Chapter 110 – Bear-san Goes Out With The Sisters
Author’s note:
Before Yuna does the escort mission, she goes to Mireera to retrieve various things.
The day after I went to the capital, I went to the orphanage in order to find Fina.
Fina and Shuri normally went to the orphanage early in the morning, with Terumi-san. They then did all sorts of things depending on what day it was, like help taking care of the eggs and going to the shop.
The children were collecting eggs when I arrived at the chicken coop.
They were rinsing the gathered eggs with water, putting them in the egg cases I had created using earth magic, and carrying them over to a table. Fina and Terumi-san were counting the eggs at the table.
「Good morning, everyone!」
「Big Sis Bear, good morning!」
「Good morning.」
「Good morning, Big Sis.」
They all answered me vigorously when I greeted them.
It seemed that they were growing up to be good children.
I was sure that was thanks to Headmistress and Liz.
The children were all doing tasks they were capable of doing. They were also given new tasks after Headmistress and Liz saw what they were capable of.
The children, who had lost their parents or were simply abandoned, had thought that no one wanted them, but now they were full of life and working. This really was the results of the Headmistress and Liz’s efforts.
As I was thinking that, Liz arrived.
「Good morning, Yuna-san.」
「Good morning, Liz-san. Are the children behaving?」
「They’re all good children, so there’s no problem. They all know what they have to do if they want to fill their bellies, after all.」
Liz was definitely the one who had taught them that.
「Please tell me if you lack hands or need anything, okay?」
「There’s no need for that. Thanks to Yuna-chan, the children and I are really happy. If we were to ask for more, we would receive divine punishment.」
Liz-san was smiling, as if to prove her happiness.
「Don’t say that. Also, properly tell me if you need anything! It would be terrible if something happened to the Headmistress or you, after all.」
That wasn’t an exaggeration. The thought of the two of them not being here anymore scared me. If I didn’t tell them that firmly enough, I could see them pushing themselves.
I forcefully conveyed my feelings to Liz-san, then headed to Terumi-san. Fina and Shuri were by her side, helping her.
「Yuna-chan, what happened? For you to come to the orphanage this early…」
Normally, the most I did in the mornings was going to the shop to eat my breakfast, and then sometimes going to the orphanage.
「I wanted to borrow Fina for something.」
「Me?」
Fina, who was counting the eggs and taking notes next to Terumi-san, was surprised.
「I wanted to go somewhere, but it would be lonely if I went by myself, so I was thinking of inviting you.」
「Going somewhere?」
「So, I came here to get Terumi-san’s permission to borrow Fina.」
「Fufu, that’s okay, of course. When you are asking, Yuna-chan, I am always willing to lend her to you.」
She agreed with a smile.
「Then, I will gratefully borrow your n.o.ble daughter.」
I replied, smiling as well.
「Mom! Big Sis Yuna!」
「Sis, you are so lucky!」
Shuri was looking at us with a dissatisfied face.
「Shuri will come with us, of course.」
「Really?」
I was feeling sorry for Shuri, since I was only taking Fina every time. There wouldn’t be anything dangerous this time, so I had no issue taking her with us.
「Yuna-chan, is it really okay for Shuri to come too?」
「It’s okay. I will borrow them for two to three days, so it will be just you and Gentz, alone.」
It was a good thing that they had gotten married, but they couldn’t really be alone with Fina and Shuri around all the time. Terumi-san had taken care of me for a long time, so I had to return some favors, or they would just keep acc.u.mulating.
「Yuna-chan……」
Terumi-san’s face became a bit red, and she lowered her head to hide her face.
「So, Big Sis Yuna, where are we going?」
「You two have never seen the sea, right?」
「「We haven’t.」」
The two of them nodded.
「I have something to do at Mireera, you see. I want to collect something around there. It would be lonely to go and collect it alone, so I thought I would bring you two with me.」
「We will be able to go to the sea!?」
「The sea…」
They both seemed to be really happy.
「Are you really okay with taking care of them?」
「I’m the one who asked, you know.」
「You two don’t cause any problems for Yuna-chan, okay?」
They both happily nodded.
Workers secured.
Well, even though I said workers, it really was lonely to go there alone, so I just wanted them to accompany me.
So, how should we go to Mireera? As I was thinking about using the gate, even though Shuri was here,
「Big Sis Yuna, are we taking the Bears?」
Shuri asked with sparkling eyes.
「Do you want to ride the Bears?」
「Yes.」
She nodded shyly.
I already showed her the Bears, but we never took a stroll.
「We will take Bear-sans then.」
「Yes!」
Shuri beamed with delight.
I took the two of them and left the town.
I summoned Hugging Bear and Swaying Bear when we pa.s.sed through the gates.
「It’s the Bear-sans…」
Shuri approached Swaying Bear with little steps and hugged him. Swaying Bear laid down on the ground and let Shuri do whatever she wanted.
「Shuri, we are going, so hurry up and get on.」
Fina pushed her little sister’s back to get her on, and then got on herself. When both of them were on him, Swaying Bear got up slowly.
