While we watched over her, Mika filled out the paperwork at the counter with a jubilant expression, following the clerk’s instructions.
“Yes, this paperwork is all in order. You should receive the notice regarding the appraisal value by mail within two to three days. Once you have it, please bring both the deposit receipt and the appraisal notice to your nearest Association branch.”
“Okay!”
So it only takes two or three days now to go from appraising a skill scroll to receiving the valuation notice? It used to take one or two weeks. As I listened to the exchange between Mika and the clerk, I was impressed by how much the Dungeon Association had streamlined its appraisal system.
Once all the procedures for the sale were finished, we left the window and moved to an empty spot in the waiting room.
“Well, now that the paperwork is handled... shall we head home?”
I set down my backpack and asked the others if they were ready to leave while watching Mika put away her documents.
“Yeah, I agree. There’s no reason to hang around here any longer now that we’re done,” Yuji said.
“Yes, let’s go,” Hiiragi-san added. “We’re scheduled to talk with Juzo-san today, and it’ll be better for our peace of mind if we have some extra time to get our thoughts in order before the meeting.”
The plan was to talk to Juzo-san about the Slime Dungeon after today’s exploration, but we had finished earlier than expected, leaving a significant gap before our appointment. Since we had set a time, being late was out of the question, but arriving too early was its own kind of problem. We’d have to kill some time somewhere and coordinate our arrival.
As I was thinking that, Mika finished stowing her documents, hoisted her backpack, and turned to me.
“Hey, Onii-chan? About that talk... are you sure we can’t come along?”
“Sorry. It’s a bit of a complicated matter this time, so I’d like to keep it to just the three of us.”
“...Okay, I get it.”
When I apologized with a light wave of my hand, Mika backed down obediently, though she still looked a bit dissatisfied.
Because I’d specified it would just be the three of us, she probably felt like they were being excluded. However, at this stage, the topic wasn’t something I could let Mika and her friend hear.
“Alright, everyone. Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
“Yes.”
“Okay!”
“Right!”
After confirming everyone was ready, we began walking out of the building.
We waited in line for the station-bound bus at the rotary. The trio of watchers had lined up right behind the group immediately following us. It seemed they had learned from their blunder this morning, but I wondered if it was really wise for them to get this close to their targets. I suppose it was better than failing to board the same bus, but it was incredibly annoying.
Hiding my mouth with my hand, I whispered to Yuji in a voice so low it was barely audible.
“What should we do?”
“...”
Yuji glanced my way and then closed his eyes without a word. He was telling me to leave them be.
“...Got it.”
I pulled back from Yuji’s ear. I just hoped the bus would arrive soon.
Seeing me let out a sigh, Mika looked back with a worried expression.
“Is something wrong, Onii-chan? Why the sudden sigh?”
“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing. I was just thinking about the upcoming meeting.”
“Hmm. Hey, Onii-chan? What kind of consultation makes you sigh just thinking about it? I’m really curious...”
Ah, crap. I might have picked the wrong excuse.
I put on a troubled look and tried to gloss over it.
“Well... how should I put it? I can’t go into details, but if I had to sum it up in a word, I guess it’s about the future of the dungeons.”
“The future of the dungeons?”
To be precise, it was about the future of the Slime Dungeon.
“Yeah. I have some concerns, so I want to get Juzo-san’s input.”
“Ugh, what’s that? You’re trying to discuss something that sounds way too heavy...”
When I gave her that vague explanation, Mika’s face took on a look of pure boredom.
“Hey now, don’t call it heavy. Thinking ahead is important. If you just accept information at face value and stop thinking for yourself, you’ll end up dancing to whatever tune the person providing that information wants you to play. It might be a hassle, but you have to doubt the information that people are shouting about most loudly. You have to use multiple routes to verify the truth, or you’ll end up looking like a fool.”
“O-Okay...”
Mika—and Saori-chan as well—nodded solemnly at my advice.
I also felt a gaze from behind that seemed to suggest someone was impressed, but that was probably just my imagination.
“Wait, is that it?”
I looked across the rotary toward the forest road. The bus was heading our way. It entered the rotary a minute later and pulled up to the stop right in front of us. A group of high-spirited young explorers disembarked, followed by a group of men pushing middle-age who looked utterly defeated.
What a contrast. They were likely youths on an adventurous lark versus a desperate group of older men hoping for a get-rich-quick miracle.
“Oh, we’re moving.”
After about three minutes, the passengers had all cleared out and our line began to move. We boarded smoothly, and by the time we were on, the bus was nearly at full capacity.
Then...
“Our apologies, this bus is now at capacity with the passengers who just boarded. Another bus will be along shortly. Please wait for the next one for your own safety.”
As if a repeat of this morning’s scene, the announcement rang out. An electronic beep sounded right in front of the watchers as the doors hissed shut. The trio was left with stunned expressions, watching as our bus pulled away.
I’d thought this this morning, too, but those three really had no luck. They’d learned from their previous mistake and lined up close to us despite the higher risk of being spotted, only to have the doors shut in their faces again.
“...They really don’t have it in them, do they?”
“You said it. Getting left behind the exact same way twice... that’s just sad.”
From the bus window, Yuji and I sent a momentary look of pity toward the three watchers standing dumbfounded on the curb.
