796 Liese, meet friends - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

Several days have passed since Yuna and Kagari returned. Life in the town carries on as if nothing ever happened, but some people are starting to feel that something is amiss. The first to sense this were those who had interactions with other towns. Supplies haven't been arriving. With merchants from other towns not coming around, they can't buy or sell goods. The Commerce Guild seems to have offered an explanation, though people were understandably skeptical. However, as the days went by with no ships arriving from other towns, and as others reported the same, the people connected to the Commerce Guild began to believe. Gradually, this information spread through the town. It's hard to believe someone saying that everything was frozen for three years all of a sudden. Regarding exchanges with other towns, it seems it's difficult to trade supplies just as they did three years ago. However, after understanding our situation, they've agreed to accommodate us to some extent. Trade will be slow for a while, but gradually, discussions will take place to decide future arrangements. It looks like the Commerce Guild and Father will be busy. Concerning the mines, I've heard that those who unknowingly headed there were shocked by the ice dragon's footprints. Since the warehouses were destroyed, they plan to rebuild them first. As for the bear bath that Yuna created, as discussed, it has been designated for the use of those who work in the mines. Though they were initially surprised by the bear exterior, reports say they were delighted upon seeing the interior bath. Some opinions suggested doing something about the cute bear design, as it was embarrassing to them, but Father and Grandpa Bende dismissed these concerns. It's something Yuna made for us. They intend to treasure it. Speaking of bears, there's the large bear outside town. It was created by Yuna to protect us from the ice dragon when she fought it. Though Yuna mentioned cleaning it up, it seems she left without doing so, perhaps forgetting. Now, it's become a curious structure. I went to see it up close as well, and there were many people there too. Father says he intends to leave the bear statue as it is. Is it all right to make that decision without consulting Yuna? What if she gets angry the next time she visits? However, that bear statue did protect the town from the ice dragon. Even if the townspeople don't know, we are aware of how those two girls saved the town. I think it's good to retain it, so we never forget they saved us. If I get married and have children someday, I'd like to tell them the story of that time. Father said he'd negotiate if Yuna comes to clean up later on. I've been busy assisting Father, but truthfully, I was only pretending to be busy, delaying something important. That important thing is meeting my two dear friends. I have two precious friends, Fran and Iina. We've played and run around together since we were little. Yet, I lack the courage to face those two. I don't know how to approach them. I fear how they'll react to the older me. The idea that we might no longer be friends terrifies me enough not to want to meet. But if I continue avoiding it, things will remain the same. Kagari's words linger in my mind. I'll never forget the look Mother and Sister gave me upon seeing me. Why did I grow up alone? If I'd been frozen along with everyone else, I wouldn't have felt this way. For Father and Grandpa Bende, these three years haven't changed them much. But I've changed. I've grown taller, lost my childish features from when I was twelve; I look more mature than my sister now. I can't run forever, nor can I escape. That day inevitably came. "Lady Liese, Miss Fran and Miss Iina are here." Nia, who looks after me, inquired how I wanted to handle it, aware of my anxiety about meeting my friends. "What shall we do? Should I send them away?" "…………" …Meeting them scares me. I'm still not prepared. But I know I can't avoid them forever. I take a deep breath. I've decided not to run anymore. "…Please let them in." "Understood." The door opens, and the two of them enter. Despite three years passing, they're still twelve, just as they were three years ago. I alone have grown. I'm acutely aware of this again. But then another emotion surfaces as I see them. A sense of nostalgia. These friends I thought were lost are alive. When the ice dragon froze the town, I mourned the loss of family and friends. But now... they're alive. They're the same two I knew from three years ago. "Liese!? Why are you crying all of a sudden!?" "What's wrong?" Before I knew it, tears flowed. "It's nothing." I wipe my tears