Chapter 47

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One month has passed since the dungeon entry restrictions were implemented. Despite various issues, time has moved on, and it is now March. The explorers who delve into the dungeon, though they have their complaints and conflicts, have been steadily leveling up and advancing to deeper floors, gradually dispersing across the various levels. It is said that if this trend continues, the lifting of the restrictions won't be far off. However, new problems have arisen due to the smooth progress.

Thanks to the explorers' efforts, the variety and quantity of dungeon-produced items have steadily increased, and the prices, which had been soaring due to increased demand, have begun to stabilize. However, as prices fall, the buyback prices for drop items, excluding magic items, also decrease, leading to a new issue of reduced income for explorers. Some explorers who primarily hunt in the surface layers have begun to protest to the Dungeon Association, demanding the maintenance and increase of buyback prices.

The Association's stance is that the reduction in buyback prices is a reasonable response based on the relationship between supply and demand, and they have no intention of reversing it. In response, some explorers are demanding the setting of a minimum buyback price for drop items and the introduction of a support grant system for explorers. Both sides are sticking to their positions, and negotiations are showing signs of reaching a deadlock.

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After finishing my training with Juzo, I returned home and, after dinner, watched TV with my family for the first time in a while. Until recently, Mika had been holed up in her room, cramming for her high school entrance exams, so it was really the first time in a long time that we were all watching TV together. By the way, the TV program we were watching was a collection of funny mishap videos.

"Still, Mika, you seem pretty relaxed. Are you sure you're okay with the exam?"

"？ Of course, I'm fine. I self-graded and I answered 80 to 90 percent of the test questions, so unless the average score this year is significantly higher, I think I'll be fine."

"I see."

You seem very confident. Well, it's better than being overly depressed. Before the exam, you were so tense that it was hard to even talk to you.

Just as I was about to accept Mika's explanation, my mother interjected with a wry smile.

"What are you talking about? You said the test went well, but you were worried about your recommendation score, weren't you?"

"Mom!?"

"Hmm."

"It's not true! Mom, why are you suddenly saying that!?"

Mika tried to close her mouth in a panic at my mother's revelation. She was putting on a brave face, but seeing her now, it seems she's not as worried as she was before.

As I watched my mother and daughter interact with a smile, I met my father's gaze, who was also watching with a smile.

"By the way, Daisuke."

"？ What?"

"How about you? I haven't seen you go to the dungeon much lately."

"Yeah, it's been tough to get entry reservations. Since the entry restrictions were implemented, I've only been to the dungeon twice."

"I see. I've heard there have been quite a few injuries. Are you and your group okay?"

"Yeah. We're not pushing ourselves, so we haven't had any serious injuries so far."

My father asked with concern, and I reassured him with a smile. I did get a minor bruise from being hit by a Red Boar, but it healed completely the next day, so it wasn't a serious injury. Besides, given our level and combat experience, I don't think we'll get seriously injured unless we trigger a trap like the Goblin Room, where multiple monsters appear at once. We managed to get through the Goblin Room unscathed, though we did get splattered with a lot of blood.

Hearing this, my father exhaled in relief. Watching him, I realized that even though I said I wasn't seriously injured, I must have caused him some worry.

"Still, being an explorer seems to be quite profitable. I never thought your income as an explorer would approach the threshold for dependent exemption."

"Well, that... Sorry. If I had consulted you first, it wouldn't have been such a hassle."

"Well, it's okay this year, but if you continue to earn at this rate, we'll need to consult the company... It's a bit awkward, isn't it?"

My father scratched his head and began to think deeply. I really feel bad about this. I overlooked this. As a minor, I am currently treated as a dependent of my father. Thanks to not going to the dungeon during winter break, the money I earned by the end of December was just under 1.03 million yen, so there was no problem this time. However, if I continue to delve into the dungeon, I will need to take some measures.

"…Daisuke, just to confirm, are you going to continue being an explorer and delving into the dungeon?"

"Yeah, I don't plan to quit being an explorer for now."

"I see. So, you'll be going to the dungeon with the same frequency as before?"

"Yeah, I go when I can get a reservation. Once the entry restrictions are lifted, I plan to go to the dungeon on weekends like before."

"I see."

My father confirmed my intentions and began to think. Seeing him, I felt a bit guilty...

My mother joined in, and the conversation progressed.

"If that's the case, we'll need to remove Daisuke from the dependent exemption. And we'll need to get separate insurance, right?"

"That's true. If Daisuke maintains his current income, he won't qualify for the dependent exemption. He'll need to switch to National Health Insurance, as he won't qualify for social insurance."

"Right. We should consult the company. It's better to consult a professional rather than trying to figure it out ourselves."

It seems things are getting complicated.

After talking with my parents, I realized that my status as a minor dependent was complicating the situation. If I were an adult who had already been removed from the dependent exemption, it would be a relatively simple matter of switching to a self-employed explorer. However, as a minor dependent, various issues arise.

