As we let out heavy sighs, our faces clouded with trouble, Mika and the other three looked on with pity. I suppose from their perspective, they were wondering why such a fuss was even being made just for a school trip.
Honestly, we were the ones who wanted to know.
"Well, for now, we’ve publicly stated in class that we just want a normal school trip. I hope that sentiment spreads to the other classes before winter vacation starts, but..."
"Winter vacation is almost here," Yuji noted. "We might not have enough time for the word to get around properly."
"True," Hiiragi-san added. "And it’s not exactly the kind of topic where we’d go out of our way to visit other classrooms just to clear the air."
We didn't intend to leave the misunderstanding as it was, but the weird momentum was picking up, and time was running out before the start of the winter break. It was a toss-up whether the false rumors about our involvement would die down before the holidays. I could only hope this strange trend wouldn't escalate into something truly absurd.
"You're right. And if they thought about it for even a second, they'd realize that a dungeon dive as a school activity is fundamentally impossible," Mika said. "Even if it were allowed, how would they prepare the equipment and all the various exploration supplies?"
"Exactly. If you’re a license holder, you have the right to possess and transport equipment, but there’s the question of whether you can bring it onto a plane or into a hotel. You might be able to get it on a plane if you follow the proper procedures, but who’s going to handle that paperwork? The travel agency in charge because it’s part of a school trip? Not a chance."
"Indeed," Hiiragi-san agreed. "Since the hotels used for school trips wouldn't have weapon storage facilities for explorers, the students would have to carry their weapons themselves even while moving along a normal sightseeing course. If a weapon were to be stolen because it was left in a room, it would become a major incident that would immediately cancel the trip. And above all, what would it look like for a mass of students to visit famous tourist spots while armed?"
Seriously, it’d look like we were gearing up for a gang war. Depending on the venue, we’d probably be flat-out rejected at the door—and it’d likely end up on the news.
“High school explorers on a school trip denied entry to garden for carrying weapons.” I could already see the headline.
"From the perspective of other guests or the facility operators, it’s just a nuisance," Mika continued. "Even if it’s legal, seeing a group of customers carrying weapons would make them unnecessarily wary. It would wear down their nerves."
"Yeah. It’s already a large group, but they’d be radiating an unnecessary intimidation. The other guests would be pressured into fleeing all at once."
"True. Dealing with a group of high schoolers hyped up on a school trip is hard enough for shopkeepers as it is," Hiiragi-san said. "But if most of those students are also armed... the tension would inevitably skyrocket."
The image of a horde of high schoolers swarming a souvenir shop with bulky weapon cases in tow surfaced in my mind. Wait, was the souvenir shop actually a dungeon branch?
"If that happens, when it's our turn to go on a school trip next year, the destinations or travel agencies might reject us," Mika worried.
"I agree," Saori said. "If they know we're the kind of customers who cause that kind of trouble, there's a high probability they'll reject us to avoid getting involved in any messes."
"It's what they call being blacklisted as 'troublesome guests,'" Tatebayashi added.
"Does that mean our grade might not get to go on a school trip at all?!" Hino cried.
Watching the four of them talk about next year's prospects with panicked looks, I let out a small sigh.
I didn't think it would actually be canceled, but it would certainly leave a deep scar on the school’s external reputation and set a bad precedent. They'd be known as the school that brings trouble. In the worst-case scenario, it could lead to a decrease in applicants and... well, things could go south from there.
"The school won't want that to happen either, so they'll surely intervene."
"Yeah, I really hope they do," Yuji said. "If they don't put a stop to it early, those who are running wild will just keep getting carried away."
"Yes," Hiiragi-san said. "It would be trouble if we got dragged into it somehow. I don't know why they're using us as an example..."
No matter how excited the students were, if the school simply announced that dungeon exploration during the trip was prohibited, most students would likely accept it, however reluctantly. If they added that it would affect their juniors' school trips, there would be almost no one left in opposition.
Well, there would probably be a very small number of rebels—the type who couldn't easily back down once they'd started making a scene.
"Well, I'm sure it'll work out. It'll just be depressing for a while."
"Things are starting to calm down in our class. I’d like to believe the other classes will have settled by the end of winter vacation," Yuji said.
"They'll calm down once the break hits. Probably," Hiiragi-san added.
Swallowing our lingering anxiety along with our juice, we tried to move on.
Just as a slightly gloomy atmosphere was about to settle over the room, the waitress brought in the next course.
Following the soup was the otsukuri—a dish featuring shrimp, crab, and three types of fresh fish. There was salt-grilled shrimp, Hanasaki crab, seared winter yellowtail, kelp-cured flounder, and thinly sliced filefish. Each came with its own specific accompaniment—crab miso, ponzu, salt, and liver soy sauce—allowing us to enjoy a variety of flavor profiles.
"Excuse me."
After collecting the empty soup bowls and finishing the distribution of the otsukuri, the waitress bowed and left the room.
Once she was gone, we decided to try the other item that had arrived before tucking into the seafood. Honestly, I was more curious about this than the sashimi.
"So this is the high-end apple juice... It has an incredible aroma."
Since none of us knew which one to pick, we had all followed Yuji’s recommendation and ordered the apple juice. Since Yuji was the experienced one, his recommendation was bound to be right. We figured we'd taste that first and then order whatever else caught our interest.
"Really? Isn't this what the apple juice served in restaurants is usually like?" Yuji asked.
"What kind of restaurants are you using as your baseline?" Hiiragi-san countered. "Juice of this level would never be served in the places we usually go. Even if we were to serve it at my family’s restaurant, it’s the kind of thing we’d only reluctantly order and prepare if a regular we knew well begged for it. If we kept it in stock and the customer didn't come to drink it, the loss would be significant."
