第１３４３堀：ルール説明 (Part1)
### Chapter 1343: Explaining the Rules
**Side: Yuki**
I was taken aback when the four of them tilted their heads in confusion at my question regarding "play."
No, I certainly understand the necessity of diligence, but if you make things that rigid, you lose sight of what truly matters. Playing is not a bad thing. I need to teach this to the three who apologized; as for Prol, she doesn't even seem to grasp the concept of "playing" at all. I suppose that just goes to show how harsh her environment must have been...
"Kirika."
"I understand. I will have my subordinates confirm it. A survey should yield results quickly—after all, it’s just a matter of asking what they do to unwind on their days off."
"Good, I'll leave it to you."
"However, at this rate, I wonder if they will even understand the meaning of 'play'."
"That part is up to me to work on. I think I finally understand why Prol gets so extremely tense. It means she has no room left in her heart."
"Even so, that symptom is limited to us. Is it really safe to conclude that this is the cause?"
"It’s not a definitive diagnosis, but it’s possible it’s contributing to the stress. There’s no doubt it’s something that needs improvement."
Prol’s condition might be more precarious than I initially thought. The only reason she treats her subordinates with such kindness is because we are here. In other words, if I’m not careful, she might end up overworking them in the future. It’s only a possibility linked to her extreme tension, but it is undoubtedly a problem.
"Also, Orelia and the others go out to eat delicious food, so they seem to engage in light play, but they have a tendency to think that’s wrong, so I’ll correct that as well."
It’s a good thing that Orelia and the others have a strong sense of being my subordinates, but they seem to feel that playing is something they shouldn't do much of. Well, they are certainly the face of my organization, so I can't have them causing trouble, but not playing at all is also wrong. After all, that would mean they don't know how people live.
Play is also where a person's true nature emerges. Therefore, observing how people play can sometimes reveal things about their lives. And above all, it serves as a breather to keep one's mind healthy. I don’t think my workplace is that much of a "black company," but it’s natural for those in positions of authority to have a troubled stomach. That’s why I thought I was being considerate, but I suppose it was just a thought.
No, in this world, working without breaks is considered standard, even though I’ve been telling everyone in Weed to play on their days off. When you stand at the top, you get so caught up in work that you probably hold back on such things. Regardless, it is a blessing that I noticed this failure now. I can start changing it from here on out.
So, let’s start with some table tennis.
"Um, Yuki-sama?"
"Ah, sorry. Kept you waiting. I was just realizing that the work environment was worse than I had anticipated."
"Eh, that’s not true at all~"
"That’s right. We are very blessed."
"Indeed."
All four of them said so immediately, but given their earlier remarks, it lacked any persuasive power. Well, they aren't even aware of it, so that’s to be expected. If I tell them to play now, it will just be forced, so I won’t touch on that...
"Orelia and the others seem to understand play to some extent, but since Prol and the others are tilting their heads, I’ll explain it briefly before we start the table tennis."
"Playing, you say?"
"Yes. Playing means moving your body, going out to eat, chatting with people—in short, using your time freely to do what you like. So, table tennis is just a part of that. Of course, some things suit people, and some don't."
"I see. So, does that mean it’s not a mistake for me to train or study when I’m alone at home?"
"Well, I suppose, but you should think of it as one type of experience."
I got the exact response I expected. Well, there are people for whom socializing is a source of stress. Even so, I don’t think Prol, who tilted her head at the question of play, considers training or studying alone to be "play."
"...If that is what you mean, I understand."
She hesitated for a moment, but she agreed with what I said. After all, you shouldn't have to agonize over what you like. You should be able to say honestly, "This is what I want to do." Of course, if one’s hobbies are... peculiar, one might stutter, but in this world, the concept of hobbies hasn't really developed yet. Considering they were struggling just to survive, that’s understandable, but Prol has been here in Weed for several years now. It’s about time she learned to enjoy her own life. I need to let her know that her life here will not be threatened.
"Alright, then. What’s in front of us is table tennis. There’s a net in the middle of this table, and it divides the space into your side and your opponent's side."
Kirika and I stood opposite each other as I explained.
"You use this racket to hit this ball..."
As I said that, I bounced the ball on my side and sent it over to hers. And then, that ball...
"If it bounces on my side, it counts as a valid shot, so I hit it back. Of course, it’s not considered valid unless it bounces on the opponent’s side."
Kirika said that and then, quite elegantly... *poof*. The ball sailed past without ever touching my side.
"?" "?" "?" "?"
Orelia and the others tilted their heads. Kirika remained frozen, her racket still mid-swing.
"In a case like this, where it doesn't bounce on the opponent's side, it becomes my point."
I said that as I flipped the scoreboard. It changed to 1-0. However, it’s a bit of a problem if we can’t even hold a rally.
"Kirika, the angle of your racket when you hit it is too wide."
"The angle is too wide?"
"Yes, you have to consider the angle of reflection at which the ball bounces."
It seems Kirika hasn't played many sports involving rackets. Well, Kirika’s hobby is usually Aslin and the others, after all. For now, I’ll demonstrate.
"If a ball comes straight at you and you hit it from the front, it returns straight back. You understand that, right?"
I held the ball in my hand and explained while showing the trajectory. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"The ball I hit just now—you might think it came from the front, but it actually landed on your side and was heading toward your racket, so it had a surprising amount of angle. About 30 to 45 degrees, perhaps?"
I exaggerated a bit, setting a wider angle, and showed the trajectory of the ball in the same way. All four of them seemed to have an "Aha!" moment of understanding.