Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

“I don’t think there’s any treasure lying around in these rooms in the first place.” (Yuna)

“You’re right. Then maybe we should look for a hidden room or something.” (Kagali)

Indeed, when it comes to treasures, hidden rooms are the standard. Or rather, a treasure room?

“That being said, I don’t think a hidden room would be easy to find.” (Yuna)

“Are you perhaps going to use magic to break down the wall and look for it?” (Kagali)

A wall could be broken by magic or a bear punch.

However, Fina, listening to Kagali-san and me, said the opposite.

“You, you can’t do that. If you destroy the building any more than this….” (Fina)

“No one lives there, so I think it would be fine if we tear it down a little.” (Yuna)

“Even if no one lives in it, it’s not good to destroy it.” (Fina)

Fina said seriously.

Well, I can understand what Fina was saying.

Just because it was in ruins doesn’t mean that we could destroy it without permission.

It’s like breaking the glass in an abandoned building or writing graffiti on the wall.

It was a question of human morality.

“I understand. I’m not going to break it. But if I see anything suspicious, you don’t mind breaking it a little, right?” (Yuna)

“…Yeah, if it’s a suspicious place.” (Fina)

Fina also permitted me to break it only if I found something suspicious.

As I was looking for someplace, anywhere suspicious, I heard the sound of metal clanging at a distance.

“Yuna-oneesan?” (Fina)

“Did something fall?” (Kagali)

“That seems to be the case.” (Yuna)

Clang, clang, clang, clang.

However, I began to hear the sound of falling metal repeatedly.

“What was that?” (Kagali)

“The sound of a pan or pot being dropped?” (Fina)

Fina answered while tilting her head.

“Even so, the sound still continues.” (Yuna)

Clang, clang, clang, clang.

“I have no idea what that would be.” (Kagali)

“Shall we go see it?” (Yuna)

We turn our feet toward the sound.

“Hurry up, keep running!”

“Wait~”

“I can hear voices.” (Yuna)

“You’re right. It sounds like the little girls from earlier.” (Kagali)

Well, besides us, the only other people here are the two girls we met earlier.

“Perhaps they are being attacked by monsters?” (Kagali)

“Then we have to help them quickly!” (Fina)

Fina yells in a panic at Kagali-san, who seems like she’s taking it easy.

The fact that Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear remaining quiet means that they’re not monsters.

Maybe it was an animal? It wouldn’t be strange for animals to live in the ruins after all.

A tiger, a lion, or a bear, perhaps?

“So what are you going to do? Are you going to help them?” (Kagali)

Well, it would be awkward to abandon them, and if I saw two dead bodies lying around, even eaten by animals, I would be beyond traumatized.

I feel like I’m dreaming.

“Well, it looks like they’re genuinely worried about us. It doesn’t seem like they’re bad girls, so I’m going to help them. Swaying Bear, Hugging Bear. Go to where the voices came from.” (Yuna)

“”Kuu~n“”

With us on board, swaying Bear and Hugging Bear left the room, moved to the passageway, and then ran down the stairs. And when we went outside, we found that something unimaginable had happened.

“What’s that?” (Kagali)

“Is that armor moving?” (Yuna)

There was something that looked like an armored knight from medieval Europe chasing Mia and Carol.

The sound of metal clanging was the sound of armor moving.

Rather than running, the armored knight feels like it’s chasing them with a brisk walk.

I tried using the detection skill to check, but there was no response from the monster. Only the reaction of the two people moving can be seen.

Is it not a monster?

Is that why Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear didn’t react, either?

“Don’t come here~” (Mia)

“That’s why I told you to move carefully~” (Carol)

“Because we’ve been fine up until now, so I think we’ll be okay.” (Mia)

They are running while arguing with each other.

Won’t you run out of breath quickly if you’re running while talking?

“They look fine.” (Kagali)

“But we have to help them.” (Fina)

Indeed, they’re running away looking fine, but an armored knight is also chasing them.

The armored knight has a sword in its hand. Both of them are in danger.

“I’m going to go help them, Kagali-san, Swaying Bear, and Hugging Bear, please take care of Fina.” (Yuna)

“I understand. Leave Fina to me.” (Kagali)

“”Kuu~n“”

I leave Fina to Kagali-san, Swaying Bear, and Hugging Bear, and I stand in front of the two people running.

“The bear from earlier!? It’s dangerous here!” (Mia)

“Run away~~~~” (Carol)

Both of them are worried about me.

