-18- Plans for Tomorrow
White particles are swirling. I and Hiiragi-san returned to the dungeon’s doorway with dazzling and flickering lights.
I removed the bottom of the lantern and take out the mana stone. The mana inside the stone became smaller and its own volume had shrunk too. I put those away in the backpack.
A magic bag is an object that doesn’t increase its volume at all so the thickness doesn’t change. It’s not possible to look at its contents even by using MS detection. Not knowing what it carries just by looking from outside is one of the advantages it has.
We walk through the white light. The color darkens and turns into black. When we came out of the monochrome world, like losing our sense of balance, we arrived at the familiar room. And then, the ma.s.sive gate that connects to that large square room opened.
「Mukou-kun, Fushimi-san!」
A voice called the two of us.
Our cla.s.smates who came back earlier from the dungeon were spending their time leisurely in the room. There were various people who were lying on the floor, exchanging conversations, and eating.
Their line of sights gathered for a moment when the gate opened, but their interest gradually faded and returned to their own spare time.
The person who called out, while showing a face that doesn’t seem to have any confidence, approached with small steps until she was next to us.
「It was good that both of you were safe. I was worried. Going in the dungeon with just two people, what on earth were you thinking?!!」
With eyes that look like tears will fall down at any time on her cheeks, she raises her voice. Kazue-chan might have been worrying about us from the bottom of her heart.
Seriously and stubbornly, she scolded us for our actions. Since I can imagine her feelings, I listened in silence. Hiiragi-san next to me didn’t say anything either.
「Kazue-chan. That’s probably enough warning for the two. Both Hibari and Hiiragi are probably tired so let them sit and take a rest.」
Hiiragi-san grasped my clothes tightly when that person’s figure entered her field of vision. Her facial expression is tense and stiff.
「T, that’s right. I’m sorry to both of you. Have you already eaten a meal? If not, I will go and get it so please sit down and wait.
Kazue-chan walked toward the mountain of cardboard boxes in panic after she heard our answer.
Dekoko watches us while grinning. Her line of sight turned towards the hand clutching my clothes.
「Fufuーn. For now, welcome back, you two. A topic for discussion is coming up regarding the matters for tomorrow. Wait for a moment since I’m going to call someone.」
With a face that looks really happy, Dekoko left while letting her hair at the back sway.
Without time to think what the topic of discussion is, Sagara came to take over.
「Fufufu, Mukou-shi, Fushimi-shi, how was the dungeon?」
After watching him settle down with a thump, we finally sat on the floor as well.
Kazue-chan came back carrying ration and water shortly after that. Before we said anything, we broke the seal of the heater and started heating the packs.
「Sensei, there’s no need to trouble yourself with preparing the food for us though.」
「No, I am doing it because I want to. So don’t worry about it.」
Kazue-chan spoke to interrupt Hiiragi-san’s words.
Her voice was slightly too desperate and her back looked small. She was helplessly miserable.
Sagara is grinning while lifting his gla.s.ses with his fingers.
It’s really a bother. I miss the dungeon where I’m alone with Hiiragi-san.
「Fushimi, are you all right!?」
When I was eating a meal that can be summarized as a Chinese-style concept, I heard a loud voice which is deep for a female.
A girl with a large build and short hair. Even while Tsuzuki is calling out her concern for Hiiragi-san, she is glaring at me.
「Did this pervert do anything to you?」
「Pervert? Nothing particular… Ah!」
「Mukou!!」
Her eyes are looking at me like shooting me to death. Even though I want Hiiragi-san to a.s.sist me, her face became red and hanged her head down as she seemed to recall the morning kiss.
「Heh… What the heck did Hibarin do? Yuuko-chan is becoming curious. Hey hey, why don’t you tell it, Fushimin?」
「That’s right, say it. What did he do? I will give out the punishment so try to say it honestly.」
Maizuru stepped into the discussion with a detestable face.
To begin with, what’s do you mean by Fushimin, Maizuru? Aren’t you being over-familiar despite not being that close with Hiiragi-san?
「H, he didn’t do anything strange!」
Pressed with questions, Hiiragi-san isn’t really convincing because she said it with a blushing face. Tsuzuki is glaring at me clenching her teeth while Maizuru is showing a disgusting smile.
I look around searching for help somewhere.
「Gufufu, What did you do, Mukou-shi? Please tell it only to me in secret later.」
「I won’t approve illicit s.e.xual relationships as a teacher. However, it might also be our misunderstanding and imagination. Just in case, it’s not good if we don’t listen to confirm what you did.」
「It will be an interesting story, right? Can you also tell me?」
The obscenely smiling Sagara and also the no good teacher who is concerned with the state of affairs of the students can’t be counted on. Someone like Dekoko is out of the question.
I was about to give up when no one taking my side in here. But a voice of salvation came from an unexpected person.
「The two of them seems to be in a middle of a meal. Why don’t you let them eat in silence?」
It’s the cla.s.s vice president. It’s Uji who is hidden in the shadow of the popular Dekoko and has a weak presence.
Naturally, voices of complaints were spoken. However, the cla.s.s vice president rebukes with a few words that shut them up. The place fell silent because of the repeated silencing that doesn’t even allow the person to stay on the same level and object.
「Uji-kun, 「Shut up!」」
He didn’t even receive our words of grat.i.tude. I and Hiiragi-san, not speaking even a single word, silently moved our hands to our mouths and ate.
After we finished our meal, we put the trash together in one spot.
