Bear-san, Workers Get!
When we came out of the tunnel, the trees had been cut down, and we were able to see the blue sea in the distance. They had already finished cutting down the trees around the tunnel on this side, and there was a wide clearing. Only one building was standing in the clearing.
「That’s the sea?」
「Sea?」
They were both looking at the blue, faraway sea.
The weather was good, and there were no clouds.
It was great to have good weather. If the sky was pitch-black, rain was coming down, the wind was blowing, and the waves were raging when you saw the sea for the first time, there was a chance you would be traumatized.
As the three of us were looking at the calm sea, someone called out to me.
「Bear Missy?」
When I looked around for the person who had called out to me, a man came out of the building.
「Umm...」
I didn’t remember him.
「I come from Mireera. I was shocked when I saw you coming out of the tunnel all of a sudden.」
「It has been a while?」
I tilted my head.
「I have only heard about you, so you don’t have to worry about not recognizing me. So, why did you come here?」
「I came to show the sea to these two children.」
「Show them the sea, you say? Is it fun to see the sea? The Feudal Lord of Crimonia said that as well, but would people really come from far away to see the sea? I really can’t understand...」
「That’s because you see it every day. It’s a moving sight for people who have never seen it before.」
「Is that so?」
It seemed that the man still didn’t understand it.
You got tired of the sea if you looked at it every day, huh.
「Do you two like the sea?」
「Yes, it’s amazing!」
「It’s beautiful.」
「I see. I feel like you are praising me when you say so, and that makes me happy. Thank you.」
We said goodbye to the man and slowly headed for the city.
Fina and Shuri were continuously gazing at the sea from atop the bear.
「Should we take a detour?」
I made Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear walk along the beach.
When we arrived at the sandy beach, Fina and Shuri got down from Swaying Bear and ran towards the sea.
「It’s huge!」
「Is this all water?」
「Yeah, it’s salt water.」
「Salt?!」
The two of them slowly approached the water.
「Take care not to get wet, okay?」
Small waves rushed towards them.
They went just far enough to touch the waves.
「It’s cold!」
They licked the seawater on their hands.
「It’s really salty!」
「Sis, it’s salty!」
They came back with their tongues sticking out, so I took some water out of the Bear Box for them to rinse out the bad taste. After drinking, they went back to the sea.
The sun started to set while they were playing around, so I called them back.
「We should go to the city before it gets too late.」
The two came back after responding with an 「Okay!」 .
We got on Hugging Bear and Swaying Bear, and headed to the city.
Mireera was moving forward with the tunnel development, just like Crimonia on the other side. The forest to the city had been cut down, and the soil had been prepared. I saw mountains of wood stacked everywhere. Would they use this wood to make buildings?
As we kept moving forward, I saw the wall that I recognized.
Seeing the wall also meant that we inevitably started to see what was on the other side.
「Big Sis Yuna....」
「What?」
「Could that be your house?」
Fina asked when she saw the Bear Building.
「It’s a big Bear-san.」
Shuri was delighted to see the Bear House.
「You did well, figuring that out.」
When I praised her for figuring it out, she looked at me coldly.
「Big Sis Yuna, will we be staying at the Bear House?」
「That’s a good idea, but there’s an inn with really delicious food, so I plan on staying there tonight.」
We arrived at Mireera.
I put Swaying Bear and Hugging Bear back in my Bear Hands and approached the guard.
The guard was surprised for a second, but let us inside.
As we were walking through the city, I was greeted from all sides.
「Big Sis Yuna, you’re really popular.」
「Sis Yuna, you’re amazing.」
It was really embarrassing, so I picked up the pace to reach Deiga-san’s place faster.
When we entered the inn, it was empty as usual.
The main road and the sea were now open, so it would be good if there were more people, though...
「Welcome. Will you be staying... Yuna-san!」
「It’s been a while.」
Anzu, who was on the first floor of the inn, was very surprised when she saw me.
「Yuna-san, why are you here?」
「To show the sea to these girls, and to get my hands on a ingredient I wanted.」
I presented the two, who were behind me.
「I’m Fina.」
「I’m Shuri.」
The two of them gave a small bow.
「They’re really cute children.」
「We came to stay here, but is it really okay?」
「Hmm, Yuna-san, I think you already know this, but there are a lot of people who came from Crimonia to help with the development of the tunnel area. That’s why there are no free rooms. I wanted to do something for you, Yuna-san, who helped us so much though...」
「Is that so?」
I thought the inn was empty, but they were just out doing their jobs at the moment.
「Yuna-san, even if you don’t stop by our place, you have the Bear Residence, right?」
「I wanted these two children to taste Deiga-san’s cuisine.」
「Then, even though it’s just a meal, please eat here. I will call my father.」
It was a little early for dinner, but I had no problem with eating now.
