落とし穴外伝：冬の暖房器具について (Part2)
"It’s getting quite chilly, isn't it? The air conditioning in the hallways and the banquet hall is one thing, but the private rooms are..."
"Oh, big brother."
"Good morning, Yuki. Good morning, everyone."
Ratz and Eris had already arrived at the banquet hall, and the moment they saw us, they offered to help. Since this was part of our daily routine, I accepted their assistance while bringing up the topic from earlier.
"So, Ratz, Eris—are your rooms feeling cold, too?"
"Well, yes. It’s definitely getting colder. Though, Weed is still overwhelmingly warmer than any other town or village."
"Exactly. If you called Weed cold, you’d be facing absolute frostbite anywhere else."
The two of them laughed, but the fact remained: it was cold.
"In that case, it’s about time we brought out the heating equipment."
"But stoves are dangerous, aren't they?"
"I suppose we have no choice but to warm the rooms with air conditioning?"
With stoves off the table, our options were limited. As we discussed this while preparing, the rest of the group and the children began to gather.
"Father, good morning!"
"Good morning, Father."
"Ah, good morning, Sakura, Sumire."
Sakura and Sumire, the eldest among them, rushed over the moment they spotted me, and I greeted them back with a gentle pat on their heads. They looked so much like miniature versions of Seraria and Rurua that it was uncanny. It was hard to tell where my own features had manifested, but they were undeniably my children. They were precious.
Following those two older sisters, another arrived...
"Father, good morning. Come on, everyone, say it too."
"Good morning!"
With both hands occupied and a trail of children behind her, Yuyu approached. As the eldest of the children, she worked hard to be a big sister to the rest. She was well-behaved, with no signs of going off the rails. While I did occasionally rely on her for matters involving Hivia or spirits, she spent her days normally: going to school, playing, and looking after the younger ones.
I decided to ask her about the cold as well.
"By the way, do you all find it cold lately?"
"It’s cold."
"So cold. I want to be warm."
"Yes, I want something warm."
The older girls agreed. With that, despite my lingering concerns, I decided to make an announcement after breakfast.
"Thank you for the meal!"
With that unified chorus, breakfast concluded. Usually, everyone would head off to their respective jobs or schools, but I held up a hand to stop them.
"Everyone, wait a moment. As I asked this morning, there have been many complaints about the cold. So, once work and school are finished today, I’m going to begin installing *kotatsu* in every private room, as well as here in the banquet hall."
"!?!"
Everyone’s faces lit up with shock. It was only natural. The legendary winter heating apparatus: the *kotatsu*.
"A-are you serious?"
Seraria asked, her voice trembling slightly at the sudden declaration.
"Yes. If it’s cold, we have to do something. However, you are not to sleep in the *kotatsu*. You must stick to the schedule for meals and other activities. If you can't follow that rule, I will be reclaiming the *kotatsu* from your private rooms accordingly."
In the past, I hadn't placed them in private rooms because my wives were too easily ensnared by the *kotatsu*'s magical allure, but I figured they might be able to maintain their self-control now.
As for how my wives and children reacted...
"Yay!"
They erupted into cheers.
And so, I found myself worrying whether they would actually be able to keep their promise.