Brilliant sunlight streamed through the windows. The air conditioner hummed as it blew out a cool breeze, accompanied by the steady, rhythmic tapping of keys. It was a typical summer day in the office.
However, it was only recently that we had been able to enjoy such a peaceful atmosphere. Until about a year ago, we were constantly overwhelmed by work due to a rapid succession of dungeon discoveries. Lately, things had quieted down enough that my colleagues and I could indulge in some small talk, calling it a break during work hours.
"I hope these peaceful days last..."
While working with a serene mind, wondering what to have for lunch, the telephone on my desk let out a high-pitched ring. The extension button was lit, indicating a call from another department.
Thinking it might be a request for documents, I picked up the receiver. A slightly panicked voice greeted me from the other end.
"New Dungeon Management Division, Marui speaking."
"Thank you for your hard work. This is the General Consultation Desk."
"Thank you for your hard work. How can I help you?"
Hearing that the call was from General Consultation meant the matter was being passed to the New Dungeon Management Division. I wondered if someone had reported a new dungeon discovery somewhere. We received dozens of such calls every month. Last month, since schools were on summer break, we were swamped with verification work every single day.
I felt a silent pang of annoyance, thinking that summer vacation had finally ended and I was just starting to relax.
"We just received a consultation from someone who claims to have found a dungeon. The details are beyond our judgment, so is it alright to transfer the call to you?"
"Yes, of course. Please put them through."
"Thank you. Connecting you now."
After a brief hand-off, the person reporting the discovery came on the line.
"Thank you for waiting. I’m taking over the call. This is Marui from the Dungeon Association's New Dungeon Management Division."
"Ah, hello. Thank you."
The voice was quite young. Based on the tone, he sounded like a high school student. It was the kind of voice I had heard far too often during the summer break. With that thought in mind, I decided to get straight to the point.
Since some people often mistook ordinary caves for dungeons, I intended to confirm the details quickly. If it was just a misunderstanding, I wouldn't have to go through the trouble of a full verification.
"To start, you’re reporting that you discovered a dungeon in the mountains?"
"Ah, yes. Today... or rather, about an hour ago. I discovered it while scouting the mountains for business with some friends. We did a quick scout inside and confirmed the presence of monsters, so there’s no mistake—it’s a dungeon."
"?! You scouted it... you mean you actually went inside?!"
Wait just a minute. You went inside? What on earth were you thinking? They say it over and over on the news: dungeons are dangerous, so if you find one, report it without entering! If someone had been injured, the Association would have been hammered by the public for a "failure of management responsibility."
I almost shouted a lecture at the teenager, but before I could open my mouth, he added a crucial detail. He explained that they were legitimate explorers holding an Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures. He suggested that if I ran a query, I could verify their status for myself.
(I mean, sure, having a permit means you’re tougher than an ordinary person, but if you weren't planning on a dive, you wouldn't be carrying weapons, right? Did you think you could win against monsters with your bare hands?) "I'll perform the query. Please hold for a moment."
I felt a headache coming on, but I managed to maintain some level of professional composure. Instead of losing my temper, I began the search based on the information he provided. If they turned out to be amateurs with no real results, I’d have to give them a stern warning.
Young people often get overconfident and act recklessly, but there are lines that must not be crossed. Going into an undiscovered dungeon with zero intelligence and no weapons is definitely crossing that line. I needed to say something before they did something truly irreversible.
"Let’s see… Yuji Hirose of Team NES. Okay, let’s check… Oh, there he is. This is him?"
I accessed the database of registered explorers and ran the search. Several names popped up, and when I narrowed the criteria, the specific data I was looking for appeared. As I read the details, my eyes widened, and a cry of shock escaped my lips.
I couldn't help it. What was with this track record? Were they actually high school students?
"Something the matter, Marui-kun? You’re being quite loud."
"Ah, Section Chief."
I looked up from the screen. Section Chief Miyashita, the head of our division, was looking at me with a slightly worried expression. I hurriedly bowed my head and apologized before explaining what I had found.
"I see. That is quite something… They certainly have a record that would make anyone shout."
"Yes, sir. Looking at the records alone, I’m tempted to doubt they’re actually in high school."
"A three-person high school team that has cleared the 30th floor and is currently exploring even deeper… They are undoubtedly among the top-tier of our registered explorers."
"Exactly."
If they’ve achieved this much, then they could probably defeat first-floor monsters with their bare hands without any trouble. Their decision to step inside to verify the dungeon wasn’t born of overconfidence; it was a choice backed by genuine strength. It was lucky I hadn't started yelling before checking his profile.
Still, a part of me still wanted to complain—they should know better than to take unnecessary risks when it's technically prohibited.
"Regardless, we have a report from explorers of this caliber. Since they’ve confirmed monsters, it’s unlikely to be a false alarm. Start the preparations so the investigation team can move immediately. I’ll handle the rest of the call."
