Chapter 14 – Bear-san Reports
「Yuna-chan! Yuna-chan! Wake up!」
「So noisy.」
I rubbed my sleepy eyes and raised my body.
「You finally got up.」
Rurina looked at me through the small window.
I straightened my back and stretched.
「You were sleeping while I was working hard. That’s not fair.」
「That’s because skinning is Rurina-san’s job. Are you done?」
「I’m done. I was so surprised when I walked out of the cave and saw a house. When I peeked inside it, I saw you sleeping. There is no door, so I couldn’t get in.」
I opened the wall with magic and walked out.
When I looked up at the sky, I could see that it had pa.s.sed noon.
About 3:00 p.m.?
「There were so many goblins. It was really tiring, since Yuna-chan didn’t help.」
I ignored the complaining and changed the topic.
「Is there anything else we need in the cave?」
「No, there isn’t.」
「Then I will close the entrance, since it would be troublesome if other monsters started living there.」
I blocked the entrance using Earth magic.
Any chance of other monsters settling in the cave is gone.
「Then, let’s go back.」
「I’m tired though…」
「It’s okay, I will carry you.」
I don’t intend on returning leisurely.
「Yuna-chan…you don’t mean…」
「The road is bad because it’s a mountain, so don’t talk.」
I smiled.
I went down the mountain while holding Rurina, who had a face of defeat.
Jump! Jump! Jump!
Every time I jumped, Rurina screamed.
Screams are loud when they come from right next to your ears.
I ignored the screaming and continued running.
When we arrived near the entrance to the village, I let Rurina down and walked towards the gatekeeper.
Rurina’s legs look wobbly. I wonder if it’s just my imagination?
We greeted the gatekeeper and headed towards the mayor’s house.
「Umm, you came back quickly. Was it impossible after all?」
「No, it’s done.」
「Say what?」
「The goblin subjugation request is finished.」
「These are the Goblins’ magic stones.」
Rurina took out a leather bag from her item bag.
She untied it and showed the mayor the contents.
It’s probably the magic stones.
I definitely won’t look.
I don’t want to see blood-covered magic stones.
I’ll lose my appet.i.te if I look.
It would be alright if they were cleaned with water, but I don’t think there was any water in that cave.
「Oo, then you were able to subjugate the goblins. But, isn’t there too many?」
「Because there were 100 of them.」
「100!?」
The mayor was surprised.
Well, of course you would be surprised if so many goblins had lived near your village.
「Please rest a.s.sured. All of them were defeated. We also blocked the cave that the goblins were living in, so I don’t think any new demons will settle nearby.」
「Th, thank you very much.」
The mayor lowered his head.
「Then, I will prepare an inn for you to stay in.」
「Yes, thank you very much.」「No, we are returning.」
Rurina and my words overlapped.
「Yuna-chan, it’s already late.」
「We can get back before dusk.」
Two people stared.
「Are you, perhaps, planning on princess-carrying me again?」
「There is no difference between doing it two or three times.」
「But, they kindly offered to let us stay at an inn.」
「Finishing troublesome things quickly is my motto.」
「…Are we really going?」
I nodded
「…I understand. We should report about the Goblin King too, so let’s return.」
「Goblin King?」
The mayor reacted to Rurina’s words.
「The reason 100 goblins gathered was because of the Goblin King.」
「Then, that Goblin King is?」
「It’s all right. The Goblin King was also defeated, so it’s safe.」
「Thank you very much!」
After being thanked by the villagers, we left the village.
「Please run gently. Also, jumping is absolutely prohibited!」
「I understand.」
Did I frighten Rurina by jumping off the mountain?
Rurina clung to me on her own.
「It’s frustrating, but hugging the Bear feels really nice.」
Rurina stroked (the bear) me.
I want you to stop.
It’s unpleasant, somehow.
I couldn’t handle the stroking so I held Rurina in a princess carry and started running.
The road was flat, unlike in the mountains, so it was easy to run.
I ignored the reactions from monsters in the distance and ran.
Occasionally, we pa.s.sed adventurers in carriages, but I didn’t mind them.
It seemed like one of them was yelling something but I couldn’t understand it.
The gate of the city came into view.
「It’s embarra.s.sing, so please put me down.」
I ignored the noise near my ear and kept running.
「Yu, Yuna-chan? Please?」
The embrace got tighter, but it didn’t hurt.
I arrived at the west gate like that.
The gatekeeper was surprised.
Rurina was ashamed.
I look like a bear.
Three people stood in silence.
I put down Rurina and silently handed my Guild Card to the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper confirmed the card in silence.
Two people quietly entered the city.
「Umm, should I carry you to the guild?」
「Stop it!」
Embarra.s.sed, Rurina headed towards the Guild to report.
There was a considerable number of adventurers who had finished their work standing at the entrance to the guild.
When I thought that I wasn’t going to get in anytime soon, the adventurers noticed me and opened a path.
The road opened like the sea before Moses.
「Can I?」
「Why not?」
After entering, we headed towards the reception desk.
When we lined up at the reception desk, someone called to us from behind.
「Rurina, what’s the matter?」
「Why are you here, Lanz?」
Lanz and Gil were seated on chairs while looking at us intensely.
「I didn’t know when you guys were coming back so I was waiting here, but my expectations seem to have been proven correct. For you to have returned this quickly, you must have been frightened by the number of goblins and ran.」
Lanz put on a dirty smile.
