落とし穴番外：もう一品 (Part1)
Pitfall Side Story: One More Dish
One More Dish
Side: Milly
"Phew, I’m exhausted today. Time to head home, get some cuddles from Yumi and the others, and let them soothe my soul."
Just like that, I finished my shift at the Adventurer’s Guild and started the trek home. I could use teleportation magic to get back in a blink, but the rule in Weed is to use the designated teleportation gates installed at key locations, so I stick to that.
Well, I do enjoy walking through the streets and watching the town go by on my way home.
After all, this city of Weed is always bustling with people, and more importantly, it’s overflowing with smiles. Sometimes, I still have to pinch myself to make sure that this scene—the one *we* built—isn't just a dream.
"...'We,' huh."
That’s right. For a while after I arrived, I kept saying it was all thanks to my beloved husband, Yuki-san. But now, I can honestly say it was our own hands that built this. It’s a testament to how hard we’ve all worked, and I finally understand why Yuki-san used to give that wry smile whenever I credited him alone.
This "Weed" wasn't created by the strength of any single person.
It’s true that Yuki-san provided the vessel—he created this dungeon, this place, and the nation of Weed, which is now known even on other continents. But as Yuki-san often says, that alone doesn't make a "nation."
No, not without people.
We were the first, and the people who live here now are the ones who helped it grow into what it is today. This country was built by everyone. We’ve come this far with our own two hands.
Lost in these sentimental thoughts, I suddenly remembered that today was a "special day."
"Oh, right. I need to pick up some alcohol."
Since Yumi and the others were born, the number of times I drink has dropped significantly, but that doesn't mean I’ve sworn it off entirely. We have specific days set aside for drinking in moderation, and today, I’m planning to have a glass alongside the ramen Yuki-san is making for us.
The kids absolutely love that ramen.
However, because it’s a salty dish, we’ve limited it to once a week for our home meals. It’s a necessary sacrifice for the children’s growth, but for those of us who truly love ramen and gyoza, it’s been incredibly tough.
I mean, not only is Yuki-san’s cooking genuinely delicious, but even when we make it ourselves for a late-night snack or a quick bite, we still have to keep the frequency down for the kids' sake.
But today, we get to eat that ramen to our hearts' content!
Naturally, it’s my duty as a human being to prepare the perfect drink to go with it. I could use DP to stock up on some high-quality alcohol from Earth, but if I do that, the money I earn in this world just keeps piling up since I never spend it.
After all, I am the representative of the Adventurer District, so I do earn a salary. A pretty substantial one, at that. I suppose it’s only fitting that someone in my position—the head of a major organization and one of the "Founders of Weed"—would be well-compensated.
"But when you’re this busy, you don't even have time to spend it. Besides, there isn't really much I want to buy in the first place."
It’s true. The things I *truly* want, I’ve already received from Yuki-san and everyone else—things that money can’t buy. So, I spend a little on my hobby of drinking, and the rest I donate to the church or the orphanage. I imagine everyone else is pretty much the same, aren't they?
Well, Ratz might be using hers to run her own personal business. I’ve provided a little bit of funding for that, too. Hmm, maybe I should look into investing more in that direction?
Thinking about all this, I stepped into the local Super Ratz.
Yes, they’ve even opened a branch in the Adventurer District recently, expanding their business reach even further. At first, everyone thought it would be impossible to maintain order in a place where rough-and-tumble adventurers from other countries gather.
"Man, even I thought this was the one place it wouldn't work," I muttered to myself, grabbing a shopping basket and walking through the aisles.
Inside, adventurers and ordinary citizens were shopping together as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It’s a sight I’ve grown accustomed to. And all of this, as Yuki-san put it:
*"The security system is already in place. To make trouble less likely, we just need to increase the number of police officers to show that we’re keeping a close watch."*
And he was right. If a place is prone to trouble, you just station police officers there to ensure it doesn't happen. That’s why there’s a police box and a simplified Adventurer’s Guild window right next to this Super Ratz; if anyone causes trouble in the store, they’re dealt with immediately.
I had my doubts about whether it was worth allocating that much personnel here, but...
"Time to stock up!"
"Yeah!"
With those shouts, a group of adventurers stormed into the store, baskets in hand. Of course, they had properly checked their weapons at the designated area. I recognized the group that just walked in...
"Oh, Big Sis Milly. Out shopping?"
"That’s right. You guys too?"
"Yeah. We made a decent haul today."
Come to think of it, they were making quite a racket at the guild’s appraisal counter earlier. Something about a rare material.
"I see. So, a drinking party tonight? Wouldn't it be better to go to a bar?"
"Nah, we’re planning to go late into the night, and we didn't exactly strike it rich, so we’ve gotta save where we can. That’s why we’re here."
"Exactly. Plus, the food at Super Ratz is plenty delicious."
"For real. Just sprinkle some salt and pepper on their meat and it’s amazing."
"And they’ve got tons of booze. If we drank at a bar, it’d cost us twice as much, easy."
Oh, they’re actually thinking ahead and saving money. And it’s true—shopping at Super Ratz is definitely cheaper. Eating out at a restaurant always ends up costing a fortune.
There are quite a few adventurers who use the store just like this. In other words, this shop is helping out the adventurers in more ways than one, and the sales are high enough to easily cover the cost of the extra security.
"Well, just make sure you don't get too carried away and end up in police custody."
"You got it!"