The day after we finished applying for the investigation, Yuji—who had agreed to be our point of contact—notified me that the Dungeon Association had already finalized a date. Surprisingly, they had settled on this coming Sunday, the earliest possible date we’d suggested, even though I’d assumed it was a long shot.
I hadn't expected the inspection to begin in less than a week. Perhaps there were fewer applicants for preliminary investigations than I’d thought, or maybe their schedule just happened to be wide open.
"I’m glad the inspection is happening so fast, but coordinating with Kiritani-san on such short notice is going to be a challenge," I said.
"True," Hiiragi-san added. "They said Yuta-san would be accompanying us, but I wonder if he’s available. I never imagined they’d pick a date this soon. I hope he can rearrange his schedule..."
We had been a bit too relaxed, assuming we’d have to wait at least two or three weeks after applying. Now, we had to rush our preparations.
First, we needed to reach out to Kiritani-san to see if he could join us on Sunday. If he couldn't make it, we’d have to ask the Association to reschedule. Even though we were the ones who had requested the date, the timeline might simply be too tight for everyone else.
"Regarding that, after I messaged you two, I called Kiritani-san to check his schedule," Yuji explained. "He’s coordinating with Yuta-san right now and asked us to wait for his call. He said he’d get back to us by the end of the day."
"Coordinating... We have been dumping a lot on them lately."
"Yeah. The coastline inspection and everything else... Honestly, we're probably pushing them into a state of total overwork."
"I just hope they aren't stuck with excessive overtime or holiday work because of us..."
A mental image of Yuta-san with dark circles under his eyes flickered through our minds. Sorry about that. I’ll bring something delicious as a gift next time.
While it’s great for things to move quickly, for the people doing the legwork, it can easily turn into a "death march" right before the deadline. If I’d known, maybe I should have set our preferred dates starting from next weekend instead.
"Well, for now, we just have to wait for word from Kiritani-san. Let's make sure we’re ready to move the moment he gives us the green light."
"Right."
"Agreed."
And so, feeling a slight twinge of guilt, we waited for Kiritani-san’s call.
Shortly after, Kiritani-san contacted us to confirm that Yuta-san could accompany us on Sunday. The preliminary investigation was officially on for the weekend.
On the day of the survey, we met under a vast, cloudless blue sky. The group consisted of the three of us, Yuta-san from Kiritani Real Estate, and Kawakita-san and Nohara-kun from the Dungeon Association's Private Training Facility Management Section.
I was surprised to see a section chief participating in the field survey personally, but apparently, Kawakita-san had joined due to some scheduling adjustments. Since the private training facility system was still relatively new, they probably didn't have many staff members assigned to it yet.
"Thank you for your time today despite your busy schedule," Yuta-san said with a polite bow.
"Not at all. We should be the ones apologizing for the sudden scheduling," Kawakita-san replied, looking somewhat sheepish. Their exchange was a masterclass in professional courtesy.
"The property we’d like you to inspect today is this land on the Cape, surrounded by the fence, as described in the documents we submitted," Yuta-san continued.
"I thought I knew what to expect from the materials you sent... but seeing it in person, it really is a vast expanse of land."
"It will be reduced somewhat by the coastline, but the total site area is approximately fifty hectares."
"...Just walking the perimeter is going to be quite a task," Kawakita-san noted, his expression turning slightly grim as he gazed at the seemingly endless, rusted fence and the dense, overgrown thicket.
Since they were here to conduct a formal investigation, they needed to inspect every corner of the property. Surveying a piece of land the size of several domed stadiums was no small feat. We were fine, of course, but I worried about whether Yuta-san and the Association staff had the stamina to last until the end.
"Very well, let us head inside immediately," Yuta-san said, unlocking the gate and guiding us onto the property.
As the gate swung open, Kawakita-san began issuing instructions to Nohara-kun.
"Nohara-kun, please handle the measurements and photography. I’ll go through the checkpoints on the list."
"Understood, Section Chief."
"Then let us begin. First item: proximity to local residents... None found, so that's a pass."
"Agreed. We didn't see a single house along the road on the way here," Yuta-san added. "I think it's safe to say there are no residents on any of the adjacent lands."
Kawakita-san and Nohara-kun began checking items off their list while documenting the property's exterior. Yuta-san chimed in to support the assessment, explaining that since the area was so remote and a previous resort development plan had failed, the land had remained deserted.
"So, I can officially record that there are no residents registered within the immediate vicinity?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"Thank you. When establishing this type of facility, conflicts with neighbors are common," Kawakita-san explained, looking relieved. "Noise complaints and safety concerns are major hurdles. Building in a place with no neighbors is the simplest solution. We’ve had cases where construction was halted after authorization because the local community refused to cooperate..."
"So those kinds of problems really do happen."
Yuta-san took notes on the Association’s input. Kawakita-san and his team clearly didn't want to waste their effort conducting a survey for a project that would just end up getting canceled. Spending a whole day walking through the brush only for the effort to go to waste... yeah, that would be miserable. Knowing the land was uninhabited seemed to give them a bit of a motivational boost.
"Moving on to the next check..."
Thus, the preliminary investigation of our top candidate site for the training ground began in earnest.
