Chapter 771
Bear-san Heads to the Mine
We decided to head to the mines to meet the other survivors.
“The house…” (Bollard)
Bollard-san and Lize-san were surprised when I put the Bear House back in the bear box.
“It’s a portable house.” (Yuna)
“So that’s why the house was placed in the middle of the road.” (Lize)
“But for an item bag that could fit such a big house…” (Bollard)
They looked at the White Bear puppet curiously as I made its mouth chomp.
“Okay, you two, get on the Hugging Bear.” (Yuna)
“Kuuuuh.”
Hugging Bear made a sound responding to being called by name.
“Are we going to ride a bear?” (Bollard)
“It’s faster and easier.” (Yuna)
Kagali-san and I got on the Swaying Bear.
The two of them saw us riding on Swaying Bear and timidly approached the Hugging Bear.
“It’s not scary. You will be fine.” (Yuna)
“Yes, well, Hugging Bear-chan, please take care of me.” (Bollard)
“Thank you.” (Lize)
“Kuuuuu.”
Hugging Bear cried and sat down.
“Does it understand words?” (Bollard)
“Yes, it does. So if you get scared, it’ll get sad, and if you say bad things about it, it’ll get angry.” (Yuna)
“Yuna-san’s bears are smart.” (Lize)
Bollard-san and Lize-san got on Hugging Bear timidly.
“Okay, now please show me the way.” (Yuna)
“Yes. Please head that way.” (Lize)
Hugging Bear and Swaying Bear started running in the direction Lize-san pointed.
We left the town and ran down the road that led to the mine.
As we left the town, the ice disappeared and a normal landscape appeared.
“It looks like it’s not affecting us here.” (Yuna)
“Yes. That’s how we survived.” (Bollard)
“But those in the town…” (Yuna)
They froze.
We walked along a gentle mountain path towards the mine.
After a while, the rocks became more rugged.
“We’re almost there.” (Bollard)
Just as Lize-san said, we came out into an open area.
There were several huts that looked like workshops and a cave leading into the mountain. An elderly man was standing near one of the huts.
“Bollard-san!? Everyone, Bollard-san and Lize-san are back!” (???)
The elderly man called out to the huts.
People came out of the huts.
These were the six survivors that Bollard-san and Lize-san had mentioned.
Three elderly men, one woman, and one man and woman in their 40s. Six people in total.
“Bollard-san, what is with those bears and girls!?” (???)
“They were the source of the light in the town. These bears are fine as long as you don’t harm them.” (Bollard)
Bollard-san touched Hugging Bear gently to reassure everyone.
“I see.” (Old Man)
“Where are you girls from? Is there anyone else?” (Old Lady)
“I’ll explain.” (Bollard)
Bollard-san and Lize-san explained about us. They only vaguely mentioned what Kagali-san and I were wearing, but they didn’t go into too much detail. While Bollard-san and Lize-san were explaining, we were stared at many times.
“Are you sure they have some food?” (Old Man)
“And not just fish?” (Old Lady)
“We have bread, meat, and vegetables. Is there anywhere to eat?” (Yuna)
“Then come over here in this hut.” (Old Man)
The hut was where the old couple lived when they were the mine managers.
I asked Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear to wait outside, and we went inside the hut.
The inside of the hut was neat and tidy.
The table looked like it was added later, and there were eight chairs.
I could tell that everyone had been living here by helping each other.
It would usually not be unusual for them to fight over food or even quarrel.
I put bread on the table.
“I hope everyone can eat a lot, you as well Baran.” (Old Man)
The Old Man said as he looked at a man who was about the same age as Bollard-san.
“That’s right. He always goes out to catch fish for us, even in danger.” (Bollard)
Baran was the old couple’s son who was a fisherman.
They then told me that since the town was frozen over, he had been going out to the sea to fish.
“That’s not true. Everyone else goes deep into the cave to bring water.” (Baran)
“By the way, where do you collect water?” (Yuna)
“There used to be a river, but when the dragon started living at the top of the mountain, it froze. When we were digging the mine, we found a spring, so we’re bringing water from there now.” (Bollard)
Spring water?
I guess it was groundwater?
As we were talking, I put some food on the table to prove that there was plenty of food.
“There’s more than just bread, there are plenty of other things, so don’t worry.” (Yuna)
“Meat!” (Baran)
“Is it really alright for us to have this?” (Old Man)
“There’s plenty, so it’s fine.” (Yuna)
Wolf meat, I still had a mountain of it in stock.
“I’ll grill it then. It’s been a while since I’ve cooked meat.” (Old Woman)
The Old Woman happily took the meat and moved to the kitchen.
“Mother-in-law, I’ll help you.” (Baran’s Wife)
I was sure Bollard-san mentioned an old couple living with their son and his wife along with them, so this person must be Baran’s wife.
The two started cooking.
After everything was prepared, everyone happily consumed the bread, meat, and vegetables.
“Delicious.” (Old Man)
“I thought I’d never be able to eat something like this anymore.” (Old Lady)
“Thank you, girls.” (Baran’s Wife)
“By the way, what happened to Lize-san’s clothes?” (Baran)
Baran noticed that Lize-san’s clothes had changed, so he asked.
“Yuna-san gave them to me.” (Lize)
“Also, I was wondering, but don’t you two look nicer?” (Old Lady)
“Well, I got a bath.” (Lize)
“”A bath!?”” (The family)
The old couple’s family was surprised.
Well, the culture of taking a bath varies from country to country, and if that country had a Bathing Culture, and the people with that culture would want to take one.
Everyone looked envious.
I was okay with them taking a bath at my Bear House, but I should prepare something that they could use without relying on me.
