落とし穴８８堀：君たちはどちら派かね？（威圧） (Part1)
Pitfall 88: Which side are you on? (Intimidation)
Note: This story does not support any specific faction.
I personally think it’s fine as long as it’s delicious.
So, which side are you on?
Which side are you on? (Intimidation)
Battle, conflict, war.
Is it life, or is it death?
Why do humans repeat their mistakes?
Devouring people, nations, and the world.
Is that the nature of humanity?
Hatred calls for hatred, blood begets blood, and death invites death.
What do they seek at the end of their grievances?
Yet, even so, people continue to believe.
The contradiction of those who fight, wishing for peace so that the conflict might end as soon as possible.
Thinking of that dream, wishing for it, and to make it come true, people fight through the present day once again.
Side: Yuki
"That sounds like something I've heard somewhere before."
"Well, yeah. I’m using a lot of commentary from a certain famous robot anime."
I’m talking about this with Taiki.
We are currently on our way to the Kamishiro Duchy, but since we aren't moving without breaks, we are currently taking a short rest.
The journey has been extremely leisurely, with no particular problems along the way.
"Why bring up such a topic all of a sudden?"
"No, it’s just because I’m eating these snacks."
I say that and show him the snacks I’m holding.
"Ah, I see."
Taiki understands immediately.
"That’s a deep-seated karma you’ve got there."
"Right?"
The snacks I’m holding are the kind that harbor a terrifying power, capable of inciting conflict even in modern Japan.
Their names are...
"The Bamboo Shoot Army and the Mushroom Army, huh?"
Yes, the snacks that are, next to Valentine’s Day, the greatest offenders of the snack industry—foods steeped in deep karma.
In Japan, the rivalry surrounding these chocolate snacks, both produced by the same manufacturer, has caused the Japanese people to fall into a state of "Three Kingdoms" division.
That is, the Bamboo Shoot faction, the Mushroom faction, or the Bystander faction.
There is no doubt that this is a type of war.
Humans repeat their mistakes.
These are devilish snacks that remind us of that foolish behavior—or rather, they force the reality upon us that we cannot escape it.
"Come to think of it, why snacks?"
"Hmm, just because. If there are sweets, things are generally more convenient in this world."
"Ah, convenient, I suppose that’s true."
"Exactly. Well, personally, it just feels like the 'up to 300 yen' limit for a school field trip."
"Ah, why is it 300 yen, anyway?"
"Who knows? Maybe because if they didn't limit it, you'd end up with a mountain of snacks?"
"Is that so? I would have preferred more bento than snacks, though."
"Me too. Eating snacks makes you thirsty, so I didn't really want to eat them on field trips where water was limited."
Snacks generally steal all the moisture from your mouth, so drinks are indispensable.
For a field trip where the goal is to run around and play, snacks are a kind of poison when water intake is restricted.
"Anyway, never mind that. Want some?"
"Oh, thanks."
With that, Taiki reaches for the Mushroom Army.
"Hmm. So you’re a Mushroom faction member, Taiki."
"No, it’s just random. I don’t personally prefer one over the other, so I’ll take the Bamboo Shoot ones too."
It seems Taiki is a Bystander.
Me too, though.
"Besides, I don't want a repeat of that time, so I’m not picking sides."
"Well, yeah, that’s true."
Yes, in fact, this battle of the abyss has already broken out in Weed.
"The First Weed Bamboo-Mushroom War was terrible."
"Hey, don't use such ominous phrasing. It’s not like it involved everyone in Weed."
"No, no, it involved all of Yuki-san’s wives, plus Hifia-san, Comet-san, Nonoa-san, Lilishe-san, Liliana-san, and even Elju-san. Honestly, it was close to a world war."
"Don't talk about it."
Yes, it all started with a trivial thing...
That day, Liliana and Elju had come to Weed to report on the recent situation in the Demon Kingdom of Last, and it was decided that they would also meet Nonoa and Hifia.
The other male gods would come at a later date.
We set up this meeting for the women first.
"N-nice to meet you. I am Elju, the Third Princess of Roschur. I am truly grateful to be able to meet the Magic God Nonoa-sama and Hifia-sama, a goddess from another continent."
"I am Liliana, serving as Queen in the Demon Kingdom of Last. I am grateful for the honor of this audience."
Elju isn't really used to this kind of thing.
Well, I suppose she can't be as thick-skinned as Seraria.
"Did you say something?"
"No, nothing. Here, more snacks."
"Oh, thank you."
Seraria’s intuition is getting sharper, isn't it?
Well, she knows that compared to her sister, she relies more on physical strength.
"Please don't be so stiff. I am also a queen of a nation, so let’s get along as women."
"That’s right. As Nonoa says. We are all women, and there are things we can't say to men, so please feel free to consult us."
"Pfft— Nonoa-chan and Hifia-chan are saying such noble things."
"Lilishe, be quiet."
"Yes, Lilishe, please be quiet for a moment."
"Oh my, Lilishe-sama. You shouldn't speak to other goddesses like that..."
"Somehow, you three are closer than I thought."
"That’s right. I’m as close to Liliana-chan and Elju-chan as I am to you. Well, they’re a bit of a klutz, though."
"“Who are you calling a klutz!?”"
"““Ahahaha...””"
The conversation was progressing peacefully like that, but then a bomb was dropped.
No, personally, I just put them out to increase the variety of snacks.
I didn't pay much attention to it because I didn't have a strong preference for snacks myself.
"Oh, there are Bamboo Shoot ones. I’ll have some."
Elju finds that devilish food and opens it.
"Eh? Aren't those Mushroom ones?"
Liliana replies.
"Eh? Is there such a thing?"
"No, they’re right here."
Yes, until now, the members here had never been conscious of it.
The meaning behind the existence of both Mushrooms and Bamboo Shoots.
These two are often displayed side-by-side in almost identical packaging, and unless you are consciously aware of it, they are often not recognized as different products.
That conscious awareness happened during this meeting.
"You're right. These are shaped like mushrooms."
"And these are shaped like bamboo shoots."
"Both look delicious. Let’s try them."
And so, they started munching away, and seeing that, my wives also began to compare them...
"The Mushroom Army is more delicious!!"
"No, it’s the Bamboo Shoot Army!!"
And just like that, the close friends, the Demon Queen and the Saintess, split their opinions right down the middle...