Chapter 247: The Bear Returns to the Village

Chapter 247:
The Bear Returns to the Village

 

WHEN I GOT BACK to the village, Kumakyu rushed over. I got down off Kumayuru and gave Kumakyu some head pats. “Thank you for carrying Mumulute.”

Kumakyu squinted happily and gave me a little “Cwoom~.”

Behind me Sanya was explaining that the cockatrices had been slain to the villagers. She gave them instructions to collect the wolves, tigerwolves, and volkrows Labilata’s group had slain. You can’t leave slain monsters as is, after all—that just attracts beasts and other monsters looking for food. The corpses could also be scavenged for useful materials or be sold for money. Even I longed for tigerwolf pelts.

“Labilata, Yuna. Let’s get going to report to my grandfather.”

Me too? I wanted to say, but I knew I had to go. I recalled Kumayuru and Kumakyu and headed toward Mumulute’s home.

“We’re coming in, Grandfather!” Sanya said.

As usual, we didn’t wait for a reply before going in. I guess Mumulute was okay. I hadn’t left him bedridden…right? He hadn’t lost consciousness, so…he was probably fine. Probably.

We headed to the usual room where Mumulute was lying on bedding. He sat up when he noticed us. Looked like he was fine, considering he could still move.

“Girl! You’re safe! Thank goodness.” The first thing he did when he saw me was fret.

“Sorry for making you worry.”

“I do not know just how strong you are, but you mustn’t do such things anymore. If you had died, I never could have forgiven myself.”

Jeez, he really had been worried.

“Now,” he continued, “what became of the cockatrice?”

“It was slain,” Sanya cut in.

“I see. I am glad it was slain without issue.” Mumulute looked relieved. “Good work, both of you.”

I guess Mumulute thought that Sanya and Labilata had defeated the cockatrice. Fine by me…except goody-two-shoes here couldn’t keep his mouth shut.

“By the time we came running over, the cockatrice had already been slain by Yuna,” said Labilata without missing a beat. “We didn’t do anything.”

I know I hadn’t told him to keep that quiet, but I sure wish he would’ve read the room a little.

“She did what...?” Mumulute looked over to Sanya now. “Is this true?”

“I told you a few days ago, but Yuna is a far more powerful adventurer than her appearance would suggest…though I didn’t think she would slay it before we arrived.”

The comment about my appearance was uncalled for, but I couldn’t deny it—I had to grin and bear it.

“It’s the truth, sir,” said Labilata. “There are a number of us who can confirm that the cockatrice was slain.”

“I see. I thought you were strong when we were fighting together, girl, but I did not think you could slay a cockatrice on your own.”

I didn’t know how much he believed Sanya and Labilata’s words, but he at least seemed to believe I’d slain the monster.

“If you hadn’t killed the first one,” I said, “I definitely couldn’t have taken on the leftover.”

“Mm-hmm. But how exactly did you manage to slay a cockatrice?”

Of course he’d be curious about how I did it. “I can’t give you the details. It’s…a secret technique.”

“So, you sent me away so I wouldn’t see it?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that. The magic is a little dangerous, so I didn’t want you to be close.” If an electric bear touched him, he would have been zapped to a crisp. Bear magic was just that dangerous.

“It really was a terrible scene,” Sanya said distantly, remembering the battleground.

It wasn’t like I’d done all of that now! The cockatrice and Mumulute’s attacks did their part too: it wasn’t just me. “Anyway, you must’ve been tired after fighting the cockatrice. I thought you’d get injured if you kept at it like that.”

“So that is why you did that?” he asked.

“Even if I told you to leave it to me, you wouldn’t have actually let me handle it. Am I wrong?”

“I…likely would not have, correct.” Mumulute had tried to let me escape. He wouldn’t have left things to me.

“That’s why I had Kumakyu carry you to safety, even by force. I was taking things into my own hands without asking, so please don’t worry about it. I should’ve explained,” I said, keeping a poker face. Couldn’t let him know that I also found him a bit of a nuisance during the fight…

“Girl...”

Maybe I’d been a little too suave when I’d said all that? But I was wearing a bear outfit, so I couldn’t have had that much charisma.

“In that case, I must give you my thanks.”

“I didn’t want to put the village kids in danger. I just did what I could,” I gave him my most wholesome honor student answer.

“I thank you again. You have my thanks both for slaying the cockatrice and saving the village.” Mumulute lightly bowed his head. It was embarrassing for him to thank me so directly.

 

After that, Labilata turned in his report on their monster slaying. They’d defeated all of the monsters Sanya had detected. There were tigerwolves too, so they must have gotten some pelts. Speaking of spoils…

“Mumulute, what will you do with the cockatrice materials?” I asked. “I brought them back.”

Personally, I wanted the one I’d slain.

“You may have them if you desire them.”

“Both of them?”

“We have the volkrows, wolves, and tiger wolves. Those will suffice to trade with merchants.” In that case, I’d happily take the cockatrices.

“When you sell them,” Sanya added, “please come to the Adventurer Guild in the capital.”

To that, all I had was a big fat “I dunno if I will.” I didn’t need the money, so I didn’t need to sell them just because. On the other hand, I would’ve liked to make something from them. If this was the game, I could craft armor or something, but I didn’t really need armor. I also already had my mythril knives for weapons. For now, the cockatrices would reside in my bear storage.

 

I figured we wouldn’t need to worry about monsters for a bit, but then an elf guy rushed into the room. “Sir, we have a problem!”

“What happened?!”

“Monsters have breached the barrier of the sacred tree!”

“Is this true?!”

“We can’t get in. Sir, please hurry!”

“I understand,” said Mumulute. “Sanya, we shall go to the sacred tree.” Guess the fight would continue.

“But, Grandfather, you are not well enough!”

Mumulute stood. “I am fine. I have rested long enough. Labilata, prepare the horses!” he ordered. “Lavaka, contact Arutul as well.”

Labilata and the elf called Lavaka nodded and left the room.

“Are you really sure, Grandfather?”

“Yes, this is no issue. But we must hurry!”

Mumulute and Sanya left, and—of course—I followed. Horses waited for us outside, and Mumulute and Sanya mounted them at once.

“Labilata, I will leave the village to you,” Mumulute said.

“Understood.”

Mumulute urged the horse to run.

“Grandfather!” Sanya followed after him too, and—naturally—so did I. I summoned Kumakyu and chased after Mumulute and Sanya.