I, Hiiragi-san, Dekoko, Tsuzuki, Maizuru, Kazue-chan, Uji, and Sagara formed a small circle and sat one by one.
「Hey, Uji-kun. Can I talk already?」
「Yes, it’s alright, Cla.s.s President.」
With Dekoko purposely asking for confirmation, we instinctively point our looks of astonishment towards Uji.
Serious and faultless gla.s.ses. Although he should have been made fun of by Dekoko until a few days ago, is this what they call taking off the mask after falling into a critical situation?
「Now then, I gathered these members to explain the discussions to Hibari’s group who doesn’t know about it and get the response of each group, but why is Sagarkun still here?」
「You’re unfair, Nagaokshi. Am I not allowed to be here?」
「Eh? You’re pointlessly taking up s.p.a.ce, looking sweaty, and being a nuisance though.」
「Oh my, straight to the point, Cla.s.s President. Fatty doesn’t have to be here, right?」
「You should really lose weight. Since you declined my invitation this morning, are you making progress on your exercise?」
「Fumu. Mukou-shi, Fushimi-shi, Uji-shi, Yosano-sensei, please say something to these three people.」
The fact that I don’t know why we are gathered together and I’m next to Sagara is really annoying.
And that person might not have noticed it himself, but his body smells sour. Because the offensive smell is terrible, I really don’t want to come near him too much.
「Since I heard you are not partic.i.p.ating, you should not be here, Sagara.」
「Uji-shi!?」
「I don’t want to speak too much, but let me say it for this moment. Your smell is quite intense so can you not get close to me?」
「Fushimi-shi!?」
「Oh, telling the truth that n.o.body spoke of, Fushimin is so cruel.」
「Eh!? I, is it that terrible?」
「Somehow, from Sensei’s words…」
You look like you’re is hesitating to tell the truth, Kazue-chan.
Sagara drops his shoulders like he is crushed and looks at my face hoping to entrust me with his final hope.
Fuu, it’s no use, Sagara.
「Sgarkun. Your body odor was terrible since earlier. Didn’t you sweat when you moved your body today? The irritating odor together with the trash smells so much that I’m feeling sick. I think you should wash off the dirt on your body quickly.」
Sagara, who was told of the truth, was dumbfounded and left afterward while raising a kind of frustrated voice. Hiiragi-san straightforwardly said it so there’s no reason for me to hesitate.
Giving the final words might be natural.
「Well then, shall we proceed to the main issue? Hibari and Hiiragi entered the dungeon so I believe that you experienced all sorts of things, but you should have noticed that it is necessary to stay overnight in order to capture the dungeon. So for our safety, Harunchan’s group first came up with the idea of camping together. What do you think about it, Uji-kun and Yuuko-chan?」
「The majority in our group agreed. We will camp together with the group of Tsuzuki-san tomorrow.」
「I opposed it, but the other members agreed. Haa, what a bother.」
We also felt that camping is necessary. However, while it may be true that it’s for safety, but should all of us in the cla.s.s do it?
I and Hiiragi-san look at each other’s faces. She said that she would leave it to my judgment.
「Will both of you partic.i.p.ate? Sagara and Higashiyama refused so I won’t force you like that, but since it’s something we’re not familiar with, I think it’s not bad if we try to be cautious and suggested it. Even though it’s only for Hiiragi, but what do you think, pervert?
Does Tsuzuki hate me very much? Or had she awoke to a hobby she shouldn’t have because of Hiiragi-san’s overwhelming cuteness?
She isn’t feminine and that might be really because she is manlier than a useless man.
Camping is absolutely necessary if I think about capturing the dungeon. Although sleeping defenselessly in a cave where monsters run rampant is a dangerous act, why should that be the decisive action?
It’s safe if a large number of people does it, but the problem is if there’s a point of trying to practice that.
That reminds me, what did Sagara say? Our cla.s.smates who were defeated in the tutorial and died should have broken spirits. So they might be aiming for safety more than necessary and trying to avoid risk.
Since Tsuzuki is acting as that group’s leader, she seems to be trying to act carefully.
Like Maizuru who cleared the tutorial, I feel kind of bothered from the bottom of my heart. I will be unwilling to partic.i.p.ate by being pushed by the members.
In the end, it has been decided that they will be camping with a party with a small number of people, so it’s meaningless once they considered safety first. Besides, it takes time to move in a large number of people and I might reveal my cards. The PP that can be acquired will decrease if there are more people and if you’re unskilled you will be in the red, isn’t it?
I can’t find a merit at all.
「Tsuzuki-san, we will not partic.i.p.ate.」
「Is that so… Understood.」
「Haah, so nice. I wonder if I can also leave and follow Hibarin and Fushimin.」
Maizuru blurted out something funny. Spare me. Being together with Maizuru is tiring and I can only think about troublesome things. In the first place, I don’t like you.
「Hibari and Hiiragi are nonpartic.i.p.ants, right? Since it will be early tomorrow, should we end the discussion with this? Yuuko-chan and Uji-kun, inform your party members. Harunchan, go tell what was decided to everyone.」
We ended the discussion with Dekoko’s words.
Maizuru breathes out a sigh and walks with steps that do not feel motivated at all. Kazue-chan went ahead with Uji who is in the same party. Tsuzuki left while being pulled away by Dekoko.
As the people around decrease and I face Hiiragi-san.
「Hiiragi-san.」
「Yes, the promise, right?」
Hiiragi-san stands up with my call.
Following next to me, she walks with her small gait. We head straight towards the white stairs leading up in front of us.