Chapter 183: The Bear Takes It Easy in the Bear House

Chapter 183:
The Bear Takes It Easy in the Bear House

 

“EXCUSE US.” Fina and Noa had visited my bear houses so many times that they just entered it like it was any normal house.

“I haven’t been inside this house since you told me that ridiculous story near the capital.”

Come to think of it, Cliff had also visited my bear house. He came in after Fina and Noa, trailed by the two guards.

“Have you been here before, Father?” asked Noa.

“Yes, just once.”

The two guards stood behind Cliff as he told that story. They didn’t seem to know what to do with themselves.

“I’m going to whip up a meal,” I said, “so everyone just sit wherever.”

“We already have food prepared, you know.”

“Yeah, but you’re all tired, aren’t you? I’ll make something warm.”

“I’ll help, Yuna,” Fina offered.

“Me too,” Noa added.

I didn’t need that much help, but I wasn’t about to say no when they seemed so eager, so I let them lend a hand.

“In that case, let’s take Yuna up on her kindness,” said Cliff. He turned to his guards. “You can rest as well.”

“Is that really all right?” the two guards asked, uneasily glancing around the room. Since this was safer than sleeping outside, there wasn’t anything for them to worry about. Plus, the two guys were burly enough that they’d probably just get in the way if they stood around.

“You’ll block things if you’re standing around,” I said bluntly, “so please take a seat.”

“You heard what she said,” Cliff told them.

The two guards exchanged glances and then took a seat. After making sure they were sitting obediently, I moved to the kitchen in the room over.

“All right—Fina, Noa, can I ask you to get tableware for everyone?” Meanwhile, I pulled bread (baked by Morin) and vegetable soup (made by Anz) from my bear storage. Mhmm, they were fresh and delicious. I thanked my bear storage as I plated the meals.

“All right,” I told Fina and Noa, “can you carry these for me?”

They split up the work of carrying the plates. Finally, I prepared the drinks and bon appétit—dinner. This would do, I guess?

I prepared food for seconds, then headed back to the room where Cliff and the others were.

“Thank you, Yuna.”

“Thank you very much.”

Cliff and the two guards seemed grateful.

“No problem. You must be hungry, so let’s eat quick,” I said.

We started eating once we were all seated. As expected, Morin’s bread was delicious. Of course, so was Anz’s soup. Maybe I’d do rice tomorrow? I felt like having some sort of meat if we were doing rice. Did I have anything that fit the bill, though? Hmm…

“I never would have expected a meal like this while traveling,” Cliff blurted out while I was pondering the next day’s menu.

“This is delicious, Yuna.” Noa was eating happily.

“Thanks. We have some seconds, so let me know if you want some.”

“Okay. In that case, may I have some more soup?”

I gave Noa some. One of the guards looked over at me when he saw that.

“Um, Master Yuna. Could I…possibly have some more bread? It was awfully delicious.”

“In that case, me too.”

The two guards seemed embarrassed to ask, but Morin’s bread was really just that good. I pulled out some more and gave it to the two guards.

“Yuna, could I have another serving of soup too?” asked Fina.

“Yup. If you don’t eat a lot, you won’t grow up big and strong like me.”

The moment I said that, the atmosphere around us seemed to shift. It was a strange feeling. Had I said something odd?

Fina spoke up. “Y-yeah. I’ll eat a lot and grow up to be like you, Yuna.”

“In that case, you need to eat bread too.” I gave her a second helping of bread with her soup.

“Th-thank you, Yuna.”

“Does everyone else want seconds?”

“Yes, I suppose I do,” Cliff said.

“The soup then, if you could.”

The strange mood dispersed, and everyone had seconds. After our meal, we took a little break…and the two younger members of our party started getting tired.

“I’m getting sleepy. So full…”

“Me too.”

“Make sure you take baths before you go to bed, you two,” I told them.

“Okaaay.”

“Okay.”

They both sounded half-asleep already.

Since they used the bear bath before, they didn’t think that taking a bath here was strange, but there were others around who were confused by the conversation.

“There’s a bath?” Cliff asked me.

“Sure there is. It’s a house, right?”

“Well, it is, but…there couldn’t be one in a house like this, could there?” Cliff looked around, hoping for backup.

“Father, houses have baths,” Noa objected.

Fina nodded along with her, but across from them, the two guards were looking dubious. “How else will we wash away the day’s fatigue?”

“I suppose...” Cliff answered.

“We’ll take turns. You three take yours last,” I told them.

“We’re taking baths too?!”

“Obviously. You’ve been working up a sweat riding all day, so I can’t have you dirtying the beds.” What, did they think the sheets would clean and dry themselves?

“The…beds…” Cliff repeated.

“We’re on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere, aren’t we?” one of the guards whispered.

