第３２３堀：美しき女の友情よ永遠なれと今後の予定 (Part1)
Side: Seraria
"Hifie, Comet, you're out."
The screen before me is broadcasting the live feed of that exact moment.
Following Luna’s decree, Steve and his subordinates are carrying out the punishment game.
Thanks to the high-performance design of the custom-made cage, it shifts its shape as needed, making it easy to perform torture—or rather, the punishment game—by forcing the victims into a position where only their backsides are exposed.
Naturally, the one who designed such a bizarre, incomprehensible cage was Narjia-san.
And the one who proposed it was my husband.
As I ponder this, the two women on screen let out screams as the punishment draws near.
"Lu, Luna-sama!! P-please, come back to your senses!! We don't have time for this kind of thing!!"
"Ahahaha!! What are you saying? If you want to stop, just get out of that cage. If you can't get out on your own, we’re keeping this game going!!"
"W-wait, you’re definitely just indulging your own hobbies, aren't you!? I, I surrender, so please, have mercy!! M-my backside is at its limit!! It’s stinging!! And for that matter, why is Taizo-san the only one avoiding the punishment games!? Isn't that discrimination!?"
"It's less discrimination and more that many of these games are based on Japanese trivia."
"That is true. I was happy to eat natto, wasabi, and mustard for the first time in a while, but it seems they don't suit Comet-dono and the others."
"Well, maybe so. But!! Saying mustard on oden is bad is a blasphemy against oden!! I will not permit such insolence!! Also, Comet’s surrender is rejected!! Collective responsibility!! If you chose to side with Hifie, you’ll see it through to the end!! Do it!! My minions!!"
"““Yes, ma'am.””"
*Whack!!*
"““Eek!!?””"
I’ve been watching these two undergo their punishment for a while now, and they certainly make cute sounds when they yelp.
"Nufufufu... That’s it!! Let me hear even better sounds than that!! Honestly, acting all tough like children and bothering me when I just wanted to get this over with peacefully."
Correction: If my husband finds out I share the same tastes as that useless goddess, he’ll surely despise me. I must insist that I do *not* share her tastes. I shall call it an appreciation for "cute things."
Also, the latter part of this situation proves that office politics are the same everywhere. The frustrations of a supervisor managing the adjustments are clearly boiling over.
...Sister Aria wouldn't do something like this to me, would she?
...No, I do recall pushing enough troublesome tasks onto her that I wouldn't be able to complain if she did.
Next time, I should bring a box of sweets and go check on her mood.
If I’m not careful, there’s a possibility she might leak some embarrassing information about me to my husband.
I must prevent that at all costs.
"Ahem, the next game is... let's see. Boiled locusts!! Yep. Even I’m not fond of these!! Do your best!!"
"H-how could you serve something that even you can't eat!!"
"T-this is tyranny!! And Hifie, just say you give up already!! Don't drag me into this!!"
"Y-you!! Are you really going to admit defeat so easily!? Yuki-dono is only doing this for fun, you know!!"
"No, that just means we can't even resist Yuki-kun’s 'half-hearted' games, doesn't it? We can't even escape this strange cage... wait, is Taizo-san actually eating the boiled locusts!?"
Ugh, even I didn't have the appetite to eat them just by watching the screen, yet Taizo is munching away on them as if it were nothing.
"Ah, Taizo, you’re from late-WWII Japan, right?"
"That is correct. Well, boiled locusts existed long before that, but it was during those food shortages that I first tasted them. They are perfectly fine and actually quite delicious? They are not inedible, so why not try them as a test of courage? Hifie-dono, Comet-dono. If you don't eat them, it’s a punishment game regardless."
"That’s right. There’s less than a minute left, why not clear at least one? Your backsides are at their limit, aren't they? You’ll get hemorrhoids, you know?"
And the one staring at the boiled locusts with eyes full of resolve is Comet.
Though, what does it mean for a corpse to have "eyes full of resolve"?
"C-Comet? Y-you can't be serious!?"
"I can't keep up with Hifie’s stubbornness anymore!! I, I’m going to eat them!!"
"S-stop!! You’ll die!!"
Comet is a lich and an undead, though...
"...They aren't poisonous, you know."
Taizo looks a bit sad as he eats the remaining locusts.
Well, it’s natural to feel sad when your country's food is spoken ill of.
...He knows he’s a fan of "exotic" foods, so he doesn't get angry, but still.
