Chapter 169 – Bear-san Spends The Night In Her Bear House

「Sorry for intruding…」

Although Fina and Noa had been inside the Bear House countless times before, they still entered it like any other house.

「The last time I came in here was when I heard that unbelievable story at the capital.」

Oh right, Cliff had been inside the Bear House before too.

Cliff’s two guards followed him in.

「Father, you have been in this house before?」

「Yes. Just once though, and only for a couple of minutes.」

While Cliff explained to Noa, I noticed that the two guards had just stopped dead in their tracks, as if they weren’t sure what they should do.

「Okay, I will prepare a meal, so take a seat wherever you like.」

「I already brought along some food, though.」

「Everyone is worn out from the journey, so I will prepare something warm to eat.」

「I will help you, Big Sis Yuna.」

「Me too!」

Fina and Noa both offered to help me.

I had planned on making something that didn’t require their help, though. Still, I decided to let them help me so that I would not hurt their feelings.

「Alright then, I will accept your kindness. You two can take a rest as well.」

「Will that really be okay?」

One of the guards asked while looking around the room nervously.

It was safer than camping outside, so I couldn’t understand why they were so nervous.

Still, if they just kept standing there with their huge bodies, they would get in the way of my cooking.

「If you keep standing there, you will be in my way, so please sit down.」

I told them bluntly.

「Do as she says.」

The guards looked at each other again before finally sitting down.

Now that they were seated, I headed into the kitchen.

「Could you two help me set the table?」

After giving some more instructions to Fina and Noa, I took out some of Morin-san’s bread and Anzu’s vegetable soup from the Bear Box.

I thanked the Bear Box for keeping the bread fresh and the soup warm, before evenly distributing the food into the bowls Fina and Noa brought me.

「Okay, can you take these to the table?」

I handed the dishes to Fina and Noa, who didn’t waste any time in taking everything to the table while I prepared some drinks.

Would this be enough?

I prepared seconds and then returned to the dining room.

「Yuna, I really appreciate this.」

「Don’t mind it. Now then, I know you’re all hungry, so hurry up and eat.」

They didn’t waste any time and started eating.

Morin-san’s bread was delicious as always, and Anzu’s soup was great as well. I felt like having rice tomorrow, so I considered making some. In that case, some meat would go very well with it, but did I have any meat dishes stocked?

If not, I would just have to make one.

「I never thought that I would be able to have a meal like this while traveling.」

Cliff said while I was figuring out tomorrow’s menu.

「Yuna-san, this is delicious.」

Noa said while eating happily.

「There’s more, so let me know if you want seconds, okay?」

「Okay. Can I have some more soup, then?」

As I poured some more soup into Noa’s bowl, one of the guards looked at me.

「Yuna-dono, if I may, I would like some more of this delicious bread.」

「I would like some more as well, please.」

The two guards asked timidly.

Morin-san’s bread was delicious indeed.

I gave the guards some more bread.

「Big Sis Yuna, can I have some more soup too?」

「Sure thing. Fina, you should eat more, or you won’t grow up to be as big as me, okay?」

When I said that, the atmosphere in the room changed. Like, it got quiet. It felt strange, as if everybody was wanting to say something, but didn’t know if they really should.

Had I said something weird?

That atmosphere lasted until Fina finally responded.

「Y-yeah. I will eat a lot and grow up to be big like you, Big Sis Yuna.」

「Here’s more bread for you, then.」

I gave her some more soup and bread.

「Thank you, Bi-Big Sis Yuna.」

「Does anyone else want seconds?」

「Yes, I will have some.」

「Here, have some soup.」

The strange atmosphere finally disappeared, and everyone got a second serving.

Once our stomachs were full, I was able to sit down and rest.

「I’m getting sleepy now that I’m full.」

「Me too.」

Fina and Noa said, both looking quite sleepy indeed.

「Take a bath before you go to bed, okay?」

「Okay…」

「Okay.」

The two of them replied sleepily.

On our way to the capital, I had made sure that they had taken a bath, so they shouldn’t find it weird taking one now. However, there were still some people here who found it strange.

「There’s a bath here?」

Cliff asked me.

「This is a house, so isn’t it normal to have a bath?」

「Well, that’s true, but this is still different, right?」

Cliff asked and looked around to see if anybody else agreed with him.

「Father, any house would have a bath.」

Noa disagreed with him. Fina also nodded in agreement to her statement.

The two guards didn’t look convinced, though.

「Besides, you can’t clean yourself and relax after a day’s journey if you don’t take a bath.」

「That’s true, but…」

「Anyway, you three will go after we girls are done.」

「We’re taking one too?!」

「Of course you are. I can’t have you guys getting into my beds all sweaty.」

Who did they think was going to have to wash and dry their bed sheets…?

