387 Bear-san Departs for the City of Dwarves (1/2)

[Swaying Bear-chan, Hugging Bear-chan. It’s been a while.] Ruimin

Ruimin greeted Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear while stroking their heads. Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear cried .

I asked both of them to ride on Swaying Bear, while I climbed on Hugging Bear.

The city of dwarves was just up ahead of the elven village, and it seems that the city was built where the mines were. It’s not in Solzonak country, in fact, it doesn’t belong to any country.

[Are you sure about this?] Yuna

[It’s okay. I’ve been there once.] Ruimin

Ruimin answered with confidence. We decided to go to the city of Dwarves under the guidance of Ruimin, instead of the direction that Ghazal-san taught us.

Normally, to get to the city of Dwarves, you would have to return to the road leading to the city of Larousse, where a big river can be found, and from there you would have to make a long detour around the big forest where the elven village was located, and go around the mountains.

There is a path in the forest, but it’s a little narrow for Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear to run at the maximum speed. Therefore, I feel that it would be faster to go out on the main road and run at full speed.

As they say . When I went to the desert, I tried to take a shortcut and got lost. (TN: 「急がば回れ」It’s just a rough translation, but gets the job done, I guess.)

But Ruimin said that this was the road she took with her father, Artur, and the destination was a lot closer. At first, I was reluctant, but Ruimin confidently said, , So I couldn’t refuse her and simply agreed.

As a person who knows about how this girl ended up in the royal capital, it only makes me more anxious. But with a bear map, we won’t get lost, and with a bear house, we won’t collapse on the side road like her.

Besides, if this is really a shortcut to get to the city of Dwarves, the advantage would be less burden to Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear, and I do not have to worry about passersby. It’s not all bad things. Therefore, it can be said that there are more merits in Ruimin’s confidence.

We don’t have to hurry after all, so it might be a good idea to travel leisurely.

For the time being, I’ll believe in Ruimin’s words as an elf, who declares the forest is like a garden to her and proceed through the forest.

[Even so, that was a lot.] Fina

Fina reminded me of what happened earlier.

I am grateful since I am not familiar with wild plants and mushrooms, so I thanked them and received the baskets. No matter how much I got, it won’t be a burden because I have the bear box.

[Yuna-san, the last time you came, you were happy that you brought a lot back home, so I think everyone was happy when you accepted all of it this time as well.] Ruimin

[So, when Yuna-oneesan brought a lot of mushrooms and edible wild plants to her house before, it all came from here.] Fina

The wild plants and mushrooms I got last time were divided and given to Fina’s house, Anzu’s store, and the rest was used for cooking when we went to the sea. As expected, it will disappear quickly if consumed by more than 40 people. So I was happy to be able to replenish it. Let’s make tempura out of it.

[Shall we have these for dinner?] Yuna

[I will help.] Fina

Fina was also excited to eat.

And so, although I was worried at first, Ruimin gave instructions to Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear without hesitation.

We went through the forest, then through the river, and climb the mountains.

Looking at the bear map, it’s crooked, but we’re heading in the right direction. We’re not supposed to go around the same place like a scene in some manga.

Sometimes it’s good to move leisurely.

I’ll leave the directions to Ruimin, and the dangerous monsters and animals to Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear.

Fina and Ruimin are talking with each other. Most of the words I hear are about me and Sanya-san, two common acquaintances.

As we proceeded while I was relaxing on the way, Ruimin stopped Swaying Bear and looked around.

[That’s strange… it should have been around here.] Ruimin

There are only cliffs around us and no roads to be seen.

[Did you perhaps got lost?] Yuna

[We’re not lost. There should have been a bridge here.] Ruimin

[A bridge, was it that perhaps?] Yuna

I point the black bear puppet towards an object. It seems that there was a simple bridge made of rope ahead of us.

And it’s broken.

[We can’t pass through here.] Ruimin

Ruimin looks at the broken bridge and feels embarrassed.

[If we can’t go through here, we have to go back the way we came from… and that would be a long detour.] Ruimin

Ruimin held her head and began to flutter.

I exhaled, got off Hugging Bear, and walked near the cliff.

[Yuna-san?] Ruimin

[Stand back a little.] Yuna

I kneeled and let the black bear puppet touch the ground. Then, I let my magical power flow and imagine it. Soil emerged from the cliff, and then the soil extends to the opposite side of the cliff, creating a bridge made of hardened soil.

Since I had already made a bridge before when exploring the underground of the pyramid, I could now easily imagine it and make a bridge.

[Yuna-san is amazing.] Ruimin

[But why are there bears?] Fina

The pillars that support the bridge at both ends of the bridge are bears. Because I wanted to strengthen the bridge, I just had to make it into a bear. Well, this shouldn’t cause the bridge to collapse.

[Well, now we can go through.] Yuna

We crossed the bridge and moved to the other side.

Then, without being attacked by monsters or ferocious animals, and without Ruimin getting us lost, things go smoothly. And so, the night comes.

[It’s getting dark, so let’s stay overnight around here.] Yuna

[Yuna-san, are you taking out Bear-san’s house?] Ruimin

Ruimin happily asks.

[Bear-san’s house is amazing. It’s the best house to have where you don’t have to camp outdoors, it has warm futons, it has a bath, and it gets rid of the fatigue of the day.] Ruimin

Ruimin seems to have had a hard time going to the royal capital, so she really loves the bear house.