落とし穴外伝：冬の暖房器具について (Part1)
Dungeon Master Side Story: On Winter Heating Appliances
Side: Yuki
I wake up naturally in the morning.
Though, it’s still well before the sun has even thought about rising.
Habit is a terrifying thing.
"And here I thought today was supposed to be a day off..."
Yes, I’ve woken up despite it being my day off.
It’s a common enough story.
On days when I’d love to sleep in until the very last second, I find myself wide awake instead.
And I’m alert, too.
"Well, might as well start with breakfast, just like any other day."
If I were living alone, I’d probably just throw something together, but now I have a family to look after.
The daily rotation is set in stone, and meals are something you can’t skip, 365 days a year.
Above all, that goes double when you have children.
I have to make sure breakfast is properly prepared.
With that in mind, I rise from my futon, intending to join the breakfast preparations, when—
*Chill...*
A crisp, biting coldness, fitting for the season, washes over me.
"Whoa, it’s cold."
Surprised, I realize it’s already that time of year.
Summer has passed, and we are drifting from autumn toward winter.
Thinking this, I pull a long-sleeved cardigan from the wardrobe, throw it on, and step out of the room.
Naturally, the hallway of the inn is chilly.
In the dead of winter, we’d have the heating running, but since it’s still that awkward transitional period, we hadn’t turned it on yet.
"If this cold keeps up, I’ll have to turn on the heat. Can’t have the kids catching a cold."
While mentally preparing my justification for the wives who manage the heating, I head toward the open-air bath—since our family routine involves washing up and feeling refreshed before starting the day’s activities—and after a quick rinse, I make my way to the kitchen.
"Oh my? Master, good morning. I thought today was your day off?"
"Ah, you’re right. Morning! What’s wrong, Yuki-san?"
"...Huh? Yuki? Sleepy..."
It seems Sasari, Riel, and Agil are the ones on breakfast duty today.
"Morning. Even though it’s my day off, I woke up, so I came to help."
I return their greetings and head straight for an empty station in the kitchen.
Ours is a large family, and this was originally an inn, after all.
The kitchen is spacious, designed to allow for many dishes to be prepared simultaneously.
I don’t want to serve cold food, after all.
Seeing me, Sasari and the others respond...
"As always, you’re quite diligent. In that case, could you handle the rolled omelets the children love so much?"
"Ah, sure thing. And Agil, are you alright?"
I cast a glance at Agil, whose reaction is sluggish.
"Hmm~? What is it~? Do you think I’m incapable of cooking~?"
"Anyone would think that seeing you in such a sleep-deprived state. I’m worried you’ll cut yourself with a knife."
"How sweet~. I’m such a lucky person~."
"Yeah, you’re definitely still half-asleep."
If we weren’t in the middle of cooking, I’d normally give her a hug, but now isn’t the time for that, so I decide on a bit of "rough therapy" by pressing my cold, wet hands against her face.
"Eek!?"
Agil jumps back in surprise, as expected, but she bumps into the shelf behind her and loses her balance.
If I leave her like that, she’ll end up causing trouble for Sasari and Riel, so I catch her in a hug to steady her.
"There, are you awake now?"
"I’m chilled to the bone. Honestly, what a terrible husband you are."
Despite her complaints, she rubs her head against my stomach.
My adorable wife.
Though, thanks to the height difference and her behavior, we probably look like a parent and child.
"Ah, you thought I was a child, didn't you?"
"Well, yeah. Acting like this while half-asleep in the morning. Look, Riel and Sasari are dumbfounded."
When I turn to look at Riel and the others...
"Yuki-san, I want a hug too~."
"Ahaha, you two are so close. Shall I tell everyone else~?"
Riel asks for her turn, and Sasari offers to spread the news to the others.
"Alright, that’s enough. If I keep this up, I won’t be able to get anything done."
"Haa~, I suppose that can’t be helped~."
Only when I put my foot down does Agil finally pull away.
Well, it’s all part of the fun.
With that, I give Riel a quick hug as well, and we begin preparing breakfast.
My job is the rolled omelets.
I focus entirely on making them.
With over twenty people in the house, even making one side dish is a massive undertaking.
Sasari, meanwhile, is working in parallel on the miso soup and simmered dishes.
Riel is grilling the salmon to perfection.
Nothing will go cold, thanks to the miracle of the Item Box.
Of course, we also keep a stock of prepared meals.
Just in case we need to serve something in a pinch.
So, even if we didn’t cook today, we have enough food stored to last for months, but this is a routine—a habit, really.
Cooking isn’t something I dislike, and it’s for the sake of the children.
"Still, it’s really gotten cold, hasn’t it~. I’m doing better since I took a bath, but I wonder what we should do when it gets even colder later on."
Agil says this while setting out the plates.
It’s true, the mornings have become quite cold.
I’m sure everyone, not just Agil, is thinking the same thing.
Oh, and for the record, it’s not that Agil can’t cook.
She can do it just fine, but when there are so many people, tasks like setting the table or carrying the rice tubs become more important.
Well, setting that aside, the arrival of winter—cold mornings are tough, aren't they?
"For that, wouldn't we need climate control, like using an air conditioner~?"
"Hmm~, I see your point, Sasari, but those things are surprisingly hard on the throat~."
"I know, right? It makes your throat feel all scratchy."
It’s true, as Sasari says, if we just turned on the heater in the air conditioner, the cold wouldn’t be an issue, but Riel and Agil’s concerns about the air drying out are also valid.
That leaves us with other methods...
"Electric heaters or kerosene stoves, I suppose... but I’m terrified of the kids leaving them unattended and starting a fire."
"I can confidently say I could manage them, but the children are a different story."
"Ah, I don’t think I’d use them. I’m genuinely scared of what the kids might do."
"Agreed. The children always do things that go beyond our expectations."
Yes, it seems the children were the primary concern for everyone.
Children really do have a knack for doing the most unpredictable things.
Discussing this, we finish preparing the meal and carry it into the banquet hall.