After finishing breakfast with my family, I shouldered the bag I’d packed the night before and headed to the front door. I’d tried to follow Yuji’s advice and pick something easy to move in... or so I’d like to say, but since this was all decided on such short notice, my outfit wasn't exactly "camping-ready." My shoes, for example, were just standard sneakers.
As I was tying my laces and ruminating on my fashion choices, Mika came out to the entryway to see me off.
"It’s still so sudden," she said, standing behind me. "I can't believe you're just going camping out of nowhere."
"Well, yeah. But I have a feeling this is going to be very different from the kind of camping you're imagining, Mika."
I answered with a somewhat gloomy air, drawing a puzzled look from Mika, who had been watching me with a trace of envy.
"Huh? What do you mean? Isn't it just everyone hanging out around a bonfire and having a good time?"
"I wish it were that simple... but it sounds like Yuji is planning something much more hardcore."
"Hardcore camping?"
"Yeah. The gear I borrowed from him yesterday was the bare minimum—just a one-person tent and a sleeping bag. When I asked if I needed anything else, he told me that was all I'd really need to get by."
"Ugh..."
At my answer, Mika’s expression twitched, and she reflexively took a step back.
I couldn't blame her for that reaction. I was the one going, and even I was riddled with anxiety about what was in store.
"Alright... I’m off."
"Ah, right. Take care..."
I stood up after finishing my laces and looked back at Mika. While she’d looked a bit jealous during breakfast, her gaze was now filled with nothing but pity.
Stop that. You're making me not want to leave the house.
"I’m heading out. I’ll be back tomorrow around... actually, I'm not sure what time. I’ll try not to be too late."
Leaving Mika with those parting words, I left the house with a heavy tread.
I arrived at the station about ten minutes before our meeting time, but Yuji and Hiiragi-san were already there, chatting near the ticket machines with their packs on. I wasn't late, but it seemed I was the last to arrive.
Feeling slightly awkward, I hurried toward them at a brisk pace.
"Hm? Oh, Daiki. Morning."
"Morning."
Noticing my approach, Yuji gave a light wave as he called out, and I responded in kind. Hiiragi-san also noticed me and gave a polite little bow.
First things first, I should apologize for being the last one here.
"Looks like I’m the tail end. Sorry to keep you both waiting."
"Don't sweat it; it’s still before the time we agreed on. Right, Hiiragi-san?"
"Exactly. It just so happened that we both got here early. You aren't late, Kokonoe-kun, so please don't worry about it."
"Ah, okay. Thanks."
There was no point in belaboring the issue, so I let it drop. Since we were all present and accounted for ahead of schedule, we began discussing our next steps.
"So, Yuji? Where are we headed? Since we’re meeting at the station, are we going to some distant mountain?"
"It’s a mountain, in a sense. But before that, let’s go pick up a few things we’re missing for today."
"? We need more than the tents and sleeping bags? Yesterday, you made it sound like we didn't need much of anything."
"Since the trip was decided so abruptly, we're still short on a few small essentials."
Yuji pulled his phone from his pocket and showed the screen to Hiiragi-san and me. It was a map showing a nearby supermarket and a home center.
"Both shops open at nine. If we move now, we can be there right as they open."
"...Ah, so that’s why you set the meeting time for nine."
"Exactly. So, let’s stow our heavy gear in the station lockers and head out for supplies."
With that, Yuji started walking toward the coin lockers. Hiiragi-san and I exchanged a quick glance, nodded, and followed after him.
Once our bags were stowed, we decided to hit the home center first, as it was a bit further from the station.
"So, what are we looking for at the home center?" I asked.
"The essentials I'm looking for are some folding chairs, a low table for meals, and some mats to go under our sleeping bags."
"Chairs, a table, and mats...?"
"Yeah. For gear we’re going to take into the dungeon repeatedly, we’d eventually want sturdier stuff from a specialty shop, but for a one-off trip like this, I figured we’d just grab some cheap substitutes. We don't have much time, anyway."
After yesterday’s conversation, I’d prepared myself to eat while sitting directly on the dirt, so the prospect of chairs and a table was a welcome surprise. Even if this was just a rehearsal for our bivouac training, I really didn't want my meals to be a gritty, dusty mess.
The last thing I wanted was to feel sand crunching between my teeth while I ate.
"Um, Hirose-kun?" Hiiragi-san asked. "If we're using sleeping bags inside the tent, do we still need to lay down mats?"
"Ah, right. See, Hiiragi-san, even inside a tent, if you sleep directly on the ground, the cold from the earth seeps right through the sleeping bag. In winter, that can actually be freezing."
"Wait, really?"
Hiiragi-san let out a surprised little cry at Yuji’s explanation. Getting cold even inside a sleeping bag... that sounded miserable.
"If you're directly on the ground, the part of the bag under your back gets compressed, which ruins the insulating layer of air. That’s why you need a mat or an air mattress to maintain that insulation."
"I see... there are so many things one has to consider."
"In the mountains during summer, it might not be a big deal, but in the winter, that small difference can be fatal. Even if it seems like a hassle, you can't cut corners."
As we listened to Yuji’s lecture, we arrived at the home center. It was just past nine, so we were able to head straight inside.
"Hmm. As expected, there aren't many customers this early."
Looking around the store, there were actually more staff members than customers so soon after opening.
"Isn't that a good thing, Daiki? It’s much easier to look at the products when there aren't crowds in the way."
"She’s right. If it’s too crowded, you can't take your time because you're worried about blocking the aisles. This is actually the perfect time for shopping."