Our investigation team trekked through the thickets along the fence, checking off items one by one. It became clear that the fence was suffering from significant age and neglect; we discovered several large holes along the perimeter.
While it wasn't an issue for the investigation phase, Kawakita-san warned us that if we intended to apply for final certification as a skill-authorized training facility, the fence would have to be repaired or replaced. A clear, secure boundary to prevent unauthorized entry was a critical checkpoint for certification.
"This is a considerable length of fencing, so the cost will likely be high, but we cannot grant certification if it's full of holes like this," Kawakita-san advised.
I decided to ask for a clarification to see if there were any alternatives. If I could improve the security without spending a fortune, I wanted to know.
"I have a question. If the goal is simply a clear boundary that prevents people from entering, would moats or earthen walls be acceptable instead of a traditional fence?"
"Well... I suppose it would depend on the height and depth. As long as it functions as a clearly recognizable boundary, we should be able to approve it."
Kawakita-san looked a bit puzzled by the question, but he confirmed that earthen walls could serve as a substitute.
Based on our recent experiments, I knew we could construct moats or earthen walls in a short amount of time, even without using specific skills. Yuta-san seemed to realize this as well; his face twitched slightly, but he listened with clear interest.
"I see. Out of curiosity, what kind of height or depth are we looking at?"
"I don't have the exact regulatory standards on hand, so I can't give you a definitive number right now, but generally, anything taller than a person is preferred. If you’d like, I can look up the specific criteria and get back to you."
"Please do. If it needs to be taller than a person, should we be aiming for at least two meters?"
"Yes, that’s a safe assumption. If a wall is taller than a person, most people will recognize it as a boundary they shouldn't cross."
Unless someone was a determined trespasser, they wouldn't go out of their way to scale a two-meter wall. If we added some "Private Property" signs, we’d be set.
Besides, a two-meter-high earthen wall surrounding the site... that would be a piece of cake for us.
"Understood. Thank you. We’ll consider our options, including both repairs and new construction."
"Very well. That covers the perimeter. Let's move on to the next item."
After finishing the survey of the fence line, we moved toward the coastline to inspect the edge of the property.
As soon as we reached the cliffs, Kawakita-san pointed out the exact issue we had been worried about. He peered down at the water below and turned to Yuta-san.
"Has this cliff face ever suffered from collapses or erosion during typhoons or major storms?"
"To the best of our knowledge, there have been no large-scale collapses."
"I see. And one more thing: is the water directly adjacent to this coastline used as a fishing ground?"
"My apologies, we’re still confirming that," Yuta-san replied. "We plan to reach out to the local Fisheries Cooperative Association in the next few days."
The three of us exchanged surprised looks. Even from a professional's perspective, those were the exact points that needed checking.
It was another reminder of how our excitement over finding a good property had led to a serious oversight. My blood ran cold thinking about what would have happened if we’d signed the contract without Juzo-san’s warning.
"Understood. Please let us know once you have those answers."
"Of course. We should have an update for you soon."
"Please do."
After finishing with Yuta-san, Kawakita-san turned his attention to us.
"I also wanted to confirm something. If you establish a training facility here and skill usage is permitted, do you plan on performing test-firing of your skills?"
"Uh, yes. We haven't acquired them yet, but we were hoping to use the space for test-firing once we learn skills like Fire Magic in the future..."
"I see..." Kawakita-san looked a bit uncomfortable. "Unfortunately, you’ll have to give up on that particular use case. To be precise, firing an offensive magic skill toward the sea is an illegal act. The Association's certification only permits skill usage within the confines of the private training facility."
"Wait, really?"
"Yes. To use an urban analogy, it’s the same as firing an offensive magic skill from your backyard into the street. While the location here might make it feel safe, the Association's stance is that we are only permitting usage within the private property itself. Therefore, you must refrain from aiming offensive magic skills toward the sea from the coastline. In the worst-case scenario, your Armed Exploration Permit for Special Underground Structures could be revoked, and you could even be arrested."
"U-Understood. We'll be very careful."
A cold sweat broke out over the three of us. Thinking about it calmly, it was obvious. The Cape was private land, but we didn't own the ocean beyond the cliff. It was outside our jurisdiction.
If we were caught openly blasting magic out over the water... yeah, we’d be in deep trouble. I was incredibly glad he pointed this out now, before we made a catastrophic mistake.
"Also, when you speak with the Fisheries Cooperative Association, it would be wise to explain the purpose of this facility and advise them to be cautious when operating near this stretch of coast. The probability may be low, but there is always the risk of a stray offensive magic skill hitting a boat, or the vibration from a skill causing a cliff collapse that generates a high wave."
"Good point. I’ll make sure to convey that to my office," Yuta-san said, jotting down the warning. This wasn't just a rule for the sea; it would apply to mountain properties too.
For instance, if a property bordered a lake that wasn't part of the deed, firing magic into it would be considered using a skill outside the permitted area. If Kiritani Real Estate planned to specialize in land for explorers, these were the kinds of legal nuances they needed to master.
"Now then, let's head to the next checkpoint."
Under Kawakita-san’s guidance, we continued our thorough tour of every inch of the property.
We’d have to make sure every single one of these points was addressed before we applied for final certification.
During a preliminary investigation, having someone point out the problems so clearly was exactly what we needed.