After transferring to the train, we arrived back at our local station just after 3:00 PM. Our meeting with Juzo-san wasn't until 5:00 PM, leaving us with two hours to kill.
“Well, we got back sooner than expected. What now? Should we go to a family restaurant or something?”
“That sounds fine, but...”
I listened to Yuji’s suggestion while looking over at Mika and Saori-chan.
Noticing my gaze, Mika tilted her head.
“...What, Onii-chan?”
“I was just thinking. Since we’re going to be at Yuji’s house for the meeting, it might be better if we walked you two home first.”
After all, we still had watchers on our tail. I didn’t think it was likely, but there was a chance they might try to approach Mika and Saori-chan once we were separated. I wanted to see them home properly and ensure they were safe before we met with Juzo-san.
“Oh, Onii-chan... we’re not little kids. We’ll be fine on our own. It’s still bright outside. Right, Saori-chan?”
“Yeah. Onii-san, I appreciate you being so considerate, but you don't need to worry about us that much.”
“Are you sure? I figured since neither of you are used to fighting monsters yet, the combination of tension and excitement would have left you pretty drained.”
Neither of them looked as exhausted as they had the last time, but there was a definite shadow of fatigue on their faces. You don’t get used to defeating... to killing monsters that easily.
On top of that, the thrill of finding a skill scroll had kept their spirits high, making it hard for them to realize how tired they actually were. They said they were fine, but to me, it looked like they were running on fumes, their bodies forced along by lingering adrenaline.
As if to back up my assessment, Yuji and Hiiragi-san spoke up.
“He’s right. Like Daiki says, you both look exhausted. I think you should let us walk you home,” Yuji said.
“I agree,” Hiiragi-san added. “You might feel fine now, but you’ll probably crash the moment you step through your front doors. It’s better to be safe.”
They were both helping me persuade them. They understood that while the girls were tired, I also didn't want to leave them alone because of the watchers.
After the three of us pressured them, Mika and Saori-chan eventually gave in, albeit reluctantly.
“Fine. We’ll do what you say. Now that you mention it, I guess I am starting to feel a little tired...”
“You’re right. Um... thank you very much.”
Whether it was because she’d finally listened to us or because the fatigue she’d forgotten was finally catching up, Mika began to look visibly worn out. Saori-chan gave a small bow and thanked us.
That was one less thing to worry about.
“Alright, let’s get you two home first.”
“Yeah. If we take our time, it’ll help us kill the clock anyway.”
It was usually a thirty-minute walk, but we could stretch it out by taking a slow route. Maybe we’d stop at a convenience store or grab some fast food to go.
In the end, we bought taiyaki for everyone and ate them as we walked. We dropped off Saori-chan first, since her house was furthest. The moment she reached her home, the tension snapped and her exhaustion became obvious. I asked Akane-san to look after her. She really had been pushed to her limit.
We didn't linger; we said our goodbyes to Akane-san and left.
“Alright, Mika next. Hey... are you okay?”
“...Yeah. I’m fine.”
Mika’s response was sluggish. Now that her partner Saori-chan was gone, Mika’s own tension had broken, and the fatigue was washing over her.
Yeah, I needed to get her home quickly.
“I see. Let's get moving, then.”
“...Okay.”
Her voice was weak. She really was drained. I looked away from her and caught the eyes of Yuji and Hiiragi-san. Yuji gave a troubled shrug, and Hiiragi-san let out a soft, sympathetic chuckle.
When we reached the house, it turned out Mom and Dad were out. A weary Mika headed straight for her room.
With her seen off, the three of us sat in the living room, killing time with coffee until our appointment.
“Those two really were exhausted, weren't they?”
“Yeah. She went straight for her bed. Between the unfamiliar dungeon, the monster combat, and finding that skill scroll... it’s a lot to process physically and mentally.”
“Physical fatigue will get better as their levels go up,” Hiiragi-san noted. “The mental side... they just have to get used to it through experience.”
Our conversation naturally revolved around the two girls.
“Well, based on how they handled the monsters today, they’ll be fine. They delivered the finishing blows properly.”
“True,” Yuji said. “The real test is whether they can do the same against monsters that are actually moving. Right now, what they’re doing is less like combat and more like slaughtering livestock.”
It was like a fish on a cutting board. Everything had been prepped for them; all they had to do was make the cut.
“I suppose... But they’ll be fine. They’ll overcome it.”
“I hope so.”
I finished my coffee.
After chatting about various things until the time was right, we decided to move to Yuji’s house.
“It’s about time. Shall we?”
“Yeah.”
“Let's go.”
I left a note for Mom and Mika on the table and got ready to leave.
“Alright, all set. Let’s head out.”
“Yeah.”
As soon as we stepped outside, I felt three sets of eyes on us immediately.
And since there were exactly three, it confirmed my theory: their targets were the three of us. If Mika and Saori-chan were also being monitored, at least one of them would have stayed behind at Saori-chan’s house.
“Ignore them and let’s get moving,” Hiiragi-san said. “It would be rude to Juzo-san if we were late for the meeting we requested.”
“True.”
“Let’s go.”
And so, with our three 'guests' in tow, we headed for Yuji’s house.