That day, I—Yukino Hiiragi—could hardly believe my ears.
A government spokesperson was broadcasting the news of the dungeons' appearance with a dead-serious expression. As the announcement played on loop, I gradually accepted it as reality, watching the television with a sense of detached bewilderment.
On my way to school, I listened to the conversations around me. Almost everyone was talking about the dungeons.
"Hey, did you see the news this morning?"
"Yeah. Apparently, dungeons appeared."
"Is it really true, though? A fantasy thing like a dungeon..."
"It’s the wrong time of year for an April Fool's joke, and I don't think the government would say something like that as a gag."
Everyone spoke with a degree of skepticism, yet I could see a flickering sense of expectation. They wanted the dungeons to be real. I couldn't exactly blame them, but for the moment, it seemed best to wait and see. The announcement had been so sudden that there was simply too little information.
As I drew closer to school and the number of students increased, the dungeon fever only seemed to intensify. Students were animatedly discussing the topic in their social groups. Their conversations, rooted in knowledge from games and manga, were somewhat extreme—reckless, even. The atmosphere was no different once I reached the classroom.
I placed my bag on my desk and scanned the room. Two boys caught my eye; they were discussing the dungeons with serious expressions. If I recalled correctly, they were Kokonoe-kun and... Hirose-kun. Their aura was different from the other groups, so I decided to speak to them.
"Oh? Are you two in the 'dungeons are dangerous' camp?"
"...Hiiragi-san?"
He called me by name. It seemed he knew who I was. Not much time had passed since the entrance ceremony, and since we had only spoken a few times, I had worried he might not remember me. It appeared my concern was for nothing.
"Everyone has been like this for a while. I understand the interest, but they seem to be equating real dungeons with the ones from games and manga. I wish they’d consider the implications of the Self-Defense Forces, not the police, being deployed to blockade them."
It was truly troubling.
Some of them were talking—hopefully jokingly—about breaking through the blockades to enter the dungeons. That would be trespassing; it was a crime. I couldn't help but look at them with exasperation.
Kokonoe-kun suggested that their heads would cool down with time. I truly hoped he was right.
During the school assembly after classes that day, there was a talk about the dungeons, but nothing of substance was said.
I suppose this was the arrival of the dungeon boom.
Day after day, every form of media—TV, magazines, newspapers, and the internet—was flooded with information encouraging the utilization of dungeons.
"Well, I suppose public opinion would move in that direction with results this visible."
After breakfast, the front page of the newspaper I spread out featured a headline about the success of a new method of power generation: Core Crystal power generation. Although it was still an experimental reactor, it had a generation capacity of nearly one million kWh. It showed more than enough potential to replace nuclear power, a subject perpetually mired in debate over its continuation or abolition. Above all, what people were raving about was the low cost. While conventional methods cost roughly 10 to 30 yen per kWh, this was calculated to be less than 0.1 yen.
Furthermore, it lacked the problems of conventional methods, such as radiation or carbon dioxide, making it a welcome development from an environmental perspective as well. The newspaper included comments from both anti-nuclear activists and environmental groups supporting Core Crystal power generation.
"If people hear that their electricity bills will drop to less than a hundredth of what they are now, the general public is bound to support using the dungeons."
The newspaper's content was mostly welcoming of Core Crystal power generation. Simultaneously, a business plan was announced to build multiple Core Crystal power plants across the country, with plans to construct ten-million-kWh-class plants by next year.
While electricity rates likely wouldn't drop immediately, I figured a price reduction was certain within a few years.
After finishing the first page, I turned to the next.
"Massive public demonstrations across the US demanding the opening of dungeons. In China, huge numbers of fatalities occur weekly as people ignore warnings to dive into dungeons; over 2,000 deaths confirmed so far. In parts of Europe, clashes with security forces have led to gunfights and casualties."
The articles were exhausting to read. While large-scale demonstrations and clashes with security forces hadn't happened in Japan yet, with this level of fervor, there was no telling when they might start...
Looking at the excitement of my classmates at school made me uneasy.
"To want to enter a place where people are dying... I wonder if the returns far outweigh the risks?"
Dungeon-produced goods known to the public were all traded at high prices. I suspected that was the driving force behind this dungeon fever.
There were gold bars posted on social media in the US, and a massive diamond put up for sale by Russia. Most of all, there were videos of magic uploaded to video sites. They were certainly alluring, but I doubted whether they were worth the price of one's life.
However, the public had judged that they were worth it—or even more—which is likely why this dungeon boom existed.
"Well, in the end, it’s a matter of personal responsibility, so it’s not for me to say anything about it."
As I continued reading the newspaper with a skeptical look, my mother called out to me.
