While I filled a large sinkhole in the forest road with sand—a souvenir of the long rains—I watched the customers return to the campsite with a profound sense of relief.
Last year, when those absurd things called dungeons appeared all over the world, the flow of visitors dwindled so much that I briefly considered closing the place down. Now, however, numbers have gradually recovered to a point where I can maintain the campsite without much strain. If things continue to go well, I can even see a future where we make enough profit to replace some of the older equipment.
"Still, though..."
While the return of customers was a welcome development, a certain segment of them was causing frequent problems. I’m talking about those troublesome guests... the explorers. Because they dive into dungeons and fight monsters, they spend their days honing their combat skills. That in itself is perfectly fine, but some of them actually had the nerve to start swinging weapons like real swords—the kind they use for dungeon exploration—around my campsite for practice.
Granted, this is a campsite deep in the mountains, far from any settlement. But that doesn't mean it's okay to go around brandishing an unsheathed blade.
"They claim that since they don't have a place to practice, doing it in the mountains won't bother anyone... Sigh."
Even if they practiced away from the main camping base, it was unbearable to have that happening while other general campers were around. In fact, complaints from other guests reached a boiling point, eventually escalating into a situation where the police had to be called.
The explorers who had been practicing were taken to the station and given a stern warning. Meanwhile, half of the other guests staying at the time were so put off that they packed up and left.
"Because of that, I was forced to make a rule: 'Bringing weapons prohibited.'"
Thinking back to before the dungeons appeared, it was the kind of rule that would have seemed ridiculous. But before I established it, whenever I asked guests who looked like explorers about their purpose for staying, every single one of them was trying to bring in weapons to practice here.
If they want to practice with weapons so badly, I wish they’d just go to a dedicated facility run by the Dungeon Association.
"Well, now that the hole is filled, I guess I'll head back."
After finishing my venting—which I couldn’t let the campers hear—I loaded the tools and leftover materials into my wheelbarrow and returned to the shed.
As I was doing paperwork on the second floor of the management office, I heard a knock on the door below. I couldn't quite catch what was said, but I thought I heard the word "reservation," so it was likely a guest.
Recalling the names of the reserved guests, I opened the door to find three young people who looked like high school students—two boys and a girl. Their faces looked somewhat familiar... Ah, the ones from the Hirose family.
"It's been a while, Hirose boy."
"It has been a long time, Koarashi-san."
Our conversation grew lively upon our reunion. Hirose boy’s face had become more mature, and he’d grown quite a bit taller. If I remember correctly, the last time he came here was the year before last... about two years ago? Not seeing someone for two years during a growth spurt makes them look like a different person.
As we talked further, it turned out he had come to camp with his friends this time. I couldn't help but wonder about a group of two boys and one girl at that age, even if they were friends, but I kept the thought to myself.
"Well then, enjoy yourselves and make sure not to get hurt."
After completing the check-in and payment, I saw Hirose boy and his group off.
Later, after I’d finished a round of management tasks around the campsite and was taking a break in the shed, a loud voice called my name along with a knock on the door. I was slightly irritated at having my hard-earned break interrupted, but I told myself it was part of the job and went to answer.
When I opened the door, Hirose boy stood there with a slightly apologetic expression, while his friends stood behind him looking awkward.
"Um, sorry, Koarashi-san. We've had a bit of a problem."
"A problem?"
"We were picking wild plants in the mountains when we were attacked by a boar..."
"A boar?! Hey, are you hurt?!"
Hearing they had been attacked by a boar, I instinctively scanned Hirose boy from head to toe. His clothes didn't seem dirty, so he didn't appear to be injured. Does that mean someone else was attacked?! I hurriedly looked behind him... and saw a massive lump.
"Daiki captured it."
"...Hm? Huh? Captured?"
"Yes."
At Hirose boy's unexpected words, my mouth hung open in a gape.
Once I regained my senses, I stood before the boar they had captured and let out a sigh from the bottom of my heart. This thing they caught... it was an exceptionally massive specimen.
"I heard you were working as explorers, but to think you could catch such a big one barehanded..."
