We held our ground as Miyashita-san reacted, doing our best to ensure the tension didn't leak out as we maintained our polite smiles. A strange reaction now would only put the man we were meeting with on edge. Juzo-san maintained his amiable front as he continued his greetings, so I followed suit, projecting an air of relaxed confidence as we’d planned.
Although we had only exchanged brief pleasantries, the negotiation had already begun.
"Well then, we shall conduct the detailed discussion in the conference room. I will show you the way, so please follow me."
"Understood. We look forward to it."
With the opening greetings concluded, we followed Miyashita-san toward the conference room. So far, no one had objected to Juzo-san joining us for the interview, so he walked right along with us. Had they refused to let a guardian accompany us at this stage, there was no telling what kind of "interview" they intended to conduct. We would have been forced to decline the meeting entirely, regardless of how bad it made us look. For the moment, however, that possibility was off the table.
Miyashita-san led us to a small conference room on the third floor.
"I will go and fetch the materials for the meeting, so please wait here for a moment. Ah, and we shall prepare some drinks—what would you like? We only have coffee, green tea, or black tea, I'm afraid..."
After showing us in, Miyashita-san asked for our drink orders as he prepared to go and collect the documents. We shared a brief look before all four of us ordered black tea. I’d heard that black tea helps soothe the nerves and alleviate tension, so considering we were about to face a high-stakes meeting, it seemed like the best choice.
I had learned that bit of trivia earlier that morning during the tour of high-end shops Juzo-san had organized, and I’d experienced the effects firsthand. It might have just been my imagination, but I truly felt my tension ease when I drank it.
"Understood. Please take a seat and wait a moment."
Hearing our orders, Miyashita-san gave a slight bow and left the room.
Once he was gone, we spent a few moments silently scanning the room before sitting down.
"Phew. For now, there don't seem to be any surveillance cameras or wiretaps within sight."
"It seems so. Kokonoe-kun, how about on your end?"
"Everything looks fine here too. I scanned the place as thoroughly as if I were in a dungeon."
I’d like to think they wouldn’t do such a thing, but it was better to be safe than sorry. It would be a disaster if some careless slip of the tongue during the negotiations was recorded and used against us later. In fact, Juzo-san showed no displeasure at our actions; instead, he watched us with an expression that suggested such precautions were only natural.
I don't believe the act of keeping minutes via recording during a negotiation is inherently wrong, but that applies only when both parties are recording equally. It is by no means acceptable for one side to record in secret, only to edit and utilize it for their own convenience later. If the recording isn't in a state where it can be mutually verified, one shouldn't record without at least obtaining the other party's consent.
"Humph. Since they haven't refused my presence and don't seem to be recording us in secret yet, the likelihood of them making a suspicious proposal might be low. Still, we cannot let our guard down until the negotiation is finished."
"Yeah. Even if there’s nothing here now, they might bring something in later. These days, you can easily find recording and filming devices disguised as pens or lighters on the internet. We should observe Miyashita-san discreetly when he comes back."
"You mean when he returns with the documents? Conveniently, preparing drinks provides a reason for it to take a little while without appearing unnatural. They have plenty of time to set something up if they wanted to..."
"Well, I think you can never be too careful..."
Because of the stakes involved, we were being as cautious as humanly possible, even if it bordered on overthinking. Regarding the recording, I intended to use my smartphone to record the session and keep minutes myself after obtaining permission. Part of the reason was to act as a deterrent against any strange counter-proposals, but mostly I just didn’t want to get into a "he said, she said" argument later on.
Besides, if we openly asked for permission and they refused, it would be a clear sign they were planning something underhanded. If they did refuse, we could use that as an indicator to stay on our guard.
"For now, let us wait quietly. I do not know what kind of proposal they will make, but if you are unsure of how to answer, do not force yourselves. Simply say you will consider it and withdraw. If they try to coerce an answer on the spot... well, we shall deal with that if it happens."
"In the end, since we don't know the specifics, we have no choice but to wing it."
"The letter only said they had something to consult with us about..."
"That’s true. If they’d written the details more clearly, we could have prepared countermeasures... but from the Association’s perspective, considering the nature of the consultation, it was probably impossible for them to put it in a formal letter that leaves a paper trail before they knew if we'd even agree to meet."
In the few minutes before the meeting began, we vented our anxieties through guesses and speculations. Perhaps Juzo-san understood our state of mind, as he remained a silent, supportive listener.
About ten minutes after Miyashita-san had left, he returned to the conference room accompanied by another man. Wait, he looks familiar...
Miyashita-san distributed the materials he’d brought, and the man accompanying him served the black tea. As he did, the man gave us a slight nod while wearing a somewhat weary expression.
This person... yeah, no mistake. It was him.
"I apologize for the wait. It took a little time to gather all the materials."
"Not at all. It was likely because I came along without prior notice, so please do not trouble yourself over it."
