Chapter 170: [The Price Of Health]


    <<Okay then, let''s split up and buy the ingredients…>>


    <<Wait, wait, wait.>>


    A cooking showdown with Angu Ogu.


    The suggestion was made not to spoil the surprise with the ingredients, but we were stopped.


    <<In America, if you let a child wander alone, you''ll get reported. Technically, I''m Iroha''s guardian.>>


    <<Huh. Even someone my age is not okay?>>


    <<It varies by state, but Iroha''s age is safe. But you need to be aware of your appearance. After all, even ady like me gets approached by the police quite often.>>


    <<Oh, I see.>>


    Regardless of being ady or not, it''s nobody''s fault and unavoidable. But entrusting the Secret Service, Angu Ogu''s bodyguards, with the role of guardians. Oh, I see.


    <<Well then, let''s buy various ingredients and any leftovers we can share with the Secret Service. Is that okay?>>


    <<I''m not sure. I don''t know either.>>


    <<Oh, sounds good.>>


    It seemed like they were listening to our conversation as we received a signal from the Secret Service personnel.


    Once decided, we began tossing ingredients into the shopping cart.


    <<Hehe, Iroha. You''ll get to show them your stuff.>>


    <<Right, because I can''t make excuses if I lose at home, huh? Still, our lineups are quite different. So it might be tricky.>>


    <<In the Asian section, they have some Japanese ingredients. ‘Shoyu'' is popr here, and ‘tofu'' is getting attention as a healthy food. I don''t know if they have ‘miso,'' though.>>


    <<Really? With Ogu as the opponent, it''s just the right handicap, I guess.>>


    <<Hey!>>


    <<We also want some fish, but it''s tough. They have frozen shrimp and salmon fillets, but not much else. It''s quite a contrast to the meat section.>>


    <<There''s a bunch of bread here.>>


    <<How many of these are there? And there are so many varieties, but they all seem pretty simple.>>


    <<True, there are differences in the makers and ingredients, but the shapes are rtively standard. Japanese pastries and ready-to-eat meals are just unique. Thanks to that, I ended up buying a lot of different things from convenience stores.>>


    However, because the ingredients were sorge, the cart wasn''t filling up quickly! That''s right, the cart itself was ridiculously huge.


    <<Then, how about beverages?>>


    <<What on earth is this!? The entire wall is filled with c!>>


    Not a metaphor, but c stretched as far as the eye could see. This sight seemed like something you could only find here.


    <<Even though they''re Americans, they don''t drink this much c, do they?>>


    <<But if it''s too little, the stockers won''t be able to keep up.>>


    <<They drink it!?>>


    <<Well, in America, it''s like ‘drinking water.'' I like the canned type, so I''ll buy a few cases for now.>>


    Naturally, it was in cases. In fact, they only sold it in cases.


    As expected of the scale.


    And Ango Ogu''s description of it as ‘drinking water'' was not just a metaphor, it seemed.


    I went to look for ‘regr water'' anyway…


    <<But the c is cheaper. What''s going on!?>>


    <<Oh, yeah, that''s true. Japan has cheap water, so it probably feels that way.>>


    Of course, it depends on the brand, but the water was ridiculously expensive.


    Or rather, c is too cheappared to the cost of living.


    But we can''t just not buy it.


    I tried to load it into the cart.


    <<O-ogu, help me with this…>>


    <<Ugh. I''m definitely getting Secret Service''s help on the way back.>>


    Water was only sold in dozens of bottles, so it was heavy. With strained efforts, Ango Ogu and I managed to lift it and load it into the cart.


    <<American tap water can also be soft or drinkable in some ces… I don''t drink it either.>>


    <<Well, if you get sick, it might be more expensive.>>


    No doubt about that. Medical bills here are insanely high. Iroha, did you get overseas insurance in Japan?>>


    <<Yeah, that''s right.>>


    I think that was the right choice. Even with insurance, medical costs are high, and not all hospitals ept it. Only those in partnership with the contracted insurance.


    <<Huh, is that so!?>>


    When your health is in the worst condition, and you finally make it to the hospital… just the thought of it is hell.


    <<They say Americans don''t like going to the hospital much, but I can understand why.>>


    <<Actually, Japanese people go to the hospital for minor things too much. Let me give you these words, Iroha.>>


    <<What is it?>>


    <<The most expensive thing in America is ‘health''.>>


    <<Oh, that makes a lot of sense.>>


    After looking around, I noticed that the healthier products were more expensive. Things like vegetables and water. On the other hand, unhealthy foods are surprisingly cheap, like junk food and c.


    <<Let''s be careful not to get sick. If you need an ambnce, who knows how much it''ll cost?>>


    <<It could be tens of thousands of dors. So, be careful, okay?>>


    I already have to see the doctor quite frequently. Emergency services are more expensive than regr visits in Japan, but the difference is significant.


    <<Ingredients are about it. Now let''s buy some everyday items…>>


    Slippers, detergent, and a voltage converter were tossed into the cart.


    Or rather, they actually sold it…


    Walmarkets is amazing.


    Just when I thought that was everything, I spotted something sold that would never be seen in Japan.


    <<Ogu Ogu, look! They''re selling guns!>>


    I tugged at Ango Ogu''s shirt hem and pointed at the showcase.