Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

After listening to the village chief’s request, we went to the rooms they had prepared for us.

The boys’ and girls’ rooms were separate, of course.

We were all in the girls’ room, having a meeting about tomorrow’s goblin extermination.

We sat in a circle on a soft carpet that was spread out on the floor.

「So, we should discuss how to find and defeat the goblins. From what the village chief told us, it seems that they don’t move as a single group. The villagers mostly saw only one goblin at a time and never more than three at once.」

Timor asked for ideas for tomorrow’s subjugation.

「In that case, isn’t this a good time to rely on the Bear-san’s strength? This subjugation is not a part of the practice training, after all.」

Cattleya looked towards me.

Hmm, was it really so?

“An excursion is an excursion until you return home,” was something that was often said…

Wouldn’t everything before going back be a part of the practice training?

Or was this a special case?

「I agree. The situation is different than normal. It will be dangerous. We can defeat one or two goblins at a time, but it will be difficult if there are more. We can defeat the goblins safely with the bears’ detection ability, though.」

Timor and Cattleya went with the idea of relying on me.

Marcus, who got us in situation in the first place, spoke up.

「Could you please lend the bears’ abilities to us?」

Marcus asked me with a polite bow.

「Can I ask you just one thing first? Why did you accept this request? You could have left it to the adventurers, right? I really don’t think you had to force yourself to do it.」

This wasn’t a job for students who just had to deliver wheat flour.

Also, the goblin subjugation had nothing to do with the practice training, so there was no need to put themselves in danger.

「I aim to become like my father and uphold his policies.」

「Like your father?」

「When there are people who are in need of help, help them. It’s better to regret helping them than to regret not doing so. Still, don’t do what you can’t do. You need to put in a lot of effort to improve on the things you can’t do so that you can do them next time.」

「Marcus’s father is the captain of the second knight order.」

Shia, who sat beside me, whispered to me.

Didn’t that mean he was someone incredible?

Well, I didn’t really know the ranks of the official positions.

Still, if he was a captain, he should be someone important, right?

「That’s why, since the village is troubled, I will help.」

「But, he told you to not do what you can’t do, right?」

「We can do it; I just have to rely on my comrades and your bears. That is something I grew to understand from the two battles during our journey.」

So, he thought that if we picked off goblins one by one using my detection magic, they would be able to handle it?

「Still, you don’t really have to put yourselves in danger, you know. It’s not like any serious damage had been done, and the villagers just have to wait a few more days for an adventurer to arrive.」

「And what if they were attacked during that period? It’s not really a problem for men, but the goblins could attack woman and children who can’t defend themselves, you know!」

「Marcus really is kind to children. That’s why you didn’t argue with Yuna-san, right?」

「Shut up!」

Shia said something incredible.

Did that mean they considered me a child?

I was shorter than Shia and Cattleya, so I might look younger, but…

Treating me as a child just because I was short… I was shorter by only a bit you know!

Was this why I was always asked to stay put in the carriage when they were fighting the goblins?

「You also asked me to carefully protect Yuna-san…」

「Shia!」

Shia just laughed when Marcus shouted at her.

Was this for real?

Did that mean Marcus ordered Shia to protect me?

Well, Shia knew about my strength, so I was sure that she had no intentions of being my guard, but…the other three thought differently, right?

「Since I’m a girl, he nagged me to take care of you.」

「………」

I never noticed such a conversation happening…

Was he possibly a tsundere?

I thought only girls could be one.

It wasn’t cute when a boy did it, you know.

Also, tsunderes were allowed only in the 2D world.

If you did it in the real world, nobody would realize, and you would just end up pissing people off.

「You don’t really have to be embarrassed, you know.」

Shia seemed to be only teasing Marcus.

Was this something funny for those who knew about it?

To avoid further teasing, Marcus forcefully changed the subject.

「Anyway, if I run away from this now, I won’t be able to become a first rate knight like my father. I know that with my current skill, it would be impossible for me to subjugate those goblins alone. That’s why, I would like you to lend us the bears’ powers.」

He said seriously.

「What would you do if I refused?」

「I would do anything, even get on my knees and beg you. If it’s to reduce the danger the villagers are in, doing that is nothing.」

That wasn’t an answer.

He thought that if he kneeled and begged, I would accept?

Was he a brainless idiot?

Well, I was planning on accepting from the start, but I wanted to hear what he was thinking, so I continued to question him.

「Isn’t that something you should have done before accepting the subjugation? If I don’t accept, all of you will face danger, you know.」

Sometimes, harsh words were needed too, right?

「I thought that if Shia said that she would come with me, you would use the bears.」

「So, you thought I wouldn’t refuse for Shia’s sake?」

Marcus nodded in an honest manner.

He planned it in advance, huh?

If Shia went with Marcus, I would come too, and if I went with them, I would use the bears.

This wasn’t really something I would do just for Shia, though.

After all, my job was to protect all of them, including Marcus.

「So… I will ask once more. Please lend us the bears’ strength.」

Marcus bowed again.

