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Chapter 387

387 Bear-san Departs for the City of Dwarves

Exiting the village together with Fina and Ruimin, I summoned Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear . From here, it’s Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear’s time to shine .

[Swaying Bear-chan, Hugging Bear-chan . It’s been a while . ] Ruimin

Ruimin greeted Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear while stroking their heads . Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear cried .

I asked both of them to ride on Swaying Bear, while I climbed on Hugging Bear .

The city of dwarves was just up ahead of the elven village, and it seems that the city was built where the mines were . It’s not in Solzonak country, in fact, it doesn’t belong to any country .

[Are you sure about this?] Yuna

[It’s okay . I’ve been there once . ] Ruimin

Ruimin answered with confidence . We decided to go to the city of Dwarves under the guidance of Ruimin, instead of the direction that Ghazal-san taught us .

Normally, to get to the city of Dwarves, you would have to return to the road leading to the city of Larousse, where a big river can be found, and from there you would have to make a long detour around the big forest where the elven village was located, and go around the mountains .

There is a path in the forest, but it’s a little narrow for Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear to run at the maximum speed . Therefore, I feel that it would be faster to go out on the main road and run at full speed .

As they say . When I went to the desert, I tried to take a shortcut and got lost . (TN: 「急がば回れ」It’s just a rough translation, but gets the job done, I guess . )

But Ruimin said that this was the road she took with her father, Artur, and the destination was a lot closer . At first, I was reluctant, but Ruimin confidently said, , so I couldn’t refuse her and simply agreed .

As a person who knows about how this girl ended up in the royal capital, it only makes me more anxious . But with the bear map, we won’t get lost, and with a bear house, we won’t collapse on the side road like her .

Besides, if this is really a shortcut to get to the city of Dwarves, the advantage would be less burden to Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, and I do not have to worry about passersby . It’s not all bad things . Therefore, it can be said that there are more merits in counting on Ruimin’s confidence .

We don’t have to hurry after all, so it might be a good idea to travel leisurely .

For the time being, I’ll believe in Ruimin’s words as an elf, who declares the forest is like a garden to her and proceed through the forest .

[Even so, that was a lot . ] Fina

Fina reminded me of what happened earlier .

When we tried to leave Ruimin’s house to leave the village, the elven wives were gathered in front of the house . I was surprised for a moment, but it was because when Talia-san went to talk about pots and kitchenware, she also told them that I had come . So the elven wives brought me baskets full of wild plants and mushrooms from the mountains .

I am grateful since I am not familiar with wild plants and mushrooms, so I thanked them and received the baskets . No matter how much I got, it won’t be a burden because I have the bear box .

[Yuna-san, the last time you came, you looked happy that you could bring a lot back home, so I think everyone was happy when you accepted all of it this time as well . ] Ruimin

[So, when Yuna-oneesan brought a lot of mushrooms and edible wild plants to her house before, it all came from here . ] Fina

The wild plants and mushrooms I got last time were divided and given to Fina’s house, Anzu’s store, and the rest was used for cooking when we went to the sea . As expected, it will disappear quickly if consumed by more than 40 people . So I was happy to be able to replenish it . Let’s make tempura out of it .

[Shall we have these for dinner?] Yuna

[I will help . ] Fina

Fina was also excited to eat .

And so, although I was worried at first, Ruimin gave instructions to Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear without hesitation .

We went through the forest, then through the river, and climbed the mountains .

Looking at the bear map, it’s crooked, but we’re heading in the right direction . We’re not supposed to go around the same place like a scene in some manga .

Sometimes it’s good to move leisurely .

I’ll leave the directions to Ruimin, and the dangerous monsters and animals to Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear .

Fina and Ruimin are talking with each other . Most of the words I hear are about me and Sanya-san, two common acquaintances .

As we proceeded while I was relaxing on the way, Ruimin stopped Swaying Bear and looked around .

[That’s strange… it should have been around here . ] Ruimin

There are only cliffs around us and no roads to be seen .

[Did you perhaps got lost?] Yuna

[We’re not lost . There should have been a bridge here . ] Ruimin

[A bridge, was it that perhaps?] Yuna

I point the black bear puppet towards an object . It seems that there was a simple bridge made of rope ahead of us .

And it’s broken .

[We can’t pass through here . ] Ruimin

Ruimin looks at the broken bridge and feels embarrassed .

[If we can’t go through here, we have to go back the way we came from… and that would be a long detour . ] Ruimin

Ruimin held her head and began to flutter .

I exhaled, got off Hugging Bear, and walked near the cliff .

[Yuna-san?] Ruimin

[Stand back a little . ] Yuna

I kneeled and let the black bear puppet touch the ground . Then, I let my magical power flow while I started forming an image . Soil emerged from the cliff, and then it extended to the opposite side of the cliff, creating a bridge made of hardened soil .

Since I had already made a bridge before when exploring the underground of the pyramid, I could now easily imagine it .

[Yuna-san is amazing . ] Ruimin

[But why are there bears?] Fina

The pillars that support the bridge at both ends of the bridge are bears . Because I wanted to strengthen the bridge, I just had to make it into a bear . Well, this shouldn’t cause the bridge to collapse .

