落とし穴２掘：温泉の醍醐味
**Pitfall 2: The True Pleasure of Hot Springs**
From here on out, I’d like to alternate between the main story and side stories.
***
**The True Pleasure of Hot Springs**
**Side: Riel**
"Hup!"
"Ha!"
Right now, Milly, Eris, Tori, and I are in the inn’s recreation room, playing table tennis. It’s a little post-bath entertainment. Honestly, it feels incredibly luxurious. Usually, at an inn, you’re lucky if you get a decent meal and a place to sleep. Some cheap inns don't even provide food and have dust-covered beds, yet this place even has a game room. We have free reign to use it, though we do have to clean up after ourselves.
"Right there!"
"Whoa!?"
"Point for Eris," Ratz, who is acting as the referee, announces.
"Aw, man."
"Riel, you must never let your guard down. I’ll be taking half of your Caesar salad portion for today!"
"Whoa, you’re serious, Eris?"
"Of course! I specifically requested the Caesar salad today and managed to get it on the menu. If there’s a chance to increase my favorite food, I won’t hold back!"
"Don't you like steak, too?"
"Steak is also wonderful! But it cannot compare to the Caesar salad!"
Eris puffs out her chest as she says this. Her large, supple chest bounces... *Tch.*
"Geez! You’re an elf, why is your chest so strangely large?! Aren't your people supposed to be flat as boards?!"
I put all my strength into my serve.
"I-it’s not that there are few of us with large chests! I am a proper elf!"
"You’re a fake! That chest has to be a fake! My chest is like this because you stole all the growth!"
"Y-you’re being completely unreasonable!?"
I return the ball with all the hatred I can muster. Eris returns it in kind. Every time she moves, those beautiful curves hidden beneath her yukata sway. *Boing, jiggle. Wobble, bounce.*
"Gaaah! That’s just fat, you know!"
"Why are you holding a grudge against me?!"
It’s so frustrating. Why am I so flat? I hate people with unnecessarily large chests!
"Riel, you seem to be filled with hatred. Why is that?"
"Ah... Tori, what do you think when you look at Milly’s chest?"
"Milly-san’s? It’s large, looks soft, and I think it’s very feminine."
"...Er, that’s not the kind of honest opinion I was looking for. I mean, like... don't you feel jealous or hateful?"
Tori tilts her head, confused by our conversation. Seeing her reaction, Milly, who has an even larger chest than Eris, just gives a wry smile. That’s the thing—Tori is so pure and innocent that she doesn't understand my struggle at all.
"Ratz, how am I supposed to explain this?"
"Hmm, let’s see. Tori, I also pride myself on having a larger, better-shaped, and more sensitive chest than you. In other words, having a large chest is considered a sign of being a superior woman."
"Oh, is that so?"
"Well, generally speaking, yes. So, by that logic, Riel is frustrated because she feels inferior as a woman."
"Ah, I see. But, if your chest is small, it doesn't mean you won't be able to produce milk when you have children, right?"
"...Well, that’s a different issue entirely."
"Then, I don't really think about it in terms of body shape. I’m sure the person who loves me will accept and cherish all of me. If they love me, body and all, I won’t force myself to change."
See? Just like that. Pure, sparkling innocence.
"I get it! I get it already!"
"E-eh? What do you mean?" Eris asks while returning the ball.
"The only reason you and Tori can be so relaxed is because your chests are bigger than mine!"
"Eh!?"
It’s not Eris, but Tori who looks flustered.
"You’ve basically lost your mind, Riel."
"Well, I can understand how she feels, though~"
Ratz and Milly smile wryly, but they don't stop me. It seems they both understand my feelings to some extent.
"Um, Riel? Did I do something wrong?" Tori looks anxious.
*Ah, I’ll have to apologize to her later.*
"Opening!"
"Whoa!?"
*Thwack.*
The ball hits her chest with a soft sound and rolls onto the floor.
"Riel, I understand what you’re trying to say. I was often envied back when I was in the Elf Village. But having a large chest isn't all that great. You get lecherous stares from men, you have to be careful choosing armor, and your shoulders get stiff, you know?"
"Shut uuuup! I don't want to hear about your luxurious problems!"
I smash the ball with all my hatred!
"Kya!?"
Eris can't react, and the ball hits her chest directly. *Boing.*
"..."
"That makes it a tie."
The ball rolls to my feet. It didn't make a sound like that when it hit me...
"Um, Riel, aren't you going to continue?"
"Waaaaah!"
I run out of the recreation room.
"Riel!?"
"...Well, that last one was Eris's fault."
"...Yeah. She really delivered the finishing blow."
"Um, what did I do wrong?"
I can hear their voices from the game room. *Breasts, breasts, breasts!* For now, I’ll go to my room and cool my head off.
"...Hm? Was that Riel just now?"
"...Looks like it."
"Riel-oneechan, it’s dangerous to run in the hallway!"
"More importantly, Brother, we have to make the Caesar salad for Eris-oneesama today."
"Ah, right. Let’s do our best with the cooking today."
"Yeah!"
"...I can kind of understand Riel’s situation. The only ones below her are Aslin and Filia..."
That day, Eris ate a lot of Caesar salad, and Riel was given some steak by everyone, which made her run off again—or maybe she didn't.
***
**For reference:**
Lurua > Labyris > Milly > Eris > Ratz > Seraria > Kaya > Tori > Elju > Riel > Aslin = Filia
As I’ve said before, this doesn't mean Riel isn't cute. Since she’s a Cat Beastman, she has cat ears and a tail, and she’s a slender beauty.