Following Juzo-san’s unexpected pointer... the three of us, who had so carelessly neglected the confirmation we should have performed first, felt the excitement of finally finding a training ground evaporate. We sat with dejected expressions, sipping tea in an attempt to settle our nerves. Juzo-san, for his part, watched our display with an inscrutable look on his face.
It was a fair point. If we had found a potential site, our first priority should have been confirming whether it could legally be used as a training facility. We had been searching for a practice facility specifically so we could practice skills without breaking the law, yet we had gotten so caught up in the moment that we skipped the most important check of all. It was humiliating.
"Well, everyone makes mistakes. If you have time to mope and brood, you should be taking action to solve the problem. I assume you at least checked the basic conditions for obtaining a permit before you started looking for land?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. We did check the conditions listed on the Association’s website for obtaining a skill use permit on private land. Come to think of it... I believe it mentioned that even if you meet the basic conditions, a permit might still be denied, so we should check with the Association in advance before applying."
"...So the website explicitly stated that a preliminary confirmation was necessary?"
"Yes..."
That was it. Now that he mentioned it, the memory came rushing back. It had definitely said that because permit conditions were handled on a case-by-case basis, those with concerns should contact them before applying.
It was likely a warning aimed specifically at people like us, people looking to buy or lease land to build a new training ground. It was there to prevent someone from committing to a purchase or lease only to find out later that the permit wouldn't be granted.
"I’m sorry. We were so excited that we completely forgot."
"Well, you noticed before you signed a formal contract, so it’s not too late."
"Haha, you’re right. A blessing in disguise... I suppose."
I didn't even know how to respond. We could only fall silent, our faces flushing red at our own blunder. The warning had been clearly written on the Association’s website, and we had even confirmed and remembered it, yet here we were.
I hadn't realized it at the time, but we had clearly been way too swept up in the moment. It wasn't a fatal blow, but we really needed to be more careful.
"Anyway, let’s leave that topic there for now. Though, of course, you must act on it immediately after this."
"Yes, we’ll contact the Association and Kiritani-san right away."
"That would be best. Now, I shall continue this discussion under the assumption that the permit will be granted."
"Please do."
Deciding we couldn't stay depressed forever, we adjusted our posture and looked Juzo-san straight in the eye. We couldn't afford to show him any more pathetic blunders.
Seeing that we were ready to listen, Juzo-san opened the draft contract and began to speak.
"Regarding the financial side, as I said before, it will depend on your negotiations with Kiritani. Since it’s a cape facing the sea, there are risks like high waves during typhoons or other disasters, which you should be able to use as a bargaining chip."
"Oh, I see. Since it’s a cape on the coast, we definitely have to consider those kinds of risks."
"Indeed. Depending on the circumstances, the coastline itself might collapse. You should confirm what happens in the event of a landslide—specifically, who is responsible for clearing the sediment if it flows into the sea. If the waters around the Cape are used as fishing grounds, a cliff collapse that results in sediment runoff could make fishing impossible. If that happens, you must consider the possibility of being held liable for compensation during the period of poor catches, as well as the cost of removing the sediment."
"..."
Listening to Juzo-san, I felt the blood drain from my face. As he pointed out, while these might be rare occurrences, the possibility of a coastline collapse was something that had to be considered if we were going to purchase or lease the land.
Seeing our reaction, Juzo-san gave a small, wry smile and added a follow-up.
"Well, in the case of a natural disaster, there are times when the local government will clear it using public funds. However, the scope of coverage varies by municipality, so you won’t really know until it actually happens."
"...And if the municipality doesn't use public funds, do we pay the full amount out of pocket?"
"They would likely provide some subsidies, but you should assume you’d be responsible for at least half the removal costs. As for compensation, it would be safest to take out insurance for that sort of thing."
"I see... So we have to consider those points if we’re going to buy this land."
Of course, I understood he was talking about a worst-case scenario, but the more I thought about it, the more daunting it became. Owning land with such a unique layout came with responsibilities far beyond those of a normal property.
We had been so focused on the purchase price and taxes, but hearing it pointed out concretely by a third party made me feel dizzy at the weight of the management responsibility that came with land ownership.
"It’s a rare case, so I don't think you need to worry too much, but you must never forget that owning land carries such responsibilities. To that end, you should ask Kiritani more about the disaster history of this property. If an underground cave inside the site collapses, it might remain a problem internal to your property, but if the damage affects the outside world, it turns into a major headache."
"Yes, we’ll make sure to confirm that thoroughly. We heard plenty about the underground cave, but we didn't hear anything about the cliffs along the coastline."
"Come to think of it, we looked at the sea from the edge of the coastline, but we didn't check how much the cliff face had been eroded by the waves..." Yuji noted.
"You're right. I was so focused on the underground cave that I forgot," Hiiragi-san added. "If possible, we should probably check the cliffs for the entire site from the sea side using a boat."
Just as Hiiragi-san said, it seemed like a good idea to check the condition of the cliffs from the water. If there had been any major collapses in the past, Kiritani-san surely would have mentioned them when introducing the property. Since he hadn't, it was unlikely that the cliffs were on the verge of collapse.
