Bear-san Examines The Basement
I entered a nearby house with Fina.
It’s dusty.
The dust dances as we walk.
I told Fina to put a handkerchief over her mouth.
When I pull down the bear hood, even if dust gets in front of me, it won’t get to my eyes or mouth, so I won’t inhale it. I feel like I’m being protected by something I can’t see.
It really is a versatile piece of equipment as long as you don’t mind how it looks.
“Here, Yuna-oneesan. A handkerchief.” (Fina)
But Fina, who doesn’t know about that, handed me a beautiful white handkerchief.
It would be easy to say no here. But since I can’t turn down the handkerchief that Fina has given me, I simply thanked her and accepted it.
“Thank you.” (Yuna)
I put the handkerchief to my mouth and examined the room.
“Yuna-oneesan. What should I be looking for?” (Fina)
“I don’t know either. I’ve never seen it before. Something suspicious, I think?” (Yuna)
I don’t know if Kryna-Hark would have made it to mimic something as familiar as a broken chest, drawers, or bookcases like the one in front of me. We found a researcher’s dead body in the basement, so maybe I’ll recognise it when I see it.
…But when I look around the house, I can’t find anything that looks suspicious.
“Is there really something made by Kryna-Hark-san here?” (Fina)
Fina also frantically searched around, but couldn’t find anything.
“The researcher in that basement was trying to protect it, and he had his knight armor close, so I’m sure it’s somewhere nearby.” (Yuna)
We had no luck in the first house, so Fina and I moved to a smaller house next door.
This place is just as dusty as the first house.
Fina and I checked one room at a time.
“Hmm?” (Yuna)
When I entered the room, I felt omnious. There’s a bed in the middle of the room.
If that were all, there would be no problem, but there are scratches on the floor like someone dragged it from the wall.
My intuition, which has seen a lot of anime and manga and played many games, whispers to me that it’s definitely questionable.
“What’s wrong, Yuna-oneesan?” (Fina)
“I just thought that bed looked suspicious. Fina. Stay away from me for a minute so I can move the bed.” (Yuna)
After making sure Fina went to the entrance of the room, I grabbed the edge of the bed and pushed it against the wall. At the same time, dust flies.
I used wind magic to break the wooden window frame and let the dust escape outside the window.
“Fina, are you okay?” (Yuna)
Even if you protect your mouth and nose with a handkerchief, it’s still a problem if the dust gets in your eyes.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Yuna-oneesan, there’s a door under the bed.” (Fina)
Fina pointed to the floor while holding a handkerchief to her mouth.
There was indeed a door on the floor, hidden under the bed.
“Yuna-oneesan. Did you know that there’s a door under the bed?” (Fina)
“Fufu, this kind of concealment is a classic.” (Yuna)
The bed had drag marks, which was a deciding factor.
“Is that so?” (Fina)
In games, removing a carpet would reveal a basement, or moving a bookcase would reveal a hidden door or passage. They could be escape routes or hidden treasures. This technique has been used many times in manga and video games. This time, that knowledge came in handy.
“Now then, I’ll open it. Fina, stand back.” (Yuna)
There could be traps. I’m okay with bear gear, but it’s dangerous for Fina.
“Yes.” (Fina)
Fina nodded and moved back.
After ensuring Fina was safe, I lifted the door on the floor.
A hidden staircase has appeared.
Yep, as expected.
“Fina…” (Yuna)
“Yuna-oneesan!” (Fina)
I looked at Fina as I was about to say, ‘wait here’, she had already casted light magic.
It seems like she’s going to come with me.
Since Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear are not with us, leaving her alone in the room may be dangerous.
After thinking for a moment, I concluded that she would be safer near me, so I took her with me.
“Don’t leave my side, okay?” (Yuna)
“Yes!” (Fina)
I led the way down the stairs.
It could be a lot deeper.
“What is this place? Fina, light up the whole area.” (Yuna)
Fina’s light magic illuminates the surroundings.
At the bottom of the stairs was a little basement.
“Yuna-oneesan. On the floor.” (Fina)
As I look around the room, Fina points to the floor.
“A magic circle?” (Yuna)
The floor is carved with circular and intricate patterns and inlaid with magic stones and other objects.
But it’s broken.
It was easy to see that the floor on which the magic circle was carved was cracked and no longer served the purpose of a magic circle.
“There’s no way to fix it.” (Yuna)
Even if the floor is reinforced with earth magic, there are places where it has completely collapsed. Repairing the floor doesn’t mean that the magic circle will be repaired.
