I took the usual train to the dungeon's nearest station. Despite it being a routine trip, conversation was sparse, and a strangely tense atmosphere drifted between us. It seemed the other two were also nervous about our first overnight dungeon stay.
After a somewhat awkward train ride, we finally arrived.
"We finally made it..."
"I feel like it took longer than usual today."
I stretched my stiff muscles after the long sit and scanned the station plaza, which was crowded with people who looked like explorers. Beyond the sheer numbers, what first caught my eye was the volume of gear they carried.
"Everyone’s really geared up," I noted.
"Yeah. Or rather, the overnight equipment is boosting the bulk," Yuji agreed.
I nodded. It was common to see explorers with large backpacks, but the people currently lined up for the bus had pop-up tents and rolled-up insulation sheets strapped to theirs.
If they hadn't been in line for a bus to the dungeon, they would’ve looked like solo campers at a glance.
"Also, if you look closely, a lot of the people with overnight gear are students," Hiiragi-san pointed out.
"Eh? Oh, you’re right. There certainly are a lot of young people carrying overnight equipment."
Just as Hiiragi-san noted, the ratio of people with overnight gear was roughly three young people for every one adult. It might have been due to summer vacation, but since the proportion of pro explorers was higher among adults, I wondered if there shouldn't have been more of them.
Then Yuji lightly clapped his hands together, murmuring as the realization struck him.
"Ah, I see. People belonging to companies probably go directly to the dungeon in their own company cars. If they’re going as a corporate unit, there’s no need to take a route bus with a fixed schedule."
"I see, that makes sense. In that case, are the people in the bus line sole proprietors or people who explore as a hobby outside their main jobs?"
"Most likely," Hiiragi-san replied. "That also explains why some of them don't have overnight gear. For someone with a corporate job, overnight exploration is difficult unless it’s a long holiday. Just because we students are on summer break doesn't mean adults are on vacation too."
Especially since we were here on a weekday, overnight exploration would be impossible for anyone who had work the next day. Well, there might have been some hard-core people who went straight to the office after exploring the dungeon, though.
Thinking about it, aside from the sole proprietors, anyone here was either working a shift or using paid leave... Dungeon addiction wasn't just a problem for students; it clearly affected working adults too. Yeah, definitely.
After being jostled about on a bus packed with explorers, we arrived at the dungeon to find its appearance had changed again. A new prefab building now stood in what used to be an empty space.
"Another new building has gone up."
"True. Well, this place was originally built in a rush with only the bare minimum facilities. Once they have some leeway, it’s only natural they’d look to fulfill the requests for better equipment, right?"
"Yeah, that’s probably it."
Nodding at Yuji's opinion, I looked around the rotary. I spotted a poster on the wall of the bus waiting area announcing the opening of the new building.
"Let’s see... a food shop?"
"Food... does that mean a restaurant?"
"But... I don't smell anything," Hiiragi-san noted.
According to the poster, the new building sold some kind of food.
However, since no smell of cooking drifted toward us—standing downwind of the building—the possibility of it being a restaurant seemed low. Even if it were before business hours, some kind of scent usually drifts out during the prep stage if they’re ventilating.
"...Want to take a peek?"
"I guess. Why not? Just for a bit," Yuji agreed.
Having piqued our interest, Yuji and I shared a look and then turned toward Hiiragi-san.
"I don't mind either. I’m a bit curious about what they have."
"Then let's take a quick look."
Since we weren't in a particular hurry today, we decided to check out the food shop.
As we approached, we saw that the building was quite large, roughly the size of a small supermarket. It looked like a prefab warehouse, though. Stepping inside, about two-thirds of the store was buried under high piles of cardboard boxes, giving it a very industrial atmosphere.
"...This is quite a sight."
"Yeah. But based on the product lineup, it’s mostly things you’d buy by the box, so this layout might not be entirely wrong... maybe," Yuji mused.
"Well, I guess."
The items stacked in boxes were basically instant foods like cup ramen and retort pouches. Certainly, if someone was planning to take them into the dungeon, buying them by the box made sense.
"Maybe there were requests to buy food nearby because bringing it all the way here is a pain? And that’s why they built this?"
"Yeah, that might be it. For an explorer, food might not be heavy, but it’s quite bulky. If you live nearby, it’s one thing, but if you’re commuting from far away like us, you want to avoid carrying bulky luggage over long distances. That’s true enough for one person’s daily needs, but for a multi-day trip for a whole party..."
"There’s nothing better than being able to get it on-site."
A group getting on a train with enough luggage to fill several cardboard boxes... they’d be a total nuisance. For corporate explorers with company cars, it was fine, but for independent explorers and student explorers who relied on public transportation, it was a difficult situation. No one wanted to be glared at by other passengers.
Being able to procure food at the dungeon side stepped that problem entirely.
"Food is food, regardless of where you buy it. The prices are a bit marked up due to the location, though."
"Well, it's within an acceptable range, isn't it? It’s not like those five-hundred-yen juices on Mt. Fuji where they charge many times the original price."
From a quick look around, the prices seemed to be about ten to twenty percent higher than stores back home. Well, considering the transportation costs to the middle of the mountains, this much was unavoidable.
Whether I’d actually buy anything was a different story, though.
"That aside, Hiiragi-san. You’ve been quiet for a while. Did you find something interesting?"
"...That."
"That?"
When I turned toward the corner Hiiragi-san was pointing at, the atmosphere was quite different from the rest of the warehouse. If the rest of the place was a storeroom, the spot she pointed to was a stylish cafe. Glass showcases were lined up, and a clerk was standing by... a high-end food corner?