Do you understand?
If I fail the request, you also fail.
「Lanz, I’m sorry, but the request was completed.」
「Haa?」
The fool became even more foolish when he heard Rurina’s words.
「The request is finished. 100 goblins and a Goblin King defeated.」
「Haa, what are you talking about? 100 goblins? Goblin King? You’re taking your jokes too far.」
「It isn’t a joke.」
The other adventurers turned this way after hearing Lanz’s loud voice.
「100 goblins?」
「Goblin King?」
「It’s probably a lie.」
「No way they defeated a Goblin King.」
「100 goblins! That’s impossible with only two people.」
「But, it’s that bear.」
「Yeah, that bear.」
「Is it possible if it’s that Bear?」
「It is the Bear, after all.」
After hearing our conversation, the adventurers started clamoring.
Still, why is it all about a bear?
「Rurina-san. About the Goblin King, is that true?」
Helen came over.
「I want to talk to you for a bit. Please come over here.」
We were guided to a desk with no people around.
「Then, please tell me about it. If I’m correct, Rurina-san received a request for subjugating a horde of goblins that appeared in the vicinity of a mountain village. The number of goblins was approximately 50.」
「Yes, but when we got there, there were around 100 goblins.」
The adventurers with good ears behind us started to make noise when I reported.
「Excuse me, but do you have the proof of subjugation?」
Rurina took out the leather bag that contained the magic stones from the item bag.
「I will confirm it.」
She received the magic stones and started operating a machine at the counter.
「Yes, these are certainly magic stones from goblins subdued today. I also heard about the Goblin King, is that true?」
「Yes, the boss of goblins was the Goblin King.」
「Is it true? Then we must quickly form a C ranking party.」
「It’s all right. Yuna-chan already defeated it.」
「…Defeated the Goblin King alone…」
「The Bear knocked down the Goblin King.」
「The Bear…」
「The Bear…」
It spread like an echo.
「Is that really the truth? Then, I will have to ask you for the magic stone.」
「I have brought the Goblin King’s corpse, though.」
「Aa, Yuna-san’s bear item bag, right? Umm, it’s probably large, right? I’m sorry, but could we move to the next room?」
Adventurers followed us and Helen, like goldfish in a stream.
「Could you take it out here?」
I held the White Bear and ejected the corpse.
Sighs, cries, and various other voices leaked out from around us.
「This is, undoubtedly, the Goblin King.」
The Goblin King’s face showed resentment.
Many of the adventurers looked afraid after seeing its face.
Furthermore, they were astonished that I defeated it.
Many wounds from a fierce fight could be seen on the Goblin King’s body.
n.o.body would think that it was a one-sided slaughter.
「Thank you very much. Is it okay if we buy the corpse ourselves?」
「The Goblin King’s material is usable?」
「Let’s see. The Goblin King’s skin is different from that of normal goblins, so it can be used to raise an equipment’s strength and durability. The bones are used for weapons and made into magic tools. The Magic stone is powerful, so it has various uses.」
「I’m alright with it, but Rurina-san…」
「I’m also alright with it.」
「Then, can we move back to the reception desk?」
I went back to the reception desk.
The adventurers were still goldfish, so they followed too.
「This request was received by Rurina-san’s party. However, it was done because of Yuna-san’s help, so what should we do?」
「Please mark it as joint party between Yuna-chan and our party.」
「Rurina?」
「Yuna-chan was the one who defeated it. We can’t possibly say that it was our achievement. All I did was negotiate and skin the goblins.」
「I understand. Let’s handle it like that then. Everyone in Rurina-san’s party, please submit your Guild Cards.」
「I’m good.」
「Lanz?」
「I didn’t do anything. I was just waiting while thinking that woman would run away and come back. I only laughed when I heard her say that she would defeat the goblins alone.」
「I’m also good. I did nothing as well.」
「Gill?」
「I understand. Then, I will handle this request as if only Rurina-san and Yuna-san completed it. Will that be all right?」
「Yes, thank you.」
「This is the reward for completing the request and for the Goblin magic stones and this is the bonus for the subjugation of the Goblin King and its materials.」
Two bags were handed over.
Rurina gave me the bonus bag.
「There is no way that I can receive this. Also, take half of this.」
Half of the money received for completing the request was handed to me.
「Is it alright?」
「It was a reward for two people. I only did the skinning, but I can’t give you all of it, so take half.」
I obediently put the money I received into the bear box.
「Also, I’m sorry. I will take care of Lanz, as well as Deborane.」
Lanz looked embarra.s.sed.
「Uun, I also had fun. I got to practice my magic against the Goblin King, so my time was not wasted.」
I became more efficient in using magic, thanks to having the Goblin King as my sparring partner.
Since I defeated the Goblin King, I might be able to beat other monsters with ease.
After leaving the Guild, Rurina-san invited me to go eat together, so we went to a store she recommended with Lanz and Gill.
Lanz lowered his head and apologized later.
Gill also apologized for not joining us for the goblin subjugation.
I decided to forgive them and had supper with them.
「Is it really okay to treat us?」
「It’s okay. I have the money from defeating the Goblin King. You can also think of it as Deborane’s medical fee.」
「I see. Then, I will eat without holding back.」
「Thank you.」
I returned to the Inn after having a meal with those three.
I informed Elena that I would not be having dinner and went straight to bed.