Still basking in the afterglow of yesterday’s barbecue, Yuji, Hiiragi-san, and I were walking through town, map apps open on our smartphones. Today was the day of our appointment with the real estate agent to scout out candidate sites for our dedicated training ground.
Initially, I’d assumed Juzo-san might accompany us, but he told us to go as a trio since he had already made the arrangements. Since we were the ones looking to buy, it would have been pathetically reliant of us to have him hold our hands every step of the way.
"Let’s see... according to the map, it should be just a bit further?"
"I wonder. I usually don’t have any business with them, so I never notice where real estate agencies are located... honestly, I don’t have a clue where this is."
"True. At our age, the only time you’d visit a real estate agent is when you’re picking out an apartment for university or something."
The agency Juzo-san had introduced us to had a name I’d never heard of, and as we followed the map, I began to feel a nagging sense of unease. I’d seen several major real estate agencies with storefronts near the station, but this area felt more like a quiet corner of town... I trusted the recommendation, but was this really going to be okay?
After walking for a while longer, we reached the target point on the map and stopped in front of the agency.
"This is it, right?"
"Yeah, that’s what the map says, but..."
"It’s a bit different from the kind of real estate agency I imagined," Hiiragi-san remarked.
Standing before us was a small, three-story commercial building. There weren't even any posters advertising properties plastered on the windows. Checking the directory at the entrance, a different company occupied the first floor, while the real estate agency took up the second and third.
Maybe it was one of those specialized agencies that didn't deal with the general public but handled properties for professionals and contractors?
"W-well, let’s just go in for now. They’re expecting us, after all."
"Y-yeah. Let’s give it a try."
"Right."
Feeling a bit apprehensive, we climbed the stairs toward the second floor, where the office seemed to be. It lacked the open, glass-fronted atmosphere of the big agencies by the station; since real estate offices weren't places I normally frequented, I felt extra tense. It was as if the air grew heavier and more oppressive with every step we took.
At the top of the stairs, we found a simple iron door under dim lighting with a nameplate attached.
"Kiritani Real Estate... Yeah, this is definitely the place Juzo-san mentioned."
"True. But I wish they’d turn up the lights a bit. The vibe is kind of strange..."
"Maybe it’s just the angle of the sun? There’s a window over there, so I’m sure it’s brighter at a different time of day," Hiiragi-san suggested.
Feeling a mix of relief and anxiety, Yuji knocked lightly on the door. There was no chime next to it, so we probably could have just walked in, but that felt a bit rude. If the door suddenly swung open and a stranger was standing there, the people inside would be startled.
After a second or two, Yuji slowly pushed the door open and spoke.
"Excuse me, I’m Hirose. We have an appointment."
Peering inside, we saw a reception counter. There were no staff members in sight, but the room was set up like a perfectly normal office. Property listings were pinned to the walls, though the lineup seemed geared toward commercial use and professional contractors rather than the general public.
As I suspected, this place was meant for experts and industry people.
"No one’s here..."
"Seems so... Oh, wait. Yuji, look at the counter. It says, 'Please ring the bell for assistance.'"
"Eh? Oh, you’re right. Okay, let’s try it."
Following my suggestion, Yuji pressed the bell on the counter. A light electronic chime echoed through the room—the kind of classic call tone you often hear at family restaurants.
About a minute later, we heard someone approaching from outside. The door we had just come through swung open with some force.
"Ah, my apologies for the wait! I was away from my desk for a moment on an errand!"
"Ah, no, it’s fine. Um, I’m Hirose. I called about visiting today."
"?! My deepest apologies!"
The man who entered was in his mid-forties, wearing a suit. Seeing us waiting, he offered a small bow with an apologetic expression. However, when Yuji introduced himself, the man bowed even more deeply. Seriously, Juzo-san, what kind of history do you have with this guy?
"No, really, don't worry about it. Please, raise your head."
"Not at all! Hirose-san told me to take good care of you, and yet I’ve committed such a blunder..."
It took a while for the man to recover from his apologetic stance as the two of them traded "please don't worry" and "I'm so sorry."
Judging by his reaction to Juzo-san’s name, I really had to wonder what kind of connection they had.
Led by the man, we finally sat down at a table meant for business discussions. Since it was our first meeting, we began our introductions. The man placed his business card on the table first.
"I apologize for showing you such a pathetic display. I am Haruki Kiritani, the president of Kiritani Real Estate. It’s a pleasure to work with you today."
The man in the suit with the humble face turned out to be the president himself. I wondered if customer service was usually handled by employees, but we suppressed our questions and began our own introductions.
"I’m Yuji Hirose, the grandson of Juzo Hirose. The pleasure is ours, though we’re still young and inexperienced."
"I'm Daiki Kokonoe. Thank you for your time today."
"I’m Yukino Hiiragi. It's a pleasure."
We greeted him with light bows from our seats. Kiritani-san briefly directed a look of wariness—or perhaps tension—toward Yuji, likely lingering on the "grandson of Juzo" part.
Then, after a light cough, Kiritani-san attempted to move the conversation forward.