"Yukino, if you don't leave soon, you'll be late for school."
"Ah, okay."
I folded the newspaper, placed it on the table, took my bag, and headed to the entrance.
"I’m leaving."
I called out to my mother as she saw me off, and I headed toward school.
Six months after the dungeons appeared, they were opened to civilians. The Dungeon Association was established, and dungeon-produced items began to circulate in the general market. Though they were expensive, their availability began to slowly change our lives.
One month after the Dungeon Association was founded, my mother gave me an outrageous proposal.
"Um, Mom? Could you say that again...?"
"...Yukino, I was wondering if you could go to the dungeon?"
"..."
I suppose this is what it feels like to be speechless. Countless question marks popped up in my head.
To think I would hear such words from my mother... I had occasionally talked with Kokonoe-kun and Hirose-kun at school about the dangers and utility of dungeons, but I never imagined I would face such a situation myself.
For now, I had to hear the reason why the option of going to the dungeon had come up from my mother, who stood before me with an apologetic expression. I took a deep breath and posed the question.
"...May I ask why?"
"Yukino, you know that ramen shop that opened near ours recently, the one that uses dungeon ingredients? The place your father said he was going to scout out."
"Yes, I know it. He said it’s been getting a reputation for being delicious through word of mouth lately."
While the novelty of using dungeon ingredients likely played a part, there had been lines in front of the shop every day for the past few weeks. Being a fellow local business owner, I had been curious, but...
"Well, as soon as your father came back from tasting their food, he said, 'We're going to make ramen using dungeon ingredients too!'"
"And what does that have to do with me going to the dungeon? He can just source the materials from a wholesaler like usual."
It was true that my father was a 'cooking idiot' who showed immense obsession when it came to food. It wasn't surprising that he would be shocked by food made with dungeon ingredients and declare he would use them too. In fact, he had done similar things several times in the past.
"...The thing is, when we contacted the wholesaler, they said the quantity of dungeon ingredients available is still small, so they're quite expensive. Honestly, the price was shocking."
"How expensive?"
"...About the same as A5-rank famous luxury brand beef?"
"...What?"
In other words, nearly 2,000 to 3,000 yen per 100 grams?
And he wants to use that for ramen? Is my father an idiot? Ours isn't a high-end restaurant; it’s a local ramen shop for ordinary people. Who is going to eat such expensive ramen?
"Shouldn't you tell Father about the procurement cost?"
"I did. I told him the result of my inquiry and that the cost was too high for us to use at home. But..."
"...He says he’s doing it anyway?"
"...Yes."
This was the worst. When he got like this, my father became a stubborn man who wouldn't budge an inch. Usually, he went along with my mother's or my opinions, but when it came to cooking, once he made up his mind, he absolutely would not change it.
My mother and I let out deep sighs.
"How much does Father intend to sell a bowl of that ramen for? None of our regulars would order it."
"Yes, exactly as you say, Yukino. We'd have to charge at least 2,000 yen just to break even."
"2,000 yen... nobody would eat such high-end ramen. It’s a joke menu item."
"I think so too, but your father..."
Seeing the expression on my mother's face gave me a bad feeling.
"He won't change the price. That's what he said."
"...Huh!?"
"He said that since that other shop has been stealing our customers and foot traffic is down, if we change the prices, customers will stop coming altogether. He says it’s not a problem because the dungeon ingredients will be used for the soup base."
"Wait, hold on. I understand what Father is saying, but if he does that..."
"The more we sell, the more we'll be in the red. Unless the procurement cost drops and we can break even..."
Closure. Bankruptcy. Those two words floated through my mind.
"It’s true that, as your father says, if dungeon ingredients become widely circulated, the customers' needs regarding taste will change. If we don't change anything, the customers will get bored with the taste of our ramen and leave for other shops. I think there is certainly a merit to adopting dungeon ingredients now, even if the material costs are high."
"But to do something that’s guaranteed to put us in the red..."
"We have savings, so I think we can manage for about six months, but..."
If the price of dungeon ingredients used for the ramen didn't drop by then...
...I see.
"So that's how we get to me going to the dungeon."
Since it was decided that my father wouldn't change his mind, we had to find a way to source dungeon ingredients cheaply. In other words, to make procurement as inexpensive as possible...
"Yes. Aren't you at the age where you can take the Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures Issuance Exam, Yukino? They say explorers get the perk of being able to buy items produced in the dungeon at a lower price."
"They certainly say that on TV and in magazines."
It was true; with an explorer license, one could obtain dungeon ingredients through Dungeon Association member perks cheaper than buying from a wholesaler.
But...
"But Mom. The dungeons are full of monsters, you know?"
