落とし穴外伝：人のモノを食べてはいけません (Part1)
Pitfall Side Story: Thou Shalt Not Eat Another’s Food
Side: Yuki
The incident occurred suddenly one day.
Well, incidents are, by their very nature, sudden.
If I could have predicted it, I would have moved to prevent it.
Therefore, I believe this was simply unavoidable.
As for the outline of said incident...
"Ah, I just don't feel like doing anything today."
"Is that so?"
Rushi, who was glued to my side as my bodyguard, tilted her head.
Today was a day off. Though it was only just before ten in the morning, I had no motivation whatsoever, and I was lounging in my room with Rushi and Prof, gathered around the table.
One might expect Prof, who is usually strict about work, to say something in this situation, but...
"That is fine. It is far better than a day spent poring over documents or working on the computer. Besides, you don't seem to have the energy for games, which are meant for leisure. Your eyes are likely tired as well. Please, take it easy."
With that, she placed a fresh cup of tea in front of me.
In this way, Prof is surprisingly indulgent when we aren't on the clock.
She had made a small comment about the games, but generally, she plays along, and the "biting" habit she had at the beginning has faded away.
While I am happy to see her growth, I suppose one could call it a bit lonely, too.
"Is there something on my face?"
"No, I was just thinking that you've really gotten used to this, Prof."
"Ah, now that you mention it, I suppose I have. I never imagined I would be able to be this calm while spending private time with you, Yuki-sama."
"Still, are you pushing yourself? You know you’re allowed to take your days off without seeing me, right?"
There was no need for her to be stuck to me all day long on her day off.
Since her nervous habits had mostly subsided, I thought it wouldn't be an issue.
"What are you saying? To me, this is the greatest reward and the best way to spend a vacation. Even you, Yuki-sama, cannot take this away from me."
Well, it seems my attendant enjoys her time with me.
For me, the definition of a day off is a day where I can use my time freely without worrying about anyone else.
But that is just my personal view, and I have no reason to interfere with how Prof spends her time off.
I only wanted to ensure she wasn't overexerting herself.
If she says it’s fine, then that is the truth.
If she collapses, I’ll just have to be more cautious then.
*Slurp.*
While thinking such things, I sipped my tea as the gentle sunlight streamed into the room.
Ah, a peaceful holiday.
The quiet time drifted by.
Rushi, despite being my bodyguard, didn't feel the need to be overly tense in the inn that served as our home, and she was reading the sequel to a novel she had brought along.
If I weren't careful, she’d start reading medical textbooks, which would make the atmosphere feel a bit too stifling.
Prof was doing much the same, looking through a book—or rather, a magazine.
"A magazine, Prof? What are you reading?"
"Ah, this? It is the Weed information magazine published by Mikos-sama. It covers daily news, fashion, clothing tips, and, of course, food."
Prof showed me the page she was reading.
It featured some of the popular eateries in Weed.
I had thought the Weed magazine might run out of content after so many issues, but it seems that isn't the case.
"Oh, this is a newly opened shop."
"Yes. I heard the previous shop moved from the front to the back. It’s good to hear they’ve found stability."
Rushi peeked at the magazine and joined the conversation naturally.
Yes, this scene could certainly be called a slice of a peaceful holiday.
"Alright, let's go to the shop in the magazine. It’s almost lunchtime, so we can get there before it gets crowded."
"Are you sure?"
"Yuki-sama, are you not pushing yourself?"
"I'm sure. I'm not pushing myself. I just didn't have the energy to move without a purpose. If the food is that good, I’ll find the motivation."
With that, we left our room to head toward the shop in the magazine. Just as we passed through the inn's hallway and were about to cross the lounge...
"Hmm?"
All three of us stopped in our tracks and looked into the lounge.
There were some plates left on the table, but no one was in sight.
I assumed someone had just stepped away, but the most unsettling thing was what lay on the floor beneath the table.
Because there, lying face down, was...
"Mi... wata... wa-ter..."
Labyris was collapsed on the floor.
Her usually neat twin-tails were splayed out across the floor, creating a somewhat horrific sight. The sound she made had startled all three of us for a split second.
Realizing it was Labyris, we immediately rushed to lift her up.
"Hey. Labyris, what on earth happened?"
"Wa... ter..."
"Water? Ah, you want water?"
I managed to decipher her broken speech and held the glass of water that had been on the table to her lips. Realizing it was water, she grabbed it with her hands and gulped it down, her throat clicking as she swallowed.
Naturally, the glass was emptied in an instant by such frantic drinking.
"Wa-ter, mo-re wa-ter..."
Labyris looked at us with teary eyes, so I pulled a two-liter bottle of water from my item box. She immediately opened the cap and began chugging it...
"Phew! I’ve calmed down a little."
After downing about half of it—a full liter—she was finally able to speak coherently.
"I'm impressed you could fit all that in."
I was genuinely amazed by the situation.
Labyris is petite.
She’s somewhere between a young child and a young woman, so I never imagined she could drink so much. Her stomach must be sloshing.
"I'm at a level where I'm sloshing, it's no joke."
"What exactly happened?"
Yes, that was the real question.
What kind of situation would lead to Labyris collapsing and begging for water?
Labyris looked a bit embarrassed as she replied.
"...I ate the curry on the table."
"Huh? Curry?"
At her words, we looked at the table and saw four plates of curry sitting there.
All of them were half-eaten.
I could more or less guess the sequence of events, but...
"Labyris, you're bad with spicy food, aren't you? Why did you eat it?"
Yes, Labyris is terrible with spicy food.
She can eat it, but anything truly hot is a no-go. Since quite a few of my wives love spicy food, Labyris usually stays on guard against that sort of thing, but...