"Eh? You will, Section Chief? I can handle the investigation team procedures after I finish the call..."
It seemed odd for a section chief to step in at this stage. Given the reporter's identity, the discovery was likely real, but so far, nothing had happened that required someone of his rank to get involved.
As if reading my mind, Section Chief Miyashita gave a wry smile and let me in on his reasoning.
"Normally, this wouldn't require my intervention. A standard response would suffice. However, these reporters are promising young explorers—the kind we’d want to recruit if possible. It’s worth the extra effort to improve the Association's image. We want to be seen as the organization that responds swiftly to the needs of the people, don't we?"
"Are you planning to scout them while they're still in school?"
"Their record is attractive enough to make me want to. Besides, look at this—they have entries for capturing malicious explorers and rescuing those who were injured. If they have the skill, the character, and the results, leaving a good impression now will give us an advantage later."
"I see. You’re thinking quite far ahead."
Looking at those records, I could see why he wanted them. Though, I doubted explorers who earned that much would ever want to work for a government-adjacent salary. Looking at the figures for their drop item appraisals and exchanges, I suspected the Section Chief’s plan would fail.
Well, dreaming is fine, but I just hoped his "counting chickens before they hatched" didn't result in more work for me.
"So, Marui-kun, transfer the call to my desk."
"Understood. I’ll transfer the call and then request the investigation team to prepare for dispatch. Please let me know the dungeon’s location once you have the details."
"Will do."
Once the Section Chief was back at his desk, I transferred the line. Now, time to call the investigators.
When I took over the call, the high schooler—Hirose-kun—sounded a bit perplexed. He was likely surprised that a section chief had suddenly joined the conversation. His reaction suggested he understood the weight of organizational hierarchies.
That alone told me I shouldn't treat Hirose-kun like a mere child. As the Section Chief of the New Dungeon Management Division, a formal and professional approach would likely leave a better impression.
"Yes, it should be around that time. I’ll instruct the investigators to call you before they arrive. May I give them this phone number?"
The conversation with Hirose-kun proceeded smoothly. I obtained all the necessary information about the discovered dungeon without any issues. He remained calm throughout the call, showing no signs of being flustered or overexcited about finding a new dungeon. His composure during an emergency was highly commendable. He truly was a top-tier explorer, despite his age.
Then, another person came on the line.
"Pardon the interruption. My name is Yuta from Kiritani Real Estate. This undiscovered dungeon was found on a property managed by our company, so I asked Hirose-kun to make the report to the Association on our behalf."
"I see. I am Miyashita from the Dungeon Association. Yuta-san, was it? Why a proxy report?"
"The dungeon was found within a property we manage while Hirose-kun and his group were viewing it as our clients. Normally, we should have made the call, but given the circumstances, I asked a licensed explorer to report it to ensure the Association took the matter seriously and secured the area immediately."
"I see. That makes sense."
It was a sound judgment. If the report had come solely from Kiritani Real Estate, Marui-kun would have followed the standard manual, and the investigation team might not have been dispatched until tomorrow. We likely would have assumed they’d just seen a wild animal in a cave. Because a highly experienced, licensed explorer had made the report, we were able to treat it as a high-probability dungeon and act immediately.
After discussing the joint investigation with Yuta-san, I spoke with Hirose-kun once more. It was then that he asked a rather pointed question.
"What happens to the ownership of drop items acquired in a dungeon before it’s officially certified?"
That was a gray area. By law, the ownership of drop items found in a dungeon belongs to the state, and explorers are compensated with money or given the option to buy the items back. However, the legal status of items found in a "provisional dungeon" that hasn't been officially certified by the state is ambiguous. I couldn't immediately assert that the state owned them.
Furthermore, the first items found in an undiscovered dungeon are often highly rare. Ideally, the state wants to secure those. The fact that they were asking openly suggested they had found something rare and didn't want it to become a legal headache later.
"I will have to consult with our legal department and get back to you with an answer at a later date."
It was a non-committal answer, but it was the only one I could give. A careless response could lead to a massive liability issue. Hirose-kun accepted it gracefully, but if he had been the type to cause a scene, he would have been flagged as a person of interest.
After hanging up, I let out a long, heavy sigh. Things had gone smoothly, but a complicated problem had landed on my desk.
"Marui-kun, is the investigation team ready?"
"Yes, sir. There’s no issue with the dispatch."
"Good. Sorry to have you do the legwork, but I’ll speak with the team leader directly. A few complications have arisen."
"Oh? Of course, sir..."
Since high-rarity drop items were involved, we needed to get the investigation team on-site immediately to secure the items. They were being cooperative for now, but that could change if they had time to rethink things. Based on our conversation, I doubted they would, but the temptation of rare drops is a powerful thing.
As I dialed the head of the investigation team, I began looking for the fastest way to get them to the site. I wondered if the Association’s helicopter was available.