Chapter 404 Bear-san, Goes To Watch The Trials

Afterward, we return to the Commercial Guild to pay for the purchase.

The guild receptionist was surprised when I paid the money in full, but as instructed by the Guildmaster, the procedure was completed without any unnecessary word from her.

Having successfully purchased the house, I returned to Fina and Ruimin, who was cleaning the house. It’s a long way to go without my bear gear, but since I’m not going to live there, it’s not a problem.

When I entered the house, I saw Fina and Ruimin cleaning the house with dustpans and brooms.

[Welcome home, Yuna-oneesan.] Fina

[Yuna-san, it’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be, so it’s going to be tough!] Ruimin

[I won’t live here, so you don’t have to take it too seriously.] Yuna

[But I’m bothered with dust and stuff.] Ruimin

Ruimin took a broom and swept a corner where there seemed to acc.u.mulate a lot and since I couldn’t let the two of them do it alone, I also started cleaning.

[Did you try upstairs?] Yuna

[No, not yet.] Fina

[It’s already difficult enough on just this floor.] Ruimin

[We’ll go upstairs then.] Yuna

[[We?]]

Fina and Ruimin looked at each other.

[Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.] Yuna

I summoned Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, who had been transformed into bear cubs, to help me clean up. I asked Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear to clean the floor from back then. Well, they’re too small to do much more than sweeping the floor.

I opened the window and started cleaning.

Then, the five of us split up and finished the cleaning around dusk. We were able to clean up the acc.u.mulated dust and ventilated the place. We couldn’t finish everything in half a day, but it was enough since we weren’t going to live there.

I come to a warehouse on the first floor. There’s nothing in there yet. There are only empty shelves that were used by the previous occupants.

I will set up a bear gate at the far end of the wall.

[With this, now you can come to this city anytime you want. But it’s a pity that only Yuna-san can use it. If I could use it, I would be able to come to this town and see Fina and her sister whenever I want.] Ruimin

I sometimes wish anyone could use it, but if anyone could use it, it would be a pain in the a.s.s, so this is fine.

[Yuna-oneesan, are we going to use this door on our way back?] Fina

[Hmmm, I guess it depends on Jade-san and the others. We’ll use it if we’re parting with them here, but we can’t use it if we’re going back together.] Yuna

[It’s nice to have an easy way home, but it’s also a shame we can’t ride Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear on our way back.] Ruimin

Well, at worst, we could send Ruimin back to the elven village and move separately. Well, it’s up to Jade-san and the others.

[Now then let’s take a bath and clean ourselves up before we go home.] Yuna

Both of them were sweating from cleaning and the heat. And even though they were wearing ap.r.o.ns to prevent their clothes from getting dirty, their hair and other parts of their bodies were covered with dust.

I opened the door of the bear gate in front of me and moved to the bear house in the elf village. Then the five of us, including Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, took a bath, washed off our sweat, and cleaned our bodies before returning to the inn.

The next day. The official start of the Gate of Trials begins today. Jade-san doesn’t plan to join us today, but we decide to go and observe how it will be done.

[But why are you going so early in the morning?] Ruimin

The sun has just risen. Fina and Ruimin are looking sleepy.

[That’s because I want to get to the Gates of Trials before it gets too crowded.] Yuna

It’s because of my appearance.

I don’t know what the situation will be, but if people gather like at a festival, it will be a big problem. It would be dangerous if people gathered around me at the stairs.

Besides, according to Rojina-san, there are fewer people in the early morning. I thought there would be a lot of people who would be the first to arrive, but apparently, that’s not the case. Weaponsmiths have no problem waking up and going to work right away. But as the weapons handler, the adventurers, they’d be in better shape if they ate breakfast a little later in the day. Anyone who tries to use a weapon half-asleep will find that their brain is not awake and their body will not be ready. It’s almost impossible to get good results.

So I’m going to try to get to the entrance of the Gates of Trials before the crowd gathers.

Then, after checking on the products of a few blacksmiths, I plan to leave.

[But I’m still sleepy.] Ruimin

[You can go back to sleep if you want.] Yuna

[I’m going.] Ruimin

The Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear who woke me up were sent back, then we head out for the Gate of Trials venue.

As I had expected, there were still few people on the street. When I came to the front of the stairs, however, there were no people in sight.

[Fina, feel free to tell me when you’re tired. You won’t be embarra.s.sed if no one is watching.] Yuna

[Yes. But I’ll do my best to climb.] Fina

[Yuna-san. Why are you not asking me that?] Ruimin

[Because I don’t think Ruimin will need it after watching you climb up so easily. But I can help you get down, if you want.] Yuna

[No thank you!] Ruimin

Ruimin climbed the stairs as if she was running away. She ran up the stairs the moment I told her I can help her go down. We were going to jump down the cliff after all.

Fina and I followed Ruimin up the stairs. Fina was out of breath, but she climbed the stairs on her own, step by step. With sweat beading on her forehead, she made it to the Gates of Trials venue.

[Good job.] Yuna

I offered chilled water to Fina and Ruimin.

It was still early and there was no one in sight. Are we too early?

[There’s no one here.] Ruimin

[Yuna-oneesan, Ruimin-san. There’s someone over there.] Fina

When I looked in the direction Fina was pointing, I saw a person. Someone was staring at the building housing the Gates of Trials. That person seems familiar.