“Bollard-san, can I take a look around the area?” (Yuna)
“That’s fine, but why?” (Bollard)
“I was thinking of making a bath.” (Yuna)
Everyone was surprised by my words.
“Then I’ll show you around.” (Lize)
“I’ll go with you.” (Kagali)
I left the hut with Kagali-san and Lize-san.
Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, who were outside, approached me.
“Are you sure you want to make a bath?” (Lize)
“Wouldn’t it be good to be able to take a bath regularly?” (Yuna)
“Yes, I suppose so.” (Lize)
They wouldn’t need one if I simply sent them to another town through the Bear Transfer Gate, but it would be troublesome.
Also, it was not that much work to make a bath.
I could make one with magic.
So now, I was looking around for a suitable place.
I was planning to make it a little wide, so it should be near the entrance of the cave.
“Lize-san, is it okay to make it around here?” (Yuna)
There was an open space to the right of the cave.
“Yes, but how will you make it?” (Lize)
“This is how I make it.” (Yuna)
I moved to the place I was given permission to make the bath and poured my magic power into the ground. The earth rose, and something that looked like a big bear lying down was created.
It looked like a mini bear house.
“You really like bears, don’t you?” (Lize)
“I don’t remember if I told you this, but I have the protection of bears, so when I turn things into a bear, the strength of what I created will increase.” (Yuna)
I didn’t know if it would be okay if a dragon came here, but I doubt that this place would freeze.
“Amazing… Something this big can be made instantly. Can all magicians do this?” (Lize)
I didn’t know anything about other magicians, so I looked at Kagali-san.
“What do you think, Kagali-san?” (Yuna)
“You really are going to ask me about this?” (Kagali)
“Because I think you know more about it than I do.” (Yuna)
“In general, any magician with more than a good amount of magic power can do it.” (Kagali)
“It all relies on the amount of magic power after all. If I had more magic power, maybe I could go and see my mother.” (Lize)
“Mother?” (Yuna)
Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything about her mother.
“My mother and sister were frozen. And the house is also frozen, so I can’t go and see them. Bende-san did his best to melt the ice on the door once before. But it was a lot of work, so I didn’t ask him to do it again.” (Lize)
I wonder if Bende-san was that old man?
To change the somber atmosphere, I resumed making the bathroom.
I attached a door to the side and entered inside.
After entering the bear’s stomach, I made a room about 2m wide in the center. Although I called it a room, it was more like a corridor.
I attached doors to the left and right.
I then divided the bath area into a men’s bath and a women’s bath.
I then made a shower and a bathtub, and attached fire and water magic stones to complete it.
By the way, the upper body of the bear was the women’s bath, and the lower part was the men’s bath.
Kagali-san helped me along the way, so it was completed in no time.
“Alright, you can ask everyone to use it later.” (Yuna)
“Thank you, Yuna-san and Kagali-chan.” (Lize)
When we got out of the bear bath house, Bollard-san and the others were looking at it with amazement.
“Father, it’s remarkable. Yuna-san made a bear bath house with magic in a very short time.” (Lize)
Lize-san explained excitedly.
“Is this bear a bath house?” (Bollard)
“Yes. You can go inside to see it, the upper body of the bear is the women’s bath, and the lower body of the bear is the men’s bath.” (Lize)
Lize-san explained on my behalf.
“What about the water?” (Bollard)
“This bath uses water and fire magic stones, so it’s set up to produce hot water. I already prepared some hot water for you to use, so you can use the magic stones later.” (Yuna)
Everyone went into the bear house to confirm what Lize-san and I had said.
And after a while, they came out.
“It’s really a bath.” (Bollard)
“Are you sure that we can use this to take a bath?” (Old Man)
“Yeah, I made it, so I’d be happy if you could use it.” (Yuna)
Everyone was happy and went into the bear bath house.
Only Bollard-san and Lize-san, who took a bath first, remained.
“Yuna-san, thank you for everything. So, I just want to confirm, what are you going to do next? I don’t know how you got here. I think you got here in a way that we couldn’t imagine, since you can use this much magic.” (Bollard)
Bollard-san seemed to have sensed what we had been vague about.
“Also, as we all have discussed earlier, if you don’t mind, would you mind taking this child with you?” (Bollard)
Bollard-san pushed Lize-san’s back.
“Father!” (Lize)
“You’re still young. There’s no need to stay here.” (Bollard)
“Father is young too. And so is everyone else.” (Bollard)
Bollard-san shook his head.
“Baran said he had no intention of leaving his parents behind. Bende-san and the others said they would not leave the land where their friends rest, and would watch over them until they die.”
“Father,” (Lize)
“I am still the lord. I intend to watch over the outcome to the end. When the dragon leaves and the ice melts, I need to be in the town. That is my role as the last lord.”
He gently placed his hand on Lize-san’s head.
The dragon had been here for three years. No one knew when it would leave.
It could be tomorrow, or a few years from now, or decades from now, or even after Bollard-san had died.
But he said he would stay.
“And I can’t leave my wife and daughter behind.” (Bollard)
“I-I’ll stay too!” (Lize)
“Don’t cause trouble!” (Bollard)
Neither of them backed down.
Kagali-san interjected between the father and daughter.
“Wait, ladies and gentlemen, we also have to consider it.” (Kagali)
Kagali-san looked at me.
The decision of whether to use the Bear Transfer Gate was up to me.
“That’s right. We’ll stay in the town a little longer, so I will think about it.” (Yuna)
“Okay, I understand.”
I had no intention of abandoning Lize-san and the others.
But I also had no intention of forcing those who said they wanted to stay here to come with me.
It may seem cruel, but even if I force them to come with me, I wouldn’t be able to take care of them until the end.
Whether they wanted to live somewhere else or stay here, they would be needing many things to continue living.
It was a difficult problem.
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