In response to my question, Asami-chan and Suzune-chan took a sharp breath, glancing at each other with looks of pure bewilderment. I suppose it was a bit blunt to demand a goal right out of the gate without giving them time to prepare.
Deciding to throw them a lifeline, I spoke up again.
"Don't overthink it. Just something simple, like something you've always wanted to try."
"..."
Even with that prompt, the answer didn't come immediately.
Asami-chan and Suzune-chan shared another look, then lowered their eyes in deep thought. Finally, after a long pause, they spoke up with a hint of hesitation.
"Um, well... it’s not exactly a grand goal, but if I’m going to become an explorer, I want to try using magic and skills."
"Me too. Seeing Mika-chan and the others use their skills... it just seemed so wonderful."
As they spoke, they turned their gazes toward Mika and the others, who were now wearing surprised expressions.
Following their lead, we also looked toward Mika's group. A sudden worry pricked at the back of my mind.
"Speaking of skills—hey, Mika. You haven't been using any attack skills in public, have you?"
"O-Of course not! I’d never use that kind of magic outside the dungeon."
Mika denied it with a flustered wave of her hands.
It was a valid concern. For an explorer to use offensive skills outside of a designated training facility or the dungeon is an illegal act—one that can easily lead to an arrest.
"Then what did you show them?"
"Uh... Oh, I think it was [Cleansing]! Right, Asami-chan?"
Mika hurriedly looked to the girls for confirmation. I watched them with a hint of unease. As long as it was just Cleansing, she was technically in the clear, but...
"Eh? Ah, yes. The skill Mika-chan showed us was definitely called Cleansing," Asami-chan confirmed. "We were eating lunch together, and I was in a panic because I'd dropped some food on my uniform. She used the skill to get the sauce out for me."
"It fell right on the white part of the uniform, so the stain was really bad," Suzune-chan added. "Mika-chan couldn't bear to watch me struggle, so she just held her hand over it and the stain vanished instantly. We were so shocked; it was like a magic trick."
As they recalled the event, their faces lit up with admiration—or perhaps even a touch of longing.
Seeing their genuine wonder took the edge off my frustration. I let out a small sigh and turned back to Mika.
"Hah. Look, using Cleansing outside the dungeon isn't a crime, but try not to go flaunting it in crowded places. The authorities are currently overlooking the use of non-offensive skills, but there are petty people everywhere just waiting for an excuse to start trouble. It could easily spark a conflict. It’s fine at home or when no one’s around, but try to keep the magic to a minimum in public."
I looked Mika in the eye, driving the point home.
There are plenty of people out there like Asami-chan, Suzune-chan, and Shigemori who admire magic. However, there are just as many who became explorers specifically for magic, only to have terrible luck with drops. Then there are those who want a magic skill scroll but can't afford the exorbitant prices because they aren't earning enough in the dungeon. To those people, seeing a high schooler casually tossing around magic in daily life might feel like a slap in the face. It’s a recipe for resentment.
"Asami-chan and her friend saw it as a good thing, but if someone looks at it through a cynical lens, they'll just think you're showing off."
"Oh..."
The current landscape for high schoolers starting out is likely much harsher than when we began, and many of them are probably feeling the burn of frustration. Even with so many peers entering the field, encounter rates and drop rates are low. If they can’t make money, they can’t buy the skills they want. And then, right in front of them, is someone using magic as easily as breathing.
Many of those people are Mika's age. Even if she has no ill intent, how will they feel after seeing it over and over?
"I might be overthinking it, but it’s better to be safe than sorry."
"Yeah... I guess I was being a bit careless."
"I'll be careful too," Saori-chan added.
It would be a massive headache if some jealous idiot called the police and lied, saying Mika was using offensive magic. Regardless of the truth, the police would have to investigate once a report was filed. And if the police got involved, malicious rumors would start spreading like wildfire.
To avoid that kind of drama, it was best to stay under the radar.
"Anyway, sorry for the tangent."
"Oh, no, it's fine."
The two girls looked a bit awkward after my lecture. I cleared my throat to reset the mood and got back to the main point.
"So, about wanting magic... we have a friend who thought the same thing, but he chose to wait for the market to stabilize. How do you two feel about that? Is waiting an option for you?"
"..."
They both looked hesitant.
They probably hadn't expected someone so close to them to have made that exact choice. Even we had assumed Shigemori just wasn't interested in being an explorer.
"Um, honestly, I’m surprised," Asami-chan said. "After hearing what you said about the early days, I can understand why he'd make that choice. If I’d seen those 'mummies' you mentioned with my own eyes, I think I would have reconsidered everything."
