We arrived back at our local station a bit earlier than expected. Since we had successfully achieved our targets for the day, we decided to hold a bit of a celebration—a lavish after-party that would also serve as a reward for everyone’s hard work. We were due to receive the rewards from this excursion in a few days, so the cost wouldn't be much of a burden on Mika and Saori-chan. While self-control is vital, I figured it was fine to enjoy ourselves when the situation called for it... in moderation, of course.
I’d already informed my parents that we’d be back late and would be eating dinner out, so there were no issues on that front.
"Well then, we'd already decided to eat out, so that's settled... but where should we go? We originally planned on a family restaurant, but we don't have a specific place in mind, do we?"
"You're right," Yuji agreed. "Mika-chan and Saori-chan are the stars of the day, so I think we should let them choose."
"I agree," Hiiragi-san said. "All we did today was follow along behind them. I think we should go wherever the two of them would like."
With that, the three of us turned our attention toward Mika and Saori-chan. Both girls looked surprised for a moment, but once they realized we were serious, they put their heads together and began to deliberate.
"Umm, being asked where I want to go so suddenly is kind of tough... What do you think, Saori-chan?"
"Hmm, let me think... What are you in the mood for, Mika-chan?"
"Me? Hmm. I moved around a lot today, so I’m starving. Maybe something heavy and savory?"
"Oh, you're right. We definitely moved enough to justify it. I think I’d prefer something hearty too."
It seemed both were quite hungry and wanted a substantial meal. After fighting that many goblins, it was only natural for them to have worked up an appetite. That said, "hearty," huh? For those of us who hadn't exerted ourselves nearly as much, something that heavy might be a bit of a challenge. Still, Mika and Saori-chan were the guests of honor, so I was happy to leave it to them.
After watching them discuss it for a few minutes, they finally reached a decision.
"A yakiniku place... and all-you-can-eat, at that?" I repeated.
"Yeah! But this place is a little pricey. It looks like they have an all-you-can-eat course featuring high-end brand-name Wagyu and dungeon-produced meat. It seems like we can still get a reservation, so is it okay?"
"Of course it's fine," I replied. "Yuji and Hiiragi-san are okay with it too, right?"
"Yeah, no problem here."
"I'm perfectly fine with that."
Yay!
And so, the menu for our after-party was set: all-you-can-eat yakiniku. The beauty of an all-you-can-eat setup is that it’s easy to adjust the amount you eat as long as you don't obsess over "getting your money's worth." It was the perfect middle ground for the starving group and the not-so-hungry group to dine together—provided we didn't force ourselves to overeat.
"I’ll go ahead and book it, then. Oh, and before we go to the restaurant, would it be okay if we stopped by a convenience store ATM? I’m a little worried about how much cash I have on me, so I’d like to withdraw some..."
"Sure thing. Is everyone else okay with that?"
"I'm fine," Yuji said.
"Me too," Hiiragi-san added.
"Oh, I’d like to stop there as well," Saori-chan said.
Since the original plan was a simple family restaurant, Mika and Saori-chan were clearly nervous about their budgets. It was a reasonable concern, given the sudden jump to high-end all-you-can-eat yakiniku.
Once Mika and Saori-chan had replenished their war chests at the convenience store, we headed toward the restaurant. It was just a short walk from the station.
When we arrived, we saw the exterior and immediately felt a slight pang of hesitation.
I mean, at a glance, this place looked like a serious, high-end establishment. It featured a chic black color scheme, decorative wooden lattice fencing, and even the sign was black with gold lettering. Were they really offering an all-you-can-eat menu in a place like this?
"Is this it? Doesn't the exterior scream 'luxury' at every turn?"
"Yeah, you're right..." Mika muttered. "We made a reservation, but are we actually allowed in?"
"It’s not like they have a strict dress code, right? We'll be fine," I assured her.
"I guess... you're right..."
Since we were a group of high schoolers, I worried they might doubt our ability to pay. If it came down to it, showing our Explorer Cards would probably solve the problem. Even as students, proving we were explorers should be enough to show we were reasonably well-off.
And if that failed... I’d just have to flash the contents of my wallet and show off the multiple ten-thousand-yen notes currently residing there.
"Alright, there's no point standing around out here. Let's go."
"Right."
"Yes."
Okaay!
Feeling a bit hesitant, we ducked under the noren curtain and entered.
Consistent with the exterior, the interior had a calm, sophisticated atmosphere that made it look even more like an upscale restaurant. Honestly, it probably was.
As we stood near the entrance looking uncertain, the Receptionist at the counter called out to us.
"Welcome. Thank you for visiting us today."
"Ah, yes! Um, I'm Kokonoe. I just called for a reservation..."
"Ah, Kokonoe-sama. We have your reservation for five people. Is that correct?"
"Y-yes!"
"Very good. The Trunk Room Guide will show you to your seats. Please wait just a moment."
It seemed they had no issue with a group of high school students. I’d worried for a second that we might be turned away, but that wasn't the case.
After a few moments, the Trunk Room Guide arrived and led us toward a spacious private room. Since we were carrying bulky equipment bags, they had been thoughtful enough to give us a room with extra space. It was a very welcome gesture.
"I will take your order when you are ready."
"Ah, we'll have the all-you-can-eat course, please. And we'd like to add the all-you-can-drink soft drinks too."
"Certainly. That will be the all-you-can-eat course with the soft drink bar for five people. Please use that tablet to place your orders. I will bring your plates and utensils shortly."
Having taken our order, the Clerk left the room.
"Phew. I was worried we’d get rejected at the door, but it turned out fine."
"That doesn't happen very often," Yuji said. "You were just overthinking it."