with a handkerchief. "You wouldn't say 'it's nothing' if you're crying upon seeing us." They approach, looking concerned, and sit beside me. "So, why were you crying?" "Was it Fran's face that scared you?" "Iina!" Fran frowns as she rebukes Iina, which makes me smile. Such familiarity. It’s just like old times. "I was scared to see you two. But more than that, I was overwhelmed with happiness that you're alive. I thought we'd never meet again." Even if they look at me strangely, I'm just happy they're alive. I'm happy to see them. "Right. We were frozen for three years, weren't we?" "You must have thought we were gone, Liese." I thought Fran and Iina, alongside Mother and Sister, were all gone. "But seeing Liese, three years really have passed, huh." "You're so tall now." I, too, reassess the situation as I look at them. They’ve remained exactly as I remember. "Everything feels strange." "We were really frozen for three years." "Are you convinced?" "Well, we do belong to mercantile families. Our fathers heard it from the Commerce Guild." Their families are quite large merchants. We met through our fathers' business, and being the same age, we became friends. "At first, my dad didn't believe it either. Of course, neither did I." "But then, no ships came from other towns." "We started to suspect something had happened." "So, Iina's father and my father took a ship to the trading town, and it was just as the Guild Master said," my dad admitted. "Even though it's a huge issue, he was more troubled by the complete cessation of all trade transactions." "Our situation is similar. We weren't getting any of the goods we used to trade." "Fortunately, they understood our circumstances. Although not like three years ago, they said we could resume transactions eventually." "But Dad said it's less than half of what it used to be." Father had mentioned similar things. "And we heard about you too, Liese." "About how you watched over the frozen town for three years." I wasn't watching over it. I was merely there, unable to do anything for those three years. "Just hearing that made my heart ache." "It was painful just imagining it." "That's why I consulted with Iina, and we decided to come meet you." The two of them grasp my hands. "I was actually debating whether to see you both. No, I was scared." "You mentioned it earlier, but why were you scared?" "I was worried about how you'd see me now that I've grown up." "Well, Liese, you've blossomed into a beauty." "Yes, truly beautiful." "That's not true. For three years, maintaining myself was hard, my hair was a mess, and look, my hands are rough." While Mother had prepared various treatments, gradually reviving my hair’s sheen, my hands wouldn't heal so easily. With a laugh, I show them my hands. They take my hands into theirs. "I know these hands have worked hard." "By seeing them, I can tell how tough it must've been for you. Honestly, it was probably much harder than I can imagine." "If anyone makes fun of you, I'll stand up for you." They echo something similar to what Mother and Sister once said. That brings me joy, and tears start flowing again. They haven't changed a bit. They're the kind, dear friends I've always known. "But I'm the only one who’s grown up. I wanted to grow alongside you both. I wanted us to become adults together." I can't hold back my feelings. I hadn't planned on saying this aloud. I knew it would trouble them if I did. "Your body may have grown, but you haven't changed inside, have you?" "That's reassuring to hear." "That's not true. I've grown internally too." I've learned to cut fish, start a fire with wood, and I've been helping everyone. "I'm a big sister now." "Heh." "Haha." They begin to laugh. "Fran? Iina?" "It's just three years. We'll catch up in no time." "We'll grow taller and stand alongside you, Liese." "While you may have stopped growing, we're still going to get taller." "I'm going to grow even more too!" I'm only fifteen; I should still have some growth left. But the doctor suggested that due to my poor nutrition, I might not grow any further. Though I'm taller than the two of them, I'm still a bit short for a fifteen-year-old. In three years, they might surpass my height. But if I eat well, I'm sure I can grow taller. "When we're older, a three-year age difference won't matter either." "That's true. At thirty compared to thirty-three, there's hardly any difference." "And sixty compared to sixty-three is practically the same age." When they say that, it feels like it won't matter. "So, wait for us." "We'll catch up soon." "Okay. I'll be waiting. Catch up soon." "Let's grow old together as grandmothers." "Yes, let's." My precious friends. We'll be together from now on too.