After finishing the school festival opening declaration over the PA system, I let out a sigh of relief as I switched off the microphone. I had spent the last month in a whirlwind of activity since preparations began in earnest immediately after summer vacation, but the day our efforts finally came to fruition had arrived. Even a brief reflection brought the hardships leading up to today flashing before my eyes like a vivid montage.
Now, I could only pray that the day would pass without incident, though I knew that was likely asking a lot.
"Good work, Chairperson Hoshino. That was a wonderful opening declaration."
Nakano, the Vice Chairperson of the school festival executive committee, offered me words of appreciation as I stepped away from the mic. He was a comrade who had weathered this frantic month right alongside me.
While his eyes shone with motivation, a hint of fatigue lingered in his expression. He had been running himself ragged both on and off campus to secure various permissions up until today.
"Thank you, Nakano. But the school festival has only just begun. The real work starts now, you know?"
"Haha, you're right. I just hope we don't run into any major trouble..."
"I feel the same way."
While we believed we had made every possible preparation, it was easy to predict that an event with such a large turnout would inevitably attract various troubles, both large and small.
Honestly, I just hoped the "large" ones stayed away.
"Well then, Chairperson Hoshino, I’m going to head out on a quick patrol around the school as scheduled. I doubt anything will happen this early, but..."
"Yes, I'm counting on you. Also, keep an eye out for any groups that haven't finished their setup yet. Please warn them not to do anything reckless. External Guests will be arriving soon, and the school is going to get very crowded. It’ll be too late once an accident happens."
"Understood, I'll watch for that. Accidents are the last thing we need."
Since the appearance of dungeons, becoming an explorer had become a massive trend among students. Because of that, many students now possessed physical abilities that far exceeded those of ordinary people, depending on their level. It wasn't unusual to see even a petite female student effortlessly hauling massive crates. I had seen it so often during yesterday's preparations that I was almost growing used to the sight.
However, now that the school festival was officially open, we couldn't have that happening. From here on, the influx of External Guests would only increase the crowd density. If a student collided with a guest while frantically hauling heavy loads because they were behind schedule and caused a serious injury, it would be a catastrophe.
"See you later, then."
"Take care."
After seeing Nakano off, I thanked the broadcasting club members who had assisted me and left the room. My next task was to wait in the conference room assigned to the executive committee and handle any issues as they were reported.
Between the patrols and the waiting, I wouldn't be stuck in there all day, but it was still a fairly tedious role.
I was waiting in the conference room, chatting with other committee members, when the first bit of trouble broke out shortly after the start. Someone reported that several External Guests were aggressively trying to scout student explorers. My first thought was simply, Scouts? But once I heard the name of the club being targeted, it all made sense.
Given how much they had stood out during the sports festival, it wasn't surprising that scouts would come calling. However, that didn't mean it was acceptable behavior at a school festival.
"Is that so? Is it still going on?"
"Yes. They were surrounded by a group of scouts and looked very distressed."
"Understood. Thank you for the report. We’ll take it from here."
"Thank you."
After the student who reported the incident bowed and left the room, I immediately began issuing instructions. Problems like this had to be nipped in the bud before they escalated.
"I’ll head to the scene with a few committee members. Since there are multiple scouts, we should probably have some numbers on our side. Nakano, go to the staff room immediately and verify if the school gave any permission for scouting during the festival. I highly doubt they did, so once you confirm it's unauthorized, bring a few teachers to the scene."
"Got it. There’s no way the school would sign off on that right now, so they must be doing this without permission. I'll explain the situation and bring some backup."
"Please. We’ll go ahead and stall for time. We'll leave the actual confrontation to the teachers, so if possible, bring someone with the authority to deal with External Guests—like the Principal or the Vice Principal."
"I’ll see what I can do."
Disputes between students were one thing, but when External Guests were involved, we needed the school administration to step in. Handled poorly, this could turn into a headache that lasted long after the festival ended. Entering the premises without authorization and aggressively soliciting students during a public event was a serious breach.
This was far too much for students to handle on their own.
"You two stay here and watch the room. The rest of you, come with me."
"Understood!"
"If any other trouble comes in while we’re out, handle what you can. Contact us if you get overwhelmed."
"Roger."
Once the orders were given, the executive committee sprang into action. I had just been wishing for a smooth day, and here we were dealing with unauthorized scouts right out of the gate. It was a discouraging start, to say the least.
I arrived at the scene with a heavy heart. Several External Guests—presumably the scouts mentioned in the report—were brandishing business cards and bickering with each other in front of two female students. The girls looked completely cornered. What on earth did these men think they were doing?
"Please, consider our firm! The salary is negotiable..."
"Ignore him! If you sign with us, we can offer a much higher signing bonus..."