If a normal person were attacked by something like this in the mountains, they’d be lucky to escape with just major injuries; at worst, they’d be dead. And yet, these high schoolers captured it without a scratch? I observed the Kokonoe boy, who had supposedly been the one attacked. While his shoes and the hems of his pants were dirty, his clothes were mostly clean, just like Hirose boy’s.
In other words, he was unhurt and hadn't even engaged in a struggle significant enough to soil his clothes. Honestly, what is with these explorer types?
"So, what do you want to do with this guy?"
I asked for their wishes while stroking the back of the boar, which was lying on the ground with its limbs bound. Hirose boy said they wanted to eat it. Well, since it wasn't an option to release it, it was a good thing to eat it rather than let it go to waste.
However...
"The preparation takes time, so you won't be able to eat it today."
Hirose boy and the others seemed to think they could have the boar they’d caught for dinner tonight, but it doesn't work that way. While it's technically possible to eat it immediately after dismantling, I certainly wouldn't recommend it. If it isn't processed properly, the gamy smell is overwhelming.
If you do it wrong, it could be a traumatic experience that makes you never want to eat it again.
"I see... That's a shame."
"For now, let's move this guy to the dismantling shed. If we leave him here, it'll startle the other guests."
"Yes!"
"I'll go get the cart, so wait a moment."
"Ah, wait a second, Koarashi-san."
Since moving a boar weighing over a hundred kilograms by hand is quite a chore, I started toward the dismantling shed to get the cart, but Hirose boy called out to stop me. I turned back to see what was up, and the sight of Kokonoe boy grabbing the boar by its legs and hoisting it up met my eyes.
...What?!
"We'll carry it, so we don't need the cart."
"O-Oh, I see... Isn't it heavy?"
"No, this much is nothing. We managed to carry it all the way from the mountain, after all."
"I-I suppose so. Well then, I'll leave it to you..."
I’d heard that when explorers defeat monsters and their level goes up, their physical abilities improve... but to think they could carry something that heavy so easily. I was frozen for a moment by that shocking sight, but I couldn't stay that way forever, so I guided the boys to the shed.
Once we arrived at the dismantling shed, we first sprayed the boar with water from the outdoor faucet to wash off the dirt. In the process, the boar woke up from the water and began to thrash about, but Hirose boy quickly struck its neck with a hand-chop, knocking it unconscious again....Good grief, they're incredible.
"Alright, first we drain the blood. Hang him from the chains on the ceiling."
"Yes!"
Hirose boy and the others said they wanted to watch the dismantling process, so I gave them permission on the condition that they act as assistants. The hanging process is heavy labor that requires a lot of strength, but for these kids, it seemed like no trouble at all, and they efficiently hung the boar as instructed.
I continued to prepare for the dismantling while giving the boys further instructions.
"Alright, I'm going to start the dismantling. If you feel sick during the process, don't push yourselves—just step outside the shed."
Since they are explorers dealing with monsters, the chance that they've seen blood isn't zero.
However, there are surprisingly many people who aren't good with the sight of blood. Especially since this kind of work is something most people never encounter in their daily lives. With that thought, I plunged the blade toward the boar's carotid artery.
After finishing the evisceration and breaking the animal down into parts, I began the cooling process by exposing the butchered meat to cold water.
"Alright, that's enough for today. The rest of the work will be tomorrow once the meat has cooled."
"Yes."
"...Yes."
Hirose boy replied with a clear tone, but Kokonoe boy and Hiiragi girl replied looking quite dejected. It seemed that even though they didn't leave halfway through, it had been a shocking experience for the two of them.
Well, that's how it is for those who aren't used to it.
"I'll do the rest of the work tomorrow, but what time are you all planning to head back?"
"We're planning to leave here during the morning."
"I see. In that case, tomorrow's work should only take an hour or two, so keep that in mind when you come by."
"Understood. Thank you very much."
After setting the time for tomorrow, we all cleaned up the workspace together. Due to the nature of the dismantling, blood had splattered on the floor, so we scrubbed it with brushes while disinfecting it with hot water.
Once everything was cleaned up, I parted ways with Hirose boy and the others in front of the dismantling shed.
