Section 13: 3rd Lap B/The Hunter's Eyes

That's right, it's digest time again! Let's talk about how the third checkpoint went!

Once again, we had to do our cleaning trial without help from a help card.

But this time, we decided to try provoking Kazuradropwithout raising her suspicions, of course.

To that end, we went with a different pattern this time, which involved naming Goredolf, not Kadoc, leader.

After talking it over, we thought we may have been focusing too much on perfection and neglecting speed...

...so we decided to go with a bold new plan of destroying anything we thought we didn't need and tossing it out the window.

I think Goredolf called it "Operation: Gof Punch Cleaning"?

...It was an unmitigated disaster. At least in terms of our score.

Kazuradrop's reaction was also by far the worst we'd seen.

For a moment, I even thought she might break her own rule of not interfering with the game board and squish Goredolf on the spot.

For her, a perfectionist, to nearly break her own rule...well, you can imagine how upset she must have been.

In terms of the intel it yielded, though? The plan was worth its weight in gold. Way to go, Director.

Thanks to that, we got a much better idea of Kazuradrop's secrets. All right, on to the next checkpoint!

The endurance trial, huh.

It seemed like Master already had a firm idea of who he wanted to bring in as an advisor...

Oho! William Tell!

Now there's a figure whose legendary status is inextricably linked to his fatherhood!

？！

Oh? I'm just an ordinary hunter. Unless this relates to hunting, I'm not sure what I can teach you.

A perfect father, huh.

Well, as I see it...

...perfect fathers probably don't go around shooting apples off their sons' heads.

I swear, everyone we bring in says things like that...

We didn't ask you here for your modesty. Just your help.

Hehe. Of course, if I can help somehow, I'm happy to.

All right then, if you're all ready to go, let's head into this forest where our quarry's waiting.

It's a sauna, not a forest. But hey, as a hunter, you must be pretty used to sitting still, right?

As for me, I'll keep an eye on things outside, just like before. Good luck in there!

... ...

？！

I might just be a card now, but I don't mind a good bath. I suppose I'll enjoy this chance to warm up a bit.

At this distance, we should be able to speak quietly without her hearing us.

So... William Tell.

Any thoughts on the whole perfect father theme? Or maybe you've noticed something about Kazuradrop there?

Hmm. As I told you, I don't know what a perfect father is any more than you do.

But, if I were to suggest what I believe to be important for any parent, it would probably be...

...looking closely.

Looking closely, huh...

That's right. Looking closely at your kid.

What kind of kid are they usually? What do they like? What do they dislike?

And it's not just a general rule of thumb. You also need to keep an eye on them at any given moment.

What is it they want from you right now? What is it they're feeling at this moment?

Oh, but that doesn't mean you always need to cater to your kid's desires.

It just means that, as a parent, you should be aware of them.

Because if something unexpected happens, that awareness might just save both your lives.

There's a world of difference between knowing and not knowing.

When you're telling them it's going to be okay, are you saying that with knowledge? From the heart?

Can you tell if your son is really placing his trust in you, even as the apple wobbles atop his trembling head?

？！

That's right. If you want to know what your kid's thinking, you've got to look closely.

You've got plenty of time, right? Then there's no need to rush.

It's the same thing you need to tell yourself when you're out on a hunt.

And this time, it's even something you can do while having a good sweat.

So let's just take it nice and slow, and anything else you learn will just be gravy, as they say...

All right, let's take another look. What's the state of our "quarry" right now?

？！

And she's still cool as a cucumber.

She admitted she was using some sort of magecraft barrier to block out the heat, right? Harrumph.

And why is she doing that?

Think so? Seems to me she could do that just fine even if she were sweating here with you.

Since you're all in the same sauna, I'd think it wouldn't hurt for her to enjoy a good sweat herself, even just briefly.

It's not that, Fujimaru. Remember what she said?

She told us this contest isn't about seeing who can last the longest in here.

Hmm. If it's not about winning, that makes it even stranger.

？！

It almost seems like she has some special reason she explicitly doesn't want to sweat alongside the rest of you.

？！

Heh. Still, that's probably not her main reason. I couldn't say why; it's just a feeling I get.

It could be nothing more than the way kids can have surprisingly strong reactions to things grown-ups consider mundane.

For example, a little haircut mishap isn't a big deal for adults, but for some kids, it can make them want to hide away from the whole world.

Well, if that heat barrier isn't her main reason, what else could it mean?

What's this trial really about, anyway?

You've all been through it a few times now. I'd hope you could figure that out for yourselves.

For that matter, if there is anything this trial is really about, I've a hunch it's several things all rolled into one.

That heat barrier is probably just one of them.

Something tells me there are a bunch of reasons and hopes all mixed together here.

Having said that... Yeah, I think I'm starting to get a sense of what's really going on here.

As I thought, the thing you've gotta watch closest in your quarry is their eyes.

Do they mean to flee, or do they mean to fight? In most cases, the answer is in your quarry's eyes.

？！

Hmm. That's a hard question for a hunter like me. We don't usually need to put our thoughts into words.

But, if I had to take a shot at it...

...I'd say she puts me in mind of a fawn that's strayed from its herd...startling at every noise...

Yeah... That's it. Those eyes are seeking their like. Eyes yearning for another just like them.