落とし穴１６１堀：今年を振り返る (Part1)
Pitfall 161: Looking Back on This Year
Looking Back on This Year
Side: Yuki
The current date and time is just past 16:30 on December 31st.
In our household, it was previously unthinkable for the whole family to be gathered at this time of year, but...
"Ah, this is paradise."
"It really is. Kotatsus are the best."
"Deryu, Riel. Don't go falling asleep just yet."
This year, we are all together, leisurely enjoying the final hours of the year.
"I’m actually surprised. Even Eris and Ratz are here."
"Well, yes. Those two are usually incredibly busy at this time."
"We left everything to Tefa and the others this year."
"Indeed. We’re going to have a relaxing end to the year and a peaceful start to the next."
I see. So they actually followed through on what they said before. They are genuinely encouraging their successors to stand on their own two feet.
...I suppose this means Weed is finally starting to move beyond our direct control.
Thinking about that with a sense of nostalgia, I reach for my tea and take a sip.
*Haa.*
On a cold day like this, there’s nothing like a cup of hot tea.
Still, when I cast my gaze out the window...
"Big brother!"
"Master!"
"Father!"
"Papa!"
Aslin, Sakura, and the others are playing energetically in the snow-covered courtyard, undeterred by the cold.
Man, kids really have boundless energy. I don’t have that kind of stamina.
*Tick, tock, tick, tock...*
The sound of the clock is the only thing audible in this lazy, quiet space. I wonder how long it’s been since I’ve spent time just lounging like this?
"...Still, it’s already the end of the year before I knew it."
When I mutter that, Seraria and the others nod.
"It really is. The year just flew by."
"Yes. It feels like just the other day we were swimming in the ocean."
"Ah, we did swim, didn't we? Or rather, there was quite a lot going on with the sea this year. We even started operating an aircraft carrier."
That’s right, we were involved with the sea a lot this year. Well, that’s to be expected, I suppose. The main event this year was the request for aid from the maritime nation of Sea-Cypho. That led to us wanting to train Kagura and the others, so we cooperated with Shera and her group for surface and underwater combat training, and we decided to get an aircraft carrier ready.
"...That happened, didn't it? And then Luna suddenly brought an aircraft carrier into the resort area's ocean, which caused a huge amount of trouble."
"That was quite a surprise, wasn't it?"
Seraria looks like she has a headache just thinking about it, and Rurua smiles wryly as they talk about the moment the carrier appeared. I completely agree. While it was a good thing that we ended up with a fully stocked aircraft carrier without spending any DP, the resulting tsunami damage to the fishing port was a nightmare to deal with.
"It all started because Sea-Cypho suddenly appeared at the border of Haiden with armed forces, though."
"That’s right. I was so nervous about what would happen back then."
As Seraria says, I was truly anxious. The first Intercontinental Exchange Conference had just ended, and then we got a report that an unknown military force equipped with things that looked like guns was heading toward Haiden. I was even considering the possibility that Haiden might be destroyed by war.
"But their objective was different. I thought they came to start a war, but then they offered an unnaturally high level of support. And behind that was a request for cooperation regarding maritime issues. Well, I'm glad it didn't turn into a war."
"Truly. Still, it was difficult for us to come up with countermeasures for our first-ever naval battle."
Exactly. We had no experience with naval combat until then. That’s why we started the underwater training I mentioned earlier.
"And the root cause of those maritime issues turned out to be on the Haire religion's side, too."
"Right. When we looked into it, the cause was on our end. Well, it was just something that had been taken without permission and gone out of control, but Haiden couldn't exactly tell Sea-Cypho the truth."
"That’s only natural. No matter how you look at it, they were in a position where Sea-Cypho would demand reparations. 'It was taken without permission' isn't an excuse. Their own country was on the verge of collapse; they couldn't afford to be picky about how they handled it."
That’s why we sent out ships to exterminate the monsters appearing in the ocean. That’s where the aircraft carrier Luna provided finally came in handy. We fought a swarm of coelacanth-like creatures on the sea and won a landslide victory. Everything was fine up to that point, but...
"We were all surprised when the Sea Dragon appeared in the Blue Hole after that."
"A Sea Dragon? Oh, you mean Sea-chan. Come to think of it, what’s happening with Sea-chan lately?"
"As for Sea-chan, I connected the Blue Hole to the ocean inside Weed. She seems to be enjoying our life here, coming and going as she pleases. Though, she only does combat training with Kagura and the others."
"Well, of course. She was beaten to a pulp by Aslin, so she probably doesn't want to die."
"The damage Sea-chan took was at a truly dangerous level. I was surprised that Aslin’s main body had that much power."
As Rurua says, Sea-chan, who had stripped Aslin of her swimsuit, was met with a "fist of justice" and nearly perished. I did say she should hold back, but that adult-form Aslin had more power than I anticipated. Someday, we’ll have to train in that form properly. Since her body is larger, her power has increased, and it’s quite different from her smaller form.
As I’m thinking about this, Deryu, who has been listening while tucked away in the kotatsu, speaks up.
"You don't need to worry about that. I’ve been overseeing her training in that girl form. She shouldn't make mistakes with her restraint anymore. Or rather, she was holding back quite a bit even then."
I see, that’s a relief. Deryu is Aslin’s master in hand-to-hand combat, after all. Wait, does that mean Deryu is the reason Aslin’s fists are so heavy? And she was holding back even then...?
Ria seems to have arrived at the same conclusion.
"That’s a terrifying thing to say so casually. Does that mean Aslin might be stronger than me if things go wrong?"
"Hmm. In terms of pure power, you’d likely be pushed back. The girl-form Aslin has a better build than me or Ria. Since her physique is so impressive, that’s where the difference comes from."
"Wha—!? I meant that as a joke, but it’s true!?"
To think, Aslin’s ability is apparently higher than the Demon Lord’s or the Hero’s. The logic makes sense. Since Aslin’s girl-version physique has already surpassed Deryu and Ria, it stands to reason that she can output more power. That little Aslin has grown so much.
"Well, that’s only in terms of pure power. Her technique still hasn't caught up, and she doesn't have the Hero skill adjustments that Ria has. If you take all that into account, she still couldn't beat Ria in a one-on-one fight."
"Ah, I see. *Phew*, that’s a relief. My dignity as an older sister is safe."
Ria says, looking relieved. But perhaps bothered by Deryu’s roundabout way of speaking, Seraria joins the conversation.
"But what about if we include Aslin’s pets and subordinates?"
"That would be tough. Aslin aside, those subordinates of hers are full of fighting spirit."
"Ah, they’re all so strong, aren't they?"