kscans

Chapter 215 - Camping

Saturday. The average daytime temperature had dropped to around twenty degrees Celsius, and I was waiting in front of my door, smartphone in hand.

A pleasant breeze caressed my skin, but I was a little worried about the strap of the Boston bag slung over my shoulder, which seemed to be groaning in protest.

I had disassembled Blanc and packed him inside, but he was quite heavy even without his armaments. The last bag I used for this broke, so I bought what looked like a sturdy one at the Dungeon Store, but... I was a bit worried it would break again.

Just then, a small pickup truck pulled up in front of me. The passenger-side window rolled down, and Mia-san leaned out slightly from the driver's seat to call out to me.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Not at all. You're five minutes early. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for imposing."

After cutting the engine, Mia-san got out and partially removed the tarp covering the truck bed.

"Please put your Boston bag back here. It looks heavy."

"Oh, thank you."

I gave a small nod and, taking her up on her offer, placed the bag containing Blanc onto the truck bed.

As I did, I caught a glimpse under the tarp and tilted my head.

"Aren't Ukon and the others with you today?"

"If I brought them along, I wouldn't be able to carry anything else," Mia-san said with a wry smile in response to my question.

She has a point. Those two were even bigger and heavier than Blanc; they'd probably take up eighty percent of the truck's capacity by themselves.

As I mulled this over, she smiled teasingly.

"Besides, I have you with me today. I'm counting on you."

"Uh... I'll do my best."

I felt a little embarrassed and averted my eyes.

Looking at her again, she really was a beautiful woman. And since Aira-san and Erina-san weren't here, she wasn't acting strangely either.

Today, she was dressed in clothes that were easier to move in than usual. That said, it wasn't dungeon gear; she'd clearly put thought into her style.

She wore a black hunting cap with a yellow and white jumpsuit. The front zipper was pulled down to her solar plexus, revealing a white shirt underneath.

Below, the jumpsuit covered about a third of her thighs, and from there down, she wore thick black tights. Her shoes were a pair of rugged black sneakers.

The jumpsuit hugged her figure quite a bit, so on someone with a body as stunning as hers, it was quite a sight for sore eyes. Her chest was as impressive as ever, but her rear was equally amazing. And her waist was so slender... seriously, this family of bombshells is something else.

"Well then, let's get going. We're planning to stop at a parking area on the way, but did you use the restroom?"

"Yes. I'm good."

"Then let's head out! Let's make this a fun camping trip!"

*

From the passenger seat of the truck, I gazed out the window and recalled the moment I was invited on this camping trip.

I thought it was just going to be a day trip, so I was surprised when I heard it was for two days and one night. And in tents, no less.

But considering the problems I was currently dealing with, it wasn't a bad suggestion. My parents gave me their permission, so I accepted.

Still, I was worried about them if I was going to be away for a while. As I was thinking that, the Professor offered to spend the day talking with my parents and act as their bodyguard in the process.

In return, she asked me to think things over with Mia-san and be there for her.

Erina-san and the others weren't coming today. Apparently, that self-proclaimed ninja was desperate to go, but Aira-san managed to talk her out of it.

It was a little surprising, but deep down, she's a kind person. She was probably trying to help us find an answer to the 'dungeon anxiety' that Mia-san and I were both facing.

Although it seems she didn't give a single thought to me, being left alone with a busty beauty!!

I mean, yeah. If you ask me if I'm happy or not, I'm ecstatic.

But at the same time, it's awkward, and I'm worried I'll do something stupid. Mia-san is just that captivating of a woman.

Even now, if I look over at the driver's seat, there's a magnificent view of her chest being pressed by the seatbelt. I mean, I'm already sneaking glances, and I can only pray she hasn't noticed.

Her Boobacious Majesty... no. Her Honkin' Badonkerous Majesty has descended...!

What incredible power. Their gravitational pull is threatening to suck my face in. The Mother Planet... there are now three Earths in this world...!

But I—I resisted.

She invited me, and the Professor and Aira-san sent us off without a second thought. It's all because they 'trust' me.

There's no way I could betray that trust. What kind of man would I be if I didn't live up to the expectations of my precious comrade-in-arms and my mentor...!

That's why the little something Mom handed me before I left, telling me to 'Go become a man!!', is sealed away deep in my backpack.

