落とし穴外伝：２０２６年 年始スペシャル２
Haaah... I'm sleepy. I couldn't help but murmur.
"Ahaha, well, of course you're sleepy. We ended up pulling an all-nighter after all."
"Surprisingly, we didn't even get a game over."
"Even though we picked a randomly selected daimyo who wasn't particularly strong, we managed to fight surprisingly well, didn't we?"
Yes, as you can tell from the three of us, we were playing Nobunaga's Ambition cooperatively, and somehow, we managed to pull an all-nighter without getting a game over.
"We've conquered a third of the map, so the rest is just a formality."
What's more, we're on the verge of clearing it.
Well, before that, there's the great battle that will decide the fate of the realm.
If we push through without any issues, we've reached the point where victory is certain.
So, we lost track of when to stop and ended up staying up all night.
"Well, it's a common story. I used to do it a lot when I was young..."
"Right. Nowadays, if I don't sleep at night, the morning—or rather, the next day—I can't work."
"I understand. Somehow, when we were students or in our twenties, we had incredible energy. Well, once work gets busy, that's no longer the case."
That's true.
In your early twenties, you're still a new employee with tons to learn, but generally, other things are still manageable.
As time passes and you get used to things, the standards expected of you rise, and you get subordinates.
In other words, your workload increases even further.
As you handle all that, your resources for leisure—that is, your physical stamina and such—start to dwindle.
Of course, there's also the decline that comes with age.
Well, I didn't have the groundwork of a working adult over there, but now that I've been a king and a hero, I understand it well.
If you ask if it gets easier when you're at the top, only fools find it easier.
The more you try to create a good environment, the more your work increases.
I've come to understand that truly efficient people are those who know how to ease up appropriately while maintaining their position.
That's precisely the hardest thing to do.
"Well then, shall we go wake ourselves up first?"
Yuki, noticing our drowsy state, suggested this.
"What do you mean, 'wake ourselves up'?"
"Something stimulating, perhaps?"
"In times like these, you wash your face with cold water, right?"
Ah, Sou-ta's method is quite effective, isn't it?
It works wonders on a sleepy body.
"Naturally, there aren't many places to wash your face outside. And we don't have time to go to a super public bath."
"That's certainly true. If we go there, one hour won't be enough."
"Right. You need at least two hours there. Or rather, it's a waste to finish in just two hours."
"That's true. On the contrary, I'd probably get too relaxed and fall asleep."
Yeah, I'd seriously fall asleep.
It would have the opposite effect of waking up.
"Not that. When I say 'wake up,' it's that companion for working businesspeople, if you know what I mean from our younger days."
At Yuki's words, Sou-ta and I immediately understood.
"Oh..."
Somehow, Sou-ta and I could only manage a wry smile at that answer.
"What's wrong with you two? Are you going to do something strange?"
"No, it's not that. I think both of them understood, but they also understood the implications of drinking it."
"May I hear more?"
"Yes. It's not like we're hiding it and doing an unveiling right here, nor is it about finding presents, which is our goal this time. The answer is energy drinks."
"Ah, those. I think they're good, though? So why do you two have such expressions?"
Oh, right. Taizo is from wartime Japan, so he wouldn't know what energy drinks mean.
"Taizo, when do you think people drink energy drinks?"
Sou-ta asked that question before I could speak.
Well, that kind of question might be easier to understand.
"Hmm. When you're lacking nutrients."
"That's right. And why do you think one would be in a state of lacking nutrients?"
"That would be from overworking or overplaying, neglecting meals and rest... I see."
He seemed to understand the meaning of energy drinks just by saying that much himself.
"I see. So, drinking an energy drink indicates that one's living environment isn't good."
"Well, that's exactly right. Still, they're convenient to have, especially in situations like this. They also help with drowsiness. Oh, and it's probably best not to mention energy drinks to Menou."
"Hmm. Does Menou have some kind of grudge against energy drinks?"
"It just means Menou's job was that demanding. Drinking energy drinks day after day, 'Can you work 24 hours?'"
"24 hours means no breaks, right? I thought Menou was tired, so when I suggested giving her an energy drink, she got angry at me."
"Are you telling me to work until I die?" she said.
She said it with an incredibly fierce expression.
Menou is a beauty, but she's scary when she gets angry.
Senaru is the sharp, capable type at work, but Menou is the type with powerful presence even when smiling.
"Ah, in that case, she certainly wouldn't have a good image of energy drinks."
"Right. Something similar happened to me too."
It seems Sou-ta also has the same image of energy drinks.
Well, they used to say working 24 hours was a good thing, but for the people actually working, it must have been unbearable.
"So, if it's energy drinks, are we going to Super Ratz?"
When it comes to places that stock energy drinks, there's only Super Ratz, which handles Earth's goods.
Or homemade energy drinks?
I can't trust either of those.
"I was thinking about that, but given the conversation just now, they have a bad image. So, how about a coffee shop? Coffee or something."
Oh, there are other ways to wake up besides energy drinks.
But, coffee...
"Wait, is our usual coffee shop open? It's New Year's today, isn't it?"
The shops Yuki and the others invest in are closer to individual establishments.
Places backed by large trading companies might be open, but many individual shops close for the New Year holidays.
"It's prime earning season, after all. We've adjusted things properly. We give them more days off later and higher wages. And the Master is the type who wants to be surrounded by the aroma of coffee at a leisurely pace."
"Ah, so he's not fond of too much noise."
"I understand the feeling."
"There's no need to deliberately go into a crowd, is there?"
And so, before choosing presents, we decided to drink coffee to wake ourselves up.
*Clink.*
"Welcome. Oh, if it isn't Yuki and the others. Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year, Master."
We followed suit and greeted the Master.
New Year's greetings are customary everywhere.
No, this is another world, and for that custom to be so deeply rooted, even in Weed, which we founded, is quite something.
As I thought such things, we headed to our usual seats.
To a table, not the counter.
There are four of us today, after all.
Nevertheless...
"Thank you for visiting us right from the New Year. Are your wives and daughters not with you?"
"Ah, they're on a separate outing today. They might come later, so please look after them."
"I see, so you're with your friends."
"We'll be in your care from the New Year. But there aren't that many people here, are there?"
Even though I heard it was prime earning season, there aren't many people.
Besides us, I only see about three customers leisurely sitting at the counter.
"Ah, there were quite a few late at night, but everyone left after the sun rose."
"I see. So the peak has passed."
"Yes, if it's like previous years, it'll pick up again around 3 o'clock."
"It's the lull period then. Well, too much chatter would be a nuisance. A black coffee, please. To help us wake up. And for everyone else?"
"The same for me, please."
"Me too."
"The same for me as well, please."
"Yes, certainly. Please wait a moment."
Saying that, the Master withdrew.
As always, the dandy quietly began his coffee work.
The aroma of freshly ground beans filled the room, and I could tell...
"What a nice aroma."
"Indeed. This will wake us up."
"Ah, this must be what they call a 'good cup'."
"Yes, it calms the mind while also waking you up."
And so, it was a New Year's morning, awaiting such an elegant cup.
You really appreciate the aroma of coffee more when you go to a place like this, don't you?
Like, "Ah, what a wonderful coffee aroma!"
Well, it took me quite a while to understand its appeal.
And, Happy New Year!