Chapter 548

Bear-san, Heads Out To Subjugate The Bandits

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When the discussion for preparing the horses took place, one person refused.

“I don’t need a horse because I’ll be riding Swaying Bear.” (Ran)

Ran, a harem member of Blitz, said such a thing.

“No, I’ll be the one riding Swaying Bear.” (Senia)

Senia-san reacted to Ran’s words.

“I think I’d like a ride too.” (Lurina)

Lurina-san also joined in.

In addition, even Mel-san and Rosa-san participated in the battle for Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.

The only woman who didn’t participate was Grimos, one of Blitz’s harem members.

“In that case, there can be at least two people each riding on Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, so aside from Yuna and I, there are only two more spots.” (Ran)

Ran decided on her own.

“We are the ones who’ll ride with her.” (Senia)

“I want to ride too.” (Lurina)

Lurina-san echoed after Senia-san’s words.

The discussion of how to defeat the bandits took a weird turn into who’ll ride Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.

The five people who wanted to ride Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear were: Mel-san, Senia-san, Lurina-san, Rosa-san, and Ran. However, only two people can ride each bear (although they might be able to ride if they squeeze themselves hard enough). Since I would ride by default, there would inevitably be three spots left, just as Ran had said.

However, the discussion has remained at a standstill.

Eventually, Guildmaster got mad and decided to settle it on a coin toss. As a result, the three people who would ride Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear were Lurina-san, Senia-san, and Ran.

“Deborane was good at this sort of thing.” (Lurina)

Lurina-san, the first to win the right to ride, told me with a smile.

Who is Deborane?

Perhaps Lurina-san knows someone good at coin toss games.

But is that something you can be good or bad at? If I do it myself, I guess I could adjust the rpm.

The next day, we gathered at the Adventurers’ Guild, then moved out of town together.

“Fufu, it’s been a while, Swaying Bear-chan.”

Ran hugged Swaying Bear. And Rosa-san, another Blitz’s harem member, was petting Swaying Bear’s head.

On the other hand, Hugging Bear was being petted by Jade-san’s party members, Senia-san and Mel-san.

Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear were very popular among women.

“Aren’t you going to pet him too, Lurina-san?” (Yuna)

I asked Lurina-san, who was standing next to me.

“I’ll pet him later. But Yuna-chan, don’t do ‘that thing’ since Swaying Bear-chan and Hugging Bear-chan are here.” (Lurina)

“That thing?” (Yuna)

“Did you perhaps forget? It was my first time being carried like a princess.” (Lurina)

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……Pon.

Now I remember.

“Oh yeah, from that time.” (Yuna)

After I injured a goblin, one of Lurina-san’s party members, on one occasion, I was tasked to eliminate the goblins instead. Lurina-san accompanied me on that subjugation mission.

I didn’t have Swaying Bear or Hugging Bear back then, so I had to princess-carry Lurina-san.

Indeed, with Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear here, there was no need to princess-carry her.

But it’s actually not quite accurate to say that I didn’t have Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear back then.

“I couldn’t call Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear back then since they were in a different place at that time.” (Yuna)

Well, I wasn’t lying. I don’t know where they were then, but they weren’t with me.

“I see, so that’s why.” (Lurina)

Lurina-san seemed satisfied and did not pursue the matter any further.

Lurina-san and I hopped on Swaying Bear, while Senia-san and Ran got on Hugging Bear, then we departed to the mountains where the bandits were hiding.

“That’s the mountain.” (Jade)

Just off the road, we can see a little mountain.

“What are we going to do? Should we just keep going?” (Yuna)

“There should be a lookout, right?” (Lurina)

“If we go off the road and head for the mountains, they’ll know we’re coming for them.” (Blitz)

“That’s probably why they’re hiding in the mountains in the first place.” (Senia)

It was common sense to keep watch from a high place. It would be possible to see farther and to spot the intruders more quickly than from low ground.

“In that case, should I go by myself and catch the lookout? They wouldn’t be suspicious of a girl dressed as a bear in the mountains, let alone think she’d come for the bandits, right?” (Yuna)

With my outfit, I would not be considered an adventurer. Even if the lookout discovers me, there would be little chance they will report me as a threat.