However, there might be spots that had been eroded by waves and could crumble given the right circumstances. If the state of the cliffs was bad enough to be visible to amateurs from the sea, we could judge that the risk of collapse during a disaster was high.
"Indeed, checking from a different angle might be wise. You might even ask a fisherman from the nearby Fisheries Cooperative Association to take you there. For things like whether the area is a fishing ground or the history of the terrain, it’s best to ask the local residents who have lived there for a long time. Local legends often preserve information about disasters unique to that land. Stories like 'at that place, such-and-such happened during heavy rains or storms long ago.' From what I heard, the residents who lived on or near that land all moved away during the resort development era, and now no one is left?"
"Yes, they all moved and apparently never came back. Since the land has been vacant for many years, finding a resident familiar with its history... well, we probably won't."
"In that case, all the more reason to use the connection from hiring a boat to ask about old stories. It’s easier to draw information out as small talk with a customer than as a series of questions from a total stranger."
"Understood. We don't have a way to hire a boat from a fisherman ourselves, so we'll ask Kiritani-san if he can arrange one through the local Fisheries Cooperative Association."
We could try to contact them directly, but as high school students, we might be dismissed as if we were playing a prank. However, if the request came through a reliable real estate agent with social standing, I thought they would take it as a professional job even if the passengers were students.
Juzo-san seemed to understand those nuances, as he nodded firmly in agreement.
"That would be for the best. Kiritani should be able to handle the arrangements well."
"Yes, sir."
And so, it was decided that we would go for another property viewing to perform an on-site check from the sea side, which we hadn't done before.
After several more detailed pointers that sent our emotions on a rollercoaster, Juzo-san’s explanation of the contract concluded. While there were no major issues overall, he emphasized several points that absolutely had to be confirmed before the formal signing.
We judged his points to be valid and decided we should move immediately to address them. It would take more time and effort, but if we left things ambiguous, we might regret our lack of due diligence later.
"Juzo-san, thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. Thanks to your pointers, the areas we need to improve before signing the formal contract have become very clear."
"Think nothing of it. It’s only natural not to understand everything when you’re dealing with land for the first time. Fortunately, you haven't made any fatal mistakes that are beyond repair."
"That’s true, but... I’ve realized we were far too excited. We should have confirmed if the Association would even grant a permit before moving forward with the contract talks."
"Now, don't go brooding over mistakes you can fix. All you have to do is act now. Besides, what’s wrong with being excited? This is a property you finally found after searching far and wide. A little failure born of joy is unavoidable. Just don't make the same mistake twice."
Juzo-san laughed heartily at our error and offered his counsel. We looked at him with awkward smiles at his kindness, but we were determined not to fail next time.
"Yes, sir. We'll be careful."
"Then let us end the discussion here. Once you've addressed the points I mentioned, we shall talk again before you sign the contract."
"Yes. Thank you for today. I'm sorry to trouble you again, but we look forward to your help when the time comes."
"Sorry for making you go through all this trouble," Yuji added.
"Thank you very much. We look forward to working with you again," Hiiragi-san said.
The three of us remained seated on the sofa but bowed deeply, offering our thanks and apologizing in advance for the trouble we would inevitably cause him again.
Juzo-san gave a small, wry smile at our gratitude and waved a hand dismissively as he accepted.
"Don't worry about it. I'll take my leave now, but feel free to keep using this room. I’m sure the three of you have things to discuss."
"Yes, thank you very much."
"Right."
"Thank you for your consideration."
As Juzo-san stood up to leave the reception room, we stood as well and gave a slight bow as we watched him depart.
Once Juzo-san had left and the door closed, the three of us let out a long, collective breath, slumping back into the depths of the sofa.
"I’m exhausted... Or rather, we really messed up, didn't we?"
"Yeah. To make such a basic mistake... I want to crawl into a hole," Yuji groaned.
"Even though the Association’s website had that warning so clearly written... to think we forgot it. Just how swept up were we?" Hiiragi-san sighed.
We remained sunk in the sofa for a while, staring up at the ceiling and silently reflecting on our failures. Recalling how caught up in the moment we’d been made my face burn with embarrassment.
After spending some time in silence, Yuji spoke up in a weak voice.
"First things first, we have to contact Kiritani-san."
"Right. He’s already gone to the trouble of drafting the contract, so we have to let him know about the delay as soon as possible..."
"And the confirmation with the Dungeon Association about whether attack skills can be used on that land. If they have to do an on-site inspection, we’ll have to schedule a date, which will take time. We need to hurry..."
Though our conversation lacked energy, we began to coordinate our next moves. If we skipped the meeting just because we were tired, we might end up acting without a common understanding, which could lead to even more delays.
After further discussion, our upcoming plan was set.
"First, we report to Kiritani-san and get the Association's approval for an inspection."
"And at the same time, we ask for the sea-side check..."
"Since the Association's inspection will likely take time, let’s research the disaster history and things like that simultaneously."
Since there was work to be done before we could formally sign the contract, we had to act both cautiously and swiftly, or the matter would never progress. We had been dejected by the pointers earlier, but we quickly rallied ourselves, determined to redeem our names.
Let's do this. We're going to do this!
Even if the chances of something going wrong are low, I don't want to regret neglecting the confirmation.