The other nodded. “How could we have a delicious meal, a bath, and a bed in a place like this?”

Moving on… “While I’m cleaning up the dishes, you two can get in the bath together.”

“Aww, you should come with us, Yuna,” Noa whined.

“Nope, I’ve got to clean up.” I couldn’t just head to the bath and leave the dishes like this.

“Master Yuna, will you leave the dishes to us?” one of the guards offered. The other nodded. “We really can’t just do nothing at all...”

Well…it would help me, and I guess it’d make them feel better too. I took them up on their offer, asked them to clean up, and went to get in the bath with Fina and Noa.

“Oh, and help yourself to any of the drinks in the fridge,” I said to the three as I left the room and headed with Fina and Noa to the bath. Kumayuru and Kumakyu followed.

Once we got to the entrance of the bath, I asked my bears to keep watch.

“I don’t think anyone will come,” I said, “but catch anyone that does.”

The bears kwoomed quietly in reply.

“Are Kumayuru and Kumakyu not coming inside?”

“Nope. They’re going to be keeping watch for us.” I didn’t think those three would peep, but I asked my bears to keep guard just in case.

“That’s too bad.”

“Okay, look, just get inside already,” I said.

I brought Noa and Fina to the changing room and changed out of my bear outfit. Noa and Fina watched me.

“Yuna, I didn’t notice because of your bear outfit, but you’re really pretty,” said Noa.

“Yeah. Your hair is long and real pretty,” Fina said.

“Thanks. You two are pretty cute yourselves.”

While they showered me with empty compliments, I ushered them toward the bath. They were way cuter than me.

“Yuna, I’ll help you scrub down.”

“Me too.”

I took the two up on their offers and let them wash my back. It was a little embarrassing, but it felt nice. I also washed their backs to return the favor.

After washing up, we soaked in the water. As a Japanese person, the day didn’t feel over until I got to soak in the tub…but I didn’t get to relax for long, considering the fuss those two were making. Once we got out of the bath, we headed back to Cliff.

“The bath is open, so you can go in,” I told him.

“What is that outfit?” asked Cliff.

What outf—oh, right, I’d changed into my white bear clothes. “I’m going to bed,” I said simply.

“You even wear a bear costume to bed?”

“That’s right.”

“The white bear look is cute too,” said Noa.

I nodded “Your pajamas are cute, too, Noa. And yours, Fina.”

“Thank you very much,” Fina answered.

Cliff seemed exasperated by the storm of compliments. “What is going on? We’re traveling, aren’t we? Aren’t we on the road?”

“Father, what are you saying? Is your mind going?”

“My mind isn’t going anywhere. I was simply musing about what most people would consider common sense.” What, did he think we were being silly?

“Oh, right,” I said. “Cliff, before you go to the bath, could we figure out rooms?”

“I suppose there would be rooms if there’s a bath.”

Well, yeah, Lord Obvious. “There are three rooms on the second floor. The closest one is mine, and I’ll share with Fina and Noa. You guys can use the other ones.”

“Really?”

“You can have a room to yourself, Cliff, or you can share with the guards. You can decide amongst yourselves.”

“All right. You have my gratitude.”

“Lord Cliff, we can stay here,” one of the guards said.

Wait, the two guards were thinking of sleeping in the living room where we had dinner? “You’d be in the way if you slept here. There are rooms, so use them.”

The guards went silent at that.

“In any case,” I said, “we’re going to bed. Turn off the lights once you’re done with your bath.”

“Indeed. Well then, I suppose I’ll graciously accept the offer,” Cliff said, then headed towards the bath. I headed to my room. Behind me, Fina and Noa followed while cradling Kumayuru and Kumakyu.

The bed in my room was larger than any other in the house. It had to be, if I wanted to cuddle with my bears—even if they were in cub forms. Still, all five of us might’ve been a bit much…

“Yuna, will we all be able to fit?”

“It’ll be fine.” I put the table and chairs next to my bed into my bear storage and pulled out another bed, one the same size as the other. Pushing them together doubled the bed’s area. “That should do it.”

“It’s so spacious!” Noa flopped onto the bed while still holding Kumakyu. Fina flopped with her, hugging Kumayuru.

“Hey, we’ve got an early day tomorrow, so get some rest.”

“Okaaay. Kumakyu, let’s go to sleep together!”

Noa hugged Kumakyu, while Fina buried herself under the covers with Kumayuru. I hoped they wouldn’t toss and turn at night. Not that my bears would mind if Fina and Noa squeezed them a little tight.

“All right, I’m turning off the lights.”

“Okay. Goodnight, Yuna.”

“Goodnight, Yuna.”

“Goodnight, you two.”

No sooner had I turned off the lights than I heard them gently snoring. Before long, I turned in too.