Somehow, Living Life in Another World is Wrong, as I Expected Ch. 9.1

Convenience. If one were to look it up on the internet I sadly no longer have access to, it is likely to give you a definition akin to ‘little effort’. One says that things are convenient when things go their way, and inconvenient when not. For example, a character might say ‘Well, isn’t that convenient!’ when they find a fully loaded shotgun, complete with reserve ammo, inside an abandoned house during the zombie apocalypse.

They’ll also say it’s inconvenient when that same shotgun jams.

This is, of course, the main reason why convenience stores exist. It gives individuals a way to purchase goods with much less effort than going to a grocery store, or the mall, or what have you.

However, that shouldn’t be the be and end all of what convenience means. There are things that look like they’re convenient, when in reality, they’re just the product of careful forethought by whoever was in charge. In that case, then convenience isn’t really a convenience. It’s competence, one that only few can truly see the value of.

That would bring others to the conclusion that convenience is just really luck, disguised as something else.

Even that, however, would be wrong.

Luck is based on complete chance. Randomness at its core. There could be some that try to manipulate things to go their way, and in the end, they just make it a game of manipulation and observation rather than luck. When it rains after you thought, ‘What could possibly go wrong?’, then you’re just an idiot who didn’t see the rain clouds forming two hours ago.

Going to a casino to play the slots is another example of false luck. Casino owners always rig the game in their favor, and the people who win big are nothing more than individuals who were predetermined to win by some sort of algorithm running in the background. Picked to win just to sucker even more people to gamble away what money they still have left.

All of this together, I can come to the conclusion that none of these could come together in a single package. You wouldn’t need convenience or luck if you were competent. You wouldn’t be competent if you relied on convenience and luck. A reasonable thought process, I could conclude. Except I would be wrong.

Because I’ve seen luck, convenience and competence in play, and her name is Priscilla Barielle.

…

“I did not expect you to be acquainted with one another, Hikigaya.” Was Karsten glaring at me as she spoke? It’s a fool’s bet to think otherwise. As for the reason? Well, that headcase was sitting on one of my chairs, even going so far as pulling out a fan and covering the lower half of her face. I didn’t need to be omniscient to tell you that she was probably smirking up a storm behind it.

“Of course I would keep an eye out on competent individuals in my garden, Karsten. The fact that you’ve been incapable of bringing him to your side suggests that you do not.” Barielle taunted Karsten, but the tone of her voice was that of being completely sure. I breathed out as I almost physically felt Karsten bristle in annoyance.

“What do you want?” I did not want to deal with this any more than I needed to. Already, I would likely be fixing my roof from the hail. Adding a spat between entitled princess and hardass duchess was not ideal.

Karsten’s sharp gaze flickered between Barielle and me before settling on the latter, "I came to discuss the current state of the capital, given the circumstances." Her tone was measured, but there was an edge to it, one that suggested she wasn’t thrilled about Barielle’s presence either, "Though it seems I’ve arrived at an...interesting moment."

Aldebaran coughed into his fist, clearly trying to suppress a laugh. Felt, meanwhile, had retreated behind the counter, arms crossed as she scowled at the entire scene. Rom, one to avoid responsibility that didn't concern him, had taken the opportunity to start tallying up the day’s earnings, pointedly ignoring the tension in the room.

What great employees I have.

Barielle snapped her fan shut with a crisp click, "How fortuitous. I was just about to inquire about Hikigaya’s plans myself." She tilted her head, her single visible eye gleaming with amusement, "It seems we share similar interests, Karsten."

Karsten’s jaw tightened, "I was under the impression you had little interest in matters outside your own estate."

"One must always be aware of the tools at their disposal." Barielle countered smoothly, "And Hikigaya is nothing if not useful."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "I’m right here, you know."

"Indeed you are." Barielle agreed, as if that fact were merely an afterthought, "Which is why I propose a simple solution: You will accompany me back to my estate. The weather is clearly worsening, and I would hate for my newest investment to freeze to death in this hovel."

Felt bristled, "Hey! This hovel is our shop, you-!"

I held up a hand, cutting her off, "First of all, I’m not an investment. Second, I’m not going anywhere with you." I turned to Karsten, "And before you ask, no, I’m not jumping ship to her either. I’ve got my own business to run.”

Karsten exhaled sharply, her patience visibly fraying, "This isn’t about recruitment, Hikigaya. You of all people should know that this weather is not natural. Reports suggest localized disturbances across the capital, not just here. If this is the Witch Cult’s doing-"

"Then running off to a noble’s estate won’t change anything." I finished flatly, "If they’re bold enough to mess with the weather in the capital, the one with the damned Sword Saint in it, then they’re not going to care about targeting anyone else."

Barielle clicked her tongue. Looks like I was finally getting on her nerves, "How pessimistic. And here I thought you pride yourself on pragmatism."

"I am being pragmatic. If the Cult’s here, then the best thing I can do is stay put and not draw attention." I crossed my arms in defiance.

I was not stupid. I knew that we had drawn the attention of the Witch Cult, even if Romanée-Conti was telling the truth with the whole factionalism thing. Just the news of the White Whale's death would have brought their insanity on top of us.

