落とし穴外伝：２０２６年 年始スペシャル４
Pitfall Gaiden: New Year's Special 2026 Part 4
Pitfall Gaiden: New Year's Special 2026 Part 4
Side: Yuki
"Wow, what is this?"
"What's this one?"
"This is fun! And this is delicious."
"This one's delicious too!"
Such voices echoed everywhere, yet they didn't feel unpleasant.
It seemed that deciding on the theme and budget for this gift exchange was the right choice.
The children were all delighted.
"It went better than I expected."
"Indeed. Well, since it's New Year's, there were a lot of ornaments and such, so the kids seemed to like them. For me, it's this hand towel, or rather, this picture."
What I received was a cloth depicting auspicious symbols.
I couldn't tell if it was meant for display or just a casual souvenir hand towel.
"What do you think? Well, since it's sold in that market, it's probably not a scam."
Seraria also seemed unsure, tilting her head as she looked at the picture I held.
It was probably a wild boar, depicted on the cloth.
"Well, the price was limited, and it's not that expensive. It's probably a mass-produced item. Good for displaying, good for using."
These kinds of things are surprisingly difficult to handle.
An auspicious gift.
To display it or to use it—both are correct, yet subtly tricky.
"Well, that's part of the charm of receiving gifts, isn't it?"
"It is. I'm wondering what to do with this wooden doll myself."
In Seraria's hand was a wooden doll chosen by Souta.
It seemed to have been carved to wish for good health throughout the year.
"You're not going to play with dolls, are you? You can just display it on a shelf in your room, can't you? Or is there no more space?"
Compared to me, who doesn't know what to use it for, Seraria probably wouldn't be as conflicted since its purpose is clear.
"That's true. I'm not going to display it in my office, so a decoration on my room's shelf is fine. I was bracing myself because it was a gift from Souta."
"Ah, right. Souta is, after all, a member of the Haiden Kamishiro ducal family. Even if he's a former member."
Since Souta is technically deceased, his official public status is that of a distant elderly relative of the Kamishiro ducal family.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to come to Weed.
However, those who know the truth, or can at least infer it, would understand his position, given how much the current Kamishiro Duke defers to him.
No one would treat something received from such a person carelessly.
Well, I personally don't really care.
Seraria also knows about Souta, but understanding his position, and as a Queen herself, she likely felt she couldn't treat it roughly.
"Exactly. But this time, it wasn't a gift specifically for me, was it?"
"That's right. It's a gift exchange; there's no specific target. It's just among family, so even if it's treated a bit roughly, we'll just laugh it off."
After all, its durability matches its price.
It's not exactly cheap, but it can't be called luxurious either.
So...
"Ah, it, it broke. I-I'm sorry, Riel-sama!?"
"Hmm? It's fine, it's fine. It wasn't built to be sturdy anyway. Here, lend me Yayu, things like this... there, fixed."
"No, Riel. You just forced it back in. Um, Agil."
"Yes, yes. Glue."
And so, it's common for a part of a doll ornament, different from Seraria's, to just pop off.
And if it breaks, you just fix it. That's all there is to it.
"I mean, that's true, but aren't they auspicious items?"
"It might seem sacrilegious, but I think leaving it broken is more sacrilegious."
"True."
"Besides, any god who would curse you for breaking one of these cheap auspicious items must have a small mind, wouldn't they? Well, in a sense, you could also think they're powerful..."
"If there were such a small-minded god, the damage would be immense by now."
"Right?"
It's fundamentally unthinkable.
Who would worship a god that causes trouble just for breaking one cheap auspicious item?
Well, in Japan, they might worship such a god, but people wouldn't even think of creating items related to a god whose landmines are unknown.
"Oh, that reminds me. There aren't any strange hidden treasures by mistake, are there?"
"Ah, that. Regarding that..."
Before I could speak, a voice like ringing bells chimed in.
"No problems. There are no such cursed objects among these gifts."
The one who declared this was our Suzuhikihime.
She is a tsukumogami of kagura bells and one of the oldest gods who knows Amaterasu Omikami.
Currently, by the command of Amaterasu Omikami, or Luna, she manages the Japanese village that was relocated to Weed.
What was once a ruined village has become a beautiful place inhabited by yokai and people.
Hmm, now that I say it, isn't it a demon realm?
"I see. That's good then. I was wondering what I'd do if there was anything strange among the things the children received."
"That certainly can't be overlooked."
Children are susceptible to such things.
Though I didn't say it aloud, I glanced at Suzuhikihime, and she immediately nodded.
"Yes. These are items for your daughters. There is no way I would be negligent. All are mass-produced, and none contain any lingering thoughts, so there are no problems."
"I see. I apologize for doubting you."
"No, it's only natural. Besides, Weed operates under the command of Amaterasu Omikami-sama, so it's not strange for us to have ties to such things. For now, such items are mostly of Japanese origin, but it's best to be careful."
Right.
It's important to be careful.
Well, in reality, no curses or similar incidents have occurred with items from Aroulith yet, but the existence of Aroulith-born ghosts has been confirmed.
The amnesiac red-clad floating spirit that joined Weed's ghosts, and Havier from Lancer Magic Academy—while not many, these ghosts have been confirmed.
So, it wouldn't be strange for cursed items to exist.
Well, separate from curses, in Zuraburu, remnants of people named Hope and Chaeya remained in dolls and hair ornaments.
They were more like memories than ghosts, but Suzuhikihime's power held them here.
Of course, they are also excellent talents.
So, there are such precedents.
There's no mistake in being cautious.
"Well, if there's nothing like that, then we're free to handle them as we wish. And overall, I think this method of choosing gifts isn't bad, do you?"
Ah, that's right. The original reason for starting this was to alleviate the stress of choosing presents.
"I don't think it's bad either. Well, a choice system should be fine. I don't intend to force it on everyone."
"That's right. It's good for certain times and situations."
Indeed, while convenient, making this the default for gift-giving would be missing the point of a present.
There might be specific gifts one wants to give to certain people, and in those cases, that's perfectly fine.
However, that might create a sense of unfairness among other members...
Well, it's something to adapt to at the time.
Truly.
"Is the New Year over with this?"
"I suppose so. It feels like it flies by every year."
Before we knew it, the New Year had passed, and the first three days of January were over.
No, if I recall, we did a lot of things, but it still feels like it passed in an instant.
"Tomorrow, I'll work hard again."
"Yes, tomorrow's back to work, isn't it?"
Not just me, but Seraria also made a displeased face about this.
Well, the thought of more paperwork tomorrow is certainly depressing.
And there are tons of other tasks.
Everyday life is returning.
Alright, in that case, I should get some rest and not stay up too late.
This concludes this year's New Year's Special.
I believe you have all returned to your daily routines, but once again, I wish you all the best for the year.
This was Yukidaruma.