It seems we finally found something we could agree on at the very end.
The realization of a world where a moderate amount of compromise is possible has become Kanata and Shuri’s goal. However, that is actually a very difficult undertaking, isn’t it?
