With the discussion regarding Mika and Saori-chan’s weapon maintenance finally settled, we moved on to planning an after-party to celebrate today’s successful dungeon exploration.
Even though it had been a major success, the exploration itself had been a constant string of tense moments. We needed to blow off some steam and enjoy ourselves.
“Now then, enough with the complicated stuff... Where should we go for today’s after-party?”
“Let’s see... Based on the time, maybe somewhere that serves light food?” Yuji suggested. “Everyone will probably be eating dinner at home after they get back anyway.”
“True,” Hiiragi-san agreed. “I didn’t mention that I wouldn't need dinner today, so they’re probably preparing something for me.”
“Come to think of it, Onii-chan, I didn't say anything to my family either.”
“Neither did I,” Saori-chan added.
Calling home was an option, but since it was already fairly late, preparations had likely already begun. I didn't want to deal with a lecture about not speaking up before leaving, so keeping it light was the safest choice.
“You’re right. Shall we go somewhere for a light bite, then?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“Me too.”
““Agreed!””
With everyone on board, we decided to keep the after-party simple. In hindsight, it might have been better to include the celebration in the schedule from the beginning.
Then again, if the results had been poor, it would have turned into a consolation party. It felt a bit presumptuous to build an after-party into the schedule based on the assumption of success.
“All right, let’s pick a place quickly. The longer we take, the later we’ll get home.”
“Right. If we want something light... maybe a cafe?”
“A cafe makes sense,” Hiiragi-san noted. “A restaurant or a diner feels a bit too substantial.”
“I want to go to a sweets shop!” Mika chirped.
“I’d prefer something sweet too...” Saori-chan said.
As we were weighing our options, Mika and Saori-chan pushed for something sugary.
Well, we were all mentally drained from the dungeon, so a hit of sugar sounded like a good way to recharge.
“True. If we want to eat quickly, a sweets place might be perfect.”
More than anything, wasting time being indecisive was a net loss.
“Sweets, huh? Is there a place nearby? I don’t know any,” Yuji admitted.
“A sweets shop... I think there was one near the station...” Hiiragi-san mused.
“I know one! I found a place the other day that I’ve been dying to try!”
“Ah, Mika-chan, do you mean that shop?”
“Yep!”
Apparently, Mika and Saori-chan had already scoped out a place they were interested in.
“Is it close?”
“It’s in the opposite direction of the station, but we can be there in about five minutes on foot.”
“That’s pretty close... Yuji, Hiiragi-san, is that okay with you?”
It sounded surprisingly nearby... though I secretly hoped "five minutes" wasn't being measured in explorer specs.
While harboring that likely unnecessary concern, I checked with the other instructors.
“Yeah, that’s fine. It’s not like I have any other ideas,” Yuji said.
“It works for me too. I’m actually curious about this shop Mika-chan and Saori-chan are so interested in.”
““Yay!””
And so, the venue for today’s after-party was settled on the girls' recommendation.
“Then it’s decided. Can you two lead the way?”
“You bet!”
“Yes!”
The somewhat gloomy expressions Mika and Saori-chan had worn during the talk about their weapons vanished, replaced by beaming smiles the moment their recommended shop was chosen.
Well, talk of delicious food is always better than talking about maintenance.
““Moving out!””
Led by Mika and Saori-chan, we headed toward the intended venue.
The shop the girls had their eyes on was indeed about a five-minute walk from the dungeon.
It seemed to be a newly opened establishment targeting explorers, as the clientele entering looked just like us—people clearly on their way back from the dungeon. Despite carrying large bags of gear, everyone was heading inside without hesitation.
“Is this it...?”
“Yep! A Japanese-style cafe! I’ve been so curious about their menu!”
“The photos on the sign outside look amazing. I think we can expect good things!”
The place Mika and Saori-chan had led us to was a Japanese-style cafe that specialized in traditional wagashi sweets.
The exterior was peaceful and refined, with a Japanese aesthetic. A sign in front of the shop displayed a set featuring tricolor dango and matcha. It felt like the complete opposite of SuiPara, the place we’d visited before.
“Traditional sweets, huh... That might be just right for a light snack,” Yuji remarked.
“I agree,” Hiiragi-san said. “I wanted something sweet, but I wasn't in the mood for anything too heavy or sugary. This seems perfect.”