"I agree," Hiiragi-san said. "Though, they might have made that judgment after seeing our luggage. After all, we were all carrying storage bags that looked like they held long weapons."
Ah, that was a distinct possibility. I nodded at Hiiragi-san’s observation while glancing at the bags containing our gear. These weren't exactly items people normally brought into a restaurant... They had probably guessed our profession.
Maybe other student explorers had stopped by here on their way home from a dungeon? It seemed likely. Just like us, they probably wanted to celebrate a successful dungeon attack by spending some of their earnings on a good meal.
"More importantly! Let's get to ordering. I'm starving!" Mika urged.
"Right, let's get the first round in."
We began tapping away at the tablet, putting in a large initial order of meat and drinks. While we did that, a Store Clerk arrived to set up our table with plates and tongs.
A few minutes later, the food began to arrive.
"Alright, the first round is here. Let's eat. Dig in!"
Dig in!
And so, our review meeting and meal began.
With a 100-minute time limit, we decided to put the talking on hold and focus on filling our stomachs first.
By the time we were halfway through our time, everyone was starting to feel reasonably satisfied. Actually, we might have gotten a bit carried away—ordering twenty servings of kalbi all at once had definitely been overkill, even if it was delicious.
I figured it was time for some conversation while we let our food digest.
"Phew... now that we've settled down a bit, shall we have today's review meeting?"
"Good idea," Yuji said. "Since we're in a private room, it'll be fine as long as we keep our voices at a reasonable level."
We proceeded to conduct a general review of today's dungeon attack. Since we had already discussed most of the improvements while we were actually in the dungeon, this was more of a final summary.
Mika and Saori-chan looked a bit tense, so I tried to keep it encouraging.
"To start with, Mika, Saori-chan—good work today. We were lucky enough to get those consecutive battles in the trap room, and I think your proficiency in multi-opponent combat has improved significantly. If you can handle yourselves like that, I don't think you'll have any trouble with the typical number of monsters that appear in the corridors. Right?"
In fact, toward the end—likely due to them getting used to the rhythm—both of them had demonstrated some very impressive positioning.
Having finished my piece, I handed the floor to Yuji for his assessment.
"Yeah, I agree with Daiki. You both did great work today. However, I’ll add one caveat: that applies to groups of small monsters like goblins. As you head to the lower floors, you’ll encounter larger monsters like orcs. Fighting a group of them requires a completely different approach. If you assume you can move the same way as you did today... you’ll find yourself caught off guard. Be very careful about that. Hiiragi-san, anything from you?"
Yuji’s warning about large-scale monster groups was an important one. Even if the numbers are the same, a difference in the enemy’s size changes the entire flow of the battle. It’s a common trap for explorers to get overconfident after a few successes, try the same tactics against bigger foes, and pay the price for it.
Hiiragi-san thought for a moment before nodding.
"I also don't think there were any major issues with today's exploration or the multi-opponent combat practice. If I had to point out one thing, it would be how to handle mixed-species groups. Today, you fought groups composed entirely of goblins, but as you go deeper, different types of monsters will coordinate their attacks. You’ll have to grasp each monster’s unique traits and anticipate how they might cooperate. In multi-opponent combat, you can't just look at the number of enemies; you have to consider their composition as well. Don't let today’s success make you careless. Always observe your opponents and stay sharp."
Since Yuji and I had covered most of the basics, Hiiragi-san focused on the dangers of mixed-species encounters. She was right; since we had only faced goblins today, the basic counter-measures had remained consistent despite the numbers. In a mixed-species battle, failing to identify and react to different enemy types can lead to a fatal opening.
We praised their achievements while making sure to warn them against complacency.
Yes... we'll be careful...
After hearing our critiques and warnings, Mika and Saori-chan gave somewhat discouraged replies. I suppose it felt a bit deflating to be told how far they still had to go right when they were celebrating a victory.
Still, it’s better to say these things before someone gets hurt.
"In any case," I added, "you really did get some great results today. The anxiety you had about fighting groups should be mostly gone now. How do you two feel? Did you feel the progress?"
"Yeah, I definitely did," Mika said. "I could really feel the difference between the first goblin fight and the last one. I had much more room to breathe and look around toward the end."
"I feel the same way," Saori-chan agreed. "I was able to handle things with much more composure by the end. I know I’m still unrefined, but the fear I had before we started today is gone."
"I'm glad to hear that. That's what matters most."
The fact that they could feel the difference themselves meant they’d truly grasped the knack for positioning. From here, they just needed to gain more experience, sharpen their observation skills, and refine their efficiency. The core principles for fighting larger enemies or mixed groups are the same: observe the opponent and deal with them as efficiently as possible.
With the review meeting concluded and our stomachs settled, we went back to eating. We still had thirty minutes left on the clock, so we decided to enjoy the meal until the very end, even if we slowed down the pace.
After settling the bill, we left the restaurant and headed back to the station where we finally parted ways. Mika, Saori-chan, and I headed home together. It had gotten quite late, so I made sure we walked Saori-chan all the way to her door.
For the record, with the all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink, the total came to ten thousand yen per person.
"Come to think of it, Onii-chan, you said you were going out with Yuji-san and the others again tomorrow, right? Are you going back to the dungeon?"
"No, tomorrow is for something else. There’s a project I wanted to finish during summer break, but my initial estimates were a bit too optimistic... I’ll probably be spending one day every weekend on it for a while."
"Oh, okay..."
Having satisfied her curiosity, Mika turned back to chatting with Saori-chan. Well... that was fine with me.
Anyway, tomorrow was the second round of land hunting. I wondered what kind of properties they’d show me this time.