「You two, it’s a little early, but do you want to eat?」
「I have no problem with that.」
「I’ll eat!」
「I’m counting on you then.」
When Anzu heard those words, she went to the kitchen where Deiga-san was. A loud voice came from there soon after.
「Really?!」
Deiga-san must have been the one who shouted in the kitchen, and I heard loud footsteps as he came towards us.
「Deiga-san, it’s been a while.」
「Oh, it’s good that you came.」
「I came to eat your meal, Deiga-san.」
「You really say some things that make me happy, you know. So, who are those children?」
「It’s the person who saved my life, Fina, and her little sister, Shuri.」
「Big Sis Yuna! Stop with this kind of introduction! You already said something like that before!」
「Sorry, sorry. Still, it’s a fact, right?」
「Even though I was the one who was saved...」
「Do your own introduction for now.」
「I’m Fina. Big Sis Yuna saved my life a while back.」
「I’m her little sister, Shuri.」
The two of them bowed.
「I’m Deiga; the owner of this inn.」
「Father, why don’t you start with making their meals? They came to stay here, but since there’s no vacant rooms, I thought that they could at least have a taste of your food.」
「I see. We’re out of rooms, huh. I’m really sorry about that.」
Deiga-san apologized even though it wasn’t his fault.
「I have a place to stay, so it’s okay.」
「I will make you something delicious as compensation, so sit and wait for it.」
「Father, I will help as well.」
「You have something to talk about with missy, haven’t you? You have to talk about it on your own.」
Deiga-san left Anzu here and returned to the kitchen.
There could only be one thing that Anzu had to talk about with me.
「Hmm, Yuna-san.」
「What is it?」
「It’s about the shop we talked last time. It’s real, isn’t it?」
「Yes, it’s neither a joke nor a lie.」
「I’m thinking about accepting it. That’s why, Yuna-san, I might trouble you, but I will be in your care.」
Anzu bowed her head.
「I will be in your care as well.」
「Yes!」
She happily answered.
「So, Yuna-san, I have one request before we go to Crimonia.」
She looked around as if it was difficult to talk about.
「What is it? If it’s something I can help you with, I will hear you out.」
「Yuna-san. Do you remember the women who had been captured by bandits?」
I remembered. I wasn’t able to say anything to those women after we rescued them. They lost their relatives and their loved ones. Even more, the women themselves had endured some terrible things.
「Could they come to work at the shop with me? It will be difficult for me alone, and they can handle fish, since they were born in this city, so they can help out at the shop. I would be happier if I had people I knew with me, rather than just going alone...」
Her voice was becoming softer and softer.
I was sure that she was thinking that she was asking for the impossible.
If the number of people who came to work increased, problems like wages and the like would start to pop up. Since her parents were working at an inn, she should know about it.
However, I wasn’t someone who would care about little things like that.
「Still, why?」
「I think you know about it, Yuna-san, but they lost their families. When living in this city, they remember painful things. Even if they wanted to go to another city, they don’t have any acquaintances, money, or jobs. They asked me when they heard that I would go to Crimonia.」
If it was this sort of a reason, I had no reason to refuse.
「Okay. How many people?」
「Is it really okay!?」
「Yeah. I also thought that it would be difficult if Anzu came alone. Of course, I thought of finding helpers for you, but they don’t know anything about seafood, so you would have to teach them from scratch. It would be a burden for you, so it would help me a lot if there were people that know how to handle seafood.」
「Thank you very much. There are six of them.」
「Six, huh.」
It was more than what I had expected.
With that, we could even make cooking classes, huh.
「Is it too many?」
「No problem. There is just the possibility that I will ask them to do some other jobs as well.」
「Other jobs, you say?」
「I plan on having you in charge of the dishes, but I might also ask someone to be in charge of the money and ingredients. It would be difficult for you to do it all alone, right?」
「You’re right. There is also money management and ingredient stocking. My father is in charge of the money, and my brother stocks up on fish that he catches, but I will have to do it on my own from now on, huh.」
「Of course, I will help you at first, but I want you to manage everything by yourself in the end. Well, there’s someone in Crimonia who knows a lot about purchasing ingredients, so if you ask them, you’ll be okay.」
「Okay.」
「Also, if there are people who like children, I would like them to help take care of the orphans in the orphanage. I will make a rotating shift of course. If you accept these terms, I’m okay with them coming.」
「Thank you very much. I’ll tell them.」
Anzu thanked me happily.
Soon after, as I was asking Anzu about the situation in the city, a delicious scent drifted in from the kitchen. Deiga-san was bringing the food.
「I made you wait. It seems that Anzu has also talked to you.」
「I’ll be taking your daughter.」
While I was saying it as a joke,
「Yea, take her! Also, while you are at it, find her a husband who can cook.」
「F, Father!」
Anzu hit Deiga-san with a beet-red face.
Didn’t she have a lover in this city? If she did, I would feel bad for her, but judging by the exchange just now, she didn’t seem to have one.