After finishing our review meeting regarding the interaction with those troublesome guests, we settled on the order for the night watch.
Unlike Genya-san’s training, where monsters fell upon us like a steady drizzle, I didn’t expect constant harassment, but we still needed to be prepared for an attack. If we didn't at least do this much, the training we’d suffered through would have been for nothing.
“I’m fine with taking the second shift. You two were stuck handling those troublesome guests earlier, after all.”
“Eh, you sure?”
“Yeah.”
Yuji offered to take the second shift—the one that resulted in the most interrupted sleep—with a slightly apologetic expression. It was true that those negotiations had been a pain.
That being said...
“But adding more people to the conversation wouldn't have really changed anything back then,” I said. “I don't think you need to feel indebted or volunteer for the heaviest burden, Yuji.”
“He’s right,” Hiiragi-san added. “Shouldn’t we just decide normally with rock-paper-scissors or by drawing straws? Otherwise, we’ll end up in a cycle where whoever feels they messed something up has to take the hardest shift.”
As Hiiragi-san suggested, I didn't want to set a strange precedent. If it were a matter of injury or poor health, adjusting the night watch order would be unavoidable, but since no one was particularly exhausted right now, it was better to decide fairly.
Well, even if I called it a precedent, it didn't mean much in our current situation with only the three of us.
“I don't have any particular objection, but... are you two okay with that?” I asked.
“Yeah.”
“Yes, of course.”
“I see... well, making straws is a hassle, so let’s decide the order with rock-paper-scissors.”
And so, the game began.
All three of us held our right hands out in front of us...
“““First comes rock! Rock-paper-scissors!”””
It was all well and good to start the game with such vigor, but we couldn't reach a conclusion. Because all three of us had improved our dynamic vision through the benefits of leveling up, we were reading the shape of each other's hands as they were being thrown. As a result, we hit thirty consecutive draws.
It felt like something out of a manga, but when you have the ability, you use it. There was no helping it.
“...Okay, new rule. Everyone, close your eyes the moment we swing our hands up. Otherwise, this will never end.”
“Ah, yeah. Right, let’s do that. Hiiragi-san, is that okay with you?”
“Yes, certainly.”
No one objected to my suggestion. We couldn't just keep playing rock-paper-scissors forever.
Girding ourselves once more, we thrust our fists forward.
“First comes rock! Rock-paper-scissors...”
“““Shoot!”””
We closed our eyes the moment our hands went up and made our moves. After holding our hands out with our eyes shut for about two seconds, we slowly opened them.
“Ah, I lost...”
“Alright, I won!”
“I’m sorry, Kokonoe-kun.”
I had played paper, while Yuji and Hiiragi-san had both played scissors. I was the sole loser.
As a result of the match, the night watch order was set: Hiiragi-san first, then me, then Yuji.
“Then the order is as we just decided. As for the timing...”
“We don't particularly need to move in a hurry this time, so taking a longer rest period shouldn't be a problem,” Yuji noted.
“That’s true,” Hiiragi-san agreed. “Those two-hour rotations we did during the training were quite grueling. I think a schedule with a bit more breathing room would be better.”
Sleeping for two hours, standing guard for two hours, then sleeping for another two... That schedule really was tough. It would be one thing if you could fall asleep immediately, but with the tension and excitement of the dungeon, you couldn't exactly sleep on command. In reality, each sleep session was barely over an hour.
I certainly voted in favor of a schedule where we could get some proper rest.
“Even so, staying here for too long might also be an issue,” I pointed out.
“Probably. That college explorer party might move on when the time comes, but those corporate explorer parties seem to have completely put down roots in this camp base. If we stay too long, they might try to contact us again.”
“Honestly, I’d like to avoid hearing another recruitment pitch...”
I also wanted to be spared from being shown another corporate standoff. Which meant that, as expected, there was no need to linger here for too long.
“In that case... maybe three-hour shifts?”
“Three hours... yeah. That sounds fine, doesn't it? Three hours should be enough to get a decent rest.”
“And we can sleep for six hours straight.”
And so, it was agreed that the night watch would be in three-hour shifts. It seemed like a reasonable amount of rest—as long as nothing strange happened.
With the order decided, we immediately began preparing our beds. Since we were inside a dungeon, we didn't need to pitch tents, so it was done quickly. We took out the foldable simple beds we had in our backpacks, extended the poles, and assembled them in no time. Modern gear really was incredibly light and compact.
“Alright, the bed is finished. Comfort-wise... I guess it’s okay?”
Compared to a bed at home, it was obviously less comfortable, but considering the alternative was lying on stone paving, it was well within the acceptable range. In fact, given the circumstances, it was downright luxurious.
After rolling up a towel for a pillow and preparing a thin half-blanket, my setup was complete.
“Okay, my bed is done. Yuji, Hiiragi-san, how’s it going over there? I’m finished, so do you want some help?”
“I’m fine. I’ve... just finished here too,” Yuji said.
“I’m almost done too, so I don't need help.”
When I looked over, both were making steady progress. Hiiragi-san was lining up our backpacks to act as a wall in place of a partition. Incidentally, the folding beds we brought were all different colored versions of the same product. In the event of a monster attack, there was a chance we might have to abandon them if we didn't have time to pack up. They were being sold cheaply online—likely clearance stock—so I had bought several in bulk.
“I’m finished.”
“Right. So, what should we do now? Should we sleep already?”
“Even if you ask... I'm not particularly sleepy yet,” Yuji admitted.
“It’s only about 21:00,” Hiiragi-san said, checking her watch. “It certainly is a bit early to go to bed.”
She looked at us, wondering what we should do.
But even if she asked... we didn't have much choice but to sleep. In a place like this, you had to sleep when you could; you never knew when a situation would arise that made rest impossible.