Mom... have a little more faith in your son. And please stop taking a full swing with a club at my delicate adolescent parts. I'm gonna rebel, seriously.

And Dad, if you're going to do a double-take with a shocked look on your face, then stop her. She's your wife. Don't ponder for a few seconds and then give me a thumbs-up with a look of enlightenment.

Is my self-control made of orichalcum? I think a normal high school boy would have snapped if his parents pulled something like this.

But I digress. Although my peripheral vision, enhanced by my [Spirit Eye], occasionally caught glimpses of her magnificent chest jiggling with the bumps in the road, we arrived at the campsite safely.

We parked the truck in a dirt lot and got out. Just beyond the nearby fence, a breathtaking view greeted us.

"Whoa... it's beautiful."

"Isn't it? It's good to get away for a while every now and then."

Faced with the stunning scenery spreading before me, my paltry vocabulary couldn't produce any decent commentary.

I'd seen mountains during my last exploration, but this might have been the first time I'd looked down on them like this for leisure since elementary school.

I know I'm an indoor person, but being confronted with the grandeur of nature like this was overwhelming. The autumn colors hadn't arrived yet, and the vibrant leaves, illuminated by the sun, highlighted the beauty of the mountains.

A slightly strong breeze washed over my entire body. The fresh, clean air filled my lungs, feeling as if it were washing away all the wicked thoughts inside me.

"Alright, let's go say hello to the campsite manager."

"Oh, right!"

Mia-san giggled cheerfully at me as I stood there staring at the view with my mouth agape.

Feeling a bit embarrassed, I turned my face away from her again.

I walked a little behind Mia-san to a lodge in a corner of the campsite. When we opened the door, an old woman was sitting alone at the reception desk.

"Oh, welcome."

"Hello. I'm Miyoshi, I have a reservation. Thank you for having us today."

"My, how polite of you."

Following Mia-san's lead as she bowed her head slightly, I hastily gave a nod as well.

And as she briskly handled paying the fees and confirming the campground rules, I missed my chance to pay my share.

From the sounds of it, she'd quickly paid for both of us. How uncool of me.

"Oh, by the way. I'll be heading home for the night, so if anything happens, just give me a call, you hear?"

"Yes, we will."

"I'll be back tomorrow morning. They say these monster things have been appearing lately, so you have to be careful at night."

"Do monsters appear here?"

When I blurted that out, the old woman waved her hand dismissively, looking troubled.

"Well, no. We haven't had any around here, but you never know. I turned the mountain I owned into a campsite a few years ago to save up for my retirement, but the number of guests has dropped off sharply."

"Oh, is that so?"

"When I took your reservation, I heard you were both skilled adventurers, so I'm relieved. So impressive for being so young."

I gave a wry smile at the laid-back old woman.

"Haha. If any monsters do show up, this young man here will take care of them easily."

"Oh my. What a reliable boyfriend."

"Ah, no! We're not... a couple."

As Mia-san scratched her cheek with an embarrassed look, the old woman's smile deepened. "Oh my, my, my."

Then she looked back and forth between us several times.

"...Perhaps I should come in a bit later tomorrow morning?"

"No, that's quite all right!"

After sorting things out at reception, we returned to the truck.

"But there really are no other guests here, huh?"

Feeling a bit awkward, I found myself pointlessly scanning the area.

"It seems so. Ever since the Day of Awakening about a year ago, the number of people who go camping has plummeted."

"Well, a lot has happened..."

About six months after the Day of Awakening, the first stampede occurred, and for several days after that, monsters were rampaging all over the place.

There was a time when you couldn't go a day without seeing footage of police cars ramming into trolls to try and stop them, or the SDF firing their rifles into a wave of Kobolds that rushed forward like an avalanche.

On top of that, rumors spread that there might be unconfirmed gates in the mountains and forests... and when those rumors turned into reality, it was only natural for the number of campers to dwindle.

In this day and age, there are plenty of ways to have fun indoors. With global warming also being a factor, managing a campsite must be tougher than I can imagine.

"Alright! Let's stop talking about things that will ruin this perfect camping weather and enjoy having this place all to ourselves!"

"Ah, yes. You're right."

I had instinctively started to survey my surroundings for threats, but Mia-san's clap brought me back.

