TN: There are some slight changes from chapter 233. By the way, I just realized after translating this chapter again that I mistranslated the name of Saijo’s daughter, “Kyou”, in the latest chapters to Kagami. Well, I guess I’ll remember it now.
The mysterious lifeform known as Danpon suddenly appeared from another world.
He created dungeons all over this world.
Inside those dungeons, people discovered all kinds of things.
Gourmet dishes no one had ever tasted before.
Magic stones that served as new sources of energy, replacing oil and natural gas.
A legendary medicine that could cure any illness or injury.
As a result, it seemed like Japan, or rather, the entire world, had undergone a dramatic shift in what was considered normal.
But in reality, not that much had changed.
The sun still rose in the east. Schools still existed. And if you were late to school, you still got scolded.
It had been ten years since this new world, where the ordinary days of Japan and the extraordinary from Japan’s past now coexisted, became the norm.
-0-
It was the start of September.
The route to school still carried the lingering heat of summer.
Even so, the early morning breeze felt fresh, the leaves on the trees rustled faintly, and the sun was just peeking gently over Mount Ikoma to the east.
Cutting through the quiet, I, Yamamoto Touka, was running down the road to school with a piece of toast in my mouth.
-0-
It was my first day transferring from Yoshino in Nara.
Last night, I stayed alone at a business hotel for the first time in my life. I was too nervous to sleep, so I ended up watching dungeon livestreams all night. My phone battery died, the alarm didn’t go off, and I overslept.
Of course, I knew that excuse wouldn’t fly.
I ran through the school gate, switched into my indoor shoes at the lockers, and headed toward my classroom—only to realize I had no idea where it was.
I looked around for someone to ask, but there wasn’t a single other student in sight.
Huh? The chime hasn’t rung yet, right? So why is the school empty?
Wait… don’t tell me I’m already late?!
-0-
Just as panic started setting in, a girl stepped out of the restroom.
She had short silver hair neatly pulled back with a headband.
Was she a first-year like me?
「A-ano!」
When I called out to her, she turned around.
「What?」
「Do you know which way 1-A is?」
「Just head that way and you’ll find it right away」
She glanced down the hallway as she spoke.
I quickly thanked her and hurried in that direction, soon finding the classroom exactly where she said.
Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself.
First impressions are important—Grandma always said so.
Smile. Be cheerful. Greet them with confidence.
「Nice to meet you! I’m Yamamoto Touka! I just transferred from Yoshino, Nara! Looking forward to studying with you all!」
I announced enthusiastically… but wait.
There were only two students in the entire classroom?
And both of them were staring at me, completely frozen.
Did I say something weird?
Did I mess up already?
「Hey, Touka-chan…」
One of them, a gentle-looking classmate with droopy eyes, hesitantly spoke.
「Y-yes?」
「Why are you holding a slice of bread?」
「Huh?」
Oh.
Right.
I brought toast for breakfast but never actually ate it.
「It’s my breakfast. I didn’t even have time to toast it, so it’s just plain bread… Wait, does that even make sense? Bread is already baked, so calling it ‘raw’ bread sounds weird, doesn’t it?」
Saying that, I took a bite of my maybe-raw, maybe-not bread.
「Does it really matter? I mean, they sell ‘sashimi-grade boiled crab’ and ‘sashimi-grade boiled octopus,’ so it’s probably fine either way. Oh, I’m Akechi Yukari. You can call me Yukarin.」
「Munch, munch… Yukarin, nice to meet you!」
「I’m Azuma Sumire. I went to the same high school as Yukari before transferring here.」
「Sumire-chan, nice to meet you… munch, munch.」
Oh… Even though they’re classmates, Sumire-san just calls Yukarin by her name.
Yukarin has a gentle, easygoing vibe with wavy hair.
Sumire-chan, on the other hand, is small but dependable, with long, straight hair.
「…Gulp.」
「You’re pretty energetic. You can sit anywhere—though, with only two seats left, that doesn’t give you much choice.」
Yukarin looked at me warmly as she said that.
-0-
I took the seat on the left and started unpacking my bag, making sure I had everything.
「Pens and pencils, check! Notebook, check! Textbooks, check! Collapsible baton, check! Bento, check! Gym clothes, check! Towel, check! Daranisuke, check!」
「Aren’t those things you should check before leaving home? …Wait, Daranisuke?」
「I overslept. But I prepared everything last night, so I shouldn’t have forgotten anything… Ah! I forgot my handkerchief…! A tragic miscalculation…!」
Groaning, I slumped onto my desk.
The rabbit-patterned handkerchief I had carefully picked out at the R〇fu near Koshibe Station….today was supposed to be its grand debut.
「Wait… are there really only four people in this class?」
「Looks like it.」
「Class 1-1 has four students in the Exploration Department. Class 1-2 has two students in the Production Department. That’s a total of just six first-years.」
「What!? But this school is so huge!」
「Apparently, over a thousand students nationwide applied.」
Sumire-san explained.
I had heard the entrance exam was tough, but I had no idea there were that many applicants.
And yet… only six of us made it in?
「Does that mean you two are pretty amazing?」
「That kinda sounds like you’re saying you’re amazing too, y’know? Well, if we’re talking about impressive people, I heard there’s a lady from Toyohatsu Explorations in the Production Department.」
Yukarin glanced toward the door.
And right then, the girl who had given me directions earlier walked in.
She placed her bag on the desk beside mine and took a seat.
So we were in the same class.
「Ano, thank you for earlier. I’m Yamamoto Touka. I’m looking forward to the next three years with you.」
「Kagurazaka Kyou. Likewise.」
She responded in a flat, emotionless voice.
She really was beautiful.
「Ano… thanks again for earlier.」
「You already said that.」
「Kyou-san… are you an Awakened?」
「Yes, I am. A Light Awakened… with this wretched hair, just like that person…」
Kyou-san murmured, frowning slightly.
-0-
Just then, a young female teacher, dressed in a tracksuit, entered the room.
「Alright, everyone’s here. I’m Kurenai Matsuru, your homeroom teacher starting today. Now, let’s get moving. As mentioned in the school guide, bring your gym clothes and collapsible baton. I trust no one forgot theirs?」
At her words, everyone took out their collapsible batons from their bags.
So everyone really did bring one.
But if we need a baton, then…
「Before the entrance ceremony, we’ll be heading into a dungeon. This will be your first dungeon exploration, but there’s no danger, so just follow along without worry.」
Just as I thought.
Still, going into a dungeon before the entrance ceremony? This school really is something else.
Well, it is one of only two dungeon academies in all of Japan.
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