Taking their seats opposite us, Miyashita-san and the other man bowed slightly with apologetic expressions, excusing themselves for the delay. In response, Juzo-san also lowered his head slightly, claiming the delay was his own fault for being an unannounced guest.
From the outside, this scene might have looked like they were being overly polite, but to me, it felt like they were trading barbs. "It's because you came along uninvited," versus "It's because you tried to summon only children." Though they appeared to be apologizing, the tactical sparring had already begun.
"Ahem. Then, before we begin the meeting, allow me to introduce ourselves once more. I am Miyashita, the Section Chief of the New Dungeon Management Division. I will be the lead official in charge of this matter. And this is the other person in charge, Uwajima-kun from the New Dungeon Management Division Investigation Team."
"I’m Uwajima. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
"Thank you for your courtesy. I am Yuji Hirose. It’s a pleasure to meet you."
"I’m Daiki Kokonoe. Nice to meet you."
"I’m Yukino Hiiragi. Nice to meet you."
"And I am Juzo Hirose, attending as the guardian of these children. I am Yuji’s grandfather."
We exchanged introductions while bowing slightly to one another. At this point, my and Hiiragi-san’s primary roles were finished, so I focused on playing my part as a silent source of pressure as Juzo-san had instructed.
Once the introductions were over, Uwajima-san spoke to us after a brief word of acknowledgment from Miyashita-san. Miyashita-san had likely acquiesced to this to soften the mood. People are more likely to relax around someone they know, however slightly, than with a complete stranger. To Miyashita-san, this was likely a jab before the main negotiation.
"It’s been a while since we met on the mountain. Thanks for your help during the investigation the other day."
"No, we should be the ones thanking you. Um, excuse me if this is rude, but you look a bit tired. Is it because of the aftermath of the dungeon discovery?"
"Haha, sorry for making you worry... a little bit, yes. I shouldn’t speak of internal matters, but when a new dungeon is found, we have to coordinate with various related parties. It’s a frantic rush for a while."
"I see, that makes sense. Since we’d already given our official statements on-site once, I suppose the follow-up with us was pushed back because we're lower priority..."
As expected, it seemed the Association was swamped with the aftermath of the discovery. The reason the meeting date was set later despite the letter and appraisal report arriving immediately was that the officials in charge were buried under a mountain of work.
Hearing Yuji’s speculation—which sounded like a subtle accusation—Uwajima-san offered an apologetic rebuttal.
"No, no, no one is dismissing you as the discoverers. It’s just that we purely couldn’t handle everything at once..."
"Haha, please don't let it bother you. I understand that things have priorities. It’s only natural that we were pushed back since we'd already given a statement. In fact, given how busy you were, we’re grateful you didn't call on us sooner. We’re just student explorers, and we weren't sure how much help we could have been anyway. We think it’s better to be called in now that the rush has settled so we can be of help with the official statement."
"It’s a relief to hear you say that."
Yuji’s graciousness—showing understanding for the Association’s treatment of us with a gentle smile—seemed to disorient Uwajima-san, who looked even more exhausted. He had probably expected us to be indignant or defensive; to be met with such maturity and consideration clearly caught him off guard.
Hiiragi-san and I nodded slightly with apologetic expressions to signal our agreement with Yuji.
"Ah, um... shall we set aside the catching up for now and get to the main subject?"
Miyashita-san, who had likely intended to use Uwajima-san to test the waters, forcibly pulled the conversation back with a strained smile. It was as if he’d thrown a light jab and been knocked out by a counter-punch. Miyashita-san’s interruption was like a trainer hurriedly throwing in the towel to save his fighter.
That’s one win for our side in the first round.
"Ahem. Then, let us get straight to the point. There are three reasons why we have called you here today. First, to create the official statement regarding the situation when this dungeon was discovered. Second, to explain the payout for the drop items you obtained and submitted for appraisal. And third, to discuss the confidentiality regarding the dungeon and the items you submitted."
"The first and second points were mentioned in your letter, but what about the third? The other day on the mountain, Uwajima-san asked us not to talk about this matter, so I had to explain the situation to my grandfather so he could accompany us as a guardian... but we haven't spoken of it to anyone else."
"We appreciate you keeping your word. Regarding the third point, it is an explanation of what should not be discussed and to what extent, as well as a request for you to formally refrain from publicizing this matter."
A "request," huh... It wasn't an official talk about signing a non-disclosure agreement, but they clearly wanted to secure a commitment to confidentiality. It was a classic "request" that was actually an order. Technically we could say no, but they were signaling that there would be consequences if we did. As explorers, if we refused the Association’s proposal, they could easily find a reason to suspend our Armed Exploration Permits for Special Underground Structures. This was a backhanded approach they were using because we couldn't sign legal contracts as minors.
Wait, oh no! I forgot to ask for permission to record. Can I still bring it up now...?