"O-oh, no, I didn't mean to speak ill of Taizo-dono’s country..."
"No, no, I understand. However, if you do not eat quickly, time will..."
The moment Taizo said that, Luna shouted with glee.
"Alright, time's up!! Hifie, Comet, you're out."
"Ugh, this too is a trial. I shall endure it..."
"I was eating them!! Hey, Luna-san!?"
"No, you can't expect me to accept it just because you nibbled on a leg. Also, Hifie’s reactions have become boring, so I’m bringing out a different punishment game."
"““Ehh!?””"
Both of them were shocked in unison. Then, the bickering began.
"Hey, because of Hifie, a weird punishment game is starting!!"
"I-it is not my fault!! This is divine retribution for Comet trying to run away and leave me behind!!"
"What do you mean 'divine retribution'!? That was purely physical, and Luna-san literally said Hifie’s reactions were boring!! You stubborn, unreasonable woman!!"
"What did you say!?"
...These two are hopeless.
"Yes, yes. It’s fine to bicker like friends, but put these on."
Saying that, Luna had Steve and the others bring them swimsuits.
Bikini types.
"I-I will not wear such lewd things!!"
"Huh, so this is what’s trendy lately. Hmm, looking at it, it doesn't seem to become transparent when wet, so it’s like clothing for entering the water? It covers the private parts properly, and since it’s cute, isn't it fine? Besides, if you say you don't want to, it looks like they’ll just be ripped off you anyway."
"Hahahaha!! I’ll strip you bare!! No swimsuits!! It’s a treat for my eyes, so it’s okay!! If you want to be seen by Taizo, you could always just go naked instead!!"
This useless goddess is even worse.
She has the makings of a pervert... I’ll have to make sure her interactions with the children are monitored; it’s bad for their education.
She gets carried away too easily. This useless goddess.
"Hmm. It’s easier to move in than I thought. It’s perfect for bathing. It looks like it’ll dry quickly, too."
"C-Comet, are you not embarrassed? For a woman to expose this much skin..."
"No. I’m usually stark naked when I bathe, so what’s the difference? In that sense, this is actually quite an amazing invention. You can dress it up, and I think it’s good. Also, I’m a beautiful girl, so?"
"Shut up. You research-obsessed idiot."
"What was that!?"
"Yes, yes. That’s enough of that. Now, I’m going to put you in this, cage and all."
With that, Steve and the others brought over a transparent box filled with water so hot it was steaming.
"What is this?"
"Is that hot water? Are you telling us to bathe?"
"Well, that much hasn't changed. But I’ve made it a bit on the hot side. Not enough to cause burns, though. And with the buttons I just handed you, you can move your opponent up and down."
"““!?””"
Both of their faces stiffened.
At their feet was the steaming, hot water.
And in their hands, the buttons to control it.
They immediately tried to press the button to lower the other person first, but nothing happened.
"Come now, don't engage in such ugly squabbling. I’m just saying that this will be the punishment game from now on. And since both of you are 'out' this time... *Click*."
"““Eh?””"
The cage began to descend.
Naturally, it was positioned so they would be submerged in the hot water.
"Hot!?"
"W-wait!! It’s hot!! It’s hot, I tell you!! A corpse needs to be kept properly frozen, you know!?"
Any sexiness from the bikini swimsuits had vanished completely.
With their feet submerged halfway into the hot water, they were hopping around, unable to bear the heat. It was funny to watch, but there was zero sexiness left.
"Ahihihi!! Alright, let’s soak for exactly ten seconds, shall we?"
"““W-wait—””"
"No waiting."
With that, the cage descended mercilessly.
"““It’s hooooot!?””"
Ten seconds later, the beautiful women were slumped inside the cage, their skin flushed a faint, alluring red—though the sight was anything but alluring.
"Ahahahaha!! Phew, my stomach hurts!! Alright, we’ll be using this punishment game for a while!!"
It seems the useless goddess’s games are far from over...
"Oh, still at it? It’s having quite the effect."
"You’re the one who set it up, aren't you?"
When I turned around, my husband was looking at me with a glowing expression.
"How are the children?"
"They’re already asleep. At this rate, Shans, Yuyu, Shael, and Eria might start talking soon."
"That’s true. I heard from the midwife that once one of them starts talking, the others follow suit."
Since he returned, my husband has been ignoring Luna and the idiots, focusing entirely on being called "Papa" by our daughters, his face melting into a doting expression.
He’s left us wives completely to our own devices.