落とし穴１４２堀：あの頃 (Part1)
Pitfall 142: Back Then
Back Then
Side: Hifi
"Hello there, Hifi-san."
The one who greeted me at the house in Weed where Taizo-san and I reside was Popuri, the Principal of the Lancer Magic Academy.
Accompanying her were Eoid and the Dragon Knight, Amanda.
"Well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the Principal of the Lancer Magic Academy in such a place?"
"Ah, I’m not here in that capacity today, Sister Hifi."
"Oh? That form of address..."
It brings back memories.
Back to the days when Comet and I were looking after the children.
Back to the time when we all lived together in that one village.
"Yes. I’ve come to see you as the person I was back then."
"I see. Is something the matter? Popuri? Has someone been bullying you again?"
"Ahaha, you don’t have to revert to that level of concern. I just remembered something nostalgic and thought I’d bring it to you."
With that, Popuri produced an old, weathered wooden box.
...It looks vaguely familiar.
Well, that’s neither here nor there for the moment. First things first...
"So, this is a personal visit, then. Please, come in."
"Yes, excuse the intrusion."
"P-pardon the intrusion."
"Excuse us."
I guided the three of them into the living room and served tea.
"Thank you."
"Not at all. It doesn’t seem like this will be a simple conversation, given the nature of that box."
"You’re right."
Popuri placed the old wooden box on the table.
It was truly an ancient-looking box, yet it didn't seem to have gathered any dust.
"So, what is this? I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before."
I asked Popuri, unable to recall the origin of the box, but...
"I think you’ll understand once you look inside."
"The contents, you say..."
Without fully grasping Popuri’s intent, I reached for the box.
It was far too dilapidated to be a gift, so what on earth could it be?
Well, I suppose I’ll know once I lift the lid.
The moment my eyes fell upon the contents, my thoughts ground to a halt.
"..."
Inside the old wooden box were several handmade dolls, the kind children play with.
"..."
"Nostalgic, isn't it?"
"Yes, truly."
I gently reached out and picked up one of the dolls with care.
"It’s surprisingly sturdy for its age. ...No, wait. Is this... magical energy?"
"Yes, that’s right. It’s the dolls our master, Comet-san, made for us. It seems she reinforced them with magic so they wouldn't break."
"She certainly had a peculiar way of being meticulous."
"That sounds just like Master."
Indeed, the doll in my hand was not made by me, but by Comet.
She had crafted them as toys for the children.
Yes, toys for the children...
"Ah."
"Is something wrong, Sister Hifi?"
"No, I just remembered. Comet suddenly decided she wanted to find some good toys, and this is what she ended up making."
"So that was the story behind them? I had assumed you were the one who asked her to make them, Hifi-san."
"Yes, it might surprise you, but Comet made these herself, claiming they were necessary for the children. If I recall correctly..."
It was back when Comet and I were living quietly in a corner of a small village as a Dungeon Master and her assistant.
*'Comet? What on earth are you doing? Research again? More importantly, the children you brought back...'*
It hadn't been long since she brought Popuri and the others to us, and they were still at an age that required constant attention. I had gone looking for Comet because she had abandoned the children to work on something else.
*'Oh, you’ve come at a good time. Hifi, do these dolls look about right?'*
*'Huh?'*
At first, I didn't understand what she was talking about.
I never imagined that a research-obsessed shut-in would show such consideration for the children.
Well, the fact that she had whimsically picked up children and decided to care for them was a shock in itself; I had just begun to feel that my long years of life-guidance had finally borne fruit.
*'No, why are you so surprised? Even I can make toys for children. Besides, I’m not that heartless.'*
*'No, I think Comet is quite heartless for leaving all the childcare to me while she ignores the cooking and laundry just to play around making dolls.'*
*'Ugh. No, look, the children need toys, don't they?'*
*'That is far from a priority. First, we must provide them with warm meals and a place to sleep, and we adults must be there to comfort them, don't you think?'*
*'Yes. You’re absolutely right.'*
"And that’s how it went."
"Ah... when we were first brought there, I did wonder why Sister Hifi was the one taking care of us instead of Comet-san. So that was the reason. But why dolls, specifically?"
"I asked her the very same thing..."
Even so, I couldn't bring myself to scold Comet severely for making dolls for the children, so I decided to ask her about it again after I finished my chores.
*'So, what exactly was the reason you decided to make these dolls?'*
*'Well, purely as toys for the children...'*
*'You can spare me the lies. You certainly thought they needed toys, but seeing how absorbed you were in your work, it seemed you had another purpose.'*
*'Guh!? As expected of Hifi. Well, it’s not like it’s something to hide. Look, the only members of this dungeon are still just you and me. And those children.'*
*'Yes, that’s true.'*
*'So, I was thinking I needed to increase our manpower somehow. I couldn't exactly use monsters as servants, so I thought I’d try making golems. I figured if they looked like cute dolls, the children wouldn't be afraid of them.'*
*'I see. And what was the result?'*
*'Well, it was a total failure. This kind of technology doesn't work out so easily.'*
With that, Comet handed me one of the dolls she had made.
*'I can feel the magical energy, but they don't look like they’ll be moving anytime soon.'*
*'Exactly. I managed to imbue them with magic, but I couldn't get them to move freely. Well, if I focused all my energy on just one, I suppose I could make it move, but...'*
*'There’s no point if only one can move.'*
*'Right? Well, I already made one. I thought I’d just finish making enough for all of you, including Popuri. I used to play with dolls like this when I was little, too. They should make good toys for children.'*
*'I had always thought Comet was only interested in magic research.'*
*'...I had a childhood too, you know.'*
"She was acting a bit sulky like that."
"Haha, well, I suppose that’s only natural. It’s hard to imagine the Master as she is now."