"Ah, er, yeah. You’re right. Then... let’s head to the outdoor section."
Swept along by their enthusiasm, I took the lead and navigated toward the outdoor goods by following the signs hanging from the ceiling. I spotted some tents on display, so that was definitely the place.
A minute later, we reached the outdoor section. Three whole aisles were packed with various camping supplies.
"Wow, they have quite a selection. Oh, look, they even have some stuff from famous brands, even if the stock is low."
"Heh... I see. To be honest, I've never heard of any of these manufacturers before."
When I said that, Yuji looked slightly disappointed.
"Well, if you aren't interested in the hobby, I guess you wouldn't... but just keep in mind that they carry some pretty decent gear here."
"Got it. So, what are we getting?"
"For now, three of these and three of these..."
The shopping trip proceeded under Yuji’s expert guidance. We focused on affordable items, mostly around 1,000 yen each. At that price point, the build quality was a bit rough in places, but they weren't going to fall apart after one use, so it wasn't an issue. After filling our basket and heading to the register, the total came to about 8,000 yen.
According to Yuji, however, if we’d gone to a specialty shop for professional gear, a single chair could have easily cost more than our entire haul. I hadn't realized camping equipment was so expensive.
"Alright, that’s it for this stop. Next is the supermarket."
"Got it."
"Yes."
Laden with our somewhat bulky new purchases, we moved on to our next destination.
"At the supermarket, we're stocking up on food. We'll stick mostly to retort pouches and shelf-stable items."
"? Is that necessary this time?" I asked. "Couldn't we just buy some bentos and take them with us? And for the main event, it wouldn't be a problem if I just kept them in my storage."
If I used my Spatial Storage, bringing fresh meals into the dungeon would be trivial. It would simplify meal prep and cleanup, which is a massive advantage in a dungeon where a monster could attack at any second.
Surely that would be better than going through the trouble of heating up preserved food?
"Well, you’re right, Daiki, but we need to get used to the standard explorer bivouac style. If we don't, we won't be able to camouflage ourselves if we run into another party at a bivouac site. If you try to fake an experience you don't actually have, some kind of inconsistency is bound to leak out."
"That’s a good point," Hiiragi-san agreed. "If it’s something we’re not used to, we might behave unnaturally without even realizing it."
"Yeah, fair enough. This time, we should practice preparing meals with preserved foods, just like Yuji says."
It might not be weird to have a bento on the first day of a dungeon stay, but if you’re still eating fresh food on the second or third day, people will notice. In that situation, it’s only natural for meals to consist mostly of preserved goods.
Moreover, the area we were planning to dive into during summer vacation was past the 30th floor... even at our speed, a day trip was out of the question. If another party saw us eating fresh bentos deep in the dungeon, there was a high chance they'd suspect we had the Spatial Storage skill. At the very least, they’d be suspicious. For the sake of security, sticking to preserved foods was the safer bet.
"We're here. Let's make this quick."
"Right. But for preserved stuff... are we talking cup noodles and that sort of thing?"
"If we only eat cup noodles, our nutrition is going to be a mess," Hiiragi-san pointed out. "Since we have Kokonoe-kun to carry things, maybe some frozen foods would work?"
"Personally, I think freeze-dried meals are the way to go—they're light and easy to prepare," Yuji suggested.
We wandered through the aisles, each of us voicing our preferences. Between the cup noodles and various other options, there was actually a surprising variety of preserved foods. We could probably put together a fairly diverse menu. I made a mental note to look for a store that specialized in preserved foods sometime.
Once our shopping was finished, we headed back to the station’s coin lockers to retrieve our gear.
"Alright, that’s everything we needed. Let’s divide the gear up evenly, but everyone should carry their own food. I don't expect us to get separated, but if someone gets lost and doesn't have food on them, they're in trouble."
"True. Better safe than sorry."
"I agree. Oh, but Kokonoe-kun? The cooking utensils are quite bulky; could you store those for us later?"
"Of course... that’s okay, right Yuji?"
"Hmm, I guess so. Oh, but keep the kettle in your bag. We can fake the stove by using stones at the site, but it would look weird if we didn't have a container to boil water. People would wonder if we were just planning to gnaw on the dried food raw."
He was right—carrying food that needed hot water without having a way to boil it would look suspicious. I mean, it’s technically edible dry, but it wouldn't be very good. You could rehydrate it with cold water too, but a warm meal is a huge factor in maintaining motivation.
"Understood. I’ll keep the kettle in my bag, then."
"Please do."
"Thank you, Kokonoe-kun."
...Wait. Somehow, it just naturally became my job to carry it. Oh well. It’s not like a kettle is particularly heavy.
Having finished organizing and distributing the supplies, we passed through the ticket gates and went up to the platform.
"So, Yuji, where exactly are we going? It’s not just a normal campsite, is it?"
"Ah, well, yeah. I mean, technically it is a campsite, but I wouldn't call it a 'normal' one."
Not a normal one?
Hiiragi-san and I both tilted our heads at Yuji’s evasive answer.
"Most modern campsites have all sorts of facilities, but the place we’re going is more... minimalist. It has a toilet and the bare essentials, but that's about it. It’s a very natural spot with dense foliage. Dangerous wild animals like bears probably won't show up... I think."
Wait a second, Yuji. Why did you look away just then?
Faced with Yuji’s suspicious behavior, Hiiragi-san and I felt a growing sense of unease about exactly where we were being taken.