“Is this something I should consult with Kagali-san?” (Yuna)
Before that, we checked the basement for anything else.
If this is what Kryna-Hark left behind, there might be something here.
But I soon discovered that there was nothing there. There was only a magic circle in the basement, not a single piece of paper, a bookshelf, or a desk.
However, if Kryna-Hark used this house, I thought there might be clues in other rooms, so I checked the other rooms with Fina, but I couldn’t find anything like the basement.
I gave up and heard a voice from outside as we were about to leave the house.
“Yuna~, Fina~, where are you~” (Mia)
We heard Mia’s voice calling us from outside the house.
“We’re here.” (Yuna)
“Oh, there you are.” (Mia)
When Fina and I left the house, Mia and Kagali-san had already regrouped.
“Yuna, did anything happen on your side? No luck in mine.” (Kagali)
“Our place was covered in cobwebs.” (Mia)
“Mia-chan, don’t move. I’ll remove the cobwebs.” (Carol)
Carol removes the spider web from Mia’s hair.
“Are there still more? Take it off quickly!” (Mia)
As always, they are good friends.
“We found a basement that seems to have been made by Kryna-Hark.” (Yuna)
I explained to Kagali-san and the others that we found a basement where a magic circle was.
I took Kagali-san into the house as mentioned earlier, and went to the room where the basement is located.
“A hidden basement under the bed? Good job finding it.” (Kagali)
“My experience served me well.” (Yuna)
Not a real experience, but from my knowledge of anime, manga, novels, and video games.
When we were about to go down the stairs, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear cried out, “Kuu-n.”
Apparently, it’s because they couldn’t get through.
I can take them if they are small enough.
“You two wait here.” (Kagali)
“Kuu~n“
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear cry sadly.
“I would feel safer with you two guarding the entrance, so please.” (Yuna)
“”Kuu~n“”
As I asked, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear sat on either side of the stairs, with satisfied faces, as if to check their surroundings.
“They really are amazing bears. They understand what people are saying, they’re fast, and they can keep running while carrying us.” (Carol)
“Also, they’re cute and soft.” (Mia)
“What are you talking about? Foxes are more amazing.” (Kagali)
As Mia and Carol praise my bears, Kagali-san counters.
“You three, go to the basement. Hurry up or the slime will come.” (Yuna)
I also vote for bears. Kagali-san might get annoyed if I said that, so I made them go down the stairs.
When Fina follows me, the three of them silently come down the stairs.
“Oh, there really is a basement down here.” (Mia)
“Perhaps this magic circle was created by Kryna-Hark.” (Yuna)
I point at the magic circle on the cracked floor with a bear puppet.
“Hey, it’s broken. With this, even if you use Kruna-Hark’s staff…” (Mia)
Mia looks dejected.
It’s not like I don’t understand that feeling.
What was supposed to be a way to stop the slime was no good.
“We still don’t know that. Until a few days ago, it was definitely effective. Things in other places are safe, and it might be okay even if one is broken.” (Kagali)
The effect may diminish, but the possibility of stopping is, indeed, possible.
And certainly, you don’t know that until you try.
“Is there anything in the room? Something to fix the magic circle?” (Kagali)
“Not even a single piece of paper.” (Yuna)
Mia and Carol were also looking around the room and were disappointed when they heard what I said.
“Maybe they didn’t leave anything behind to prevent anyone from knowing what this magic circle was.” (Kagali)
If they wanted to keep the magic circle in this basement a secret, they might have gotten rid of whatever Kruna-Hark left behind. They’d even hide it under the bed.
Personally, I thought they could just fill it up with magic, but maybe they kept coming back for research.
“Then let’s investigate that laboratory.” (Kagali)
“I don’t think there was anything like that there.” (Yuna)
“Uu” (Kagali)
The only notable things we found in the researcher’s basement were those two notebooks and a wand.
“For the time being, going with Kagali-san said, if there is a place similar to this one, how about checking other places? There may be clues in other rooms.” (Carol)
Carol suggests.
“That’s right. In Grandpa’s notes, there are other places where knight armors were.” (Mia)
“Alright. There’s no use talking about it because we can’t find an answer here. We should check other places and then talk about the future.” (Kagali)
We left the basement, joined Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, and headed out to our following location while looking at Mia’s grandfather’s note.
Please note that I have not corrected some of the kanji characters, as they have been adapted to the book.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m