21 People in DDR / The Girl Feeds on the Warmth of a Family

Battle requires preparation, so I eat, drink, and sleep.

Preparation and time are necessary if one is to fight long and valiantly.

-DDR Stream VOD Part 2-

When I have something pressing to do, I get the urge to throw myself into something menial wholeheartedly.

Hi all, it’s PotatoStarch. I just cleaned the crap out of my bathroom. And with everything sparkling, I returned to my monitor to find a heated cavalry battle outside the frontier. Uh, what’s going on? I’ve never even seen this level of fierce fighting from someone else. Oh, looks like the handsome knight won. So many mysterious events are happening.

That aside, the frontier’s population sure has boomed. We might have exceeded our pre-monster attack state. And people just keep pouring in. A big help is the fact that the fort is sending us food and all kinds of other supplies. Fort resupply events happen sometimes when playing on the frontier, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen them offer so much before. I’m half overjoyed and half worried. This feeling gives me such a sense of deja vu.

Also, the elves have gotten much more polite. I was sure they were just plotting to kill children again so I had Kuroi step up her patrols, but... nothing’s happened. The peace is lovely, but I also feel a little empty that the events have been such misses. Thankfully, Sira has been by my side the whole time as a reassuring companion. If I had anything to complain about, it would be the fact that hawks and the Falcon are keeping watch 24/7.

But oh well. No accidents means no problems. The satisfaction of my people is top priority.

And the most exciting thing is the rocketing overall faith levels. As for my Devil God power levels... still iffy! Kuroi can still only use Call magic! The religion systems must not be working properly. The people around her are rising rapidly, but the others are kind of awkward or, I guess you could say, lacking in faith. It’s like they can pray all they like, but the Devil God’s power isn’t being juiced. Do your job, Church.

I can’t really blame the short, fat priest. His speech skill has been working wonders for government affairs. He might be burdened with too much, relying just on his stats. It’s also his job to negotiate with the elves. The acting leader, our handsome knight, is a muscle-head after all... we might need to start beefing up our staff.

Staff, huh? People who are needed seem like they’re always busy. Now, I’m not praising terrible work environments, but this is true in organizations where some people are absolutely necessary, and some are replaceable. So what does that make of someone who was ordered to stay home and play video games? Aha ha... They haven’t tried to follow up at all. Not even a phone call.

Mm... I’m hungry! That reminds me, the food in DDR is so plain. For humans it’s bread, soup, and roasted meat. That’s it. So gourmet. The other races have such detailed cuisines, so it really seems like the devs got lazy. Even the strategy sites say, “just eat some bread.” What’s the point of a hunger system, then? Huh? Uh, wait a second. What’s that in the corner of the courtyard? Even from the zoomed-out view of observation mode, I can see noodles being slurped... Zoom in! Whoa, I knew it! Kuroi, is that udon? Are you eating udon?! And with mochi in it? Or is it the limit of the game’s resolution? Are the noodles just too thick? Either way, what a shock... the deluxe version is astounding. I never would have expected them to enhance the food culture. I’d had no hope for such a human element of peaceful daily life.

I see... so that’s how it is. Even the DDR devs have hearts!

-Sira IV-

“I see. So you two are like Apostle and servant, huh?” The old woman with a pipe exhales smoke from her mouth with a bored look on her face. I know that this smoke is poison. Even so, she chooses to smoke it. Just like Dad. He used to say that the poison helped mask his misery.

“So you’re telling me the human God isn’t just young and pretty, but also a freak? I don’t understand. According to the holy book, as long as we work hard all our lives, we’ll be welcomed with open arms once we’ve become decrepit and ugly with age.” She also gives me all her food, just like Dad. I’ve never had anything like this. It’s good. It makes my stomach warm. I wish we could eat together, though.

More smoke. Unlike alcohol, it doesn’t make you more joyous, right?

“This is delicious.”

“I see. Eat up. I’ve got tons of the stuff.” Dad always said that he felt way happier hearing me say something was delicious than if he was eating it himself. He would insist that I eat.

“And you... how many bowls have you had?” Lady Kuroi is on her fifth bowl currently. When there’s no food she goes without it forever, but when there is, she eats as much as she can.

“Your stomach must have no bottom. Is that the secret to defeating 50 vampires?”

“Mm.”

“Another bowl? All right, all right. You’re so skinny. Where do you put it all?” The old lady with the pipe signals, and a person from the stand quickly brings over another bowl. It’s weird. We don’t even have to pay with money or tickets.

“I don’t care about the money for these. What a cheery sight it is, though. You, there. Write ‘50-Vampire Killer’ on the sign. We’ll name this dish after her.” This stall, the shop, and even that other shop farther down all move at the old lady’s command. It must be that sort of business.

Uh, what was it called again? That’s right, the Crimson Flower Company.

She’d ridden in on a carriage that I’d never seen before, drawn by four horses, and had claimed she was here for “business.” Ever since then, she’s been feeding us delicious food. I thank her, but all she says is “it’s business” and turns away coldly. The kids and I all want to eat with her, though.

“God, huh?” Oh. That tone, like she’s about to cry. It’s just like me before I met Lady Kuroi.

“The human God is basically the king of drinking and smoking. I’d always thought it was a way for cowards to pull the wool over their own eyes. And the fervent believers were like drug addicts. But still, I couldn’t let go of the holy seal...” I see. So that’s how it is. This old lady has no one. They’re gone, aren’t they? Her child, like I was to my dad. And so, like me when my dad never came home, she cries without shedding tears.

It hurts. I’m sad. I’m lonely.

“I was sure this religion was akin to slavery. That’s why I never put much faith in it...” She comes over to me, her face overflowing with emotion. She stares... at the sword I hold, and at the hand that isn’t mine. Dad’s hand, which holds the hot bowl in my place.

“...Your father?”

“You can tell?”

“I can. A parent’s hand when it fusses over its child during a meal is so happy it could melt.” Is that how it is? I often hear that if I become a parent, I’ll understand. Dad always seemed happier when he was poking my cheeks, though.

“Miss Kuroi. If I worship you, will my prayers reach God?”

“Mm-mm.”

“No? Then what should I... Huh?” Lady Kuroi reaches out her arms toward nothing and draws a big circle.

“God is here right now.” Yeah, that’s right. I can tell, too. Its presence is fainter than when it descended on her back the other day, but I can still feel it. God is right there.

The old lady seems shocked, but then her expression crumbles and she prays with all her might. She’s shaking. Tears drip from her eyes. I can’t hear what she’s saying, but her whispers must be the name of her dead child.

I should pray, too. Dad, if you can use two hands you can do it as well. Let’s do it. But wait... God seems down. I can tell. He’s just like the old lady and Dad—hungry but doesn’t eat, just watches me gently with a warm smile that feels like holding your hands over embers on a cold day. I want him to cheer up.

“This is delicious, God,” I say. Oh, I think God smiled.