「Uwah, so high.」
Shuri seemed to be enjoying herself.
「Shuri, don’t move around so wildly. Don’t you feel sorry for Swaying Bear?」
「I’m sorry, I will stop. Sorry, Swaying Bear.」
Shuri said while petting Swaying Bear.
Looking at the two sisters with a good relationship made me feel warm inside.
I got on Hugging Bear, and we departed towards Mireera.
It was Shuri’s first trip, so we took it slow. Shuri was very excited about her first Bear ride. Fina, who was behind her, was doing her best to tell her to calm down.
As time pa.s.sed, Shuri calmed down and began to nod off.
The backs of the Bears were warm, like a high-cla.s.s blanket, so with the monotonous swaying, it certainly made you feel sleepy.
「Fina, we will go a bit faster, okay?」
「Okay.」
You wouldn’t fall off even when you slept, but Fina still held Shuri tightly, so that she wouldn’t fall off.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear started to move faster.
「This is…?」
Shuri looked around while rubbing her eyes.
「We will arrive at the tunnel shortly.」
「Tunnel?」
「I heard that someone created a big tunnel under the mountain, and that after you exit on the other side, you arrive at the sea.」
「The sea? We’re already at the sea?」
Shuri looked around.
「I think we’re almost there.」
When we arrived near the tunnel, the forest in the area had been cut down. When I came here previously, I had to go through the forest to get to the tunnel, but now, the trees had been cut down and the ground was leveled. There was more than enough s.p.a.ce for a carriage to go through.
I had Hugging Bear slowly move forward and looked around.
The ground had been leveled well, so had there been a magician involved?
I was able to hear the sound of trees being cut far away.
When I approached the tunnel, I saw a lot of people. Were they from Crimonia? Some people even waved at me when they saw me. The way Shuri waved back at them was really cute.
When we arrived at the tunnel, the statues of Hugging Bear and Swaying Bear on the sides of the tunnel entrance really stood out. The land layout around the tunnel had advanced a lot.
There were no more trees around, and some buildings had already been built.
Were they staying there and doing their jobs?
While I was looking at a building, a man came out of it.
「Huh? Bear Missy, why are you here?」
The man approached me.
「I have Cliff’s permission, but is it okay for me to go through the tunnel? I would like to go to Mireera.」
Unlimited free pa.s.sage through the tunnel had been added to my guild card.
I had the Bear Gate, so I didn’t think I would use it frequently, but I didn’t have any reasons to refuse it, so I accepted.
「Yeah, Cliff-sama told me. We haven’t finished installing the magic lines, so there are some dark places.」
「I have magic, so it’s okay, but what did Cliff tell you?」
「I’m in charge of this place for now. I was told to let you, Bear Missy, go through when you come.」
We reached the tunnel entrance.
The tunnel was lit up by the magic lines.
「Still, you’re really incredible, Bear Missy. I thought that the story with the Black Viper was incredible, but this time, you even made a tunnel…」
「You knew I made it?」
「Do you think there’s anyone in Crimonia who wouldn’t figure it out after looking at these statues?」
He was pointing towards where the statues of Hugging Bear and Swaying Bear were standing.
「Even more so, when the proof is right in front of my eyes.」
The man was looking at Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, who we were riding.
It was a reasonable thing to say.
「Please don’t scare the people inside when you go in. Anybody would be frightened if a bear suddenly appeared behind them, after all.」
He was right. If a bear suddenly appeared, anybody would be frightened.
We entered the tunnel slowly, taking heed of his words.
Inside the tunnel, the magic lines were glowing at regular intervals.
「Big Sis Yuna, as I expected, you’re the one who made the tunnel, right?」
「Well, I had a few reasons for why I needed to make a tunnel.」
「Even though you needed it, I didn’t think you could make it this easily.」
I was crushed by the common sense of a 10-year-old girl…
Shuri was looking at the tunnel restlessly. Was it something new for her?
The tunnel started to turn dark as we advanced on the Bears.
We slowed down and saw the people who were installing the magic lines.
「Who is it!?」
One of the workers called out when he noticed us.
「A Bear!?」
「No, it’s the Bear Missy.」
「Don’t scare us like that……」
In a way, not knowing the person I saw, but them recognizing me was really a strange feeling.
Was this how entertainers and celebrities felt?
「If you keep going from here, it will get dark, you know.」
「No problem. I have magic, after all.」
I created a Bear Light.
「I see. However, please take care.」
「Thank you.」
I thanked him, Fina bowed, and Shuri waved; then, we parted ways with the workers.
Shuri returned to dreamworld. Had she gotten tired of the monotonous scenery?
We sped up and headed for the tunnel exit.
Soon, we could see a faint light in the distance.
「Fina, wake Shuri up when we get to the exit. You’ll be able to see the sea just after we leave the tunnel.」
Fina woke Shuri up.
「Big Sis?」
「It’s the exit. It seems that we will be able to see the sea soon, so wake up.」
「Okay.」
Shuri rubbed her eyes and looked ahead.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear kept running, and we exited the tunnel.
April Fool’s Version