"Whew... That was exhausting in more ways than one."
It had been a while since I'd seen the face of Hirose boy, one of my old regulars, but he had certainly grown... in many ways. His family comes from a martial artist lineage, and they used to visit here annually for training camps, so I've known him since he was little. He couldn't come last year because of the dungeon chaos, so I was genuinely happy he returned.
However...
"I never would have dreamed they'd hunt a boar. And such a massive one at that."
That boar was probably the lord of the mountains around here. I was slightly worried about what kind of impact its disappearance would have. But well, what’s hunted is hunted. It's not like I can release it now.
Eating it all and making it delicious is the best way to honor its life.
"Phew... I'll do a round of the grounds and then call it a day."
After patrolling the area, I returned to the shed that served as my office and residence.
The next morning, I went out for a walk that doubled as my morning patrol. There was a thin morning mist and a bit of a chill in the air, but once you get used to it, it's a refreshing morning scene. I slowly enjoyed the view as I walked toward the campsite. Some of the early-rising guests had already started preparing breakfast, and the delicious smell of toasting bread drifted from somewhere.
It was a wonderful yet slightly cruel and alluring scent that stimulated my empty stomach.
"Right, maybe I'll bake some bread in the oven."
In that case, I remembered the supply of split firewood was getting low, so I’d need to prepare some. I'd split some wood when I got back. Swallowing my saliva at the smell of toasted bread, I continued my rounds.
Then...
"Ah, Koarashi-san. Good morning!"
"Hm? Oh, Hirose boy. Good morning. You're up quite early. Already on the move?"
"Yes. We get up with the sunrise."
Hey now, isn't that a bit too early? It's not even 7:00 AM.
And judging by the fact that Hirose boy was on his way to dump ashes, it seemed they had already finished breakfast...
"You're certainly motivated."
"To be honest, it's more that we just woke up early because of the unfamiliar environment."
"I see."
Hirose boy gave a wry smile, looking slightly embarrassed.
Still, if they've finished breakfast this early, they won't have anything to do... Sigh, I guess it can't be helped.
"In that case, shall we get an early start on the rest of the dismantling?"
"Eh, is that okay?"
"Yeah. For my part, I'd rather get it over with sooner if possible."
"Oh, sorry. Thanks for going out of your way."
"Don't worry about it."
To the apologetically bowing Hirose boy, I gave a light wave of my hand to tell him not to mind. I made a promise with Hirose boy that they would come to the shed once they’d finished their preparations to head home, and we parted there. Yeah, probably about an hour from now.
After finishing my patrol and walk, I had my own breakfast and decided to split some wood until Hirose boy and the others arrived. Then...
"Koarashi-san!"
Hirose boy and the others arrived earlier than expected, leaving my wood-splitting half-finished. However, they offered to help, and thanks to that, we finished earlier and split more wood than I had planned. With this much, I shouldn't have to worry about splitting wood for a while.
Once the wood-splitting was done, I took Hirose boy and the others to the dismantling shed to continue the work. The meat had cooled sufficiently, so there were no issues with proceeding.
"Alright, we'll start with the skinning."
An hour and a half after resuming the work, the dismantling of the boar was complete. The meat, with bones and organs removed, weighed dozens of kilograms, and the small cooking packs were piled up like a mountain. It would be impossible for Hirose boy and the others to take all of this home.
As expected, Hirose boy and the others finished by packing about a dozen kilograms of meat into their bags along with some ice packs.
"So, as we agreed, I'll take the rest of the meat and bones, alright?"
"Yes. If anything, I'm sorry for pushing the leftovers onto you."
"Nah, don't worry about it. We have a large freezer here, and I can serve it to the guests, so I'm actually grateful."
"I'm glad to hear that."
In reality, it wasn't something I’d be troubled by, no matter how much there was.
After they helped me carry the meat into the large freezer, Hirose boy and his group left for home before noon as planned. They only stayed for one night, but they certainly left a powerful impression.
Later, I used the bones to make a broth and served boar stew to the other campers, which was a huge hit. It was a happy accident that this lavish serving of boar stew became the catalyst for an increase in the number of visitors.