After Yuji and I quickly finished changing, we left the locker room and sat down on some nearby rest chairs.
Since we had pulled out quite early, very few explorers had returned yet, leaving the surrounding area quiet and deserted.
"Well, we made it back in one piece," Yuji remarked.
"Yeah. I thought there might be a bit more drama, but for now, I'm just relieved everything went smoothly."
"Right? Lately, something always seems to happen when dungeons are involved, for better or worse."
"Tell me about it."
Yuji and I looked at each other and let out a long, synchronized sigh.
I’d been bracing for all sorts of trouble—getting harassed by a frustrated corporate explorer whose results were lacking, Tatebayashi-san or Hino-san freezing up and getting injured, or even running into the absolute worst kind of scum: newcomer hunters. Fortunately, none of those headaches materialized, and we’d managed to return without incident. Honestly, I was just glad nothing happened.
"The only thing left is to see how much of a psychological toll this takes on Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san..."
"We’ll just have to wait and see," Yuji replied. "Sometimes it hits you immediately; other times it manifests later. Unfortunately, none of us are trained counselors. We can’t just look at them and decide they’re fine. All we can do is keep a close eye on them for a while and suggest they see a professional if something seems off."
"I guess that really is all we can do..."
"I already mentioned it to their parents, but we should probably emphasize it again."
The girls would likely try to put on a brave face so as not to worry anyone. Their parents were in the best position to observe them when they finally let their guard down. Since home was the one place they could truly relax, it was best to have the parents handle the emotional follow-up.
Dungeon exploration while mentally unstable was a recipe for disaster; early detection and treatment were the most effective ways to prevent accidents.
"You’re right. If I see their parents when we drop them off, I’ll make sure to communicate that clearly. They just finished their first dungeon exploration, after all. Even if they don't have any visible injuries or fatigue, there’s bound to be a burden there."
"Yeah, it’s probably best to have them keep an eye on the girls for a day or two. Since they managed to get a recovery potion as a drop item and secured a profit, they should feel like today’s exploration was a success. That sense of achievement should keep things from getting too dark."
"Mhm. It would be a total disaster if they were injured on top of being in the red financially. Though I hear that’s a common story for newcomer explorers who go in under-prepared."
"Well, if you go in without preparation or proper information gathering, that's what you get. You could say they brought it on themselves, but the drop in purchase prices is particularly brutal for rookies just starting out. Back when we began, you could break even just by securing a few Core Crystals."
Since Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san’s exploration had actually yielded a profit, it was a resounding success by newcomer standards. We’d explained it to them that way, so even if the actual monster slaying was mentally taxing, I didn't think they’d walked away with a negative impression of the work itself.
If they’d had a miserable, painful experience on top of a financial loss, they’d be on a direct path to permanent trauma.
"Well, since that didn't happen, we're okay for now. But I’m still worried about what happens when they’re mentally ready for the next run. They'll probably only fight two or three monsters again, so we can't expect much in the way of drop items."
"If a recovery potion drops like it did today, they’ll see a minimum profit, but if they're unlucky, they could go ten battles without seeing a single one."
For an explorer, luck with drops was just as vital as physical strength. No matter how strong you were, if your drop luck was abysmal and you only produced negative returns, you couldn't survive in the explorer profession full-time.
In that sense, both Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san seemed to possess the kind of luck necessary to make it.
"True. But that’s a conversation for after they can kill monsters without it being a mental burden. If every single battle is a massive psychological strain, drop luck won’t matter."
"Good point. They have to start by getting used to the act of slaying monsters first."
Yuji and I reached a conclusion regarding our simple training policy for the next run and turned our gaze toward the women’s changing room where Hiiragi-san and the others had gone. I still didn't sense the five of them coming out, which likely meant Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san were having a rough time after the adrenaline wore off.
"Should we grab some juice while we wait?"
"Yeah, sounds like they'll be a while."
Figuring it would take some time, Yuji and I grabbed our bags and headed toward a nearby vending machine.
After waiting about thirty minutes and finishing our drinks, the five of them finally emerged.
Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san looked a bit worse for wear compared to when they’d entered the locker room. As expected, the mental fatigue from their first kills had probably hit them all at once while they were changing. While Mika and Saori-chan stayed close to support them, Hiiragi-san spotted us and walked over.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. It took longer than expected."
"No worries. Good work in there. It looks like it took a toll on them after all."
"Yes. It wasn't anything too extreme, but they were both a bit lightheaded. I let them rest for a bit while listening to them vent."
"I see. Is it fair to say they're on the better side of the spectrum, then?"
In severe cases, newcomers who’ve just killed their first monster might suddenly become hysterical, start wailing, or even vomit on the spot.
"Yes, for rookies who just completed their first kill, their reaction is actually quite mild. I hate to put it this way, but if this is all it is, I’d say they both have high explorer aptitude."
"True. If someone has zero aptitude, this is usually when they show a reaction that proves they just can't handle it."
"Exactly. If they're just feeling drained and need to complain a little, they'll recover in a few days. After they experience a few more kills, I suspect they'll be able to do it without any heavy brooding."
