Meat and vegetables sizzled on the grill, releasing a savory aroma as they cooked. Holding our plates and chopsticks, we stared at the food, our mouths watering.
Come on, hurry up and cook...
"Is it about ready?" I asked.
"Yeah," Yuji replied. "The chicken and pork should probably go a bit longer, but the beef looks fine."
"We don't want to overcook it, so let's start with the beef!" Hiiragi-san declared.
"Let's eat!" we all chorused.
With Hiiragi-san’s signal as the cue, everyone’s chopsticks darted forward toward the beef, which was now perfectly browned and glistening with rendered fat. Being in a space filled with the wonderful smell of a barbecue and watching it cook right before our eyes, our hunger had reached its breaking point.
Mika and the others were proof of that; they had lost their initial hesitation and were now happily stuffing their faces.
"Mmm, barbecues really are the best."
"Yeah," Yuji agreed. "I don't know why, but food just tastes better when you eat it outside."
"Atmosphere and situation really are everything when it comes to a meal," Hiiragi-san added.
As I placed more meat on the grill, watching Mika and her friends eat with blissful expressions, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction. It had been a last-minute idea, but I was glad we’d done this.
And it seemed I wasn't the only one who felt that way.
"Lately, every time we eat outside the house, it's always in a dungeon," Yuji remarked. "Being able to eat leisurely like this is a huge relief."
"Agreed," I said. "In a dungeon, you have to stay on high alert the whole time, so you never truly relax. It’s less like eating and more like nutrient replenishment while trying to catch a breather."
"Still, we’re actually better off than most since we managed to get those breaks for nutrient replenishment in every time," Hiiragi-san noted.
"Sigh..."
Comparing our current feast to the dining scenes we’d experienced in the dungeon, we couldn't help but let out heavy sighs at the stark contrast. As Hiiragi-san said, we were lucky to even eat properly in there, but you couldn't help but feel the difference. We weren't asking for fine dining in a dungeon, but it was only human nature to want at least mealtime to be a moment where you could let your guard down.
Sensing the gloom hanging over us, Mika and the others stopped eating and looked at us with puzzled expressions.
"What’s wrong, Onii-chan? You all look so depressed. Was it not good?"
"Oh, no, it's not that," I replied. "I just happened to remember how we’ve been eating lately."
"How you’ve been eating?"
Mika tilted her head, clearly confused. I hadn't explained myself well enough. If you took those words at face value, it sounded like I was complaining about our meals at home. Since Mika ate almost the same food I did, she was probably wondering what on earth I was talking about.
I gave a wry smile and quickly clarified.
"I don't mean our meals at home. I’m talking about eating inside the dungeon."
"Oh, that... You scared me."
"Haha, my bad. I didn't phrase that well."
I waved a hand dismissively to smooth things over.
With the misunderstanding cleared up, Tatebayashi-san—who was always keen on anything explorer-related—latched onto the topic. She’d seemed to be debating whether or not to become an explorer herself during the last event, so she probably wanted to hear the details for reference.
"Kokonoe-senpai, you said you were remembering the food circumstances... what kind of meals do you actually eat in a dungeon?"
"Oh, I’m curious about that too!" Hino-san added.
Saori-chan and Mika didn't say anything, but they were watching with intense curiosity as well. It wasn't the kind of thing they got to hear about often.
I glanced at Yuji and Hiiragi-san to check with them. Seeing them both nod with wry smiles, I began to explain.
"Well... to put it simply, it’s a meal where you can never let your guard down."
"Never let your guard down... as in, you stay on high alert while eating?"
"Yeah. Monsters don’t care if you’re eating or sleeping; they’ll attack whenever they want. As long as you’re in a dungeon, you’ll pay the price if your vigilance slips. That’s why, even though we call it a meal, the reality is that it’s just nutrient replenishment that doubles as a momentary change of pace. That’s especially true for a small party like ours that dives down to the deeper, less populated floors. In the shallow floors where you go, Mika, there are plenty of other parties around. Even if you get a little lax, you can rely on the presence of others. That’s why you can actually relax a bit during your breaks, right?"
"...That’s true," Mika admitted, she and Saori-chan looking a bit sheepish. "We stay alert in our own way, but it’s definitely not like we’re so tense that it just feels like 'refueling,' like you said."
They looked a little guilty, as if realizing their own lack of caution. I offered them a smile to lift the mood; I didn't want them getting depressed during the barbecue.
"Well, no one expects that much of you at your current level. You’ll pick it up as you go."
"Exactly," Yuji added. "If it’s a day exploration, light snacks are enough to tide you over. As long as you eat near other parties—like at a staircase plaza—you’ll be fine."
"Right," Hiiragi-san agreed. "And if you eat until you’re full, you get sleepy and lose focus. In a dungeon, it’s better to just eat enough to stop the hunger so you can stay sharp."
