I was explaining the morning's events to Hiiragi-san as we arrived at the clubroom. The room was silent; it seemed Mika and the others hadn't arrived yet.
There was no real rush, so it wasn't the sort of thing I’d get worked up about just because they were a few minutes late.
"Mika and the others aren't here yet. Is their homeroom running long?" Hiiragi-san asked.
"Or their muscle pain is so bad that it's taking them forever to move," I suggested.
"The clubroom is on one of the upper floors, so climbing the stairs might be an ordeal for them."
When muscle pain is at its peak, even walking on flat ground can be miserable. Based on how Mika looked this morning, she seemed like she'd manage, but the soreness might not have faded for Saori-chan yet. If so, those stairs would be a brutal climb.
"In that case, what should we do about today's training?" Yuji asked. "Should we give Mika and Saori-chan the day off and just work with Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san?"
"We could," I replied, "but this is actually a good opportunity. Right now, while their bodies are stiff and hard to move, is the perfect time for them to learn how to function when they aren't at a hundred percent. In a dungeon, you can't always guarantee you'll be in peak condition when a monster attacks."
Hiiragi-san nodded thoughtfully. "That's true. Injuries and fatigue can slow your movements, so experiencing combat while your body is difficult to manage isn't a waste of time. Though it will be quite hard on those two."
After a brief discussion, the three of us reached a conclusion: we felt a bit bad for them, but we’d have Mika and Saori-chan push through it. We’d just have to ask them to accept it as a rare and valuable learning experience.
"Then let's get changed before they get here," I said.
"Good idea," Yuji agreed. "Hiiragi-san, sorry, but could you wait outside for Mika-chan and the others? Daiki and I will change quickly."
Since we had decided to proceed with practice, Yuji and I wanted to get ready. For the two of us, swapping into training wear took less than five minutes.
"Mika-chan and the others shouldn't be far off, so it’s more efficient if Hirose-kun and Daiki change first. I'll wait out in the hall," Hiiragi-san said with a light nod. She set her bag on the table and stepped out.
Once we were sure she was gone, Yuji and I hurriedly started changing.
By the time we finished, we could hear voices in the hallway. Thinking the girls had arrived, I opened the clubroom door.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Hiiragi-san. We're done."
"Oh, that was fast. Perfect timing; Mika-chan and the others just arrived."
I looked past Hiiragi-san, who was standing closest to the door, and saw the four of them.
"Ah, hey everyone. Good work today."
"Sorry to keep you waiting, Onii-chan," Mika said.
"I'm sorry we're late," Saori-chan added.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san said in unison.
Mika was clearly more energetic than she had been this morning. Saori-chan still looked a bit uncomfortable, but her expression was much better than it had been hours ago. It seemed the compresses had done their job and the muscle pain had become manageable.
Meanwhile, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san greeted us with slightly stiff expressions while keeping a wary eye on their friends. Judging by their looks, they were wondering exactly what kind of hellish training we had put Mika and Saori-chan through.
"Mika seems fine, but Saori-chan, are you still having a hard time?" I asked.
"Yeah, but it’s much better than this morning," Mika said, rotating her shoulders to show off her energy. "Even when I move, it doesn't hurt that much."
Saori-chan gave a strained smile. "I borrowed some compresses from Mika-chan, so it’s eased up quite a bit. It's still a little tough, but as long as I don't move too violently, I'll be okay."
Mika was clearly recovering faster, but I was still a bit worried about Saori-chan. The difference in how they had cared for themselves yesterday was becoming apparent.
"At any rate, it sounds like moving isn't as agonizing as it was this morning."
"You say that like it's easy, but it was really hard!" Mika complained. "Luckily we didn't have PE, but when we had to change classrooms, just carrying my bag was a struggle."
"If we'd had PE today, it would have been over for us," Saori-chan said. "In the morning, forget about running—even walking was painful."
The two of them went on at length about how difficult their school day had been. As they spoke, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san cast increasingly reproachful glances at the three of us.
"That does sound rough," I said. "But you'll get used to it, and then that struggle will go away. So let's keep working hard, okay?"
"Yeah," Yuji added. "Don't worry, you two. You'll be used to it in no time."
"I'll teach you the proper way to care for yourselves after practice, so do your best," Hiiragi-san said encouragingly.
Since we had expected them to complain, the three of us simply accepted their grievances and brushed them off with smiles. In response, Mika and Saori-chan looked up at the ceiling in exasperation, while Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san stared at us with wide, shocked eyes.
"Wait, are you serious?" Tatebayashi-san asked.
"Yeah, completely serious," I replied. "Besides, getting used to it is just a fact of life, whether you're an explorer or an athlete. It’s hard at first, but once you push through, it won't be so bad."
"I hope so..." Tatebayashi-san muttered. "Please go easy on us."
"Isn't it better to be exhausted from training than to suffer a major injury in a dungeon because we went easy on you?"
I spoke with a tone that made it sound like common sense. Mika and Saori-chan, who had actual experience in dungeons, looked like they wanted to argue but ultimately stayed silent. Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san, who had never stepped foot in one, still looked dissatisfied.
