Our meeting with Hakamada concluded, and we made our way out of the Dungeon Association Branch Office. We found a small rest area outside and decided to take a breather. The conversation had been heavy enough to leave us all feeling emotionally drained, and a moment of peace was exactly what we needed.
We grabbed drinks from a vending machine and sat side-by-side on a bench. We downed our beverages in silence, followed by a long, collective sigh.
"We managed to pull it off... right?"
"Yeah. For now, at least."
"Well, it was inevitable that he’d be a bit suspicious of us," Hiiragi-san added.
After ensuring there were no people or security cameras nearby, we whispered our complaints and concerns about the meeting. We kept the details vague, of course, just in case.
"True," I said. "But if something happened because we stayed silent, it would have left a bitter taste in our mouths."
"Exactly. It seems they already knew about the situation, but since it was classified, reporting it was the right move if we wanted them to take actual countermeasures. It was a necessary step."
"You're right. Based on his reaction, it's a rare occurrence, but if the worst had happened, we would have felt terrible."
We exchanged looks, reaffirming that the report was the right call. Since the Dungeon Association and the government were already aware of the ogre soldier, I couldn't help but wonder if we really needed to risk suspicion by coming forward ourselves. However, in a way, such actions were as much for our own peace of mind as they were for the public good.
If a disaster struck later, I didn't want to be haunted by the thought: If only I had said something...
"Reporting it was the right thing to do," I said firmly.
"Yeah," Yuji agreed. "We just did what needed to be done."
"Exactly. We didn't do anything wrong."
Once we had all reached a consensus, I brought my hands together in a sharp, singular clap—a kashiwade—to signal that the discussion was closed. Sometimes you just need a clear break in the mood.
"Well then, let’s go get the rest of our drop items appraised. Hakamada said he’d put in a word for us, but it wouldn't be right to keep the staff waiting too long."
"Right. I’m exhausted, so let’s finish the appraisal and head home."
As Yuji and I stood up with our empty cans, Hiiragi-san, who was still seated, spoke up as if she had just had an epiphany.
"Oh, right! Since we finished much earlier than planned today, why don’t we grab a bite to eat down here before heading back? It’s been quite a while since we last ate in this area, and I’m sure plenty of new shops have opened. I thought if we found dishes using new dungeon food, I could use them as inspiration for new menu items at my family's shop..."
"Ah, now that you mention it, we haven't had lunch yet," I said. "It’s true we haven't eaten around here lately, and since we have the time, that sounds like a great idea."
"Count me in," Yuji added. "The variety of dungeon food in circulation has increased, so there might be some new specialties out. I'm curious."
Yuji and I were both intrigued by Hiiragi-san’s suggestion. Lately, we had been diving into the dungeon until late in the evening, meaning we’d head straight for the train the moment we emerged.
It had been quite some time since we'd left the dungeon while the sun was still high, so exploring the town seemed like a perfect way to spend the afternoon. The area had been undergoing development since the dungeon first opened, and by now, the town had flourished so much that its former identity as a sleepy rural village was almost entirely gone.
"Then let’s use the wait time for the appraisal to look up some good restaurants."
"Sounds like a plan. It beats just sitting around the lobby."
"Great! Let’s head to the counter then."
We tossed our empty cans into the bin next to the vending machine and headed back inside the branch office.
Since it was still a bit early for the peak rush, the purchase counter was relatively quiet. We pulled a ticket from the dispenser and saw only three groups ahead of us. At this rate, our turn would come in about five minutes.
"I’m glad it’s not crowded," I said. "I guess not many people emerge at this hour."
"Probably," Yuji replied. "If you're going to the trouble of diving, most people would rather eat portable rations inside and maximize their time. Some newcomer explorers might come out early, but they’re in the minority. And with this many counters, a few newcomers with a handful of items won't cause a bottleneck."
"That's true," Hiiragi-san said. "Once evening hits, the mid-level explorers start coming back in droves. They bring back a mountain of drop items, so their appraisals take forever. That leads to longer wait times and a crowded lobby—a real vicious cycle."
Our number was called while we were still chatting. The three of us stepped up to the counter.
"Thank you for waiting. Are you here for a drop item appraisal?" the clerk asked.
"Yes, please."
"Understood. Please provide your Explorer Cards and the items you wish to have appraised."
We handed over our cards and lined up the few items we’d managed to scavenge today onto the purchase counter. Our original plan had been to stay until late evening, so the pile was disappointingly small.
Well, we did have that one troublesome catch worth tens of millions, so from a financial standpoint, we were doing just fine.
"I’ll take these. We will begin the appraisal now. Please wait for your number to be called again."
"Thank you."
We gave a slight bow and moved to the waiting area sofas. Given the small number of items, I figured it would be over in ten minutes.
"Now then, since we don't have much time, let's find that restaurant."
