An indescribable atmosphere filled the room as Yuta-san asked if anyone had questions. We all exchanged wary glances, sizing each other up. Even when prompted, the situation felt so surreal that none of us knew where to begin.
After a few seconds of hesitant silence, a middle-aged male employee raised his hand as if he had finally made up his mind.
"Look, Yuta. To be honest, I don't even know what to ask... but what the hell was that?"
"Even if you ask me what it was, I can only say it's footage of me accompanying them on a property viewing. I understand why you're asking, though..."
"Then I'll just be blunt: what part of this are we supposed to use as a reference? I know from TV that explorers have physical abilities far beyond ordinary people. But still... isn't this a bit too far out there?"
We all nodded silently in agreement. Really, what was that? He had told us to watch it like a movie, but I never expected to see something that actually belonged on the big screen.
In fact, I think a scripted movie would have had less of an impact. A wild bear appearing, people leaping off cliffs... by the time I saw the boar exposing its belly to beg for its life, I was too stunned to feel anything. I mean, the very idea of a boar begging for its life was beyond comprehension.
"It's only natural for you to feel that way, but everything you saw actually happened. I was being carried by them while we moved, but they seemed perfectly fine, as if it were no trouble at all. I asked them about it, and they mentioned that when they're in a dungeon, they sometimes carry even heavier loads. Apparently, a person of my weight didn't even count as a burden. Therefore, you should assume it's highly likely that even a mid-level explorer could manage the kind of movements you just saw."
"So... it's not just that they're special. These are movements any explorer can do?"
"That seems to be the case. Though, I believe the way the bear and the boar reacted was a result of their specific strength. It's the law of the jungle—the animals didn't want to pick a fight they couldn't win."
I see... so if you become an explorer, you can move like that. I thought I understood them from seeing explorer entertainers on TV, but real explorers truly are superhumans who have transcended normal human limits.
But the fact that the bears didn't attack and the boar surrendered was due to their individual power... and they were just high school students, weren't they?
"We have to do business with people like that from now on... Our old common sense is going to be useless."
"That's true. But because of this, I believe that by understanding the reality of the explorer profession, we've managed to get a step ahead of our competitors. Lands that had no demand until now will start to sell. It's a massive business opportunity to expand into a new market."
"That may be so, but this is a daunting task. It's great that things we once thought impossible are now possible, but changing one's fundamental common sense is difficult. I understand the need to maintain our lead, but we need to take our time to adjust. Besides, you said they were top-tier explorers, right? If we're going to use this for business, we also need data on the average explorer."
"You're right. Therefore, I also propose hiring mid-tier explorers to gather comparative data. If we only use data from those in the upper tier like them, we'll end up showing unsuitable properties to our other Guests."
It was true; the events in the footage might not necessarily apply to every explorer who might become a client. If we only looked at the top and misjudged the average requirements, our business would fail. Just as Yuta-san said, re-verifying with different explorers was essential.
"I see... Well, I have plenty of other things I want to say, but for now, that's all for my questions."
"Thank you very much. Now, does anyone else have a question?"
Yuta-san looked around the room. I looked around as well, but everyone seemed so overwhelmed by the sheer number of things they wanted to nitpick that they couldn't find the words to speak.
I wanted to ask more about the bear and the boar, but I couldn't bring myself to speak up. A boar begging for its life... what kind of world were we living in?
"It seems there are no more questions."
As a result of everyone's mutual hesitation, a second questioner did not emerge. Yuta-san continued with the presentation, looking as though he expected as much.
"Then, I will play the second half of the footage, which shows the second property viewing. Just like the first one, I'll provide explanations as we go, so please save your questions for the end. Let's begin."
With that, Yuta-san started the second video.
When the screening finished, the lights were switched back on. The scene revealed the staff of Kiritani Real Estate looking utterly drained. Everyone was rubbing their temples and letting out deep sighs as if they all shared a collective headache.
I was no exception.
"That concludes the footage I planned to show today....If anyone has questions after seeing everything, please go ahead."
"..."
Yuta-san prompted us, but a listless silence filled the room. After watching that, no one had the energy to speak. The first video had been bizarre enough, but the second was just as bad. Why were they in a boat, traversing a swollen river upstream through a mountain torrent?
"...Is it all right?"
"Yes, go ahead."
"I think I asked this before, but... what on earth was that?"
"A record of a property viewing. I've edited it slightly for clarity, but everything in the video is a fact."
"I'm sure it is, but... isn't this all wrong for a property viewing? Why were you going up a river? And why was a deer exposing its belly this time!?"
The same middle-aged male employee vented his frustrations, practically shouting his "question"—though it sounded more like a complaint. It was a sentiment shared by everyone in the room. Yuta-san didn't look offended; instead, he wore a smile of hollowed-out resignation.
"Because it's them."
