We fought to keep our cheeks from twitching, wearing knowing smiles and nodding as if to say, "Yes, Kiritani-san, we're well aware," and "We’ve heard all about it."
That was a total lie. We hadn't heard a single word; it was the first time any of us were hearing this.
"I’m truly grateful for this," Kiritani-san continued. "Until now, I’ve had several consultations with dungeon-related companies, but I could never propose a property that hit the mark. However, after hearing what Yuta-kun had to say after the last viewing, I realized the problem was that our estimation of explorer abilities was far too shallow. We were using those explorer-type entertainers you see on TV—the ones who just dabble in dungeon exploration—as our benchmark. I’ve finally realized that the abilities of explorers who are seriously committed to the dungeons are on a completely different level."
"Ah, I see. I suppose for ordinary people who aren't involved with dungeons, the only explorers they know are the ones in their immediate circles or the celebrities appearing in magazines and on TV."
"Exactly," Yuta-san added. "Therefore, we introduced properties based on the physical limits of those people, but..."
Kiritani-san wore a bitter expression, clearly indicating that things hadn't gone well. If the initial assumptions are wrong, that’s inevitable. It's like the difference between the training environment required by a pro athlete aiming for the top and the one required by an amateur hobbyist.
Naturally, the recommendations wouldn't work out.
"That's why, as I mentioned earlier, this arrangement is of great benefit to us as well. I know it will be a lot of work, but we look forward to your cooperation."
"Ah, yes. We'll do our best to provide useful data."
Seeing Kiritani-san and Yuta-san bow their heads toward us, I felt it was far too late to back out now. I closed my eyes for a moment, giving my answer with a sense of weary resignation.
No, let’s look at it another way. Kiritani-san and his firm are commissioned us to conduct a field survey of their properties as professional explorers. We're simply purchasing the land for our planned training ground with the 'reward'—the massive discount—for that request. It’s a request I have no right to refuse, though.
Our break—though the mental fatigue made it feel like anything but—came to an end, and Yuta-san began the explanation for the third property. This one was... unique. It had a lake. A lake large enough that it was hard to call it just a pond.
They certainly weren't holding back on the oddities for this survey.
"This property includes a lake covering an area of approximately one hectare within the land for sale. The average depth is about fifteen meters, and there is a small island in the middle."
"Um... there's a lake?"
"Yes. It appears to be fed by groundwater; it's a very clear, beautiful lake. We’ve tested the water quality, and no harmful substances were detected, so there are no safety issues."
"I-I see..."
A lakefront property—another curveball. Looking closely at the materials, this third property was different from the first two. It was situated in a basin—or perhaps a plain—with less dramatic elevation changes. Like the others, however, it was located deep within a remote mountain valley.
"However... because of the lake, a large portion of the surrounding land is essentially marshland or wetland. It isn't exactly suitable land for constructing large-scale buildings."
"Large-scale... do you mean buildings like hotels?"
"Yes. A small mountain hut or a standard house would likely be fine, but if you wanted to build something where dozens or hundreds of people could reside, you’d have to start with significant ground improvement. Given the location, construction costs would skyrocket to several times the market rate."
"Because it’s so deep in the mountains..."
It’s already undeveloped land far from civilization; if they had to haul in heavy machinery and materials for ground improvement, the budget would be bottomless. A scenic lake deep in the mountains certainly has the potential for tourism, but the initial investment required to get there is staggering.
Is this the angle? Are they testing the feasibility of developing wilderness using explorers? It’s true that explorers possess many times the strength of a normal person. Depending on their level, they can carry hundreds of kilograms over steep mountain paths by hand. If laws are eventually revised and public use is permitted, certain skills could allow for land clearing or ground improvement without heavy machinery. If that happens, land that was previously discarded could be reclaimed. Considering more than half of Japan is mountainous, the potential demand is massive.
"Precisely," Kiritani-san said. "If we can prove that explorers can effectively utilize this kind of land, the entire paradigm shifts. Land that was previously abandoned as worthless due to lack of access would suddenly possess immense value."
"And for that purpose, you want us to do a field survey?"
"Exactly. Moving over rough terrain in a short amount of time while carrying heavy loads—proving that alone would drastically change the valuation of these lands."
According to the documents, the third property sits beyond several mountain ranges. However, for an explorer of a decent level, it’s a distance that can be covered in about an hour from the base of the mountain, depending on the terrain. As for cargo, high-level explorers can carry hundreds of kilograms on their own; with my Spatial Storage skill or the magic bag we found in the dungeon, we could transport literal tons.
If it becomes possible for explorers to transport supplies to undeveloped areas, wilderness development would accelerate. In that case, anyone who snatched up these "low-value" lands now would stand to make a fortune. Right now, while the idea of using explorers for civil engineering hasn't gone mainstream, you could buy this land for a pittance. Though, I bet the shrewder players are already making their moves.