"Okay, Kyouta-kun, please get the tents down from the truck bed. I'll be right there to help!"

"Okay."

Honestly, I know nothing about camping, so I followed her instructions, returning to the parking lot and removing the tarp.

As I was taking out the tent bodies and poles, Mia-san came over.

"Sorry for the wait. I've finished clearing the stones from where we'll pitch the tents, so I'll help you carry them."

"No, I can handle this much."

"Come on, now. Setting up the tent is part of the fun of camping."

With a huff, Mia-san let out a laugh. The way she laughed reminded me of Erina-san and Aira-san, making me feel the strength of their family connection.

With that, we each carried a tent and walked to the edge of the campsite. I noticed that a spot in the shade of a tree was cleaner than the surrounding area.

Everywhere else, I could see weeds and large stones here and there, but that one spot was unnaturally clear.

I was a little surprised by the neatly prepared ground when Mia-san gave me a mischievous smile.

"This is the power of [Civil Engineering Magic]. Camping is about enjoying the inconvenience, but using magic to make things easier feels kind of fresh, don't you think?"

"You're right. I don't really use magic much in my daily life."

Inside a dungeon is one thing, but in normal life, modern technology is often more convenient than magic.

It's easier to use a stove or a freezer than to start a fire or freeze something with alchemy.

Of course, magic and alchemy offer a wider range of possibilities for an individual, but the conveniences of civilization often win out.

That's why using magic for something other than combat out here in nature felt strangely refreshing.

We laid the tent bodies on the ground she had prepared, and I picked up the stakes.

"Drive them in at an angle, with the tips facing inward. So they go in deep, with all your migh—"

At her own tent space, Mia-san, holding a mallet and stake, broke into a cold sweat as she saw the mallet I was holding.

"...Please don't hit them with all your might, okay?"

"I'll use a moderate amount of force."

"Yes. Perfect score!"

Mia-san gave me a thumbs-up, and again, I felt a sense of違和感, a sense that something was off.

Somehow... could it be that...

"Mia-san, are you a huge fan of camping...?"

She was clearly hyper. It was a different kind of excitement from when she was worked up about Aira-san; this was a wholesome sort of glee.

In response to my words, she chuckled softly while hammering a stake into the ground.

"I suppose so. Around the time I became an Awakened Person, I used to come camping whenever my head felt all jumbled. It's been a while, though."

"A woman all alone... that sounds dangerous..."

"You're so quick to assume I was a loner."

"Ah, sorry. It just slipped out."

"Well, I was actually alone, so I can't deny it. But I'd become an Awakened Person, so I was stronger, and I had my golems guarding the tent. Besides, it was a time when unsavory types didn't come to campgrounds."

"Ah..."

"In fact, it was often deserted like today. I did see a group of women occasionally, though."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Ah, are you done with your side?"

"Sorry, just a moment."

Mia-san seemed to have finished driving in her stakes while we were talking, so I hurriedly hammered in mine as well.

"Next up are the poles. Make sure this protrusion is facing down."

I nodded at her, her eyes sparkling like a child's, and we continued to set up the tents.

We staked the entrance to the ground, wrapped the guy lines around the frame, and drove those into the ground as well. And with that, we were done.

"Yup, your tent looks fine too, Kyouta-kun! Is this really your first time pitching one? You're very good at it!"

"W-Well, I wouldn't say that..."

I felt myself blushing at her unabashed praise, but Mia-san paid me no mind and continued on.

"Now, it's time to prepare the campfire! Camping means campfire, and campfire means camping! The history of mankind is the history of the campfire!"

"Ah, yes."

Wow. I remembered my dad getting super hyped up when my family went camping back in elementary school.

Though, Dad has hated camping ever since he singed his bangs in a campfire.

Come to think of it, that might have been when his frontline began its retreat... though it's made quite a comeback since he Awakened.

"The firewood is on the truck bed, could you please get it? I'll prepare the fire pit with magic and then grab the kitchen table!"

"Yessir!"

I nodded at the incredibly enthusiastic Mia-san and headed to the truck as instructed.

Somehow, her smile was infectious, and I felt my own cheeks relax into a grin. Was it too early to say I felt like a kid again?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Mia-san activating her magic with an unnecessary shout of "Hup!" and I chuckled, naturally striding toward the parking lot.