The following Monday, once the school festival had safely concluded, the feverish excitement that had gripped the campus finally broke, replaced by a more relaxed, leisurely atmosphere. The students arrived with heavy steps, lacking the high-spirited anticipation they’d shown before the event; instead, they exuded a pervasive sense of burnout.
However, a certain segment of the student body seemed to be grappling with a different kind of trouble. They walked with leaden feet, clutching their heads with pale, haggard expressions. Mika and I joined the flow of students, making our way toward the school at a casual pace.
"How should I put it... I feel like my spark is gone, or maybe I’ve just lost my motivation. It feels like there’s a gaping hole in my chest."
"That just proves how much heart you put into the festival, Mika. If you’d just been phoning it in, your only thought would be relief that a tedious event was finally over."
"...I guess you're right."
Compared to my class, which had settled for a low-effort filler project, Mika’s group had prepared a seriously ambitious attraction. Setting up that many mechanical gimmicks must have required a staggering amount of time and labor. To make matters worse, the contraptions required constant, painstaking adjustments to ensure they actually functioned.
"Well, you’re a student, so I think it’s good to enjoy school events with everything you’ve got. You had fun, didn't you?"
"I mean, yeah. Everyone was so frustrated because of all the drama during the first semester, so it felt like we finally got to let off some steam during this festival."
Thanks to the mess Goto-kun and his group had caused, this year’s first-years probably hadn't been able to enjoy the high school life they’d originally envisioned. The fact that they went so wild with their attractions was likely a direct reaction to that suppressed energy.
As I chatted with Mika on the familiar path to school, someone called out to us.
"Good morning!"
"Hm? Oh, morning, Saori-chan. Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san, too."
"Ah, morning, everyone!"
It was the three first-year girls. It looked like they had met up before running into us. Once they finished greeting me, the four of them immediately launched into an animated conversation about the festival.
Naturally, I was left on the outside looking in.
"Yesterday’s class after-party was a blast!"
"Yeah! That was my first time going bowling and then to karaoke with the whole class."
"It was so much fun!"
"I want us all to get together and do something like that again..."
They all shared their highlights from yesterday’s festivities with joyful expressions. My class had also held an after-party at an all-you-can-eat yakiniku place, but it had been a fairly standard, rowdy dinner. Though, after the main party broke up, people had split into smaller groups for a "second round."
I listened to their lively chatter as the five of us continued toward the school.
We passed through the main gate, which had returned to its usual appearance, and crossed the courtyard, which now showed no trace of the many stalls that had occupied it. Finally, we reached the entrance. It seemed the cleanup had been completed without a hitch; the school interior was back to its everyday state.
"Well then, see you four in the clubroom after school."
"Yes!" "See you!"
I parted ways with Mika and the others at the entrance and headed toward my classroom. Along the way, I passed a number of students—mostly second and third-years—who looked deeply depressed.
They had the look of people who couldn't see a way forward, clutching their heads in despair.
"Morning."
"Morning."
Slipping past the brooding students, I reached my destination and opened the classroom door, calling out a greeting. About half of my classmates were already there, and they responded readily. They all wore expressions of bright accomplishment—a stark contrast to the students I’d passed in the hallway.
"Yo, Kokonoe, morning."
"Morning, Shigemori. You're early."
"Not really. Just the usual time."
"Is that so?"
I set my bag on my desk and spoke to Shigemori. There was still plenty of time before morning homeroom started, so it was just a way to kill time. Besides, something was nagging at me, so I decided to see if he knew anything.
"By the way, Shigemori, I wanted to ask you something."
"Ask me something? Like what?"
"On the way to the classroom, I saw a ton of people looking incredibly depressed. Do you know what’s going on?"
"Hm? Well, I’ve heard some rumors, if that’s what you mean... You really don't have any idea?"
Shigemori looked at me with a complicated expression, throwing the question back at me. I wondered why he was being so cryptic as I searched my mind for a possible cause. After a moment, one possibility came to light.
"Is it about those printouts we were giving out at our club?"
"According to the rumors I've heard, it might not be every single person, but there's a high probability that's the reason. There was a huge reaction when we handed them out in our class at the end of the festival, wasn't there? From what I heard, you guys gave out a massive amount to the visitors... or rather, the guardians? It sounds like it caused a major stir in the homes of student explorers."
"...I see. If the commotion we saw when we handed them out at the end happened in households across the whole school, it wouldn't be surprising if a fair number of students had messed up and were now getting lectured by their parents."
Several people in our class had been in a bind, so across the entire school, the number must be substantial. The timing right after summer vacation probably didn't help, either. Since they had more free time to explore during the break, they likely earned a lot and then immediately spent a fortune on entertainment.
Getting a little extra cash and feeling like a big shot is a tale as old as time. Usually, it comes as a package deal with immediate regret once the consequences catch up.
"I heard a rumor that some people earned a killing over summer break but spent almost all of it. Apparently, their parents are absolutely livid..."