「A bed…」

「This place is next to the main road with nothing around, right?」

「Yes, but being able to have a delicious meal, take a bath, and even sleep in a bed…」

Cliff was completely amazed hearing that he could sleep in a bed while the two guards just whispered amongst themselves.

「Well then, I’m going to wash the dishes, so the two of you can take a bath first.」

「Ehh… Yuna-san, aren’t you going to join us?」

「I have to take care of the dishes first.」

There was no way I could take a bath knowing there were dirty dishes laying around.

「Yuna-dono, can you please leave the dishes to us? We don’t feel right not doing anything…」

The guards asked me.

Well, that would help me out, plus the two of them would be happy, so I accepted and decided to take a bath with Fina and Noa instead.

「Oh right, feel free to treat yourselves to any drinks in the fridge.」

I told the men before heading to the bathroom with Fina and Noa, Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear following close behind.

Once we reached the bathroom door, I asked the Bears to keep watch for us.

「I don’t think anybody will try to barge in, but if they do by any chance, stop them for me, okay?」

Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear cried out softly in reply.

「They’re not coming in with us?」

「No, I need them on lookout duty.」

I really didn’t think any of those three would try to peep on us, but it was better to be safe just in case.

「I hoped they would come with us, though.」

「Well, that can’t be helped. Should we go in, then?」

Once we entered, I took off my Bear Suit and got into the bath.

For a j.a.panese person like me, the day only ended when I took a bath.

I couldn’t really enjoy the bath at my own pace since the other two were rather noisy, but it was refreshing enough.

After we got out of the bath, we returned to Cliff first.

「The bath is free now, so go ahead, you three.」

「Emm, what happened to your suit?」

My suit?

Oh, he was talking about the White Bear Suit I was wearing now.

「It’s for sleeping.」

「You’re a bear even when you sleep?」

「Yep.」

「Yuna-san, the white bear outfit is cute as well.」

「Your pajamas are cute too, Noa. Yours too, of course, Fina.」

「Thank you.」

As we complimented each other, Cliff just watched us with a stunned expression.

「What the heck is going on? We are in the middle of a trip, right? We are still next to the main road, right?」

「Father, what are you saying? Did you turn senile already?」

「Of course not. I was just thinking if any of this is supposed to be normal.」

That just made it sound like we weren’t acting normally.

「Oh right, Cliff, can we talk about the room a.s.signments before you guys take a bath?」

「If there’s a bath, there must be bedrooms as well, huh.」

Why was he stating something so obvious?

「There are three bedrooms upstairs. The first room is mine, and I will sleep there together with Fina and Noa. You guys can use the other two rooms.」

「Will that really be alright?」

「Yeah, you can take a room for yourself or share it with the guards; you three decide on that.」

「Okay. We really appreciate this.」

「Cliff-sama, we would be okay sleeping here, though.」

The guards pointed at the room we had just eaten in.

「You will get in the way if you sleep there. I have bedrooms, so use those to sleep.」

I shut them up with a single line.

「Well then, we’re going to sleep, so turn off the lights after you’re done taking your bath, okay?」

「Okay. We will gratefully accept your hospitality, then.」

Cliff replied before heading to the bath.

We also headed to my room, with Fina and Noa following behind me, carrying Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear respectively.

The bed in my room was bigger than the ones in the other rooms so that I could sleep with Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear at my sides even if they weren’t in their cub forms. Still, with Fina and Noa, the bed might feel a bit cramped.

「Big Sis Yuna, are you sure there is enough s.p.a.ce for the five of us?」

「Yeah, we will manage.」

I put the nearby table and chair into the Bear Box then took out another bed of the same size and put it right next to mine, making a double-sized bed.

「There is no problem now, right?」

「How wide!」

Noa collapsed onto the bed while still holding Hugging Bear, and Fina did the same soon after with Swaying Bear.

「We have to wake up early tomorrow, so go to sleep straight away, okay?」

「Okay. Hugging Bear-chan, let’s sleep together.」

Noa said and continued to embrace Hugging Bear.

Fina crawled under the blanket, bringing Swaying Bear with her.

I hoped that the Bears would be fine sleeping this way. Well, Fina and Noa weren’t hugging them too tightly, so Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear shouldn’t feel uncomfortable.

「Okay, I’m turning off the lights now.」

「Okay. Good night, Big Sis Yuna.」

「Good night, Yuna-san.」

「Good night, you two.」

It didn’t take long for them to fall asleep, with me following soon after.