Bear-san, Heads To The Bear House
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Author’sNote:
I’m sorry. I made some corrections to the previous story.
I have added a scene where Cereille dropped the sword and collar after stabbing the man.
I apologize for the inconvenience to our early readers.
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According to Cereille, she was going to capture the man and take him to her father, but the man wanted to die at Cereille’s hands.
“Well then, let’s go to Keith.” (Cereille)
Cereille was trying to look calm, but having killed someone for the first time, she didn’t seem to be able to notice nor be aware of what was happening around her.
“Cereille. Your sword is still on the ground.” (Yuna)
I picked up the sword from the ground and gave it to Cereille.
“Ah, thank you.” (Cereille)
Cereille’s hand was trembling as she tried to reach for the sword.
“Fufu, embarrassing. My hands are shaking.” (Cereille)
It’s nothing to be ashamed of. To tremble is more of a human reaction rather than attaining the feeling of ‘having fun’ after killing somebody.
She wiped off the blood on her sword and tried to put it back in the scabbard, but it didn’t go in. I waited for her to put the sword in the scabbard.
Once the sword was sheathed, Cereille exhaled.
“Are you all right?” (Yuna)
“Yes, I’m all right. I have shown you my pathetic side.” (Cereille)
I have never killed anyone (though I left them half-dead), but I am used to seeing blood from monsters. I don’t think Cereille has any experience in that area either.
Besides, I think there was a difference between stabbing a person and stabbing a monster. Even if it was an evil person, only he/she could understand how it feels to kill someone.
“So what about the man?” (Yuna)
She turned her attention to the man who was lying face down.
“I could not take him alive, but I would like to take him to my father. Later, I will put him on my horse.” (Cereille)
That would make it twice as hard.
That said, I don’t want to put the man’s corpse on Swaying Bear’s back. I don’t know because he was lying face down, but Cereille’s sword must have turned him into a bloody mess.
Then, was that the only way?
“I will carry him to the horse.” (Yuna)
“But…” (Cereille)
Cereille looked at Swaying Bear.
“No. I won’t make Swaying Bear carry him.” (Yuna)
I used earth magic to raise the ground on which the man was lying and create a sort of makeshift coffin on wheels. I also put a tight lid on it so that the corpse cannot be seen. After all, continuously seeing a dead body wasn’t a good feeling.
Finally, I made a mini bear golem to pull the coffin like a carriage.
“Yuna, you never cease to amaze me.” (Cereille)
We went to the bear house where Keith was staying, along a path that could be passed by the mini bear golem pulling the coffin on wheels.
Cereille walked ahead as if she wanted to see Keith as soon as possible.
I looked at Swaying Bear and saw that he had something in his mouth.
“Swaying Bear. What are you holding in your mouth?” (Yuna)
Swaying Bear showed me what was in his mouth.
Swaying Bear was holding a collar in his mouth, that’s the same thing the man had tried to get Cereille to wear around her neck to seal her magic.
Apparently, he picked it up.
I can’t just throw it away like that, so I put it away in the bear box.
I jumped on Swaying Bear, controlled the mini bear golem pulling the coffin and followed Cereille, who was headed to the bear house ahead of us.
Cereille walks around looking at the fallen monsters and finally turns her attention to the worm.
“Yuna, how did you defeat the worm? I saw you shoot fire magic into its maw. But I don’t think that was enough to defeat it.” (Cereille)
“I threw this bear flame into the worm’s maw and let it walk through the worm’s body.” (Yuna)
I created a bear flame.
“I believe the worm’s bodily fluids would make it disappear.” (Cereille)
“This bear flame is stronger than normal. That’s why it burned the insides of the worm, even with the bodily fluids, without getting extinguished.” (Yuna)
Bear magic was way stronger than ordinary magic. What ordinary magic cannot do, bear magic can.
“I’m having a hard time believing it just by hearing it, but now that I have seen it with my own eyes, I have no choice. Still, Yuna is out of the norm in every way. I feel like a fool for trying to win against you. However, I don’t need to do that anymore.” (Cereille)
She said the last part in a small voice, but it reached my ears. She had already avenged her mother, and the man was dead. It means Cereille has no reason to be strong any longer.
“But then again, Yuna, you must really like bears because even your flames take the shape of bears.” (Cereille)
She said it with a refreshing smile.
`Ku~u ~ n’
Before I could reply, Swaying Bear answered happily.
“Still, I was surprised when you started wearing the bear outfit in the beginning, is there a point to that look?” (Cereille)
It’s the usual obligatory deceptive words.
“I have the bear’s blessing, so when I dress up as a bear, my magic gets stronger.” (Yuna)
“Bear’s blessing? Is there such a blessing?” (Cereille)
No, there isn’t.
