Chapter 51 – Bear-san Departs for the Royal Capital (1/2)
Chapter 51 – Bear-san Departs for the Royal Capital
I was very sleepy yesterday.
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On the first day of the escort mission, I first stopped by Tirumina’s house to pick up Fina.
After that, we headed to the feudal lord’s manor to meet up with Noa.
「Big Sis Yuna, are you escorting Forschurose-sama?」
Fina anxiously asked me.
「That’s right. Didn’t I say so?」
「This is the first I’ve heard of this! To meet Foschurose-sama or the like…」
Fina’s complexion became rather pale.
Was the disparity between an aristocrat and a commoner in this world that large, like I had expected?
「You’re not going to be plucked and eaten, so it’s all right. Besides, the client who is supposed to be guarded is his daughter, Noa.」
「Noire-sama, is it? Even so, for someone like me…」
Oh? Even though I’ve been calling her by her nickname, Noire’s name came out instead.
Were they acquainted to some extent?
「In any case, let’s go, alright? If it’s no good, I wonder if I should decline the request?」
「I-I understand!」
Fina followed along reluctantly.
When we reached the feudal lord’s manor, Noa was already waiting in front of the gate, standing with her hands on her hips in an imposing stance.
「You’re slow, Yuna-san!」
「If you thought so, wouldn’t it have been fine if you waited inside the house?」
「W-Well, when I thought that I could travel with the bear-sans, I got excited with antic.i.p.ation and couldn’t endure it.」
She said in a mildly embarra.s.sed tone.
「Although I understand your reasoning, can I ask something?」
「What is it?」
「I also want to take this child along. Do you have any problems with that?」
I pointed to Fina, who was being timid next to me.
「Who is that girl?」
「The savior of my life…」
「T-That’s not it! I’m the one whose life was saved by Big Sis Yuna, geez!」
「So then, this girl is going to be coming along with us?」
「I wanted to get permission, just in case.」
「It’s not particularly a problem. However, I won’t hand over bear-san!」
I could hear the crack of a whip in my head as she resolutely thrusted her finger at Fina.
「I was going to have the two of you ride on a bear.」
「Then it cannot be helped. However, I won’t give up the front!」
「Is it necessary to greet Cliff?」
「It is fine. Father has given me permission to depart as soon as Yuna-san arrives.」
「In that case, since permission was given, shall we depart for the Royal Capital?」
The three of us headed to the gate and left the town.
I summoned Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.
I would be riding Hugging Bear today.
The other two got on Swaying Bear.
「I said so earlier, but I’m in front.」
「Yes, Noire-sama.」
「That reminds me, what’s your name?」
「Yes, my name is Fina.」
「Then, my best regards until we get to the Royal Capital, Fina.」
「Yes, it’s a pleasure to meet you too, Noire-sama.」
Noa got on Swaying Bear, and Fina sat behind her.
I rode on top of Hugging Bear.
「With that, let’s depart for the Royal Capital!」
It wasn’t a rushed trip this time, so we took our time heading to the Royal Capital.
「Ufufu, Swaying Bear~ I’ll be counting on you to get us to the Royal Capital.」
Noa was gently patting Swaying Bear.
「Noire-sama is acquainted with Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear?」
「Ehem, I was allowed to ride them on one occasion, and we took a nap together afterwards. Geez, I could not help looking forward to today since yesterday.」
The two of them were getting along well and chatting.
「So then, I asked earlier, but what kind of relations.h.i.+p do the two of you have?」
「When I arrived at this town for the first time, the one who helped me when I was lost in the forest was Fina.」
「That might be the case, but since I was being attacked by wolves in the forest, I am the one who was saved by Big Sis Yuna. I only guided her to town.」
「After that, I became an adventurer but couldn’t dismantle the monsters, so I ended up asking Fina for help.」
「Yes, I am grateful to have been able to make some money as well.」
「Fina, you can dismantle monsters?」
「Yes. I have been doing it in the guild for a long time.」
「For a long time, you say; how old are you?」
「10 years old.」
「Aren’t you the same age as me? To be dismantling monsters…」
Noa was surprised.
As I thought, even in this world, a 10-year-old being able to dismantle monsters was strange.
After that, the two of them continued getting along and chatting on top of Swaying Bear.
It’s good to make a close friend.
Their conversation was pretty lively.
Since both of them were the same age, I hoped that they would get along, without caring about their relations.h.i.+p as a n.o.ble and a commoner.
Meanwhile, the bears leisurely advanced forward on the road that lead to the Royal Capital.
We didn’t encounter any monsters or thieves, and the sky gradually darkened on our leisurely journey.
The road to the Royal Capital continued onward.
I checked the surroundings as I searched for the optimal spot to camp out, before I finally led the two of them a short distance away from the road.
「Is it good enough around here?」
I stopped the bears in order to set up camp.
「Yuna-san, could it be that you plan to camp out here?」
「That’s right. By chance, did you think that we would be staying at an inn?」
「I didn’t think that, since I usually slept in the carriage.」
I see. You always moved around in a carriage, so you concluded that it was natural to sleep inside one?
「It’s my first time sleeping out in the open.」
「Rest a.s.sured, there’s a place to sleep properly.」
「…?」
I told the two of them to back off a bit and took out the Bear House from the Bear Box.