"At our company, we cover all equipment and consumables..."
They were clearly trying to lure the girls with lucrative offers. While the terms sounded good in a vacuum, no reputable scout would push their way in like this without school permission or an appointment.
A professional would have at least followed the proper channels first.
"Excuse me! We are with the school festival executive committee. We received a report of a disturbance here."
I was hesitant to jump into the middle of arguing adults, but I steeled my resolve and cut in.
The scouts stopped their bickering momentarily, and the female students looked toward us with palpable relief.
"Oh! You're from the committee. Thank goodness. These people just..."
Before the scouts could resume their pitch, one of the girls—who looked like an upperclassman—quickly explained the situation, beating them to the punch. If the scouts had started shouting over each other again, we would have lost control of the situation, so her quick thinking was a blessing.
The scouts looked a bit awkward now, but they at least had the sense not to interrupt her while she gave her account.
"I see... that's certainly a problem."
"Yes. We told them this wasn't the time or place and asked them to leave, but..."
"They refused to listen, I take it?"
"Exactly."
The more I heard, the more my head throbbed at the scouts' lack of common sense. To rush into a booth the moment the gates opened, without even looking at the exhibit, and start badgering students they had never met? They didn't even have an appointment.
I found myself staring at the self-proclaimed scouts with a look that said, Are you for real? My fellow committee members were giving them the same look of disbelief.
"...Alright. For the sake of fairness, would you like to explain your side of the story? I’d hate to make a judgment based on only one perspective."
"Ah... well, you see..."
I suppressed a sigh and kept my expression neutral, though I was growing increasingly annoyed. Even without their testimony, the circumstantial evidence was damning, but I had to at least go through the motions of being impartial.
However, the scouts only let out uncomfortable groans and looked away, unable to provide any justification. It seemed they had no defense.
"...I see. Since you have no objections to her explanation, let's move forward. You admitted to approaching her without an appointment, but did you obtain scouting permission from the school? Soliciting students on campus without authorization is a violation of school policy."
"..."
The scouts all looked away simultaneously. That was answer enough. I almost looked up at the ceiling in exasperation, but I managed to keep my composure and massaged my temples instead. It might be one thing to approach students off-campus, but doing this inside the school without permission was a serious mistake. The school couldn't afford to ignore this.
And right on cue...
"I'd like to join this conversation, if I may."
Nakano had arrived with the Vice Principal and a few other staff members, and they all looked thoroughly displeased.
Our stalling had been a success. From here on, this was a matter for the school administration to settle with the scouts.
"Ah, Vice Principal. Thank you for coming."
"No, Chairperson Hoshino, thank you for your quick response. We’ll take over from here, so please get back to managing the festival."
"Understood. We’ll leave the rest to you."
The Vice Principal gave us a kind smile and a few words of encouragement before turning a cold, sharp gaze toward the flustered scouts.
"We'll handle it....Now then, gentlemen, would you mind coming with us? We have quite a bit to discuss."
"Ah, well, the thing is..."
"You will accompany us, won't you?"
"Y-Yes..."
The scouts, looking like frogs stared down by a snake, turned pale and agreed to follow. The Vice Principal had called it a "request," but it was clear they didn't have a choice.
After seeing the staff lead the scouts away, we turned our attention to the female students. Even if they were powerful explorers, being suddenly ambushed like that had to be draining.
"Are you two alright? I’m sorry you had to deal with that right at the start."
"No, we’re fine. Thank you so much for the help. We were at a loss for how to handle them when they suddenly crowded around us."
"I can imagine. Bringing up business in the middle of a school festival is incredibly rude. But don't worry. Now that the administration is involved, I don't think they'll be bothering you again."
Depending on the school's policy, those men would likely be banned from the premises after questioning, if not handed over to the police. They certainly wouldn't be showing their faces here again today.
The girls looked visibly relieved as I told them this.
"We were worried they’d just keep coming back, so it’s a huge relief that the school is handling it. We worked hard on this exhibit to show people our progress, and it would have been a waste if people like that kept ruining it."
"I completely understand. Everyone worked so hard to make this festival happen, and we want the visitors to enjoy it. We on the committee will continue to deal firmly with anyone who lacks proper manners, so please, enjoy the rest of your day."
"...Yes!"
The girls looked genuinely impressed by my declaration.
"Well then, good luck with your exhibit. If anything else comes up, let the executive committee know."
Realizing I had acted a bit too dramatic, I felt a wave of embarrassment. With my cheeks flushing slightly, I offered my final greetings and made a quick exit. I could hear the other committee members stifling chuckles behind me, but I decided to pretend I didn't.
And so continues the struggle of the management team—the people who can't simply enjoy the festival because they’re too busy ensuring its success.