"True. Even if the land is judged to have no utility now, it gains value the moment development becomes profitable. To identify those properties, there's immense value in having explorers like us conduct field surveys and gather hard data."
"Exactly. To the point where we wouldn't feel the slightest pain even if we gave away an entire mountain for free to get that data."
"...I see."
It seemed Yuta-san and his boss found our survey that valuable. I appreciated the high evaluation, but the pressure was mounting.
After that, Yuta-san finished the rest of the briefing for the third property.
"That concludes the explanation for the three properties. Do you have any questions?"
"Let's see... nothing in particular regarding the descriptions," Yuji said. "Daiki, Hiiragi-san, do you have anything?"
"Me? Let's see... Ah, I have a question about the second property, if that's okay?"
"Yes, of course," Yuta-san said, pulling out the second set of documents. "What is it?"
I pointed to the simplified map attached to the second property’s file.
"The route to the site is listed as going upstream via boat, right?"
"Yes. There are mountain paths, but going up the river is the easiest way. For ordinary people, at least."
"Right. But for explorers like us, I think we could reach the site much faster by taking the mountain paths, even if they're steep, rather than crawling up the river..."
"We considered that as well. It’s true that for explorers, mountain travel would likely be faster. There are cliffs and valleys that make it a difficult journey, but an explorer shouldn't have much trouble. However..."
"You specifically want data on the river route, don't you?"
"Yes. Looking ahead, we want to gather as much varied data as possible. We expect to get the mountain travel data from the first property."
Looking at Yuta-san's face as he spoke with such conviction, I understood that the method for the second property was non-negotiable.
"Understood. In that case, I have a suggestion for the river route. As explorers, we can cross water without getting wet by repeatedly jumping—it’s essentially the legendary Hasso-tobi. If you were to drive simple pipes into the riverbed at regular intervals to create basic footholds, we could travel the river without a boat even when the water level is high..."
"Eh? Really? That’s..."
Yuta-san looked shocked, turning toward Yuji and Hiiragi-san to see if my proposal was actually feasible. Despite his skeptical gaze, Yuji and Hiiragi-san thought for a moment and then nodded firmly.
Faced with that silent confirmation, Yuta-san looked like he couldn't believe his ears. His eyes darted around before he turned a pleading look toward Kiritani-san.
"Kokonoe-kun, was it? I'm sorry, but I can't adopt that suggestion."
"Eh, why? If we can do it, it would be much faster than a boat."
Kiritani-san responded to Yuta-san's silent plea with a small nod before turning back to me to explain the rejection.
"There is something called the River Act," he said with a troubled expression. "To prevent floods and overflows, you aren't allowed to install structures in rivers without permission. It’s not impossible to get permission, but if you do, you’re legally responsible for the maintenance and management of those structures. Managing multiple footholds along several kilometers of a river... you can see how difficult that would be. Moreover, if a flood occurs because of those structures, you'd be liable for all damages."
"That’s..."
"Just to be clear, the 'install it and plead ignorance' approach is a no-go. That's a flat-out illegal act."
"...Yes, sir."
The law, huh... I remembered seeing news reports about illegal sheds or gardens on riverbeds being a major problem because they could catch debris and cause floods.
Yeah, my suggestion was definitely out. If a driftwood log got caught on one of our footholds and accidentally created a dam that eventually burst, causing a flash flood downstream... there's no way we could take responsibility for that.
"Therefore, while it’s a fascinating idea, your suggestion is off the table. Any other questions?"
Kiritani-san turned to the last person, Hiiragi-san.
"Just one thing, though it's not about the properties."
"What is it?"
"We were planning to go on the viewings after this, but what exactly should we focus on? Since we’re amateurs, I’m worried we won't collect the kind of data you’re looking for."
"Ah, please don't worry about that. Just like last time, Yuta-kun will be accompanying you. He’ll ask questions as you go, and all you need to do is answer based on what you’re experiencing in the moment."
"Yuta-san is coming?"
We all looked at Yuta-san. He gave us a firm, resolute nod, his expression suggesting he was bracing for an ordeal.
Uh... why does he look like he's going off to war? Is accompanying us on a viewing really something that requires that much courage?
"I will be accompanying you on the viewings again. I look forward to working with you."
"Ah, right. We look forward to working with you too."
"Looking forward to it," Yuji and Hiiragi-san added.
Once the greetings were finished, Kiritani-san made a final check.
"Well then, no more questions?"
" " "..." " "
"It seems not. In that case, I’d like you to head out for the viewings immediately. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes, that's fine. Which property are we heading to first?"
When Yuji asked, Kiritani-san picked up the first property sheet—the one deep in the mountains.
"Could you start with this one?"
"Understood. We're in your hands, Yuta-san."
"Yes, leave the guidance to me."
It was a sensible choice for the first stop. The second involved a river and the third a lake; those would require more preparation.
Alright, finally, it was time for the viewing. Even if the objective had shifted slightly, I needed to switch gears and treat this as a study session for the future.