Bear-san Discovers A New Land
After eating lunch, I sat down on Swaying Bear and looked at Fina sitting beside me. Fina’s hair was swaying in the sea breeze. Did she let her hair grow longer?
As I watched Fina, she suddenly stood up and began looking into the distance.
“Fina?” (Yuna)
“Yuna-oneesan, I can see land.” (Fina)
An island?
I got up and turned my attention toward where Fina was looking.
“It’s true. I can see the land.” (Kagali)
Kagali-san, lying down like me, also got up and looked at where Fina was looking.
Certainly, I can see the land just as the two said.
“What is that place?” (Kagali)
“We’re on a moving island, so I don’t know.” (Yuna)
“Indeed, that’s right. Then that’s a land that even you don’t know about.” (Kagali)
Kagali-san looked at the land in the distance and smiled.
“Wanna go? It’s a good after-meal workout.” (Kagali)
Kagali-san said such a thing.
Well, I also want to go there. I want to see what that new place has to offer, a whole new world. I am looking forward to it.
“But this island is moving. What if we can’t come back?…” (Fina)
Fina says worriedly.
“I can make as many Bear Gates as I like, so it’s okay.” (Yuna)
“Is that so?” (Fina)
Apparently, she thought it was a magic tool, and there was a limit to the number.
“I thought you were bizarre, but you’re just super insane.” (Kagali)
“I don’t want to hear that from you, Kagali-san. You who lived for hundreds of years can change into a fox, fly in the sky, and turn into a little girl.” (Yuna)
“I didn’t become a little girl because I wanted to, though.” (Kagali)
“For me, I don’t believe either of them.” (FIna)
Kagali-san nor I could deny Fina’s words.
For Fina, who has common sense, the two of us might be insane to her.
When Fina and Kagali-san learned that they could come back safely, they had no objections, so we decided to go to the land we just saw.
“Then, Swaying Bear, Hugging Bear, head for that island.” (Yuna)
“Kuu~n“
With us on board, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear jumped into the sea and ran over the ocean.
Targui doesn’t seem to be stopping, but it just keeps going. It’s time to say goodbye for now. But there’s a bear gate so that we can come back anytime.
With us on board, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear are rushing toward land.
We’re slowly approaching the land.
I look out over the land, but I don’t see any harbors or signs of inhabited places.
We found a sandy beach and went ashore.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear aren’t reacting, so it’s fine, but I’ll use my detection skill anyway to check my surroundings.
Yeah, it looks okay.
Swaying Bear with me on board and Hugging Bear with Fina and Kagari-san started walking.
Beyond the sandy beach, the meadow spreads out.
I couldn’t see anything that looked like a harbor from the sea, and even when we got on land, there was no sign of anyone nearby.
I don’t see anything of further interest, so I don’t know which landmark to head to.
“Which way shall we go?” (Yuna)
I asked Fina and Kagali-san’s opinions for now.
Fina made a troubled face, but Kagali-san said, “Wait a minute, I’ll take a look”, and flew up.
It seems that she will check from above.
I really envy her for being able to fly.
I really want upgraded bear skills, like flying.
Kagali-san was turning 360 degrees in the sky, and then she stopped in a particular direction.
“Did you find anything?” (Yuna)
“It seems so.” (Kagali)
Kagali-san came down. Then, get on top of Hugging Bear on which Fina was riding.
“Kagali-oneesan, did something happen?” (Fina)
“I saw what looked like a building over there, but it was too far away to make out.” (Kagali)
The forest can be seen in the direction Kagali-san is pointing.
“It’s just beyond that forest. What do we do? Shall we go?” (Kagali)
We didn’t land here with a purpose.
I just hope there’s something there. If Kagali-san found something, we have no choice but to go where she pointed.
“Well, since we’ve landed here, why don’t we go?” (Yuna)
“Un.” (Fina)
“We’ve come all this way after all.” (Kagali)
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, with us on board, started running in the direction pointed out by Kagali-san.
I asked Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear to tell me when something dangerous was approaching, and I looked around visually.
“Kagali-san, you saw the building, right?” (Yuna)
“Is there a person there?” (Fina)
“In any case, it was surrounded by forest.” (Kagali)
We went through the forest, over the river, and along the roadless path
At that time, Fina, who was looking around, raised her voice.
“Ah, Yuna-oneesan, isn’t that a road over there?” (Fina)
I looked where Fina was pointing, and sure enough, there was something that resembled a road.
It resembled a road because it had been unused and unserviced for a long time.
“There’s no evidence that anyone has passed here for a long time.” (Kagali)
Kagali-san agrees with me.
“But if we continue on this road, it will lead us to our destination.” (Kagali)
It’s easier to proceed from here than going through the forest, so we decided to use the decayed road. There were fallen trees here and there, but Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear easily jumped over them.
Then, after advancing quite a ways, we exited the forest. There, a wall towered over us.