[Well, now we can go through . ] Yuna

We crossed the bridge and moved to the other side .

Then, without being attacked by monsters or ferocious animals, and without Ruimin getting us lost, things went smoothly . And so, the night came .

[It’s getting dark, so let’s stay overnight around here . ] Yuna

[Yuna-san, are you taking out Bear-san’s house?] Ruimin

Ruimin happily asks .

[Bear-san’s house is amazing . It’s the best house to have where you don’t have to camp outdoors, it has warm futons, it has a bath, and it gets rid of the fatigue of the day . ] Ruimin

Ruimin seems to have had a hard time going to the royal capital, so she really loves the bear house .

After taking out the bear house, I turned Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear into cubs and head inside . Then, while heating the water in the bath, we started preparing meals . I got some edible wild plants, so I decided to make vegetable tempura, though it’s a little troublesome .

By the way, since I am wearing my bear equipment, it is okay if the oil splashes, and because I am wearing the bear puppets, my hands will not get oiled . It’s a total defense .

I cut vegetables, add flour and fry in oil . It can be fried as is, but today I have edible wild plants, so I’ll add flour and fry it .

Carrots, potatoes, peppers, and other vegetables are in the bear box . I bought a lot when I went to the village and the royal capital, also in Crimonia . After all, it’s a hassle to go buy it later, and sometimes it’s out of stock . It is my principle to buy a lot at one time .

And since we have Ruimin with us, I decided to add squid tempura that she had never eaten before . Creating the tempura of forest and seafood .

[Yuna-oneesan, I’ll help out . ] Fina

[Well then, I’ll do the frying, so can you put them on a plate?] Yuna

[Okay . ] Fina

Fina offered her help . Ruimin who was watching us also came to me .

[Yuna-san, what about me?] Ruimin

[…Just sit down . ] Yuna

I answered after thinking a bit .

[U~u, that’s mean . ] Ruimin

[It’s just a joke . Even if I want to, there’s just nothing I need help with . ] Yuna

It’s not like we need three people to make tempura . It’s just tempura after all .

[Ruimin can help me next time, so you should just play with Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear for now . ] Yuna

Ruimin glanced at Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, who have turned into bear cubs .

[Well, it’s a very attractive proposal . Even so, I can’t just enjoy it while you are busy making dinner…] Ruimin

While saying such a thing, she’s staring at Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear in cub-form rolling around .

[Then, can you help me clean up after the meal?] Yuna

[…I see, then please tell me if you need any help . ] Ruimin

That was a compromise, then Ruimin started playing with Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear .

Then, the preparation for dinner was completed safely, and we had a conversation while eating tempura . At first, Ruimin was surprised that the rice was different from barley grains, but she enjoyed eating it .

[That’s right . Yuna-oneesan, what did you do for the village? No matter how much I ask Ruimin-san, she won’t tell me . I’m worried because Ruimin-san said Yuna-oneesan has done something for the village but she’s not telling me what it is . I’m very curious . ] Fina

[Because if I talk about it, I will get a laughing hell . ] Ruimin

Ruimin answered Fina’s question while eating carrot tempura .

But about what? How much can she disclose without getting the laughing hell?

The content of the contract is . In that case, contract magic may be activated if I want the contents to be kept secret . In fact, what do I think of the events in the elf village?

[I don’t know, why don’t you try it Ruimin?] Yuna

[No thank you!] Ruimin

Ruimin refused in a loud voice . I wanted to experiment, but it didn’t seem to work .

[Well, maybe you can say it if it’s Fina . ] Yuna

Maybe my contract will not activate if they have my permission . It would be a problem if it gets activated regardless .

[Yuna-san trusts Fina-chan, doesn’t she?] Ruimin

[Yeah, well . I know Fina isn’t a kid who breaks her promise . I wholeheartedly trust her . ] Yuna

[Yuna-oneesan…] Fina

[That’s why Fina will never tell anyone the story she’ll hear from Ruimin . ] Yuna

[Okay . ] Ruimin

[Oh, but if you ask me, Fina, it might be troublesome for you, you know?] Yuna

Talking means knowing about the cockatrice . Until now, I’ve been holding myself because I thought it would surprise her . Once she knew about it, I can freely ask Fina to dismantle the cockatrice .

[What’s the big deal!?] Ruimin

[What is it? What are you talking about?] Fina

Fina begins to worry about the meaning behind my words .

[…U~u, I want to hear it . ] Fina

Don’t say I didn’t warn you . When Fina says so, Ruimin began to talk about what I did in the elven village .

Ruimin talks about Volgrass and Cockatrice, which she heard from Mumuruto-san . The moment Fina hears cockatrice, she stops eating .

[…Yuna-oneesan . Don’t tell me, you’re planning to make me dismantle the cockatrice?] Fina

Fina asks terrifyingly .

[Because I can’t do it . ] Yuna

I tried imitating Talia-san .

[That’s impossible!] Fina

Fina practically screamed .

That’s why I warned you that it would be troublesome once you know .