"Apparently, it's a retort food corner featuring dungeon ingredients."
"Retort food using dungeon ingredients?"
Now that sounded interesting.
As Yuji and I looked on with curiosity, Hiiragi-san asked in a slightly reserved voice.
"Is it all right if I go take a look?"
"Ah, yeah. Actually, we'll go look too. Right, Yuji?"
"Yeah."
And so, we headed over to the retort food corner.
Looking around the section, there were no other customers besides us.
"Heh, there’s all sorts of things."
Various retort foods that could be stored at room temperature and heated in boiling water were on display. Starting with the standard curry, there was a wide range including various soups, rice bowls, and snacks.
However...
"There’s an extra zero on the price tags," Hiiragi-san noted.
"Three thousand yen for a single retort pouch of curry...?"
"Well, it uses dungeon ingredients, so I guess it’s unavoidable?"
Each item was an incredibly expensive, high-end product. That was probably why there were so few customers in this section. For the price of one item here, you could buy a whole box of regular retort food. At this price, hardly anyone would reach for them.
While I was looking at the showcase with those thoughts in mind, the clerk called out to me.
"Welcome. Are you looking for something in particular?"
"Ah, no. I was just seeing what you had, nothing in particular..."
"Is that so? Then shall I bring out some recommended items for you?"
"Eh? Ah, uh..."
This was a very pushy clerk. I was at a loss for how to respond and looked to Yuji and Hiiragi-san for help.
But.
"..."
"..."
They averted their eyes. You mean I have to handle this myself? You've got to be kidding...
Left isolated and helpless, I began a battle with the clerk, who pressed in as if determined not to let a rare customer escape.
I trudged along with a plastic bag in my right hand, shooting resentful glares at the backs of Yuji and Hiiragi-san as they walked ahead. Those two had made a clean getaway.
In the end, I couldn't withstand the clerk's aggressive sales pitch and bought a consommé soup and a curry pack. Together, it was a five-thousand-yen expense.
"..."
"..."
"I'm not sharing any of this with you later, you traitors," I grumbled in a low voice.
Yuji and Hiiragi-san stopped and turned around. Then, they pressed their hands together in front of their faces.
"We're sorry!" they both shouted, bowing their heads in apology.
"No, really, we're sorry. But look, if we had jumped in there, that clerk definitely would have tried to sell to us too!" Yuji explained.
"That's why I felt bad for you, Kokonoe-kun, but..."
"...So you abandoned me?"
As if confirming my words, the two of them nodded slightly, looking thoroughly guilty.
Seeing that, I let out a small sigh.
"I understand why, but that doesn't mean you should just abandon me. If you had pulled me away by force, I might have been able to escape."
"Ah, well, that might be true, but..."
"While staying out of your sight, Kokonoe-kun, that clerk was glaring at us the whole time, intensely signaling us not to interfere. It made it... a bit difficult to pull you away, you know?"
"Yeah. A bit."
Recalling that moment, Yuji and Hiiragi-san stared into the distance, their cheeks twitching slightly.
To think such a struggle was unfolding behind my back while I was being forced into a purchase... Just who was that clerk?
"..."
An indescribable atmosphere hung over us. But we couldn't stay like this forever.
"Ahem."
I gave a loud, forced cough to dispel the awkward mood.
"Anyway, let’s head to the reception. There’s no point in standing around here."
"Ah, yeah, you're right. Let's go."
"Yes, let's go."
Exchanging awkward smiles, we tucked the memory of that terrifying clerk into a corner of our minds. Yeah, it was best to leave that in the depths of oblivion.
We completed the paperwork as usual and finished changing in the locker room. Finally, it was time to enter the dungeon.
"What's wrong, Daiki? Your face is stiff. Are you nervous?"
"Look who's talking, Yuji. Your movements are a bit stiff too."
"...Haha."
We shared bitter smiles, both looking a little tense. After all, it was hard not to get nervous when doing something for the first time.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, both of you."
"Ah, Hiiragi-san."
Hiiragi-san joined us after finishing her change, but her expression was also slightly forced.
"...Alright. Now that we're all here, let's finish our warm-up exercises as usual."
"Right."
"Okay."
Renting a room as usual and doing the usual warm-up... when you’re nervous, sticking to the routine is vital. It was my version of a ritual. By repeating the usual, everyday actions, I could settle my mind.
Compared to what professional athletes do, it was just child's play, but it seemed to be effective.
"Alright, preparations are finally complete."
"Yeah."
"Yes."
By the time the warm-ups were over, the tension had vanished from everyone's faces.
"Now, let's do a final check. The objective of this exploration is to gain experience staying overnight in the dungeon. We'll descend to the 29th floor while looking for a suitable place to set up a camp base... Does that sound right?"
"Yeah. I'd like to try exploring the 30th floor and beyond, but we shouldn't include investigating unexplored floors this time. It’s better to focus on achieving one goal surely rather than juggling multiple objectives."
"I'm also interested in what the 30th floor is like," Hiiragi-san added, "but we should spend our time carefully selecting the location for our camp base. If we set up camp on a floor where strange explorers are around, it'll lead to trouble. Since this is our first time staying overnight, we should be very careful about where we pick."
Good, everyone was on the same page. If you don't confirm the goals at the start, you end up clashing over strategy when it matters... it’s important to confirm firmly, even if it feels like a hassle. The temptation of reaching the 30th floor was certainly alluring, but let's make sure our dungeon stay is a success first. As the proverb goes, he who chases two hares catches neither.
Now... let's go.