落とし穴８１堀：クルシミマス（誤字にあらず (Part1)
Pitfall 81: Kurushimas (Not a Typo)
Side: Steve
Ah, another day of work comes to an end.
Why does work have to end?
Why does time have to pass?
Why... I couldn't help but think these things.
"What are you muttering about?"
"What's wrong with ye?"
"Leave him be. It’s probably just the usual—he got dumped, or more accurately, he was never even given the time of day."
Surakichi-san and Mino-chan are as kind-hearted as ever, always looking out for me.
However, that vegetarian-something-or-other Orc piece of trash, John, is losing his humanity by the second.
Well, it can't be helped.
He eats nothing but cucumbers, so his brain is probably regressing. I think he should just go back to being livestock.
"Hey, you! If you want a fight, I'll take you up on it!"
"Take it outside. You'll make a mess of the room."
"Fighting isn't good, you know."
"...Wait, was I saying that out loud?"
"You were loud enough to be annoying."
"My apologies."
Well, after that little exchange, I decided to head into town with these three—or should I say, these three creatures—to hit an izakaya and hopefully get some life advice.
In Weed, the residents are no longer surprised to see us walking around...
"Oh, Steve. Clocked out? Good work today."
"Surakichi-san. Thanks for looking after the kids again today."
"Mino-chan. You’re a lifesaver. Let’s go grab a meal on me tomorrow."
"Oh, John. What do you think of these vegetables? Your tongue is the most reliable around."
We walked through the streets, receiving greetings like that.
The only place where people still try to pick fights with us is the Adventurer District.
Ah, and in the Trade District, there are still some people who get surprised.
Well, that’s natural since new people are always arriving.
But that aside, as it stands, we monsters have been accepted into Weed just fine.
The important thing is to exchange words and strive for mutual understanding.
In that sense, the Boss’s decision to entrust the town’s security to us was the right call.
"Hey, welcome! Oh, it’s Steve and the others. The big room in the back is open. It should be fine for Mino-chan-san, too."
"Thanks as always, ya know."
"Don't worry about it. Mino-chan-san is always helping us out."
What exactly does Mino-chan do for work, anyway?
Every person we meet has words of gratitude for him.
Well, since he’s in security, I assume it’s something like helping people out.
"Four drafts, please."
"You got it! Four drafts!"
"And twenty skewers, just whatever you’ve got."
"Coming right up. Please wait a moment."
We sat down and finished our order quickly. The beers arrived immediately, along with some light appetizers.
"Now, I’m sure you’ve got things to talk about, but first..."
Surakichi-san extended a part of his body like a tentacle to grab his glass. We all raised our glasses...
"Cheers!!"
"Cheers!!"
We downed the beer in one go.
"Phew! That first drink after work is the best."
"Ain't that the truth."
"A moment of healing."
"Indeed."
It’s the same in every world.
A drink after work is delicious.
Well, that doesn't apply to people who aren't good with alcohol or socializing, I suppose.
I should probably consider myself lucky that I don't have those problems.
"Haa..."
Even thinking that, a sigh escaped me naturally.
"Hmm. Doesn't look like a drink is enough to clear your head."
"What in the world is wrong? You were saying something about not wanting work to end, weren't you?"
"Now that you mention it, yeah. You’re the type who likes to slack off, right? Why would you say something like that?"
"Ah, yeah. That’s why I came here."
As I was wondering how to bring it up, a message arrived on my call device.
Seeing it made my mood sink even further.
"Hm? Something wrong with that message?"
"Who's it from?"
"I'll take a look... Wait, isn't this from Alfin-san?"
Yes, the message was from Alfin.
It simply read: *When are you coming home?*
"Is the content of that a problem?"
"It's good that Alfin-san is free from her duties as a Holy Sword User and seems to be doing well, isn't it?"
"You're getting along well with Steve, right? That's a good thing. If it's mutual, Boss Yuki won't complain."
I didn't react properly to John’s light teasing...
"If that's the case, then that's good," was all I could manage to reply.
"...? Is there a problem?"
"With Alfin-san?"
"I heard from Comet-san that she's quite serious and has really settled into Weed, hasn't she?"
"That's exactly the problem."
"?"
Yes, that is the problem.
She is fair-skinned, stylish, and cute.
As if shedding her previous gloomy life, she’s been full of energy in Weed, and the neighbors speak highly of her.
She can do housework; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call her the ideal girlfriend.
"I don't see any problems there."
"Indeed."
"Sounds like exactly what you said."
"The problem starts here."
Because she settled in, she was finally able to do what she wanted.
Talking to people, walking around freely—on the other continent, she was chased away as a monster tamer.
Everything she did had restrictions.
Even after becoming a Holy Sword User, things only improved slightly, and she lived a quiet life in the shadows during the civil war.
In the end, she had a core embedded by Hifie and was in a state of light hypnosis.
That’s why, upon coming to Weed, Alfin’s desires exploded.
"What is it? This 'desire' of hers?"
"Sounds like something bad, doesn't it?"
"If it's that dangerous, shouldn't you report it to the higher-ups?"
"No, that's not it. Alfin considers making and eating sweets to be the ultimate pursuit."
"Huh?"
In this world, sugar production is generally quite scarce, and sweets are still a luxury item.
Except in Weed.
Yes, in Weed, thanks to the Boss’s DP exchange ability and land modification, sugar is supplied steadily.
In other words, there was nothing to block Alfin’s desires.
For the first month after I took her in, aside from the meals I prepared, she ate nothing but sweets.
"...Eh? Is this a joke?"
"Surely not, right?"
"Well, maybe for a month? It's affordable, and they say women have small appetites, right?"
"Ah, now that you mention it, that's true."
"That makes sense."
"Fufu... It didn't end there. After she ate through all the ready-made products from Super Ratz, she started making them herself. And when that happens, you need a taste-tester, right?"
The three of them looked at each other with expressions of disbelief, but it was exactly as I feared.
Alfin’s sweet tooth accelerated, and her daily intake of sweets just kept increasing.