"So, you are Hirose-san’s grandson and his friends?"
"Yes. We’re here because of a project the three of us discussed. I asked my grandfather for help, and he introduced us to you," Yuji explained.
"I see. I heard the general outline from Hirose-san, but I’d like to confirm just to be sure. You wish to consult with me regarding the purchase of a mountain... is that correct?"
Having regained his composure, Kiritani-san looked at us with a somewhat skeptical gaze. Well, that was only natural. Even with an introduction, anyone would look at high schoolers claiming they wanted to buy a mountain with at least some suspicion. Normally, you’d think it was a prank.
So...
"Yes, that’s right. Actually, the three of us are explorers. We want to practice outside of dungeons, but there aren't many places available... Of course, there are dedicated training grounds for explorers, but they’re so popular that you can never get a reservation. So..."
"You decided you wanted to purchase a mountain?"
Yuji nodded firmly, confirming the story. At that, the skepticism on Kiritani-san’s face vanished, replaced by an expression of understanding.
"Yes. We decided we might as well just buy a mountain and build our own dedicated training ground."
"I see... Certainly, if that is the case, it makes perfect sense why three young people such as yourselves would want to buy a mountain. Lately, we've had several corporations visiting with similar requests."
"Is that so? Corporations... like dungeon-related ones?"
"Yes. I can't disclose the names, of course, but they are looking for places where their own explorers can practice freely, just like you three..."
As I thought, organizations with financial power tended to secure their own training grounds. Given the current situation where it was almost impossible to book existing facilities, it made sense for companies to prepare their own to improve their employees' skills. In a dungeon-related business, improving an explorer's proficiency directly translated to increased revenue.
Wait, does that mean mountain prices are rising right now? Because of supply and demand?
"In that case, are there even any properties left to show us?"
"Yes, of course. I received your criteria in advance, so I’ve picked out five candidate sites. Let me give you a brief overview of those first."
"Ah, yes. Please."
Kiritani-san took several sheets of paper from a binder and lined them up on the table.
"These five are the ones I’ve selected. Please, feel free to take a look."
"Thank you."
I picked up one of the sheets and skimmed the contents. The first thing that caught my eye was the price—it was 4.8 million yen, which was within our established budget. The area was roughly 2 hectares, consisting of a planted forest that appeared well-maintained. There was even a paved forest road, so building on the flat land would be easy. It was also conveniently located near a bus stop, meaning we could commute there even without a car.
For normal purposes, this seemed like an excellent property.
"This looks like a fairly good property... though, as an amateur, I can't really tell for sure."
"Hahaha, well, that's usually how it goes. If you could look at this and immediately grasp the true nature of the property, you’d be in the same business as me. Of course, I’ll explain each one, and if any catch your interest, please go and inspect the site in person. Now, shall I go through them one by one?"
"Yes, please."
As we looked at the property info with question marks practically floating over our heads, Kiritani-san began his explanation with a wry smile.
After listening to Kiritani-san’s breakdown of all the selected properties, we took a break over some tea. Perhaps because of Juzo-san’s introduction, he had recommended some truly solid options. Within budget, good locations, convenient transportation, added value... I really felt how important connections were.
However... that only applied if our goal was building a campsite or a villa.
"How do they look? Did any of the properties catch your eye?"
"Hmm, well... I certainly think you’ve introduced us to some great properties, but for our intended purpose, they feel a bit... off. Of course, since we haven’t checked the sites ourselves, I can’t say for certain."
In response to Kiritani-san’s question, Yuji looked at Hiiragi-san and me with a conflicted expression. I, and likely Hiiragi-san as well, probably looked just as unconvinced.
Kiritani-san looked slightly disappointed as he made a suggestion.
"I see... Then how about visiting the sites once? Your opinion might change once you actually see them."
"That’s true. Once we get a feel for the place in person, our thoughts might change. Honestly, it’s hard to get a clear image from just the photos."
"Quite so. Most of our customers only decide to purchase after viewing the site with their own eyes..."
At Kiritani-san’s suggestion, we decided to visit the closest property among those he had selected. It was about a 30 to 40-minute drive, and he kindly offered to provide transportation. I’d read online that real estate agents often just hand over a map when it comes to mountains, so the fact that he was driving us showed just how much he was treating us like VIPs.
However, Kiritani-san had other work and couldn't leave the office, so an employee would be the one accompanying us.
"I'll go call the person who will accompany you, so please wait a moment."
"Yes, understood. Thank you. Oh, and also..."
"Yes, I know. While you are out viewing the sites, I’ll pick out a few more properties that might better suit your specific preferences, so please rest easy."
"I'm sorry for adding such troublesome conditions when you've already shown us such good properties. We appreciate the extra effort."
"No, no, it is our job to find the property our customers desire, so please don't let it weigh on you."
With a small smile and a light bow, Kiritani-san stepped out through the entrance to call our guide from the third-floor office.
Phew. I was worried about how this would go at first, but things seem to be going reasonably well. Still, a site visit, huh... I wonder if I should be imagining something like Genya-san’s mountain?