“Rather than suspicious, should I say surprised? Or even confused.” (Lurina)

“Well, Yuna’s right, if a girl dressed as a bear shows up alone, they won’t think we’re here to take them down.” (Jade)

“Even so, I’m against letting Yuna-chan go in alone.” (Senia)

“Certainly.” (Rosa)

“In that case, why don’t we add another woman, or rather, a girl?” (Ran)

“Then I’ll go with you.” (Senia)

Senia-san volunteered.

“I’m the one who moves the fastest in this group.” (Senia)

Indeed, Lurina-san, Mel-san, Rosa-san, and Ran are wizards who mainly provide logistical support. Grimos is a swordswoman and not the speedy type.

Senia-san moves around nimbly with her knife and attacks.

She is agile.

After discussion, the group decided that Senia-san would go with me. No one had any objection.

We will leave Jade-san and the others and have them come to us once we have captured the guards.

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The group also decided to have Swaying Bear give a signal for them to start climbing the mountains.

“So, you can communicate even if you are far away, huh.” (Jade)

“Because I, Swaying Bear, and Hugging Bear are connected by our hearts.” (Yuna)

“I’m jealous. I want a Swaying Bear and a Hugging Bear too.” (Ran)

Ran hugged Hugging Bear.

Senia-san and I got on Swaying Bear and started heading toward the mountain.

We moved slowly because they might be surprised if we ran.

“But is it okay to be riding on a bear?” (Senia)

“Without Swaying Bear, we wouldn’t know where the bandits are.” (Yuna)

I was thinking of the same thing, but the explanation of detection skills would be long and tedious, so either Swaying Bear or Hugging Bear would be needed anyway.

Well, if they attempt to flee, I’ll think about what to do at that time.

As we approached the mountain, I used my detection skills.

They may not be in range yet, or the skill wasn’t responding properly.

As we got closer and closer, I got a reaction.

The reaction was not moving. It may be possible that he was a hunter, but I think it was more likely that he was on the lookout.

`Ku~u ~ n’

Swaying Bear cried.

“Did you find them, perhaps?” (Senia)

“I’m not going to point at them because they might be watching. I think it’s around that little cliff that is sticking out.” (Yuna)

Senia-san didn’t point her finger but only slightly turned her eyes.

“Then let’s catch him and make him vomit out of his hideout.” (Senia)

We slowly entered the mountains.

=====

(A Bandit’s POV)

I’m keeping watch from halfway up the mountain.

There are two guards. Me and another guy. Now we take turns watching for any visitors to the mountain. I’m lying down right now.

“Hey, something strange is coming.” (Bandit 2)

The guy who was watching said such a thing.

I was lying down, but I got up and looked in the direction the guy was looking.

“That’s…….” (Bandit 1)

I looked at the one who was coming towards us, and it took me aback.

“It’s weird. She’s dressed as a bear. And she’s riding a bear.” (Bandit 2)

The guy looked at the person dressed as a bear while riding a bear with a smile on his face.

But I’m not laughing.

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“We better run away.” (Bandit 1)

“Huh? Run away? From a girl dressed as a bear while riding a bear and a girl riding behind her? Why are you running away from them?” (Bandit 2)

“For now, I’m going to report. You should also run away too. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” (Bandit 1)

I ran towards the hideout.

I recognise that bear. A few months ago, I was in a town by the sea called Mereera. I broke up with the previous party because of a disagreement, so I came alone to Mereera alone.

I thought I would spend my new life in that town. But an incident had destroyed that thought within a few days.

A Kraken appeared in the sea. The wealthy residents fled, and the skilled adventurers fled with them. While I was wondering what to do, a proposal to rob the fleeing rich of their gold and baggage came out of nowhere, and I was invited to join them.

Of course, I had no intention of going along with it, but I couldn’t refuse the invitation as a strong-looking man glared at me.

Since I had no party members and no prominent skills, I was assigned to be the lookout. My job was to report whenever people appeared on the road. If they have escorts, let them through. Otherwise, I called them.

