788 Bear, listens to the story - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

The next morning, Kagari and I set out for the mountain peak to check on the Kumahouse and the state of the ice dragon. Riding atop Kumayuru and Kumakyu, we surveyed our surroundings. "What a dreadful sight." During the battle with the ice dragon, I hadn't paid attention, and by the time the fight ended, darkness had already fallen. Now that the morning light illuminated the scene, the aftermath of the battle was clear. Part of the mountain had collapsed, trees were felled, and the areas touched by the dragon's cold were in a terrible state. "It's a relief the town wasn't damaged." "Thanks to that bear, really." I looked down. Three massive bears stood tall below us—those were the bears that had defended against the ice dragon's chill. "That's part of it, but you protected it too, Kagari." "Me?" "You heated up your body to fend off the cold, didn't you? That helped too." I believe Kagari had weakened the cold. I don't know what would have happened to the bears if they'd been hit by a second freeze. So, protecting the town wasn't my accomplishment alone. Together, we assessed the catastrophic scene as we approached the summit. Any townsperson witnessing this would surely have caused an uproar. Protecting Liese's town was crucial; I really didn't want to see anyone harmed. "You've come." As we arrived before the ice dragon, it opened its eyes and addressed us. "Just to confirm, the ice dragon won't return, right?" "It won't." That's reassuring. "I'll pass that on. As promised, I'll be leaving here." "It seems they've been born." Kagari shifted her gaze beneath the ice dragon. As it moved slightly, a small ice dragon poked its head out from its belly. So adorable. It was an ice dragon baby. "They were born." I'm so relieved. It’s no surprise it's still small. But even small as it is, it's around the size of Kumayuru and Kumakyu. The baby ice dragon nuzzled up to its mother, occasionally casting curious glances our way. "Adorable." As I said so, Kumayuru and Kumakyu snugged up to me from either side. "Kumayuru and Kumakyu are adorable too." I patted their heads with both my hands. "Human child, I troubled you. I am grateful for protecting my child." Had I not protected your child, you might have become our enemy. "So, when will you be leaving? When will the baby be able to fly?" Kagari’s words brought me back to reality. Indeed, being born doesn't mean they can leave immediately. The dragon’s talk of departure might only apply once the baby can fly. Considering the longevity of ice dragons, an imminent departure could mean days, months, years, or even longer in their terms. But then, the ice dragon surprised me with an unexpected statement. "Tomorrow." "That soon? But the baby can't fly yet." I looked at the baby ice dragon. It didn’t seem capable of flying just yet. In response, the ice dragon stretched its neck, lightly biting the baby’s neck to lift it. This implied it would carry the baby by mouth. As I realized this, the ice dragon released the baby, who quickly nestled back under its mother. "Before you leave, I want to ask something. You mentioned my and Kagari's magic felt nostalgic to you. Could you explain what you meant by that?" Since we've become friendly, I figured it was worth asking. After all, we might never get another chance, and it costs nothing to inquire. The ice dragon turned to Kagari. "I sensed the child’s magic while flying in the sky. It was radiant and beautiful—a birth of life, perhaps." "When was this?" "A long time ago." Well, Kagari has lived for hundreds of years, so that makes sense. Not to mention, ice dragons don't seem to have a concept of human time. "Where was this?" "I don't remember." Kagari looked disappointed. But it makes sense—it's unlikely the dragon would know any human town names. "It's none of your concern." Apparently, my thoughts were showing on my face. Even me, a master of poker faces, has been wearing my emotions openly lately. "Then what about me?" The ice dragon focused on me. "In a difficult place for a human child to reach, a human child came to see me." "And that person's magic was similar to mine?" "Yes." "Why did that person come to see you?" "The human asked for a part of my body." A part of its body, meaning they wanted some of the ice dragon's material? "We ended up in battle." That's only natural. Asking for a part of someone's body isn’t a request easily granted. "So, did that person perish?" Since the ice dragon is alive, that would be the assumption. "He didn't die. He was strong but didn't aim to kill me. Upon hearing his request, he mentioned he wanted shavings from my horn, some scales, and my saliva." With those minor requests, one doesn’t need to kill. If they'd wanted the dragon's heart or eyes, that'd be a different story. "So, did you give them away?" "He proposed a trade." "What kind of trade?" "The human provided a magic tool that played music. Where I live is a quiet place. As I listened to the music, I found myself agreeing." If music-playing magic tools could be exchanged for dragon materials, that's quite a bargain. Merchants would likely be astounded, although I doubt many would venture to deal with a dragon. "That's why, when I sensed your magic, it reminded me of that time." So, that’s why my magic seemed nostalgic. "Then, who was that person?" "He called himself Kuruna Halk." "……!?" I was stunned by the unexpected name. I hadn't anticipated recognizing it. Kuruna Halk... It was a surprise to hear that name here. "This is all I can tell you." Apparently, no more information would be forthcoming. "Thank you for telling me." The ice dragon wrapped itself protectively around its offspring, closing its eyes. Perhaps the exhaustion from yesterday's battle still lingered, which might be why they planned to leave tomorrow instead of today. We decided to gather the Kumahouse and depart, so as not to intrude any further. Kagari remained silent. "............" I hesitated but then asked boldly. "Kagari, do you remember the Slime City?" "I remember." "When Kuruna Halk's name first came up, you acted like you knew them." "…I have met them." So, she had met them. Back then, I hadn't been curious enough to ask, but things are different now. "What kind of person were they?" "A cute, young girl." "A... girl!?" Based on the name, I'd assumed a man. "Perhaps a pseudonym. She corrected herself once when saying her name. I never learned her true name." "I see." "As the ice dragon mentioned, it was a long time ago." "What was she like?" "She was a mysterious girl. She said she was traveling the world. She even invited me to join her, but I declined." "Was that before the great serpent appeared?" "After. I couldn’t abandon my duty to oversee the seal." Kagari had been guarding the seal of the serpent. She couldn't simply walk away from that responsibility. "I wanted to take the hand she offered, but I could not grasp it." She had such a past. "Later, I began hearing the name Kuruna Halk. During my reclusion, I likely remained unaware simply because I was isolated. Even so, I don't have much more information about Kuruna Halk." The more I learned, the more enigmatic Kuruna Halk became. From what Shia told me, Kuruna Halk was an adventurer—someone unafraid to confront even ice dragons, a figure that adventurers might idolize. She also crafted magic tools, it seems. In the researcher's journal at the Slime City, Kuruna Halk's name had been written as well. Her name was also mentioned in Talgui. Perhaps she traveled the world like I do, exploring places in her Talgui, visiting the Land of Harmony and Slime City. But the unexpected revelation was that she was a woman. When Kagari met her, she was just a girl, so she must have been quite young back then. Ultimately, she belongs to the distant past. The similarity in magic is hard to explain—it could be a coincidence. Since I won't ever meet her, there's no point in dwelling on it.