One Piece: Start by Rebuilding Kuri

Yukiko planned to take Otsuru with her so she could enjoy delicious dango and red bean soup even in Kuri.

In truth, teahouses and izakayas like this one sold such foods, and there were many such shops in Kuri. However, Yukiko had developed a particular fondness for Otsuru's simple yet delightful sweets.

So, she straightforwardly asked Otsuru if she would consider moving her business to Kuri.

But Otsuru hesitated.

She had thought about moving to Kuri before, but at the time, she was torn. On one hand, she wasn't sure if Kuri was truly as good as people said. On the other hand, Kin'emon had left with Oden without sending any letters, and Otsuru was afraid that if she moved to Kuri, Kin'emon wouldn't be able to find her if he returned.

After much deliberation, she heard that it had become difficult to settle in Kuri, which ironically relieved her of her worries.

Now that Yukiko brought it up again, Otsuru felt a bit tempted.

The prosperity of Kuri was no longer in doubt. Otsuru had heard that this year, Kuri's tribute to the Flower Capital had even surpassed the combined contributions of Ringo, Kibi, and Udon.

But Otsuru was still concerned about Kin'emon.

She and Kin'emon had a long history. Although the guy was a complete scoundrel—not working and even stealing money from her occasionally—despite being strong and capable, they had grown up together, and Otsuru had always been tolerant of him.

If she left now, they might never see each other again.

After all, they had been friends for so many years, and Otsuru found it hard to make a decision.

But if she let this opportunity slip, she would feel regret. Nowadays, ordinary merchants could still do business in Kuri, but buying land or property there came at a steep price.

Half a year ago, if Otsuru had made up her mind to sell her teahouse, she could have bought a plot twice the size in a less desirable part of Kuri. But now, she couldn't even afford a small corner.

Now, the opportunity to do business in Kuri was right in front of her. Who would have thought that this seemingly cold but beautiful woman was actually the head of Kuri's financial administration?

Most of Kuri's land belonged to the daimyo, and with the head of the Financial Commission offering her a chance to open a teahouse, even in the most bustling area, it was as simple as a word.

Otsuru felt like she had been thinking for a long time, but in reality, it was only a moment.

She nodded in agreement.

Thinking about it, even if she moved to Kuri, it didn't mean she would lose contact with Kin'emon forever. After all, he was following the shogun's son, who would undoubtedly become the next shogun.

The current shogun had no other children.

As one of the earliest samurai to follow Oden, Kin'emon would surely become a prominent noble in the Flower Capital. Meeting him again wouldn't be difficult.

However, once someone rises to prominence, whether old friends still count as friends is uncertain.

After all, it had been two years without a single letter...

Otsuru didn't dwell too much on this. She didn't have those kinds of feelings for Kin'emon yet. Who could develop affection for a scoundrel?

"In that case, prepare yourself. You can either come with us to Kuri on our return trip, or I can write you a document to take to the daimyo's mansion directly. Someone will arrange everything for you," Yukiko said.

"I'll wait for you here, Miss Yukiko," Otsuru said softly as she ladled red bean soup. After all, she was a woman, and the thought of going to an unfamiliar place alone was daunting.

Having Yukiko, someone she knew, with her would make it less frightening.

Yukiko nodded and didn't say more.

The two fell silent for a moment. After all, they weren't particularly close.

Soon, Otsuru brought out the prepared food—tea, red bean soup, and dango. They were just snacks, and Shutenmaru couldn't understand why Yukiko was so fond of them.

Especially the dango and red bean soup, which were almost too sweet.

But the tea helped balance the sweetness, and Shutenmaru wasn't one to turn down free food.

After resting for a while, Yukiko and the others left.

Otsuru returned to the teahouse with the ten gold coins she had just received, placing them in a box. In truth, the food and tea weren't worth that much. Although there were thirty people, it was just a few plates of dango and a pot of red bean soup.

She sighed, closed the box, and put it back in its place, then turned to clean up the teahouse.

"I wonder if Kin'emon can stick with Lord Oden," Otsuru thought. She was most afraid that Kin'emon would give up halfway and return without having achieved anything.

This wasn't impossible. She had helped Kin'emon find legitimate jobs before, but he always quit and came back. If he gave up this time, he would truly have nothing to fall back on.

Thinking this, Otsuru decided not to sell the teahouse, leaving it as a safety net for Kin'emon.

She planned to take only some clothes and valuables with her. That would be enough.

With Yukiko's help, Otsuru didn't have to worry about not having a shop in Kuri. But she couldn't rely on others' kindness forever.

"At the very least, I should repay the cost of the shop Miss Yukiko prepares for me with my future earnings," Otsuru thought.

The high cost of land in Kuri was one thing, but more importantly, having the opportunity to buy it was already a favor. She couldn't accept the property for free.

...

After leaving Otsuru's teahouse, they were already very close to the Flower Capital's central city.

By dusk, Yukiko and the others saw the red torii gate at the outskirts of the capital.

The Flower Capital's central city was slightly elevated compared to the suburbs, like a raised platform. The entrance had smooth stone steps, and passing through the torii gate led to the true heart of the Flower Capital.

Inside the capital, the houses were orderly. Even the common people living here weren't destitute. After all, it was the capital. Even a dilapidated house held some value. Those who couldn't afford to eat had long sold their properties and moved elsewhere.

In other words, the prosperity of the Flower Capital wasn't universal. Those who couldn't survive here were forced to leave. With Wano being so vast and each region governed differently, the cost of living varied greatly.

"What a huge cherry blossom tree!"

Shutenmaru looked up at the center of the city and was immediately captivated by the pink crescent-shaped cherry blossom tree.

"Three days unseen, and the world is filled with cherry blossoms."