落とし穴外伝：元同僚たちの嗜好 (Part1)
Side: Jessica
"Ah... guh?"
My child with Yuki cooed, reaching out with tiny hands.
The one smiling as she grasped those small fingers was...
"Oh, Ainon, you’ve grown so much."
"Indeed. She’s looking more and more like her mother every day."
It was Marly, the magic sword user who was once my superior, and Hivia, my former colleague and adjutant.
Though we now serve different nations—and our very affiliations have shifted—our positions still bring us together quite often. For that, I have Yuki to thank.
However...
"Um, if I recall correctly, you came to visit just a week ago? I don’t think a child changes all that much in such a short span of time, do you?"
Yes, these two.
It feels as though they show up at our home every chance they get. Since they’ve been granted access to the inn, they come and go as they please. I often see them laughing and playing not just with my Ainon, but with Sakura and the others as well.
"A week is a long time to be away. Children change."
"I have to agree with Marly on that point. If you were separated from the children for a week, Jessica, you would understand."
"No, that is absolutely impossible."
The mere thought of being away from my children for a whole week makes me feel like I might lose my mind. Still, I understood what they were getting at.
"Well, as long as it doesn't interfere with your duties, I won't complain."
It’s not as if Marly or Hivia are disrupting us while we’re busy. They always check with someone before coming to the inn. In fact, they wouldn't be able to enter at all without permission.
"Rest assured, I manage our schedule quite strictly."
"Aye. Leave it to Hivia, and there’s never a problem."
"Haa... you really haven't changed, Marly. Hivia, are you actually taking your time off?"
Ever since I left to be with Yuki, Hivia has been the one looking after Marly. Naturally, I worry that the workload has become too heavy and that Hivia is overextending herself.
"How many times have we had this conversation? I understand your concern, but our current duties mainly involve maintaining order in Weed and the Betan territory, so it isn't particularly taxing. Disputes in the countries under Zilba’s umbrella are for the other generals to handle."
"Thanks to that, we have no expeditions, which is a bit dull. Though, I suppose I shouldn't complain when it means I can come to Weed so often. I especially enjoy the sparring matches. And, of course, playing with the children is a delight."
I’ve certainly heard that answer many times before.
"My apologies. It’s just that the past still feels so vivid in my mind."
"I understand. I truly do. I have those dreams as well."
"Hahaha! Back then, there were no alliances to speak of. We were surrounded by enemies, never knowing when our territory might be carved away, and then there were the beastmen to deal with. We were always rushing back and forth, constantly on the move."
"What are you laughing at? Because Marly would act on pure intuition, you and I were the ones who had to scramble to organize the troops and secure supplies."
"I trusted that you two could handle it. But look, things are much easier now."
Marly said this as she pulled a shopping bag from her side—presumably something she’d picked up before arriving—and...
"Oh, right. Here. A souvenir for the children. Pudding. There’s plenty, so dig in."
She dropped the bag onto the table with a thud.
There are over ten children in the house now. Looking at the quantity, it seems there’s enough for us adults as well.
"Thank you very much."
"Though, personally, I would have preferred the pudding from that popular shop."
"They didn't have enough in stock, so..."
Ah, I see. It’s difficult for a popular shop to fulfill an order of ten or more at once. But, of course, that isn't what matters.
"The thought alone is more than enough. So, is this what you meant by things becoming easier to shop for?"
Setting aside the souvenir, I decided to ask what exactly had become easier.
"Ah, yes, exactly. Shopping, in particular, has become much simpler."
"Indeed. Truly. If we place an order, we can have it within a few days. I’m very grateful to Ratz for that. And the goods have a long shelf life, too."
"Transport is a breeze now as well."
"Item bags have become quite widespread. They’re certainly expensive, but they’re far easier to manage than hauling massive amounts of luggage. It helps with risk distribution, too."
The cup noodles and canned goods sold in Weed have become quite popular in Zilba. They’re convenient, delicious, and come in a wide variety. It all started when Yuki shared some cup noodles with us back when we were traveling together—a nostalgic memory. And thanks to the item bags, logistics have evolved tremendously.
"Yuki once mentioned that item boxes are dangerous in environments where magic tools can’t be used, or where supplies might be easily stolen. How do you handle that?"
That’s why Yuki always keeps at least two or three days' worth of rations in a physical bag when we’re on the move.
"Oh, we have that covered. During marches or missions, we never know when we might be ambushed. We distribute a few days' worth of food into our packs before we set out, and replenish them before they run out."
"I see. That way, even if the item boxes become unusable, you can still fight for several days, and it serves as a check on your inventory."
"Exactly. That was Yuki’s suggestion, as well."
That sounds exactly like something Yuki would propose. Managing the rations this way also allows us to keep an eye on everyone’s physical condition.
"If you have measures in place, then I’m relieved."
As I said that, I suddenly noticed that Marly was still holding onto the shopping bag.
"Did you buy something else? And why not put it in your item bag?"
There’s no issue with having more shopping, but there’s no reason to keep it out when an item bag is available. It makes me wonder if there’s a specific reason.
"Ah, right. Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something else, too."