「…Okay. I will lend them to you.」

「Thank you, you are a lifesaver. I will protect you no matter what, so you don’t have worry about your safety.」

Before improving your swordsmanship, shouldn’t you first improve your ability to judge people?

The bear in front of you wasn’t so weak that it would need your protection, you know!

Next to me, Shia was looking at the floor, barely stopping herself from laughing.

Was this party really okay…?

「But, your practice training results might decrease, you know? I will properly report everything, after all.」

「I don’t mind. If I couldn’t save the people I wanted to because I aimed for good grades, I wouldn’t be able to become a full fledged knight. I want to become a knight who can protect the people he wants to, even if my grades are affected by it.」

「A low rating, huh. There is no helping it. Marcus, when we go back, treat me to a meal, okay?」

「In that case, I know a delicious restaurant. It’s expensive, though.」

「We will be able to order all we want, right?」

「You guys…」

Marcus said as if he was annoyed, but there was a smile on his face.

「But, before that, we have to defeat those goblins.」

「You’re right.」

「Then, we should think about how we will defeat them, together.」

When Cattleya said that, everyone nodded, except me.

They then started planning on what they should do.

I wanted to go sleep, though.

We were in the girl’s room, so I couldn’t really leave.

Also, I couldn’t really say that I was sleepy when all of them were this pumped up.

The discussion continued late into the night.

The next day, we got ready to head to the forest to subjugate the goblins.

I was a bit tired; the lack of sleep wasn’t good for my body.

The four of them were full of energy, though.

Being young sure was incredible.

I let out a small yawn.

「We will be going now.」

「Please don’t try to do the impossible, okay?」

The villagers were there to see us off.

We headed the forest by foot.

I confirmed the surrounding with detection magic.

There were about 12 goblins; all spread out.

One, one, two, two, three, two, and one.

The only problem would be the group of three goblins, huh.

「Yuna-san, how many are there?」

「There are 12 goblins.」

I gave them the locations and the numbers of goblins.

「You know that even without bringing the bears out?」

「Yes. I’m linked with them, after all.」

It would be troublesome to walk while hugging the bears, so I told them that.

「A group of three, huh. For now, we will start with the nearest goblin that is on its own.」

We moved towards the closest goblin, with Marcus at the front, then Shia, me, Cattleya, and finally Timor.

After walking for a while, we found the goblin and approached without alerting him.

「I’m counting on you two.」

They put the plan they had thought up before in action.

If there was just one goblin, Shia and Cattleya would fire magic at it, and Marcus would use that chance to finish it off. Also, if one of the girls missed, Timor would fire his magic as well.

Both girls hit the first goblin, and Marcus attacked as planned.

I was reminded of the game, seeing them like that.

The magicians attacked from the rear, then the warriors or swordsmen rushed in. It worked great especially when they had a healer as well.

I partied a bit too, of course.

I was a magic swordswoman, after all.

……It’s true, you know!

The next place had two goblins.

「We will split in two groups and attack at the same time!」

The other three nodded.

Timor and Cattleya were in the back acting as supports while Shia and Marcus were up front, ready to rush the goblins.

If they registered at the Adventurer’s Guild, they would become E rankers in no time.

「That makes three of them.」

「The Bear-sans’ detection ability is really incredible. To know their location so precisely…」

「Thanks to them, we can defeat the goblins easily.」

They removed the magic stones and buried the corpses.

The goblin hunting was progressing well.

They first defeated one and now two.

Both were surprise attacks, but they were able to kill them safely.

「We should take a break.」

「Yeah, next is the group of three goblins. Timor, is it really okay?」

「Don’t worry. I can hold two of them off while Shia and Cattleya defeat the other one.」

「We will defeat it quickly, so do your best.」

「I’m counting on you. Unlike you guys, I’m bad with fighting up close.」

We finished our break and went to where the three goblins were.

They should be just behind this thicket.

We reached an open field inside the forest.

When we arrived, the three goblins were attacking a wolf.

A wolf?

It wasn’t there a moment ago.

Ah, it might be that I just didn’t take note of it.

I was only looking for goblins.

「What should we do?」

「We have a good view from here, so we can see them if they approach us.」

While we were watching the fight, a black shadow arrived and killed all the goblins.

「What is that!?」

「Why would something like that be here?」

「This is a joke, right?」

They were looking at it as if they couldn’t believe their eyes. I was sure they didn’t want to acknowledge it.

What was standing in the middle of the field was bigger than Swaying Bear, a beast wrapped in a pitch black fur.

With a fiendish look, it was crunching a goblin with its enormous teeth.

「……Black Tiger.」

Shia revealed the identity of the black beast.

Ripping the goblins apart with its sharp claws and growling from its large mouth, a Black Tiger was there.

The fact that I didn’t detect this monster was completely my fault.

Author’s note:

You can now see the illustrations on the PASH! editor blog.

Those who are interested can go check it out.

Next time, Yuna’s peerlessness will finally be shown.