"I really want to use magic, too," Suzune-chan said, "but if I were in that situation, I think I would have hesitated."
Despite their understanding of Shigemori’s logic, they looked at me with gazes that were surprisingly firm.
"But while magic is part of the reason, the biggest thing is that I want to make memories with my friends," Asami-chan declared. "I want us to take on these challenges together."
"I know it's not like you're doing it on purpose," Suzune-chan added softly, "but being the only ones in the club who aren't explorers... it feels lonely. We’re in the same club, but we can't join in when everyone gets excited about the same topics."
"Asami-chan..."
"Suzune-chan..."
Mika and Saori-chan looked stricken by the confession.
The three of us felt the same way. As they said, we hadn't intended to exclude them, but there were definitely topics we avoided because they weren't part of the explorer circle. Apparently, that very consideration had caused the isolation they felt.
"Even during the school festival presentation, we had to gather all our info from the internet, while everyone else was putting materials together based on their real experiences in the dungeon," Asami-chan said. "It was lonely not being able to contribute, even though I knew why it was happening."
"When I listened to everyone's stories, I kept wishing I could be part of it. Not just listening, but being able to say, 'Oh, that happened to us too,' or 'Remember when we did that?'"
I scratched the back of my head, feeling a wave of guilt. Now that they mentioned it, dungeon talk was our default in the clubroom because it was so easy to talk about.
What monsters we’d fought, what items had dropped, where we’d eaten on the way back... To us, it was just casual small talk. To Asami-chan and her friend, it was a constant reminder of the gap between us.
"I understand from your stories that being an explorer means living side-by-side with danger."
"And I understand that starting now is difficult, and the 'what-if' scenarios you warned us about are terrifying."
The two girls paused, looking around at the five of us. Then, with an air of finality, they spoke their resolve in clear, steady voices.
"But we can't give up on our dream of using magic, and more than anything, we want to explore the dungeon with all of you."
Watching them stand their ground, I realized their goals were no longer vague. Their resolve had hardened. The hesitation I’d sensed when we first started talking was gone.
Now that they had officially declared their intent, it was time to figure out how to handle their parents.
Since we were definitely declining the consultant offer, we needed a plan for how to train them as juniors. Having a solid outline would make it much easier to convince their parents.
"Alright, your intentions are clear. We'll proceed on the assumption that you're going for your permits. Let's talk about the future."
"Yes!"
"First, about that consultant offer from your parents..."
I trailed off, glancing at everyone's faces.
"I think we've already reached a conclusion on that, right?"
"Yeah," Yuji agreed. "The reasons we gave yesterday were enough, but remember how we left with Hashimoto-sensei after that?"
"We spoke with her in the Consultation Room," Hiiragi-san added. "She gave us the school's official stance. A consulting deal is definitely crossing a line."
We explained the warning Hashimoto-sensei had given us to the four girls.
"Oh, right. I guess from the school's perspective, they can't just let students take on professional contracts," Mika said, sounding impressed.
"Especially a job that involves the client’s life or death," Saori-chan noted. "It makes sense the school would have to step in."
"Um... I'm so sorry," Asami-chan whispered, looking like she wanted to shrink into her seat. " I didn't realize my parents' impulsive offer would turn into something so serious."
"We're so sorry for the trouble," Suzune-chan added.
"No, nothing's actually happened yet, so don't worry about it," I said.
"Besides, the teacher’s warning actually helps us," Yuji pointed out. "It gives us a perfect reason to turn them down."
"Exactly," Hiiragi-san said. "Your parents can't exactly demand we take the job if it means risking our place at this school."
Their parents had already mentioned it was fine to decline if it was too much. A warning from a teacher was a heavy enough reason to settle the matter.
"So, can you tell your parents that we're officially declining the offer?"
"Yes. There's no way we could ask you to take that job now," Asami-chan said firmly. "I'll explain everything to them."
"I'll make sure they understand too," Suzune-chan said.
"I'd usually go and tell them in person, but I'll leave it to you two for now."
I bowed my head slightly, and the girls nodded back with determined expressions. I just had to hope their parents would be reasonable, but it would likely be fine.
With that, the headache of the consulting offer was finally behind us.
Now that the business talk was over, it was time for the senior explorers to give some guidance to the juniors who were about to start their journey.
This was strictly "senior-to-junior advice," of course.
"Alright, first things first. We need to see how much you can actually move. You're planning to be explorers, so I assume you're somewhat fit? Have you been doing any light jogging or stamina training?"
"..."
Wait. What was with that silence?
Looking at the blank expressions on Asami-chan and Suzune-chan’s faces, I felt a cold chill of dread run down my spine.