"Maybe so, but we’ll still need to see how they are over the next few days before making a final judgment."
Even if their symptoms seemed relatively minor, we couldn't afford to skip the follow-up observation.
Still, I was glad they appeared to have the aptitude for it. If they’d been a complete mismatch for the work, we would have had to coordinate with their parents on counseling and other interventions to ensure they didn't end up traumatized.
"Indeed. They’re much better now than they were a moment ago, but there’s no telling if they’ll have a relapse once they're alone and start dwelling on it..."
"The 'remembering it right before bed' phenomenon," I said. "It’s certainly not a pleasant memory, so at worst, they might be tormented by nightmares, waking up screaming in the middle of the night."
It sounds like an exaggeration, but it’s a genuine rite of passage for newcomers. Those with aptitude don’t usually get it that bad, but those with low aptitude are said to be haunted by nightmares every night for a while.
Among our group, Hiiragi-san and Mika had both experienced it. They hadn't woken up screaming, but they’d described their dreams as being incredibly foul.
"Precisely. We should definitely mention it to their parents when we drop them off."
"Yeah. It would be a terrifying shock for a parent to hear their daughter screaming in the middle of the night without any warning."
"They'll be shocked even if they are warned. Though, hopefully, it won't come to that."
As we watched them with concern, the other four joined us.
"Are you two okay?" I asked.
"..." "Yes, we're fine," they replied in unison.
"If you start feeling unwell, tell us immediately. This happens to every newcomer; it's nothing to be ashamed of."
"Okay."
Their complexions were still pale, but their steps were steady, so I believed them when they said they were fine for now. Still, you could see the fatigue written all over their faces, so we couldn't be too careful.
I glanced at Mika and Saori-chan; while they looked worried, they didn't seem overly grim.
"Alright. Well, shall we head over to the purchase counter? I'm sure you two are curious to see what today’s haul is worth."
"Ah, yes!"
"I am curious, actually."
The moment I brought up the drop items, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san’s faces brightened. I’d told them it would be worth a decent amount, so since I’d warned them they wouldn't make money at the start, their expectations were probably soaring.
Where we’d originally said beginners struggle to even cover travel costs, they were now looking at a profit of several thousand yen. I'm sure that was a huge relief.
"Let's get going, then. We have an hour or two, but it’s bad form to wait too long before submitting drop items to the counter."
"Oh, right. There was a time regulation for that, wasn't there?"
"To prevent the circulation of unidentified drop items, right?"
"Exactly. Your entry and exit times are recorded, so if you're too slow getting to the counter, it looks suspicious. If you blow the time limit too many times, I’ve heard they can restrict your dungeon access or send in auditors to see if you’re involved in the black market."
"Whoa..."
The system probably doesn't stop everything, but it serves as a strong deterrent for most explorers. As a result, there haven't been many public reports of incidents involving leaked unidentified items... yet.
Who knows what's happening in the shadows, but that's none of our business as long as we play by the rules.
"Anyway, we don't want to deal with that, so let's just finish up."
"Yes!"
"Alright, let's move."
We left the locker room area and headed toward the appraisal and purchase counter.
Since it was still before the peak rush, the counter area was relatively empty. There were only a few parties sitting in the waiting area, so our turn was likely to come quickly.
"Okay, I'll explain the process. First, get a numbered ticket from that machine over there and move near the counter. Then just wait in a seat until your number is called and displayed on the monitor."
"It feels just like a government office."
"Exactly. It's the same system at every dungeon, so it's easy once you're used to it. Go on, pull a ticket."
"Yes."
Prodded by me, Tatebayashi-san pulled a ticket.
The number 053 was printed on it, meaning we were the 53rd group of the day. It really was still early.
"Good. Now, let's find a seat—"
Before we could even move, the number appeared on the monitor, accompanied by a voice announcement calling Tatebayashi-san's number.
That was rare. It seemed there were so few people that the call came the instant the ticket was issued.
"Looks like we don't have to wait after all."
"I guess so."
"Well, that works. Let's head to the counter."
"Yes!"
We walked up to the designated window.
"Thank you for waiting. Are you here for a drop item appraisal?"
"Yes, please."
"Please submit the drop items along with your Explorer Cards."
"Understood. Tatebayashi-san, Hino-san, go ahead."
"Yes."
As planned, only Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san submitted their cards. Since it was their very first run, we’d decided that the entire profit from today’s drops would belong to them.
Besides, if we split 1st-floor drops among this many people, everyone would walk away with mere pennies.
"Here you go."
"Thank you. We will call you once the appraisal is complete. Please wait in the nearby seating area."
"Okay."
The two Core Crystals and the recovery potion(?) were handed over. Now we just had to wait. Since it was a small submission, it wouldn't take long.
As expected, in less than five minutes, our number was called again.
"Thank you for waiting. The appraisal is complete. Here is the breakdown for the items you submitted today."
"Thank you!"
Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san took the slip, their eyes wide with anticipation as they checked the figures.
The rest of us leaned in, equally curious. Let's see... what did they end up making?
The moment their day's hard work was finally converted into numbers.