Both Yuji and Hiiragi-san seemed to have a good first impression. Indulging in rich, heavy desserts right before dinner was a bit much, so the understated sweetness of Japanese confectionery was a great middle ground.
“Come on, everyone, let’s go inside!”
“Let’s go!”
“Yeah, all right. No point standing around out here.”
“True.”
“Indeed.”
Pushed along by the sugar-starved Mika and Saori-chan, we stepped into the shop.
The lobby greeted us with a design that was quintessentially Japanese. The interior featured wood and bamboo, reminiscent of a traditional tea room. From a small courtyard that looked like a miniature garden, the crisp "clack" of a shishiodoshi water rocker echoed rhythmically.
“This place has a really nice atmosphere.”
“Yeah, the interior is very soothing.”
“It is. I almost feel a bit out of place coming straight from the dungeon.”
The space was more traditionally Japanese than we had expected, leaving us with a slight sense of hesitation. After all, just a few hours ago, we were busy slaughtering minotaurs.
“Wow, it’s so calm.”
“The decor is amazing. They really put a lot of thought into it.”
However, the very people who had been doing the slaughtering didn't seem bothered at all. They were looking around with wide-eyed curiosity and uttering sounds of admiration.
Well, I suppose that was fine.
“Welcome. Come in, please.”
As we were admiring the decor, a clerk appeared from the back.
“Ah, is it okay for five people?”
“Five? Yes, of course. I’ll lead you to your table. Right this way.”
“Thank you.”
After confirming our numbers, the clerk efficiently led us through the shop.
The overall atmosphere was composed and unified, and the seating was arranged with a fair amount of space between tables. This layout ensured that even with our bulky bags of equipment, we wouldn't be bothering the other patrons.
“Please, feel free to use this table.”
“Thank you.”
We were led to a semi-private raised seating area in the back. There was plenty of room to stow our luggage, which meant we could sit back and relax.
We removed our shoes, stepped up onto the tatami, tucked our bags against the wall, and took our seats.
“Here is our menu. When you have decided on your order, please call for us with that bell. I will bring your tea shortly.”
“Understood.”
The clerk handed over the menu, gave a polite bow, and departed.
Now then, let’s see what we have here.
“Oh, they have oshiruko. This looks like a winner, doesn’t it?”
“Oshiruko is good, but these dango look great too.”
“I think the matcha parfait looks delicious.”
“Maybe I’ll have the dorayaki?”
“This anmitsu looks wonderful too.”
The menu featured colorful photos of various Japanese sweets, all of which looked appetizing enough to make choosing difficult. While we were agonizing over the options, the clerk returned with tea and wet towels.
“Here is your tea and towels.”
“Thank you.”
“Have you decided on your order?”
The clerk's question pulled our focus back. Everyone had been indecisive, but they had mostly settled on their first instincts. We placed our orders while pointing them out on the menu.
“Thank you. Let me confirm: two oshiruko sets, one matcha parfait set, one dorayaki set, and one dango set. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that’s it.”
“Very well. Please wait just a moment.”
The clerk bowed once more and headed back to the kitchen.
Once the sweets arrived, we talked about our plans for the rest of the year as we ate. Our scheduled dungeon exploration for the year was technically over as of today, but we still had training and a year-end party—or perhaps an "appreciation party"—to look forward to.
“Mmm, delicious. This is just the right amount of sweetness.”
“Yeah, the mochi on top is perfectly grilled. It’s great.”
“Matcha has such a pleasant bitterness, doesn't it?”
“Oh, this dorayaki has little bits of chestnut inside the bean paste.”
“The dango are grilled perfectly too. These are wonderful.”
Everyone looked thoroughly relaxed, savoring their treats with content expressions. Once we were about halfway through our snacks, we touched on the upcoming schedule.
“So, dungeon exploration is officially on hiatus for the rest of the year. We won’t start up again until next year.”
“Yeah, everyone’s busy during the holidays. Better to spend the time relaxing than trying to force it,” Yuji said.
“True. Hirose-kun and I will be tied up helping out at home during the holidays, just like last year,” Hiiragi-san added.
“And as for us...”
“We’ll be waiting on our weapon maintenance.”