"I see. Yeah, I’ll definitely be more careful about not letting my guard down from now on," Mika said, her expression brightening.
"Me too!" Saori-chan chimed in.
It was good to see them cheer up. If they ever decided to start doing overnight explorations, I’d probably have to put them through the same training we did. Maybe I could throw them into Genya-san’s care... or we could just play the role of the monsters ourselves. Thinking about that made me realize I really should move the dedicated training ground project forward.
I turned my attention to Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san, who were looking a bit awkward since the conversation had shifted.
"Sorry about that, we got a bit sidetracked."
"Oh, no, it's fine..."
"Haha... Right, you asked what we actually eat. What I just told Mika was more about the mindset. Let’s talk about the food itself."
"Yes, please!" Tatebayashi-san said eagerly.
I wanted to clear the air, so I continued without dwelling on their intense reactions.
"Like I mentioned, for a day exploration, it’s mostly just light snacks like onigiri or sandwiches. Basically, things that are easy to eat and don’t create trash like wrappers or containers."
"Is that really enough?" Hino-san asked. "I thought explorers would get really hungry since they’re fighting monsters and all."
"Energy is important, sure. But as Hiiragi-san mentioned, eating until you're stuffed makes you sleepy. Whether you're fighting monsters or spotting traps, losing your focus can lead to injuries—or worse. Being about eighty percent full is plenty. Besides, we can always snack on things like calorie bars throughout the day if we need to."
"I see. That makes sense. You don't have to get it all in one sitting."
They both nodded, satisfied with the explanation.
"A day exploration only lasts a day, after all," I continued. "You eat breakfast before you go and dinner on the way back or once you're home. You only really have to endure one meager meal at lunch. Even if it's small or doesn't taste great, you can deal with it for one afternoon."
"If it's just one meal... yeah, that makes sense."
"But on the other hand," I said, "everything changes when you’re talking about an overnight exploration."
The four girls tilted their heads in unison. I smiled and went on.
"On a day exploration, you only have to endure for a few hours. But on an overnight dive, you’re in there for a full day or more. Being under constant stress and having to stay alert that whole time really wears on you."
"...I think I can imagine that," Tatebayashi-san said. "I think I'd feel suffocated just being shut in a normal room for a whole day."
"Exactly. To use an analogy... it's like being stuck in a one-on-one session with a terrifyingly strict tutor for an entire day. They’re watching your every move, and even when you’re supposedly on a break, you can still feel their eyes on you."
"Ugh... That sounds awful," Mika muttered.
"Right? So in a situation that stressful, having a proper, decent meal becomes the best way to blow off steam. In a dungeon, you can't exactly shout or run around to relieve stress, because that would just attract monsters."
"Exactly," Yuji said with deep feeling. "In a dungeon, a warm, delicious meal is the ultimate stress reliever."
"And it's even better if there's a sweet dessert," Hiiragi-san added.
"Whoa..."
The girls looked a little taken aback by how much emotion we were putting into this. I couldn't blame them, but I knew they’d understand if they ever experienced it. In the dungeon, eating is really the only thing you have to look forward to. Sure, getting a great drop item is exciting, but whether that actually reduces your stress... well, that depends on the person.
Of course, in our case, my Spatial Storage skill means we aren't limited by weight or space, so we eat much better than most other explorers. But even with that advantage, the stress still piles up. I could only imagine how much worse it was for parties that didn't have it as good as us.
"On an overnight trip, you have to eat multiple times," I continued. "You can endure one bad meal, but several in a row in that environment is tough. You can get used to it, eventually, but..."
"It’s not an easy transition," Yuji finished. "And the negative impact is too big to ignore."
"Plus, there’s the logistics," Hiiragi-san said. "You have to decide exactly what to bring. You can't just take everything. If you want warm food, you have to pack cooking gear, which takes up space for other essentials. For a small party, staying long-term is a nightmare."
I tried to keep the conversation focused on general explorers. Our situation was an outlier, so it wasn't a good reference.
"Oh, and for corporate explorers, things are a bit better. They have proper backup systems and infrastructure. But in exchange, they’re basically on the clock, living at bases inside the dungeon for long stretches."
"From what you’re saying, staying in the dungeon for a long time sounds really exhausting," Mika noted.
"The corporate guys we’ve run into definitely looked like they were feeling the strain," I said. "But they seemed to be managing. I’m guessing it’s because they at least get decent food compared to smaller parties."
"I see... So food really is a big deal in the dungeon."
"Yeah. It’s a time when you can’t fully let your guard down, but your mind can at least take a breather. If you can’t have more frequent breaks, you have to make the ones you have higher quality."
Of course, "higher quality" was easier said than done for most people.
I picked up a piece of cooked beef, dipped it in the sauce, and took a bite. I really was lucky to have Spatial Storage.