落とし穴４０掘：子供と思い出 (Part1)
side: Seraria
"Ah-ooh."
An angel rests in my arms. With wide-open eyes, she grasps my finger with her tiny hands, playing. Though nearly three months old, Sakura's cuteness knows no bounds. When she opens her eyes wide, I truly believe my daughter's eyes are the most beautiful in the world.
"Oh?"
"What is it, dear?"
I followed my daughter's gaze and saw Ratz and her daughter, Schans. The name Schans, apparently, means "happiness" in some country on Earth. But that's beside the point. My daughter is probably looking at a certain part of Schans. If Sakura weren't here, I'd want to touch *that* part of Schans too. I don't mean to compare Sakura and Schans. Both are my and Ratz's adorable daughters.
However, there's a clear difference between Sakura and Schans. Rabbit ears. Naturally, as Ratz's daughter, Schans possesses the rabbit ears and round tail characteristic of the Rabbit Beastman tribe. I knew it. Of course, the children would have them too. But knowing and experiencing are different. Those tiny, adorable forms, complete with cute rabbit ears! The moment I first saw them, I got a nosebleed. They were just too cute. Sakura, too, must love cute things just like me. That's why she can't take her eyes off Schans. I truly believe Yuki made the right choice in taking Ratz and the others as his wives. To see such adorable daughters and not be able to touch them would be torture. I almost understood why beastmen kidnappings happen. And then there are Tori, Riel, Kaya, and Shera's children, who will also have beast ears... oh, I'm so looking forward to it!
"Ooh."
"Oh, Schans, what's wrong?"
Oh, it seems Schans is looking this way too. And Ratz turns her gaze towards us as well.
"I see, are you curious about your big sister?"
"Ah-ah!"
Schans said that, reaching out to us, and seeing this, Ratz nodded and approached.
"Seraria, is it alright? Schans is very curious about her big sister Sakura."
"Of course. But do they recognize each other as sisters even at this age?"
"Well, who knows? Now, Schans, this is your big sister~"
"Sakura, this is your little sister Schans. Isn't she cute?"
Saying that, we introduced Sakura and Schans.
This wasn't their first meeting, but for children, every day must be fresh and new. They gazed at each other with wide, adorable eyes. This scene is just too cute. I should take a picture, but both my hands are full. Is anyone around?
As I looked around, I heard a "click." Ratz and I quickly turned, and our beloved husband was smiling at us, holding a camera. Honestly, ever since the children were born, a camera has become essential. Beside him, my sister Elju was also holding a camera, panting. ...Hmm, even if she's my sister, I don't think that level of excitement is appropriate. We'll have a talk later.
"Ah-ah!!"
"Ah-ooh!!"
It seems something happened while I took my eyes off the children. When I looked back, Sakura and Schans were touching each other and playing? Ratz and I were watching that scene with warm smiles, but...
"Ooh!!"
"Ah!?"
Sakura suddenly reached out and firmly grasped Schans's rabbit ear.
"Ah-ooh!!"
"Fugyaaaah---!!"
Beastmen's animal ears are very delicate; even adults dislike having them touched. So, it's even more so for a young child. Schans started crying loudly, and even I panicked.
"Sakura, stop that at once!!"
"Feh!? Fugyaaaah---!!"
Startled by my voice, Sakura also cried out in surprise, letting go of Schans's ear and bursting into tears. Seizing the moment, Ratz and I instinctively moved away from each other.
"There, there, your ear seems fine. It doesn't hurt, does it~"
Ratz said that, comforting the sobbing Schans. While comforting Sakura, who was crying after misbehaving, I bowed my head to Ratz.
"I'm so sorry, Ratz."
"Oh, no, it's fine. But you really can't imagine how children will move. You truly can't take your eyes off them."
"Yes, truly."
She can't even crawl yet, so why did she firmly grasp those rabbit ears? If she truly loves cute things, she'll be a handful when she grows up. But my daughters are still so young; they get tired and fall asleep quickly after a little play. Let's put each of them in their own beds and get back to work. Of course, Kirue and the wife on duty for the day are there to properly care for the children.
And today wasn't my turn, but, well, at that moment, I happened to be the only one left in the nursery. Someone wanted to go to the restroom, so I stayed behind instead, and then one of the children woke up and started crying.
"Eria, what's wrong, dear?"
"Fugyaaaaaah---!!"
Eris's daughter, Eria, suddenly burst into tears. I immediately picked her up and checked on her, but it wasn't a diaper change, so what could be wrong? But that question was quickly answered. Eria, whom I was holding, reached for my breast, grasping at my clothes as if they were in the way. I understood, and immediately decided to breastfeed Eria.
"Nku, nku..."
As expected, Eria immediately latched onto my breast and quieted down. Yes, she was hungry. Drink plenty and grow big. Gently stroking Eria's head, I smiled at her desperate suckling. I've often wondered if my mothers felt this way after having children. And how much they must have regretted leaving us, so young, when they passed away. I don't think I could endure such a situation. I would have cried out, wanting to survive somehow, wanting to see my children grow. But our mothers showed no such signs, remaining our gentle mothers until the very end.
"Someday, I must go and show them your faces."
"Oh?"
"I'm sorry. You can take your time drinking, dear."
"Ooh, nku, nku..."
Yes, someday, I will go to the royal tombs of Roschur, to show my children to the mothers who rest there. I'm worried about going there in person, but my husband wouldn't deny it. After showing them my children, I'll tell them many things.