Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

Bear-san, Discusses The Future

I welcome the morning typically without being woken up by Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear. Hugging Bear, who’s rolled into a ball, sleeps comfortably beside me. Apparently, the slime didn’t come and attack us.

When I look at the bed next to me, Fina is unusually sleeping while hugging Swaying Bear. Kagali-san is also sleeping with a child-like face. It’s a face that doesn’t really look like an adult’s.

But I can’t let them sleep forever, so I wake them both up and then had them move downstairs.

I asked Fina to go and wake Mia and Carol up, as she did yesterday, while I prepared breakfast.

A great day must start with a good breakfast.

If you are hungry, you will not be able to come up with good ideas, and you will not have the strength to fight.

There’s even a saying, ‘You can’t fight on an empty stomach’.

When breakfast is on the table, Fina arrives with Mia and Carol. We eat breakfast and talk about our next step.

“The slime didn’t come?” (Mia)

“It didn’t come. Unless, this house is already inside the slime.” (Yuna)

Mia looked out the window at my joke.

“Stop scaring me.” (Mia)

“I’m just kidding. Besides, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear are here, and they’ll tell me before it comes to that.” (Yuna)

Mia looked at the normal-sized Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, who were curled up, and when she felt relieved, she sat back in her chair.

“So, what are you going to do now?” (Mia)

“We’re going to stay here and see what the slime does.” (Yuna)

While Fina went to wake up Mia and the others, I briefly discussed with Kagali-san.

“Why? If it’s not after us, that means we’re safe now, right?” (Mia)

“We’re still don’t not sure about that. Maybe the slime was sleeping at night.” (Kagali)

Kagali-san explains on my behalf.

“Do slimes even sleep?” (Mia)

“Well, monsters sleep, don’t they? Even slimes need to rest. I think it’s rare to find a creature that keeps moving non-stop.” (Kagali)

There are delicious fishes in the sea that will die if they don’t keep swimming, you know.

But, just as Kagali-san said, there are not many creatures that can actively keep going non-stop.

If you move, you will get tired. This is true for any living creature. So, Kagali-san and I decided to observe the slime a little longer.

“So you’re saying that if I attack at night, I can defeat that slime?” (Mia)

“Mia, I think the slime will move if you attack it. Even you would wake up if you were attacked while you’re sleeping, wouldn’t you?” (Yuna)

“Yeah, but…” (Mia)

Of course, it may be slow to react, slow to wake up, and so on, but it will no doubt wake up if we launch an attack.

If we do attack, it should only be when we can take it out within the first blow, like when I took out a flock of wyverns a while back.

The former is far more manageable if you ask which is easier to defeat, a sleeping wyvern or an active wyvern.

“Besides, how are you going to fight in the dark? The fact that it’s night means that we also have to fight in the dark.” (Kagali)

Of course, there are no streetlights and no lights at all. The only light source is from the moon and stars. But if there were clouds, it would be so dark that it could be called pitch black.

It’s perilous to fight in that environment.

“Then illuminate it with light magic and fight it.” (Mia)

“You’re a hopeless fool, you know that? Shine a light on, and you will also wake up the slime.” (Kagali)

“U~u“

Mia chokes on her words in response to Kagali-san’s reply.

I don’t really know how the slime judges light.

That giant slime might also discern other things such as brightness, temperature, or even ultraviolet light, but there’s no way of knowing that.

Either way, it’s not like light magic can cover all the darkness, so fighting in the dark is still pretty much dangerous.

If the opponent wakes up, the sneak advantage disappears. On the contrary, it can even become a disadvantage.

“Ano, what if the slime doesn’t come?” (Carol)

Carol asks quietly.

“In that case, I think you and Mia can go back to your town.” (Yuna)

If we confirm that it won’t chase us if we keep this much distance away from it, then there will be no problem returning to town.

“What about your group, Yuna-san?” (Carol)

“We’ll do something about that slime.” (Yuna)

“What are you supposed to do about it? Just because you’re strong, Yuna, it doesn’t mean you can defeat a slime that enormous.” (Mia)

“I talked to Kagali-san last night about something I want to try with the slime, so I’ll give it a shot.” (Yuna)

“You mean, like, dropping slime in the ocean? If so, I’ve thought of that too.” (Mia)

Mia said confidently.

“……”

“……”

“……”

The room became quiet.

“You do know that most of the slime’s body is made of water, right? So if you do that…” (Kagali)

Kagali-san says in amazement.

“I don’t even want to imagine it.” (Yuna)

“That’s why I told you last night, Mia-chan.” (Carol)

“I- I’m just kidding. I just thought I’d point out to you that it’s impossible if you were thinking about it by any chance.” (Mia)

Mia tries to fake it by whistling… she can’t even whistle.