“Well, there’s nothing else to do besides sleep. If we lie down and close our eyes, maybe we can manage it?”
“...Maybe.”
In our current situation, which was lukewarm compared to Genya-san’s training, that desperate drive to sleep and recover from mental fatigue didn't quite well up. If you asked whether we could sleep or not, we probably could, but who knew how long it would take.
“...Well, good luck.”
As Hiiragi-san watched Yuji and me worrying about how to get to sleep, she let out a wry smile.
When things turned out like this, the third shift Yuji chose was also a dud. During Genya-san’s training, there was mental fatigue, but we probably only fell asleep so quickly because the effects of the drugs made us chronically drowsy.
Sleeping pills... Should I have prepared some? No, taking drugs to sleep inside a dungeon was a terrible idea. Considering every possibility, being in a state where drowsiness lingered due to medication was far too dangerous. I guess we really did have to sleep on our own.
“Well, I’ll be on night watch outside the camp screen. You two get some rest.”
With that, Hiiragi-san stepped outside the partition. Yuji and I glanced at each other for a moment, then both muttered a single word with half-lidded eyes.
““...Let’s sleep.””
There was nothing else to say. We lay down on our beds, covered ourselves with our blankets, and closed our eyes.
Now then, I wonder when sleep will come...
I heard a voice calling my name. Feeling a slight sluggishness, I sat up as my hazy consciousness gradually awakened. Rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand, I looked toward the voice and saw Hiiragi-san standing there, peeking inside from outside the camp screen.
“...Ah, Hiiragi-san. Is it already time to switch?”
“Yes, it is.”
I raised both hands and stretched to loosen up my body while confirming the situation.
It seemed I had managed to fall asleep at some point. I had been worried about it, but it appeared there had been no problem at all. For a person like me to be able to sleep soundly inside a dungeon, I must have some pretty thick nerves.
“So three hours have already passed. How was it? Did anything happen?”
“Nothing in particular. There were people on night watch at the other camp bases, but no one specifically came to talk to me.”
“I see, that’s good. It would be a hassle if they came over to scout us individually.”
“However, I did feel eyes on us. Plenty of eyes...”
Apparently, we had become the center of attention. Well, considering what we had pulled off on this floor, it was only natural. I had to consider it a blessing that the attention wasn't born of hostility.
“Right. Then we’d better make sure not to attract any more attention.”
“Exactly. Although, unless a monster comes charging at us, there’s nothing that would draw that much attention.”
Hearing those words, I glared at Hiiragi-san with half-lidded, sleepy eyes. She had just lightheartedly let slip something that sounded like a flag... We were okay, right?
“Hiiragi-san, don't say something so ominous. What are we going to do if it actually happens...?”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I just let something weird slip in the heat of the moment.”
“Honestly...”
I got up from the bed and began putting on the equipment I had taken off to sleep. Even without weapons or armor, it wasn't as if I couldn't handle things barehanded, but as long as other parties were watching, I had to keep up appearances with visible gear. A high schooler scattering monsters with punches and kicks would be a disastrous image to project.
“Alright, preparation complete. Well, Hiiragi-san, thanks for the watch. I’m taking over, so get some rest.”
“Yes, I’ll leave the rest to you then.”
“Yeah, count on it.”
Switching places with Hiiragi-san, I stepped outside the camp screen and began my night watch.
Once outside, I spread out an insulation sheet to serve as a cushion and sat down. Having to stand for three hours until I swapped with Yuji was more than I was willing to endure.
In any case...
“Just like Hiiragi-san said, they really are looking this way.”
As I sat down, I felt gazes directed at me from three different directions. We really were the center of attention—though I wasn't happy about it at all.
“Three hours while exposed to these stares... this is going to be rough.”
They wouldn't keep their eyes on me forever, but the feeling of being monitored made me incredibly uncomfortable. On the other hand, I couldn't exactly abandon the watch. This was going to be a three-hour test of patience.
I let out a sigh and diverted my consciousness from the stares while monitoring the entrance to the corridor.
“...Hm?”
After spending some time with nothing happening, I suddenly felt hostility—malice being directed our way. It wasn't aimed specifically at me, but seemed to be directed at everyone in the staircase plaza.
Which meant...
“Sigh, just because Hiiragi-san had to go and say that...”
I stood up with a sigh and peeked inside the camp screen to call out to Yuji and Hiiragi-san.
“Yuji, Hiiragi-san. Sorry, but could you wake up?”
A few seconds after I called out to them in a low voice, a response came from inside the screen.
“...What is it, Daiki? Is it already time to switch?”
“Unfortunately, we might have guests.”
“...Guests?”
“Is this... an enemy?”
Yuji seemed still slightly half-asleep and couldn't sense the hostility, but Hiiragi-san, who had been awake for her watch earlier, was alert and seemed to have sensed the malice.
“Yeah. It hasn't been decided that they're coming toward us specifically yet, but I think they’re coming to this staircase plaza.”
“?...! By guests, do you mean monsters?!”
“Yeah. It’s not confirmed yet, but I think the possibility is high, so I woke you up. Also, your voice is a bit loud, Yuji.”
“S-Sorry... wait, that’s not it! If enemies are coming, I have to get ready quickly!”
With his mind finally awake, a slightly flustered Yuji hurriedly began putting on his gear. Even Yuji acted like this when waking up, despite usually being so calm. Incidentally, Hiiragi-san was already quickly readying her equipment beside him.
“You don't have to rush that much, it’s not like they're here... wait, hm? This is...”
The diffused hostility took on a sense of direction, and the faint sound of footsteps began to grow louder.
It was a confirmed hit. The flag had been triggered and collected immediately. Now, I wondered what exactly was going to come out...