"Right. What genre are we thinking?" Yuji asked. "It’ll be easier to narrow down if we pick a category."
"Well," Hiiragi-san said with a slightly bashful look, "my preference would be Chinese, since that would be easy to adapt for our shop... but I'm open to anything. Japanese or Western is fine too."
"Chinese, huh... if you're looking for inspiration, maybe something like a creative cuisine place would be good?" I suggested.
"Creative cuisine... It’s a little intimidating not knowing exactly what’ll end up on your plate, but it could be interesting," Yuji admitted.
I’d heard the term "creative cuisine" used for various restaurants, but I wasn't entirely sure what it meant in practice. I had the impression it was basically an original take on existing dishes. Still, if she wanted a reference for a new menu, something outside our usual routine seemed like the better bet.
"Creative cuisine... True, we don't usually eat that sort of thing, so it might be a good reference," Hiiragi-san agreed.
"I wonder about that," I said. "But then again, any dish using monster meat is technically creative cuisine, isn't it?"
"Now that you mention it," Yuji said, "substituting dungeon food for conventional meat makes it an original dish by definition."
Even though monster meat was now widely accepted because it was delicious, it was still a relatively new ingredient that had only been on the market for about a year. Since no traditional culinary rules existed for it yet, any dish using dungeon food was effectively a new creation.
In that sense, a creative cuisine restaurant specializing in dungeon food was likely a place actively trying to evolve the craft.
"Well, let's see if there are any places like that around here. If not, we can fall back on Chinese."
"Let's look it up."
Each of us pulled out our phones. As it turned out, we found one. A new restaurant had recently opened, clearly seeing a business opportunity in the rapidly expanding town.
"Found one! It’s a bit of a walk from the station, but it’s manageable."
"Let's see... the prices are about what you'd expect for dungeon food."
"Based on the photos, it looks like a Japanese-style creative place—not quite formal kaiseki, though."
As we were discussing whether to commit to the spot, our number was called. Time was up. We tucked our phones away and headed back to the counter.
"Thank you for waiting. The appraisal is complete. Here is the itemized list."
"Thank you."
Yuji took the list, and the three of us huddled to check the results. The values for the common drop items were standard, but the high-grade recovery potion we got from the ogre was valued slightly higher than the last one we'd sold. I’d assumed the price would have dropped by now, given that more corporate explorers were reaching the 29th floor and increasing the market supply.
"I’d like to keep the high-grade recovery potion, so please take that one off the list," I said.
"Understood. Will you be selling the rest of the items?"
"Yes, please."
The clerk nodded and proceeded with the transaction.
"Would you like the payment as a lump sum to one account, or split between you?"
"Split three ways, please."
The process finished quickly. Our Explorer Cards were returned along with the receipt and the high-grade recovery potion. Excluding the potion, the total came to about 200,000 yen. Since we didn't have many items and lacked any rare drops like skill scrolls, a few items from the 20th floor and up only amounted to a modest sum.
"Here are your cards. This concludes the transaction. We look forward to seeing you again."
"Thank you very much."
We bowed and left the office. Once finished, we took a shuttle bus from the terminal in front of the dungeon down to the station. Since it was an off-peak hour, the bus was mostly empty, and we managed to snag seats. This allowed me to keep researching the Japanese-style creative restaurant on my phone.
"According to the map, it’s that way. We stay on the main street for a bit and then turn onto a side street."
"It’s a bit of a trek, but we should be there in fifteen or twenty minutes," Yuji noted. "It's worth the walk to see how the town has changed."
"You're right," Hiiragi-san agreed. "There are so many more buildings than when I was last here. It’s hard to believe this place was nothing but open fields when we first started diving here."
I’d heard that a sleepy rural town could transform overnight once a symbolic facility was built, and seeing it firsthand was staggering. Large apartment complexes and major retail stores were clearly in the works, judging by the number of construction vehicles rumbling past us. If it had changed this much in a year, next year would be unrecognizable.
"Let’s get moving," I said. "It would be a shame to walk all that way just for them to close."
"True. We have time before lunch service ends, but it’s always better not to be the people who rush in right at the last call."
"Exactly. A restaurant appreciates it when you give them some breathing room," Hiiragi-san said with a conviction that suggested she knew exactly what she was talking about.
Yuji and I didn't argue. We set off toward the restaurant, taking in the sights. We could do more thorough exploring on the way back.
"Oh, look, a beef bowl chain opened here too," I noted. "Twenty-four-hour service and takeout—that'll be a hit with the explorers who come out late."
"And a national supermarket chain is moving in," Yuji added. "Talk about an aggressive business strategy."
"Wow... a comprehensive beauty salon area?" Hiiragi-san pointed out. "I bet that's aimed at the female explorers."
Just walking for fifteen minutes revealed a town that had developed far beyond our expectations. Finally, we arrived at our destination.