The members of this group weren't such battle-crazed fanatics that they felt the need to push themselves, nor were our finances in such a state that we were desperate for coin. We had enough leeway to take it easy over the New Year.
I doubted Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san were planning to head back into the dungeon immediately after yesterday either, so a fresh start next year made the most sense.
“We’ll keep up our training so we don’t get soft, though.”
“Yeah. Even a short break makes you lose your edge fast,” Yuji noted. “You can get it back, but it’s a pain.”
“I agree.”
The image of being worked to the bone by Juzo-san because he judged us to be "soft" flashed through our minds. Yeah... I’ll definitely stay on top of my daily training. I think I’ve had enough survival training at Genya-san’s place for a while.
“Besides, we can’t explore the way we did today with substitute weapons anyway,” Mika said.
“You really need your own gear for that kind of intensity,” Saori-chan agreed.
Remembering the minotaur rush from earlier, Mika and Saori-chan shook their heads at the thought of exploring without their primary gear. In the shallow floors, those two could probably manage with a steel pipe from a hardware store, but there was no point in taking unnecessary risks.
“Well, all of that depends on Kyosuke-san. We’ll have to get in touch with him and see about the schedule,” I said.
“I’ll send him a message when I get home. I should have an answer by tomorrow at the earliest,” Yuji replied.
With the dungeon boom in full swing, Kyosuke-san might have a massive backlog. Even though we had a connection from providing him with materials back when the boom first started, there was no guarantee he could take the job immediately. And even if he could, we didn't know how long the modifications would take.
“Okay.”
“Understood.”
“It’s not like they’re going to snap tomorrow, and there’s a good chance you’ll have to wait your turn anyway, so just be patient,” Yuji added.
Mika and Saori-chan nodded, though their expressions remained a bit conflicted due to the lack of a firm timeline. Kyosuke-san would likely be busy through the holidays, so even if he accepted the job, it might not be until the new year.
“For the time being, you’ll be focused on instructing Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san, so you won’t be heading down to the deep floors like today anyway,” Hiiragi-san encouraged. “We can just get the maintenance done during that period.”
“Yes.”
“You’re right.”
Hiiragi-san’s reassurance seemed to make the girls feel a bit better. Since they were committed to supporting Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san’s development as explorers for a while, we didn't have any deep-floor dives planned. Today’s expedition had been partly to ensure they had extra spending money since we had some free time. The experience with the minotaurs and the carrying capacity tests were almost secondary to the fundraising.
“More importantly, let’s talk about the year-end party. Do you think we can still get a reservation? It is December, after all.”
“Well, we aren't a massive group, so I think we’ll be fine. Plus, our timing will probably be different from the typical office parties,” Yuji reasoned.
“My shop has several banquet reservations in the evenings, but the lunchtime hours are still wide open,” Hiiragi-san said.
Exactly. If a group of students was gathering for a year-end party, it would likely be during the day. Even during the holiday rush, most working adults wouldn't be starting their drinking parties in the middle of the day before they’d finished work for the year.
Basically, we should still be able to find a place.
“Then we’re good... So, where should we go? If no one has any ideas, we can just hit a family restaurant like usual.”
“A family restaurant is fine, but I think I could get us a private room at a decent place if I use my connections,” Yuji offered. “Though the menu would probably be a chef’s choice lunch.”
“A place where Yuji has connections, huh...”
Hiiragi-san and I shared a momentary look of pure trepidation. To be honest, it was a little scary—what kind of high-end, intimidating place was he going to suggest?
However, oblivious to our anxiety, Mika and Saori-chan were fascinated by the idea of a "decent place" accessible through Yuji’s connections. At our age, there’s a certain level of awe for someone who can casually set up a dinner party at an exclusive venue.
“Wait, you have connections to a place like that?”
“Wow! What kind of restaurant is it?”
“What kind? It’s a creative Japanese cuisine place. My family used it once. Apparently, it’s run by an acquaintance of the Old Man.”
““Whoa!””
The phrase "run by an acquaintance of Juzo-san" sent my internal alarm bells ringing. Hiiragi-san looked just as tense. No, no, no—that is definitely a dangerous place!
While the two of us were having a quiet panic, Mika and Saori-chan were fully on board, caught up in the momentum of Yuji’s suggestion. Are you serious...?
A restaurant run by an acquaintance of Juzo-san... That sounds absolutely terrifying.