Chapter 20

Side: Kasumigaseki

The response office was in an uproar, overwhelmed by the constant ringing of phones and the flood of incoming emails.

“Damn it, dealing with just the ninth one is hard enough!”

The response office was already busy dealing with the ninth dungeon that had been discovered yesterday, and now they were facing the worsening issue of leaked dungeon footage circulating online, reported in the middle of the night.

The leaks wouldn’t stop, and the secrets were beginning to unravel.

Once one video spread, similar dungeon footage that had previously been deleted by governments around the world was dug up again. The inability to erase individually saved footage became a liability.

For now, most people were just spreading and reposting the footage for fun, but some were beginning to realize that it couldn’t just be CG, causing even more commotion.

Moreover, a few dungeons discovered by private citizens, without oversight from official agencies, existed as well. Some individuals who had managed to monopolize such dungeons even released selective information with fake details mixed in, creating a chaotic blend of scarce truths and abundant lies.

Naturally, governments around the world were working quickly to keep things under wraps, but since the response measures and scales varied widely, the spread couldn’t be controlled.

The same was true within Japan. Although those who knew the truth were moving to keep things secret, there weren’t enough of them, so they were falling behind.

“There are reports of several hacker groups spreading the footage. Do they think these dungeons are some kind of treasure trove?”

“People just love trying to expose whatever’s hidden, don’t they?”

“This is no time to be saying that!”

The members of the response office were doing their best to contain the information, but in this highly information-driven modern age, it wasn’t easy to manage and hide something unpredictable like a dungeon.

Honestly, they should probably be commended for keeping it under wraps this long.

“Report to the Chief Cabinet Secretary! The worst-case scenario may be inevitable!”

The exposure of the dungeons, like many other secrets and confidential information, had its roots in distrust of the elites, the state, and the media.

Many refused to let it be monopolized by a select few. Among the UN member states, there was already suspicion that developed countries might monopolize dungeon interests, leading some to act independently.

Whether by chance or necessity, the world was starting to change bit by bit, in ways unrelated to Kakeru and the others.

Side: Amakashi Sho

I bought a lot of things.

I had thought about eating out for dinner, but Pritia and the others wanted to enjoy a meal at home, so we headed back.

We brought back small items like clothes, accessories, and smartphones, while larger items like beds were scheduled for delivery starting tomorrow. For now, the women’s rooms only have guest futons.

“This smartphone thing is quite interesting,” Noctia, looking more cheerful than tired, was happily fiddling with her new smartphone.

The image I had of her as a dignified, enigmatic demon lord seemed to shatter a little.

I was just about to start preparing dinner when my phone rang.

“Amakashi! Have you seen it!?”

It was Kitamura, sounding excited as if expecting me to understand even without any context.

“What? I just got home after shopping…”

He told me to search “dungeon” on any social media or video platform, so I opened my laptop and got online.

“There’s footage of that monster you chased off!”

The women, who had been looking over our new purchases, peered at the monitor, close enough for me to hear them breathing.

I shook off the distraction.

As I searched as instructed, I found the same video I’d seen earlier at the electronics store, posted everywhere. Additionally, there were numerous new videos of what appeared to be dungeons.

“Yep, that’s definitely the monster.”

“Online, they’re calling it a goblin! There’s a debate between those saying it’s CG or special effects and those saying it’s real. This could be bad for the school! There’s no way that’s just CG or special effects!”

I could tell Kitamura was agitated by the sheer unusualness of the situation. Knowing that the same monsters existed under our school would certainly make him anxious.

“For now, calm down. The school probably conducted some investigation today. If anything serious comes up, they’ll explain and respond.”

Although, with how things were shaping up, it seemed likely that someone would try to keep the dungeon a secret, which might lead to misinformation. As long as they ensured our safety, that might actually be more beneficial for me as an ordinary high school student.

Just then, I received another call.

“Sorry, there’s another call. I’ll call you back.”

“Amakashi? Sorry to call out of the blue. Have you seen the commotion on social media?”

It was Horii-san. How did she get my number? Probably through Kitamura.

“Yes, Kitamura just informed me.”

“It’s about that monster, right?”

“Not the same individual, but it’s likely the same species.”

I wasn’t too concerned since it was a lesser goblin, but it seemed Horii and the others were well past the point of mere surprise. If she was reacting this way, Aizawa was likely feeling the same.

“My father’s planning to visit the school again tomorrow. He thinks parents should check out the underground space for themselves. He also said that if the three of us testify that we were attacked by some unknown creature, he’ll press the issue.”

“Horii-san, isn’t your father…”

“He’s on the PTA board.”

After looking it up yesterday, I found out Horii-san is the daughter of the CEO of a prominent Japanese corporation. Naturally, her father is the CEO, and he holds considerable influence over the school.

“Would you testify as well? I’ve asked Kitamura-kun and Aizawa-san. But your account of chasing the monster off is the one I need the most.”

I can understand why. If kids fall into an area the school doesn’t even know about and get attacked by a bipedal creature of unknown origin, of course, their parents would be concerned.

Once they confirm that we’re not insane, they might just take action.

But I hesitated. Pursuing this further didn’t seem like it would lead to anything good. This was beyond what any one person could handle.

I’d had enough experience in that other world to know that standing out as an individual usually led to trouble.

“Kakeru, just accept it. Declining would make you look suspicious,” Pritia whispered her advice, having overheard the conversation from my phone.

“Indeed. Given your position, refusal would look unnatural,” Filia added.

That made sense.

“Understood. I’ll testify if it’s necessary, though I’m not sure how much help I’ll be.”

“Thank you. I don’t want this to be swept under the rug. If something happened, it would be too late. You were so calm in chasing it away last time.”

The school and the police both seemed sincere in their response. But testifying that we were attacked by a bipedal creature didn’t seem to prompt much of a reaction.

Their reaction seemed to suggest they thought some monkey had wandered in. And that would be the normal response.

That said, it didn’t look like a monkey. With similar footage now circulating, people were bound to take it more seriously.

With that, I ended my call with Horii-san.

Who knows what will happen next?

This concludes the free portion.

Thank you for reading. As you may already understand, this story primarily centers on peaceful, everyday life.

I’ll aim to update as often as possible, though it may not be daily. If you feel like reading something alongside works by other authors, I’d be grateful if you gave this a try.