落とし穴１００堀：産後の戦い (Part2)
The short swords and blades wielded by myself and Tori were pressed against Steve’s neck, while Kaya and Milly had their magic ready to fire at a moment's notice.
"Hey, Steve. Are you making fun of us?"
"Steve. Do you remember why we came here? Have you forgotten already?"
"……As always, you have no sense of delicacy."
"Or are you trying to turn us into round little balls? Huh!?"
As we spoke, Steve hurriedly tucked away his plastic container.
"A-ahahaha, I just thought a little bit wouldn't hurt, you know? They say holding back too much isn't good for you. Besides, you guys know how much trouble I’m having with Alfin’s baking, right!?"
Hearing that, we lowered our weapons.
"Ah, come to think of it, is Alfin still baking?"
"You bet she is. Even the members of the Holy Sword Users are grimacing these days. My subordinates aren't exactly fond of things that sweet, either. *Sigh*, is it time for another donation to the church?"
"Um, sorry about that, Steve."
"……Steve, you really have it rough."
"But if it’s truly excessive, shouldn't you warn her?"
"Well, you’re right, Milly-ane-san. But when I see how enthusiastic she is about becoming a pastry chef in Weed and opening her own shop one day..."
"““Ah...””"
It’s hard to crush a dream like that, isn't it?
"Well, she knows we’ve been forcing ourselves to eat it lately, so she tells us to share it with the kids at the church or the school. But she always hands it directly to me or the Holy Sword Users. She’s never brought it to you guys directly, has she?"
"Whoa. Now that you mention it, you're right. But that makes it even harder to turn down."
"True. Even if we know, she probably just wants you and Sia and the others to eat it."
"……Her love is physically heavy. It’s heavy on the stomach."
"Kaya, I think you were trying to be clever, but what’s that supposed to mean? Still, I understand how Alfin feels. She wants the person she loves to eat her cooking, and by having the same person eat it, it’s easier for her to check for differences in flavor."
In a way, Steve really does have a lot on his plate.
Then, I suddenly realized something strange.
"Hey, come to think of it, why are you so thin, Steve, even though you eat all those sweets?"
"Oh, that’s true. Is there some kind of trick to it?"
"Tell us. Or else..."
"The raw, unedited photos of Steve the wild goblin, taken on the If Continent, will be scattered all over Weed."
"What kind of terrible bullying is that!? I mean, I’m not doing anything special. Isn't it just that I have plenty of work to do, big and small? I’ve never been one to hole up for long periods. Even Riel-ane-san and the others weren't overweight when they were working."
"I see."
I suppose it’s hard to gain weight when you’re staying active with work. I guess eating and sleeping is the real enemy.
"Luckily, there aren't any tempting facilities here, and there’s a basic training menu, so if you just follow that, you won't get bored, right?"
"Huh, they have something like that?"
"No, Riel. We had that in our police force too, remember?"
"……Like push-ups and stuff?"
"Oh, so that’s what it is. Let’s give it a try."
And so, we went out to the grounds, where a military basic training menu was posted in large letters. We exercised according to the instructions, and before we knew it, it was time to head home. I felt surprisingly satisfied with how much we’d moved our bodies.
"Man, we really went all out."
"Yeah. It was nice how they combined various exercises so you wouldn't get bored."
"……Basics are important."
"That’s for sure. I feel like I’m going to be sore tomorrow. I’ll have to massage it out in the bath."
As we were saying that and returning home...
"Welcome back, you four. Today is steak, Tori’s favorite, so don't hold back."
With that hellish declaration from Yuki-san, Tori ended up having three helpings.
"Ugh... Today’s diet was all for nothing..."
Dieting really is an endlessly grueling path. Hang in there, Tori!!
"Tomorrow is grilled fish, Riel’s favorite, so look forward to it."
It seems Yuki-san is our greatest enemy... How can we refuse when he says it like that!?
A pitfall after all this time. Well, life after giving birth is tough. And now that autumn is here—the season where horses grow fat—I’m sure the weight-gain warning sirens will be blaring. Everyone, please be careful not to overeat.
Also, I noticed several comments about it, but for those who misunderstood the parentage of Shuten, please note that in this story, the Eight-Headed Serpent is the "Mother," not the "Father." I mentioned this when Shuten first appeared, saying "Just like Mother Orochi...", so please keep that in mind. Well, those who are watching the other side will understand.