I was put in charge of keeping an eye on those coming to Mereera. The group attacked not only those fleeing Mereera, but also those coming into the town.

But no one was coming into the Mereera, having heard about the Kraken and us from those who managed to escape.

Recently, adventurers have even arrived.

That day, I was yawning while keeping watch until it was time for my shift to end. But when it was time for the shift change, no one came. I thought they were drinking or sleeping.

It had happened a couple of times before. I went back to the lair to complain before it got dark.

But there was no one in the hideout.

I checked the town and found out they had already been caught.

They might be looking for me too, so I fled to the mountains.

After that, I didn’t know what to do, so I hid in the depths of the mountains for several days.

Then something strange happened in the sea. A Kraken appeared. As I was watching the Kraken, strange objects suddenly appeared around the Kraken and surrounded it.

I checked through the telescope and saw that it was a rock that looked like a bear. Upon further confirmation, I saw a figure fighting the Kraken. I focused on my telescope. The person fighting the Kraken was a small person wearing strange clothes.

A bear? A girl?

The girl dressed as a bear casts magic from the top of the cliff. Steam rises to the surface of the sea. The Kraken was suffering. How long has it been since they started?

The Kraken stopped moving.

A girl dressed as a bear defeated the Kraken.

After that, I hid in the mountains, trying to figure out what to do. I found a cave. From that cave, the bear girl who had defeated the Kraken, a man, and a woman emerged, riding a black bear and a white bear.

Perhaps, it’s connected somewhere?

I can’t stay here forever.

I ventured further into the cave.

The cave tunnel was long. But I continued holding a light magic stone, believing it led somewhere. And I was able to get out of the cave.

After leaving the cave, I arrived in a town. It was an unusual town. It had two lords co-ruling a single town. I got a job as a guard in one of the mansions.

I want to restart my life here again.

But while I can’t speak for others, this lord I served did all sorts of nefarious things.

It didn’t feel good to hear about it, despite the rumors. So, I thought of leaving when I had enough money.

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But my second life ended early when the lord’s idiot son kidnapped a nobleman’s daughter.

The girl dressed as the bear who defeated that very Kraken barged into the mansion to rescue the nobleman’s daughter.

“What are you doing here?”

The girl dressed as a bear began to fight the man dressed in black.

Everyone in the mansion feared the man in black. He liked to beat people up and was very capable.

But I know better than that. I know that these bears were stronger than monsters.

The bear won, as I expected. It was a landslide victory.

And I got caught.

I was released as a person of interest, with restrictions on my movements, but with the understanding that I had no part in the crime. Still, I was subjected to a lengthy interrogation. They asked me where I came from and how long I had been working.

I showed the captured lord my guild card once, but he was too stupid to remember people’s names. I had decided to work under a pseudonym with a slight alteration of my real name because of Mereera.

During the interrogation, they did not know what others called me, so the interrogation proceeded without them knowing that I was using a false name. I was in jail for a while, but after the lord was executed, I was released.

The fact that I had just started working at that lord’s place seemed to help.

I’m free, but I have nowhere to go.

I didn’t get paid, so I had no money on me.

For a while, I lived off my remaining money, but my money wasn’t infinite.

At that time, I was approached by a man whose name I don’t remember, who also worked for the lord.

When I asked him about it, he said he was assisting a certain merchant.

At first, I thought it smelled fishy, but I decided to listen to what he had to say since I had no money.

I never thought it was banditry.

It seems that the merchants were benefiting from their lord. So, they were in trouble because they could not receive the benefits because the authorities apprehended their lord, so they called out to people like us who needed money and gathered people.

The general modus operandi would be to attack the wagons, take the cargo, and then sell them to the merchants.

I listened to the end, and could not refuse, so I accepted the offer as I was swept along.

And I offered to be a lookout again, and I won’t get deeply involved. Someday they will get caught. Ultimately, I was planning to run away once I got some money.

But the end came too early.

The girl dressed as a bear came once more.

Honestly, I wanted to run away on my own. But I will return the debt of gratitude for their help, however brief it was.

I ran towards the place we were using as a hideout.