Chapter 60

When I entered the auditorium, the survival recreation ranking announcement and award ceremony were in full swing.

I had apparently fainted in front of the toilet, and while the teachers in the auditorium were worried, I quickly joined the line of my group.

"Hey, the group leader is back."

"Are you okay to move now?"

"I'm fine, I've made a full recovery."

When I returned to the group, Aihara and Ishida were glad to see me safe.

"Araki-kun, um... thank you."

"Thank you very much."

"Thank you indeed."

The committee leader, Juna, and Auru only muttered these words and faced forward.

They still had a lot to say, and all three of them seemed restless. However, there was nothing more to talk about here, so they couldn't say anything more.

"Huh?"

I felt a hot gaze and glanced to the side to see Soji looking at me with an envious gaze. I ignored it since I wasn't interested.

"Hey, where's Takagawa?"

"Since you weren't there, he went up to the stage as the group representative."

When I looked forward at the committee leader's words, Takagawa was on the stage. Apparently, only the representatives of the top three teams were called to the front. This means our group placed in the top three.

"Oh..."

However, the representative of the fan club coalition was standing next to Takagawa.

From what I last saw, the fan club coalition had built many high-scoring structures and tools, and they had conducted the survival recreation without me in the second half.

"We lost... huh."

The fan club coalition had multiple groups working together, so it was understandable that we lost. They had played a bit unfairly, so I planned to complain and have the bet nullified. That's what I decided to do.

"Finally, the first place is Group 1 of Class E. Congratulations."

"Thank you!"

Takagawa cheerfully thanked them and received the certificate.

The ranking results were: third place was an unknown group, second place was the fan club coalition, and first place was our Group 1 of Class E. What's going on!?

"By the way, I don't think you knew, but just before the deadline, Takagawa dragged in a wild boar."

"Wild boar!?"

Apparently, while gathering river fish and mountain vegetables, Takagawa had set up makeshift animal traps using vines, just in case.

Just before the end of the recreation, when he went to dismantle the traps, he found a wild boar caught in one of them and successfully captured it.

The teachers were confused by this unprecedented situation, the students were stunned, and the cooperating hunters were shocked.

In the end, since it was outside the hunting season and without permission, the hunters had to return the wild boar, and Takagawa was scolded by the teachers. However, his skills were recognized, and he was given special points, which made our group the clear first place.

"Boy Scout... amazing."

No, Takagawa is just amazing. I never thought he could catch a wild boar with vines.

"Ishida said that another trap had signs of something being caught, so if he had checked earlier, he might have caught another wild boar."

While listening to Ishida, a scene suddenly came to mind.

"What did the trap look like?"

"Huh? I think it looked like this."

Ishida drew a simple diagram on the printout in front of him.

It was definitely the same. The vines that the black dress tripped over were one of Takagawa's traps!

"Hey, Kousuke, you're back. Yay, we won!"

Takagawa... no, Takagawa-san, returned with the first-place certificate.

"Takagawa-san, thank you very much. Winning is thanks to you."

"Ah, o, okay. Show me proper respect!"

After that, I spoke to Takagawa in polite language for a while, but he found it uncomfortable, so I stopped.

Alright, since Takagawa likes occult topics, I'll tell him if I find something as a token of gratitude. Wait, I myself am a bundle of occult topics. Alright, I'll stop. I'll find another way to thank him.

"Takagawa, if you have any problems, let me know. I'll do my best to help."

"Eh, o, okay. Aren't you still tired? You should rest more."

I gave a thumbs up and spoke sincerely, but he was genuinely worried.

The next day, after cleaning up from the survival recreation, the accommodation recreation ended successfully.

When I went to check the battle site from yesterday, all traces were gone. The Mizukami family's mages must have covered it up. They did a great job.

"Apparently, we're going to a hot spring next!"

"Hot spring?"

"They say we're renting a famous local hot spring, and everyone will go in."

Aihara and the committee leader told me. I don't remember this being in the pamphlet...

"The teachers said it's a thoughtful gesture by the owner of an office building in the city. It's a special event this year, but it would be rude to decline, so everyone is going."

"I wonder how the partitions in the outdoor baths are set up. Is there mixed bathing?"

"Lowest."

"Lowest indeed."

"Ugh!"

Takagawa's stock, which rose with the wild boar capture, is steadily falling.

Still, renting a hot spring is impressive. I should thank the owner of the office building.

"Hot spring, hot spring!"

"Unfortunately, Auru can't go in."

"Whaaat!?"

"Well, of course."

Since Auru helped a lot this time, maybe I'll take everyone to a private hot spring next time. But how much does a private hot spring cost? I'll have to check my wallet later.

"Wow, it's huge! Amazing!"

"It's a great hot spring."

Takagawa and Ishida were naked and amazed. The hot spring was that impressive.

It's a famous local spot, and it's quite expensive to enter normally. There was an event where Soji tried to wash my back with a smile, but I politely declined since I wasn't interested. Of course, the outdoor baths had proper partitions.

On the bus ride back, which was about two hours late due to the hot spring, everyone was fast asleep from the recreation. The committee leaders must have been exhausted from something else.

"Huh?"

Just before leaving the city of Asahikawa, I was hit by a strange sensation, as if I had left my body behind.

"Maybe it's just my imagination."

It quickly passed, so it must have been my imagination. I must be tired. I decided to take a nap with everyone else.