[It’s Rojina-san.] Ruimin

Rojina-san is standing in front of the building, just as Ruimin said.

[Rojina-san, is he partic.i.p.ating?] Ruimin

[Hmmm. But, Rojina-san didn’t make any weapons.] Fina

He hasn’t made any weapons since we came to town. He has been making the pots and pans that we ordered. Even before that, Rikka-san told us that he wasn’t making weapons anymore. Rojina-san looked as if he was having a hard time. When I missed my chance to call out to him, he looked at us.

[Hey, girls. What’s the matter? Why are you here so early? It’s going to be a while before the people start gathering here.] Rojina

[No, I just came early because I’m dressed like this. How about you, Rojina-san? Are you going to partic.i.p.ate, by any chance?] Yuna

[No way. I haven’t made any weapon in years.] Rojina

[Then why are you here?] Yuna

[......Perhaps, because of a loose end.] Rojina

[A loose end?] Yuna

[I want to make a weapon.] Rojina

[Then, go on and make one.] Yuna

[It’s not that simple, you know. I have a desire to make weapons, but my heart became empty after Ghazal and Gordo left. I was looking forward to watching them grow up together. And grow up they did. But now that they were gone, I couldn’t make weapons anymore. It’s no longer fun to make weapons without them.] Rojina

It’s not like your daughter got married or your girlfriend died, you know? But I guess it’s because I have a dirty mind. Besides, his apprentices will have to set up their own stores and will disappear someday. There’s no end to the loneliness he would feel if he were to miss them every time. Why won’t he take a new apprentice after his apprentice becomes full-fledged and leave his master?

[So, I thought that seeing an apprentice blacksmith would bring out the old pa.s.sion for making weapons.] Rojina

So that’s why he’s here so early.

[So you girls came to watch too?] Rojina

[Well, sort of.] Yuna

[People usually don’t come here so early if they’re not a blacksmith or a merchant.] Rojina

[Isn’t this the big event in town?] Yuna

[It’s a big event for the blacksmiths. But for the average people, they don’t get to see the trials and tribulations. Plus, they have to climb this long flight of stairs.] Rojina

That’s what I thought as well. Not being able to see the trials and tribulations is the least exciting part. At least, if there was a camera or something to show what’s going on inside, people could enjoy it.

And then there’s the matter of the long staircase.

[Why is the Gate of Trials way up here? Why not make it a little lower? In the first place, did someone build the Gates of Trials? Or has it always been there since forever?] Yuna

[It is said that a wizard created it a long time ago. It is also said that this place was easy for the magic to gather and create magic.] Rojina

I wonder if it’s easy for magic power to gather here, like a spiritual or dragon’s vein. In games and comics, there are times when people talk about places where power can easily gather.

But the Gate of Trials was built by a wizard. It’s not like the pyramids just sprouted out of nowhere.

[Could it be that the reason you didn’t know when the Gates of Trials would open is that it’s made of that magic?] Yuna

[Correct. The Gates of Trials was being closed by magic power. And when the magic builds up, the gate opens.] Rojina

That’s why no one knows the exact date of the opening of the Gates of Trials.

[Looks like it’s about to open.] Rojina

When I look in the same direction as Rojina-san’s gaze, the door of the building opens. A dwarf emerges from inside. I don’t know how old he is, but he looks to be about the same age as Rojina-san.

[Who’s that?] Yuna

[That is Guildmaster of the Blacksmith Guild. Every year around this time, the officials stay in the building. And when it opens, they report to Guildmaster. I’m guessing the Guildmaster who received the report stayed overnight to prepare.] Rojina

When the Guildmaster of the Blacksmith Guild came out of the door, he made a small sneeze and noticed us.

[A Bear !? And Rojina?] Guildmaster

The Guildmaster of the Blacksmith Guild looks at me and Rojina-san in turn.

[She’s a friend of mine. I hope you don’t mind.] Rojina

Rojina-san followed up for me.

[......Well, I don’t mind it if you say so, but I see you know a girl who dresses pretty.] Guildmaster

[She knows my disciples who had gone far away. She just came to this city, so I’m just been taking care of her.] Rojina

[Right. So, did you come to watch again this year? Or did you come to partic.i.p.ate?] Guildmaster

[No, I’m just here to watch.] Rojina

[You’re still not making weapons?] Guildmaster

[I don’t know. Maybe I’ll make it, maybe I won’t.] Rojina

[So, which one is it?] Guildmaster

[I mean, I don’t even know it myself.] Rojina

[So you’ve come to watch it again this year. I’ll serve you some tea inside, so have a drink.] Guildmaster

[Is that okay?] Yuna

[Until the people arrive, that is. I’m sure Miss Bear and the girls are tired from climbing the stairs. I’ll serve some tea if you like.] Guildmaster

We’ll take you up on your offer then. We also wanted to see the inside of the building, after all.

Author’s Note:

It’s been a week. I’ve been working on the book at a leisurely pace.

There are so many things I want to fix, I can’t finish it on time.

Yuna has come to the Gates of Trials. We’re getting closer to the end of the arc now. Here is another request from the author. Please try to refrain from making predictions in the comments section. If you do, the author will take damage.

※The next post may be a little late. I’ve ordered a new computer. It will be delivered shortly. I’m not sure how long it will take me to set it up, so please bear with me.

※Please keep an eye out for SS for the book bonus of volume 8 in the activity report. Yoroshikuonegaishimasu.