"Well, earnings from dungeon exploration are technically compensation for labor, so I don't think there's a problem with them spending what they earned in principle. But spending it all without thinking about the future is definitely an issue. It's only natural for parents to worry if their kid is being reckless with money."
"Well, based on the printouts you guys were handing out, even if they exceed the deduction limit, it seems like a student explorer can manage for now just by having their parents update some paperwork."
"Yeah. They'll have to pay more in taxes, but as long as they do the paperwork, they won't be flagged for tax evasion. Of course, if they want to avoid that extra expense, they have to go through the hassle of registering as a sole proprietor."
I really hope that in the future, they’ll start explaining this when people get their Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures. If they just told people at the start that these procedures would save them money, more student explorers would probably pay attention to taxes. I suppose they skip it because anyone with experience in the workforce would look into it themselves, but it's a harsh reality for students who have never held a job.
Our school might barely make it in time for countermeasures since we raised the issue during the festival, but if this is happening on a national scale with student explorers, won't it become a massive problem for the Dungeon Association too?
"I see. By the way, have you guys handled all that?"
"Of course. Based on last year's income, I consulted with my parents early on and got the paperwork done. So right now, we’re sole proprietors... effectively economically independent."
"A high schooler as a sole proprietor, huh? Well, I guess as dungeons become more integrated and students working as explorers becomes normal, that sort of thing will increase..."
"That's how the current tax system works, anyway. Though the laws might eventually be revised with dungeons in mind."
If the underlying conditions change, the response has to change with them; we just have to deal with things as they come. It’s common for what seems like the right move now to end up being a bad deal later.
As I talked with Shigemori, Yuji arrived and called out to us.
"Morning. You guys are deep in it. Find some interesting gossip?"
"Morning, Yuji. If you’re asking if it’s interesting, I wouldn't exactly call it 'fun'."
"Yeah, it’s a pretty grim topic. Though, as the ones who were effectively the epicenter, it’s probably one you can’t avoid."
"Epicenter? What on earth are you two talking about?"
Seeing the somber looks on our faces, Yuji looked at us with a suspicious, slightly hesitant expression as he prompted us to continue. Honestly, it was a topic I didn't want to get too involved in, but we needed to keep an eye on things, or it might turn into a headache later. For all I knew, we might be targeted by people holding a grudge against us for causing chaos throughout the school.
"It’s about those printouts from the festival. It seems they’ve had an impact in all sorts of places."
"Didn't you see all the gloomy students on your way in? It's about them."
"Ah, those guys. I see. Yeah, we definitely can't say we're uninvolved in that."
Yuji seemed to grasp the situation immediately. He let out a small sigh and nodded in understanding.
By now, all our classmates had arrived and were chatting while waiting for homeroom to begin. However, even after the bell rang and the scheduled time passed, there was no sign of the teacher.
"Teacher's late..."
"Did something happen?"
The delay caused a wave of unease, and the room began to buzz with speculation. Finally, about five minutes late, the teacher entered the room. However, his face was set in a stern expression with deep furrows between his brows, and he radiated an aura of indescribable weariness. We were taken aback by his appearance, realizing that something serious had indeed occurred.
"..."
"All rise. Bow."
"Good morning."
At the sight of the teacher standing silently at the podium, the student on duty gave the command in a tense voice. We stood solemnly, our greetings filled with uncertainty. The teacher scanned the room, confirmed we were all seated, and began to speak in a heavy tone.
"Good morning. I am glad to see every student in this class is present today."
The teacher's tone was oddly relieved, which only heightened our anxiety.
"Now then, first, I must apologize for the delay. Let me explain why I was late."
He paused, slowly looking over our faces once more before continuing.
"Do you remember what I asked of you at the end of the festival last week? I told you it was fine to have after-parties, but to do so with moderation."
The teacher spoke with an expression that was both powerless and profoundly sad.
"Unfortunately, there was a class that was unable to keep that promise... and their punishment was decided at this morning's staff meeting."
A class? Not just individuals, but a punishment on a class-wide level...?
"I will not say which class it was here, but apparently, some students jokingly brought alcohol to their dinner party. In the heat of the moment, everyone participating in the after-party ended up drinking. As a result, a student who wasn't used to it lost their senses and went on a rampage, which led to the discovery of the entire class's drinking."
Are you kidding me? Minors drinking and then getting violent...
We were all struck by the sheer stupidity of it, but seeing the teacher's bitter expression, we realized the story wasn't over.
"To make matters worse, the student who got drunk and rampaged happens to be an explorer. While no one was injured, they reportedly destroyed a significant amount of the restaurant's property before the other students could restrain them. We've reached an agreement with the establishment to pay for the damages so they won't involve the police, but the school cannot simply act as if nothing happened..."
"..."
From the teacher’s exhausted face, it was clear that an incredibly troublesome situation had been unfolding behind the scenes. The staff must have spent their entire weekend running around to settle the matter. Despite all the warnings from the school to prevent exactly this, they had really gone off the deep end.
I can understand getting carried away in the joy of a successful festival, but this was honestly beyond the pale.