“It’s a wall.” (Yuna)
“It’s a wall indeed.” (Kagali)
It’s like a wall surrounding a city like in Crimonia or the royal capital.
Then, just as Kagali-san said, there seems to be a building inside the wall.
“But we can’t get in.” (Fina)
Fina is looking at what seems to be the original entrance. The entrance is blocked by a wall that seems to have collapsed from above, so we can’t enter inside.
“Is it possible to enter from somewhere? Well, at worst, I’ll hold Fina in my arms and jump over it.” (Yuna)
Fina’s face paled a little at my words.
Perhaps she remembered jumping off the long stairs in the Dwarven country.
“Then wait for me here. I’ll check from up there.” (Kagali)
Kagali-san’s body floats up on the wall. Kagali-san checks inside the wall and quickly comes down.
“There was a place over there where the wall had collapsed, and you could go inside. But the inside was in ruins.” (Kagali)
“Ruins?” (Yuna)
“It’s not that big, but it seems like there used to be a town in the past. But everything is broken here and there, and I didn’t see people.” (Kagali)
Well, the road has not been used for a long time, and the supposed entrance to the town has crumbled. I don’t expect people to be there.
All I have is curiosity.
We’ll enter from the place where the wall collapsed, which Kagali-san found.
Guided by Kagali-san, we came to the place where the wall collapsed.
Indeed, the wall had crumbled just as Kagali-san said. It might be difficult for people to climb. But Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear easily climbed up the pile of rubble of the collapsed wall.
Then, on top of the rubble, I could see inside the walls.
There was a scene that would have been called a town in the past.
However, just as Kagali-san said, the buildings had turned into collapsed ruins, there were no signs of anyone there, and thus it was definitely a ruin.
“Fina, we’re going inside. Are you okay? If you’re scared, do you want to go back to Crimonia?” (Yuna)
“I’m scared if I’m alone, but I’m fine because I have Yuna-oneesan and Kagali-oneesan. Besides, I want to go with Yuna-oneesan.” (Fina)
Until now, she tended to be reserved, but she has grown to be able to express her opinion clearly.
She’s improving just by taking her around.
I was deeply moved when I recalled how timid she seemed when I first met her.
“But if I’m a hindrance to you, Yuna-oneesan, then…” (Fina)
“No, you’re not a hindrance.” (Yuna)
Well, if anything should happen, rest assured that I will protect you.” (Kagali)
“Yeah. Thank you. Kagali-oneesan.” (Fina)
“Kuu~n“
“Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear said that they will also protect you.” (Yuna)
“Thank you. Swaying Bear, Hugging Bear.” (Fina)
Of course, I will protect her myself.
If the four of us protect her, she’ll be fine. Besides, there’s no reaction from monsters, so there should be no danger. The only thing to watch out for is probably a collapsing building.
“Fina, the building might collapse, so don’t leave Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.” (Yuna)
“Yes.” (Fina)
We investigated the ruins. Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, carrying us, descended the collapsed wall.
For the time being, we head to the center of the town.
Many of the buildings are made out of stone. Walls and other structures have collapsed, exposing the inside of the houses. Large amounts of bottles and barrels have scattered.
I think a lot of people used to live here.
“Yuna-oneesan. Why did it end up like this?” (Fina)
Fina looks at the collapsed building and asks with a forlorn expression on her face.
“They fled because of the war, or because a large number of monsters attacked, or a huge monster attacked, or because there was an epidemic. It’s also possible that the population naturally declined. There are many reasons I can think of, but I can’t really tell just by looking at it.” (Yuna)
I answered without using the word “dead” as much as possible.
It’s possible that they were attacked and destroyed in a war, and equally possible that monsters killed them. It’s also possible that many people died from the plague.
“That’s right. Had Orochi rampaged in the Land of Harmony, the same thing could have happened.” (Kagali)
There are monsters that humans simply cannot defeat. Sometimes the only choice is to flee.
However, I have no way of knowing why this town fell into ruins.
“Still, how long has it been since it was abandoned?” (Yuna)
I am neither a historian nor an architect. I don’t have any knowledge about it, so I can’t tell how long ago it perished just by looking at it.
“From the looks of it, it seems like a lot of time has passed, but even I can’t be so sure.” (Kagali)
“I guess there are some things even the two of you can’t figure out.” (Fina)
Fina says with a smile.
Apparently, she had the impression that Kagali-san and I knew everything.
There are a lot of things that neither I nor Kagali-san know. Moreover, I’m not a resident of this world. There are still so many things I still need to learn.
I think Fina knows more about this world better than I do.
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Author’s Note:
A new land has been discovered.
A little adventure for Yuna and her friends is about to begin.
Hope it goes well.
[Notice]
Episode 43 of “Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear” is now available on Comic PASH!
It’s the arrival at the royal capital.
Thank you for your purchase.
※ As always, thanks to everyone who has reported typos. I am not able to reply, so I’ll just leave this here.
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