It seemed it hadn't rained in these mountains lately; dry branches were scattered everywhere, making it easy to gather firewood. Apparently, wood with a damp surface is difficult to light and doesn't make for very good kindling.
As we walked through the woods searching for wood, Hiiragi-san directed a question toward Yuji.
"Hey, Hirose-kun? Just how useful is this camp going to be?"
"Huh?"
"What do you mean, 'huh'...? This camp is supposed to be a sort of preliminary rehearsal for the training we’re doing at Genya-san’s place, right? But for a rehearsal, isn't this a bit... well, soft?"
I stopped gathering wood and listened to the conversation.
Yuji scratched the back of his head with a troubled expression before answering her.
"If you ask exactly how useful it is, that's hard to say... but I suppose it helps with one's mental preparation?"
"Mental preparation, is it?"
Hiiragi-san frowned at Yuji’s response, looking dissatisfied. Well, I couldn't blame her. To be told suddenly the day before that we were going camping, to prepare in a mad rush, and then to be told it wouldn't be very useful once we got here—anyone would want to grumble.
Even I was giving Yuji a deadpan look.
"I'll tell you now, the purpose of this camp is just to give you guys a taste of the atmosphere of sleeping outdoors before we tackle Genya-san’s training."
"..." "..."
"It seems like neither of you has much experience with outdoor activities. If I threw you into Genya-san’s training in that state... well, it wouldn't end well."
"..." "..."
Hearing Yuji’s explanation, Hiiragi-san and I looked at each other and then immediately averted our eyes. Just as Yuji said, my experience with outdoor activities like camping was limited to school events, and Hiiragi-san seemed to be in the same boat. It was hardly reliable. It was likely out of consideration that he wanted us to get a feel for the atmosphere before throwing us into Genya-san’s training.
Then again, if this was the kind of consideration Juzo-san and Yuji felt was necessary for that training...
"Instead of taking on harsh training right away, having a similar, albeit simpler, experience beforehand means you'll be able to put up a bit of a fight."
"...Put up a fight, huh."
"Just so you know, this camp isn't much of a reference in terms of equipment, okay? We've brought along various 'extra' pieces of gear this time, like tents and chairs."
"What? Even the tents are considered extra gear?"
Hiiragi-san sounded genuinely surprised by that.
"If you're thinking on the premise of staying overnight inside a dungeon, you don't need tents or sleeping bags. The temperature inside a dungeon is basically stable and it doesn't rain, so you don't need a tent. And as for the type of sleeping bag where you're zipped inside a sack, your reaction time would be too slow if an enemy attacked."
"Now that you mention it, that makes sense..."
"Well, in our case, we have Daiki’s 'thing,' so we don't really need to cut down on luggage that much."
In silence, Yuji and Hiiragi-san turned their gazes toward me.
Yeah, yeah, I get it. I’m the designated pack mule as usual.
Having gathered a decent amount of firewood, we decided to head back to the campsite for the time being.
"Alright. This much should last us through the night."
There were three bundles of firewood of varying thicknesses, weighing about 30kg in total. As a camping amateur, I couldn't tell if this was a lot or a little, but since the experienced Yuji said it was fine, it would probably suffice.
"Once we put the wood down, let's head back into the mountains to look for food."
"Wait, look for food? But Yuji, we brought plenty of supplies, didn't we?"
"I know that, of course. But I don't know if bringing food will be allowed in the upcoming training. I figured it would be better for you two to know which things are edible and which aren't, just in case."
"..." "..."
Hiiragi-san and I listened to Yuji, our faces twitching slightly.
The fact that he was even bringing this up meant Yuji expected the next training session to be a self-sufficient survival course... Well, considering the training I'd received before, that possibility wasn't out of the question. In fact, I'd say it was highly likely.
"For now, I'm thinking of looking mainly for wild vegetables. It's summer, but since the elevation is relatively high here, we might be able to find things like bracken and mountain asparagus."
"Eh? But Hirose-kun, aren't bracken and mountain asparagus spring vegetables? At this time of year, shouldn't they be too overgrown to eat?"
"There won't be many, but there should be a few young shoots that came out in the summer. I think we can gather enough for at least one meal."
Yuji and Hiiragi-san were exchanging opinions about wild vegetables, but to be honest, I was completely out of the loop. I'd never had any interest in foraging, so I knew absolutely nothing. Even listening to them, I didn't have a clue what they were talking about. Maybe I'll look at a guidebook and study up on this when I have some free time... I thought, secretly resolving to fix my ignorance while watching them.
Returning to our tents, we dropped off the bundles of wood and set out again to search for wild plants.
"Look, that plant there."
After walking for a while, Yuji suddenly pointed at some tall stalks.
"At this time of year, they're completely overgrown, but try pushing them aside and looking at the base. I think you'll find some young shoots."
"For real?"
To me, it just looked like a clump of overgrown weeds, but since Yuji seemed so sure, I decided to search the base anyway.
And then...
"Hm? Is it this, maybe?"
When I pushed the stalks aside, there was a single young shoot that hadn't yet unfurled its leaves. I grabbed it at the base, snapped it off, and showed it to Yuji.
"Yeah, that's bracken. It's one of the more famous ones, so you've probably heard the name before, right, Daiki?"
"I know the name. It's the stuff that occasionally shows up in side dishes like ohitashi."