To move now would be to attract even more attention. While the Cult might not normally care about a blacksmith joining up with Karsten, they would when there were rumors about me running up and down taverns. Rumors I knew to be spreading entirely because Astrea had basically announced them to be true.

So, knowing that, I knew that the easiest solution was for me to not go with Karsten, as I had the ability to, you know, create portals just about anywhere I wanted. If I needed help, or if someone else needed it, I could just portal my way in and out of there without anyone stopping me.

But that requires that I be alive to do so.

Bringing myself into Karsten’s camp makes my location even more public than it already is. And sure, she can argue that we’d be safer with numbers on our side, but I’d bite back that there is strength in anonymity as well. I can just as easily help them from a distance without any trouble.

Hopefully.

No, the more that I look at this situation, the more I realize that Karsten simply doesn’t want me to join Barielle, not that I ever considered that option. I know that I’m higher on the totem pole than others, even beyond my portals. Earth’s modern schooling system made sure of that. This isn’t even the first time that Karsten has tried to recruit me.

However, I had made myself clear that I refused to join anyone’s camp.

To do so would be to integrate myself in the politics of another world. I may have lived here for several years now, but that is just too much for me. My temporary alignment to the Emilia camp was nothing more than an alignment of priorities that I could not ignore. That does not mean I would support her in the upcoming Royal Selection.

Because the moment I pick a side, I become a target more than I already am. Throwing aside the threat of the Witch Cultists, there are countless threats that would love nothing more than to target a camp just because it would mean pure and unadulterated chaos. Or, even the camps targeting each other in order to get a leg up on the others.

Right now, that doesn't seem to be the case. Karsten is too much of a stickler for rules, Barielle is someone that hates subterfuge like that, Hoshin would see it as bad for her public image, and Natsuki would prevent Emilia from ever doing anything remotely close to that.

The only problem is that there is still one candidate still missing.

Knowing how this world operates, I wouldn't be surprised if the final candidate was some hopped up psychopath bent on total world domination. One that would have no qualms doing everything and anything to get the throne.

In short, staying out of the camps provided me more safety than joining one. This also freed me up to use any and all resources from all of them in order to fuel my main goal: going home.

I knew that Karsten knew this. I had already explained it to her a while ago, when she first tried to get me to join her. That she was trying again was just an effort doomed to fail. I guess she just couldn’t take Barielle’s taunting.

Shows just how stressed she really is, I suppose.

I snapped back to attention as movement caught my eye. Ah, looks like I went too far in my monologue again that I completely missed what must’ve been an interesting argument between the two Royal Candidates.

I am so disappointed. Not.

Giving my attention back to everyone, I could spot that Felt was glaring holes into the floor, Rom was pretending to be engrossed in his ledger, and I could practically hear Karsten's teeth grinding from where I stood.

Barielle, of course, was the first to break it.

"How delightfully stubborn." She mused, fan fluttering lazily, "But tell me, Hikigaya, do you truly believe you can remain neutral forever?"

"Yes." I bluntly told her, "I frankly don't care who wins the damn selection, just keep me out of it."

There was a twitch from Karsten. Fuck, I forgot about that.

“Very well then.” The Duchess had calmed down significantly, and was now giving a feral smile over to Barielle, one that the Princess narrowed her eyes at, “I shall respect your wishes this time around, Hikigaya. However, I must request your assistance once more.”

“I figured.” I snorted, “No way you’d come over here without reason, especially with the hail and shit.”

“Indeed.” Giving Barielle a look, Karsten made a face that made it look like that she had been sucking on a lemon for a while now, “I suppose you should listen as well, Barielle.”

“I need not the permission from my subjects to listen to matters regarding my garden.” This bitch just didn’t know when to stop, did she?

“Just get on with it, I still have a roof to fix.”

“Very well.” I had to give it to her, Karsten could still pull off that snap back to professionalism faster than I could, “I will be quick with this: Wilhelm and Ferris have been investigating the source of the storm since its inception, and we’ve come to the startling realization that this is either the work of an individual of the same level as Margrave Mathers, or a metia that is similar in scale.”

“Proof of this?” I narrowed my eyes. This is going in a direction I don’t like.

“Nothing more than conjectures and theories. From our observations and mapping with the help of the Sword Saint, the storm has occurred in a ring-like fashion throughout the Kingdom, closing and tightening as we speak. Those areas that fall outside the ring experience a sudden cessation of any snow whatsoever, while those that remain inside have the effects heightened, which explains the hail you can see now. Though, with the current rate that we have observed, the capital should be free of the effects shortly.”

“Ring implies that there’s a focal point for this.” Alright, that’s it. I already know where this was going. I didn’t need a damn future teller to tell me that much.

“You’re correct in that regard.” At this, the Duchess sighed, “Unfortunately, I am not surprised where it is, and neither will you, to be honest.”

“It’s in Mathers’ territory isn’t it.”

“Specifically the forest where Natsuki Subaru and Emilia were heading towards, yes.”

Goddammit, I hate being right. Is it so much to ask that I spend more than a couple of days to not get involved with the damned brat?!

…

A/N: Couldn't find time to write more, so the chapter that is delayed for next week, April 20, will be posted alongside the chapter for April 27.