“Just run past me!” (Yuna)

I say to the two running toward me.

At the same time as the two ran past me, I cast the earth magic I had prepared toward the armored knights.

The clump of dirt hit the running armored knight, and the armored knight fell apart and crumbled.

It was easier to defeat than I thought.

“You okay?” (Yuna)

I turned around and checked with the two.

The two seemed to be out of breath and were panting heavily, “Haa~ haa~“.

“We, We’re saved. But we have to run away quickly.” (Mia)

“Run away? I already beat it…” (Yuna)

Just as I was about to continue my words, I heard the sound of metal moving behind me. When I turned around, the broken armor was moving. It started sticking together and returned to its original state.

“Wait, what’s that?” (Yuna)

“That’s why I told you to run away.” (Mia)

Mia complained, but who would’ve thought that it would reassemble itself?

“How do you make it stop?” (Yuna)

“Somewhere in the body, there is a magic stone that controls it. If you destroy it, it should stop. However, since it varies from armor to armor, I don’t know where the magic stones are! ” (Carol)

Carol told me while raising her voice.

If I know how to beat it, there’s no problem.

Either destroy every inch of the armor. Or just destroy the magic stone with an electric shock.

“Leave the rest to me, the two of you stay back.” (Yuna)

“Hey, were you listening to me!? You can’t easily defeat it.” (Mia)

“It’ll be alright.” (Yuna)

I ran towards the armored knight when I said that to Mia to reassure her. The armored knight brandished its sword.

Slow.

I dodged, lightly touched the armored knight’s body with my bear puppet, and sent an electric shock.

The armored knight stopped moving and crumbled; this time, it didn’t move.

“You beat it?” (Mia)

Mia asked anxiously.

“I think so.” (Yuna)

I approached the crumpled armored knight and kicked its rolling head like a soccer ball. The head flies far away. The rest of the body does not seem to move.

Mia and Carol looked relieved to see that.

“Yuna, are you okay?” (Kagali)

Kagali-san called out to me from a distance.

“I’m fine.” (Yuna)

Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, carrying Fina and Kagali-san, came over.

Kagali-san got off Hugging Bear and approached the armored knight.

“Oh, it’s not moving anymore?” (Kagali)

“Because I broke the magic stone that powers it. So what is this? It doesn’t seem to be a monster.” (Yuna)

I asked Mia and Carol about the armor lying at my feet.

Mia and Carol looked at each other and started talking.

“We call them guardian knights.” (Carol)

“Guardian Knight?” (Yuna)

“It means the knight guarding this building.” (Mia)

“It seems that the ancient people made it as a countermeasure against intruders.” (Carol)

Does that mean it’s man-made?

I see it’s not a monster, so it didn’t react to the detection skill nor alert Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.

Yeah, I’m convinced.

“So, don’t you have anything to say to us?” (Kagali)

“Well, you saved us this time. Thank you. You look so weird, but you’re strong.” (Mia)

It seems wherever I go, my bear costumes look weird.

Well, I’m having a hard time responding to being told I look beautiful or something as well.

“Thank you so, so much.” (Carol)

After Carol thanked us, Kagali-san smiled at the two of them as if she was plotting something.

“Well then, I guess I’ll ask for a little compensation for helping you.” (Kagali)

“Are you asking for money?!” (Mia)

“Wait, we don’t have much money.” (Carol)

The two look troubled.

“I don’t need money. I just want you to tell me a little about this place.” (Kagali)

The little girl smiled wickedly.

I see. She’s going to ask us to provide information as thanks. Then we don’t have to tell them our information, and we can listen to them one-sidedly.

But you won’t find a little girl with such a wicked face anywhere in the world, will you?

Mia and Carol are also pulling back.

Well, even though she looks like a little girl, she’s actually an old lady who’s lived for hundreds of years, so it can’t be helped.

“Yuna. Are you thinking of something rude?” (Kagali)

“I don’t know if it’s fair of me to say this, but I just realized how uncomfortable it can be when what’s on the outside doesn’t match what’s on the inside.” (Yuna)

I think my bear outfit would have suited a prettier girl better than a boorish girl like me.

We then asked them to provide information in return for saving them.

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Author’s Note:

Reunited with Mia and Carol again.

My apologies.

I previously wrote that I would be posting every 3 days, but I will be posting between 3 and 4 days for a while.

※ As always, thanks to everyone who has been reporting typos. I am unable to reply, so I will leave this here.

※ [Postscript]

The next posting will be on 3/27.

-Kumanano

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