"That's the one. However, if you eat it raw, there's a chance of food poisoning, so you have to make sure to remove the toxins first."
"Food poisoning? Are you serious...?"
I lifted the plucked bracken to eye level, staring at it with an uneasy gaze. I had been impressed that this was edible just a moment ago, but now a wave of anxiety was washing over me.
"You mean bracken poisoning," Hiiragi-san added. "But it's fine as long as the toxins are removed."
"Exactly. As long as you properly remove the bitterness and toxins, there’s no problem. So Daiki, you don't have to look at the poor thing with such an anxious expression."
"O-Oh... I get it."
While some lingering anxiety remained regarding the phrase 'food poisoning,' I decided to trust their words. Since I usually ate it without issue when it was served at a meal, there was no point in worrying more than necessary. I tossed the bracken into the plastic bag I’d brought along.
"Now then. It looks like the bracken is growing in clusters around here, so instead of searching together, let's split up to collect it."
"Right. If we're gathering enough for a meal, it'll be more efficient that way."
"So, Daiki, is it okay if we split up? Just focus on collecting things about the same size as the one you just picked."
As he spoke, both of them focused their gazes on me. Since my lack of knowledge was the biggest concern, their reaction was unavoidable. I scratched my cheek, offering a somewhat troubled expression.
"Yeah, I got it. I'll be fine."
"I see. Then let's spread out. If you find any other wild vegetables, collect those too. Also, Daiki, if you can't tell if something is edible or not, give me a shout. I'll come over right away."
"Thanks. I'll count on you."
I raised a hand to express my gratitude to Yuji for being considerate of a beginner.
"Alright everyone, let's disband for a bit. Once some time has passed, I'll call out, so gather back up then."
"Yeah, roger."
"Understood."
And so, we split into three directions and began foraging individually.
I guess the goal is to fill this plastic bag.
I searched for the plants using the overgrown stalks as a landmark, following Yuji’s advice, but I couldn't quite find anything that looked like it was a good size for eating. Occasionally I’d find something of a decent size, but the stems would be tough, making it hard to judge if they were actually edible.
"Phew... gathering wild vegetables is harder than it looks."
I stretched my back, which had been bent over from searching, and grumbled while looking at my plastic bag—it wasn't even half full. I checked my watch; about twenty minutes had passed since we started.
"Still... he said he’d call out, but how long are we doing this for?"
I scanned the surroundings, looking for Yuji, but he was nowhere to be seen. I couldn't see Hiiragi-san either, and a flicker of panic began to rise in my chest.
...Crap, where am I?
"...Could I be lost?"
A cold sweat broke out on my forehead at the realization. While I’d been absorbed in searching for bracken, the scenery had changed to something unfamiliar. I hurriedly turned back to the path I thought I’d come from, intending to rejoin the others, but I stopped after taking a single step. I realized I didn't actually know which way was back.
"..."
The sweat on my forehead ran down my temple, traced the outline of my jaw, and dripped from my chin onto the ground.
And then...
"Heeey! Yuji! Hiiragi-san! Where are you guys!? If you can hear me, say something!"
Throwing shame to the wind, I shouted for help. If I moved around aimlessly in a panic, I’d only get more lost, so my only choice was to wait for rescue. At the very least, I was certain I was within a twenty-minute radius of where we’d disbanded. The possibility of my voice reaching them was much higher if I stayed put.
Believing that, I kept calling out. And then...
"Hm?"
Whether my cry had reached them or not, I heard the sound of something pushing through the bushes nearby. For a moment, I felt a rush of relief, thinking my friends had come to get me, but I quickly realized the presence beyond the bushes didn't feel like theirs. I immediately braced myself.
As the rustling in the thicket drew closer, the source finally showed itself.
"...A boar?"
Emerging from the brush was a massive wild boar that looked like it easily weighed over 100kg. It was huffing loudly, clearly agitated.
Why did this show up instead of Yuji and the others...?
"..." "..."
The boar and I faced each other in a silent stare-down. I was hoping we could just go our separate ways, but it didn't look like the boar felt the same. Its breathing was heavy, its eyes were filled with bloodlust, and it was pawing at the earth with its front hooves. This means...
"It’s clearly identified me as an enemy and entered a combat stance, hasn't it... this boar."
Apparently, this boar had no intention of letting me off the hook. While I was wondering what to do, it gradually lowered its head, looking ready to charge at any second.
"Hey, calm down, Mr. Boar. Fighting here won't benefit either of us... wait, hey!?"
Trying to de-escalate, I used a gentle tone and steady movements to pacify it... but that seemed to be the wrong move. To the boar, my speech and gestures must have looked like a provocation.
It charged straight at me. It was moving at a considerable speed, and combined with its 100kg weight, a direct hit could easily kill a normal person.
"But if it's just a straight charge, it's easy to dodge."
Just before contact, I took a large sidestep to the right and evaded the attack. Compared to the monsters that appeared in dungeons, dodging a charge of this level wasn't that difficult.
However...
"For such a huge body, it moves surprisingly nimbly."
Even though I’d dodged the charge, the boar maintained its speed and made a wide turn, gearing up for another run. If anything, the momentum made this second charge feel even faster.
"Seriously, how did it come to this?"
I let out a sigh as I watched the beast circle around.
Lost in the mountains, only to run straight into a wild boar.
...Well, I hear wild boar hot pot is delicious.