801 Bear, talks to Ellelaura - Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear

"This feels so good." Shia and I are soaking in a large bath. Though I wasn't sweating, a bath after moving around feels delightful. The water temperature is just perfect, too. "Facing off against you again really shows me how strong you are, Yuna." Shia says while massaging her own arm. She had swung her sword numerous times, so taking care of her muscles to prevent soreness is important. Thanks to my bear outfit, I'm fine, but without it, I might have been too sore to move tomorrow. "It's nostalgic thinking about the first time I met you, Shia." "Please forget about that," she replies, seeming embarrassed at recalling our initial encounter. "You got angry back then for your sister Noa, so there's nothing to be embarrassed about." Shia had been upset to find out that her sister's bodyguard was someone dressed in a bear suit, which led to our sparring match. It was only natural, considering the circumstances. Though, I have to say, it was Ellelaura who set up that spar. "Do you think I've become stronger?" "Like I said earlier, you have." "That makes me happy." We continued talking about our spar while soaking in the bath. Shia listened intently to my words, accepting my advice, and pondering it all deeply. If she can keep thinking things through like this, I believe she'll grow even stronger. "But, does a noble's daughter really need to be that strong?" "Precisely because I'm a noble, I need to be strong to protect myself." "You have bodyguards, don't you?" "They aren't with me all the time. In the academy, there are no bodyguards, for instance." True, there's none there. "...Also, nobles sometimes make enemies." Shia speaks with a straightforward look. "I don't believe my parents do anything to make enemies, but who knows who might hold a grudge against them without our knowing, and when they might strike. My father had a mishap at the orphanage in Crimonia." "That wasn't Cliff's fault, was it?" An employee managing the orphanage funds had been embezzling money. "The residents wouldn't know that. They'd think it was my father's doing." I had thought the same. Even the headmistress of the orphanage believed it. "If the orphanage staff bore grudges, they might have endangered my father or Noa." If the children at the orphanage had struggled for food, lost friends, and if the headmistress had died, the children might've ended up holding a grudge against Cliff. People with grudges are unpredictable. "That's true." "Nobles enjoy a good life thanks to the citizens. In return, we work to make life easier for them." Managing an economy and people is challenging. Village chiefs, small towns, large cities, small countries, large nations—the more people and money involved, the more complex it becomes. A village chief cannot handle a nation's affairs. A decent education and environment are necessary. "Sometimes, we might have to make choices that earn us people's resentment." Choosing a path where everyone is happy isn't easy. Occasionally, you have to sacrifice the few for the many. Those sacrificed may harbor grudges against the noble who abandoned them. "When that time comes, we might find ourselves in danger because of it." "Is that why you train?" "Partly, but I also just enjoy swinging a sword and using magic." Shia smiles. Being a noble seems tough. Reflecting on that, the fool of a lord in Sheelin and his son were terrible examples of nobility. Nobles like that would certainly be resented. I'm glad Misana's father is now the lord. Noa is properly studying, and together with Shia, they'll become good noblewomen. Crimonia is safe. Though, they'll need suitors. Finding men who suit Noa and Shia will be challenging. After refreshing ourselves with a bath, Shia and I relax until Ellelaura returns. Shia changes from her uniform into a white, dress-like casual outfit. As for me? I'm still in my black bear attire. While we chat in Shia's room, there's a knock on the door. Upon Shia's approval, Surlina enters. "Madam has returned. When I mentioned Miss Yuna is here, she asked me to escort you to the lounge." It seems Ellelaura has come back from work. Holding a frame with pressed flowers, Shia says, "Let's go," and we head to the lounge where Ellelaura awaits. "Mother, I've brought Yuna." "Come in." Shia and I open the door and step inside. "Thank you for visiting, Yuna. Please, have a seat." Shia and I sit in the chairs across from Ellelaura. Shia places the frame with the pressed flower on the table before us. "It's fine, but... what about this rare flower? Shia mentioned it's this blue one." Pointing with my bear puppet, I indicate the pressed flower. "That blue flower is called 'Masoaka,' a rare flower imbued with magic," Ellelaura explains. "Masoaka..." So, that's its name. Good thing the name isn't just 'pressed flower.' "And how is it precious?" "I'm not well-versed in these matters, as it's outside my jurisdiction," Ellelaura admits. I thought Ellelaura knew everything. "There are plenty of things I don't know," she says. "Don’t read my mind." "It was written all over your face." Lately, my thoughts really do show. I was supposed to be good at keeping a poker face. "Well, only specialists would notice." "They don't teach it at the academy." "If you're aiming for the Magic Ministry, and even then for plant specialists, there are few who would know." It's not just flowers. There are many specialists for plants, minerals, timber, food, magic, economics. This world has a myriad of experts. Because they're studying various things, those fields advance. Whoever recognized this Masoaka probably caught on because of their studies. "So, what should I do?" "Well, I could listen to detailed explanations, but since they'll be discussing the same thing at the Magic Ministry tomorrow, let's hear the in-depth details there." "Wait, speaking at the Magic Ministry?" "You'll be going to the Magic Ministry, Yuna." "I didn't hear about this." "I'm telling you now." Ellelaura makes a face as if to say, 'Am I wrong somehow?' She's right, but since I just met Ellelaura today, I didn’t have the chance to know before now. "Couldn't you have informed me with a letter in advance?" "When I wrote the letter, my plan was to call you to the royal capital, discuss matters with you here first, and then proceed with any further instructions. However, after meeting with Mane the other day, it was decided you'd be visiting the Magic Ministry." "Mane?" "He's the person from the Magic Ministry who noticed the Masoaka flower. So, what do you think?" "Do I have the right to refuse?" "Of course. We can't force you to go." I had fully expected to be dragged there against my will. "Though, I suspect that Mane would be quite sad. He's very dedicated to his research, and given his age, if he were to die from the shock, it wouldn’t be your fault, Yuna." Ellelaura gives a slightly sad expression, almost like emotional blackmail. "Is this Mane really that old?" "He's quite advanced in years." "Shia, can you confirm?" Since it's possible Ellelaura might be exaggerating, I turn to Shia for confirmation. "Yes, he is indeed quite elderly." It seems she's not lying. "Mane expressed a strong desire to meet and speak with you, Yuna." Well, that makes sense. I expected to be asked about where I found the flower, and various other things. However, I assumed Ellelaura would handle it, not someone else. "So, what are you going to do? You can decline, but then I'll end up gathering some information for them." "I'll go. I mean, I get to enter the Magic Ministry, right?" After hearing about the Magic Ministry from Shia, the place piqued my interest as it reminded me of something out of another world. It sounded so magical—literally! The Magic Ministry doesn’t exist in my original world. It stirred the gamer in me for the first time in a while. "Yes, you'll be given special access." "Wow, that's amazing! It's quite hard to get in there normally." Shia says with envy. "They conduct important research, so generally, no one except authorized personnel is allowed entry." Well, that's true everywhere. You can't have people from other companies walking into your office, and having strangers in the kitchen of my "Bear's Rest Shop" would be troublesome. Even though I've never had a corporate job, I can understand that much, especially in a place dealing with significant magic and magical tools. "In that case, let's plan on going tomorrow." That night, I was thinking of returning to the Bear House located in the royal capital, but both Shia and Ellelaura expressed interest in hearing stories about Noa, so they insisted I stay. They might have heard about the fairies from letters sent by Cliff, but they didn’t ask about them. Thus, I decided not to bring up the fairies myself.