She was earnest about it.

But I don’t think the slime would drown by taking in seawater.

“Then what are you going to do?” (Mia)

“I can see two ways to do this. First, destroy the magical tool inside that slime. If that is the thing that’s giving the command to purify, we can stop it.” (Kagali)

“You mean, if we destroy the magical tool inside the slime, it won’t come after us?” (Mia)

“It’s a possibility.” (Yuna)

You won’t know until you actually try it.

It could be possible that purifying humans have become so ingrained in their bodies that they can’t break the order.

“So what’s the other one?” (Mia)

“Mia, you’re the one who found that wand, right?” (Kagali)

“You mean the wand that the skeletal corpse had in its hand?” (Mia)

Mia speaks hatefully.

“Yes. If we use that wand again, there’s a chance that the slime will stop.” (Yuna)

“And to do that, you need to get close to that slime back in that town?” (Carol)

Carol seems to understand what I’m trying to say.

“It would be worthwhile to go back to the town and check out the slime.” (Kagali)

Kagali-san smiled, and Mia stood up.

“That’s it! If it’s Kryna-Halk’s wand that stopped the slime, then you can use it again to stop it from moving. Actually, I thought that one, too.” (Mia)

“You’re lying.” (Yuna)

“Don’t lie.” (Kagali)

“Etto…” (Fina)

“Mia-chan…” (Carol)

Everyone seemed to understand that it was a lie.

“Fufu, if you know how to deal with slimes, slimes aren’t scary anymore.” (Mia)

Mia’s expression, which had been dark until now, suddenly brightened.

“So, if something happens, what will you guys do?” (Kagali)

“If something happens?” (Mia)

“If the slime does appear, will you stay here? As I said before, whether the slime comes after us or not, Yuna and I will deal with it. To be clear, your presence will not be helpful, and I cannot say that I can l protect you.” (Kagali)

Not being able to protect yourself is dangerous.

Even I can’t promise to protect them.

“Yeah, but you don’t have to say it so bluntly.” (Mia)

“But even if we stay here, there’s a possibility that the slime will come to us.” (Carol)

Carol asks what worries her the most.

It was also within expectations.

“We’ll get close to the slime and draw it away.” (Yuna)

If we pass near the slime, I think it will chase us without reacting to Mia and others in a distant position.

It’s more about the food that’s near than the food that’s far away.

“But what about, Fina-chan.” (Carol)

“I’m taking her with me. Fina is the only one I have to protect no matter what. I’ll have her by my side.” (Yuna)

I need Fina to be by my side when I escape at the bear gate.

Besides, if Mia and Carol are not there, I can use the bear gate without worrying about anything.

“I understand. If the slime comes, we will stay here and wait for everyone. That’d be enough, right?” (Carol)

“That’s right. We can’t go back to our town like this, so I’ll be waiting for the slime subjugation report. But if you know you can’t defeat it, you have to run away.” (Mia)

“That’s obvious. I’m still young and my life is just beginning, so I can’t afford to be killed by a slime.” (Kagali)

Is that a joke, or is Kagali-san showing her kindness in her own way?

Is this the part where I laugh?

She looks like a little girl, but she’s a fox who has lived for hundreds of years, so it’s hard to judge.

But I agree with Kagali-san’s words.

A slime will not kill me, and I refuse to live my life being chased by it.

I’m not going to abandon Mia and Carol either.

“If it comes to it, I can just fly away. Besides, Yuna and I are the best of partners. I trust my life with her.” (Kagali)

Kagali-san looks at me.

We fought the Orochi together in the Land of Harmony. We know each other’s strengths.

The only problem is that Kagali-san is not in her best form.

However, Swaying Bear, Hugging Bear, and even Fina reacted to Kagali-san’s words.

“Kuu~n”

“I have been with Yuna-oneesan longer than Kagali-san…” (Fina)

Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear cried in protest, while Fina muttered in a low voice.

What is this, a triangular relationship, or rather, a quadrilateral relationship? If we consider Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear as individuals, then a pentagonal relationship?

No, no, no, I don’t need such a quagmire relationship.

Then, as if waiting for us to finish our discussion, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear stood up, looked outside, and cried “kuu~n”.

======

Author’s Note:

Do slimes sleep?

At any rate, the girls were able to get a good night’s sleep.

[Countdown]

About 3 months to go until the air date of the animation. (Season 1)

※ As always, thanks to everyone who has reported typos.

Please note that some of the corrections of kanji characters have been made in accordance with the book, so there are some parts that have not been corrected.

======