For example, if I am removed from my father's dependents, his salary deductions will increase, effectively a tax increase. Additionally, if I am removed from my father's social insurance, I will need to join National Health Insurance, which has a very high premium. Using a formula I found online and calculating based on an assumed annual income, the premium would be several hundred thousand yen per year.

I should consult with Yuzi and Hikari tomorrow.

---

The next day after school, in the classroom with fewer people, I told Yuzi and Hikari about the situation, and both of them had a resigned look on their faces. It seems they had also faced similar issues.

"Yeah, that... It did cause a bit of a stir."

"Me too. When my parents saw the bank statement with the buyback money, they said I was working too hard."

"Working too hard...?"

"It's fine for this year, but I was told that I need to be removed from the dependent exemption next year. My family's accountant said it would be fine, but..."

"My situation is similar to Hikari's. We'll need to consult our family's accountant."

It seems they also had quite a bit of trouble.

I reviewed the textbook I received during the explorer license training, but the Dungeon-Related Special Measures Act did not mention anything about the income of minors from the dungeon. There were no special provisions for the income limit of dependents. It seems they are treating it under the normal tax system.

Is this a strategy by the government to discourage minors from entering the dungeon, like the gun laws? If a minor's income exceeds the dependent limit, the parents, as guardians, would have to stop or reduce the frequency of their child's dungeon visits.

Thinking about it, the fact that the dungeon was opened to the public in October might have been intentional. It could have been better to start in January for a clean start.

Thinking about this, I remembered something and took out my smartphone to check and ask them.

"…Yuzi, Hikari, do you think the explorer card ranks are determined by taxable income?"

"…?"

"! That... might be possible."

Yuzi was scratching his head, but Hikari looked startled and agreed with my theory. When we confirmed our ranks at the association's counter after our first post-restriction dungeon run, we were all D.

So, I suspect that the explorer ranks are divided by income: S (40 million+), A (40 million to 18 million), B (18 million to 9 million), C (9 million to 6.95 million), D (6.95 million to 3.3 million), E (3.3 million to 1.95 million), F (1.95 million and below). If this is true, the meaning of the dungeon's public opening in October becomes clear.

I did a quick calculation. To earn more than the dependent income limit of 1.03 million yen in three months, a minor would need to earn over 340,000 yen per month. This means an annual income of over 4 million yen, which exceeds the average annual income of a 20-something salaryman.

In that case, even if they are minors, they cannot be considered dependents.

"…If Daisuke's theory is correct, the explorer ranks are not just titles but actual ranks, right?"

"…Yeah. The ranks suddenly have a lot more weight."

We realized that what we thought were just titles, like in a game, actually carried significant weight, and the atmosphere around us suddenly felt heavier.

Why do we have to worry about such things as high school students?

---

We regained our composure and prepared to leave school. On the way to the shoe lockers, we noticed some decorations left in the school building.

"Are these leftovers from the graduation ceremony?"

"Probably. It was at the beginning of this week, so they might have forgotten to clean up."

"Graduation ceremony... I heard that some of the graduating seniors were hospitalized and couldn't attend the ceremony."

Ah, that rumor. I've heard about it too.

Apparently, during the period without school in February, they went to the dungeon. It makes sense that it would be easier to enter on weekdays when there are fewer reservation holders. The rumor says that these seniors formed a party and went to explore the dungeon, but they were defeated and injured during their first Goblin hunt. Fortunately, it was just broken bones, and no one's life was in danger, but they all seemed to have some psychological trauma and were too unstable to attend the graduation ceremony. It's a shame they missed such an important event.

Still, did they push themselves to go to deeper floors? Or did they hesitate to fight the humanoid monsters and get caught off guard?

"It must have been disappointing not to attend the graduation ceremony."

"Yeah. But it seems that being able to defeat Goblins is a kind of line for explorers. Will these seniors quit or continue?"

"Probably quit, if things stay as they are."

"But it might be better that way. If they continue to delve into the dungeon with trauma, it could be life-threatening next time."

Yuzi is right. This time it was just broken bones, but next time it might be worse. If they improve their skills and try again, that's one thing, but if they keep pushing and repeating the same mistakes...

They could end up seriously injured or even dead.

"Well, it's not really our place to say anything."

"True. Ultimately, it's up to them to decide."

That's right. No matter what we say, we are just outsiders.

After changing our shoes and leaving the school, Yuzi suddenly remembered something and brought it up on the way to his house.

"By the way, Daisuke, isn't Mika graduating this year?"

"Huh? Yeah, but why do you ask?"

"Well, I see her every time I go to your house, so I thought I might get a graduation gift for her."

"Oh? Maybe I should get something too."

"Um..."

They asked me about Mika's preferences, and I answered to the best of my ability. We decided to have a celebration party after the high school entrance exam results are announced.

Hmm, I was thinking of doing something to celebrate, so this is good timing.

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It's just under the limit, isn't it?

I wonder how many dependents exceeded the limit.