落とし穴２１掘：兎姫の日常
### Pitfall Excavation 21: The Rabbit Princess’s Daily Life
**Side: Shera**
Many things have transpired, but the seasons continue to shift. The trees have already begun to turn, dyeing the landscape in shades of crimson.
It has been two months since I became Yuki’s wife. Even now, a torrent of problems continues to crash down upon us, yet my husband runs about tirelessly to ensure our daily lives remain unchanged—to protect them at all costs. Seeing him like that inspires me to do my best every single day.
Unlike when I was in Gartz, I am free to use my talents to their fullest here, surrounded by good friends, spending my days in joy. Of course, there are the aforementioned problems, but my husband always seeks harmony, no matter the situation. All of his wives know this well, and we strive to support him. We cherish these ordinary days.
And today, too, is just one scene from that mundane life.
"It’s gotten a little cold, hasn't it?" Aslin says, wearing a long-sleeved shirt. She is a dear friend to me, and a fellow wife.
"Indeed. It is autumn, after all."
"Au-tumn?"
"It is the name of the season."
"Ah, I see. Big Brother taught me that. Wow~ so this is autumn~"
She gazes at the reddening trees. Just thinking about the miserable days she must have endured to make such a casual comment makes my heart ache. She—no, Firia, Labyris, and many of the other wives—I have heard that most of them were once slaves.
I will be honest. Having seen the institution of slavery with my own eyes, I believe it must be eradicated from this world. To put a collar on someone like Aslin, who smiles beside me, to treat them like an animal, to oppress them and sell them as merchandise... Hearing the stories of her slave days, which she mentioned so casually, nearly drove me mad with rage. I knew the word "slave," but it was only a dictionary definition. Now that I know Aslin and Firia were treated that way, I feel as though I could strangle any slave trader I lay eyes on.
Their talents are beginning to bloom thanks to Yuki. The school has all but proven that if you teach them, anyone can reach a certain standard of learning. As Yuki says, people should not be ground down by the system of slavery; it is a loss for the nation, and it is something humans simply must not do!
But reality is cruel. Forced labor in high-mortality jobs like mines, and the revenue generated from it—the current state of the world cannot function without slavery. It is frustrating, but we will follow Yuki’s plan to change the continent, slowly but surely. Weed must accept as many slaves as possible and make the world realize the true value of a person!
"...Shera-chan?"
"Ah, is something wrong?"
"Big Brother will be home soon, so shall we head back?"
"Is it already that time?"
We walk home hand-in-hand. We are within the dungeon, so our safety is almost entirely guaranteed. Kirue, reassured by this, granted me my freedom, allowing me to stroll about with Aslin. Firia is busy with her blacksmithing practice, and Labyris is occupied with her administrative duties. I am usually Eris’s assistant, but today is my day off, so I am relaxing.
I returned to the inn, deepening my resolve to work hard so that one day, this life can be lived all across the continent.
"Welcome back, you two."
The one greeting us at home is Yuki, the Dungeon Master—a being who transcends the heroes sent by the gods. I suppose I should call him "Yuki-sama," but he wishes for us to treat him normally as family, so I call him Yuki. He hails from another world, a place said to be special even among heroes, and he came to this continent at the request of the gods to serve as a Dungeon Master. And yet, despite being a messenger of the gods—no, a being who should be their equal...
"It’s pasta today. I’m making a variety, so look forward to it."
"I’ll help, Big Brother!"
"I shall assist as well!"
He loves cooking. Or perhaps, compared to his other world, the food culture of this continent is simply lacking. When I asked him, he said he wasn't particularly skilled at cooking himself. But because we eat it with such delight, he researches various recipes to feed us.
Normally, it would be inappropriate for a noble person like Yuki to trouble himself with chores like cooking. But Yuki says that one must be able to take care of oneself before moving on to the next stage. I sensed his intention to view things from various perspectives. By doing such things, one can interact with a diverse range of people.
I, too, have gained many experiences since coming to Weed. Playing with friends at school, cooking for myself, shopping—everything is a first. People can learn many things, and through that, they grow. I am moved by Yuki’s stance of putting this into practice. This, I am sure, is the new path for humanity, the light toward the future.
"Welcome back, Shera-sama, Aslin-sama."
"I'm home, Kirue-onee-chan!"
"We have returned, Kirue."
In the kitchen, Kirue is helping Yuki. Kirue is my maid, but she is also Yuki’s wife. Kirue herself feels that the position of a wife is too lofty for her and that it would reflect poorly on Gartz, so she remains in the position of a concubine. Even at the wedding, she refused to wear a dress and stuck to working behind the scenes. It was quite a struggle to force her into a dress once we got home. She cried tears of joy then, but she is a person who struggles to be honest with her feelings.
"How was your day?"
"Yes, it was another day with much to learn."
"That is wonderful to hear."
Kirue and I both answer with smiles.
"Alright, you two who came to help, first wash your hands thoroughly."
"Yes!"
As Yuki instructed, we clean our hands with soap and begin our tasks.
"Yuki-sama is handling the sauces. Our job is to cut the meat and vegetables. Are you ready? Do you remember what I told you before?"
"Yes, hands like cat paws!"
"That is correct, Aslin-sama. That will reduce the risk of cutting your fingers."
"For round things, we cut them in half first to stabilize them."
"Yes, that is also correct, Shera-sama. Spherical objects are very unstable. So, we slice them right down the middle to steady them before cutting."
"And if we get hurt, we don't hide it."
"Correct. Injuries aren't exactly a staple of cooking, but they happen. So, if you get hurt, tell us immediately. I will treat you."
Guided by Kirue’s instructions, I stand in the kitchen. I couldn't do anything at first, but now I can even peel potatoes normally. I had been told this was work for the lower classes, but there is something special about doing it yourself. Especially when there is someone who will eat the food you’ve made with such joy. I understand Yuki’s feelings well now.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone. Today we have all sorts of pasta."
With that, we carry the dishes out with Yuki, Aslin, and Kirue. Colorful pasta dishes line the table.
"Wow, this is amazing. I thought pasta was just tomato sauce."
"Right? Usually, it's just mixed with some vegetables."
"Oh, this one is spicy and delicious."
"...Spicy is the enemy. I won't eat that one."
"Look at this one, it's swimming in soup. I've never seen that before."
"This is mushroom, isn't it? Sautéed in butter, perhaps? It smells wonderful."
*Fufu*, look at how happy everyone is. I helped with almost all of these pasta dishes!
"It’s amazing, Aslin, Shera, it’s delicious!"
"...Yes, it's delicious. Thank you, both of you."
Seeing the smiles of Firia and Labyris, I sit down nearby.
"Shera-chan made this one, you know."
"Aslin helped too!"
And so, another day comes to an end. I do not merely wish for these days to last forever; I must ensure they do. The Ranks problem, the Demon Lord problem, and the problems of the future—I will sweep them all away. That is Shera’s goal.
(Don't tell me, don't tell me your favorite types of pasta!! I like eggplant meat sauce, peperoncino, smoked salmon, and pasta gratin!! Putting that aside, the number of hits on this site has been increasing lately—I wonder why? I don't remember doing anything special. Does anyone know?)