落とし穴６５堀：ぼくらの夏休み１ 昆虫王者の説明 (Part2)
"Hey, Big Sister Samantha, why did you decide to come along?"
Aslin asked, looking curious as she watched Samantha prepare for the excursion. It was true; unlike the others, Samantha didn't seem to have any connection to agricultural work.
"I thought it might be something we could utilize in my homeland's duchy. Seeing the real thing with my own eyes is never a mistake. Besides... I want to be near Yuki-sama when he has that happy look on his face. That makes me the same as you, doesn't it, Aslin?"
"Yeah!!"
I see. If those rhinoceros beetles are capable of excellent field work, they could be utilized in other regions as well. It’s a great learning opportunity. In that case, I, Firia, should also investigate them to see if they can serve as a reference for creating stronger armor. I recall being told they are comparable to Japanese helmets, so they must be incredibly hard and cool.
"We’re dressed quite sturdily, so why are you and Yuki-san so lightly equipped? Isn't it dangerous to call that formal attire?"
When Firia and the others finished their preparations and joined up with the older group, Riel asked exactly what we were all thinking. A single shirt and shorts were certainly not what one would call formal.
"Well, it’s for play, after all. Besides, calling this 'formal attire' is more like the maximum equipment we could manage when we were kids."
"Maximum? What do you mean by that?"
"Samantha-dono, children from common backgrounds like us didn't have the luxury of preparing specialized gear just to go into the mountains for fun. There weren't any monsters there to begin with."
"Summers are hot, and it’s just miserable for a child to be weighed down by heavy gear. This is how we used to head into the mountains back then. So, this feels like our 'formal attire.' Or rather, it’s the look of our memories."
"...Hmm. Understood."
I see. So, the older brothers used to head into the mountains to play dressed like that when they were little.
"However, Yuki-kun, you say you created this mountain of rhinoceros and stag beetles and the forest itself within the dungeon, but honestly, how many are there? The ecosystem is completely different from Japan's; isn't there a possibility they might go extinct?"
"Don't worry. This project has been underway for three years already. We’ve been managing and monitoring the dungeon, and the next generation is being born steadily. As for the ecosystem, we’ve eliminated natural predators like wasps and centipedes, creating an ideal environment for them to thrive, just like in Japan."
"...I see. So you’ve left nothing to chance, then?"
"Of course. However, I’ve narrowed down the locations of the sawtooth oaks. It’s to properly compare the quality of the organic fertilizer, but will that be alright?"
"That is an unnecessary worry. I am not such an amateur that I cannot distinguish the trees that rhinoceros and stag beetles are drawn to."
"Hahaha! It would be strange indeed for someone trying to catch beetles to not know the difference between a sawtooth oak and other trees!"
*Unyu?* Sawtooth oak?
"Um, excuse me, brothers? From what you're saying, it sounds like they only attach themselves to special trees."
"Ah, that’s right, Ratz. Unlike cicadas, rhinoceros and stag beetles can't pierce through hard bark to get tree sap. In other words, they often gather on trees where sap is naturally oozing out. The tree that satisfies that condition is called the sawtooth oak. I’ll send a sample image to everyone’s call screen for now."
With that, Yuki-niisama transferred the images to everyone’s screens. Looking at them, the trees certainly had a unique leaf shape. And these were the rhinoceros beetles...
"They’re so cool!! The horns are sticking right out!! And the stag beetles' pincers look so strong!!"
"Hmm. Indeed, it seems like there are helmets that look just like this. It’s the kind of thing children would love."
"...Looks painful if you get pinched."
"It does look painful, doesn't it?"
"It is quite a valiant appearance, isn't it?"
After everyone confirmed what the insects looked like, we arrived at the area known as the Insect Forest Sector.
*Miiin, miiin, jiwa, jiwa, jiwawawawaaa!!*
It’s so noisy. The cicadas are holding a grand chorus inside the forest. Between the heat and the sound, it’s incredibly grating on the ears.
"Man, it really is summer."
"It is summer, isn't it."
"Yeah, it’s summer."
But the older brothers just listened to the deafening chorus of cicadas with cool, indifferent expressions.
"Well, it’s a bit sudden, but I’ll guide you to one spot. Let’s go see the real thing."
Saying that, Firia and the others stepped into the humid, sweltering forest. I’m going to catch a big, strong rhinoceros beetle for sure!!
Yes. And so, the summer staple: bug catching!!
We all went into the mountains to catch rhinoceros beetles and the like, didn't we?
And while researching for this story, I learned that rhinoceros beetles have been used in agriculture since quite a long time ago.
Man, that’s amazing.
As you can probably guess, the next chapter will be the bug-catching episode.