"Can't a man even enjoy his cigarette?"
Nifuji Hirotaka let out a helpless sigh while holding his filtered cigarette and lighter in front of the daily supermarket due to the unpleasant gazes of many in his surroundings. Yes, he knew that smoking was bad, and he also knew that his action would more or less harm the others, but somehow, he just needed a moment of respite by smoking a single cigarette, so he could calm his emotions that were tense from various things that he encountered.
'This place is so shitty!'
Even if he had stood at the smoking area, it would still be the same, as people would consider him a nuisance, but considering this country, where a slight disturbance, people would call the police right away, he decided to stop, as he reminisced about his new life in Tokyo, Japan.
Yes, he had been reincarnated into a new life, having died in his previous one, and unexpectedly, he found himself in this new identity, whose name was Nifuji Hirotaka.
The second chance was nice and all, yet, he had to say, to live in this country wasn't as beautiful as it seemed to be, especially when he was reincarnated into a corporate worker, aka, a salaryman.
Many depicted life in this country as good, but that was only for the high school student, who was still filled with dreams and naivety about the world.
However, for the adults, it was hell.
There were numerous problems associated with being a salaryman in this country, including long and inflexible work hours, a lack of work-life balance, and a corporate culture that prioritizes company loyalty over individual well-being.
Even if the company where he worked was "quite" a good company, it was still the same as others, or rather, even those famous companies were famous for overworking their workers until they died from overwork.
Life is work. Work is life.
What's the meaning of you if you don't work?
"..."
Undoubtedly, he was at a loss, yet what could he say?
Compared to the dream, passion, and all other beautiful abstract goals that were said by those who had their parents' backing, networking, other impressive special abilities that made them able to change their lives with ease, or those people, whose money came to make people in the state of excitement (motivator) all the time, he had to see the reality before him.
The living expenses, bills, food, rent, and even taxes.
This was also the reason why many Isekai stories started with the death of an overworked corporate worker, as it was a reality.
Moreover, as he was suddenly forced to become a cooperative worker in a new identity and in a place he was unfamiliar with, it left him quite at a loss, yet as he didn't want anyone to know that he had become a new identity, he had to force himself to be okay, so because of that, he moved into the sales departement, which was more mobile as he didn't have to stay at the office all the time nor he had to meet his previous coworkers, who might notice something amiss, yet was also like cannon fodder, who was being pointed with a sharp spear on his back, being told to sell, sell, and sell even if he couldn't sell anymore.
Fortunately, he had some knack in this area, and more or less, the company didn't seek the most exceptional man in sales. More importantly, there were many records on the company, as well as experiences of others that he could ask about after work.
So, he initially mimicked their methods and then used one that worked well for him.
Trial and error.
By mimicking, learning, erasing what didn't feel like it suited him, then finding the most comfortable and suited way for himself, thus, in just a short moment, he had become one of the best salespeople in the company.
Then again, even if he was good, he didn't want to become the best, as it was better to work so-so, considering how it wouldn't affect his promotion, nor his salary.
If he became the best, it would just add more to his workload, so it was better to stay average.
While people might say that it would make his coworkers take his promotion, he didn't think so, since the system of promotion in this country was based on age.
As he grew older, his promotion would grow automatically, so why work hard, right?
With such a system, he had to say that he was glad that he wasn't born as a fresh graduate or young person, or else, he would have worked harder than cattle on the farm.
More importantly, even if he worked without giving his all, his salary remained the same when he worked so hard, so why did he have to work hard, when less than 50% effort was enough, then?
Still, he sometimes wonders whether he should remain in his current position instead of pursuing a sales role.
The pro of the sale was that he didn't have to meet his previous coworkers, so they wouldn't notice his change. As he had often met clients on the outside, walking around, which also worked as a form of exercise. Then again, the con was that he had many troublesome clients, which made him sigh.
As for his previous position, all he did was just stay in the office and work in front of his computer. It was a good thing, as he could maintain his introvert life, staying in the background, and just did what the supervisor asked him, too. If there was a con, it would be that he hardly moved, which made him lack exercise, and sometimes, the work was just overwhelming, which made him sigh, too.
Still, he came to the conclusion that no matter where work is shitty, and this was also the reason why he decided not to quit his job, since he knew well that his company still treated him better than others.
If he quits, could there be a chance for him to work in a better place?
By then, if he was unlucky, he could imagine himself working in the black company, working from eight to midnight with just a day of holiday or none at all.
Moreover, compared to the stress that came from work, it was far better than the stress that came from being unemployed.
It would be great if he had his own business, but he was well aware that starting a business was risky and there was no guarantee of success.
'There are also troublesome procedures.'
With just a wish alone, without money, connections, and other things, he felt that it was much faster for him to become homeless first than to make a good business that could stay suitable under the harsh situation of the country.
When he thought all of that, somehow, he had an urge to light up his cigarette.
Unfortunately—
"Does he not see that there are children around?"
"Cigarettes are poison. Does he want to poison us?"
"Those smokers are such a nuisance!"
"....."
He could hear the vicious whispers as if he were an illegal immigrant who was stranded in another country after he lost his home. Still, he wasn't in the sales for nothing, as his face was as thick as the Osaka Castle, and he didn't care about the words of others, since if he cared, his energy would have long been drained.
Yet, he couldn't help but check, looking at the sign of the smoking area in this place, as if telling them that he got permission to smoke here, but unfortunately, that sign wasn't there.
"......."
Did it change in just a short moment?
Letting out a helpless sigh, he wondered why the smoker received such discrimination.
Yes, he knew that smoking was bad, as it would make people die, yet in this world, wasn't there more danger than smoking cigarettes?
Couldn't a man even have his quiet moment to smoke without being interrupted?
As he was about to crush his Camel cigarette, a voice called out to him.
"Mister! Mister! Over here! Come here. You can smoke here."
That voice stopped his action as his head turned, looking for the source of the voice, but—
[Will you accept the system?]
[Yes/No?]
"..."
YES!
He was so excited that he clenched his cigarette and crushed it as finally, it was time for his happy second life!
As expected, the author didn't abandon him!
Yet, as he accepted his system, thinking that it was time for him to live without worry, having financial freedom, and do whatever he wanted to do with ease—
[Welcome to Sugar Papa System!]
[Congratulations, as you have accepted the system, you have received "Seeding Uncle Ability.]
"....."
What the heck?