While we stared at the expensive apple juice in our glasses with trepidation, Yuji took a sip with a natural motion, as if it were nothing special. I was impressed that he could say this rank of juice was normal.
Like Hiiragi-san said, juice of this level wouldn't even be stocked in the shops we used. It simply wouldn't sell.
"You're right. Even so, you don't hesitate at all, do you, Yuji?"
"Hesitate? It's just juice. You should enjoy the taste rather than being nervous. It’s delicious."
"I'm sure it is, but... sigh, you're right. Let's have some."
Yuji’s casual demeanor took the wind out of our sails. Realizing it was a waste of energy to stay tense, Hiiragi-san and I each took a sip of the apple juice. Immediately, the refreshing scent of apples rushed through my nose, and a well-balanced, rich sweetness and acidity spread throughout my mouth.
It was delicious, just as Yuji said... or rather, was this even actually apple juice?
"This is amazing. A rich sweetness fills your mouth, but the aftertaste is incredibly clean."
"You're right," Hiiragi-san agreed. "You feel a strong sweetness the moment you taste it, but the finish is so sharp. I see—with this, it certainly won't interfere with the food."
After drinking the juice Yuji recommended, Hiiragi-san and I couldn't help but marvel at his choice. It wasn't just delicious; it was a drink that truly complemented the meal.
"Right? If the aftertaste lingers too much, it changes the flavor of the food. This one has a great balance. Well, if you’re really worried about it, water is the only real choice, though."
"True, if you prioritize the taste of the food, water is best, but if possible, I’d like the drink to be delicious too."
"Yes, if you can have a combination of a delicious drink and delicious food, nothing beats that."
Satisfied with Yuji's explanation, I turned my gaze toward Mika and the others, who were also savoring the juice.
"Whoa, this is delicious too!"
"It has the same name as the apple juice we know, but it’s a completely different thing..."
"The aftertaste is so refreshing."
"Is this really apple juice?"
All four of them were voicing their admiration, their eyes wide with surprise. Being a high-end product, it was indeed a different beast from the apple juice we knew, despite sharing the name.
After a moment of excitement over our first taste of high-end apple juice, we shifted our attention to the otsukuri.
"The plating is exquisite. It matches the pattern on the plate perfectly."
"With food like this, the plate is part of the dish," Yuji noted. "A single choice in plating determines whether you can make the most of the vessel’s quality."
"Yes, the arrangement makes full use of the plate's design and negative space," Hiiragi-san added.
Shrimp, crab, and sashimi were decorated on a rectangular illustrated plate, accompanied by small bowls containing the seasonings for each type of fish.
"Well then, let’s eat. First... the shrimp, maybe?"
I reached for the salt-grilled head-on shrimp, removed the head, and put it in my mouth. My eyes widened. I had expected a simple salt-grilling, but the salt used was spiced. The aroma of multiple herbs and the stimulation of heat and numbing spice blended with the sweetness of the shrimp. Despite its simple appearance, it had a flavor that felt exotic.
It was a taste that really whetted the appetite.
"So good... I might really like this flavor..."
The honest truth slipped out of my mouth. It was a shame that there was only one of these shrimp in the course. My only concern was that since I’d eaten this stimulating, rich shrimp first, I wondered if I’d be able to distinguish the other flavors... I might have chosen the wrong order.
Well, it was my own fault for being lured in by the scent.
"This crab is delicious too, Daiki. It has a small amount of lime juice sprinkled on it, so it feels rich yet refreshing. It’s different from lemon or kabosu; this flavor is quite nice."
"This seared winter yellowtail sashimi is fresh and delicious as well," Hiiragi-san noted. "The ponzu has a strong dashi flavor, and the acidity provides a perfect accent."
"It's my first time eating flounder sashimi with salt, but it's surprisingly good."
"The salt is scented. I wonder what it is? There are black grains mixed in the salt, so that must be the source..."
"The filefish is delicious too, with its firm, crunchy texture."
"So this is what liver soy sauce tastes like."
Everyone shared their impressions with beaming smiles.
Each element had a different flavor, yet they supported one another, elevating the overall taste of the platter. I’d worried that starting with the aromatic, intensely flavored shrimp was a tactical error, but it actually served as a perfect prelude to the rest of the course. The lingering aroma I thought would be overpowering actually complemented the scents of the other ingredients, and the stimulating aftertaste acted as a subtle accent, much like a secret ingredient.
"It makes me want to try different combinations. This otsukuri gives a completely different impression depending on what you eat first."
"Yeah," Yuji agreed. "I started with a different dish than the one I had when I came here before, and like you said, Daiki, the impression changed entirely. Last time, I started with the shrimp like you did, so the whole thing felt spicy, but starting with the crab this time made it feel much more refreshing."
"I knew it. In that case, there must be a lot of customers who come specifically for this."
"Yeah. It’s a dish where you find something new every time you eat it. It’s one of the signature items here."
Food of this quality showing various faces just by changing the order of eating—it was the kind of culinary art that made you look forward to coming back. In fact, I was already thinking that if there was a next time, I’d want to try a different order.
"This is truly amazing."
Hiiragi-san had a small smile as she stared intensely at the plate, radiating an aura of pure admiration. Because her own family ran a restaurant, she seemed deeply impressed that such a perfected dish had been created. Though the genres were different, they walked the same path; it was only natural for her to feel such respect.
"It really is."
"Yeah."
After we’d all given our impressions, we quietly savored the rest of the course.
It felt good to be able to deeply enjoy such delicious and fun food. It really was a stabilizer for the soul. After all, in this moment, all we had to do was enjoy the meal to our heart's content.
A break with delicious food after a conversation that made my stomach ache... it was just what I needed.