But I can’t say that, so I kept lying. I’m so used to it by now that such deceptive words naturally come out of my mouth.
“As proof, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear are my summoned beasts, and they are fond of me.” (Yuna)
“Yeah, that’s true.” (Cereille)
Cereille looked at Swaying Bear that I am riding.
“Then, those too? The gloves you’re wearing with a bear’s face on them?” (Cereille)
“For the same reason, I guess. It’s easier to gather magic than a wand.” (Yuna)
Yes, it’s a lie. I can’t use magic with a wand.
“In exchange for strength, you had to dress as a bear……” (Cereille)
Cereille looked at my outfit and began to worry.
“You just said earlier. You didn’t need to be strong.” (Yuna)
“You heard that?” (Cereille)
Cereille looked embarrassed.
“Sure, I no longer have a reason to be strong. But I also admire Yuna’s strength. It takes strength to protect the people you love.” (Cereille)
But it’s a bear. When you dress up as a bear, you get stronger.
“I don’t think you need to be strong yourself, since you are a noble. If anything, you’re in a powerful position to give orders to someone stronger than you.” (Yuna)
“Yes, but…” (Cereille)
“That power is a form of strength.” (Yuna)
“It is not something I earned on my own.” (Cereille)
“No one can choose their birth, you know. Then, since you are born into nobility, I suggest you use that power correctly.” (Yuna)
There exist those in this world were pompous just because they were born into nobility. I don’t want her to use her power like that.
“Yes, that’s right, that’s one of my strengths.” (Cereille)
Cereille looked at the fallen monsters as she said this.
The monsters I had defeated were lying all around. After it was over, I felt sorry for the monsters that the evil man controlled. But even after the orders were lifted, they still attacked me, so I was able to defeat them.
I can’t leave them like this. I’ll have to clean it up later. Most of them had escaped, but still, there were quite a few monsters lying on the ground.
“There seem to be fewer monsters than when I first saw them?” (Cereille)
“When the wyverns and the worm showed up, they ran away. So some of the monsters might have gone near the city or along the road, so I think we should call the adventurers back and ensure the surroundings are safe.” (Yuna)
As expected, I can’t take care of the escaped monsters alone, and it’s not my job to do so.
“I understand. I will tell my father when I return home.” (Cereille)
“Also, now that we know why the monsters are gone this time of year, I’m sure they’ll show up next year.” (Yuna)
“I have a lot to report to my father.” (Cereille)
When we arrived at the bear house, Hugging Bear, who was guarding the bear house, came to me.
“Thank you, Hugging Bear.” (Yuna)
`Ku~u ~ n’
I patted Hugging Bear’s head. Then, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear rubbed each other’s bodies as if to make sure each other was safe.
“They’re good friends, these bears.” (Cereille)
“They get along so well, it’s hard to leave out the other because one will sulk.” (Yuna)
“Fufu, so that’s how much they like you as their master, Yuna.” (Cereille)
I’m glad to hear that.
“So, Yuna, this bear is your home, right?” (Cereille)
“That’s right. I use it for travel. In that house, I feel safe even if a monster as big as a wolf or a goblin comes.” (Yuna)
“Truly, Yuna, you’re a mysterious girl.” (Cereille)
I asked Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear to keep watch then I entered the bear house. Cereille followed me, looking at me as if she were looking at something mystical.
Then Cereille rushed over to Keith when she found him sleeping on the sofa on the first floor.
“Keith!” (Cereille)
“He’s fine. He’s just sleeping.” (Yuna)
“Thank goodness.” (Cereille)
“I don’t know if it’s drugs or magic, but I don’t think we should wake him up right now.” (Yuna)
I stopped Cereille from trying to wake Keith up.
If he wakes you up here, I will have to explain about the bear house. Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear were also outside the bear house, and in addition, there were monster corpses and even a dead worm lying on the ground.
As for me, I want Keith to sleep for a while because it will be more trouble than it’s worth.
“Yeah, you’re right. There’s no need to wake him up when he’s sleeping soundly. If we woke him after we got home, he would never even know he was kidnapped. Fear, when you are a child, is something that stays with you. What he doesn’t need to know, he doesn’t need to know.” (Cereille)
It was very convincing when Cereille, whose mother was killed in front of her eyes, said it. I can’t even imagine what it must have been like for me.
But I too can only know that if Fina or Noa were killed in front of me, I would be forever haunted.
If he doesn’t know he’s been kidnapped.
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Author’s Note:
※ The story didn’t go as well as I thought it would. Can we get back to Noa now?
※ I will resume replying to your comments when I start a new chapter.