Hearing those words, which were heavy with the weight of his personal experience, we couldn't help but look at Yuta-san with pity. Just what had he gone through? Yuta-san didn't mind the sympathetic gazes; he simply looked up at the ceiling as if lost in memory, a distant smile on his face.
Wait, Yuta-san, are you okay!? There's a very dangerous vibe coming from that smile!
"Hey, Yuta, are you all right? You look pretty haggard."
"Haha, please don't worry about it. I was just remembering a few things. I'm fine."
"...Seriously, if you're hitting your limit, you need to say so."
"Thank you."
Worried by the fragile atmosphere surrounding him, the middle-aged male employee spoke up with genuine concern. While Yuta-san didn't look like he was about to collapse, I definitely thought he needed a long, thought-free vacation. As the screening had progressed, the dark circles under his eyes had only grown deeper.
"Right, continuing with the questions... why did you end up going up a river in a rubber boat? I know the property was in a remote area, but if the river was flooded, couldn't you have gone by land?"
"Yes. We saw the water levels when we arrived, so that was an option. However, part of this viewing was to explore the limits of explorer-oriented property. Since it was our request and they judged it was possible for explorers, we went ahead. We have other listings that can only be reached by river, after all."
"So it was for data collection... but still, a flooded river is dangerous. You should assume that was only possible because it was them. In the future, we should consider canceling upstream trips for other explorers. We were lucky this time, but we have to consider the 'what-ifs'..."
"Yes, I'm well aware. If it hadn't been for the first incident, I would have stopped them even if they said they'd be fine..."
The first incident... he must mean the cliff. It's true—if they can leap down a cliff using tiny cracks as footholds, you start to think they can handle a little white water. In the footage, they seemed to struggle at first, but they eventually accelerated until they were speeding upstream like they had an outboard motor.
When dealing with explorers, ordinary people really can't judge what counts as "impossible" or "dangerous."
"Fair point. If we're going to cater to explorers, we need to grasp these nuances."
"Yes. Fortunately, they are cooperative, so I'll continue to ask them for their perspectives during future viewings. Since none of us hold an Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures, we have to rely on their expertise."
"I worry that asking around too much might leak information to our competitors, but that's better than setting arbitrary standards and having an accident occur."
"Exactly. Even for actions they perform with ease, it would be extremely dangerous for an explorer who is barely better than an ordinary person. They mentioned that someone who has just started out only has the physical abilities of a trained athlete. These guys were sprinting through the woods, but at those speeds, hitting a tree would be a fatal injury for anyone else."
It's surprising that even beginners reach the level of trained athletes, but compared to the superhumans in the video, the gap was astronomical. If we applied the same standards to everyone just because they were explorers, we'd end up causing serious injuries. That would lead to a storm of litigation.
"We'll figure those details out as we go... Anyway, that's all for me. I have plenty to say about the deer and other things, but I get the feeling any answer will just be 'because they're explorers'."
"Haha, you're probably right. Thank you. Now, does anyone else have a question?"
Yuta-san looked around, but as the man had said, it all boiled down to "because they're explorers." Everyone simply shook their heads with looks of exhausted resignation. Seeing this, Yuta-san signaled the President to take over.
"Then, that concludes the screening....President."
"Yes, thank you, Yuta-kun. Now everyone, I'm sure the footage you saw today was full of shocking moments. However, our company intends to move forward with the explorer profession as a primary market. You will likely receive nonsensical requests that defy your common sense, but when that happens, I want you to remember this video. The explorers you'll be dealing with are people who can do these things. Even if a request seems impossible to you, it may be standard for them. Listen to them first, and work on aligning your common sense with theirs. Proceeding without mutual understanding is a waste of time for everyone."
Yuta-san nodded vigorously, clearly agreeing from experience. He had likely wasted a lot of time before he learned to bridge that gap. Looking at the video, it was easy to see how the standards of ordinary people and explorers differed. Who could have imagined that a cliff or a raging torrent wouldn't be an obstacle?
The President looked across the room for his final closing statement.
"The explorer industry will only continue to grow, and that is our business opportunity. It will be a challenge to deal with so many unfamiliar situations, but let's work together as a team!"
"Yes!"
We all gave a spirited reply to the President's call. Dungeons had forced the real estate industry into a period of transformation. We had to work hard to ensure we weren't left behind!
A few days later, the President was on the phone with a grim expression. He let out a heavy sigh as he hung up.
"Everyone, stop what you're doing for a moment. I just heard from Yuta-kun, who was out on another viewing with those boys... Apparently, they discovered a new dungeon at the site."
"...Huh?"
"A specialized department from the Dungeon Association is being dispatched for a dungeon designation investigation. If it's officially recognized, we'll likely be handling the transfer procedures for the dungeon and the surrounding land... Everyone, get ready. We're going to be busy."
"Eeehhh?!"
What do you mean, they discovered a dungeon!? Yuta-san, what are you even doing out there!?
After the screening... comes a death march, I guess.