It was clear that the difference in awareness came down to whether they had ever seen an explorer being carried out of a dungeon while injured.
"Well, it’s true," Mika admitted. "It's better to be tired from practice than to get seriously hurt in a dungeon."
"I agree," Saori-chan said. "When I think about the people I've seen being carried out after getting mangled in there, collapsing from exhaustion in a safe training facility seems much better."
"Wh-What!?"
Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san, who had spent the whole day watching their friends struggle just to move, were stunned to hear them agree with us so readily. To them, it probably seemed crazy to support the very people who had caused them so much pain.
"Mika-chan, why are you agreeing with that?" Tatebayashi-san asked, sounding a bit panicked. "I watched you two all day, and you were both in so much pain..."
"Especially you, Saori-chan," Hino-san added. "You were grimacing just by standing up from your chair. Training that interferes with school life to that extent is a bit much..."
Mika and Saori-chan tilted their heads for a moment, then realized what was bothering their friends and began to explain.
"Ah, I guess that makes sense," Mika said. "Asami-chan, you guys haven't actually gone into a dungeon yet. It’s natural for you to feel that way."
"The reason we agree with the seniors," Saori-chan explained solemnly, "is because we've actually seen explorers who were mangled by monsters. We've seen people rushing toward the surface, carrying their friends on their shoulders—people who were limp and covered in blood, with everyone looking desperate."
Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san fell silent, their breath hitching as Saori-chan described the scene in a detached, serious tone.
"Onii-chan's training is strict, but I think if we take care of ourselves properly, we won't stay this exhausted," Mika said. "This happened because it was our first time and we weren't prepared for the aftermath."
"I think if I'd checked my stock of compresses beforehand, it wouldn't have been this bad," Saori-chan added. "And even though they're expensive, we could have used recovery potions in an emergency to fix the muscle pain. I just didn't use one today because we didn't have PE and I thought I could endure it."
Then, Saori-chan muttered under her breath that she really should have just used a recovery potion this morning. The pain must have been truly miserable.
"I see..." Tatebayashi-san whispered. "You have to be that prepared to be an explorer."
"I don't think you need to take it quite so heavily," Mika said with a reassuring smile. "It’s just a matter of 'isn't it better to struggle in training than to fail during the main event?'"
While I agreed they didn't need to be overly grim, they couldn't afford to take it lightly either. Consistent daily effort is the only way to avoid disaster when the main event finally comes.
"Well, that’s how it is," I said to Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san. "I've already asked Hiiragi-san to teach you how to do post-training care, so make sure you learn it. If you do that, things won't get this bad."
"...Yes, I understand," Tatebayashi-san replied.
"I understand," Hino-san said.
They seemed to accept the necessity of it, though they still looked a bit gloomy imagining the training ahead of them.
"Alright, since everyone's on the same page, let's change and move to the grounds. Hiiragi-san, Yuji and I will go ahead and start setting up."
"Understood. But before they start, it would be best for Mika-chan and Saori-chan to have their muscles massaged lightly. It should help ease the remaining soreness."
Hiiragi-san looked the two girls over and suggested some immediate care. While they were better than this morning, Saori-chan was still moving quite stiffly. Loosening them up before practice was a smart move.
"Got it. We'll leave them to you."
"Yes, leave it to me. The massage will take a little while, so feel free to start without us."
"We'll do some light warm-ups while we wait then."
Yuji and I grabbed the training gear and headed out, swapping places with the girls.
About thirty minutes later, Hiiragi-san and the girls appeared on the grounds in their training wear. Mika and Saori-chan were moving much more fluidly than they had been at the clubroom. The massage had clearly worked wonders.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. It took a bit longer than I thought," Hiiragi-san apologized.
"Don't worry about it. Massaging two people takes time, even if it's just a light touch. It looks like it was worth the wait, though."
I waved off her apology, and Mika and Saori-chan showed off the results by rotating their arms and swinging them about with wide smiles.
"Look, Onii-chan! My arms feel so light now!"
"I don't even feel the pain when I move like this! It’s incredible, and she only did it for a little bit."
"It's because I was targeting specific points," Hiiragi-san cautioned. "If you do it wrong, you can actually make it worse, so be careful, okay?"
She gave them a quick warning, but I wondered if they were even listening. They were so high on the sudden relief that they seemed a bit flighty. I’d have to remind them later; I didn't want them trying to massage themselves and causing an actual injury.
"Well, it looks like Mika and Saori-chan are fine for light movement," I said.
"Exercise within a pain-free range can actually speed up recovery for muscle pain," Yuji noted. "It's better to keep moving lightly rather than staying still."
"Then let's have Mika and Saori-chan focus on light sparring and stretching."
"That sounds right."
There was no sense in pushing them so hard that they got worse, but this was a perfect chance to practice while they were physically compromised.
"Alright. Mika and Saori-chan, stay within those limits. Tatebayashi-san, Hino-san, you'll do your usual menu first, then move on to sparring."
"Got it!" Mika said.
"Yes," Saori-chan added.
"Understood," Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san replied.
With the day's plan set, the four of them nodded. I gave the signal, and we all began our warm-up exercises together.