"Yes. But on TV and in magazines, they don't make it sound that dangerous, do they? Your father also said it should be fine if you go with a few people."
"..."
Seeing my mother speak with such a light tone, I realized the situation was dire.
Just as I had discussed with Kokonoe-kun and Hirose-kun, it seemed my parents were among those perfectly caught by the public manipulation. My mother and father apparently took the trends and public opinion created by the media at face value.
"TV says many high schoolers are going to the dungeons, so we thought we'd ask you, Yukino."
"..."
"So please, Yukino. Could you get your license and go to the dungeon for us?"
I knew my mother and father meant well, but it was saddening that they didn't understand this was a proposal to send their daughter into a deathtrap.
I suddenly remembered what I had been discussing with Kokonoe-kun and Hirose-kun. I wondered if the current state of the world was similar to the period before the war. The populace, without really understanding, gets swept up in a formless atmosphere of public opinion and becomes hysterical; corporations scheme, calculating potential profits; and the government, swayed by public opinion, opens the dungeons. It seemed far too accurate.
After a long silence, I looked my mother straight in the face and replied.
"...All right. I'll go."
"Really? Oh, thank goodness. I was thinking of going to the bank to discuss a loan if you had refused, Yukino."
Watching my mother walk happily toward the kitchen, I let out a deep sigh. What was I going to do?
The next day, as I stopped by the municipal office on my way home from school to get the application for the Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures Issuance Exam, I ran into Hirose-kun, who was getting the same documents. Sitting on a lobby chair and listening to him, it turned out that Hirose-kun was also going to dive into the dungeon due to family circumstances. Hearing his story, I thought it was a perfect opportunity and invited him to dive together. He said okay. However, Hirose-kun suggested he wanted one more member, so we agreed to invite Kokonoe-kun, with whom we had often discussed dungeons. The next day after school, Hirose-kun and I managed to persuade Kokonoe-kun, and he agreed to join us.
"The Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures Issuance Exam is tomorrow. I have to do my best."
The exam consisted of two parts: written and practical. The written part was easy, just like a normal school lesson, but the practical trap training was a problem. Do such malicious traps really exist in the dungeons? Fortunately, Kokonoe-kun seemed to be strong with these kinds of traps and cleared the training with ease, so I decided to leave that to him in the dungeon. It would be much safer to let Kokonoe-kun handle it than for me to try my hand at it clumsily.
After the exam was over, we successfully registered and became explorers, but we discovered we couldn't afford weapons, so we ended up being offered some at Hirose-kun’s house. It was then that I first learned Hirose-kun's family were genuine martial artists. Juzo-san, Hirose-kun's grandfather who carried himself like a true warrior, gave me a spear named Isuzu. Looking at the silver, sharp-looking blade of Isuzu in my hands, I once again realized what I was about to do and gripped the shaft tightly.
"Phew... I heard something incredible."
"Yeah. If Daiki had just consulted us a bit sooner..."
"True. But I can understand why he couldn't just say it casually..."
To be honest, Kokonoe-kun's confession floored me. How were we supposed to react when suddenly told there was a dungeon in his house? Since it was a matter we couldn't easily make a fuss about, we ultimately promised to keep it a secret, but... honestly!
Well, eventually, we might have to inform some public institution in some form. Given the value of Kokonoe-kun's dungeon, the state would surely move directly if it were discovered. Since drop items can be obtained so easily there, if negotiations were handled well, we should be able to settle things peacefully... probably, hopefully... if only. Sigh... I could only pray it wouldn't be found out.
"Sigh, I wonder if we'll be okay with such a poor showing..."
Our first dungeon exploration yielded miserable results. The deficiencies in our equipment could be fixed by the next exploration, but the main problem was different. I never imagined that killing a living thing with my own hands would take such a psychological toll. I thought I was used to blood since I helped with cooking... but there was a massive difference between ingredients and living creatures. Kokonoe-kun and Hirose-kun also seemed quite shaken. I suppose we have no choice but to get used to it, but it was a start that left me somewhat uneasy about whether we could manage from here on. Sigh...
"Orc meat... I finally got it!"
Three months of hardship. I finally obtained the orc meat that was my goal. It’s been a series of struggles until now, but my efforts have finally borne fruit. My gratitude toward Kokonoe-kun and Hirose-kun is endless. If I hadn't formed a party with the two of them and explored the dungeon, I can't imagine how much longer it would have taken to obtain orc meat... I don't even want to think about it. It would have certainly taken more than double the time. Thanks to me bringing back orc meat from this exploration, the finances of my family's shop can finally breathe. The two of them even said they would help me gather orc meat for the shop for a while. It was truly the right choice to ask for their cooperation.
I must definitely repay this debt someday!