落とし穴６７堀：ぼくらの夏休み３ 昆虫王者決定戦と帰省 (Part1)
Pitfall 67: Our Summer Vacation 3 - The Insect King Tournament and Going Home
Side: Taizo
I never thought that at my age, I would find my heart racing with such excitement.
I suppose this is what they call returning to one's childhood.
The summers of my youth.
I had thought those days were long gone, never to return.
...This isn't Japan, and I can hardly call it peaceful, but for now, I shall gratefully accept Yuki-kun's kindness in preparing this place and simply enjoy myself.
The summer sun beats down mercilessly, heating my body.
But to a child, such things are trivial.
The forest spreading out before us is an uncharted territory, a mountain of treasure.
It is packed with the "Why?" and "What?" of every field of study.
In that sense, this was the path that led to my own academic beginnings.
"It makes me want to read *Fabre's Book of Insects* again."
"Oh, do you know that too, Taizo-san?"
Perhaps hearing my mutterings, Taiki-kun asks with interest.
"Well, *Fabre's Book of Insects* has been around since before the war. Since before the First World War, wasn't it?"
"Yuki-kun is right. It was already around when I was a child."
"Huh, is that so?"
"Yes. But my family was poor back then. We couldn't afford fine books, let alone used ones."
"Ah... I guess the countryside back then was..."
"Indeed. Extremely poor. When I first came to Tokyo, the difference was so stark I thought I had arrived in a different country."
"Since modernization was finally progressing in Tokyo at that time, remote mountain villages far from the capital likely remained unchanged, living just as they had in the past, right?"
"That's true. Well, I'll save the stories of that poor, backward village for another time. But about *Fabre's Book of Insects*—I remember working hard at day labor after entering university just to finally buy a copy for myself. It holds a special place in my heart, which is why I spoke up."
"I see."
"So, Yuki-kun, I have a small request. Would that be alright?"
"Sure, I can order a copy of *Fabre's Book of Insects* for you. Though, since it's a modern translation, some parts might be a bit difficult for you, Taizo-san."
"I don't mind. That in itself will be a good study. But it seems both you and Taiki-kun know of it—it still exists even now?"
"Exist? It's so famous that I don't think there's anyone who doesn't know it, right?"
"Yes. Printing technology has improved even more than in the past, so it's affordable for the general public and read by many. Of course, its reputation as a scientific text remains as high as ever."
"...I see. Between this and the matter of my master, it is quite a happy thing to see the things I knew persist so far into the future."
Surely, there are children out there who will read *Fabre's Book of Insects* and aim to become scholars of the future.
...Hmm. Come to think of it, Hifii-san and I will likely have children of our own someday. Should I start collecting such academic books now to prepare an educational foundation?
"Looks like we've arrived."
At Taiki-kun's words, I push my thoughts aside and look where he pointed.
There lies a decayed, fallen tree, and a sawtooth oak stands nearby.
It is a perfect tree for finding rhinoceros beetles.
"Let's get started."
"Indeed."
"Is anyone home?"
For now, the three of us approach the oak tree.
It seems there is no sap flowing on the side facing us, and we see nothing.
As we circle around to the back of the tree...
"There they are."
"Oh, found 'em."
There, swarming the sap, were the insects.
However, to my disappointment, the rhinoceros beetles we were looking for were just a small male and a single flat-stag beetle.
"Hmm. What should we do?"
"We should just keep them for now."
"True. But there's only one rhinoceros beetle and one stag beetle. Who gets to secure them?"
Considering the size measurements and the insect sumo tournament, securing them is the right move.
However, if we don't find any more insects after this, we'll only have two, which could lead to the tragic outcome of not being able to participate in the event.
Thus, we face the problem of who gets to claim them.
The three of us are adults, so we can have this peaceful conversation, but if we were three children, they wouldn't be thinking about dividing them up the moment they found them.
Especially if they were going to compete later.
It is one of the main causes of summer quarrels: fighting over insects.
To an outsider, it looks like a silly child's squabble, but to the children themselves, it is a matter they cannot yield on.
...I remember getting a knuckle to the head from my father along with my brother for that, and crying over it.
But that rhinoceros beetle was definitely something I found first, brother.
"I'm fine with it, so Taiki-kun and Taizo-san should split them. And if we want the same ones in the future, we'll use rock-paper-scissors. No 'I found it first' claims, since we're acting as a group."
While I was lost in nostalgic memories, Yuki-kun had already settled the matter of the spoils.
I have no objections to that proposal.
Now that I am an adult, it is easy to accept.
"Alright. The division is settled. Let's start searching in earnest."
"Agreed. I'll head toward that decayed tree over there."
"Then I'll go to the one on the opposite side. Taiki-kun, you take the area around this tree."
"And up in the tree, too."
"Up in the tree!?"
When I added that to Taiki-kun's search area, he let out a surprised voice.
"No, checking the trees is only natural, isn't it? Is it different now?"
I asked Yuki-kun, worried that modern insect collecting might be different from what I knew, but...
"No, that's standard."
Hmm.
Then why is Taiki-kun so surprised?
The two of us stared at Taiki-kun, and he shook his head and began to explain.
"No, no, when you say 'up in the tree,' that's just asking to be insect food, right?"
" "Ah. Just do your best, young man." "
"That's cruel! Are you really pulling the 'seniority' card at a time like this?"
They say you should experience hardship while you're young.
I agree with that sentiment, and it is certainly not because I don't want to do something as troublesome as climbing a tree that I pushed it onto Taiki-kun.
"Well, well, it's not like you can't climb trees, right?"
"I mean, sure, but..."
"There are no bees, just some caterpillars, so you'll be fine."
"They cause rashes, don't they!?"
"That depends on the person."
"When I was a child, I didn't even care if I got stung by a bee."
"No, you really should care about that."
What was a daily occurrence for me seems to have changed quite a bit in the world of insect collecting.
"If you get hurt, we can heal you, so stop complaining and start searching. Time is ticking."
"True. It would be pathetic if we couldn't even get a rhinoceros beetle."
"...Fine, I get it."
And so, the full-scale search began.
Before I knew it, only thirty minutes remained until our promised time.
"You two, it's almost time."
"Hmm? Oh, is it that late already?"
"I found a big one up here!"